r and emperor be seen. In other matters he was more moderate
and even came to the aid of some of his friends when their conduct was
subjected to official scrutiny. But a certain Marcus Primus was accused
of having made war upon the Odrysae, while he was governor of Macedonia,
who said at one time that he had done it with the approval of Augustus,
and again with that of Marcellus. The emperor thereupon came of his own
accord into the court and, when interrogated by the praetors as to whether
he had instructed the man to make war, entered a denial. The advocate
of Primus, Licinius Murena, in the course of some rather disrespectful
remarks that he made to him enquired: "What are you doing here!" and "Who
summoned you!" To this Augustus only replied: "The Public Good." For this
he received praise from sensible persons and was even given the right to
convene the senate as often as he pleased. Some of the others looked down
upon him. Indeed, not a few voted for the acquittal of Primus and others
united to form a plot against Caesar. Fannius Caepio was at the head of it,
though others had a share. Murena also was said, whether truly or by way
of calumny, to have been one of the conspirators, since he was insatiate
and unsparing in his outspokenness to all alike. These men did not appear
for trial in court but were convicted by default on the supposition that
they intended to flee; shortly after, however, they were put to death.
Murena found neither his brother Proculeius nor Maecenas his sister's
husband of any avail, though they were the recipients of distinguished
honors from Augustus. And as some of the jurymen actually voted to acquit
these conspirators, the emperor made a law that votes should not be cast
secretly in cases by default and that the persons on trial must receive
a unanimous conviction. That he authorized these provisions not in anger
but as really conducive to the public good he gave overwhelming evidence.
Caepio's father liberated one of his slaves who had accompanied his son on
his flight, because he had wished to defend the younger man when he met
his death; but a second slave who had betrayed him the father led through
the middle of the Forum with an inscription making known the reason why
he should be killed, and after that crucified him: yet at all this the
emperor showed no indignation. He would have allayed all the criticism
of those not pleased with the course of events, had he not allowed
sacrifices,