had been born in that month.  Among the charioteers he instituted two more parties, calling one the Golden and the other the Purple.  To the spectators he gave many objects by means of balls thrown among them; and once he gave them a banquet while they remained in their seats and at night provided for them wine that flowed out in several different places.  All this caused pleasure seemingly to the populace, but was a source of ruin to the powerful.  For, as he had no resources for his expenditures, he murdered numbers of men, bringing some of them before the senate and accusing others in their absence.  Lastly, he put some out of the way by concocting a plot and administering to them secret drugs.

Many of the peoples tributary to the Romans revolted when contributions of money were forcibly extorted from them.  The Nasamones are an instance in point.  They massacred all the collectors of the money and so thoroughly defeated Flaccus, [Footnote:  Probably Cn.  Suellius Flaccus.] governor of Numidia, who attacked them, that they were able to plunder his camp.  Having gorged themselves on the provisions and the wine that they found there they fell into a slumber, and Flaccus becoming aware of this fact assailed and annihilated them all and destroyed the non-combatants.  Domitian experienced a thrill of delight at the news and remarked to the senate:  “Well, I have put a ban on the existence of the Nasamones.”

Even as early as this he was insisting upon being regarded as a god and took a huge pleasure in being called “master” and “god.”  These titles were used not merely orally but also in documents.

[Sidenote:—­5—­] Chariomerus, king of the Cherusci, had been driven out of his kingdom by the Chatti on account of his friendship for the Romans.  At first he gathered some companions and was successful in his attempt to return.  Later he was deserted by these men for having sent hostages to the Romans and so became the suppliant of Domitian.  He was not accorded an alliance but received money.

In Moesia, [Footnote:  An error of the excerptor.  The Lygians lived north of Moesia.] the Lygians, who had been at war with some of the Suebi, sent envoys, asking Domitian for an alliance.  They obtained one that was strong, not in numbers, but in dignity:  in other words, they were granted only a hundred knights.  The Suebi, indignant at this, added to their contingent the Iazygae and began to prepare well in advance to cross the Ister.

Masyus, king of the Semnones, and Ganna, a virgin (she was priestess in Celtica after Veleda), came to Domitian and having been honored by him returned.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 86 (a.u. 839)] [Sidenote:—­6—­] The greatest war that the Romans had on their hands at this time was one against the Dacians.  Decebalus was now king of the latter [since Douras, to whom the sovereignty belonged, had voluntarily withdrawn from it in favor of Decebalus, because].  He had a good comprehension of the rules of warfare and was good at putting them in practice, displayed sagacity in advancing, took the right moment for retreating, was an expert in ambuscades, a professional warrior, knew how to make good use of a victory and to turn a defeat to advantage.  Hence he showed himself for a long time a worthy antagonist of the Romans.