time said nothing of them;
but when Agrippa accused him of stealing some garments of his, [which
was certainly true,] he ran away from him; but when he was caught, and
brought before Piso, who was governor of the city, and the man was asked
why he ran away, he replied, that he had somewhat to say to Caesar, that
tended to his security and preservation: so Piso bound him, and sent him
to Capreae. But Tiberius, according to his usual custom, kept him still
in bonds, being a delayer of affairs, if ever there was any other king
or tyrant that was so; for he did not admit ambassadors quickly, and
no successors were despatched away to governors or procurators of the
provinces that had been formerly sent, unless they were dead; whence
it was that he was so negligent in hearing the causes of prisoners;
insomuch that when he was asked by his friends what was the reason of
his delay in such cases, he said that he delayed to hear ambassadors,
lest, upon their quick dismission, other ambassadors should be
appointed, and return upon him; and so he should bring trouble upon
himself in their public reception and dismission: that he permitted
those governors who had been sent once to their government [to stay
there a long while], out of regard to the subjects that were under them;
for that all governors are naturally disposed to get as much as they
can; and that those who are not to fix there, but to stay a short time,
and that at an uncertainty when they shall be turned out, do the more
severely hurry themselves on to fleece the people; but that if their
government be long continued to them; they are at last satiated with the
spoils, as having gotten a vast deal, and so become at length less sharp
in their pillaging; but that if successors are sent quickly, the poor
subjects, who are exposed to them as a prey, will not be able to bear
the new ones, while they shall not have the same time allowed them
wherein their predecessors had filled themselves, and so grew more
unconcerned about getting more; and this because they are removed before
they have had time [for their oppressions]. He gave them an example to
show his meaning: A great number of flies came about the sore places of
a man that had been wounded; upon which one of the standers-by pitied
the man's misfortune, and thinking he was not able to drive those flies
away himself, was going to drive them away for him; but he prayed him to
let them alone: the other, by way of reply, aske