us Sestius, who had always been an enthusiastic follower of
Brutus, had campaigned with the latter in all his wars, and even at this
time made mention of him, had his images, and delivered eulogies. So
far from disliking the friendly and faithful qualities of the man, the
emperor even honored him.

The senate consequently voted that Augustus be tribune for life and that
he might bring forward at each meeting of the senate any business he
liked concerning any one matter, even if he should not be consul at
the time, and allowed him to hold the office of proconsul once for all
perpetually, so that he had neither to lay it down on entering the
pomerium nor to take it up again outside. The body also granted him more
power in subject territory than the several governors possessed. As a
result both he and subsequent emperors gained a certain legal right to
the use of the tribunican authority, in addition to their other powers.
But the actual name of tribune neither Augustus nor any other emperor has
held.

[-33-] And it seems to me that he then acquired these rights as described
not from flattery but as a mark of real honor. In most ways he behaved
toward the Romans as if they were free citizens. For, when Tiridates in
person and envoys from Phraates arrived to settle their mutual disputes,
he introduced them to the senate. After this, when the decision of the
question had been entrusted to him by that body, he refused to surrender
Tiridates to Phraates, but sent back to him his son, whom Tiridates had
formerly received from the other and was keeping, on condition that the
captives and the military standards taken in the disasters of Crassus and
of Antony be returned.

In this same year one of the inferior aediles died and Gaius Calpurnius
succeeded him, in spite of having served previously as one of the
patrician aediles. This is not mentioned as having occurred in the case of
any other man. During the Feriae there were two praefecti urbi each day,
and one of them, who was not yet admitted to the standing of a youth,
nevertheless held office.

Livia, however, was accused of having caused the death of Marcellus
because he had been preferred before her sons. This suspicion became
a matter of controversy both in that year and in the following, which
proved so unhealthful that great numbers perished during its progress.
And, as it usually happens that some sign occurs before such events,
so on this occasion a wolf had been ca