Nicolaus of Damascus' life of Augustus : $b Translated with a commentaryNicolaus, of Damascus
History
Nicolaus of Damascus' life of Augustus : $b Translated with a commentary
Nicolaus, of Damascus
Augustus, Emperor of Rome, 63 B.C.-14 A.D.; Emperors -- Rome -- Biography -- Early works to 1800; Thesis (Ph. D.)
[34] This is the first indication that Agrippa was already a
companion of Octavius. See Sen., Epis., 15, 2, 46.
8. [35] Caesar had 4 triumphs: for Gaul, Egypt, Pontus, and
Africa (Liv., Epit., 115; App., 2, 101; Dio 43, 19).
[36] Octavius was, through his mother, grandson of Caesar’s
sister Julia. Suetonius (Caes. 83, 1) is explicit in stating
that Caesar’s will whereby Octavius was adopted as Caesar’s
son, was made on September 13, 45 B.C. Nicolaus has here either
anticipated this accepted date by something more than a year, or
else he had access to a statement in Augustus’ memoirs to the
effect that Octavius knew of the existence of an earlier will in
which he had been made Caesar’s adopted son.
[37] Nicolaus is probably referring to the ‘cognomen imperatoris’
and not to the ‘praenomen imperatoris.’ According to Dio 43, 44,
the ‘praenomen imperatoris’ was not conferred upon Caesar until
after the battle of Munda, some seven months later. However, if
Nicolaus felt any unusual significance in the title Imperator as
here mentioned, we have an indication that Caesar actually held
the new title prior to the date given by Dio. Suetonius (Caes.
76) including ‘praenomen imperatoris’ in a group of various
honors conferred upon Caesar, gives no date or correlative
occurrence in this connection. See McFayden, The History of the
Title Imperator under the Roman Empire, Chicago 1920, pp. 7 ff.
9. [38] The plays and games (Cic., Fam. 12, 18, 2; Livy, Epit.,
115; Dio 43, 22-24; App. 2, 102; Plut., Caes., 55; Suet., Aug.,
39; Vell. 2, 56) were given immediately after Caesar’s dedication
of the temple to Venus Genetrix on September 26, (= July 20
corrected calendar) 46 B.C. Augustus continued these games
annually as the ‘ludi Victoriae Caesaris’ on July 25. Vergil
seems to have them in mind in writing Aeneid 5 and Catalepton 14,
see Class. Quart. 14, p. 156. The ludi Romani and ludi Graeci
were given separately (Suet., Aug. 45; Tac., Annal. 14, 15). See
also CIL 6, 32323; Dessau, Ins. Lat., 5050, an account of the
Ludi Saeculares of 17 B.C. In addition to the Theatre of Pompey,
a temporary wooden stage was erected for the ludi Latini in 46
B.C. as in 17 B.C. (line 154 of the inscription).
[39] The effects of the sunstroke were, however, apparently
lasting throughout Octavius’ life. He was unable to withstand
the Italian sun even in winter, and never went out into the open
without a hat (Suet., Aug., 82).
10. [40] To Spain. He started apparently in November of 46 B.C. He
was still in Rome on September 24 (Cic., Fam., 6, 14, 2). Nearly
a month was consumed in his journey thither (Strabo 3, 4, 9; App.
2, 103; Suet., Caes., 56).
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