The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-08

berius Claudius Nero, the future emperor,
best known.by his second name of Tiberius.
The first and third names had belonged to his
brother also. Tiberius was then "Prince and
Cesar" as the new slang of fattery termed
him he was stepson of Augustus and already
adopted heir, solemnly designatws. He was
verging upon the close of his fifty third year of
cautious profigacy, clandestine vindictiveness'
and strictly regulated vices. History has not
accused him of numbering Agrippa vespasi-
anus but had Agrippa survived, he would
have held all Tiberius's present offices. Elas
sejanus, commander of the pretorian guards,
was occupied in watching the monthly, watch
ing even the daily decay of strength in the
living emperor, and was pandering tothe pas
sions of his probable successor. Up to this
time Sejanus had been, and still was thus en-
ployed. Moro dangerous hopes had not yet
arisen in his bosom he had not yet INDUCED
in the vision of becoming master Of the known
world-a dream which. some twenty years af-
terward, consigned him to cruel and sudden
destruction. No conspirator, perhaps, ever ex-
ercised more craft and patience in preparing,
or betrayed more stupidity at last in executing
an attempt at treason on 30 great q scale. It
was forty-six years since sallust had expired
amid the luxuries which cruelty and rapine
accumulated, after prohigacy hadirst brought
him acquainted with want.
Ovid had just been sent into exile at Temes
yer in Turkey-then called Tomos in Soythia.
Cornelius Nepos was ending his days in the
personal privacy and literary notoriety in
which he had lived. Virgil had been dead a
whole generation 80 had Tibullus Catullus,
half a century Propertius some twenty years !;
Horace and Meoenas, about as long. The
grateful master of the curiosa telicitas rerborun
had followed in three weeks to-not the grave,
indeed, but-the urn, the patron whom he had
immortalized in the first of his odes, the first
of his epodes, the first of his satires, and the
first of his epistles; and the mighty sovereign
upon whose youthful court those three char.
acters-a wise, mild, clement, yet firm minister,
glorious epic poot, and an unsurpassed lyrist
have reflected SO much and such enduring
lustre, had faithfully and increasingly lamented
their irreparable loss. Lucius Varius was the
fashionable poet, the laureate of the day and
M@cenas being removed, Tiberius sought to
govern indirectly, as minister, all those mat
ters which he did not control directly and
Immediately, as one of the two Caesars whom
Augustus had appointed. Velleius Paterculus,
cavalry colonel, or military tribune (cbiliaroh)
a prosperous and accomplished patrician, was
beginning to shine at once in letters and at
the court. The grandson of Livia, grandson
also of Augustus by his marriage with her,
but really granddaughter of that emperor-we
mean the son of Antonio, the celebrated Ger
naanicus, second and more worthy bearer of
that surname-a youth full of fire and genius,
and tingling with noble blood-was preparing
to atone for the disgraoes and to repair the
disasters which Quintilius Varus, one year
before, amidst the unoleared forests of Ger
many, had brought upon the imperial arms
and the RomGn name. Germanicus, indeed,
was about to fulfil the more important part of
q celebrated classic injunction; he was going
to do things worthy to be written, d" while the
supple courtier Of all Cgsars, Paterculus, was
endeavoring to tvTite soRetkino tO0rty to be ready
StrabO had not long before commenced HE
system of geography, which for about thirty
years yet to como, was to engage his attention
and dictate his travels Livy, of the "pictured
page" who doubtless may be called, next to
Tacitus, the most eloquent without being set
down as quite the most credulous of classic
venture to say so, Pdcs NSe5ahr-
wac over sixty-eight years of age, bat scarcely
looked sixty. He was even then thoroughly
and universally appreciated. No man living
had received more genuine marks of honor
not even the emperor. His hundred and forty
two books of Roman history had filed the
known world with his praises, glory which
length of days allowed him fully to enjoy.
Modern readers appreciate and admire the
thirty-five books which alone are left, and lin
ger over the beauties, quasi steIEis, with which
they shine Yet who knows but these may be
among the poorest predictions of Livy's GO
Must A very simple sum in arithmetic would
satisfy an Actuary that We must have lost the |
most valuable emanatioRs Of the Paduan's !