第98章 A.D.65, 66(5)

It happened at the time that the emperor was on his way Campania and that Petronius, after going as far as Cumae, was there detained.He bore no longer the suspense of fear or of hope.Yet he did not fling away life with precipitate haste, but having made an incision in his veins and then, according to his humour, bound them up, he again opened them, while he conversed with his friends, not in a serious strain or on topics that might win for him the glory of courage.And he listened to them as they repeated, not thoughts on the immortality of the soul or on the theories of philosophers, but light poetry and playful verses.To some of his slaves he gave liberal presents, a flogging to others.He dined, indulged himself in sleep, that death, though forced on him, might have a natural appearance.

Even in his will he did not, as did many in their last moments, flatter Nero or Tigellinus or any other of the men in power.On the contrary, he described fully the prince's shameful excesses, with the names of his male and female companions and their novelties in debauchery, and sent the account under seal to Nero.Then he broke his signet-ring, that it might not be subsequently available for imperilling others.

When Nero was in doubt how the ingenious varieties of his nightly revels became notorious, Silia came into his mind, who, as a senator's wife, was a conspicuous person, and who had been his chosen associate in all his profligacy and was very intimate with Petronius.She was banished for not having, as was suspected, kept secret what she had seen and endured, a sacrifice to his personal resentment.Minucius Thermus, an ex-praetor, he surrendered to the hate of Tigellinus, because a freedman of Thermus had brought criminal charges against Tigellinus, such that the man had to atone for them himself by the torture of the rack, his patron by an undeserved death.

Nero after having butchered so many illustrious men, at last aspired to extirpate virtue itself by murdering Thrasea Paetus and Barea Soranus.Both men he had hated of old, Thrasea on additional grounds, because he had walked out of the Senate when Agrippina's case was under discussion, as I have already related, and had not given the Juvenile games any conspicuous encouragement.Nero's displeasure at this was the deeper, since this same Thrasea had sung in a tragedian's dress at Patavium, his birth-place, in some games instituted by the Trojan Antenor.On the day, too, on which the praetor Antistius was being sentenced to death for libels on Nero, Thrasea proposed and carried a more merciful decision.Again, when divine honours were decreed to Poppaea, he was purposely absent and did not attend her funeral.All this Capito Cossutianus would not allow to be forgotten.He had a heart eager for the worst wickedness, and he also bore ill-will to Thrasea, the weight of whose influence had crushed him, while envoys from Cilicia, supported by Thrasea's advocacy, were accusing him of extortion.

He alleged, too, against him the following charges:- "Thrasea," he said, "at the beginning of the year always avoided the usual oath of allegiance; he was not present at the recital of the public prayers, though he had been promoted to the priesthood of the Fifteen; he had never offered a sacrifice for the safety of the prince or for his heavenly voice.Though formerly he had been assiduous and unwearied in showing himself a supporter or an opponent even of the most ordinary motions of senators, he had not entered the Senate-house for three years, and very lately, when all were rushing thither with rival eagerness to put down Silanus and Vetus, he had attended by preference to the private business of his clients.This was political schism, and, should many dare to do the like, it was actual war."Capito further added, "The country in its eagerness for discord is now talking of you, Nero, and of Thrasea, as it talked once of Caius Caesar and Marcus Cato.Thrasea has his followers or rather his satellites, who copy, not indeed as yet the audacious tone of his sentiments, but only his manners and his looks, a sour and gloomy set, bent on making your mirthfulness a reproach to you.He is the only man who cares not for your safety, honours not your accomplishments.The prince's prosperity he despises.Can it be that he is not satisfied with your sorrows and griefs? It shows the same spirit not to believe in Poppaea's divinity as to refuse to swear obedience to the acts of the Divine Augustus and the Divine Julius.He contemns religious rites; he annuls laws.The daily records of the Roman people are read attentively in the provinces and the armies that they may know what Thrasea has not done.

"Either let us go over to his system, if it is better than ours, or let those who desire change have their leader and adviser taken from them.That sect of his gave birth to the Tuberones and Favonii, names hateful even to the old republic.They make a show of freedom, to overturn the empire; should they destroy it, they will attack freedom itself.In vain have you banished Cassius, if you are going to allow rivals of the Bruti to multiply and flourish.Finally, write nothing yourself about Thrasea; leave the Senate to decide for us."Nero further stimulated the eager wrath of Cossutianus, and associated with him the pungent eloquence of Marcellus Eprius.