A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

Tiberius 475
VIII.
The Character and the Accession of Tiberius
Tiberius Claudius Nero was three years old when Livia,
daughter of Claudianus Drusus, became the wife of Caesar
(Octavianus) for she had been contracted to him by Nero,
Character,
vdleius ii.
her former husband. Tiberius, a youth trained in the f^^i2\62-4.
noblest principles, possessed in the highest degree birth,
man he now is,
beauty, dignity, valuable knowledge, and superior capacity.
From the beginning he gave hopes of becoming the great
and by his appearance he announced himself
a prince. Made quaestor in his nineteenth year, he
began to act in a public character; and under the direction
of his stepfather he took such judicious measures, both in
Rome and at Ostia, to remedy the excessive price of provisions
and the scarcity of corn that, from what he did
on this occasion, it could plainly be seen how great he
was to become.
He married Agrippina (Vipsania), the daughter of Mar- His
cus Agrippa and granddaughter of Cascihus Atticus, a
Roman knight,—the person to whom Cicero has addressed Tiberius, 7.
so many letters. After the birth of his son Drusus, Tiberius
was obliged to part with her,
though she retained
his affections, ... to make way for marrying Julia, (By this
1 •
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1 .
marriage
daughter of Augustus. This step he took with extreme Tiberius
reluctance; for besides having the warmest attachment to
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Agrippina, he was disgusted with the conduct of Julia. . . . Augustus.)
The divorcing of Agrippina gave him the deepest regret;
and on meeting her afterward he looked at her with eyes
so passionately expressive of affection that care was taken
that she should never again come in his sight.
After the funeral of Augustus all prayers were addressed
Tib^nus^
to Tiberius. On his part, he urged various reasons (for the imperial
P°^®^*
declining the government)—especially the greatness of the