That artful prince, instead of discovering the least symptom of impatience, humbly solicited their suffrages for himself or his friends, and scrupulously practised all the duties of an ordinary candidate.

[17] But we may venture to ascribe to his councils the first measure of the succeeding reign, by which the elections were transferred to the senate.

[18] The assemblies of the people were forever abolished, and the emperors were delivered from a dangerous multitude, who, without restoring liberty, might have disturbed, and perhaps endangered, the established government.
[Footnote 15: Two consuls were created on the Calends of January; but in the course of the year others were substituted in their places, till the annual number seems to have amounted to no less than twelve.

The praetors were usually sixteen or eighteen, (Lipsius in Excurs.

D.ad Tacit.Annal.l.