Dio's Rome Volume IV Part 6

[-35-] While these events were occurring Augustus took a census, reckoning in all the property that belonged to him, as an individual might do, and also making a list of the senate. As he saw that many were not always present at the meetings he ordered that even less than four hundred might const.i.tute a quorum for pa.s.sing decrees. Previously that had been the minimum number for ratifying any measure. The senate and the people again contributed money to be spent on images of himself, but he would erect no such likeness, and only set up representations of the Public Health, of Concord, and of Peace. The citizens were always collecting money for statues to him, on the slightest excuse; and at last they ceased paying it privately, as before, but would come to him on the first day of the year and give, some more, some less. He, after adding as much or more again, would return it, not only to the senators but to all the rest. I have also heard the story that on one day of the year, following some oracle or dream, he would a.s.sume the guise of a beggar and would accept money from those who pa.s.sed. This, whether trustworthy or not, is a prevailing tradition.

That year he gave Julia in marriage to Tiberius, and his sister Octavia dying, he caused her body to lie in state in the hero-shrine of Julius; on this occasion, too, he had a curtain over the corpse. He himself delivered there the funeral speech and Drusus, having changed his senatorial dress, had a place on the platform, for the mourning was a public affair. Her body was carried in procession by her sons-in-law: not all the honors voted to her were accepted by Augustus.

At this same time the first priest of Jupiter since [-36-] Merula was appointed; and the quaestors were ordered to pay careful heed to the decrees pa.s.sed from time to time, because the tribunes and the aediles, who had previously been entrusted with this business, transacted it through their a.s.sistants, and as a result some mistakes and confusion took place.

It was voted, moreover, that the temple of Ja.n.u.s Geminus, which was open, should be closed, on the a.s.sumption that wars had ceased.

[B.C. 10 (_a. u._ 744)]

It was not closed, however, for the Dacians crossing the Ister on the ice took the crops of Pannonia as booty, and the Dalmatians revolted at the imposition of taxes. Against the latter Tiberius was sent from Gaul, whither he had gone in company with Augustus, and he restored order. The nations of the Celtae, and especially the Chatti, were partly weakened and partly subdued by Drusus; the tribe mentioned had gone to join the Sugambri, having abandoned their own country, which the Romans had given them to dwell in. The emperor delayed in Lugdunis, where he could keep a sharp watch on affairs, as it was so near the Celtae. The victors returned to Rome with Augustus, a.s.sumed whatever dignities had been voted them by the senate, and performed such other duties as belonged to them.--These events took place in the consulship of Iullus and Fabius Maximus.

[Footnote 1: Pliny (Natural History VI, 181) calls him _Publius_.]

[Footnote 2: Readings and punctuation from Dindorf.]

[Footnote 3: Augustus returned to Rome October twelfth, and the temple in question was consecrated December fifteenth.]

[Footnote 4: Boissevain here amends to [Greek: 'epelpisas]]

[Footnote 5: In the matter of the spelling of this name the weight of authority prefers _Licinus_. Dio's form is less correct.]

[Footnote 6: I. e., the _lacus Venetus_.]

[Footnote 7: This eminence with its villa appropriately bore the Greek t.i.tle _Pausilypon_ (Grief's Surcease), a compound word like our modern names _Heartsease_, _Sans Souci_, etc. It is the modern "Hill of Posilipo."]

[Footnote 8: English, _Twenty Men_; their regular t.i.tle.]

[Footnote 9: Latin, _Viginti s.e.x Viri_.]

[Footnote 10: The words "certain honors" are supplied on the suggestion of Boissevain. Boissee and others, who surmise that the text here contains a lacuna]

[Footnote 11: I. e., at the time of the Feriae.]

[Footnote 12: The reading [Greek: agoranomos] is generally preferred here to [Greek: asotunmos]]

DIO'S

ROMAN HISTORY

55

The following is contained in the Fifty-fifth of Dio's Rome:

How Drusus died (chapters 1, 2).

How the Precinct of Livia was consecrated (chapter 8)

How the Campus Agrippae was consecrated (chapter 8)

How the Diribitorium was consecrated (chapter 8).

How Tiberius retired to Rome (chapter 11).

How the Forum of Augustus was consecrated (chapter 12).

How the Temple of Mars therein was consecrated (chapter 12).

How Lucius Caesar and Gaius Caesar died (chapters 11, 12).

How Augustus adopted Tiberius (chapter 13).

How Livia urged Augustus to rule more mercifully (chapters 14-22).

About the legions and how men were appointed to manage the military fund (chapters 23-25).

How the night-watchmen[1] were appointed (chapter 26).

How Tiberius fought against the Dalmatians and Pannonians (chapters 28-34).

Duration of time, 17 years, in which there were the following magistrates here enumerated:

Nero Claudius Tib. F. Drusus, T. Quinctius T. F. Crispinus. (B.C. 9 = a.

u. 745.)

C. Marcius L. F. Censorinus, C. Asinius C. F. Gallus. (B.C. 8 = a. u.

746.)

Tib. Claudius Tib. F. Nero (II), Cn. Calpurnius Cn. F. Piso. (B.C. 7 = a.

u. 747.)

Decimus Laelius Decimi F. Balbus, C. Antistius C. F. Veter. (B.C. 6 = a.

u. 748.)

Augustus (XII), L. Cornelius P. F. Sulla. (B.C. 5 = a. u. 749.)

C. Calvisius C. F. Sabinus (II), L. Pa.s.sienus Rufus (B.C. 4 = a. u. 750.)

L. Cornelius L. F. Lentulus, M. Valerius M. F. Messalla [or] Messalinus.

(B.C. 3 = a. u. 751.)

Augustus (XIII), M. Plautius M. F. Silva.n.u.s. (B.C. 2 = a. u. 752.)

Cossus Cornelius Cn. F. Lentulus, L. Calpurnius Cn. F. Piso (B.C. 1 = a.

u. 753.)