Tiberius | Page 5

is mentioned, in which he appeared
to exercise his tribunitian authority. Being a constant attendant upon
the schools and lecture-rooms of the professors of the liberal arts, on
occasion of a quarrel amongst the wrangling (201) sophists, in which
he interposed to reconcile them, some person took the liberty to abuse
him as an intruder, and partial in the affair. Upon this, withdrawing
privately home, he suddenly returned attended by his officers, and
summoning his accuser before his tribunal, by a public crier, ordered
him to be taken to prison. Afterwards he received tidings that his wife
Julia had been condemned for her lewdness and adultery, and that a bill
of divorce had been sent to her in his name, by the authority of
Augustus. Though he secretly rejoiced at this intelligence, he thought it
incumbent upon him, in point of decency, to interpose in her behalf by
frequent letters to Augustus, and to allow her to retain the presents
which he had made her, notwithstanding the little regard she merited
from him. When the period of his tribunitian authority expired [313],
declaring at last that he had no other object in his retirement than to
avoid all suspicion of rivalship with Caius and Lucius, he petitioned
that, since he was now secure in that respect, as they were come to the
age of manhood, and would easily maintain themselves in possession
of the second place in the state, he might be permitted to visit his
friends, whom he was very desirous of seeing. But his request was
denied; and he was advised to lay aside all concern for his friends,
whom he had been so eager to greet.
XII. He therefore continued at Rhodes much against his will, obtaining,
with difficulty, through his mother, the title of Augustus's lieutenant, to

cover his disgrace. He thenceforth lived, however, not only as a private
person, but as one suspected and under apprehension, retiring into the
interior of the country, and avoiding the visits of those who sailed that
way, which were very frequent; for no one passed to take command of
an army, or the government of a province, without touching at Rhodes.
But there were fresh reasons for increased anxiety. For crossing over to
Samos, on a visit to his step-son Caius, who had been appointed
governor of the East, he found him prepossessed against him, by the
insinuations of Marcus Lollius, his companion and director. He
likewise fell under suspicion of sending by some centurions who had
been promoted by himself, upon their return to the camp after a
furlough, mysterious messages to several persons there, intended,
apparently, to (202) tamper with them for a revolt. This jealousy
respecting his designs being intimated to him by Augustus, he begged
repeatedly that some person of any of the three Orders might be placed
as a spy upon him in every thing he either said or did.
XIII. He laid aside likewise his usual exercises of riding and arms; and
quitting the Roman habit, made use of the Pallium and Crepida [314].
In this condition he continued almost two years, becoming daily an
object of increasing contempt and odium; insomuch that the people of
Nismes pulled down all the images and statues of him in their town;
and upon mention being made of him at table one of the company said
to Caius, "I will sail over to Rhodes immediately, if you desire me, and
bring you the head of the exile;" for that was the appellation now given
him. Thus alarmed not only by apprehensions, but real danger, he
renewed his solicitations for leave to return; and, seconded by the most
urgent supplications of his mother, he at last obtained his request; to
which an accident somewhat contributed. Augustus had resolved to
determine nothing in the affair, but with the consent of his eldest son.
The latter was at that time out of humour with Marcus Lollius, and
therefore easily disposed to be favourable to his father-in-law. Caius
thus acquiescing, he was recalled, but upon condition that he should
take no concern whatever in the administration of affairs.
XIV. He returned to Rome after an absence of nearly eight years [315],
with great and confident hopes of his future elevation, which he had
entertained from his youth, in consequence of various prodigies and
predictions. For Livia, when pregnant with him, being anxious to

discover, by different modes of divination, whether her offspring would
be a son, amongst others, took an egg from a hen that was sitting, and
kept it warm with her own hands, and those of her maids, by turns,
until a fine cock-chicken, with a large comb, was hatched. Scribonius,
the astrologer, predicted great things of him when he was a mere child.
"He will come in time," said