WIVES OF THE C.ESAIlS. 131 



Mcc&nas ; from the bottom of her heart she execrated that superla- 

 tive but faithless beauty ; yet, notwithstanding, in their meetings at 

 the court and elsewhere in the city, Livia's conduct towards her hated 

 rival wore the aspect of serenity and friendship. It has indeed been 

 said, in dereliction of the pride and policy of Livia, that her re- 

 proaches were uttered on Terentia, though qualified in such a manner 

 as to shew that she respected in the person of her rival the passion 

 of her husband. But it seems by no means to agree with Livia's 

 artificial character for acquiescence, that she should bitterly arraign 

 Terentia's virtue, and divulge to common notoriety a tolerated inter- 

 course, at once disgraceful to me minister and guilty in the prince. 

 At the same time it must be remembered that the wary Livia herself 

 was not above the empire of lubricity, and that, in spite of her pre- 

 cautions in the public walk of life, some clandestine passages in her 

 demeanour afforded fearful grounds for a provoked recrimination. 

 Livia's comprehensive views were daily cherished, if not by the in- 

 creasing, at least by the confirmed, devotion of Augustus ; and far 

 from hazarding the one aspiring purpose of her life, by coupling it 

 with any object of a minor and more fretful passion, she skilfully 

 facilitated Caesar's private pleasures, affecting an impenetrable igno- 

 rance of their existence. While meditating the advancement of her 

 sons, she looked with no inactive satisfaction on her accumulated 

 powers. Her influence she regarded less as the consummation than 

 the means of her ambition. Ever mindful of the prodigy which 

 promised empire to her issue, her politic and indefatigable mind was 

 unremittingly employed in compassing its glorious fulfilment. The 

 most important offices, the highest honours, an immediate confidence, 

 were bestowed on both her sons. Tiberius and Drusus, at the head 

 of mighty armies, commanding all the legions, and the delegates of 

 the imperial authority, were incessantly extolled by Livia's vigilant 

 attention to their fame; and their merits and their favour with 

 Augustus were thus familiarized to^he community. Nor indeed was 

 the capacity of Tiberius, in politics^br war, unworthy of the eulogy 

 which Livia's venality procured him. Drusus, too, possessing mili- 

 tary talent in a similar degree, united every great and noble quality, 

 and formed a splendid contrast with his monstrous brother, who, for 

 the^ misfortune and indignity of human nature, was destined to 

 survive him. 



The young and popular Marcellus, at once the son-in-law and 

 nephew of Augustus, was now the important obstacle to Livia's plans. 

 He was regarded by the Romans generally as Caesar's heir presump- 

 tive and elect ; and Livia had incessantly beheld him with a sinister 



meme les gouts de son epoux ; Mecene ne fut pas toujours si indifferent ; et 

 Dion rapporte que la jalousie s'en mla, et refroidit pour quelque terns 1'amitic 

 d'Auguste pour lui. Cependant Mecene dtait trop bon courtisan pour dclater ; 

 et un jour qu'Auguste, selon sa coutume, dtait chez lui, et prenait des liberties 

 un peu trop familieres, le bon Meoene, qui voyait tout, feigmt de dormir : mais 

 peu apres s'appercevant qu'un autre des amis d'Auguste voulait aussi s'emanci- 

 per, et profiler de I'occasion, il se tourna aussitot en disant ; * non omnibus 

 dormio.'' Ce bon mot fut tres celebre a Rome." 



