[B.C. 8 (a. u. 746)]

[-5-] But the next year, in which Asinius Gallus and Graius Marcius were consuls, he came back and carried the laurel, contrary to custom, into the temple of Jupiter Feretrius.  No festival did he celebrate over his achievements, thinking that he had lost far more in the death of Drusus than he had gained by the victories.  The consuls carried out the program usual on such occasions and set some of the captives to fighting with one another.  Later, when they and the rest of the officials were accused of having been appointed by means of some bribery, he did not investigate the case but pretended not even to know of it.  He did not like to visit punishment on any of them or to pardon them if they were convicted.  But from office seekers he demanded before the elections a deposit of money as a guarantee that they would resort to no such methods, on pain of forfeiting what they had paid in.  This course all approved.—­As it was not permissible for a slave to be tortured for evidence against his master, he ordered that, as often as the necessity for such a course should arise, the slave should be sold either to the State or to him, in order that being now the property of some one else than the man on trial he might be examined.  Some found fault with this, because the law was to be invalidated by the change of masters; but others declared it to be necessary, because many under the previous arrangement united to take advantage of the loophole offered and to get the offices.

[-6-] Augustus, after this, although, as he said, he was minded to lay aside the supreme power, since the second ten-year period had run out, resumed it again with a show of reluctance and made a campaign against the Celtae.  He himself remained behind on Roman territory, but Tiberius crossed the Rhine.  The barbarians in dread of him, all except the Sugambri, made overtures for peace, but they did not obtain their request at this time,—­for Augustus refused to conclude a truce with them if they lacked the Sugambri,—­nor did they later.  To be sure, the Sugambri, too, sent envoys, but they failed completely to accomplish anything:  on the contrary, all of them, a numerous and distinguished band, met an untimely end.  Augustus arrested them and placed them in various cities:  they took this very much amiss and committed suicide.  The tribes then were quiet for a time, but later they amply requited the Romans for the calamity.—­Besides doing this Augustus granted money to the soldiers, not as to victors, though he himself had taken the name of imperator and had given it to Tiberius, but because this was the first time that they had Gaius appearing in the exercises with them.  He advanced Tiberius to the position of imperator in place of Drusus, and besides exalting him with that title appointed him consul once more.  According to the ancient custom he had a written notice bulletined for the public benefit before Tiberius entered upon the office, and