lled the aerarium militare. Some of the
ex-praetors--such as drew the lots--he instructed to administer it for
three years, employing two lictors apiece and such further assistance as
was fitting. This was done by successive officials for a number of years.
At present they are chosen by whoever is emperor and they go about
without lictors. Augustus himself made some further contributions and
promised to do this annually, and he accepted offers from kings and
certain peoples. From private individuals, though a number were ready
and glad to give (as they said), he would take nothing. But as all this
proved very slight in comparison with the large amount spent, and there
was need of some inexhaustible supply, he ordered each one of the
senators to devise means by himself, to write his plan in a book, and
give it to him to look over. This was not because he had no plan of his
own, but because he was most anxious to persuade them to choose the
one that he wished. Various men proposed various courses, but he would
approve none of them: instead, he arranged for five per cent. of the
inheritances and bequests which should be left by deceased persons
(except in the case of very near relations or poor families); he
pretended that he had found this tax suggestion in Caesar's memoirs. It
was a method that had been introduced once before, but had been later
abolished and was now introduced anew. In this way he increased the
revenues. The expenditures made by three men of consular rank, whom
the lot designated, he partly made smaller and partly did away with
altogether.

[-26-] This was not the only source of trouble to the Romans: there was
also a severe famine. As a consequence, the gladiators and the slaves
offered for sale were removed to a distance of over seven hundred and
fifty stadia, Augustus and others dismissed the greater part of their
retinue, there was a cessation of lawsuits, and senators were permitted
to leave the city and go where they pleased. In order to prevent any
hindrance to decrees from this last measure it was ordered that all those
framed by as many as happened to attend meetings should be binding.
Moreover, ex-consuls were appointed to take charge of grain and bread
supplies, so as to have a stated quantity sold to each person. Those who
were recipients of public bounty had as much added to their supply gratis
by Augustus as they might obtain at any time. When even that did not
suffice, he forbade the citi