Vespasian | Page 7

of some of
them. He likewise openly engaged in a traffic, which is discreditable
[758] even to a private individual, buying great quantities of goods, for
the purpose of retailing them again to advantage. Nay, he made no
scruple of selling the great offices of the state to candidates, and
pardons to persons under prosecution, whether they were innocent or
guilty. It is believed, that he advanced all the most rapacious amongst
the procurators to higher offices, with the view of squeezing them after
they had acquired great wealth. He was commonly said, "to have used

them as sponges," because it was his practice, as we may say, to wet
them when dry, and squeeze them when wet. It is said that he was
naturally extremely covetous, and was upbraided with it by an old
herdsman of his, who, upon the emperor's refusing to enfranchise him
gratis, which on his advancement he humbly petitioned for, cried out,
"That the fox changed his hair, but not his nature." On the other hand,
some are of opinion, that he was urged to his rapacious proceedings by
necessity, and the extreme poverty of the treasury and exchequer, of
which he took public notice in the beginning of his reign; declaring that
"no less than four hundred thousand millions of sesterces were wanting
to carry on the government." This is the more likely to be true, because
he applied to the best purposes what he procured by bad means.
XVII. His liberality, however, to all ranks of people, was excessive. He
made up to several senators the estate required (457) by law to qualify
them for that dignity; relieving likewise such men of consular rank as
were poor, with a yearly allowance of five hundred thousand sesterces
[759]; and rebuilt, in a better manner than before, several cities in
different parts of the empire, which had been damaged by earthquakes
or fires.
XVIII. He was a great encourager of learning and the liberal arts. He
first granted to the Latin and Greek professors of rhetoric the yearly
stipend of a hundred thousand sesterces [760] each out of the exchequer.
He also bought the freedom of superior poets and artists [761], and
gave a noble gratuity to the restorer of the Coan of Venus [762], and to
another artist who repaired the Colossus [763]. Some one offering to
convey some immense columns into the Capitol at a small expense by a
mechanical contrivance, he rewarded him very handsomely for his
invention, but would not accept his service, saying, "Suffer me to find
maintenance for the poor people." [764]
XIX. In the games celebrated when the stage-scenery of (458) the
theatre of Marcellus [765] was repaired, he restored the old musical
entertainments. He gave Apollinaris, the tragedian, four hundred
thousand sesterces, and to Terpinus and Diodorus, the harpers, two
hundred thousand; to some a hundred thousand; and the least he gave to

any of the performers was forty thousand, besides many golden crowns.
He entertained company constantly at his table, and often in great state
and very sumptuously, in order to promote trade. As in the Saturnalia
he made presents to the men which they were to carry away with them,
so did he to the women upon the calends of March [766];
notwithstanding which, he could not wipe off the disrepute of his
former stinginess. The Alexandrians called him constantly Cybiosactes;
a name which had been given to one of their kings who was sordidly
avaricious. Nay, at his funeral, Favo, the principal mimic, personating
him, and imitating, as actors do, both his manner of speaking and his
gestures, asked aloud of the procurators, "how much his funeral and the
procession would cost?" And being answered "ten millions of
sesterces," he cried out, "give him but a hundred thousand sesterces,
and they might throw his body into the Tiber, if they would."
XX. He was broad-set, strong-limbed, and his features gave the idea of
a man in the act of straining himself. In consequence, one of the city
wits, upon the emperor's desiring him "to say something droll
respecting himself," facetiously answered, "I will, when you have done
relieving your bowels." [767] He enjoyed a good state of health, though
he used no other means to preserve it, than repeated friction, as much
(459) as he could bear, on his neck and other parts of his body, in the
tennis-court attached to the baths, besides fasting one day in every
month.
XXI. His method of life was commonly this. After he became emperor,
he used to rise very early, often before daybreak. Having read over his
letters, and the briefs of all the departments of the government offices;
he admitted his friends; and while they were paying him their
compliments, he would put on his own shoes,