so desire or not.  If you follow a different course, it will be useless, and beyond an empty reputation you will gain no advantage, but become the victim of plots and perish ingloriously.  No man living is ruled of his own free will, but the element which is kept in fear, whatever its size, waits upon the stronger element, whereas if it attains to courage, it always wreaks vengeance upon the other, which has now become the weaker.”

At the close of this address Gaius reintroduced the complaints for maiestas, ordered his commands to be inscribed upon a bronze tablet and rushing hastily from the senate-house proceeded the same day to the suburbs of the capital.  The senate and the people were filled with great fear as they thought of the denunciations against Tiberius, which they had often uttered, and of the many surprises his speech had had in store for them.  Temporarily their alarm and dejection prevented them from saying a word or transacting any business.  Next day they assembled again, praised Gaius unstintedly as a most sincere and pious ruler, and thanked him profusely that they had not perished like others.  Accordingly, they voted annually to sacrifice cattle to the Spirit of Kindness that animated him both on the anniversary of the day he had read this matter just mentioned and on those belonging to the Palatium[12]:  on such occasions his image in gold was to be conducted to the Capitol and hymns sung in its honor by the boys of noblest birth.  They granted him also the right to celebrate a lesser triumph, as though he had defeated some enemies.  This was what they voted at that meeting:  later they added to it extensively on almost every pretext.

[-17-] Gaius took no heed of the celebration mentioned; it seemed to him to be no great thing to drive a horse on land:  but he had a desire to ride horseback through the sea in a way, by bridging over the water between Puteoli and Bauli.  This locality is opposite the City, twenty-six stades distant.  Boats for the bridge were partly brought together and partly built new for the purpose.  For the number it had proved possible to collect in a brief space of time was insufficient, although all feasible vessels had been gathered, and it was principally this fact that caused a serious famine in Italy and Rome.  In joining these boats not merely a passageway was constructed but resting places and waiting rooms were built along in it, and these had running water fit for drinking.  When it was ready, he put on the breastplate of Alexander (or so he said), and over it a purple silk chlamys, containing much gold and many precious stones from India.  He furthermore girt on a sword, took a shield, and donned a garland of oak leaves.  Next he offered sacrifice to Neptune and some other gods and to Envy (in order, he said, that no jealousy might attend him), and entered the passage from the end at Bauli, taking with him great numbers of armed horsemen and foot soldiers; and he made a fierce dash into