Meantime, from the
continued inaction of our armies, a rumour prevailed that the commanders had
been deprived of the right of leading them against the enemy. Thereupon the
Frisii moved up their youth to the forests and swamps, and their
non-fighting population, over the lakes, to the river-bank, and established
themselves in unoccupied lands, reserved for the use of our soldiers, under
the leadership of Verritus and Malorix, the kings of the tribe, as far as
Germans are under kings. Already they had settled themselves in houses, had
sown the fields, and were cultivating the soil as if it had been their
ancestors', when Dubius Avitus, who had succeeded Paulinus in the province,
by threatening them with a Roman attack if they did not retire into their
old country or obtain a new territory from the emperor, con-
GERMAN AMBASSADORS IN ROME |
strained Verritus and Malorix to become
suppliants. They went to
Rome, and while they waited
for Nero, who was intent on other engagements, among the sights shown to the
barbarians they were admitted into
Pompey's theatre, where they might behold
the vastness of the Roman people. There at their leisure (for in the
entertainment, ignorant as they were, they found no amusement) they asked
questions about the crowd on the benches, about the distinctions of classes,
who were the knights, where was the Senate, till they observed some persons
in a foreign dress on the seats of the senators. Having asked who they were,
when they were told that this honour was granted to envoys from those
nations which were distinguished for their bravery and their friendship to
Rome, they exclaimed that no men on earth surpassed
the Germans in arms or in loyalty. Then they went down and took their seat
among the senators. The spectators hailed the act goodnaturedly, as due to
the impulsiveness of a primitive people and to an honourable rivalry. Nero
gave both of them the Roman franchise, and ordered the Frisii to withdraw
from the territory in question. When they disdained obedience, some
auxiliary cavalry by a sudden attack made it a necessity for them, capturing
or slaughtering those who obstinately resisted.
