The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-15

of the PaIatine stin remain, the faded ira
Gerry of the gilded frescOes yet clinging 10
the damp walls: There was no "Jetfer3
sonian simplicity about I1via. She played
her part for all it was worth, and, although
she worked at a loom in public to make the
garments her husband wore and knit his
stockings on the front piazza OF the palace
so as to set a good example TO the ma irons
OF Rome she made up for IL behind the
portieres. She kept slave named Aurella,
who cid nothing but look after her dogs, all
of which is engraved upon Aurelia's tomb
stone.
TIBERIUs A MONSTER
Tiberius, who was the son Of Livia, was
an unmitigated monster. There is only one
bright spot during his twenty-three years
that he reigned over Rome. That his
remonstrance and his sorrow when, by
command Of Augustus. he was compelled TO
divorce Agrippina, the love OF his youth,
and marry Julia, a brilliant woman with
out a conscience or soul At first Tiber-
ius was slow and awkward, and the people
gave him the nickname Of Callipedes,
famous Greek, who was always running,
yet never got there But all the mystery
of mankind does not show a more ex-
traOrdinary political phenomenon than the
abject submission of the Roman people TO
this miserable old hend. whose manners
were cold and repulsive, and who lived
Ike q Wild beast IN den az CAPRI from
which he issued orders that were implicitly
obeyed, no matter whose fame or fortune
or life was sacrificed
Tiberius was smOthered by Macron, a sol
der of the Pretorian Guard, who, at the
request Of Caligua casually threw a mat
tress over the old man as he lay in bed,
and then climbed up and sat upon it until
he was satisfied that the business was ac-
complished.
Caligula. his nephew. WAS a cheerful cut
throat, who used TO joke with his victims
before he murdered them. One day, as the
consuls OF Rome were reclining at his side
at dinner, he suddenly burst out laughing.
when they inquired the cause of his miTth
he answered that he was thinking how
FUNNY II would look TO see their heads roll
ing around on the floor. and he was graft
ned before morning He amused himself in
a similar manner with his wife, CaesOnia.
few minutes before her head was cut off
he stroked her neck gently and remarked:
How fair 1t is! But how easily it could
be severed
Caligula is the man who built mansion
or marble on the Palatine for his horse.
lncitatus fitted 1T with an ivory manger,
carved by the finest artists in the world,
covered the harness with jewels, gave
him blankets of purple velvet, appointed
several OF the chief citizens of Rome as
| gentlemen in waiting TO the beast, issued
invitations 10 banquet in its honor, pub
| lished a decree commanding silence about
| the palace while II slept, and announced
| his intention OF making the animal a con-
/ sui. Half buffoon, half maniac and all
monster, Caligula could not wait to be
/ 0elned until after he was dead but Of
! ficially declared himself a god, commanded
/ the people to worship him and used TO
| parade around the imperial palace in the
/ guise of Jupiter, Neptune. Apollo. Mars.
| Hercules and the other gods. At one time
| he even appeared as Venus and often i'm
! personated Mercury skipping around
| through the temples with little wings upon
| his feet.
The Jews refused to place his statue on
| the altar in the tabernacle of the Holy of
| Holes at Jerusalem and were commanded
| to come to Rome to explain to him the rea-
| sons. deputatiOn of noble Old Hebrews
| appeared at the imperial palace one morn
| ing to plead their own cause expecting. of
| course TO have their heads cut off at the
| end of the audience. When their spokesman
concluded his argument, which was elO-
| quent and impressive, the emperor looked
| at him curiously and asked: 'Why don't
/ you Jews eat pOrk?''
The high priest explained the Mosaic in
| functions concerning the clean and the un-
clean.
You are right replied Caligula cheer
| fully. Its nasty meat but you are more
| mad than wicked in refusing To acknow-
| ledge me as your god.' and with that he
| dismissed them.