Dio's Rome, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 327 pages of information about Dio's Rome, Volume 3.

Dio's Rome, Volume 3 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 327 pages of information about Dio's Rome, Volume 3.

In the palace quantities of money were found.  Cleopatra had taken practically all the offerings from even the holiest shrines and so helped to swell the spoils of the Romans, while the latter on their own part incurred no defilement.  Large sums were also obtained from every man under accusation.  More than that, all the rest against whom no personal complaint could be brought had two-thirds of their property demanded of them.  Out of this all the soldiers got what was still owing to them, and those who were with Caesar at that time secured in addition two hundred and fifty denarii apiece for not plundering the city.  All was made good to those who had previously loaned anything, and to both senators and knights who had taken part in the war great sums were given.  In fine, the Roman empire was enriched and its temples adorned.

[-18-] After attending to the matters before mentioned Caesar founded there also on the site of the battle a city and gave to it likewise a name and dedicatory games, as in the previous instance.  In regard to the canals he cleared out some of them and dug others over again, and he also settled important questions.  Then he went through Syria into the province of Asia and passed the winter there attending to the business of the subject nations in detail and likewise to that of the Parthians.  There had been disputes among them and a certain Tiridates had risen against Phraates; as long as Antony’s opposition lasted, even after the naval battle, Caesar had not only not attached himself to either side, though they sought his alliance, but made no other answer than that he would think it over.  His excuse was that he was busy with Egypt, but in reality he wanted them meantime to exhaust themselves by fighting against each other.  Now that Antony was dead and of the two combatants Tiridates, defeated, had taken refuge in Syria, and Phraates, victorious, had sent envoys, he negotiated with the latter in a friendly manner:  and without promising to aid Tiridates, he allowed him to live in Syria.  He received a son of Phraates as a mark of friendliness, and took the youth to Rome, where he kept him as a hostage.

[-19-] Meanwhile, and still earlier, the Romans at home had passed many resolutions respecting the victory at sea.  They granted Caesar a triumph (over Cleopatra) and granted him an arch bearing a trophy at Brundusium, and another one in the Roman Forum.  Moreover, the lower part of the Julian hero-shrine was to be adorned with the beaks of the captive ships and a festival every five years to be celebrated in his honor.  There should be a thanksgiving on his birthday and on the anniversary of the announcement of the victory:  when he entered the city the (vestal virgin) priestesses, the senate and the people, with their wives and children, were to meet him.  It is quite superfluous to mention the prayers, the images, the privileges of front seats, and everything else of the sort.  At the very first they both voted him these honors, and either

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Dio's Rome, Volume 3 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.