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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Secutores: the usual opponents of the retiarii. They were armed with a sword, a shield, a greave and a visored helmet. See Friedländer, Roman Life and Manners (English Translation p. 446, ftn. b) IV, 171 ff. ↩
See Augustus, 23.1. ↩
See Tiberius, 40. ↩
See Caligula, 19. ↩
See note on Caligula, 30.3. ↩
The popa knocked down the victim with a mallet or with the back of an axe-head, and the cultrarius then cut the animal’s throat. ↩
Literally, “the cords,” as an instrument of torture; cf. Tiberius, 62.2. On the whole passage cf. Caligula, 25.3 and 50.2. ↩
See Caligula, 26.1. ↩
He himself was bald; see Caligula, 50.1. ↩
The “Giant Cupid” from κολοσσός and ἔρως. ↩
The priest of Diana at Nemi, who must be a fugitive slave and obtain his office by slaying his predecessor. ↩
A gladiator who fought from a British chariot; see note on Caligula, 30.3. ↩
The Liburnian galleys, so-called from a people of Illyricum, were famous for their speed. They commonly had but one or two banks of oars. ↩
That is, if anyone chanced to have received an addition to his income since the last census, he charged him with having made a false report to the censors, and of course confiscated his estate. ↩
The part occupied by Augustus and Tiberius, to which Caligula had made some additions. ↩
See note on Augustus, 19.1. ↩
See Augustus, 57.1. ↩
Sinus means the bosom of the toga, which was often used as a pocket. ↩
Celebrated for its beautiful scenery, described by Pliny, Epistles 8.8 (Latin English). ↩
Half the amount established by Augustus; see Dio, 55.23. ↩
Ordinarily such vehicles were allowed to pass through the city streets only before sunrise or during the last two hours of the day. See Friedländer, Roman Life and Manners, English translation. IV p. 28. ↩
See Augustus, 29.2. ↩
From exploratores, scouts or rangers. ↩
Aeneid 1.207. ↩
One of the various kinds of “torsion-engines” (tormenta) used by the Romans. The ballista cast stones, the catapulta large arrows or darts. ↩
The lighthouse at Alexandria. ↩
To the privy-purse, of course. ↩
See Caligula, 9. ↩
See Augustus, 24.2. ↩
See note on Augustus, 22. ↩
Cf. Caligula, 3.1. ↩
See Julius, 45.1. ↩
After his murder; probably referring to the praetorians. ↩
Men were forbidden to wear silk garments; see Tacitus Annals 2.33, ne vestis serica viros foedaret. ↩
The cyclas was a kind of robe worn by women and embroidered with gold and purple. ↩
Cf. Augustus, 18.1. ↩
That is, if he succeeded better in his accusation, he took sides against the defendant, and vice versa, regardless of justice. ↩
Cf. Caligula, 32.2. ↩
A festival in honour of some god of goddess, celebrated with feasting, dancing, and plays of all kinds. ↩
About midnight, since the night was divided into four vigiliae. ↩
The scabellum was attached to the feet of dancers and sounded an accompaniment to their movements. ↩
See note on Caligula, 30.3. He disliked the murmillones, as the opponents of his favourites, the Thracians. ↩
The charioteers in the Circus were divided into four parties, distinguished by their colours, which were red, white, blue, and green. Domitian added two more; see Domitian, 7.1. ↩
The “stable” was in reality a kind of club, containing the quarters of the drivers as well as the stalls of the horses. ↩
The host at a dinner party often gave gifts to his guests to take away with them (hence called by the Greek name apophoreta); cf. Augustus, 75. ↩
Swift, “Flyer.” ↩
Cf. Augustus, 45.4. ↩
Referring of course to the assassination of Julius Caesar. ↩
See Caligula, 22.3. ↩
It was called Cinyras, and its story is told by Ovid, Metamorphoses 10.298 ff. ↩
Its name was derived from a famous highwayman; cf. Juvenal 8.186. ↩
The actors secundarum partium entertained the spectators after a play by imitating the actions of the star. ↩
Another formula “Receive the fulfilment of your omen,” i.e., in naming Jupiter, the god of the thunderbolt and sudden death. “Qui legendum vidit iratum, verum vidit: hoc est aliquid Latine dicere, cum alterum nihil sit” Gronovius. ↩
With which they carried his litter. ↩
Gaius Julius Caesar Strabo, slain in 87 BC. But the Dictator’s father died a natural death, as did also Gaius Caesar, grandson of Augustus; see Augustus, 65.1. ↩
See Augustus, 62.2. ↩
Literally, “the blest,” those on whom fortune smiles.
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