daring, what a difficult toil was that of government, and how perpetually
subject to the caprices of fortune: that in a State supported by so many
illustrious patriots they ought not to cast the whole administration upon
one; and more easy to be administered were the several offices of the
Government by the united pains and sufficiency of many." A pompous and
plausible speech, but in it little faith and sincerity. Tiberius, even
upon subjects which needed no disguises, used words dark and cautious;
perhaps from his diffident nature, perhaps from a habit of dissembling: at
this juncture indeed, as he laboured wholly to hide his heart, his
language was the more carefully wrapped up in equivoques and obscurity:
but the Senators, who dreaded nothing so much as to seem to understand
him, burst into tears, plaints, and vows; with extended arms they
supplicated the Gods, invoked the image of Augustus, and embraced the
knees of Tiberius. He then commanded the imperial register to be produced
and recited. It contained a summary of the strength and income of the
Empire, the number of Romans and auxiliaries in pay, the condition of the
navy, of the several kingdoms paying tribute, and of the various provinces
and their revenues, with the state of the public expense, the issues of
the exchequer, and all the demands upon the public. This register was all
writ by the hand of Augustus; and in it he had subjoined his counsel to
posterity, that the present boundaries of the Empire should stand fixed
without further enlargement; but whether this counsel was dictated by fear
for the public, or by envy towards his successors, is uncertain.

Now when the Senate was stooping to the vilest importunity and
prostrations, Tiberius happened to say, that, "as he was unequal to the
weight of the whole government; so if they entrusted him with any
particular part, whatever it were, he would undertake it." Here Asinius
Gallus interposed: "I beg to know, Caesar," says he, "what part of the
government you desire for your share?" He was astonished with the