The firſt feat of this new reign was the murther of young AGRIPPA: the aſ ſaſ ſin, a bold and determin'd Centurion found him deſtitute of arms, and little apprehending ſuch a deſtiny, yet was ſcarce able to diſpatch him.Of this tranſaction TIBERIUS avoided any mention in the Senate:he would have it paſs for done by the commands of AUGUSTUS ; as if he had tranſmitted written orders to the Tribune who guarded AGRIPPA, "to ſlay him the inſtant he heard of his Grandfather's deceaſe". It is very true, that AUGUSTUS had made many and vehement complaints of the young man's obſtinate and unruly demeanour, and even ſolicited from the Senate a Decree to authorize his baniſhment: but he never harden'd himſelf againſt the ſentiments of nature, nor in any inſtance dipt his hands in his own blood; neither is it credible that he would barbarouſly ſacrifice the life of his grandſon for ſecurity and eſtabliſhment of his ſtep-ſon.More probable it is that this haſty murther was purely the work of TIBERIUS and LIVIA; that the young Prince, hated and dreaded by both, fell thus untimely, to rid the one of his apprehenſions and a rival, and to ſatiate in the other rancorous ſpirit of a ſtep-mother.When the Centurion, according to the cuſtom of the army, acquainted TIBERIUS, "that his commands were executed";he anſwered, "he had commanded no ſuch execution, and the Centurion muſt appear before the Senate, and for it be anſwerable to them". This alarm'd SALLUSTIUS CRISPUS, whoſhar'd in all his ſecret counſels, and had ſent the Centurion the warrant: he dreaded that he ſhould be arraign'd for the aſ ſaſ ſina-tion, and knew it equally perilous either to confeſs the truth, and charge the Emperor; or falſly to clear the Emperor, and accuſe himſelf . Hence he had to recourſe to LIVIA, and warn'd her, "never to divulge the ſecrets of the palace, never to expoſe to publick examination the miniſters who advis'd, nor the ſoldiers who executed:TIBERIUS ſhould beware of relaxing the Authority of the Prince, by referring all things to that of the Senate; ſince it was the indiſpenſable. Perogative of Sovereignty, for all men to be accountable only to one"