Annals I.12

Meantime, while the Senate stooped to the most abject supplication, Tiberius happened to say that although he was not equal to the whole burden of the State, yet he would undertake the charge of whatever part of it might be intrusted to him. Thereupon Asinius Gallus said, "I ask you, Caesar, what part of the State you wish to have intrusted to you?" Confounded by the sudden inquiry he was silent for a few moments; then, recovering his presence of mind, he replied that it would by no means become his modesty to choose or to avoid in a case where he would prefer to be wholly excused. Then Gallus again, who had inferred anger from his looks, said that the question had not been asked with the intention of dividing what could not be separated, but to convince him by his own admission that the body of the State was one, and must be directed by a single mind. He further spoke in praise of Augustus, and reminded Tiberius himself of his victories, and of his admirable deeds for many years as a civilian. Still, he did not thereby soften the emperor's resentment, for he had long been detested from an impression that, as he had married Vipsania, daughter of Marcus Agrippa, who had once been the wife of Tiberius, he aspired to be more than a citizen, and kept up the arrogant tone of his father, Asinius Pollio.

Here Tacitus is really putting an exclamation point on the fake humility of Tiberius. Gallus, a loudmouth and the husband of Tiberius' ex-wife, confronts the humility of Tiberius. He urges Tiberius to take some power. This angers both the Senate and Tiberius.

What is going on here? Does Tiberius really not want power? Is the Senate mad because Gallus is telling Tiberius to take power? Does Gallus want Tiberius to take power?

To start, Gallus is a Senator and occasional consul. He has no reason to want Tiberius to have more power, yet he asks him to. Plus, they kind of have a personal feud over Vipsania. Still, he requests it.

Let's take a look at Gallus' first question. He says, "I ask you, Caesar, what part of the State you wish to have intrusted to you?" The question is paradoxical. It's like asking if God can create a rock he cannot lift. The Emperor has the power to choose his role. This implies he is already an autocrat with all the power. How can a man with limitless power limit his power? Tacitus, through Gallus' words, is highlighting how there is no going back from tyrany. A tyrant has power and it is just not possible for him to abdicate this power.

Gallus is calling bullshit on Tiberius. He is really claiming that Tiberius is not really humble because its impossible for him to be humble. He's the princip and let's call a spade a spade. Tiberius is angry at Gallus because he is called out and the rest of the Senate is angry at Gallus because they hope that maybe, just maybe, Tiberius will actually abdicate power.

Gallus' protest is also foreshadowing. Gallus is eventually arrested by Tiberius and starves in jail awaiting trail. A man that told Tiberius to take power, for whatever reason, got his wish.