The pleasure of the Emperor being
consulted, "whether he would suffer him to be buried;" he was not ashamed
to grant such a piece of mock mercy, nor even to blame the anticipations
of casualty, which had withdrawn the criminal, before he was publicly
convicted: as if during three intermediate years between his accusation
and his death, there wanted time for the trial of an ancient Consular, and
the father of so many Consulars. Next perished Drusus, condemned by his
grandfather to be starved; but by gnawing the weeds upon which he lay, he
by that miserable nourishment protracted life the space of nine days. Some
authors relate that, in case Sejanus had resisted and taken arms, Macro
had instructions to draw the young man out of confinement (for he was kept
in the palace) and set him at the head of the people: afterwards because a
report ran, "that the Emperor was about to be reconciled to his daughter-
in-law and grandson;" he chose rather to gratify himself by cruelty, than
the public by relenting.
Tiberius not satiated with the death of Drusus, even after death pursued
him with cruel invectives, and, in a letter to the Senate, charged him
with "a body foul with prostitution; with a spirit breathing destruction
to his own family, and rage against the Republic;" and ordered to be
recited "the minutes of his words and actions, which had been long and
daily registered," A proceeding more black with horror could not be
devised! That for so many years, there should be those expressly
appointed, who were to note down his looks, his groans, his secret and
extorted murmurs; that his grandfather should delight to hear the
treacherous detail, to read it, and to the public expose it, would appear
a series of fraud, meanness and amazement beyond all measure of faith,
were it not for the letters of Actius the Centurion, and Didymus the
Freedman; who in them declare, particularly, the names of the slaves set
purposely to abuse and provoke Drusus, with the several parts they acted;
how one struck him going out of his chamber, and how another filled him
with terrors and dismay.
Pages:
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364