The Lives of the Caesars by Suetonius (speld decodable readers .txt) 📕
Description
Suetonius was a Roman historian born in about 69 AD, shortly after the death of the emperor Nero. This book, detailing the lives of the twelve Roman emperors who were known as “Caesar”—some by a family connection to Julius Caesar, some just as a title—is considered to be Suetonius’ most important work.
The Lives of the Caesars is a detailed account of the often dramatic lives of these emperors, whose abilities and morals varied enormously; from the capable, stable Augustus, to the insane Caligula. Several of these men died violently either by their own hand or by assassins. Suetonius, though, is careful to give credit where it is due, outlining the better actions and laws of each alongside an account of the crimes and immoralities they also carried out.
This turbulent period of Roman history has often been depicted in fiction and in media, drawing on the work of Suetonius and other contemporary historians. For example, Robert Graves’ novel I, Claudius (1934), which was made into a highly-controversial television series by the BBC in 1976.
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- Author: Suetonius
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Domuos is the earlier form of the genitive, with the suffix -os; domus the later, with the suffix -s. There was no form domos, and if Augustus used it, he probably did so on the analogy of domos—domus in the accusative plural. ↩
Cf. Julius, 56.6–7, and Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 17.9.1–5. ↩
Religiones includes both religious belief and regard for omens and portents. ↩
Pliny, Natural History II.55, says that the laurel tree (cf. Tiberius, 69) and the seal are never struck by lightning; and also that lightning never goes more than five feet below the ground. ↩
Augustus, 29.3. ↩
This is not in accordance with the emperor’s character (cf. Augustus, 57), and Suetonius may have confused him with Caligula; see Caligula, 42. Yet there are records of many such acts of humility to propitiate Nemesis; see Casaubon ad loc. ↩
The Roman month was divided into periods of eight days, lettered in the Calendar from A to H. The last of these, every ninth day (nundinae) according to the Roman reckoning, was a market day. ↩
Because of its resemblance to non is (from eo); cf. Cicero De Divinatione 2.84; or perhaps merely because it contained non. ↩
Into the Eleusinian mysteries of Ceres. ↩
The decree was not complete until this was done; cf. Julius, 28.3. ↩
I.e. “Discourses about the Gods.” Aristotle wrote a work with the same title. ↩
The genius, or familiar spirit (see note on Augustus, 60), was often represented by a serpent, and those of husband and wife by two serpents; e.g. in Pompeian frescoes. ↩
To avoid profanation of the sacred rites. ↩
Otherwise unknown; Müller would read Caesarem Drusum. Stahr believes that the reference is to the Eulogy in Augustus, 100.3. ↩
Apparently another name for the via Appia; see CIL I.1291. ↩
Instead of kissing him directly. ↩
See note on Julius, 15. ↩
Marked by the broad purple stripe (latus clavus). Augustus was not yet a senator, but the privilege of wearing the laticlave was doubtless one of the honours conferred on him by Caesar. ↩
Prosper (εὐτυχής, “fortunate”). ↩
Victor (νικῶν). ↩
The lustrum was a sacrifice of purification, made every five years by one of the censors, after the completion of the census, or enumeration of the Roman people. The sacrifice consisted of the suovetaurilia, the offering of a pig, a sheep, and a bull. Lustrum was also applied to the five-year period. ↩
The pallium was the distinctive dress of the Greeks, as the toga was of the Romans. ↩
Greek youths between the ages of eighteen and that of full citizenship, who had regular gymnastic training as a part of their education. The Greek training survived in Capreae, which until recently (see Augustus, 92.2) had belonged to Naples. ↩
The City of Do-Nothings. There is no island “near Capreae,” and “the neighbouring island of Capreae” is meaningless; if the text is sound, Suetonius is careless, or we must take Capreis as a locative, and regard vicinam as used in a partitive sense like reliquus, primus, etc. ↩
Κτίστης, the Greek name for the founder of a city or colony. ↩
Beneventum; Augustus, 97.3. ↩
I.e. open through weakness. ↩
Or closed. ↩
See Claudius, 6.1. ↩
Augustus and Augusta, but Tiberius did not assume the title until it was conferred on him by the senate; Dio 57.2–3. ↩
See note on Julius, 83.2. ↩
See Augustus, 64.1. ↩
Probably those with which he was connected (see Augustus, 40.2); Lipsius suggested tribulibus. ↩
That is, on their death; a common euphemism. ↩
The original of this inscription is lost, but the greater part of a copy inscribed in Greek and Latin on marble is preserved at Ancyra in Asia Minor and is known as the Monumentum Ancyranum. ↩
504 BC in the traditional chronology. ↩
See note on Augustus, 22. ↩
449 BC in the traditional chronology. ↩
Cybele, a Phrygian goddess worshipped near Mount Ida. In the year 204 BC her cult was introduced into Rome, where she was worshipped as the Magna Mater. ↩
Cf. Julius, 20.4. ↩
That is, affixed the mark of ignominy (nota) to their names on the census roll. ↩
Ad pilleum: the pilleus, a close-fitting felt cap, was given to slaves on manumission, as a token of freedom. ↩
See Augustus, 62.2. ↩
See Augustus, 22. ↩
Cf. Julius, 39.2. ↩
The one built by Statilius Taurus; see Augustus,
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