[A.D. 4 ( a. u. 757) ]

Since, also, many were giving unrestricted emancipation to their slaves, he directed what age the manumitter and likewise the person to be liberated by him must have reached:  moreover, what regulations people in general, and the former masters, should observe toward those made freedmen.

[-14-] While he was thus occupied plots were formed against him, and notably one by Gnaeus Cornelius, a son of the daughter of Pompey the Great.  For some time the emperor was a prey to great perplexity not wishing to kill the men,—­for he saw that no greater safety would be his by their destruction,—­nor yet to let them go, for fear this might attract others to conspire against him.  While he was in a dilemma as to what he should do and could not be free from anxiety by day nor from terror by night, Livia one day said to him:—­

“What is this, husband?  Why is it you do not sleep!”

“Wife,” answered Augustus, “who could be even to the slightest degree free from care, that has so many enemies and is so constantly the object of plots of one set of men or another?  Do you not see how many are attacking both me and our sovereignty?  The vengeance meted out to those found guilty does not retard them:  quite the contrary, as if they were pressing forward to do some noble action the rest also hasten to perish similarly.”

Livia, hearing this, said:  “That you should be the object of plots is not remarkable, nor is it contrary to human nature.  Having so large an empire you must do many things and naturally you cause grief to not a few people.  A ruler can not please all:  on the contrary, even an exceedingly upright sovereign must inevitably make foes of many persons.  For those who wish to be unjust are many more than those who act justly, and their desires it is impossible to satisfy.  Even among such as possess a certain excellence some yearn for many great rewards which they can not obtain and some chafe because they are inferior to others:  so both of them find fault with the ruler.  From this you can see that it is impossible to avoid evil, and furthermore that of all the attacks made none is upon you but all upon your position of supremacy.  If you were a private citizen, no one would willingly do you any harm unless he had previously received some injury.  But for the supremacy and for the good things that it contains all yearn, and those who occupy any post of influence far more than their inferiors.  It is the nature of wicked men, who have very little sense, to do so.  It is implanted in their dispositions, just like anything else, and it is impossible by either persuasion or compulsion to remove such a bent from some of them.  There is no law or fear stronger than natural tendencies.  Reflect on this and do not take the offences of others so hard, but keep yourself and your supremacy carefully guarded, that we may hold it safely not by virtue of inflicting severe punishments but by means of strict watchfulness.”