88 



economy was of that nature eminently beneficial to society, which is 

 as free from rapacity as from avarice, and compatible and intimately 

 connected with justice and generosity. It never led him to extortion, 

 or even harshness in the collection of taxes, and it never prevented him 

 from the most munificent generosity, for which it supplied the most 

 ample means. Under his profligate successors criminal prosecutions 

 againstwealthyfamilies were among the most favourite financial measures. 

 Tiberius refused even to accept voluntary presents and legacies from his 

 subjects (Tac. Ann. ii., 48 ; Dio Cass. 57, 10.) Augustus had courted 

 popularity and fame by beautifying the city, which, as he said on his death 

 bed, he found built of bricks and left built of marble. Tiberius was free 

 from the foolish ambition which seeks glory or an immortal name in 

 masonry and sculptures, and which does not hesitate to waste on 

 pompous structures the means, that ought to be dedicated to more use- 

 I'ul and necessary objects. He erected no tlieatres, triumphal arches, 

 or columns. He confined himself to complete those buildings which 

 his predecessor had left unfinished, to restore and adorn the venerable 

 monuments of antiquity, and, free from all ostentation, he disdained 

 recording his own share in the work in the dedicatory inscriptions. 

 (Dio Cass. Ivii, 10.) History is bound to do justice to a man who 

 voluntarily sacrificed the favour and love of his contemporaries from 

 the most honourable principles. It is well known that nothing so 

 much conciliates the applause of the multitude as the lavish expendi- 

 ture of the great, whilst strict economy, which the vulgar prefer calling 

 avarice, draws upon a man unmitigated di>ilike. It matters little in 

 the eyes of the people how wealth be acquired, so that it be freely 

 spent. Let a king squander awaj the miUions extorted from the toil 

 of his outraged subjects, the very splendour of his court and the shouts 

 of his sycophants and parasites will drown the murmur of those, who 

 were weak enough to allow themselves to be plundered with impunity. 

 Even history has too often joined in the chorus of court flatterers and 

 poets to extol the splendour of a " grand monarch ;" and thus we find 

 even in Tacitus the eclio of the dissatisfied grumbling of the Roman 

 mob, who missed under Tiberius the bribes with which Augustus had 

 purchased their applause. 



Tiberius was well acquainted with the tastes of his subjects ; he 

 knew, that for bread and games they would deify him. Yet he was 

 strong-minded enough, and let us add, proud and contemptuous 

 enough, to resist the temptation. He disliked the favourite sport of 

 the Komans, the bloody gladiatorial combats ; he refused to attend, 

 when he was compelled to allow them." Augustus had freely mixed 

 ' ' CotDprre Dio Cass. Ivii. 14. 



