Caligula

The Lives of the Twelve Caesars:
vol 4, Caligula

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V4 #4 in our series by C. Suetonious Tranquillus
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Title: The Lives Of The Twelve Caesars, Volume 4. [CALIGULA]
Author: C. Suetonius Tranquillus
Release Date: August, 2004 [EBook #6389] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on December 3,
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIVES OF
THE CAESARS, SUETONIUS, V4 ***

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THE LIVES OF THE TWELVE CAESARS
By C. Suetonius Tranquillus;
To which are added,
HIS LIVES OF THE GRAMMARIANS, RHETORICIANS, AND
POETS.
The Translation of Alexander Thomson, M.D.
revised and corrected by T.Forester, Esq., A.M.

(251)

CAIUS CAESAR CALIGULA.
I. Germanicus, the father of Caius Caesar, and son of Drusus and the
younger Antonia, was, after his adoption by Tiberius, his uncle,
preferred to the quaestorship [377] five years before he had attained the
legal age, and immediately upon the expiration of that office, to the
consulship [378]. Having been sent to the army in Germany, he
restored order among the legions, who, upon the news of Augustus's
death, obstinately refused to acknowledge Tiberius as emperor [379],
and offered to place him at the head of the state. In which affair it is
difficult to say, whether his regard to filial duty, or the firmness of his
resolution, was most conspicuous. Soon afterwards he defeated the
enemy, and obtained the honours of a triumph. Being then made consul
for the second time [380], before he could enter upon his office he was
obliged to set out suddenly for the east, where, after he had conquered
the king of Armenia, and reduced Cappadocia into the form of a
province, he died at Antioch, of a lingering distemper, in the

thirty-fourth year of his age [381], not without the suspicion of being
poisoned. For besides the livid spots which appeared all over his body,
and a foaming at the mouth; when his corpse was burnt, the heart was
found entire among the bones; its nature being such, as it is supposed,
that when tainted by poison, it is indestructible by fire. [382]
II. It was a prevailing opinion, that he was taken off by the contrivance
of Tiberius, and through the means of Cneius Piso. This person, who
was about the same time prefect of Syria, and made no secret of his
position being such, that (252) he must either offend the father or the
son, loaded Germanicus, even during his sickness, with the most
unbounded and scurrilous abuse, both by word and deed; for which,
upon his return to Rome, he narrowly escaped being torn to pieces by
the people, and was condemned to death by the senate.
III. It is generally agreed, that Germanicus possessed all the noblest
endowments of body and mind in a higher degree than had ever before
fallen to the lot of any man; a handsome person, extraordinary courage,
great proficiency in eloquence and other branches of learning, both
Greek and Roman; besides a singular humanity, and a behaviour so
engaging, as to captivate the affections of all about him. The
slenderness of his legs did not correspond with the symmetry and
beauty of his person in other respects; but this defect was at length
corrected by his habit of riding after meals. In battle, he often engaged
and slew an enemy in single combat. He pleaded causes, even after he
had the honour of a triumph. Among other fruits of his studies, he left
behind him some Greek comedies. Both at home and abroad he always
conducted himself in a manner the most unassuming. On entering any
free and confederate town, he never would be attended by his lictors.
Whenever he heard, in his travels, of the