" At the same time, the
people, carrying with them the images of Agrippina and Nero, gathered
about the Senate, and proclaiming their good wishes for the prosperity of
the Emperor, cried earnestly, "that the letters were counterfeit; and,
against the consent of the Prince, the doom of his family was pursued:" so
that nothing tragical was that day transacted. There were also dispersed
amongst them several speeches, said to have been uttered in Senate by the
Consulars, as their motions and advices against Sejanus; but all framed,
and with the more petulance as the several authors exercised their
satirical wit in the dark. Hence Sejanus boiled with greater rage, and
hence had a handle for branding the Senate, "that by them the anguish and
resentments of the Prince were despised: the people were revolted; popular
and disaffected harangues were publicly read and listened to: new and
arbitrary acts of Senate were passed and published: what more remained,
but to arm the populace and place at their head, as leaders and Imperial
commanders, those whose images they had already chosen for standards?"
Tiberius having therefore repeated his reproaches against his grandson and
daughter-in-law: having chastised the people by an edict, and complained
to the Senate, "that by the fraud of a single Senator the Imperial dignity
should be battled and insulted, required that the whole affair should be
left to himself, entire and untouched.
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