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23Besides doing all this, he appointed Gaius quaestor, though not of the first rank, and promised to advance him to the other offices five years earlier than was customary, despite the fact that he had requested the senate not to make the young man conceited by numerous or premature honours, for fear he might go astray in some way or other. He also had a grandson by the name of Tiberius, 2but him he disregarded both on account of his age (he was still a mere child) and on account of the suspicion that he was not the son of Drusus. He therefore cleaved to Gaius as his successor in the monarchy, the more so as he felt sure that Tiberius would live but a short time and would be murdered by Gaius himself. 3For there was no element in Gaius’ character of which he was ignorant; indeed, he once said to him, when he was quarrelling with Tiberius: “You will kill him and others will kill you.” But as he had no one else so closely related to himself, and was well aware that Gaius would be a thorough knave, 4he was glad to give him the empire, they say, in order that his own misdeeds might be lost sight of in the enormity of Gaius’ crimes, and that the largest and the noblest portion of what was left of the senate might perish after his own death. At all events, he is said to have uttered frequently that old sentiment:
“When I am dead, let fire o’erwhelm the earth.”
Often, also, he used to declare Priam fortunate, because he involved both his country and his throne in his own utter ruin. 5Evidence of the truth of these records about him is to be found in the events of those days. For such a multitude of the senators and others lost their lives that in the case of the officials chosen by lot the ex-praetors held the governorship of the provinces for three years and the ex-consuls for six, owing to the lack of persons qualified to succeed them. 6And what name could one properly apply to the appointed officials, upon whom from the first he bestowed office for indefinitely long periods? Among those who perished at this time was Gallus: for not until then, and scarcely even then, did Tiberius become reconciled with him, as he himself put it. Thus it came to pass that, contrary to the usual custom, he inflicted life upon some as a punishment, and bestowed death upon others as a kindness.
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