A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

MACRO. MACRO. 887
de Caes. 22, Epit. 22; Eutrop. viii. 12; Zonar. withdrew before they were op6ned, since his prexii. 13.) [W. R.] sence was required at the praetorian camp, where
the soldiers, jealous of the preference shown to the
AGoL\ ~r~e E Evigiles, were in mutiny, and, in the confusion that
followed the arrest of Sejanus, began to plunder
~ ~~ A d ['~ t Ad@4<t and burn the suburbs. Macro, however, reduced
them to discipline by a donation of more than
thirty pounds sterling to each man, and they accepted him as their new prefect. For his services
on this day the senate decreed Macro a large sum
of money, a seat in the theatre on the senatorian
benches, the right of wearing the praetexta, and
MACRT'NUS, BAE'BIUS, a Roman rhetori- the ornaments of a praetor. But he prudently decian, is mentioned along with Julius Frontinus and dined these unusual honours, and contented himJulius Granianus, as one of the teachers of the self with the more substantial favonr of Tiberius.
emperor Alexander Severus. (Lamprid. Alex. Sev. He was praetorian prefect for the remainder of
3.) that emperor's reign and during the earlier part of
MACRI'NUS, PLO'TIUS, to whom Persius Caligula's. Macro, whom L. Arruntius described
addressed his second satire, but of whom we know as a worse Sejanus (Tac. Ann. vi. 48), was unrenothing, except that he was a friend of the poet. lenting in his persecution of the fallen favourite's
MACRIS (MaiKpis), a daughter of Aristaeus, adherents. He laid informations; he presided at
who fed the infant Dionysus with honey, after he the rack; and he lent himself to the most savage
was brought to her in Euboea by Hermes; but caprices of Tiberius during the last and worst pebeing expelled by Hera, she took refuge in the riod of his government. Mam. Aemilius Scaurus
island of the Phaeacians. (Apollon. Rhod. iv. 540, was accused by him of glancing at Tiberius in his
990, 1131; comp. ARISTAEUS.) [L. S.] tragedy of Atreus, and driven to destroy himself;
MACRIS (Ma'Kpis), an Odrysian woman, wife the veteran delator Fulcinius Trio denounced Macro
of Lysimachus, king of Thrace, by whom she was and Tiberius with his dying breath; and L. Arthe mother of two sons, Agathocles and Alexander. runtius died by his own hands, to avoid being
[LYSIMIACHUS.] [E. H. B.] his victim. As praetorian prefect Macro had the
MACRO, NAE'VIUS SERTO'RIUS, was charge of the state prisoners -among others of
praetorian prefect under Tiberius and Caligula. the Jewish prince Agrippa (Joseph. Antiq. xviii.
His origin was obscure (Philo, Legat. ad Caiumn, 4); 6), [AGRIPPA- HERODES, NO. 1.] and of Cahe was perhaps a freedman by birth (Tac. Ann. vi. ligula. Tiberius, A. D. 37, was visibly declining,
38); and the steps by which he attracted the no- and, in a new reign, Macro might be even more
tice and favour of Tiberius are unknown. Macro powerful than he had been under a veteran and
first appears in history as the conductor of the wary despot. Of the Claudian house there rearrest of Aelius Sejanus, his immediate predecessor mained only two near claimants for the throne,
in the command of the praetorians, A. D. 31. The -Tiberius, the grandson, and Caligula, the grands
seizure of this powerful favorite in the midst of nephew, of the reigning emperor. In Roman
~the senate where he had many adherents, and of eyes the claim of the latter was preferable, since
the guards whom he principally had organised by his mother Agrippina he was a descendant
(Tac. Ann. iv. 2), seemed, at least before its exe- of the Julian house. Tiberius was an infant, Calicution, a task of no ordinary peril. The plan of gula had attained manhood, but he was a prisoner,
the arrest was concerted at Capreae by Tiberius:and therefore more under the influence of his
and Macro, and the latter was despatched to Rome, keeper. To Caligula, therefore, Macro applied
on the 19th of October, with instructions to the himself; he softened his captivity, he interceded
officials of the government and the guards, and for his life, and he connived at, or rather promoted,
with letters to some of the principal members of an intrigue between his wife Ennia [ENNIA] and
the senate. Macro reached the capital at mid- his captive. Tiberius noticed but was not alarmed
night; and imparted his errand to P.Memmius Re- at Macro's homage to Caligula. "s You quit," he
gulus, one of the consuls, and to Graecinus Laco, said, " the setting for the rising sun." It was ruprefect of the city-police (vigiles). By daybreak moured, but it could not be known, that Macro
the senate assembled in the temple of Apollo, ad- shortened the fleeting moments of the dying emjoining the imperial palace. Macro, by the promise peror by stifling him with the bedding as he reof a donation, and by showing his commission from covered unexpectedly from a swoon. Macro cerTiberius, had dismissed the praetorians to their tainly induced the senate to accept Caligula as sole
camp, and supplied their place at the entrance and emperor, although Tiberius had in his will declared
along the avenues of the temple by Laco and his his grandson partner of the empire. During the
vigiles. He had also lulled the suspicions which better days, of Caligula's government Macro rehis sudden arrival at Rome had awakened in Se- tained his office and his influence. But his services
janus by informing him, as if confidentially, that were too great to be rewarded or forgiven. Acthe senate was specially convened to confer on him cording to one account (Philo, Legat. ad Caium, 4),
the tribunitian dignity, which would have been Macro presumed to remonstrate with the emperor
equivalent to adopting him to the empire. Sejanus for his extravagance, his indecorous levity, his adtherefore took no steps for his own security, but, diction to sensual pleasures, and his neglect of
had he shown any disposition to resist, Macro had business. A rebuke which Agrippa might have
secret orders to release from prison Drusus, son of offered and Augustus received was thrown away
Germanicus and Agrippina [DRtuss, No. 18], and on Caligula, and was unseasonable in Macro.
proclaim him heir to the throne. Macro presented Dread of the prefect's influence with the guards at
Tiberius' letters to the consul in the senate, but first Induced the emperor to dissemble; he even
3 L4