Gossip left his name untouched.  It took advantage of Augustus; natural bonhomie, and whispered tales agains him galore:  even said that Livia retained her hold on him by taking his indiscretions discreetly;—­which is as much as to say that an utterly corrupt society judged that great man by its own corrupt standards.  But Tiberius was too austere; his life chilled even Roman gossip into silence.  There was also his patent devotion to Vipsania.....  You could only sneer at him, if at all, for lack of spirit.

He had, then, great and magnificent qualities; but the scars of his babyhood peril remained.  There was that timid and clinging disposition; that over-sensitiveness that came out when he was away from camp, or without immediate business to transact, or in any society but that of philosophers and occultists:—­for we do know that he was a student of Occult Philosophy.  He had grand qualities; but felt, beneath his reserve, much too strongly; had a heart too full of pent-up human affections.  But it is written: 

"Before the Soul can stand in the prescence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart."

It devolved upon his Teacher to break that heart for him; so that he might stand in the presence of the Masters.

Agrippa had died; and for Julia’s sake it was wise and better to provide her with a husband.  Augustus hesitated long before he dared take the tremendous step he did:  as one doubtful whether it would accomplish what he hoped, or simply kill at once the delicate psychic organism to be affected by it.  Then he struck, —­hurled the bolt.  Let Tiberius put away Vipsania and marry Julia.

Put away that adored Vipsania:—­marry that Julia,—­whom every single instinct in his nature abhorred!  Incompatible:—­that is the very least and mildest thing you can say about it;—­but he must say nothing, for he is speaking to her father.  He resists a long time, in deep anguish; but there is one word that for Tiberius was ever a clarion call to his soul.

What, cries he, is this terrible thing you demand of me?—­and his Teacher answers:  Duty. Duty to Rome, that the Julian and Claudian factions may be united; duty to the empire, that my successors, Caius and Lucius, may have, after I am gone, a strong man for their guardian.—­You will note that, if you please.  Augustus had just adopted these two sons of Julias; they were, ostensibly, to be his successors; there was no bait for ambition in this sacrifice Tiberius was called on to make; he would not succeed to the Principate; the marriage would not help him; there was to be nothing in it for him but pure pain.  In the name of duty he was called on to make a holocaust of himself.