Ovid and the Domus Augusta only,whenyouhaveprayedforhigherthings,/youwouldaskfor
emperor’sangeragainstmetoabate!ButitistowardsthemiddleofthispoemthatOvidoffershismoststriking
contributiontoourconceptionofhowtheconsulatewasnowunderstood,
inusingtheutmostingenuitytoexpresstheideathatitsdignitywaseven
increasedbyitsbeinginthegiftofanother.Astothelatterpoint,therehere
isnoambiguityatall.Ovidisreferringtobothofthetwoconsulshipstobe
heldbythebrothers(–):
quiquamquamestingens,etnullumMartiasummo
altiusimperiumconsuleRomavidet,
multiplicattamenhuncgravitasauctorishonorem,
etmaiestatemresdatadantishabet.
iudiciisigiturliceatFlaccoquetibique
talibusAugustitempusinomnefrui.
Mightythoughheis,andthoughMar’sRome/seesnopowerhigher
thanthesupremeconsul’s,/yetthegravityofitsauthormultiplies
thishonour,/andthegiftsharesthemajestyofitsgiver./Both
Flaccusandyourselfmaynowenjoythebenefit/ofAugustus’
judgementforalltime.Thelanguageisunambiguous:theEmperoristheauthor(auctor)ofthehon-
our,andtheconsulshipitselfagift(res data)whichpartakesofthemajesty
(maiestas)ofthegiver.
MetamorphosesintheImperialHoushold
But‘‘Augustus,’’whosefavourablejudgementsbothbrotherswill,itishoped,
continuetoenjoy,isnotofcourseAugustus,nowdead,butTiberius.Tibe-
riusmayperhapshaveclaimedthathewouldreservethiscognomenonlyfor
writingtokings;^45 butifso,Ovid,likeeveryoneelseintheEmpire,didnot
believeit.ItwasnothoweverthatdetailednewsdidnotreachhiminTomoi.
Inthesixthwinterofhisexile(../)hewasabletoclaimthathehad
writtenapoemintheGeticlanguage(Getico sermone)onthedeificationof
AugustusandthedelayedaccessionofTiberius.Thepoemwhichembodies
thisclaim(ExP.,),reflectingthereportsoftheeventsofsummer..
whichhadreachedTomoibythefollowingwinter,isthusbyfarthemost
. Suetonius,Tib.,.