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C. CORNELII TACITI

ANNALES.

LIBER DUODECIMUS.

CHAP. 1. The choice of a wife for the emperor divides the freedmen into parties; Lollia Paullina, Julia Agrippina, and Ælia Petina, are rival candidates -2. Claudius deliberates with Narcissus, Callistus, and Pallas-3. Agrippina, the emperor's niece, preferred by the interest of Pallas; Vitellius, the censor, moves the senate that all intermarriages between the uncle and niece shall be declared lawful; a decree passes for that purpose-7. On the day of the marriage Silanus kills himself; Calvina, his sister, is banished out of Italy; Seneca recalled from exile by the influence of Agrippina; her reasons for it-9. Octavia, the emperor's daughter, promised in marriage to Nero, Agrippina's son-10. Deputies from Parthia, desiring that Meherdates may be sent from Rome to be king of that country; Meherdates set out accordingly; he gives battle to Gotarzes, and is conquered; death of Gotarzes; Vonones succeeds to the crown of Parthia, and soon after him Vologeses-15. Mithridates tries to recover the kingdom of Pontus; he is defeated and sent to Rome; his unshaken fortitude, and behavior to the emperor-22. Lollia Paullina condemned to banishment by the intrigues of Agrippina; her death in exile; Calpurnia punished, but not with death-23. The city enlarged by Claudius; the ancient boundaries, with an account of enlargements from time to time-25. Nero adopted by Claudius; Agrippina, to increase her fame, establishes a colony among the Ubians, at the place of her birth; the Cattians ravage and plunder the country; they are subdued-29. Vannius, king of the Suevians, driven from his kingdom; lands allotted to him and his followers in Pannonia-31. Publius Östorius commands in Britain; his victory over Caractacus; Cartismandua delivers Caractacus into the hands of the Romans; he is sent to Rome; his fortitude, and his speech to Claudius; pardon granted to him, his wife, and his brothers-39. Ostorius dies, worn out in the service; Aulus Didius sent into Britain to take on him the command-41. Nero puts on the manly gown before the regular age; Britannicus slighted, and by the arts of Agrippina postponed to Nero; the attendants and tutors of Britannicus removed from his person, and new men appointed by Agrippina-43. Portents and prodigies at Rome; the people distressed by dearth of corn; the impolicy of depending for corn on Egypt and Africa44. War between the Iberians and Armenians; the Parthians and Romans Tac. A

II.

a

involved in the quarrel; Rhadamistus sent by his father Pharasmanes, king of Iberia, to his uncle Mithridates, who reigns over the kingdom of Armenia; the treachery of Rhadamistus; by his father's orders he wages war against Armenia; Mithridates besieged in a fortress under the command of Caelius Pollio, the governor of the garrison; the venality of Pollio; Mithridates betrayed by him, and murdered by Rhadamistus-52. Furius Scribonianus driven into exile; the mathematicians driven out of Italy-53. A decree against women intermarrying with slaves; Pallas rewarded as the author of this regulation-54. Tranquillity restored in Judæa; Felix, the brother of Pallas, escapes unpunished, notwithstanding his misconduct, and Cumanus punished for the whole-55. Commotions among the Clitaans quelled by Antiochus-56. Claudius exhibits a naval engagement on the Jake Fucinus; a pass made through a mountain; the work ill executed at first, and completed afterwards; Narcissus blamed by Agrippina-58. Nero pleads for the inhabitants of Ilium, and other cities-59. Statilius Taurus accused by Tarquitius Priscus; the latter expelled the senate in spite of Agrippina-60. The jurisdiction of the imperial procurators established in the provinces; observations on that subject-61. An exemption from taxes granted to the isle of Coos, and to the city of Byzantium a remission of tribute for five years-64. Portents and prodigies; Domitia Lepida, the aunt of Nero, for endeavoring to ingratiate herself with her nephew, accused by the artifice of Agrippina; Narcissus endeavors to save her, but in vain; she is condemned to die-66. Claudius taken ill; he removes to Sinuessa; Agrippina prepares a plate of poisoned mushrooms; Xenophon, the physician, puts a poisoned feather down the throat of the emperor, under pretence of making him vomit-68. Britannicus detained in the palace by Agrippina while Nero is proclaimed emperor by the army; the senate approve, and decree divine honors to the memory of Claudius.

1. [A.U.C. 801. J.C. 48.] CEDE Messalinæ convulsa Principis domus, orto apud libertos certamine, quis deligeret uxorem Claudio, coelibis vitæ intoleranti, et conju

Intoleranti] This is illustrated by Suet, Cland. 26. After the death of Messalina, Claudius confirmavit pro concione apud prætorianos, quatenus sibi matrimonia male cederent, per

mansurum se in cælibatu; ac nisi permansisset, non recusaturum confodi manibus ipsorum. Nec durare valuit quin de conditionibus continuo tractaret, etiam de Petinæ, quam olim exe

gum imperiis obnoxio. serant; suam quæque nobilitatem, formam, opes contendere, ac digna tanto matrimonio ostentare. Sed maxime ambigebatur inter Lolliam Paullinam,' M. Lollii consularis filiam, et Juliam Agrippinam, Germanico genitam : huic Pallas, illi Callistus, fautores aderant: at Ælia Petina," e familia Tuberonum, Narcisso fovebatur. Ipse modo huc, modo illuc, ut quemque suadentium audierat, promtus, discordantes in consilium vocat, ac promere sententiam, et adjicere rationes' jubet.

Nec minore ambitu foeminæ exar

2. Narcissus' vetus matrimonium, familiam communem,' (nam Antonia ex Petina erat) nihil in penatibus ejus novum,' disserebat, si sueta conjux rediret, haudquaquam novercalibus odiis usura in Britannicum et Octaviam, proxima suis pignora.' Callistus improbatam longo discidio, ac si rursus adsumeretur, eo ipso superbam; longeque rectius Lolliam induci, quando nullos liberos genuisset, vacuam æmulatione, et privignis parentis loco futuram.' At Pallas id maxime in Agrippina laudare, quod Germanici nepotem secum traheret, dignum prorsus imperatoria fortuna; stirpem nobilem, et familiæ Claudia quæ posteros conjungeret; nec foemina,* expertæ foecunditatis, integra juventa, claritudinem Cæsarum aliam in domum ferret.'

A

3. Prævaluere hæc, adjuta Agrippinæ inlecebris; quæ

gerat, deque Lollia Paullinæ, quæ Caio Cæsari nupta fuerat. Verum illecebris Agrippinæ, Germanici fratris sui filiæ, per jus osculi et blanditiarum occasiones pellectus in amorem, subornavit proximo senatu, qui censeret cogendum se ad ducendum eam uxorem, quasi reipublicæ maxime interesset dandamque ceteris veniam talium conjugiorum, quæ ad id tempus incesta habebantur. Ac vix uno interposito die, coufecit nuptias: non repertis, qui sequerentur exemplum, excepto libertino quodam, et altero primipilari, cujus officium nuptiarum et ipse cum Agrippina celebravit.' This is a long extract, but it was necessary to give us an insight into the manners of the emperor and the age.

Lolliam Paullinam] For her and her immense wealth, see St. C. 89.

Juliam Agrippinam] Mother of

Nero. St. C. 93.

d Elia Petina] Formerly married to Claudius, but divorced for light causes of offence. St. C. 104.

e

Antonia] Daughter of Claudius and Elia Petina. St. C. 105.

f Britannicum et Octavium] Born of Claudius and Messalina. St. C. 108. 36.

Et privignis] Antonia, Britannicus, and Octavia.

Germanici nepotem] Nero, afterwards emperor. St. C. 35.

Posteros conjungeret] The children of Claudius, Antonia, Britannicus, and Octavia, the posterity of the Claudian family, were united with the son of Agrippina; nor did the greatness of the Cæsars pass into another family.

* Fœmina] Agrippina.