But all the legions, doubtless, submitted to Augustus after the battle of Actium .-- M.] [Footnote 2: Julius Caesar introduced soldiers, strangers, and half-barbarians into the senate (Sueton.

in Caesar.c.77, 80.) The abuse became still more scandalous after his death.] The reformation of the senate was one of the first steps in which Augustus laid aside the tyrant, and professed himself the father of his country.

He was elected censor; and, in concert with his faithful Agrippa, he examined the list of the senators, expelled a few members, [201] whose vices or whose obstinacy required a public example, persuaded near two hundred to prevent the shame of an expulsion by a voluntary retreat, raised the qualification of a senator to about ten thousand pounds, created a sufficient number of patrician families, and accepted for himself the honorable title of Prince of the Senate, [202] which had always been bestowed, by the censors, on the citizen the most eminent for his honors and services.

[3] But whilst he thus restored the dignity, he destroyed the independence, of the senate.

The principles of a free constitution are irrecoverably lost, when the legislative power is nominated by the executive.
[Footnote 201: Of these Dion and Suetonius knew nothing .-- W.