KINGSHIP (^89)
disadvantage as compared with another, and all will gain the true democracy
and the freedom which does not fail (Kai jy]V SyjMOKpariav TY\V aA/jSyj TVJV T£
eAeuOepiav TTJV ao^aXyj Kxyjoovrai). For the boasted freedom of the mob
proves in experience to be the bitterest servitude of the best element to the
other and brings upon both a common destruction; whereas this freedom of
which I speak everywhere prefers for honour the men of prudence, awarding
at the same time equality (TO IOOV) to all according to their deserts, and thus
gives happiness impartially to all who enjoy this liberty.^11
Augustus, of course, followed Maecenas' advice. The government he
set up was, says Dio, "strictly speaking" a monarchy^12 in contrast with
what had been a "democracy in the strict sense of the term" before.^13
The emperors, he says, built up their power by taking all the "demo
cratic titles" (ra SyjiJOKpaTiKa ovojjaTa),^14 that is, the titles of offices in
the Republic. And Augustus wished, even after his supremacy had been
ratified by the senate and people, to be considered a democrat (§v)M°-
TIKOC).^15 The matter is finally summed up by Dio in the following
terms:
In this way the power of both people and senate passed entirely into the
hands of Augustus, and from his time there was, stricdy speaking, a mon
archy; for monarchy would be the truest name for it, no matter if two or
three men did later hold the power at the same time. The name of monarchy,
to be sure, the Romans so detested that they called their emperors neither
dictators nor kings nor anything of the sort; yet since the final authority for
the government devolves upon them, they must needs be kings. The offices
established by the laws, it is true, are maintained even now, except that of
censor; but the entire direction and administration is absolutely in accordance
with the wishes of the one in power at the time. And yet, in order to preserve
the appearance of having this power by virtue of the laws and not because of
their own domination, the emperors have taken to themselves all the func
tions, including the titles, of the offices which under the republic (§yj|jo-
Kparia) and by the free gift of the people were powerful, with the single ex
ception of the dictatorship.^16
Dio is important in reminding us that the Greek word for the Latin
"Republic" was "Democracy." It is common knowledge that the Em
pire was commonly called the res publica by earlier imperial writers. So
- Dio Cass., LII, xiv, 4, 5. (Cary's translation in the Loeb Series.) It is notable that like
Philo the true test of democracy-monarchy was that it put lo6%v\Z or x6 ttfov into society. - Ibid., LII, i, 1. 13. Ibid., LIII, i, 3. 14. Ibid., LIII, xviii, 2.
- Ibid., LIII, xii, 1. 16. Ibid., LIII, xvii, 1-3.