treason, but
acquitted by intrigue, and Pentadius the secretary, and Apodemius the
secretary for the provinces, he commanded that they should put him to
death. And accordingly his hands were bound like those of some
convicted thief, and he was beheaded, and his carcass, which but a
little while ago had been the object of dread to cities and provinces,
deprived of head and defaced: it was then left on the ground.

24. In this the supervision of the supreme Deity manifested itself to be
everywhere vigilant. For not only did the cruelties of Gallus bring
about his own destruction, but they also who, by their pernicious
flattery and instigation, and charges supported by perjury, had led him
to the perpetration of many murders, not long afterwards died miserably.
Scudilo, being afflicted with a liver complaint which penetrated to his
lungs, died vomiting; while Barbatio, who had long busied himself in
inventing false accusations against Gallus, was accused by secret
information of aiming at some post higher than his command of infantry,
and being condemned, though unjustly, was put to death, and so by his
melancholy end made atonement to the shade of the Caesar.

25. These, and innumerable other actions of the same kind, Adrastea, who
is also called Nemesis, the avenger of wicked and the rewarder of good
deeds, is continually bringing to pass: would that she could always do
so! She is a kind of sublime agent of the powerful Deity, dwelling,
according to common belief, above the human circle; or, as others define
her, she is a substantial protection, presiding over the particular
destinies of individuals, and feigned by the ancient theologians to be
the daughter of Justice, looking down from a certain inscrutable
eternity upon all terrestrial and mundane affairs.

26. She, as queen of all causes of events, and arbitress and umpire in
all affairs of life, regulates the urn which contains the lots of men,
and directs the alternations of fortune which we behold in the world,
frequently bringing our undertakings to an issue different from what we
intended, and involving and changing great numbers of actions. She also,
binding the vainly swelling pride of mankind by the indissoluble fetters
of necessity, and swaying the inclination of progress and decay
according to her will, sometimes bows down and enfeebles the stiff neck
of arrogance, and sometimes raises virtuous men from the lowest depth,
leading them to a prosperous and h