elf
he asked twenty annual counselors because of his old age, which did not
permit him to visit the senate any longer save rarely. Previously fifteen
were attached to him for six months. It was further voted that any
measure should have authority, as satisfactory to the whole senate, which
should after deliberation be resolved upon by him in conjunction with
Tiberius and with the consuls of the year, with the men appointed for
deliberation and his grandchildren (the adopted ones, of course) and the
others that he might on any occasion call upon for advice. Gaining by the
decree those powers (which in reality he had in any case) he transacted
most of the is necessary business, though sometimes lying down. Now
as nearly all felt oppressed by the five per cent tax and a political
convulsion seemed likely, he sent document to the senate bidding its
members seek some other means of income. This he did not in the intention
of abolishing the tax but in order that when no other appeared to them
preferable they might though reluctantly ratify it without declaiming
against him He also ordered Germanicus and Drusus not to make any
official statement about it, for fear that if they expressed an opinion
persons would suspect that this had been done by his orders and choose
that plan without further investigation. There was much discussion and
some schemes were submitted to Augustus in writing. When he found by them
that the senators were ready to endure any form of tax rather than that
in force, he changed it to a levy upon fields and houses. And without
telling how great it would be or in what way imposed, he immediately sent
men in different directions to make a list of the possessions both of
individuals and of towns. His object was that they should fear losses on
a large scale and so be content to pay the five per cent. This actually
happened, and so it was that Augustus settled the difficulty.

[-29-] At the spectacle of the Augustalia [6] which occurred on his
birthday a madman seated himself in the chair which was dedicated to
Julius Caesar, and taking his crown put it on. This happening disturbed
everybody, for it seemed to have some bearing upon Augustus, as, indeed,
proved true.

[A.D. 14 (_a. u._ 767)]

For the following year, when Sextus Apuleius and Sextus Pompeius were
consuls, Augustus set out for Campania and after superintending the games
at Naples soon passed away in Nola. Omens had appeared to him, not few by
a