The Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius (speld decodable readers .txt) 📕

Parricides were sewn up in a sack with a dog, a cock, a snake, and a monkey, and thrown into the sea or a river. The word is here used in its modern sense; cf. note on Julius, 42.3. ↩

These consisted of various immunities, especially those connected with the ius trium liberorum. ↩

Orcivi or Orcini, “freedmen by the grace of Orcus,” were slaves set free by their master’s will. The Orcivi senatores were those admitted by Mark Antony under pretence that they had been named in the papers left by Caesar. ↩

Cf. Julius, 20.1. ↩

A very ancient tribunal, consisting at first of 105 members, three from each tribe, but later of 180. It sat in the Basilica Julia, with a spear (hasta), the ancient symbol of Quiritary ownership, planted before it. It was divided into four chambers, which usually sat separately, but sometimes altogether, or in two divisions. ↩

The decemviri stlitibus iudicandis. ↩

See note on Augustus, 22. ↩

That is, were so old or infirm that they could not ride, or would cut a sorry figure if they did. ↩

See note on Augustus, 10.2. ↩

See note on Julius, 39.2, and cf. Augustus, 14. ↩

Cf. Julius, 41. ↩

Augustus was a member of the latter because of his connection with the Octavian family; of the former, through his adoption into the Julian gens. ↩

That is, even by iusta libertas, which conferred citizenship. Slaves who had been punished for crimes (facinora) or disgraceful acts (flagitia) became on manumission dediticii, “prisoners of war.” ↩

Virgil Aeneid 1.282. ↩

Congiarium, strictly a distribution of oil (from congius, a liquid measure) came to be used of any largess. ↩

The tesserae nummulariae were small tablets or round hollow balls of wood, marked with numbers. They were distributed to the people instead of money and entitled the holder to receive the sum inscribed upon them. Grain, oil, and various commodities were distributed by similar tesserae; cf. Augustus, 40.2; Nero, 11; Domitian, 4. ↩

Cf. Julius, 39.1. ↩

Cf. Julius, 39.2. ↩

The auditorium was divided horizontally into three parts: ima (prima), media, and summa (ultima) cavea. ↩

This puzzling statement is thus explained by Baumgarten-Crusius: “i.e. ex aedibus proxime adjacentibus, unde prospectus erat in Circum. Coenacula autem in summis aedibus esse solebant. Idem narrat Dio 57.11 de Tiberio: τοὺς τῶν ἵππων ἀγῶνας ἐξ οἰκίας καὶ αὐτὸς τῶν ἀπελευθέρων τινὸς πολλάκις ἑώρα.” ↩

Pulvinar was originally a sacred couch for a god. The honour was given to Julius Caesar (see Julius, 76.1) and the term was later applied, as here, to the place reserved for the emperor and his family; cf. Claudius, 4.3. ↩

That is, given at Rome in the Greek language and dress. Or Graeco certamini may mean “a contest in Greece.” ↩

Those of Pompey, Balbus, and Marcellus. ↩

That is, his middle finger, infamis digitus; it implied a charge of obscenity; cf. Caligula, 56.2. ↩

That is, appointed them to the offices of tribunus cohortis, praefectus alae, and tribunus legionis, usually open only to knights. ↩

A limited citizenship, taking its name from the old Latin cities and varying in different cases and at different times. ↩

Diploma, strictly any document written on a two-leaved tablet, is used specially of those which secured to travellers the use of the public post (see Augustus, 49.3) and other privileges; cf. Cicero Epistularum Ad Familiares 6.12. ↩

Dominus, “master,” in the time of the Republic indicated the relation between master and slaves. Tiberius also shrank from it (Tiberius, 27), and it was first adopted by Caligula and Domitian. From the time of Trajan it was usual in the sense of “Lord” or “Sire.” ↩

That is, they did not make a morning call on him, as in other days. ↩

See Augustus, 35.1. ↩

The Romans in their wills often express their opinion freely about public men and affairs; cf. Augustus, 66, and Cassius Dio, 58.25, where it is said that Fulcinius Tiro, who died in prison, bitterly assailed Tiberius in his will. ↩

The movable seats provided for the advocates, witnesses, etc. ↩

The custom of defending an accused person by a general eulogy of his character was forbidden by Pompey in his third consulship (Dio, 40.52), but was nevertheless resorted to, even by Pompey himself (Dio, 40.55). ↩

September 22 and 23. ↩

Probably of the scribes and other minor officials. ↩

One’s tutelary divinity, or familiar spirit, closely identified with the person himself. ↩

The form of purchase consisted in thrice touching a balance (libra) with a penny (as), in the presence of the praetor. ↩

A record of the events of the imperial household. The custom of keeping such a daybook apparently dated from the time of Augustus.