“Ay, within these very walls, weak as he was, he composed Greek verses. Come with me!” he exclaimed, as he led Sejanus from the palace. They slowly walked to the edge of the cliff. “Yonder,” said Tiberius, “on the largest of these islands that stand like sentinels guarding the approach to the landing, the poet Masgabus is buried, and-- By the infernal Deities, what is that object moving towards us?” he cried in a tone of fear. “It has the appearance of a huge sea-monster,” said Sejanus. Slowly creeping up the cliffs was a strange object that had an uncanny look. Tiberius, affrighted, called a soldier to his side. As the singular object approached, it was seen to be the form of a man carrying a basket of fish. The fisherman was one-eyed. His bronzed head was bald; his unshaven face wrinkled and weather-beaten. His toothless mouth was sunken. His whole body was deformed by overwork. He deposited his basket upon the rocks and, moved by a feeling of loyal generosity, took from it the largest fish, which he awkwardly presented to the emperor. Enraged that any one dared climb those slippery and dangerous rocks, Tiberius ordered the soldier to rub the fisherman’s face with the gift he had just presented. “Is there a spot on the island,” exclaimed the emperor, “where these things cannot approach?” “Thou treatest the man too kindly, O Tiberius,” said Sejanus. The fisherman smiled at such treatment, and said to the soldier in his crude Latin dialect, “I am glad that I did not give him the crawfish I carried with me.” “What didst thou say?” growled the emperor. “Nothing,” stammered the frightened fisherman. “For his insolence, take the crawfish and lacerate his ugly face,” ordered Tiberius. The cries of the poor fisherman were pitiable, as his face was rudely torn by the claws of the crawfish. “Ah! henceforth the fishermen will avoid my presence,” added Tiberius, with an ugly leer. The next day Sejanus departed for Rome. He carried with him a signed parchment, delegating to him the imperial authority concerning all the minor details of government. Chapter XVII A few months after the retreat of Tiberius to Capri, Livia, his aged mother, died at Rome. The news was quickly conveyed to Tiberius, but he excused himself by letter for not immediately appearing at Rome, on the ground that he was pressed with important business. He had never spoken to Livia after she showed him the abusive letters of Augustus. Such hatred did he still bear her that he daily put off going to Rome to attend her funeral. Appeal after appeal was sent him to hasten, as the burial could not longer be delayed. Finally he despatched Caligula to deliver a eulogy in his stead. Out of respect for the wife of the Divine Augustus, the Senate passed a resolution calling her the “Mother of her Country.” This the hateful son would not allow. He even annulled her will.