abandoned the society of the emperor and had bestowed upon him his entire
property, supposedly to help defray the expense of necessary building
operations. His brothers, too, perished after him.

[Sidenote:--26--] Likewise Thrasea and Soranus, who had no superiors in
family, wealth, and every excellence, met their death not because they
were accused of conspiracy but because they were what they were. Against
Soranus Publius Egnatius Celer, a philosopher, gave false evidence. The
victim had had two associates,--Cassius Asclepiodotus of Nicaea and this
Publius of Berytus. Now Asclepiodotus so far from speaking against Soranus
bore witness to his noble qualities; he was at the time exiled for his
pains, but later, under Galba, was restored. Publius in return for his
services as blackmailer received money and honors (as did others of the
same profession), but subsequently he was banished. Soranus was slain on
the charge of having caused his daughter to employ a species of magic, the
foundation for this story being that when he was sick his family had
offered some sacrifices. Thrasea was executed for not appearing regularly
at the senate-house, thus showing that he did not like the measures
passed, for not listening to the emperor's singing and zither-playing, for
not sacrificing to Nero's Divine Voice as did the rest, and for not giving
any public exhibitions: for it was remarked that at Patavium, his native
place, he had acted in a tragedy given in pursuance of some old custom at
a festival held every thirty years. As he made the incision in his artery,
he raised his hand, exclaiming: "To thee, Jupiter, patron of freedom, I
pour this libation of blood."


[Sidenote:--27--] [And Junius Torquatus, a descendant of Augustus, made
himself liable to a most strange indictment. He had squandered his
property in a rather lavish way, whether following his native bent or with