This volume provides the first largescale commentary on suetonius work in english, drawing out what is unique about suetonius information, discussing how it relates to other ancient. Life of augustus internet history sourcebooks project. Caligulas father, germanicus, who was the son of drusus the elder and antonia the younger, was adopted in 4ad by germanicuss paternal uncle,tiberius. His most important surviving work is a set of biographies of twelve successive roman rulers, from julius caesar until. Ancient history encyclopedia receives a small commission for. The internet history sourcebooks project is located at the history department of fordham university. Rolfe is the translator for the first book and the publisher is actually barnes and noble. Of the sons, nero and drusus were accused by tiberius of being public enemies, and subsequently convicted of being so, by the senate. During the next consulship, after being nominated to the priesthood of. The result was that caesar alone took all the credit even for what they spent in common, and his colleague marcus bibulus openly said that his was the fate of pollux. He sets out in vivid detail a great range of aspects illuminating. He served as quaestor in 7ad five years before the legal age and became consul in 12ad without holding the intermediate offices. The family moved to rome, with a large throng of dependants, either shortly after the foundation of the city in 753bc, at the instigation of titus tatius, who ruled jointly with.
Jul 28, 2016 suetonius also makes mention of neros persecution in 16. Suetonius, chronicler of the extraordinary personalities of the first dynasties to rule the roman empire, was the greatest latin biographer. Caesar afterwards deified from the twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus translated by robert graves 1965 the introductory paragraphs on the origins of caesar s family are lost in all manuscripts. This seems to have been the opinion entertained by cicero, who tells us, in the third book of his offices, that caesar used to have frequently in his mouth two verses of euripides, which he thus translates. The twelve caesars is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first 11 emperors of the roman empire. An octavian street runs through the busiest part of the city, and an altar is shown there consecrated by one octavius, a local commander. Suetonius grandfather was possibly a member of caligulas court and the writers father, suetonius laetus, was a knight, that is, a member of the equestrian class, holding the position of tribune of the th legion during the 69 ce civil war, a legion he. In the lives of twelve caesars, written 165 years after the assassination, the historian gaius. Afterwards deified from the twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus translated by robert graves 1965 the octavians, by all accounts, were famous in ancient velitrae. The twelve ceasars of suetonius born ad 69, covering the roman rulers from julius caesar to domitian, remains one of the richest and most fascinating of all latin histories. This is a translation of the work by suetonius who lived within a couple of generations of the events he describes. He compiled likewise the history of his own life, in eight books, full of absurdities, but in no bad style.
Little is known about his life except that he was briefly the private secretary of emperor hadrian. Suetonius also makes mention of neros persecution in 16. Rolfe and can be found free online at lacuscurtis, along with many other classics. The internet history sourcebooks project is located at the history department of fordham university, new york. The twelve caesars is a set of twelve biographies of julius caesar and the first eleven emperors of the roman empire. A introduction and notes in english with main texts in latin. Very nearly all that is known about the lives of romes eminent authors stems ultimately from this work, which survives only in the whole of one section and in the preface and five lives. This was the age of the great caesars, beginning with julius, and includes caligula. The gallic wars by julius caesar the internet classics archive. For in the most frequented part of the town there was, not long since, a street named the octavian. Amsterodami, apud janssonium, 1645 page images at hathitrust suetonius, ca. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. And the more i think of the publishers of the books, the more i lean towards penguin who i have always thought have done an e.
By his adopted son germanicus he had three grandsons, nero julius caesar, drusus julius caesar, and gaius julius caesar, and by his son drusus the younger one grandson, tiberius gemellus. Cajus suetonius tranquillus, lugduni batavorum, apud s. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Oct 25, 2007 the twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under nero and the recovery that came with his successors. Suetonius biography of the caesars, books 12 only, about the reign of julius and augustus, respectively.
Tacitus made his comment about christ in the context of discussing neros blaming the christians for the fire of rome in ad 64, which. Norths translation of plutarchs life of julius caesar by plutarch. The scandal of this banquet was the greater because of dearth and famine in the land at the time, and on the following day there was an outcry that the gods had eaten all the grain and that caesar was in truth apollo, but apollo the tormentor, a surname under which the god was worshipped in one part of the city. Gaius suetonius tranquillus was born in the tragic year of the four emperors, a. Jun 03, 2011 nobody knows exactly what julius caesar s last words were. His colourful work, lives of the twelve caesars, is, along with tacitus, the major source for the period from julius caesar to domitian. Caesar afterwards deified from the twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus translated by robert graves 1965 the introductory paragraphs on the origins of caesars family are lost in all manuscripts. We would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. This text is part of the internet ancient history sourcebook. Caesar 100 bc 44 bc was noted for his conquest of gaul and for seizing power, making himself dictator for life. He was of equestrian rank, practiced law, and was for a time secretary to the emperor hadrian reg. The lives of the twelve caesars at lacuscurtius latin and translation from loeb classical library 1914 by john carew rolfe suetonius works at latin library in latin works by suetonius at project gutenberg. This is an attractive option because caesar seemed to like saying things in greek at important moments for instance, the words caesar is famously supposed to say when crossing the rubicon, iacta alea est seems to be a latin rendering of the greek phrase anerriphtho kybos and the language matters. This was neros father, a detestable man in every way.
Gaius suetonius tranquillus, commonly known as suetonius c. Plinii caecilii secundi nouocomensis epistolarum libri decem nunc quidem ab innumeris mendis uariorum exemplarium collatione repurgati. Open library is an initiative of the internet archive, a 501c3 nonprofit, building a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. News of an enemy attack reaching him as he was sacrificing to mars. The twelve caesars chronicles the public careers and private lives of the men who wielded absolute power over rome, from the foundation of the empire under julius caesar and augustus, to the decline into depravity and civil war under nero and the recovery that came with his successors. The lives of the twelve caesars at project gutenberg english translation of alexander thomson, m. Life of augustus, 63 bce14 ce life of claudius, source.
It covers the period between the end of the republic and the civil war, and the reign of the emperor vespasian. Tacitus, suetonius, and the historical jesus biblical. Suetonius gathered much of his information from eyewitnesses, checking his facts carefully and quoting conflicting evidence without bias. Though she was a congenial partner, and had borne him a son, drusus the younger, in bc. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the twelve caesars annotated. Punishment by nero was inflicted on the christians, a class of men given to a new and mischievous superstition. This would be about 85 years or so after the crucifixion of jesus. I simply cannot mentionwhat he had his little boys, whom he fondly termed my little minnows, do to him as they swam together in his ingrotto swimming pool. Tacitus made his comment about christ in the context of discussing neros blaming the christians for the fire of rome in ad 64, which nero was rumored. The patrician branch of the claudians there being a plebeian branch too, no less influential and distinguished was originally from regillum, a sabine town. By purchasing books through this website, you support our nonprofit organization.
Sylla suspected julius caesar of belonging to the marian party, because marius had married his aunt julia. By all accounts, the octavii, of ancient velitrae velletri were a distinguished family. It was dedicated to a friend, the praetorian prefect gaius septicius clarus the twelve caesars was considered very significant in antiquity and remains a primary source on roman history. During the next consulship, having previously been. The translation is a little dated, but will give an english reader a good understanding of the latin prose. Norths translation of plutarchs life of julius caesar. But his history is also the most vivid and raciest account we have of. Imagine a book about an unnecessary war written by the ruthless general of an. I simply cannot mentionwhat he had his little boys, whom he fondly termed my little minnows, do to him as they swam together in. Lucius had a son gnaeus domitius by antonia the elder. Suetonius account of various of the caesars lives is scandalous. Of the earlier history he left only two books, but of the latter, one and forty.
Death having bereft him of his son drusus the younger in 23ad, he recommended nero and drusus, the eldest sons of germanicus, to the senate, and celebrated. Lives of the twelve caesars classics of world literature. Jan 21, 2016 suetonius grandfather was possibly a member of caligulas court and the writers father, suetonius laetus, was a knight, that is, a member of the equestrian class, holding the position of tribune of the th legion during the 69 ce civil war, a legion he commanded at the battle of bedriacum in northern italy. This remarkable new translation of caesars famous but. One of the earliest and most informative references to jesus in a nonchristian source appears in the annals of cornelius tacitus, a roman historian writing about ad 115117. Suetonius in english, translation, latinenglish dictionary. Suetonius article about suetonius by the free dictionary. When julius caesar was aged fifteen, his father died 8584bc. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures.
Caesar, expecting for many reasons a greater commotion in gaul, resolves to. Not only was there an octavian street in the busiest part of town, but there was also an altar consecrated to an octavius who led the troops in a war with a neighbouring city. Notably, unlike tacitus, suetonius does not associate this punishment with the fire that swept rome. For, said he, just as the temple erected in the forum to the twin brethren, bears only the name of castor, so the joint liberality of caesar and myself is credited to caesar. The life of julius caesar by suetonius nook book ebook. Suetonius life of augustus is the most commonly read ancient account of the life of romes first emperor, presenting a mass of historical and biographical detail about both his public and personal lives. The twelve caesars annotated kindle edition by suetonius. When he served in the east under the young gaius caesar in 1bc, he murdered one of his own freedmen simply for refusing to drink as much as he was ordered. Gaius julius caesar lost his father at the age of fifteen. An english translation, augmented with the biographies of contemporary statesmen, orators, poets, and other associates.
Tiberius first married after 19bc vipsania agrippina, the daughter of agrippa, and granddaughter of caecilius atticus, the roman knight to whom cicero addressed many of his letters. Nobody knows exactly what julius caesars last words were. Hard to find a latin and english book of suetonius, this is a good discovery. The webs source of information for ancient history. Librivox recording of the lives of the twelve caesars by gaius suetonius tranquillus, translated by alexander thomson, m. Dont get this thinking there will be many notes, like a standard reader.
That the family of the octavii was of the first distinction in velitrae, is rendered evident by many circumstances. The work, written in ad 121 during the reign of the emperor hadrian, was the most popular work of suetonius, at that time hadrians personal secretary, and is the largest among his surviving writings. Suetonius account of various of the caesar s lives is scandalous. The work was written in 121 during the reign of the emperor hadrian, while suetonius was hadrians personal secretary. Romulus, the founder of rome, had the honour of an apotheosis conferred on him by the senate, under the title of quirinus, to obviate the peoples suspicion of his having been taken off by a conspiracy of the patrician order.
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