Res Gestae

For if anyone consulted a soothsayer about the squeaking of a shrew-mouse, the meeting with a weasel on the way, or any like portent, or used some old wife’s charm to relieve pain (a thing which even medical authority allows), he was indicted (from what source he could not guess), was haled into court, and suffered death as the penalty.

At about that time a certain slave, Danus by name, was accused by his wife on trifling charges merely to intimidate him; this woman was approached by Rufinus, who had come to know her in some way or other. He was the man who had given certain information that he had learned through Gaudentius, one of the agents,[*](See note 2, p. 98.) and had caused the death of Africanus, then governor-general of Pannonia, along with his guests, as I have related;[*](xv. 3, 7.) he was even then, because of his obsequiousness, chief steward of the praetorian prefecture.

This Rufinus (as he kept boastfully saying) led the fickle woman, first into shameful

And having thus framed these matters to the destruction of many persons, Rufinus himself, in hope of greater profit, flies to the emperor’s camp, to stir up his customary scandals. And when the fact was divulged, Mavortius, then praetorian prefect, a man of high resolution, was bidden to look into the charge with a keen investigation, having associated with him, to hear the case in common, Ursulus, count of the largesses,[*](See Introd., pp. xl f.) likewise a man of praiseworthy severity.