112 The Imperial Government
muchmustIsufferandendure,howoftenmustIberobbedbyhowmany!
Andif Idobecomehisfriend,hetooismortal.’’^53 Similarlyherepresents
a man, the holder of two consulships, protesting that he at least is free—
‘‘I am of free birth, a senator, a friend of Caesar, I have been consul and I
ownmanyslaves’’—butevenhecanbecompelledbyCaesar.^54 Thenthereis
adiscussionaboutwhattruemisfortuneis—nottobeanfriendofCaesar?
ButCaesar’sfriendknowsneithersecuritynorfreedom.Hecannotsleepfor
peoplecomingoneafteranothertosaythatCaesarisawake,Caesariscoming
out;hehasfailed,thatis,tobepresentintheearlymorningtobeadmitted
withtheotherfriends.^55 IfheisnotinvitedtodinebyCaesar,heisslighted;
if he is, he dines like a slave at his master’s table.What is he afraid of—a
whipping?Nothingsoignoble.Heisafraidoflosinghishead.^56
ComparablewiththisiswhatEpictetussaystoaprominentRomancalled
Nasowhohascomewithhissontovisithim^57 —‘‘Whatcouldanyoneimag-
ineyou towant.You are rich,you have children, a wife, and many slaves;
Caesar knows you, you have many friends in Rome, you can perform your
dutiesandreturnkindnesswithkindnessandinjurywithinjury’’—buthe
lacksthereallyimportantthings.^58
Thentherewereordinarysenatorsandequestrians,whodependedonthe
emperorforpromotionandbenefits,orfearedhispunishmentordispleasure.
Caesar is men’s master—for men fear not Caesar, but death, exile, confis-
cation,imprisonment,disenfranchisement;theydonotloveCaesar—unless
(headdsinparenthesis)heisamanofgreatmerit—buttheylovewealth,a
tribunate,apraetorship,aconsulate.^59 Thedesireforofficeisaneasytarget:
‘‘Forthesakeofthesemightyanddignifiedofficesandhonoursyoukissthe
handsofanotherman’sslaves—andarethustheslavesofmenwhoarenot
freethemselves.’’^60 Thenwegetamoregeneralpictureofambition(ambitus)
anditsrewards:‘‘Ifyouwishtobeconsulyoumustgiveupyoursleep,run
53.4,1,95.
54.4,1,6–13.- Cf.Suet.,Div.Vesp.21;Pliny,Ep.3;5,9.
56.4,1,45–48. - AlmostcertainlynottheyoungIuliusNaso,whosecandidatureforhonores(public
office)hadbeensupportedacoupleofyearsearlierbyPliny,Ep.6,6.Buthemightbethe
proconsulofAfricaabout107,C.CorneliusRarusSextiusNa[so?],possiblythesameasa
suffectconsulof93.SeeSyme(n.28),638,805.Epictetus’wordswouldsuitamanofthat
status. - 2,14,18.
59.4,1,60.
60.4,1,148.