sail by the bay of Puteoli,[147] the
passengers and mariners aboard a ship of Alexandria, just then
arrived, clad all in white, with chaplets upon their heads, and
offering incense, loaded him with praises and joyful acclamations,
crying out, "By you we live, by you we sail securely, by you enjoy our
liberty and our fortunes." At which being greatly pleased, he
distributed to each of those who attended him, forty gold pieces,
requiring from them an assurance on oath, not to employ the sum given
them in any other way than the purchase of Alexandrian merchandise.
And during several days afterward, he distributed Togae and Pallia,
among other gifts, on condition that the Romans should use the Greek
and the Greeks the Roman dress and language. He likewise constantly
attended to see the boys perform their exercises, according to an
ancient custom still continued at Capri. He gave them likewise an
entertainment in his presence, and not only permitted, but required
from them the utmost freedom in jesting, and scrambling for fruit,
victuals, and other things which he threw among them. In a word, he
indulged himself in all the ways of amusement he could contrive....

Upon the day of his death, he now and then inquired if there was any
disturbance in the town on his account; and calling for a mirror, he
ordered his hair to be combed, and his shrunk cheeks to be adjusted.
Then asking his friends who were admitted into the room, "Do ye think
that I have acted my part on the stage of life well?" he immediately
subjoined,

"If all be right, with joy your voices raise,
In loud applauses to the actor's praise."

After which, having dismissed them all, whilst he was inquiring of
some persons who were just arrived from Rome, concerning Drusus's
daughter, who was in a bad state of health, he expired suddenly,
amidst the kisses of Livia, and with these words: "Livia! live mindful
of our union; and now, farewell!" dying a very easy death, and such as
he himself had always wished for. For as often as he heard that any
person had died quickly and without pain, he wished for himself and
his friends the like _euthanasia_ (an easy death), for that was the
word he made use of. He betrayed but one symptom, before he breathed
his last, of being delirious, which was this: he was all on a sudden
much frightened, and complained that he was carried away by forty men.
But this was rather a presage, than any delirium: for precisely that
numbe