Tiberius | Page 6

the prophet, "to be even a king, but
without the usual badge of royal dignity;" the rule of the Caesars being
as yet unknown. When he was (203) making his first expedition, and
leading his army through Macedonia into Syria, the altars which had
been formerly consecrated at Philippi by the victorious legions, blazed
suddenly with spontaneous fires. Soon after, as he was marching to
Illyricum, he stopped to consult the oracle of Geryon, near Padua; and
having drawn a lot by which he was desired to throw golden tali into
the fountain of Aponus [316], for an answer to his inquiries, he did so,
and the highest numbers came up. And those very tali are still to be
seen at the bottom of the fountain. A few days before his leaving
Rhodes, an eagle, a bird never before seen in that island, perched on the
top of his house. And the day before he received intelligence of the
permission granted him to return, as he was changing his dress, his
tunic appeared to be all on fire. He then likewise had a remarkable
proof of the skill of Thrasyllus, the astrologer, whom, for his
proficiency in philosophical researches, he had taken into his family.
For, upon sight of the ship which brought the intelligence, he said,
good news was coming whereas every thing going wrong before, and
quite contrary to his predictions, Tiberius had intended that very
moment, when they were walking together, to throw him into the sea,
as an impostor, and one to whom he had too hastily entrusted his
secrets.
XV. Upon his return to Rome, having introduced his son Drusus into
the forum, he immediately removed from Pompey's house, in the
Carinae, to the gardens of Mecaenas, on the Esquiline [317], and
resigned himself entirely to his ease, performing only the common
offices of civility in private life, without any preferment in the
government. But Caius and Lucius being both carried off in the space
of three years, he was adopted by Augustus, along with their brother
Agrippa; being obliged in the first place to adopt Germanicus, his
brother's son. After his adoption, he never more acted as master of a

(204) family, nor exercised, in the smallest degree, the rights which he
had lost by it. For he neither disposed of anything in the way of gift,
nor manumitted a slave; nor so much as received any estate left him by
will, nor any legacy, without reckoning it as a part of his peculium or
property held under his father. From that day forward, nothing was
omitted that might contribute to the advancement of his grandeur, and
much more, when, upon Agrippa being discarded and banished, it was
evident that the hope of succession rested upon him alone.
XVI. The tribunitian authority was again conferred upon him for five
years [318], and a commission given him to settle the affairs of
Germany. The ambassadors of the Parthians, after having had an
audience of Augustus, were ordered to apply to him likewise in his
province. But on receiving intelligence of an insurrection in Illyricum
[319], he went over to superintend the management of that new war,
which proved the most serious of all the foreign wars since the
Carthaginian. This he conducted during three years, with fifteen legions
and an equal number of auxiliary forces, under great difficulties, and an
extreme scarcity of corn. And though he was several times recalled, he
nevertheless persisted; fearing lest an enemy so powerful, and so near,
should fall upon the army in their retreat. This resolution was attended
with good success; for he at last reduced to complete subjection all
Illyricum, lying between Italy and the kingdom of Noricum, Thrace,
Macedonia, the river Danube, and the Adriatic gulf.
XVII. The glory he acquired by these successes received an increase
from the conjuncture in which they happened. For almost about that
very time [320] Quintilius Varus was cut off with three legions in
Germany; and it was generally believed that the victorious Germans
would have joined the Pannonians, had not the war of Illyricum been
previously concluded. A triumph, therefore, besides many other great
honours, was decreed him. Some proposed that the surname of
"Pannonicus," others that of "Invincible," and others, of "O Pius,"
should be conferred on him; but Augustus interposed, engaging for him
that he would be satisfied with that to which he would succeed at his
death. He postponed his triumph, because (205) the state was at that
time under great affliction for the disaster of Varus and his army.
Nevertheless, he entered the city in a triumphal robe, crowned with
laurel, and mounting a tribunal in the Septa, sat with Augustus between

the two consuls, whilst the senate gave their attendance standing;
whence, after he had saluted