"The lot of princes," he remarked, "was very miserable, for no one-believed them
when they discovered a conspiracy, until they were murdered." When he had
leisure, he amused himself with dice, even on days that were not festivals, and
in the morning. He went to the bath early, and made a plentiful dinner, insomuch
that he seldom ate more at supper than a .Martian apple,
He was insatiable in his lusts, calling frequent commerce with women, as if it
was a sort of exercise,
The people shewed little concern at his death, but the soldiers were roused by it
to great indignation, and immediately endeavoured to have him ranked among the
gods. They were also ready to avenge his loss, if there had been any to take the
lead. However, they soon after effected it, by resolutely demanding the
punishment of all those who had been concerned in his assassination. On the
other hand, the senate was so overjoyed, that they met in all haste, and in a
full assembly reviled his memory in the most bitter terms; ordering ladders to
be brought in, and his shields and images to be pulled down before their eyes,
and dashed in pieces upon the floor of the senate-house; passing at the same
time a decree to obliterate his titles every where, and abolish all memory of
him. A few months before he was slain, a raven on the Capitol uttered these
words: "All will be well." Some person gave the following interpretation of this
prodigy:
They say
likewise that Domitian dreamed that a golden hump grew out of the back of his
neck, which he considered as a certain sign of happy days for the empire after
him. Such an auspicious change indeed shortly afterwards took place, through the
justice and moderation of the succeeding emperors.