The Lives of the Twelve Caesars — Chapter 2 in Latin
By Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus
Quod familia Octaviorum prima dignitate Velitris floruerit, multis rebus perspicuum est. That the family of the Octavii was of the first distinction in Velitræ, is rendered evident by many circumstances. Nam in celeberrimis urbis partibus vicus, non ita pridem, Octavianus vocabatur; et ara videri poterat, cuidam Octavio consecrata, qui cum dux in bello cum vicinis populis delectus esset, hostibus repente irruptis, dum Marti sacrificaret, exta victimae statim ex igne rapuit et semiusta in aram obtulit; ex quo in pugnam progressus victor rediit. For in the most frequented part of the town, there was, not long since, a street named the Octavian; and an altar was to be seen, consecrated to one Octavius, who being chosen general in a war with some neighbouring people, the enemy making a sudden attack, while he was sacrificing to Mars, he immediately snatched the entrails of the victim from off the fire, and offered them half raw upon the altar; after which, marching out to battle, he returned victorious. Hoc eventus legem tulit, qua cautum est, ut in omne tempus exta Marti eodem modo oblarentur; reliqua victima ad Octavios ferrentur. This incident gave rise to a law, by which it was enacted, that in all future times the entrails should be offered to Mars in the same manner; and the rest of the victim be carried to the Octavii.
Haec familia, sicut et complures aliae Romae, a Tarquinio Prisco in senatum adlecta est, et mox a Servio Tullio inter patricios collocata; sed longo tempore processum est ut se ad plebeiorum ordinem transferret, et post longam intercapedinem a Iulio Caesare ad patriciorum dignitatem restituta est. This family, as well as several in Rome, was admitted into the senate by Tarquinius Priscus, and soon afterwards placed by Servius Tullius among the patricians; but in process of time it transferred itself to the plebeian order, and, after the lapse of a long interval, was restored by Julius Cæsar to the rank of patricians. Primus familiae ex suffragiis populi ad magistratum evectus erat Caius Rufus. The first person of the family raised by the suffrages of the people to the magistracy, was Caius Rufus. Quaesturam obtinuit et duos filios habuit, Cneium et Caium; ex quibus duae familiae Octavianae stirpes orti sunt, quae fortuna valde diversa usi sunt. He obtained the quæstorship, and had two sons, Cneius and Caius; from whom are descended the two branches of the Octavian family, which have had very different fortunes. Nam Cneius et eius posteri per continuam successionem omnia rei publicae munera maxima tenuerunt; Caius autem et posteritas eius, sive ex condicione sive ex sententia, in equestri ordine manserunt usque ad patrem Augusti. For Cneius, and his descendants in uninterrupted succession, held all the highest offices of the state; whilst Caius and his posterity, whether from their circumstances or their choice, remained in the equestrian order until the father of Augustus. Proavus Augusti in bello Punico secundo in Sicilia tribunus militum sub imperio Aemilii Pappi militavit. The great-grandfather of Augustus served as a military tribune in the second Punic war in Sicily, under the command of Æmilius Pappus. Avus eius se magistratibus municipii sui tantum contentus habuit et in tranquillo patrimonii amplissimi possessione senuit. His grandfather contented himself with bearing the public offices of his own municipality, and grew old in the tranquil enjoyment of an ample patrimony. Talis est narratio quam varii auctores tradiderunt. Such is the account given by different authors. Augustus ipse nihil amplius nobis narrat quam se ex familia equestri tum antiqua tum divitiis abundante ortum esse, cuius pater primus ad senatoris dignitatem pervenit. Augustus himself, however, tells us nothing more than that he was descended of an equestrian family, both ancient and rich, of which his father was the first who obtained the rank of senator. Marcus Antonius eum incusans dicit eum proavum habuisse libertinum Thurii agri, funem factorem, avum autem feneratore. Mark Antony upbraidingly tells him that his great-grandfather was a freedman of the territory of Thurium, and a rope-maker, and his grandfather a usurer. Haec omnia sunt quae usquam de maioribus Augusti a parte patris cognoscere potui. This is all the information I have any where met with, respecting the ancestors of Augustus by the father's side.
Pater eius Gaius Octavius ab primis annis et opulentia et dignitate praeditus erat: qua ex causa miror eos qui dicunt eum nummularium fuisse et in disiungendis muneribus ac petendis suffragiis candidatorum in Campo Martio versatum esse. His father Caius Octavius was, from his earliest years, a person both of opulence and distinction: for which reason I am surprised at those who say that he was a money-dealer, and was employed in scattering bribes, and canvassing for the candidates at elections, in the Campus Martius. Nam cum in magna fortunae abundantia educatus esset, facile ad honesta munera pervenit eaque cum maxima dignitate administravit. For being bred up in all the affluence of a great estate, he attained with ease to honourable posts, and discharged the duties of them with much distinction. Post praeturam sorte provinciam Macedoniam obtinuit; qua in via latrocinia quaedam, reliquias exercituum Spartaci et Catilinae, qui Thuriensium territorium occupaverant, delevit, accepto ab senatu extraordinario mandato ad id munus. After his prætorship, he obtained by lot the province of Macedonia; in his way to which he cut off some banditti, the relics of the armies of Spartacus and Catiline, who had possessed themselves of the territory of Thurium; having received from the senate an extraordinary commission for that purpose. In provinciae administratione aeque iuste et fortiter se gessit; nam Bessios et Thraces magna pugna vicit et socios reipublicae eo modo tractavit ut exstent Marci Tulli Ciceronis litterae, in quibus fratrem suum Quintum, qui tum proconsulatum Asiae non magna gloria tenebat, hortatur imitari exemplum vicini Octavi in sibi devinciendis sociis populi Romani. In his government of the province, he conducted himself with equal justice and resolution; for he defeated the Bessians and Thracians in a great battle, and treated the allies of the republic in such a manner, that there are extant letters from M. Tullius Cicero, in which he advises and exhorts his brother Quintus, who then held the proconsulship of Asia with no great reputation, to imitate the example of his neighbour Octavius, in gaining the affections of the allies of Rome.
Post Macedoniam relictam, antequam se candidatum consulatui praebere posset, repente mortuus est, relicta filia maiore Octavia ex Ancharia; et alia filia Octavia iunore, et Augusto pariter ex Atia, quae filia erat Marci Ati Balbi, et Iulia, soror Gai Iulii Caesaris. After quitting Macedonia, before he could declare himself a candidate for the consulship, he died suddenly, leaving behind him a daughter, the elder Octavia, by Ancharia; and another daughter, Octavia the younger, as well as Augustus, by Atia, who was the daughter of Marcus Atius Balbus, and Julia, sister to Caius Julius Cæsar. Balbus erat ex parte patris familiae Aricienses oriundae, e quibus multi in senatu fuere. Balbus was, by the father's side, of a family who were natives of Aricia,and many of whom had been in the senate. Ex parte matris arcte coniunctus erat Pompeio Magno; et postquam praeturae munus gesserat, unus erat ex viginti viris ab lege Iulia constitutis ad agros in Campania populo dividendos. By the mother's side he was nearly related to Pompey the Great; and after he had borne the office of prætor, was one of the twenty commissioners appointed by the Julian law to divide the land in Campania among the people. At Marcus Antonius, Augusti stirpem ex parte etiam matris contemnens, dicit avum eius maioris avum Africanum fuisse et aliquando unguentarius in Aricia, aliquando pistor fuisse. But Mark Antony, treating with contempt Augustus's descent even by the mother's side, says that his great grand-father was of African descent, and at one time kept a perfumer's shop, and at another, a bake-house, in Aricia. Et Cassius Parmensis in litteris Augustum accusat non solum filium pistonis sed etiam faenerators esse. And Cassius of Parma, in a letter, taxes Augustus with being the son not only of a baker, but a usurer. Haec sunt verba eius: 'Tu es globus farinae matris tuae, quem nummularius Neruli ex novissima pistrinae Ariciensis sumptum manibus suis nummo pertractatis in aliquam formam finxit.' These are his words: "Thou art a lump of thy mother's meal, which a money-changer of Nerulum taking from the newest bake-house of Aricia, kneaded into some shape, with his hands all discoloured by the fingering of money."