The Lives of the Caesars

But the text and the meaning are uncertain.  Cf. Juvenal 8.213.  ↩

There is obviously a pun on Galli, “Gauls,” and galli, “cocks,” and on cantare in the sense of “sing” and of “crow.”  ↩


Punning of course on Vindex, the leader of the revolt.  ↩


On the first of January, for the prosperity of the emperor and the State.  ↩


Of course used in a double sense.  ↩


Pliny Natural History 37.29, tells us that the cups were of crystal.  ↩


Virgil Aeneid 12.646.  ↩


In the Palace.  ↩


See  Nero, 30.2.  ↩


The word percussor implies experience in dealing death. Nero wished to be killed swiftly and painlessly.  ↩


Referring to a drink of his own contrivance, distilled water cooled in snow;  cf. Pliny Natural History 31.40.  ↩


Cella implies a small room, for the use of slaves.  ↩


The water was for washing the corpse and the fire for burning it.  ↩


 Cf.  Claudius, 34.1.  ↩


Two pieces of wood, fastened together in the form of a V.  ↩


Iliad, 10.535.  ↩


See  Domitian, 14.4.  ↩


See  Galba, 14.2.  ↩


The modern Pincio.  ↩


This synthesina (sc. vestis), or synthesis, was a loose robe of bright-coloured silk, worn at dinner, during the Saturnalia, and by women at other times. Nero’s is described by Dio, 63.13, as “a short, flowered tunic with a muslin collar.”  ↩


Probably meaning “in slippers.”  ↩


See note on  Augustus, 97.1. Here lustrum is applied to the five-year period of the Olympic games.  ↩


Atargatis, the principal deity of Northern Syria, identified with Magna Mater and Caelestis; often mentioned in inscriptions and called by Apul. Metamorphoses 8.25, omnipotens et omniparens.  ↩


See note on  Tiberius, 4.2.  ↩


In 88, Terentius Maximus by name; another pseudo-Nero had appeared in 70; see Tacitus Histories 2.8.  ↩


Nero was the last who bore the name because of connection with the family of Augustus; after him it became a designation of rank.  ↩


“The Hen Roost.”  ↩


Those which they carried in their triumph, according to Pliny, Natural History 15.136 f.  ↩


No such temple is known.  ↩


No existing inscription confirms this statement.  ↩


That is, of those of the Sulpicii who bore the surname Galba.  ↩


The gum of a Syrian plant; see Pliny Natural History 12.126.  ↩


See  Nero, 3.1.  ↩


That is, after his consulship. Tiberius doubtless suspected him of a desire to enrich himself at the expense of the provincials;  cf.  Tiberius, 32.2, at the end.  ↩


The usual procedure, to avert the evil omen.  ↩


Proverbial for “never,” like the Greek Kalends ( Augustus, 87.1).  ↩


To marry and rear a family was regarded as one of the duties of a good citizen.  ↩


 Cf.  Nero, 11.2.  ↩


That is to say, entering office on January 1, and with his colleague,  L. Cornelius Sulla, giving his name to the year.  ↩


Either Suetonius is in error or the manuscripts; the name should be Gnaeus.  ↩


See  Caligula, 43 and  44.  ↩


 Cf.  Caligula, 26.2.  ↩


Except in special cases, the governors were appointed by lot from among those who were eligible.  ↩


The modius was 8.75 litres.  ↩


See note on  Julius, 79.3.  ↩


The sodales Titii were an ancient priesthood of uncertain origin. The tradition arose that they were established to keep up the ancient Sabine worship, and named from Titus Tatius.  ↩


See note on  Claudius, 6.2.  ↩


So as to be able to leave the country on short notice.  ↩


See note on  Claudius, 24.1.  ↩


Such predictions, like the responses of oracles, were in verse.  ↩


Instead of the emperor, as heretofore.  ↩


Evocati were soldiers who, after serving their time, were invited to continue their service. It is here an honorary title.  ↩


See note on  Julius, 33.  ↩


See  Galba, 10.1.  ↩


See note on  Galba, 1.  ↩


See note on  Claudius, 24.1.  ↩


 Cf.  Augustus, 24.2;  Caligula, 48.1.  ↩


 Cf.  Augustus, 49.1;  Caligula, 58.3.  ↩


Doubtless many of them were false or exaggerated. Galba’s frugality was naturally regarded as stinginess by a people accustomed to a prince like Nero; see  Nero, 31.1.  ↩


Plutarch, Galba, XVI, gives the story quite a different aspect, saying that the gift was of gold pieces, and that Galba said that it came from his own pocket, and not from the public funds.  ↩


The text is uncertain, but obviously the song ridiculed a stingy old countryman.  ↩


 Cf. the inimitable sentence of Tacitus (Histories 1.49) maior privatus visus, dum privatus, et omnium