Lives of the Caesars, Volume I：Suetonius Volume I

Suetonius(C.SuetoniusTranquillus,bornca.70CE),sonofamilitarytribune,wasatfirstanadvocateandateacherofrhetoric,butlaterbecametheemperorHadrian’sprivatesecretary,119–121.HededicatedtoC.SepticiusClarus,prefectofthepraetorianguard,hisLivesoftheCaesars.Afterthedismissalofbothmenforsomebreachofcourtetiquette,Suetoniusapparentlyretiredandprobablycontinuedhiswriting.Hisotherworks,manyknownbytitle,arenowlostexceptforpartoftheLivesofIllustriousMen(ofletters).FriendofPlinytheYounger,Suetoniuswasastudiousandcarefulcollectoroffacts,sothattheextantlivesoftheemperors(includingJuliusCaesarthedictator)toDomitianareinvaluable.HisplaninLivesoftheCaesarsis:theemperor’sfamilyandearlyyears;publicandprivatelife;death.Wefindmanyanecdotes,muchgossipoftheimperialcourt,andvariousdetailsofcharacterandpersonalappearance.Suetonius’saccountofNero’sdeathisjustlyfamous.