so set aside a
legacy bequeathed by the will of Ruscus Caepio, who had ordered "his heir
to make a present yearly to each of the senators upon their first
assembling." He exonerated all those who had been under prosecution from
the treasury for above five years before; and would not suffer suits to
be renewed, unless it was done within a year, and on condition, that the
prosecutor should be banished, if he could not make good his cause. The
secretaries of the quaestors having engaged in trade, according to
custom, but contrary to (487) the Clodian law [815], he pardoned them for
what was past. Such portions of land as had been left when it was
divided amongst the veteran soldiers, he granted to the ancient
possessors, as belonging to then by prescription. He put a stop to false
prosecutions in the exchequer, by severely punishing the prosecutors; and
this saying of his was much taken notice of "that a prince who does not
punish informers, encourages them."

X. But he did not long persevere in this course of clemency and justice,
although he sooner fell into cruelty than into avarice. He put to death
a scholar of Paris, the pantomimic [816], though a minor, and then sick,
only because, both in person and the practice of his art, he resembled
his master; as he did likewise Hermogenes of Tarsus for some oblique
reflections in his History; crucifying, besides, the scribes who had
copied the work. One who was master of a band of gladiators, happening
to say, "that a Thrax was a match for a Marmillo [817], but not so for
the exhibitor of the games", he ordered him to be dragged from the
benches into the arena, and exposed to the dogs, with this label upon
him, "A Parmularian [818] guilty of talking impiously." He put to death
many senators, and amongst them several men of consular rank. In this
number were, Civica Cerealis, when he was proconsul in Africa,
Salvidienus Orfitus, and Acilius Glabrio in exile, under the pretence of
their planning to revolt against him. The rest he punished upon very
trivial occasions; as Aelius Lamia for some jocular expressions, which
were of old date, and perfectly harmless; because, upon his commending
his voice after he had taken his wife from him [819], he replied, "Alas!
I hold my tongue." And when Titus advised him to take another wife, he
answered him thus: "What! have you a mind to marry?" Salvius Cocceianus
was condemned to death for keeping the birth-day of his uncle Otho, t