Mommie Dearest
Drusus dies in Germany. Most of the ancient sources say unexpectedly from a disease. Livy (Epit.142), it seems, is Graves' source for the horse of course. Suetonius mentions Drusus' recall and the suspicion surrounding his death. Interestingly ancient gossips wanted to pin the crime on Augustus. Suetonius thinks this is not likely but important to be noted. Graves, it would seem, is up to his old tricks again when he has Livia send her personal physician along with hellebore (Seneca, Ep. 84 relates that Chrysippus used this to clear his mind). The ancient sources uniformly agree that upon hearing of his weakened condition, Augustus sent Tiberius, who arrived before Drusus died and then carried his body in state back to Rome. Dio's description of the extraordinary rites performed in Drusus' honor is drawn upon by Graves. Pulman ignores all of this fanfare. Velleius tells us that Tiberius fininshed Drusus' campaign in Germany. Graves sends Tiberius back to Germany, but not Pulman.