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168 Then, having been quiet for a time, he began again, in a louder voice, and apostrophised himself: “Why do you live, if it seems to so many people important that you should die? Is there to be no end to your vengeances and your cruelties? Is your life worth so much harm being done to preserve it?”

Livia, his wife, perceiving his perplexities, said to him: “Will feminine counsels be entertained? Do what physicians do: when the usual remedies are of no avail, they try contrary ones. By severity you have hitherto in no wise profited. Lepidus followed Salvidienus; Murena, Lepidus; Cepio, Murena; Egnatius, Cæpio. Begin to try how mildness and clemency will succeed with you. Cinna is convicted — pardon him; henceforth he will be unable to injure you, and it will redound to your glory.”

Augustus was well pleased to have found an advocate of his own inclination, and having thanked his wife and countermanded his friends whom he had summoned to take counsel, ordered that Cinna, quite alone, should be brought before him; and having sent every one from the room and given Cinna a seat, he addressed him thus: “In the first place, Cinna, I ask you to listen quietly: do not interrupt me; I will give you time to reply at your leisure. You know, Cinna, that, having found you in the camp of my enemies, — you not having simply made yourself my enemy, but being so by birth, — I protected you; I put all your property in your hands, and, in short, made you so well-to-do and so at ease, that the victors are envious of the situation of the vanquished. The office in the priesthood which you asked of me, I granted you, having refused it to others whose fathers had always fought by my side. After being so indebted to me, you have proposed to kill me.” At these words Cinna exclaimed that such a wicked thought was far from him. “You are not keeping the promise that you made me, Cinna,” Augustus continued; “you assured me that I should not be interrupted. Yes, you have proposed to kill me, at such a place, on such a day, with such companions, and in such a manner.” Seeing that he was appalled by this information, and that he was silent, no longer because of his bargain to say nothing, but from his crowding thoughts, “Why,” he added, “do you do it? Is it to be emperor? To-