plundered some of the tribes across the
Rhine enjoying treaty rights,--a performance which filled him with conceit
as if he had achieved some great success. Presumably on account of the
victory he increased the soldiers' wages, so that whereas each had been
receiving seventy-five denarii he commanded that a hundred be given them.
Later he thought better of it, but instead of diminishing the amount he
curtailed the number of men-at-arms. Both of these steps entailed great
injury to the public weal: he had made the defenders of the State too few,
while rendering their support an item of great expense.

[Sidenote: A.D. 84 (a.u. 837)] [Sidenote:--4--] Next he made a campaign
into Germany and returned without having seen a trace of war anywhere. And
what need is there of mentioning the honors bestowed upon him at this
juncture for his exploit or from time to time upon the other emperors who
were like him? For the object in any case was simply not to arouse the
rage of those despots by letting them suspect, in consequence of the small
number and insignificance of the rewards, that the people saw through
them. Yet Domitian had this worst quality of all, that he desired to be
flattered, and was equally displeased with both sorts of men, those who
paid court to him and those who did not. He disliked the former because
their attitude seemed one of cajolery and the latter because it seemed one
of contempt. Notwithstanding [he affected to take pleasure in the honorary
decrees voted him by the senate. Ursus he came near killing because he was
not pleased with his sovereign's exploits, and then, at the request of
Julia, he appointed him consul.] Subsequently, being still more puffed up
by his folly, he was elected consul for ten years in succession, and first
and only censor for life of all private citizens and emperors: and he
obtained the right to employ twenty-four lictors and the triumphal garb
whenever he entered the senate-house. He gave October a new name,
Domitianum, because he had been born in that month. Among the charioteers
he instituted two more parties, calling one the Golden and the other the
Purple. To the spectators he gave many objects by means of balls thrown
among them; and once he gave them a banquet while they remained in their
seats and at night provided for them wine that flowed out in several
different places. All this caused pleasure seemingly to the populace, but
was a source of ruin to the powerful. For, as