he sent
his brother Cotys on an embassy to convey a friendly message to
Claudius. But Cotys proved a treacherous ambassador and told the
emperor all, and he was made king of Iberia in place of Mithridates.

[A.D. 47, (a. u. 800)]

[-29-]The following year, the eight hundredth anniversary of the founding
of the city of Rome, Claudius became consul for the fourth and Lucius
Vitellius for the third time. Claudius now ejected some members of
the senate, the majority of whom were not sorry to be driven out but
willingly stood aside on account of their poverty. Likewise he brought
in a number to fill their places. Among these he summoned with haste
one Surdinius Gallus, qualified to be a senator, who had emigrated to
Carthage, and said to him: "I will bind you with golden fetters." Gallus,
therefore, fettered by his rank, remained at home.

Although Claudius visited dire punishment upon the freedmen of others, in
case he caught them in any crime, he was very lenient with his own. One
day an actor in the theatre uttered this well-worn saying:

"A knave who prospers scarce can be endured,"[9]

whereupon the whole assemblage looked at Polybius, the emperor's
freedman. He, undismayed, shouted out: "The same poet, however, says:--

'Who once were goatherds now have royal power.'" [9]

and suffered no harm for his behavior.

Information was laid that some persons were plotting against Claudius,
but in the majority of instances he paid no attention, saying: "It
doesn't do to adopt the same defensive tactics against a flea as against
a beast of prey." Asiaticus, however, was tried before him and came very
near being acquitted. He entered a general denial, declaring: "I have
no knowledge of nor acquaintance with any of these persons who are
testifying against me." Then the soldier who stated he had been an
associate of his, being asked which one Asiaticus was, pointed out a
baldheaded man that happened to be standing near him. Baldness was the
only thing of which he was sure about Asiaticus. This event occasioned
much laughter and Claudius was on the point of freeing him, when
Vitellius to please Messalina made the statement that he had been sent
for by the prisoner, who requested the privilege of deciding the manner
of death to be visited upon him. Hearing this, Claudius believed that on
account of a guilty conscience Asiaticus had really condemned himself and
accordingly had him executed.

Among many others who