Death of Tiberius
1. Annales VI Tacitus
On the 15th of March, his breath failing, he was
believed to have expired, and Caius Caesar was going forth with a
numerous throng of congratulating followers to take the first
possession of the empire, when suddenly news came that Tiberius
was recovering his voice and sight, and calling for persons to
bring him food to revive him from his faintness. Then ensued a
universal panic, and while the rest fled hither and thither, every
one feigning grief or ignorance, Caius Caesar, in silent stupor,
passed from the highest hopes to the extremity of apprehension.
Macro, nothing daunted, ordered the old emperor to be smothered
under a huge heap of clothes, and all to quit the entrance-hall.
And so died Tiberius, in the seventy eighth year of
his age. Nero was his father, and he was on both sides descended
from the Claudian house, though his mother passed by adoption,
first into the Livian, then into the Julian family. From earliest
infancy, perilous vicissitudes were his lot. Himself an exile, he
was the companion of a proscribed father, and on being admitted as
a stepson into the house of Augustus, he had to struggle with many
rivals, so long as Marcellus and Agrippa and, subsequently, Caius
and Lucius Caesar were in their glory. Again his brother Drusus
enjoyed in a greater degree the affection of the citizens. But he
was more than ever on dangerous ground after his marriage with
Julia, whether he tolerated or escaped from his wife's profligacy.
On his return from Rhodes he ruled the emperor's now heirless
house for twelve years, and the Roman world, with absolute sway,
for about twenty-three. His character too had its distinct
periods. It was a bright time in his life and reputation, while
under Augustus he was a private citizen or held high offices; a
time of reserve and crafty assumption of virtue, as long as
Germanicus and Drusus were alive. Again, while his mother lived,
he was a compound of good and evil; he was infamous for his
cruelty, though he veiled his debaucheries, while he loved or
feared Sejanus. Finally, he plunged into every wickedness and
disgrace, when fear and shame being cast off, he simply indulged
his own inclinations.
2. Caligula 12 Suetonius
Not so very long afterward Gaius took to wife Junia Claudilla,
daughter of Marcus
Silanus, a man of noble rank. Then appointed augur in place of
his brother Drusus, before
he was invested with the office he was advanced to that of
pontiff; with strong
commendation of his dutiful conduct and general character; for
since the court was deserted
and deprived of its other supports, after Seianus had been
suspected of hostile designs and
presently put out of the way, he was little by little
encouraged to look forward to the
succession. To have a better chance of realizing this, after
losing Junia in childbirth, he
seduced Ennia Naevia, wife of Macro, who at that time
commanded the praetorian guard,
even promising to marry her if he became emperor, and
guaranteeing this promise by an
oath and a written contract. Having through her wormed himself
into Macro's favor, he
poisoned Tiberius, as some think, and ordered that his ring be
taken from him while he still
breathed, and then suspecting that he was trying to hold fast
to it, that a pillow be put over
his face; or even strangled the old man with his own hand,
immediately ordering the
crucifixion of a freedman who cried out at the awful deed. And
this is likely enough; for
some writers say that Caligula himself later admitted, not it
is true that he had committed
parricide, but that he had at least meditated it at one time;
for they say that he constantly
boasted, in speaking of his filial piety, that he had entered
the bedchamber of the sleeping
Tiberius dagger in hand, to avenge the death of his mother and
brothers; but that, seized
with pity, he threw down the dagger and went out again; and
that though Tiberius knew of
this, he had never dared to make any inquiry or take any
action.
Caligula's illness
Caligula 14 Suetonius
A few days after this, when he crossed to the
islands near Campania, vows were put up for his safe return, while
no one let slip even the slightest chance of giving testimony to
his anxiety and regard for his safety. But when he fell ill, they
all spent the whole night about the Palace; some even vowed to
fight as gladiators, and others posted placards offering their
lives, if the ailing prince were spared
Caligula's "deity"
Caligula 22 Suetonius
So much for Caligula as emperor; we must now tell of his
career as a monster. After he had assumed various surnames (for he
was called Pius ["Pious"], Castrorum Filius ["Child of the Camp"],
Pater Exercituum ["Father of the Armies"] and Optimus Maximus
Caesar ["Greatest and Best of Caesars"]), chancing to overhear
some kings, who had come to Rome to pay their respects to him,
disputing at dinner about the nobility of their descent, he cried:
"Let there be one Lord, one King." And he came near assuming a
crown at once and changing the semblance of a principate into the
form of a monarchy. But on being reminded that he had risen above
the elevation both of princes and kings, he began from that time
on to lay claim to divine majesty; for after giving orders that
such statues of the gods as were especially famous for their
sanctity or their artistic merit, including that of Jupiter of
Olympia, should be brought from Greece, in order to remove their
heads and put his own in their place, he built out a part of the
Palace as far as the Forum, and making the temple of Castor and
Pollux its vestibule, he often took his place between the divine
brethren, and exhibited himself there to be worshipped by those
who presented themselves; and some hailed him as Jupiter Latiaris.
He also set up a special temple to his own godhead, with priests
and with victims of the choicest kind. In this temple was a
life-sized statue of the emperor in gold, which was dressed each
day in clothing such as he wore himsel, The richest citizens used
all their influence to secure the priesthoods of his cult and bid
high for the honor. The victims were flamingoes, peacocks, black
grouse, guinea-hens a and pheasants, offered day by day each after
its own kind. At night he used constantly to invite the full and
radiant moon to his embraces and his bed, while in the daytime he
would talk confidentially with Jupiter Capitolinus, now whispering
and then in turn putting his ear to the mouth of the god, now in
louder and even angry language; for he was heard to make the
threat: "Lift me up, or I'll lift you." But finally won by
entreaties, as he reported, and even invited to live with the god,
he built a bridge over the temple of the Deified Augustus, and
thus joined his Palace to the Capitol. Presently, to be nearer
yet, he laid the foundations of a new house in the court of the
Capitol.
Death of Antonia
Caligula 23 Suetonius
When his grandmother Antonia asked for a private interview, he
refused it except in the presence of the praefect Macro, and by
such indignities and annoyances he caused her death; although some
think that he also gave her poison. After she was dead, he paid
her no honor, but viewed her burning pyre from his dining-room. As
for his uncle Claudius, he spared him merely as a laughingstock.