Seneca - College of Stoic Philosophers

102 SENECAof affection and gratitude. But now when householdsare made up from distant nations, when we have slaveswhose manners and religion differ so widely from ourown, we can certainly never keep this vile multitude inorder except by working on their fears. The innocent,it is said, will perish with the guilty. Why, so they doin a defeated army, when every tenth man is beatento death ;the lot may fall on the brave. Somethingof injustice you will find in every great example ; butthe interests of individuals must be sacrificed to thegeneral good.No senator was bold enough openly to opposethe views of Cassius, and, though dissentientmurmurs were heard condemning the mockery ofjustice that took neither sex nor age nor patentinnocence into account, it was resolved that thelaw should be enforced. Riots ensued among thepopulace, and a threat of resistance was uttered.Thereupon the imperial displeasure was proclaimedby edict, the road from the prison tothe place of execution was lined with soldiers,and the four hundred slaves, men, women, andchildren, were put to death.The year 62 opened ominously with the revivalof the law of majestas, or treason, which hadlain dormant since the death of Claudius. At abanquet given at the house of Ostorius Scapulathe praetor Antistius, one of the guests, recitedsome scurrilous verses of his own compositionagainst the emperor. Cossutius Capito, who hadbeen raised to senatorial rank by the influenceof his father-in-law, Tigellinus, accused Antistiusof treason before the Senate. Ostorius declaredthat he had heard no verses recited, but credit