some said that the words denoted that she
had advised him to leave off his mad behavior and his barbarous cruelty
to the citizens, and to govern the public with moderation and virtue,
lest he should perish by the same way, upon their using him as he had
used them. But some said, that as certain words had passed concerning
the conspirators, she desired Caius to make no delay, but immediately
to put them all to death, and this whether they were guilty or not, and
that thereby he would be out of the fear of any danger; and that this
was what she reproached him for, when she advised him so to do, but he
was too slow and tender in the matter. And this was what Cesonia said,
and what the opinions of men were about it. But when she saw Lupus
approach, she showed him Caius's dead body, and persuaded him to come
nearer, with lamentation and tears; and as she perceived that Lupus
was in disorder, and approached her in order to execute some design
disagreeable to himself, she was well aware for what purpose he came,
and stretched out her naked throat, and that very cheerfully to him,
bewailing her case, like one that utterly despaired of her life, and
bidding him not to boggle at finishing the tragedy they had resolved
upon relating to her. So she boldly received her death's wound at the
hand of Lupus, as did the daughter after her. So Lupus made haste to
inform Cherea of what he had done.

5. This was the end of Caius, after he had reigned four years, within
four months. He was, even before he came to be emperor, ill-natured, and
one that had arrived at the utmost pitch of wickedness; a slave to his
pleasures, and a lover of calumny; greatly affected by every terrible
accident, and on that account of a very murderous disposition where he
durst show it. He enjoyed his exorbitant power to this only purpose, to
injure those who least deserved it, with unreasonable insolence and got
his wealth by murder and injustice. He labored to appear above regarding
either what was divine or agreeable to the laws, but was a slave to the
commendations of the populace; and whatsoever the laws determined to be
shameful, and punished, that he esteemed more honorable than what was
virtuous. He was unmindful of his friends, how intimate soever, and
though they were persons of the highest character; and if he was once
angry at any of them, he would inflict punishment upon them on the
smallest occasions, and esteemed every man that endeavored to lead a