cess or none at all, that person becomes suspected
of making a mock and jest of the affair. Still, for all that, when
Gaius entered the City he came very near devoting the whole senate to
destruction because it had not voted him divine honors. But he contented
himself with assembling the populace, upon whom he showered from a raised
position quantities of silver and gold. Many perished in the effort to
seize it; for, as some say, he had mixed small knife-blades in with the
coin.

As a result of his adulteries he repeatedly received the titles of
imperator and Germanicus and Britannicus no less than if he had subdued
Gaul and Britain entire.

Since this was his manner of life, he was destined inevitably to be
plotted against. He was on the lookout for an attack and arrested
Anicius Cerealius and his son Sextus Papinius, whom he put to the
torture. And inasmuch as the former would not utter a word, he
persuaded Papinius (by promising him safety and immunity) to denounce
certain persons (whether truly or falsely); he then straightway
put to death both Cerealius and the rest before his very eyes.
There was a Betilienus Bassus whom he had ordered killed, and
he compelled Capito, the man's father, to be present at his son's
execution, though Capito was not guilty of any crime and had received
no court summons. When the father enquired if he would allow him
to shut his eyes, Gaius ordered him to be slain likewise. He, finding
himself in danger, pretended to have been one of the plotters and
promised that he would disclose the names of all the rest; and he
named the companions of Gaius and those who abetted his licentiousness
and cruelty. He would have brought destruction upon many persons,
had he not by laying further information against the prefects, and
Callistus and Caesonia, aroused distrust. So he was put to death, but
this very act paved the way for the ruin of Gaius. For the emperor
privately summoned the prefects and Callistus and said to them:
"I am but one and you are three; and I am defenceless, whereas
you are armed: hence, if you hate and desire to kill me, slay me at
once." The general consequences were that he came to regard himself
as an object of hatred, and believing that they were vexed at his
behavior he harbored suspicion against them and wore a sword at his
side when in the City; and to forestall any harmony of action on their
part he attempted