in this way were confiscated, only a
little or nothing at all even being given to their accusers. For he was
now giving far more[7] accurate attention to money. After this Tiberius
increased to one per cent. a tax which was already one-half of one
per cent. and proceeded to accept every inheritance left to him. And
in fact nearly every one left him something,--even those who made
away with themselves,--as they had to Sejanus while the latter lived.

Also, with that same intention which had led him not to take possession
of the wealth of those who perished voluntarily, he made the senate
sponsor for every official summons, to the end that he might be free
from blame himself (for so he thought) and the senate pass sentence upon
itself as a wrongdoer.[8] By this means people came to be thoroughly
aware, during the time that they were being destroyed through one
another's agency, that their former troubles had emanated no more from
Sejanus than from Tiberius. For not only were the accusers of various
persons brought to trial, but those who had condemned them were in turn
sentenced. So it was that Tiberius spared no one, but kept using up
all the citizens one against another; no firm friendships existed any
longer[9]; but the unjust and the guiltless, the fearful and the fearless
stood on the same footing as regarded the investigation made into the
complaints about Sejanus. At length he saw fit to propose a kind of
amnesty for the sufferers, and so he gave permission to those who wished
to go into mourning for the deceased; and in addition he forbade that any
one should in any way be hindered from showing this respect to the memory
of any person,--for such prohibitory votes were frequently passed. Yet he
did not in fact confirm this edict, but after a brief space he punished
numbers on account of Sejanus and on other complaints: they were
generally charged with having outraged and murdered their nearest female
relatives.

[A.D. 32(_a. u._ 785)]

[-17-] Such was the state of affairs at this time, and there was not a
soul that could deny that he would be glad to feast on the emperor's
flesh. Now the next year, when Gnaeus Domitius and Camillus Scribonianus
became consuls, a very laughable thing happened. It had now long been the
custom for the members of the senate on the first of the year to take the
oath not man by man, but for one (as I have stated)[10] to take the oath
for them and the rest to express their acquiescen