would not have it nor allow him to retire to private life; you knew well that democracy would never accommodate itself to such tremendous interests, but that the superintendence of a single person would most surely preserve them, and so refused what was nominally independence but really factional discord.  And making choice of him, whom you had proved worthy by his very deeds, you compelled him to stand at your head for a time at least.  When you had in this way tested him even more than before, you finally forced him a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth time to remain as manager of public affairs. [-40-] It was only natural.  Who would not choose to be safe without trouble, to be prosperous without danger, to enjoy unsparingly the blessings of government and not to be disturbed by cares for its maintenance?  Who was there that could rule even his private possessions better than Augustus, to say nothing of the goods of so many human beings?  He accepted the trying and hostile provinces for his own portion to guard and preserve, but restored to you all such others as were peaceful and free from danger.  Though he supported such a large standing army to fight in your behalf, he let the soldiers be troublesome to none of his own countrymen but rendered them to outsiders most terrifying guardians, to the people at home unarmed and unwarlike.  The senators in places of authority were not deprived of appeal to the lot, but prizes for excellence were furnished them in addition.  He did not destroy the power of the ballot in their decisions and he guaranteed safety in free speech as well.  Cases difficult to decide he transferred from the people to the searching justice of the courts, but preserved to the popular body the dignity of the elections and trained citizens in these to seek a means of honor, not of strife.  He even cut away the ambitious greed of office seekers and put a regard for reputation in its place.  His own money, which he increased by legitimate methods, he spent for public needs:  for the public funds he cared as if they were his own, while he refrained from touching them, as belonging to others.  He saw that all public works that were falling to decay were repaired, and deprived no one connected with their renovation of the glory attaching:  many structures he built anew (some in his own name, some in that of another), or else gave others charge of erecting them.  Consequently, his gaze was directed toward public utility and privately he grudged no one the fame to be derived from public service.  Wantonness among his own kin he recompensed relentlessly, but the offences of others he treated with humaneness.  Those who had traits of excellence he allowed to come as near as they could to his own standard, and with the conduct of such as lived otherwise he did not concern himself minutely.  Among those who conspired against him he invoked justice upon only those whose lives were of no profit even to themselves.  The rest he placed in such a position that for a great while they could obtain no excuse either true or false for attacking him.  It is nothing surprising that he was occasionally the object of conspiracies, for even the gods do not please all alike.  The excellence of good rulers is discernible not in the villainies of others but in their own good behavior.