Book 28
1.7
First, because the prophecies of his father were still warmCf. xxii. 12, 2; xxii. 16, 17. in his ears, a man exceedingly skilful in interpreting omens from the flight or the notes of birds, who declared he would attain to high power, but would die by the sword of the executioner; secondly, because he had got hold of a man from Sardinia who was highly skilled in calling up baneful spirits and eliciting predictions from the ghosts of the dead. This man he himself afterwards put to death, so the rumour went, in a treacherous fashion,—so long as he survived, Maximinus was more yielding and mild, for fear that he might be betrayed—finally, because while creeping through low places like a serpent under groundI.e., while holding offices of minor importance. he could not yet stir up causes for death on a larger scale.
1.8
The first opportunity to widen the sphere of his operations arose from the following affair. Chilo, a former deputy-governor, and his wife Maxima made complaint before Olybrius, at that time prefect of the city,Rome in 368. declaring that their life had been attempted by poison; and they managed that those whom they suspected should at once be seized and put in prison. The accused were an organ-builderCf. Suet., Nero, 41, 2; 44, 1; xiv, 6, 18. Sericus, a wrestlerOr wrestling-teacher. Asbolius, and a soothsayer Campensis.
