The Reign of Tiberius | Page 3

says, means in the Sabine tongue
"vigorous and bold," _fortis et strenuus_; and the long history of the
Claudian House does not belie their gallant name. Immediately after
the birth of Tiberius, or perhaps before it, his mother Livia was
divorced from Claudius, and married by Augustus: the Empress is
revealed mysteriously and almost as a divine being, in the progress of
"The Annals." The Emperor adopted the offspring of Claudius: among
the Romans, these legal adoptions were as valid as descent by blood;
and Tiberius was brought up to be the son of Caesar. His natural parts
were improved and strengthened, by the training of the Forum and the
camp. Tiberius became a good orator; and he gained victory and
reputation, in his wars against the savages of Germany and Dalmatia:
but his peculiar talent was for literature; in this, "he was a great purist,
and affected a wonderful precision about his words." He composed
some Greek poems, and a Latin Elegy upon Lucius Caesar: he also
wrote an account of his own life, an _Apologia_; a volume, which the
Emperor Domitian was never tired of reading. But the favourite pursuit
of Tiberius was Greek divinity; like some of the mediaeval Doctors, he
frequented the by-ways of religion, and amused his leisure with the
more difficult problems in theology: "Who was Hecuba's mother?"
"What poetry the Sirens chaunted?" "What was Achilles' name, when
he lay hid among the women?" The writings of Tiberius have all
perished; and in these days, we have only too much cause to regret, that
nothing of his "precision" has come down to us. The battles of Tiberius
are celebrated in the Odes of Horace: one of the Epistles is addressed to
him; and in another, written to Julius Florus, an officer with Tiberius,
Horace enquires about the learned occupations of the Imperial cohort.
_Quid studiosa Cohors operum struit? Hoc quoque curo._
It was from his commerce with the Ancients, as I always think, that
George Buchanan derived his opinion, strange to modern ears, that "a
great commander must of necessity have all the talents of an author."
Velleius Paterculus, who served with Tiberius in his campaigns, tells us
of his firm discipline, and of his kindness to the soldiers.
The Caesars Caius and Lucius, grandsons of Augustus, Marcellus his
nephew, and Drusus the brother of Tiberius, all died: they died young,
rich in promise, the darlings of the Roman People; "Breves et infaustos
Populi Romani amores;" and thus, in the procession of events, Tiberius

became the heir. "The Annals" open with his accession, and Tacitus has
narrated the vicissitudes of his reign. Velleius Paterculus has written its
happier aspects: he describes how the "Pax Augusta," the "Roman
Peace," delivered every quarter of the world from violence. He
celebrates the return of Justice and prosperity, of order, of mild and
equable taxation, of military discipline and magisterial authority. It is
like the Saturnian Reign, which Virgil sings in the Eclogue "Pollio."
The first action of Tiberius was to canonise his father, and Augustus
was translated to the banquet of the Gods:
_Quos inter Augustus recumbens, Purpureo bibit ore nectar._
Augustus was his great example; "he not only called him, but
considered him, divine;" "non appelavit eum, sed facit Deum." The
Latin of Paterculus is here so elegant and happy, that, for the pleasure
of the learned, I transcribe it: for others, I have already given something
of the sense. "Revocata in forum fides; submota e foro seditio, ambitio
campo, discordia curia: sepultaeque ac situ obsitae, justitia, aequitas,
industria, civitati, redditae; accessit magistratibus auctoritas, senatui
majestas, judiciis gravitas; compressa theatralis seditio; recte faciendi,
omnibus aut incussa voluntas aut imposita necessitas. Honorantur recta,
prava puniuntur. Suspicit potentem humilis, non timet. Antecedit, non
contemnit, humiliorem potens. Quando annona moderatior? Quando
pax laetior? Diffusa in Orientis Occidentisque tractus, quidquid
meridiano aut septentrione finitur, Pax Augusta, per omnes terrarum
orbis angulos metu servat immunes. Fortuita non civium tantummodo,
sed Urbium damna, Principis munificentia vindicat. Restitutae urbes
Asiae: vindictae ab injuriis magistratuum provinciae. Honor dignis
paratissimus: poena in malos sera, sed aliqua. Superatur aequitate gratia,
ambitio virtute: nam facere recte cives suos, Princeps optimus faciendo
docet; cumque sit imperio maximus, exemplo major est."
Tiberius reigned from the year 14, to the year 37. He died in the villa of
Lucullus, and he was buried in the mausoleum of the Caesars. The
manner of his death is variously related: Tacitus gives one account;
Suetonius, another. According to the last writer, he died like George II.,
alone, having just risen from his bed; and he was thus found by his
attendants: "Seneca cum scribit subito vocatis ministris, ac nemine
respondente, consurrexisse; nec procul a lectulo, deficientibus viribus,
concidisse." Tiberius was tall, and beautiful. Suetonius tells us of his

great eyes, which could see in the