Life of Augustus
impendit, remississimo ad otium et ad omnem comitatem animo. Forte Puteolanum sinum
praetervehenti vectores nautaeque de navi Alexandrina, quae tantum quod appulerat, candidati
coronatique et tura libantes fausta omina et eximias laudes congesserant, per illum se vivere, per
illum navigare, libertate atque fortunis per illum frui. Qua re admodum exhilaratus quadragenos
aureos comitibus divisit iusque iurandum et cautionem exegit a singulis, non alio datam summam
quam in emptionem Alexandrinarum mercium absumpturos. Sed et ceteros continuos dies inter
varia munuscula togas insuper ac pallia distribuit, lege proposita ut Romani Graeco, Graeci
Romano habitu et sermone uterentur. Spectavit assidue exercentes ephebos, quorum aliqua adhuc
copia ex vetere instituto Capreis erat; isdem etiam epulum in conspectu suo praebuit, permissa,
immo exacta iocandi licentia diripiendique pomorum et obsoniorum rerumque missilia. Nullo
denique genere hilaritatis abstinuit. Vicinam Capreis insulam Apragopolim appellabat, a desidia
secedentium illuc e comitatu suo. Sed ex dilectis unum, Masgaban nomine, quasi conditorem
insulae ktisten vocare consuerat. Huius Masgabae ante annum defuncti tumulum cum e triclinio
animadvertisset magna turba multisque luminibus frequentari, versum compositum ex tempore
clare pronuntiavit:
Ktiston de tymbon eisoro pyroumenon
conversusque ad Thrasyllum Tiberi comitem, contra accubantem et ignarum rei, interrogavit,
cuiusnam poetae putaret esse; quo haesitante subiecit alium:
Horas phaessi Masgaban timomenon;
ac de hoc quoque consuluit. Cum ille nihil aliud responderet quam, cuiuscumque essent optimos
esse, cachinnum sustulit atque in iocos effusus est. Mox Neapolim traiecit, quanquam etiam tum
infirmis intestinis morbo variante; tamen et quinquennale certamen gymnicum honori suo
institutum perspectavit et cum Tiberio ad destinatum locum contendit. Sed in redeundo adgravata
valitudine tandem Nolae succubuit revocatumque ex itinere Tiberium diu secreto sermone
detinuit, neque post ulli maiori negotio animum accommodavit.
Campania, and the adjacent islands, and spent four days in that of Capri; where he gave himself
up entirely to repose and relaxation. Happening to sail by the bay of Puteoli, 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 joyfulacclamations, 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 merchandize. And during several days afterwards, he
distributed togas 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 amongst them. In a word, he indulged himself in all the ways of amusement he
could contrive. He called an island near Capri, Apragopolis, The City of the Do-littles from the
indolent life which several of his party led there. A favourite of his, one Masgabas, he used to
call Ktistes, as if he had been the colonizer of the island. And observing from his room a great
company of people with torches, assembled at the tomb of this Masgabas, who died the year
before, he uttered very distinctly this verse, which he made extempore:Blazing with lights I see
the founder's tomb. Then turning to Thrasyllus, a companion of Tiberius, who reclined on the
other side of the table, he asked him, who knew nothing about the matter, what poet he thought was the author of that verse; and on his hesitating to reply, he added another: Honor'd with torches, Masgabas you see; and put the same question to him concerning that likewise. The latter
replying, that, whoever might be the author, they were excellent verses, he set up a great laugh,
and fell into an extraordinary vein of jesting upon it. Soon afterwards, passing over to Naples,
although at that time greatly disordered in his bowels by the frequent returns of his disease,
he sat out the exhibition of the gymnastic games which were performed in his honour every
five years,and proceeded with Tiberius to the place intended. But on his return, his disorder
increasing, he stopped at Nola, sent for Tiberius back again, and had a long discourse with him
in private; after which, he gave no further attention to business of any importance.