L. Quinctius Crispinus (II), M. Statilius Taurus. (A.D. 44 = a. u. 797 = Fourth of Claudius.) M. Vinicius (II), T. Statilius Taurus Corvinus. (A.D. 45 = a. u. 798 = Fifth of Claudius.) Valerius Asiaticus (II), M. Iunius Silanus. (A.D. 46 = a. u. 799 = Sixth of Claudius.) Claudius Cæsar Aug. (IV), L. Vitellius (III). (A.D. 47 = a. u. 800 = Seventh of Claudius.) A. Vitellius, L. Vipsanius. (A.D. 48 = a. u. 801 = Eighth of Claudius.) C. Pompeius Longinus Gallus, Q. Veranius. (A.D. 49 = a. u. 802 = Ninth of Claudius.) C. Antistius Vetus, M. Suillius Nervilianus. (A.D. 50 = a. u. 803 = Tenth of Claudius.) Claudius Cæsar Aug. (V), Ser. Cornelius Orfitus. (A.D. 51 = a. u. 804 = Eleventh of Claudius.) Cornelius Sulla Faustus, L. Salvius Otho Titianus. (A.D. 52 = a. u. 805 = Twelfth of Claudius.) Dec. Iunius Silanus Torquatus, Q. Haterius Antoninus. (A.D. 53 = a. u. 806 = Thirteenth of Claudius.) M. Asinius Marcellus, Manius Acilius Aviola. (A.D. 54 = a. u. 807 = Fourteenth of Claudius--to October 13th.) _(BOOK 60, BOISSEVAIN.)_ [A.D. 41 (_a. u._ 794)] [-1-] When Gaius perished in the manner described, the consuls despatched guards to every quarter of the city and gathered the senate on the Capitol, where many diverse opinions were uttered. Some favored a democracy, some a monarchy; some were for choosing this man, and others that. Therefore they spent the rest of the day and the whole night without accomplishing anything. Meanwhile some soldiers who had entered the palace for the purpose of making spoil of something or other found Claudius hidden away in a dark corner. He was attending Gaius when the latter came out of the theatre, and at this time through fear of the confusion had crouched down out of the way. At first, the men thinking that he was some one else and perhaps had something worth taking dragged him out. Afterwards, on recognizing him, they hailed him as emperor and conducted him to the camp. Then in company with their comrades they delivered to him the entire power of government, inasmuch as he was of the imperial race and was regarded as suitable. In spite of his shrinking and remonstrance the more he attempted to avoid the honor and to resist the more did the soldiers in turn insist upon not accepting an emperor from others but upon their own right to establish such a sovereign over the entire world. Hence, with a show of reluctance, he yielded. The consuls for a time sent tribunes and others forbidding him to assume any such authority and to submit to the jurisdiction of the people and the senate and the laws; but, when their attendant soldiers left them in the lurch, then finally they too yielded and voted him all the remaining privileges pertaining to sole rulership.