3 This is the account given by others Augustus himself merely writes 2 that he came of an old and wealthy equestrian family, in which his own father was the first to become a senator. His grandfather, content with the offices of a municipal town and possessing an abundant income, lived to a peaceful old age. Augustus's great -grandfather served in Sicily in the second Punic war as tribune of the soldiers under the command of Aemilius Papus. P125 Gnaeus and Gaius, from whom two branches of the Octavian family were derived, of very different standing for Gnaeus and all his scions in turn held the highest offices, but Gaius and his progeny, whether from chance or choice, remained in the equestrian order down to the father of Augustus. The first of the house to be elected by the people to a magistracy was Gaius Rufus, who became quaestor. There was, besides, a decree of the people on record, providing that for the future too the inwards should be offered to Mars in the same way, and the rest of the victims be handed over to the Octavii.Ģ 1 The family was admitted to the senate by king Tarquinius Priscus among the lesser clans 1 was later enrolled by Servius Tullius among the patricians in course of time returned to the ranks of the plebeians and after a long interval was restored to patrician rank by the Deified Julius. This man was leader in a war with a neighbouring town, and when news of a sudden onset of the enemy was brought to him just as he chanced to be sacrificing to Mars, he snatched the inwards of the victim from the fire and offered them up half raw and thus he went forth to battle, and returned victorious. 1 1 There are many indications that the Octavian family was in days of old a distinguished one at Velitrae for not only was a street in the most frequented part of town long ago called Octavian, but an altar was shown there besides, consecrated by an Octavius.
0 kommentar(er)
