Domitian | Page 5

persevere in this course of clemency and justice,

although he sooner fell into cruelty than into avarice. He put to death a
scholar of Paris, the pantomimic [816], though a minor, and then sick,
only because, both in person and the practice of his art, he resembled
his master; as he did likewise Hermogenes of Tarsus for some oblique
reflections in his History; crucifying, besides, the scribes who had
copied the work. One who was master of a band of gladiators,
happening to say, "that a Thrax was a match for a Marmillo [817], but
not so for the exhibitor of the games", he ordered him to be dragged
from the benches into the arena, and exposed to the dogs, with this
label upon him, "A Parmularian [818] guilty of talking impiously." He
put to death many senators, and amongst them several men of consular
rank. In this number were, Civica Cerealis, when he was proconsul in
Africa, Salvidienus Orfitus, and Acilius Glabrio in exile, under the
pretence of their planning to revolt against him. The rest he punished
upon very trivial occasions; as Aelius Lamia for some jocular
expressions, which were of old date, and perfectly harmless; because,
upon his commending his voice after he had taken his wife from him
[819], he replied, "Alas! I hold my tongue." And when Titus advised
him to take another wife, he answered him thus: "What! have you a
mind to marry?" Salvius Cocceianus was condemned to death for
keeping the birth-day of his uncle Otho, the emperor: Metius
Pomposianus, because he was commonly reported to have an imperial
nativity [820], and to carry about with (488) him a map of the world
upon vellum, with the speeches of kings and generals extracted out of
Titus Livius; and for giving his slaves the names of Mago and Hannibal;
Sallustius Lucullus, lieutenant in Britain, for suffering some lances of a
new invention to be called "Lucullean;" and Junius Rusticus, for
publishing a treatise in praise of Paetus Thrasea and Helvidius Priscus,
and calling them both "most upright men." Upon this occasion, he
likewise banished all the philosophers from the city and Italy. He put to
death the younger Helvidius, for writing a farce, in which, under the
character of Paris and Oenone, he reflected upon his having divorced
his wife; and also Flavius Sabinus, one of his cousins, because, upon
his being chosen at the consular election to that office, the public crier
had, by a blunder, proclaimed him to the people not consul, but
emperor. Becoming still more savage after his success in the civil war,
he employed the utmost industry to discover those of the adverse party

who absconded: many of them he racked with a new-invented torture,
inserting fire through their private parts; and from some he cut off their
hands. It is certain, that only two of any note were pardoned, a tribune
who wore the narrow stripe, and a centurion; who, to clear themselves
from the charge of being concerned in any rebellious project, proved
themselves to have been guilty of prostitution, and consequently
incapable of exercising any influence either over the general or the
soldiers.
XI. His cruelties were not only excessive, but subtle and unexpected.
The day before he crucified a collector of his rents, he sent for him into
his bed-chamber, made him sit down upon the bed by him, and sent
him away well pleased, and, so far as could be inferred from his
treatment, in a state of perfect security; having vouchsafed him the
favour of a plate of meat from his own table. When he was on the point
of condemning to death Aretinus Clemens, a man of consular rank, and
one of his friends and emissaries, he retained him about his person in
the same or greater favour than ever; until at last, as they were riding
together in the same litter, upon seeing the man who had informed
against him, he said, "Are you willing that we should hear this base
slave tomorrow?" Contemptuously abusing the patience of men, he
never pronounced a severe sentence without prefacing it (489) with
words which gave hopes of mercy; so that, at last, there was not a more
certain token of a fatal conclusion, than a mild commencement. He
brought before the senate some persona accused of treason, declaring,
"that he should prove that day how dear he was to the senate;" and so
influenced them, that they condemned the accused to be punished
according to the ancient usage [821]. Then, as if alarmed at the extreme
severity of their punishment, to lessen the odiousness of the proceeding,
he interposed in these words; for it is not foreign to the purpose to give
them precisely as they were delivered: "Permit me, Conscript Fathers,
so far