After this, no doubt there was peace, but a bloody peace; bloody in the
tragical defeat of Lollius, and that of Varus, in Germany; and at Rome,
the Varrones, the Egnatii, the Julii (those illustrious names) were put to
death." Nor was his domestic life spared upon this occasion. "He had
arbitrarily robbed Nero of his wife big with child by her husband; and
mocked the Gods by consulting the Priests; whether religion permitted him
to marry her before her delivery, or obliged him to stay till after. His
minions, Tedius and Vedius Pollio, had lived in scandalous and excessive
luxury: his wife Livia, who wholly controlled him, had proved a cruel
governess to the Commonwealth; and to the Julian house, a more cruel
step-mother: he had even invaded the incommunicable honours of the Gods,
and setting up for himself temples like theirs, would like them be adored
in the image of a Deity, with all the sacred solemnity of Priests and
sacrifices: nor had he adopted Tiberius for his successor, either out of
affection for him, or from concern for the public welfare; but having
discovered in him a spirit proud and cruel, he sought future glory from
the blackest opposition and comparison." For, Augustus, when, a few years
before, he solicited the Senate to grant to Tiberius another term of the
authority of the Tribuneship, though he mentioned him with honour, yet
taking notice of his odd humour, behaviour, and manners, dropped some
expressions, which, while they seemed to excuse him, exposed and upbraided
him.

As soon as the funeral of Augustus was over, a temple and divine worship
were forthwith decreed him. The Senate then turned their instant
supplications to Tiberius, to fill his vacant place; but received an
abstruse answer, touching the greatness of the Empire and his own distrust
of himself; he said that "nothing but the divine genius of Augustus was
equal to the mighty task: that for himself, who had been called by him
into a participation of his cares, he had learnt by feeling them, what a