[Footnote:  Hartman (Mnemosyne, N. S. XXI, p. 395) would read [Greek:  hasteion] for [Greek:  haschon].  “Maternus met his death because he had made some witty remark against tyrants.”  H. maintains that Domitian could not know what Maternus said in his closet; but to the present translator the MS. tradition seems to lend to this incident a greater homogeneousness of detail with the preceding, and he retains it simply on that basis.] he had said something against tyrants.  The emperor himself used to visit both those who were to accuse and those who were to give evidence for condemnation, and he would frame and compose everything that required to be said.  Often, too, he would talk to the prisoners alone, keeping tight hold of their chains with his hands.  In the former case he would not entrust to others what was to be said, and in the latter he feared the men even in their bonds.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 93 (a.u. 846)] [Sidenote:—­13—­] As censor, likewise, his behavior was noteworthy.  He expelled Caecilius Rufinus from the senate because he danced, and restored Claudius Pacatus, though an ex-centurion, to his master because he was proved to be a slave.  What came after, to be sure, can not be described in similar terms,—­his deeds, that is to say, as emperor. Then he killed Arulenus Rusticus for being a philosopher and for calling Thrasea sacred, and Herennius Senecio because in his long career he had stood for no office after the quaestorship and because he had compiled the life of Helvidius Priscus.  Many others also perished as a result of this same charge of philosophizing, and all remaining members of that profession were again driven from Rome.  One Juventius Celsus, however, who had been conspicuous in conspiring with certain persons against Domitian and had been accused of it, saved his life in a remarkable way.  When he was on the point of being condemned, he begged that he might speak a few words with the emperor in private.  Having gained the opportunity he did obeisance before him and after repeatedly calling him “master,” and “god” (terms that were already being applied to him by others), he said:  “I have done nothing of the sort.  And if I obtain a respite, I will pry into everything and both inform against and convict many persons for you.”  He was released on these conditions, but did not report any one; instead, by advancing different excuses at different times, he lived until Domitian was killed.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 95 (a.u. 848)] [Sidenote:—­14—­] During this period the road leading from Sinuessa to Puteoli was paved with stones.  And the same year Domitian slew among many others Flavius Clemens the consul, though he was a cousin and had to wife Flavia Domitilla, who was also a relative of the emperor’s. [Footnote:  His sister’s daughter.] The complaint brought against them both was that of atheism, under which many others who drifted into Jewish ways were condemned.  Some of these were killed and the remainder were at least deprived of their property.