Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2015
Abstract
The anecdote concerning the fiery eyes of Augustus is known from the Epitome de Caesaribus and Servius. The latter quotes Suetonius as its source, yet in Suetonius' extant works, the anecdote is missing.
According to Jörg Schlumberger, its late antique source could have been the annales of Nicomachus Flavianus, which however, could not possibly be referred to at the time, due to the damnatio memoriae cast upon its author. Some observations seem to support this explanation, and in addition, the annales may even have been at least a partial cause to have brought about this damnatio.