with regard to them; and he allowed the senators to read, each one, the
articles separately, his object being that if any provision did not
please them, or if they could suggest anything better, they might speak.
He was very desirous of being democratic, and once, when one of the
companions of his campaigns asked him to aid him in the capacity of
advocate, at first he pretended to be busy and bade one of his friends
serve as advocate; when, however, the petitioner grew angry and said:
"but as often as you needed my assistance, I did not send somebody else
to you in place of myself, but in person I encountered dangers everywhere
in your behalf," the emperor then entered the courtroom and pled his
cause. He also stood by a friend of his who was defendant in a suit,
having first communicated this very purpose to the senate: he saved the
friend but was so far from being angry at his accuser, although the
latter spoke most bluntly, that when he had to undergo a scrutiny
regarding his morals the emperor acquitted him, saying that his bluntness
was a necessary thing on account of the out-and-out baseness of the mass
of mankind. Augustus, indeed, punished others who were reported to be
conspiring against their sovereign. He had quaestors hold office in the
coast districts near the City and in certain other parts of Italy; and
this he did for several years. Yet at this time he was unwilling, as I
have remarked, [3] to enter the city on account of Drusus's death.

[B.C. 8 _(a. u. 746)_]

[-5-] But the next year, in which Asinius Gallus and Graius Marcius were
consuls, he came back and carried the laurel, contrary to custom, into
the temple of Jupiter Feretrius. No festival did he celebrate over his
achievements, thinking that he had lost far more in the death of Drusus
than he had gained by the victories. The consuls carried out the program
usual on such occasions and set some of the captives to fighting with one
another. Later, when they and the rest of the officials were accused of
having been appointed by means of some bribery, he did not investigate
the case but pretended not even to know of it. He did not like to visit
punishment on any of them or to pardon them if they were convicted. But
from office seekers he demanded before the elections a deposit of money
as a guarantee that they would resort to no such methods, on pain of
forfeiting what they had paid in. This course all approved.--As it was
not permissible for a slav