Plinio El Joven

Translation

Then the Pannonian legions make a revolt, because of no new reasons except because the

emperor is dead. Junius Blaesus, when hears about thedeath of Augustus, lets off the duty

of the soldiers; and thus the soldiers rejoice, for they avoid the military discipline and the

work. In the camp isthe soldier Percennius, a man of great courage, who calls the worst

from the soldiers into a public meeting and thus says at night:

‘why as if sad servantswe obey the officers and we lose the freedom? All the generals

promise many things; however they give nothing to us. But by Hercules we always receiveblows and wounds, but the Praetorian Guards too much money, and they return home soon;

however today we are in great danger, young and old men, at the home offrightening

people. It is the time to approach to a new emperor: we are courageous citizens, not bad

slaves. Emperor Tiberius listens to us as if sons andfriends.’

Percennius set on fire the anger of the crowd. Then the soldiers with a great shout bring

together the eagles of the legions into the camp, they aredemanding money, they

command to the general Blaesus to send at once ambassadors onto Tiberius, because they

want to show the savagery and crimes of theofficers. At last the son of Blaesus, a young

man of great uprightness, goes away to Rome. But in the camp the anger of the soldiers

turned onto AufidienusRufus, an officer for a long time, now officer-in-charge of the camp;

the soldiers drag an unhappy man out of a vehicle and compel to endure a large burden.