But these informers struck much deeper: by them
the whole city, all Italy, and the Roman citizens in every part of the
Empire, were infested and persecuted: numbers were stripped of their
entire fortunes, and terror had seized all; when Tiberius, for a check to
this evil, chose twenty noblemen, five who were formerly Consuls, five who
were formerly Praetors, with ten other Senators, to review that law. By
them many of its intricacies were explained, its strictness qualified; and
hence some present alleviation was yielded.
Tiberius about this time, to the Senate recommended Nero, one of the sons
of Germanicus, now seventeen years of age, and desired "that he might be
exempted from executing the office of the Vigintivirate, [Footnote:
Officers for distributing the public lands; for regulating the mint, the
roads, and the execution of criminals.] and have leave to sue for the
Quaestorship five years sooner than the laws directed." A piece of
mockery, this request to all who heard it: but, Tiberius pretended "that
the same concessions had been decreed to himself and his brother Drusus,
at the request of Augustus.
Pages:
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253