who had once come to the Romans
in company with Tiridates. They accomplished nothing worthy of note save
that a leader named Addon,[7] who was occupying Artagira, induced Gaius
to come close up to the wall, pretending that he would reveal to him some
secrets of the Parthian king, and then wounded him. In the consequent
siege he maintained a prolonged resistance. When he was at last
overthrown, not only Augustus but Gaius, too, assumed the title of
imperator, and Armenia passed into the control of Ariobarzanes. Soon
after the latter died, and his son Artabazus received it as the gift of
Augustus and the senate. Gaius fell ill from the wound, and though he
was not in any way robust and the condition of his health had, in fact,
injured his mind, he now grew still more feeble. At length he begged
leave to retire to private life, and it was his wish to take up his abode
somewhere in Syria. Augustus, in the depth of grief, communicated his
desire to the senate, and urged him to come at any rate to Italy and
then do what he pleased. So Gaius resigned at once all the duties of his
office and took a coastwise trading vessel to Lycia, where, at Limyra,
he breathed his last. Prior to his demise the spark of Lucius's life had
also paled. (He, too, was being given practice in many places, sent now
here, now there; and he was wont to read personally the letters of Gaius
before the senate, so often as he was present.) His death was due to a
sudden illness. In connection with both these cases, therefore, suspicion
rested upon Livia, and particularly because the return of Tiberius
from Rhodes to Rome occurred at this time. [-11-] As for him he was so
extremely well versed in the art of divination by the stars, having with
him Thrasyllus, who was a past master of all astrology, that he had
understood accurately what was fated both for himself and for them. And
the story goes that once in Rhodes he was about to push Thrasyllus from
the walls, because the latter was the only one aware of all he had in
mind; observing, however, that his intended victim looked gloomy, he
asked him why his face was overcast. When the other replied that he
suspected some danger, he was surprised [8] and gave up his murderous
designs. Thrasyllus had such a clear knowledge of all things that when
he descried approaching afar off the boat which brought to Tiberius the
message from his mother and Augustus to return to Rome, he told him in
advance what news it would