Germanicus Et Piso Full Text

Piso In Syria

But Gnaeus Piso, in order that he might begin his plans more quickly, after he reached Syria and the Legions, started to help the most disreputable of the soldiers with generous gifts and bribery. When he had removed the long-standing centurions and the strict tribunes and had handed-over their positions to his own clients, he allowed idleness in the camp, hooliganism in the cities, he allowed soldiers to run riot through the countryside. And Plancina, the wife of Piso, was not conducting herself as was fitting for a woman but she attended to the exercises of the cavalry and she was hurling insults at Aggripina and at Germanicus. This was known to Germanicus, but a more pressing concern was to attend to the Armenians. The belief of poison received from Piso increased the savage force of his illness; and remains of human bodies were being found dug-up from the floor and walls also found were spells and curses and the name Germanicus inscribed in lead tablets; ashes half-burnt and smeared with rotten flesh and other evil objects by which it is believed that souls are consecrated to the gods of the Underworld. At the same time, men sent by Piso were being accused because they were expecting signs of bad health. As far as Germanicus was concerned, these things were received no less with anger than with fear. He composes a letter by which he renounced his friendship. Germanicus believed that he was getting better, little by little, then his body became tired. When the end was near, he speaks to his friends, standing by, in this way: 'You will have an opportunity of complaining to the senate and invoking the laws. It is fitting for friends not to escort the dead with futile complaint, but to remember the things which he wanted, to carry out the things which he instructed. You will avenge me if you loved me rather than my status.' His friends, embracing the hand of the dying man, swore that they would lose their lives before revenge. And not long afterwards, he died, to the great grief of the province and of the surrounding peoples. Foreign nations and kings mourned; so great had been the friendliness of that man towards the allies, his mercy towards the enemies, on account of his expression and eloquence, he had acquired the respect of all. And there were those who compared that man to Alexander The Great because of his appearance, short life, manner, and place of death; for they declared that both had died endowed with a handsome body, descended from a distinguished, barely 30 years old.

Mourning

But Agrippina, although tired through grief and weary body, however was impatient of all the things which were delaying revenge. She boarded the ship with the ashes of Germanicus and her children, with everyone feeling pity because a woman of the highest nobility and of the most beautiful marriage, who deserved the respect of all, was at this time carrying the remains of the dead man in her bosom, uncertain of revenge. Meanwhile, a messenger reaches Piso at the island of Cos, saying that Germanicus has died. Rejoicing at this news, he kills sacrificial victims, he visits the temple. Not only does Piso himself behave with excessive joy, but also, Plancina becomes more arrogant. Plancina who then, for the first time since the death of her sister, exchanged her mourning clothes for the festive clothes. But in Rome, after the rumour of the rumour of the health of Germanicus had spread, and everything that usually happens from a distance, were being reported with pessimistic exaggeration, grief, anger and complaints broke out: they were saying that doubtless, that was the reason why Germanicus had been sent into the furthest lands, that was the reason why a province had been given to Piso. The death of Germanicus, when it was reported, enflamed these conversations of the crowd to such an extent that before an edict of the magistrate, before a decree of the senate, with a break from the legal business having been taken, the forums were deserted, homes were barred. Everywhere, there were silence and groans. And although they did not abstain, from the outward signs of mourners they were grieving more deeply in their souls.

Since the voyage over a wintry sea had not been interrupted at all, Aggripina approached Brundisium. Meanwhile, when people heard of her arrival, many friends and very many soldiers who had served Germanicus rushed to the harbour. As soon as the ship was seen, not only the harbour but also the walls and houses were filled with a crowd of those grieving and asking amongst themselves whether they should receive the disembarking in silence or with some words. The ship approached slowly, not quickly, as is normal, but with all the signs of mourning. After she had disembarked from the ship, with her two children, holding the funeral urn, she cast down her eyes, and the same was the groaning of all.

Revenge

On the day of the senate Tiberius made a restrained speech. “Piso,” he said, “was the representative of my father and his friend. I myself sent him as an assistant to Germanicus with the authority of the senate to administer affairs in the East. We have to decide with impartial minds whether Piso annoyed the young man with arrogance and rivalries and rejoiced at his death, or whether he destroyed him through a crime. At the same time, consider whether he incited the legions to rebel.” Then, a period of two days is allocated for presenting the charges and in order that after an interval of six days, the defendant could be defended for three days. Three friends of Germanicus alleged with similar eagerness that Piso, out of hatred for Germanicus and out of eagerness for revolution, had corrupted the soldiers through riotous behaviour and injustices against the allies; finally, (they also alleged that) he had killed Germanicus with curses and poison. Then (they went on to allege that) both Piso and Plancina after they had made sacred rites and unspeakable sacrifices. had attacked the state. In the other accusations, the defence faltered; for neither the bribery of the soldiers nor the injustic towards the province, nor even the insults against the general could be denied: Piso was able to refute the accusation of poisoning alone. But at the same time, voices of the people were heard before the senate-house: they said that they themselves would not restrain from using their hands if Piso had escaped the senate's verdict. The same was felt for Plancina. And she herself, while Piso still had hope of acquittal, promised that she would be his ally whatever his misfortune and, if necessary, his companion in death: but gradually, she began to distance herself from her husband. After Piso realised that this situation spelt doom for himself, he doubted whether he could plead his case anymore. Therefore, as if he were planning his defense for the next day, he writes a few things and he seals them and he hands them to a freedman; then he attends to his personal needs as usual. Then, well into the night, when his wife had left his bedroom, he ordered the door to be closed; and at daybreak, he was found with his throat cut, with his sword lying on the ground.