It was some compensation for
the misfortunes of great houses (for within a short interval the Calpurnii
had lost Piso and the Æmilii Lepida) that Decimus Silanus was now
restored to the Junian family. I will
briefly relate his downfall.
Though the Divine Augustus in his public
life enjoyed unshaken prosperity, he was unfortunate at home from the
profligacy of his daughter and granddaughter, both of whom he banished from
Rome, and punished their paramours with death or
exile. Calling, as he did, a vice so habitual among men and women by the
awful name of sacrilege and treason, he went far beyond the indulgent spirit
of our ancestors, beyond indeed his own legislation. But I will relate the
deaths of others with the remaining events of that time, if after finishing
the work I have now proposed to myself, I prolong my life for further
labours.
Decimus Silanus, the paramour of the granddaughter of Augustus,
though the only severity he experienced was exclusion from the emperor's
friendship, saw clearly that it meant exile; and it was not till Tiberius's
reign that he ventured to appeal to the Senate and to the prince, in
reliance on the influence of his brother Marcus Silanus, who was conspicuous
both for his distinguished rank and eloquence. But Tiberius, when Silanus
thanked him, replied in the Senate's presence, "that he too rejoiced at the
brother's return from his long foreign tour, and that this was justly
allowable, inasmuch as he had been banished not by a decree of the Senate or
under any law. Still, personally," he said, "he felt towards him his
father's resentment in all its force, and the return of Silanus had not
cancelled the intentions of Augustus." Silanus after this lived at
Rome without attaining office.