Concerning the management of consular elections, either then or afterwards
under Tiberius, I can affirm scarce anything: such is the variance about
it, not only amongst historians, but even in his own speeches. Sometimes,
not naming the candidates, he described them by their family, by their
life and manners, and by the number of their campaigns; so as it might be
apparent whom he meant. Again, avoiding even to describe them, he exhorted
the candidates not to disturb the election by their intrigues, and
promised himself to take care of their interests. But chiefly he used to
declare, "that to him none had signified their pretensions, but such whose
names he had delivered to the Consuls; others too were at liberty to offer
the like pretensions, if they trusted to the favour of the Senate or their
own merits." Specious words! but entirely empty, or full of fraud; and by
how much they were covered with the greater guise of liberty, by so much
threatening a more hasty and devouring bondage.
BOOK II
A.D. 16-19.
The commotions in the East happened not ungratefully to Tiberius, since
then he had a colour for separating Germanicus from his old and faithful
legions; for setting him over strange provinces, and exposing him at once
to casual perils and the efforts of fraud.
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