the Romans had now
fallen. Hence the deeds of Tiberius, though they were felt to have been
most grievous, were still as far superior to those of Gaius as the deeds
of Augustus were to those of his successor. For Tiberius always held the
power in his own hands and used other people to help him carry out
his wishes: Gaius, on the other hand, was ruled by charioteers and by
gladiators; he was the slave of dancers and other theatrical performers.
Indeed, he always kept Apelles, the most famous of the tragedians of that
day, with him even in public. Thus he by himself and they by themselves
did without let or hindrance all that such persons when given power would
naturally dare to do. Everything that could help theatrical productions
he arranged and settled on the slightest pretext in the most expensive
manner, and compelled praetors and consuls to do the same, so that almost
every day some performance of the kind was sure to be given. Originally
he was but a spectator and listener at these and would take sides for and
against various performers like one of the mob; and sometimes, if he were
irritated at his opponents, he would not visit the spectacle. But as time
went on he came to imitate and contend in many events, driving chariots,
fighting duels, giving exhibitions of dancing, and acting in tragedy.
This became his regular practice. And one night he urgently summoned
the leaders of the senate as if to some important deliberation and then
danced before them.

[-6-] Now in that year that Tiberius died and Gaius entered upon office
in his stead he first began to show great deference to the senators on an
occasion when knights were present at the meeting and also some of the
populace. He promised to share his power with them and do whatever would
please them, calling himself meanwhile their son and nursling. He was
then twenty-five years old, lacking five months, four days. After this he
freed those who were in prison, among whom was Quintus Pomponius, who for
seven whole years after his consulship had been kept in a cell suffering
abuse. Gaius did away with the complaints for maiestas, on account of
which he saw that most of the prisoners were suffering, and heaped up (or
so he pretended) and burned the documents pertaining to their cases that
Tiberius had left behind. He also declared: "I have done this, that
no matter how much I might wish to bear malice toward any one; for my
mother's and my brothers' sake, I might still