tter, like a snake abounding in poison, and exciting its
offspring as soon as they can crawl to do mischief, stirred up the other
chamberlains, that they, while performing their more private duties
about the prince's person, with their thin and boyish voices, might
damage the reputation of a brave man by pouring into the too open ears
of the emperor accusations of great odium. And they soon did what they
were commanded.

5. Disgust at this and similar events leads one to praise Domitian, who
although, by the unalterable detestation he incurred, has ever stained
the memory of his father and his brother,[90] still deserved credit for
a most excellent law, by which he forbade with severe threats any one to
castrate any boy within the limits of the Roman jurisdiction. For if
there were no such edict, who could endure the swarms of such creatures
as would exist, when it is so difficult to bear even a few of them?

6. However, they proceeded with caution, lest, as Eusebius suggested, if
Ursicinus were again sent for, he should take alarm and throw everything
into confusion; but it was proposed that on the first casual opportunity
he should be put to death.

7. While they were waiting for this chance, and full of doubt and
anxiety; and while we[91] were tarrying a short time at Samosata, the
greatest city of what had formerly been the kingdom of Commagene, we
suddenly received frequent and consistent reports of some new
commotions, which I will now proceed to relate.

V.

Sec. 1. A certain man named Antoninus, who from having been a wealthy
merchant had become superintendent of the accounts of the duke of
Mesopotamia, and after that entered the corps of the protectores, a man
of experience and wisdom, and very well known in all that country. Being
through the avarice of certain persons involved in heavy losses, and
perceiving that while defending actions against men of influence he was
being sunk lower and lower through injustice, since the judges who had
to decide on his affairs sought to gratify people in power, he, not
wishing to kick against the pricks, bent himself to obsequious caresses;
and confessing that he owed what was claimed of him, the claim, by
collusion, was transferred to the treasury. He now, having resolved on a
flagitious plan, began secretly to look into the secrets of the whole
republic; and being acquainted with both languages, he devoted his
attention to the accounts; remarking the amount, qualit