Not long afterwards, Granius
Marcellus, proconsul of
TIBERIUS' PROSECUTIONS FOR
TREASON |
Bithynia, was accused of treason by his quaestor, Cæpio
Crispinus, and the charge was supported by Romanus Hispo. Crispinus then
entered on a line of life afterwards rendered notorious by the miseries of
the age and men's shamelessness. Needy, obscure, and restless, he wormed
himself by stealthy informations into the confidence of a vindictive prince,
and soon imperilled all the most distinguished citizens; and having thus
gained influence with one, hatred from all besides, he left an example in
following which beggars became wealthy, the insignificant, formidable, and
brought ruin first on others, finally on themselves. He alleged against
Marcellus that he had made some disrespectful remarks about Tiberius, a
charge not to be evaded, inasmuch as the accuser selected the worst features
of the emperor's character and grounded his case on them. The things were
true, and so were believed to have been said.
Hispo added that Marcellus
had placed his own statue above those of the Cæsars, and had set the
bust of Tiberius on another statue from which he had struck off the head of
Augustus. At this the emperor's wrath blazed forth, and, breaking through
his habitual silence, he exclaimed that in such a case he would himself too
give his vote openly on oath, that the rest might be under the same
obligation. There lingered even then a few signs of expiring freedom. And so
Cneius Piso asked, "In what order will you vote, Cæsar? If first, I
shall know what to follow; if last, I fear that I may differ from you
unwillingly." Tiberius was deeply moved, and repenting of the outburst, all
the more because of its thoughtlessness, he quietly allowed the accused to
be acquitted of the charges of treason. As for the question of extortion, it
was referred to a special commission.
