§21ac non multo post lege per consules lata, ut prouincias cum Augusto communiter administraret simulque censum ageret, condito lustro in Illyricum profectus est.
And not long afterwards, a law having been carried by the consuls that he should govern the provinces jointly with Augustus and conduct the census at the same time, he set out for Illyricum after completing the purification ceremony.
et statim ex itinere reuocatus iam quidem adfectum, sed tamen spirantem adhuc Augustum repperit fuitque una secreto per totum diem.
But having been recalled immediately from his journey, he found Augustus already indeed very weak, but still breathing, and spent a whole day with him in private.
Scio uulgo persuasum quasi egresso post secretum sermonem Tiberio uox Augusti per cubicularios excepta sit: 'miserum populum R., qui sub tam lentis maxillis erit. ' ne illud quidem ignoro aliquos tradidisse, Augustum palam nec dissimulanter morum eius diritatem adeo improbasse, ut nonnumquam remissiores hilarioresque sermones superueniente eo abrumperet; sed expugnatum precibus uxoris adoptionem non abnuisse, uel etiam ambitione tractum, ut tali successore desiderabilior ipse quandoque fieret.
I know it is commonly believed that after Tiberius left their private conversation, the voice of Augustus was overheard by the bedchamber attendants saying: 'Alas for the Roman people, who will be under such slow jaws!' Nor am I ignorant that some have reported that Augustus openly and without disguise so disapproved of the harshness of his character that he sometimes broke off his more relaxed and cheerful conversations when Tiberius approached; but that, overcome by the entreaties of his wife, he did not refuse the adoption, or was even drawn by ambition, so that with such a successor he himself might one day become more deeply missed.
adduci tamen nequeo quin existimem, circumspectissimum et prudentissimum principem in tanto praesertim negotio nihil temere fecisse; sed uitiis Tiberi uirtutibusque perpensis potiores duxisse uirtutes, praesertim cum et rei p. causa adoptare se eum pro contione iurauerit et epistulis aliquot ut peritissimum rei militaris utque unicum p. R. praesidium prosequatur.
Nevertheless, I cannot be led to think that a most circumspect and prudent prince did anything rashly, especially in so great a matter; but having weighed the vices and virtues of Tiberius, he judged his virtues to be more important, especially since he swore before the public assembly that he was adopting him for the sake of the republic, and in several letters commends him as most skilled in military affairs and as the unique protection of the Roman people.
ex quibus in exemplum pauca hinc inde subieci.
From these letters I have subjoined a few passages here and there as examples.
'Vale, iucundissime Tiberi, et feliciter rem gere, ἐμοὶ καὶ †μουισ3ασ3αισ3τ στρατηγῶν.
'Farewell, my dearest Tiberius, and successfully conduct affairs, you who fight as general for me and the Muses.
iucundissime et ita sim felix, uir fortissime et dux νομιμώτατε, uale.
My dearest one, and as I hope to be happy, most brave man and most law-abiding general, farewell.
Ordinem aestiuorum tuorum ego uero, mi Tiberi, et inter tot rerum difficultates καὶίαν τῶν στρατευομένων non potuisse quemquam prudentius gerere se quam tu gesseris, existimo.
Indeed, my Tiberius, I think that no one could have conducted the order of your summer campaigns more prudently than you have done, amid so many difficulties and the dissatisfaction of the soldiers.
ii quoque qui tecum fuerunt omnes confitentur, uersum illum in te posse dici:
unus homo nobis uigilando restituit rem. Siue quid incidit de quo sit cogitandum diligentius, siue quid stomachor, ualde medius Fidius Tiberium meum desidero succurritque uersus ille Homericus:
τούτου γ' ἑσπομένοιο καὶ ἐκ πυρὸς αἰθομένοιο
ἄμφω νοστήσαιμεν, ἐπεὶ περίοιδε νοῆσαι. Attenuatum te esse continuatione laborum cum audio et lego, di me perdant nisi cohorrescit corpus meum; teque oro ut parcas tibi, ne si te languere audierimus, et ego et mater tua expiremus et summa imperi sui populus R. periclitetur.
Those too who were with you all confess that that verse can be applied to you: 'One man by his vigilance restored our state.' Whether any matter occurs which needs to be considered more carefully, or if I am annoyed by anything, by Hercules, I miss my Tiberius greatly, and that Homeric verse comes to my mind: 'If he follows, even from burning fire both of us would return, since he knows how to perceive.' When I hear and read that you are worn thin by the continuity of your labors, may the gods destroy me if my body does not shudder; and I beg you to spare yourself, lest if we hear that you are ill, both I and your mother should expire, and the Roman people should run a risk regarding the supreme power of their empire.
Nihil interest ualeam ipse necne, si tu non ualebis.
It matters nothing whether I myself am well or not, if you are not well.
Deos obsecro, ut te nobis conseruent et ualere nunc et semper patiantur, si non p. R. perosi sunt. ' §22Excessum Augusti non prius palam fecit, quam Agrippa iuuene interempto.
I pray the gods to preserve you for us and to allow you to be well now and always, if they do not utterly hate the Roman people.' He did not make the death of Augustus public until the young Agrippa had been put to death.
hunc tribunus militum custos appositus occidit lectis codicillis, quibus ut id faceret iubebatur; quos codicillos dubium fuit, Augustusne moriens reliquisset, quo materiam tumultus post se subduceret; an nomine Augusti Liuia et ea conscio Tiberio an ignaro, dictasset.
A military tribune appointed as his guard killed him after reading the written instructions by which he was ordered to do this; it was doubtful whether Augustus had left these instructions on his deathbed to remove the material for trouble after his death, or whether Livia had dictated them in Augustus's name, either with the knowledge of Tiberius or without it.
Tiberius renuntianti tribuno, factum esse quod imperasset, neque imperasse se et redditurum eum senatui rationem respondit, inuidiam scilicet in praesentia uitans.
To the tribune who reported that what he had commanded was done, Tiberius replied that he had not commanded it and that the tribune would have to give an account to the senate, obviously avoiding unpopularity for the time being.
nam mox silentio rem obliterauit.
For soon afterwards he buried the matter in silence.
§23iure autem tribuniciae potestatis coacto senatu incohataque adlocutione derepente uelut impar dolori congemuit, utque non solum uox sed et spiritus deficeret optauit ac perlegendum librum Druso filio tradidit.
But having convened the senate by the authority of his tribunician power and having begun his address, he suddenly groaned as if unable to bear his grief, and wished that not only his voice but also his breath might fail him, and handed the document to his son Drusus to be read through.
inlatum deinde Augusti testamentum, non admissis signatoribus nisi senatorii ordinis, ceteris extra curiam signa agnoscentibus, recitauit per libertum.
Then the will of Augustus was brought in, and since no witnesses were admitted unless they were of senatorial rank, while the others acknowledged their seals outside the senate house, it was read aloud by a freedman.
testamenti initium fuit: 'quoniam atrox fortuna Gaium et Lucium filios mihi eripuit, Tiberius Caesar mihi ex parte dimidia et sextante heres esto. ' quo et ipso aucta suspicio est opinantium successorem ascitum eum necessitate magis quam iudicio, quando ita praefari non abstinuerit.
The beginning of the will was: 'Since cruel fortune has snatched away my sons Gaius and Lucius from me, let Tiberius Caesar be my heir to the extent of one-half and one-sixth.' By this very fact, the suspicion was increased of those who thought that he had been adopted as successor out of necessity rather than choice, since Augustus did not refrain from prefacing his will in this manner.