§24Principatum, quamuis neque occupare confestim neque agere dubitasset, et statione militum, hoc est ui et specie dominationis assumpta, diu tamen recusauit, impudentissimo mimo nunc adhortantis amicos increpans ut ignaros, quanta belua esset imperium, nunc precantem senatum et procumbentem sibi ad genua ambiguis responsis et callida cunctatione suspendens, ut quidam patientiam rumperent atque unus in tumultu proclamaret: 'aut agat aut desistat!' alter coram exprobraret ceteros, quod polliciti sint tarde praestare, sed ipsum, quod praestet tarde polliceri.
Although he had hesitated neither to seize the principate immediately nor to exercise it, and had already assumed a guard of soldiers, that is, the force and outward appearance of sovereignty, yet he refused it for a long time, at one time rebuking his urging friends with a most shameless farce as if they were ignorant of what a monster the empire was, at another keeping the entreating senate, which prostrated itself at his knees, in suspense by ambiguous answers and crafty hesitation, so that some lost their patience and one cried out in the confusion: 'Let him either act or desist!' and another openly reproached the rest that they were slow to perform what they had promised, but that he was slow to promise what he was already performing.
tandem quasi coactus et querens miseram et onerosam iniungi sibi seruitutem, recepit imperium; nec tamen aliter, quam ut depositurum se quandoque spem faceret.
At last, as if compelled, and complaining that a miserable and burdensome slavery was being imposed upon him, he accepted the sovereignty; yet not otherwise than to give hope that he would one day lay it down.
ipsius uerba sunt: 'dum ueniam ad id tempus, quo uobis aequum possit uideri dare uos aliquam senectuti meae requiem. ' §25Cunctandi causa erat metus undique imminentium discriminum, ut saepe lupum se auribus tenere diceret.
His own words are: 'Until I come to that time when it may seem fair to you to grant some rest to my old age.' The cause of his hesitation was fear of the dangers threatening from every side, so that he often said he was 'holding a wolf by the ears'.
nam et seruus Agrippae Clemens nomine non contemnendam manum in ultionem domini compararat et L. Scribonius Libo uir nobilis res nouas clam moliebatur et duplex seditio militum in Illyrico et in Germania exorta est.
For a slave of Agrippa, Clemens by name, had collected no negligible force to avenge his master, and Lucius Scribonius Libo, a nobleman, was secretly plotting a revolution, and a double mutiny of the soldiers broke out in Illyricum and in Germany.
flagitabant ambo exercitus multa extra ordinem, ante omnia ut aequarentur stipendio praetorianis.
Both armies demanded many extraordinary things, above all that they should be equaled in pay to the praetorians.
Germaniciani quidem etiam principem detractabant non a se datum summaque ui Germanicum, qui tum iis praeerat, ad capessendam rem p. urgebant, quanquam obfirmate resistentem.
The Germanic forces indeed even rejected a prince who had not been given by themselves, and with all their might urged Germanicus, who then commanded them, to take over the government, although he obstinately resisted.
quem maxime casum timens, partes sibi quas senatui liberet, tuendas in re p. depoposcit, quando uniuersae sufficere solus nemo posset nisi cum altero uel etiam cum pluribus.
Fearing this development above all, Tiberius demanded for himself such parts of the state to guard as pleased the senate, since no single person could be sufficient for the whole unless in company with another or even with several.
simulauit et ualitudinem, quo aequiore animo Germanicus celerem successionem uel certe societatem principatus opperiretur.
He also feigned illness, so that Germanicus might await a speedy succession or at least a partnership in the principate with a more tranquil mind.
compositis seditionibus Clementem quoque fraude deceptum redegit in potestatem.
When the mutinies were settled, he also reduced Clemens to his power, having deceived him by a stratagem.
Libonem, ne quid in nouitate acerbius fieret, secundo demum anno in senatu coarguit, medio temporis spatio tantum cauere contentus; nam et inter pontifices sacrificanti simul pro secespita plumbeum cultrum subiciendum curauit et secretum petenti non nisi adhibito Druso filio dedit dextramque obambulantis ueluti incumbens, quoad perageretur sermo, continuit.
As for Libo, lest any too harsh measure should be taken at the beginning of his reign, he did not accuse him in the senate until the second year, being content in the intervening time merely to be on his guard; for when Libo was sacrificing with him among the priests, Tiberius took care that a leaden knife should be substituted for the sacrificial dagger, and when Libo requested a private interview, Tiberius did not grant it except with his son Drusus present, and as they walked, he held Libo's right hand as if leaning on him, until the conversation was finished.
§26Verum liberatus metu ciuilem admodum inter initia ac paulo minus quam priuatum egit.
But when he was freed from fear, he conducted himself in the beginning in an extremely civic manner, and little different from a private citizen.
ex plurimis maximisque honoribus praeter paucos et modicos non recepit.
Of the many and greatest honors offered to him, he accepted only a few modest ones.
natalem suum plebeis incurrentem circensibus uix unius bigae adiectione honorari passus est.
When his birthday fell during the Plebeian Games, he barely allowed it to be honored by the addition of a single two-horse chariot.
templa, flamines, sacerdotes decerni sibi prohibuit, etiam statuas atque imagines nisi permittente se poni; permisitque ea sola condicione, ne inter simulacra deorum sed inter ornamenta aedium ponerentur.
He forbade temples, flamines, and priests to be decreed for him, and even statues and busts to be set up without his permission; and he permitted them only on the condition that they should not be placed among the images of the gods, but among the ornaments of the buildings.
intercessit et quo minus in acta sua iuraretur, et ne mensis September Tiberius, October Liuius uocarentur.
He also vetoed the taking of an oath to observe his acts, and forbade the month of September to be called Tiberius, and October, Livius.
praenomen quoque imperatoris cognomenque patris patriae et ciuicam in uestibulo coronam recusauit; ac ne Augusti quidem nomen, quanquam hereditarium, nullis nisi ad reges ac dynastas epistulis addidit.
He also refused the praenomen of Imperator, the cognomen of Father of his Country, and the civic crown at his vestibule; and he did not add even the name of Augustus, although hereditary, to any letters except those to kings and dynasts.
nec amplius quam mox tres consulatus, unum paucis diebus, alterum tribus mensibus, tertium absens usque in Idus Maias gessit.
Nor did he hold more than three consulships thereafter, one for a few days, a second for three months, and a third in his absence until the Ides of May.
§27Adulationes adeo auersatus est, ut neminem senatorum aut officii aut negotii causa ad lecticam suam admiserit, consularem uero satisfacientem sibi ac per genua orare conantem ita suffugerit, ut caderet supinus; atque etiam, si quid in sermone uel in continua oratione blandius de se diceretur, non dubitaret interpellare ac reprehendere et commutare continuo.
He so averted flattery that he admitted none of the senators to his litter, whether for the sake of paying respects or on business; indeed, he so shrank from a man of consular rank who was making excuses to him and trying to entreat him by his knees, that he fell over backward; and also, if anything too flattering was said of him in conversation or in a continuous speech, he did not hesitate to interrupt and find fault with it, and change it immediately.
dominus appellatus a quodam denuntiauit, ne se amplius contumeliae causa nominaret.
When he was called 'Lord' by someone, he warned him not to address him by that title again, as it was an insult.
alium dicentem sacras eius occupationes et rursus alium, auctore eo senatum se adisse, uerba mutare et pro auctore suasorem, pro sacris laboriosas dicere coegit.
To another who spoke of his 'sacred occupations', and again to another who said that he had entered the senate 'by his authority', he compelled them to change their words and to say 'advisor' instead of 'author', and 'laborious' instead of 'sacred'.