History of Rome and of the Roman people, from its origin to the Invasion of the Barbarians; . em. ^ Believing him-self surrounded by assassins, Domitian had no longer a momentof tranquillity. He constantly changed his prsstorian prefects, lest they should gain theconfidence of thesoldiers ; and he dividedthe duties of the urbanprefect among a dozenmagistrates, fearing tointrust so muchauthority to any oneman.^ He at last with-drew almost completelyfrom all intercoursewith men, and lived,sad and idle, with noother employment thanthe reading of theMemoirs of Tiberius at leasthad fri
History of Rome and of the Roman people, from its origin to the Invasion of the Barbarians; . em. ^ Believing him-self surrounded by assassins, Domitian had no longer a momentof tranquillity. He constantly changed his prsstorian prefects, lest they should gain theconfidence of thesoldiers ; and he dividedthe duties of the urbanprefect among a dozenmagistrates, fearing tointrust so muchauthority to any oneman.^ He at last with-drew almost completelyfrom all intercoursewith men, and lived,sad and idle, with noother employment thanthe reading of theMemoirs of Tiberius at leasthad friends ; the son ofVespasian and Domitillawas alone. The imperialpalace at Eome was hisisland of Capri, andthis solitude harbouringinfamies which Caprihad not known, waspeopled with like terrors. With a strange weakness, which how-ever was general at that time, Domitian believed in Destiny, and?yet hoped to outwit it by the aid of his executioners. The astro-logers had terrified him with predictions of evil ; to discover andkill the successor, whom no man can kill, he caused the horoscope. Domitilla, mother of Domitian. Suet., Boyn., 20 ; Vulo. Gallicanus, Avid. Cass., 2. ^ Lydus, de Magistratihus, ii. 19. Alexander Severus did nearly the same thing by addingto the prafectixs Urbi fourteen curatores. (Lamp., Sev., 32.) Only known likeness of Domitilla. Colossal marble head, found near Puteoli, at thesame time with a head of Domitian. (Campana Museum, dEscamps, op. cit., No. 79.) TITUS AND DOMITIAN, 79 TO 96 21 of persons of importance to be cast, and struck wherever hissuspicions rested. Thus perished an ex-consul, to whom theChaldseans had promised brilliant fortune ; and Sabinus, theemperors cousin, for the reason that the herald, who was to pro-claim him consul, had by accident used the woi-d iiiiporator instead,in the eyes of many Eomansan infallible presage. In-formers, who had been pro-scribed, now trade had hitherto beenlucrative, as we know,
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