Annales II.69-73
contrarium versa cognoscit. hinc graves in Pisonem contumeliae, nec minus acerba quae ab illo
in Caesarem intentabantur. dein Piso abire Syria statuit. mox adversa Germanici valetudine
detentus, ubi recreatum accepit votaque pro incolumitate solvebantur, admotas hostias,
sacrificalem apparatum, festam Antiochensium plebem per lictores proturbat. tum Seleuciam
degreditur, opperiens aegritudinem, quae rursum Germanico acciderat. saevam vim morbi
augebat persuasio veneni a Pisone accepti; et reperiebantur solo ac parietibus erutae
humanorum corporum reliquiae, carmina et devotiones et nomen Germanici plumbeis tabulis
insculptum, semusti cineres ac tabo obliti aliaque malefica quis creditur animas numinibus
infernis sacrari. simul missi a Pisone incusabantur ut valetudinis adversa rimantes.
[II.lxx] Ea Germanico haud minus ira quam per metum accepta. si limen obsideretur, si
effundendus spiritus sub oculis inimicorum foret, quid deinde miserrimae coningi, quid
infantibus liberis eventurum? lenta videri veneficia: festinare et urgere, ut provinciam, ut
legiones solus habeat. sed non usque eo defectum Germanicum, neque praemia caedis apud
interfectorem mansura. componit epistulas quis amicitiam ei renuntiabat: addunt plerique
iussum provincia decedere. nec Piso moratus ultra navis solvit moderabaturque cursui quo
propius regrederetur si mors Germanici Syriam aperuisset.
[II.lxxi] Caesar paulisper ad spem erectus, dein fesso corpore ubi finis aderat, adsistentis amicos in
hunc modum adloquitur: 'si fato concederem, iustus mihi dolor etiam adversus deos esset, quod
me parentibus liberis patriae intra inventam praematuro exitu raperent: nunc scelere Pisonis et
Plancinae interceptus ultimas preces pectoribus vestris relinquo: referatis patri ac fratri, quibus
acerbitatibus dilaceratus, quibus insidiis circumventus miserrimam vitam pessima morte
finierim. si quos spes meae, si quos propinquus sanguis, etiam quos invidia erga viventem
movebat, inlacrimabunt quondam florentem et tot bellorum superstitem muliebri fraude
cecidisse. erit vobis locus querendi apud senatum, invocandi leges. non hoc praecipuum
amicorum munus est, prosequi defunctum ignavo questu, sed quae voluerit meminisse, quae
mandaverit exequi. flebunt Germanicum etiam ignoti: vindicabitis vos, si me potius quam
fortunam meam fovebatis. ostendite populo Romano divi Augusti neptem eandemque coniugem
meam, numerate sex liberos. misericordia cum accusantibus erit fingentibusque scelesta
mandata aut non credent homines aut non ignoscent.' iuravere amici dextram morientis
contingentes spiritum ante quam ultionem amissuros.
[II.lxxii] Tum ad uxorem versus per memoriam sui, per communis liberos oravit exueret ferociam,
saevienti fortunae summitteret animum, neu regressa in urbem aemulatione potentiae validiores
inritaret. haec palam et alia secreto per quae ostendisse credebatur metum ex Tiberio. neque
multo post extinguitur, ingenti luctu provinciae et circumiacentium populorum. indoluere
exterae nationes regesque: tanta illi comitas in socios, mansuetudo in hostis; visuque et auditu
iuxta venerabilis, cum magnitudinem et gravitatem summae fortunae retineret, invidiam et
adrogantiam eflugerat.
[II.lxxiii] Funus sine imaginibus et pompa per laudes ac memoriam virtutum eius celebre fuit. et
erant qui formam, aetatem, genus mortis ob propinquitatem etiam locorum in quibus interiit,
magni Alexandri fatis adacquarent. nam utrumque corpore decoro, genere insigni, haud
multum triginta annos egressum, suorum insidiis externas inter gentis occidisse: sed hunc
mitem erga amicos, modicum voluptatum, uno matrimonio, certis liberis egisse, neque minus
proeliatorem, etiam si temeritas afuerit praepeditusque sit perculsas tot victoriis Germanias
servitio premere. quod si solus arbiter rerum, si lure et nomine regio fuisset, tanto promptius
adsecuturum gloriam militiae quantum clementia, temperantia, ceteris bonis artibus
praestitisset. corpus antequam cremaretur nudatum in foro Antiochensium, qui locus sepulturae
destinabatur, praetuleritne veneficii signa parum constitit; nam ut quis misericordia in
Germanicum et praesumpta suspicione aut fav
the legions and to the various cities had been repealed or reversed. This led to grievous insults
on Piso, while he as savagely assailed the prince. Piso then resolved to quit Syria. Soon he was
detained there by the failing health of Germanicus, but when he heard of his recovery, while
people were paying the vows they had offered for his safety, he went attended by his lictors,
drove away the victims placed by the altars with all the preparations for sacrifice, and the festal
gathering of the populace of Antioch. Then he left for Seleucia and awaited the result of the
illness which had again attacked Germanicus. The terrible intensity of the malady was increased
by the belief that he had been poisoned by Piso. And certainly there were found hidden in the
floor and in the walls disinterred remains of human bodies, incantations and spells, and the
name of Germanicus inscribed on leaden tablets, half-burnt cinders smeared with blood, and
other horrors by which in popular belief souls are devoted so the infernal deities. Piso too was
accused of sending emissaries to note curiously every unfavourable symptom of the illness.
[2.70] Germanicus heard of all this with anger, no less than with fear. "If my doors," he said,
"are to be besieged, if I must gasp out my last breath under my enemies' eyes, what will then be
the lot of my most unhappy wife, of my infant children? Poisoning seems tedious; he is in eager
haste to have the sole control of the province and the legions. But Germanicus is not yet fallen
so low, nor will the murderer long retain the reward of the fatal deed." He then addressed a
letter to Piso, renouncing his friendship, and, as many also state, ordered him to quit the
province. Piso without further delay weighed anchor, slackening his course that he might not
have a long way to return should Germanicus' death leave Syria open to him.
[2.71] For a brief space the prince's hopes rose; then his frame became exhausted, and, as his
end drew near, he spoke as follows to the friends by his side: - "Were I succumbing to nature, I
should have just ground of complaint even against the gods for thus tearing me away in my
youth by an untimely death from parents, children, country. Now, cut off by the wickedness of
Piso and Plancina, I leave to your hearts my last entreaties. Describe to my father and brother,
torn by what persecutions, entangled by what plots, I have ended by the worst of deaths the
most miserable of lives. If any were touched by my bright prospects, by ties of blood, or even
by envy towards me while I lived, they will weep that the once prosperous survivor of so many
wars has perished by a woman's treachery. You will have the opportunity of complaint before
the Senate, of an appeal to the laws. It is not the chief duty of friends to follow the dead with
unprofitable laments, but to remember his wishes, to fulfil his commands. Tears for
Germanicus even strangers will shed; vengeance must come from you, if you loved the man
more than his fortune. Show the people of Rome her who is the granddaughter of the Divine
Augustus, as well as my consort; set before them my six children. Sympathy will be on the side
of the accusers, and to those who screen themselves under infamous orders belief or pardon
will be refused." His friends clasped the dying man's right hand, and swore that they would
sooner lose life than revenge.
[2.72] He then turned to his wife and implored her by the memory of her husband and by their
common offspring to lay aside her high spirit, to submit herself to the cruel blows of fortune,
and not, when she returned to Rome, to enrage by political rivalry those who were stronger than
herself. This was said openly; other words were whispered, pointing, it was supposed, to his
fears from Tiberius. Soon afterwards he expired, to the intense sorrow of the province and of
the neighbouring peoples. Foreign nations and kings grieved over him, so great was his
courtesy to allies, his humanity to enemies. He inspired reverence alike by look and voice, and
while he maintained the greatness and dignity of the highest rank, he had escaped the hatred that
waits on arrogance.
[2.73] His funeral, though it lacked the family statues and procession, was honoured by
panegyrics and a commemoration of his virtues. Some there were who, as they thought of his
beauty, his age, and the manner of his death, the vicinity too of the country where he died,
likened his end to that of Alexander the Great. Both had a graceful person and were of noble
birth; neither had much exceeded thirty years of age, and both fell by the treachery of their own
people in strange lands. But Germanicus was gracious to his friends, temperate in his pleasures,
the husband of one wife, with only legitimate children. He was too no less a warrior, though
rashness he had none, and, though after having cowed Germany by his many victories, he was
hindered from crushing it into subjection. Had he had the sole control of affairs, had he
possessed the power and title of a king, he would have attained military glory as much more
easily as he had excelled Alexander in clemency, in self-restraint, and in all other virtues. As to
the body which, before it was burnt, lay bare in the forum at Antioch, its destined place of
burial, it is doubtful whether it exhibited the marks of poisoning. For men according as they
pitied Germanicus and were prepossessed with suspicion or were biased by partiality towards
Piso, gave conflicting accounts.