Ceterum Augustus subsidia dominationi Claudium Marcellum sororis filium admodum adulescentem pontificatu et curuli aedilitate , M . Agrippam , ignobilem loco , bonum militia et victoriae socium , geminatis consulatibus extulit , mox defuncto Marcello generum sumpsit ; Tiberium Neronem et Claudium Drusum privignos imperatoriis nominibus auxit , integra etiam tum domo sua . nam genitos Agrippa Gaium ac Lucium in familiam Caesarum induxerat , necdum posita puerili praetexta principes iuventutis appellari , destinari consules specie recusantis flagrantissime cupiverat . ut Agrippa vita concessit , Lucium Caesarem euntem ad Hispaniensis exercitus , Gaium remeantem Armenia et vulnere invalidum mors fato propera vel novercae Liviae dolus abstulit , Drusoque pridem extincto Nero solus e privignis erat , illuc cuncta vergere : filius , collega imperii , consors tribuniciae potestatis adsumitur omnisque per exercitus ostentatur , non obscuris , ut antea , matris artibus , sed palam hortatu . nam senem Augustum devinxerat adeo , uti nepotem unicum , Agrippam Postumum , in insulam Planasiam proiecerit , rudem sane bonarum artium et robore corporis stolide ferocem , nullius tamen flagitii conpertum . at hercule Germanicum Druso ortum octo apud Rhenum legionibus inposuit adscirique per adoptionem a Tiberio iussit , quamquam esset in domo Tiberii filius iuvenis , sed quo pluribus munimentis insisteret .

But Augustus tooke for rules healpe Cla . Marcellus | his sisters sonne , a yong man aduancinge him first to be Bushoppe and | Aedyle . And Agrippa also , base for his place , but a good soldier , and com-|pagnon of his victories , he preferred to a double Consulshippe . and soon e | after Marcellus dying , he chose him for sonne in lawe . Tiberius Nero and | Claud . Drusus his wyfes sonnes , he endued with Emperors names , though | his own howse were well filled , for he had drawen into the family of Cesar | Caius and Lucius , Agrippas sonnes , though scarse they had caste of their childish cloakes . He willed them to be called Youthes Princes . whom greedely he desired throroughe collor of refuse to appointe Consuls . As Agrippa dyed . so ded hastie death or stepdams Liuias crafte , depriue of | lyfe Lucius Cesar going to the spanishe army , and Caius leauinge | Armenia for his wound vnseruiceable . So Drusus destroyed . Nero | alone remained , of all his wifes children . whom onely all respected . | He was the sonne . the rules compagnon . the Tribunes powers fellow . sent | out to all the army , not by slye art , as before of his mother , but openly | now by a publike desire . for she had so wonne the olde Augustus , that | he banished his onely nephew Agrippa Posthumus into Planasia | Island . ignorant he was of all good artes , and grossely strong for bo-|dies strength , but neuer guiltie of wicked acte . Yet Germanicus | Drusus sonne he appointed ruler of the eight legions beyond the | Rhyne , and bad Tiberius adopte him ( although he had a yong childe | of his owne ) with greater strength to inforce his rule

Besides this , Augustus labouring by some stay , to settle the soueraigntie , aduanced Claudius Marcellus his sisters sonne being very yoong , to the pontificall dignitie and Aedilship : and M . Agrippa meanly descended , but in martiall exploites warlike , and a companion in his victories , to be twise Consul togither ; and after Marcellus death chose him to be his sonne in lawe . And his owne house not failing , he bestowed the title of Emperor vpon Tiberius Nero and Claudius Drusus his wiues children ; and adopted Caius and Lucius , Agrip∣paes children : and making shew to the contrarie ; yet his earnest desire was , they should be called Princes of youth , and chosen Consuls elect , before they had cast off their praetext or infants garments . But when Agrippa was dead , and Lucius going into Spaine to take charge of the armie , and Caius returning wounded out of Ar∣menia , by hastie fate or trecherie of their stepmother Liuia : Drusus also dead long before , onely Nero was left of all Augustus sonnes in lawe . Vnto him all men now crowched and fawned ; being receiued the adopted sonne of Augustus ; copartner of the empire ; associate of the Tribunitian dignitie ; shewen to the campe as successor ; not as before by secret deuises and practises of his mother , but openly perswading the Emperor thereto . For she had so enthralled the sillie olde man , that Agrippa Posthumus his onely nephew , he had confined in the Iland Planasia : in deede , badly trained vp in liberall sciences , and sottishly bragging of his strength and actiuitie of bodie ; but yet neuer detected of any notorious vice . He gaue Germanicus sonne vnto Drusus , charge ouer eight legions , by the riuer of Rhene ; and commanded Tiberius ( albeit he had a sonne of his owne ) to adopt him , the better to establish the succes∣sion with mo staies than one .