icuously than any of his peers he was ruled by slaves and by women.
From a child he had been reared with careful nursing and in the midst of
terror and had for that reason feigned simplicity to a greater extent
than was really true this fact he himself admitted in the senate: and as
he had lived for a long time with his grandmother Livia and for another
long period with his mother Antonia and again with liberti, and moreover
had had several amours with women, he had acquired no qualities becoming
a freeman, but although ruler of all the Romans and their subjects he was
himself nothing more nor less than a slave. They would take advantage of
him particularly when he was inclined to drink and sexual intercourse,
for in both these directions he was quite insatiable and on such
occasions was exceedingly easy to master. Moreover, he was afflicted by
cowardice, which frequently roused in him so great alarm that he could
not calculate anything as he ought. They anticipated this failing of his,
too, and it was no inconsiderable help toward getting the better of him.
By frightening him half to death they would reap great benefits, and in
other people they inspired so much fear that--to give an epitome of the
situation--once when a number were on the same day invited to dinner by
Claudius and again by his dependents, the guests neglected him on
some indifferent pretext and presented themselves at the feast of his
companions.

[-3-] Though, generally speaking, he was the sort of character described,
still he performed not a few valuable services whenever he was free from
the influences mentioned and was master of himself. I shall take up his
acts in detail.

All honors voted to him he immediately accepted, except the title
"Father," and this he afterward took: yet he did not at once enter the
senate, but delayed as late as the thirtieth day. The fact that he had
seen Gaius perish as he did and now learned that some other candidates,
presumably superior to himself, had been proposed for emperor by the
senatorial body made him a little timid. Therefore he exercised great
caution at all points and caused all men and women who approached him to
be searched, for fear they might have a dagger. At banquets he made sure
there were some soldiers present,--a custom which, set by him, continues
to this day. That of invariable search was brought to an end by
Vespasian. He put to death Chairea and some others in spite of his
pleasure at the d