Book 1
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Well, and what said Agrippinus Agrippinus was banished by Nero, for no other crime than the unfortunate death of his father, who had been causelessly killed by the command of Tiberius; and this had furnished a pretence for accusing him of hereditary disloyalty. Tacitus, Ann. 10.1 c. 28, 29.—C. upon this account? will not be a hindrance to myself. Word was brought him, Your cause is pending in the senate. Good luck attend it; but it is eleven o’clock (the hour when he used to exercise before bathing),—let us go to our exercise. This being over, a messenger tells him, You are condemned. To banishment, says he, or to death? To banishment. What of my estate? It is not taken away. Well, then, let us go as far as Aricia,Aricia, a town about sixteen miles from Rome, the first stage in his road to banishment.—C. and dine there.
1
This it is to have studied what ought to be studied; to have placed our desires and aversions above tyranny and above chance. I must die,—if instantly, I will die instantly; if in a short time, I will dine first, and when the hour comes, then will I die. How? As becomes one who restores what is not his own.
In what manner, upon every occasion, to preserve our character.
