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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dio's Rome, Volume V., Books 61-76 (A.D.
+54-211), by Cassius Dio
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Dio's Rome, Volume V., Books 61-76 (A.D. 54-211)
+       An Historical Narrative Originally Composed In Greek During
+       The Reigns Of Septimius Severus, Geta And Caracalla, Macrinus,
+       Elagabalus And Alexander Severus: And Now Presented In English
+       Form By Herbert Baldwin Foster
+
+Author: Cassius Dio
+
+Release Date: January 31, 2004 [EBook #10890]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DIO'S ROME, VOLUME V. ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Ted Garvin, Ben Courtney and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team
+
+
+
+
+
+                  DIO'S ROME
+
+                      AN
+             HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
+         ORIGINALLY COMPOSED IN GREEK
+             DURING THE REIGNS OF
+            SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, GETA
+            AND CARACALLA, MACRINUS,
+       ELAGABALUS AND ALEXANDER SEVERUS:
+                     AND
+        NOW PRESENTED IN ENGLISH FORM
+                      BY
+            HERBERT BALDWIN FOSTER,
+     A.B. (Harvard), Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins),
+Acting Professor of Greek in Lehigh University
+
+_FIFTH VOLUME: Extant Books 61-76 (A.D. 54-211)._
+
+                     1906
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+VOLUME CONTENTS
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Book Sixty-one
+
+Book Sixty-two
+
+Book Sixty-three
+
+Book Sixty-four
+
+Book Sixty-five
+
+Book Sixty-six
+
+Book Sixty-seven
+
+Book Sixty-eight
+
+Book Sixty-nine
+
+Book Seventy
+
+Book Seventy-one
+
+Book Seventy-two
+
+Book Seventy-three
+
+Book Seventy-four
+
+Book Seventy-five
+
+Book Seventy-six
+
+Book Seventy-seven
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+61
+
+Nero seizes the sovereignty (chapters 1, 2).
+
+At the beginning he is accustomed to yield to the influence of his mother,
+whom Seneca and Burrus thrust aside from control of affairs (chapter 3).
+
+Nero's exhibitions of wantonness and his extravagance: the death of
+Silanus (chapters 4-6).
+
+Love for Acte: Britannicus slain: discord with Agrippina (chapters 7, 8).
+
+How Nero's mind began to give way (chapter 9).
+
+About the faults and immoralities of the philosopher Seneca (chapter 10).
+
+Sabina an object of love: Agrippina murdered (chapters 11-16).
+
+Domitia put to death: festivities: Nero sings to the accompaniment of his
+lyre (chapters 17-21).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+M. Asinius Marcellus, Manius Acilius Aviola. (A.D. 54 = a.u. 807 = First
+of Nero, from Oct. 13th).
+
+Nero Caesar Aug., L. Antistius Vetus. (A.D. 55 = a.u. 808 = Second of
+Nero).
+
+Q. Volusius Saturninus, P. Cornelius Scipio. (A.D. 56 = a.u. 809 = Third
+of Nero).
+
+Nero Caesar Aug. (II), L. Calpurnius Piso. (A.D. 57 = a.u. 810 = Fourth of
+Nero).
+
+Nero Caesar Aug. (III), M. Valerius Messala. (A.D. 58 = a.u. 811 = Fifth
+of Nero).
+
+C. Vipsanius Apronianus, L. Fonteius Capito. (A.D. 59 = a.u. 812 = Sixth
+of Nero).
+
+Nero Caesar Aug. (IV), Cornelius Lentulus Cossus. (A.D. 60 = a.u. 813 =
+Seventh of Nero).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 54 (a.u. 807)] [Sidenote:--1--] At the death of Claudius
+the leadership on most just principles belonged to Britannicus, who had
+been born a legitimate son of Claudius and in physical development was
+beyond what would have been expected of his years. Yet by law the power
+passed to Nero on account of his adoption. No claim, indeed, is stronger
+than that of arms. Every one who possesses superior force has always the
+appearance of both saying and doing what is more just. So Nero, having
+first disposed of Claudius's will and having succeeded him as master of
+the whole empire, put Britannicus and his sisters out of the way. Why,
+then, should one stop to lament the misfortunes of other victims?
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] The following signs of dominion had been observed in his
+career. At his birth just before dawn rays not cast by any beam of
+sunlight yet visible surrounded his form. And a certain astrologer from
+this and from the motion of the stars at that time and their relation to
+one another divined two things in regard to him,--that he would rule and
+that he would murder his mother. Agrippina on hearing this became for the
+moment so beside herself as actually to cry out: "Let him kill me, if only
+he shall rule." Later she was destined to repent bitterly of her prayer.
+Some people become so steeped in folly that if they expect to obtain some
+blessing mingled with evil, they at once through their anxiety for the
+advantage pay no heed to the detriment. When the time for the latter also
+comes, they are cast down and would choose not to have secured even the
+greatest good thing. Yet Domitius, the father of Nero, had a sufficient
+previous intimation of his son's coming baseness and licentiousness, not
+by any oracle but through the nature of his own and Agrippina's
+characters. And he declared: "It is impossible for any good man to be born
+from me and from her." As time went on, the finding of a serpent skin
+around Nero's neck when he was but a boy caused the seers to say: "He
+shall acquire great power from the aged man." Serpents are thought to
+slough off their old age with their old skin, and so get power.
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] Nero was seventeen years of age when he began to rule. He
+first entered the camp, and, after reading to the soldiers all that Seneca
+had written, he promised them as much as Claudius had been accustomed to
+give. Before the senate he read such a considerable document,--this, too,
+written by Seneca,--that it was voted the statements should be inscribed
+on a silver tablet and should be read every time the new consuls took up
+the duties of their office. Consequently those who heard him made
+themselves ready to enjoy a good reign according to the letter of the
+compilation. At first Agrippina [in company with Pallas, a vulgar and
+tiresome man,] managed all affairs pertaining to the empire, and she and
+her son went about together, often reclining in the same litter; usually,
+however, she would be carried and he would follow alongside. It was she
+who transacted business with embassies and sent letters to peoples and
+governors and kings. When this had gone on for a considerable time, it
+aroused the displeasure of Seneca and Burrus, who were both the most
+sensible and the most influential of the advisers of Nero. The one was his
+teacher and the other was prefect of the Pretorians. They took the
+following occasion to stop this method of procedure. An embassy of
+Armenians had arrived and Agrippina wished to ascend the platform from
+which Nero was talking with them. The two men, seeing her approach,
+persuaded the young man to go down before she could reach there and meet
+his mother, pretending some form of greeting. After that was done they did
+not return again, making some excuse to prevent the foreigners from seeing
+the flaw in the empire. Subsequently they labored to keep any public
+business from being again committed to her hands.
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] When they had accomplished this, they themselves took
+charge of the entire empire and gave it the very best and fairest
+management that they could. Nero was not in general fond of affairs and
+was glad to live at leisure. [The reason, indeed, that he had previously
+distrusted his mother and now was fond of her lay in the fact that now he
+was free to enjoy himself, and the government was being carried on no less
+well. And his advisers after consultation made many changes in existing
+customs, abolishing some things altogether and passing a number of new
+laws.] They let Nero sow his wild oats with the intention of bringing
+about in him through the satisfaction of all his desires a changed
+attitude of mind, while in the meantime no great damage should be done to
+public interests. Surely they must have known that a young and self-willed
+spirit, when reared in unreproved license and in absolute authority, so
+far from becoming satiated by the indulgence of its passions is ruined
+more and more by these very agencies. Indeed, Nero at first gave but
+simple dinners; his revels, his drunkenness, his amours were moderate.
+Afterward, as no one reproved him for them and public business was carried
+forward none the worse for all of it, he began to believe that what he did
+was right and that he could carry his practices to even greater lengths.
+[Consequently he began to indulge in each of these pursuits in a more open
+and precipitate fashion. And in case his guardians gave him any warning or
+his mother any rebuke, he would appear abashed while they were present and
+promise to reform; but as soon as they were gone, he would again become
+the slave of his desire and yield to those who were dragging him in the
+other direction,--a straight course down hill.] Next he came to despise
+instruction, inasmuch as he was always hearing from his associates, "Do
+_you_ submit to this?" or "Do _you_ fear these people?", "Don't
+you know that you are Caesar?", "Have not you the authority over them
+rather than they over you?" He was also animated by obstinacy, not wishing
+to acknowledge his mother as superior and himself as inferior, nor to
+admit the greater good sense of Seneca and Burrus.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] Finally he passed the possibility of being shamed, dashed
+to the ground and trampled under foot all their suggestions, and began to
+follow in the steps of Gaius. When he had once felt a desire to emulate
+him, he quite outdid him, for he believed that the imperial power must
+manifest itself among other ways by allowing no one to surpass it even in
+the vilest deeds. [As he was praised for this by the crowds, and received
+many pleasant compliments from them, he gave himself no rest. His doings
+were at first confined to his home and associates, but were later on
+carried abroad. Thus he attached a mighty disgrace to the whole Roman race
+and committed many outrages upon the individuals composing it. Innumerable
+acts of violence and insult, of rape and murder, were committed both by
+the emperor himself and by those who at one time or another had influence
+with him. And, as certainly and inevitably follows in all such practices],
+great sums of money naturally were spent, great sums unjustly procured,
+and great sums seized by force. For under no circumstances was Nero
+niggardly. Here is an illustration. He had ordered no less than two
+hundred and fifty myriads at one time to be given to Doryphorus, who
+attended to the state documents of his empire. Agrippina had it all piled
+in a heap, hoping by showing him the money all together to make him change
+his mind. Instead, he asked how much the mass before him amounted to, and
+when he was informed he doubled it, saying: "I was not aware that I had
+allowed him so little." It can clearly be seen, then, that as a result of
+the magnitude of his expenditures he would quickly exhaust the treasures
+in the royal vaults and quickly need new revenues. Hence unusual taxes
+were imposed and the property of the well-to-do was not left intact. Some
+lost their possessions to spite him and others destroyed themselves with
+their livelihoods. Similarly he hated and made away with some others who
+had no considerable wealth; for, if they possessed any excellent trait or
+were of a good family, he became suspicious that they disliked him.
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] Such were the general characteristics of Nero. I shall
+now proceed to details.
+
+In the matter of horse-races Nero grew so enthusiastic that he adorned
+famous race-horses that had passed their prime with the regular street
+costume for men and honored them with money for their fodder. The
+horsebreeders and charioteers, elated at this enthusiasm of his, proceeded
+to abuse unjustifiably even the praetors and consuls. But Aulus Fabricius,
+when praetor, finding that they refused to hold contests on fair terms,
+dispensed with them entirely. He trained dogs to draw chariots and
+introduced them in place of horses. When this was done, the wearers of the
+white and of the red immediately entered their chariots: but, as the
+Greens and the Blues would not even then participate, Nero at his own cost
+gave the prizes to the horses, and the regular program of the circus was
+carried out.
+
+Agrippina showed readiness to attack the greatest undertakings, as is
+evidenced by her causing the death of Marcus Julius Silanus, to whom she
+sent some of the poison with which she had treacherously murdered her
+husband.
+
+Silanus was governor of Asia, and was in no respect inferior to the
+general character of his family. It was for this, more than for anything
+else, she said, that she killed him, not wishing to have him preferred
+before Nero, by reason of the latter's manner of life. Moreover, she
+turned everything into trade and gathered money from the most
+insignificant and basest sources.
+
+Laelianus, who was despatched to Armenia in place of Pollio, had been
+assigned to the command of the night watch. And he was no better than
+Pollio, for, while surpassing him in reputation, he was all the more
+insatiable in respect to gain.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 55 (a.u. 808)] [Sidenote:--7--] Agrippina found a
+grievance in the fact that she was no longer supreme in affairs of the
+palace. It was chiefly because of Acte. Acte had been brought as a slave
+from Asia. She caught the fancy of Nero, was adopted into the family of
+Attalus, and was cherished much more carefully than was Nero's wife
+Octavia. Agrippina, indignant at this and at other matters, first
+attempted to rebuke him, and set herself to humiliating his associates,
+some by beatings and by getting rid of others. But when she accomplished
+nothing, she took it greatly to heart and remarked to him: "It was I who
+made you emperor," just as if she had the power to take away the authority
+from him again. She did not comprehend that every form of independent
+power given to any one by a private citizen immediately ceases to be the
+property of the giver and belongs to the one who receives it to use
+against his benefactor.
+
+Britannicus Nero murdered treacherously by poison, and then, as the skin
+was turned livid by the action of the drug, he smeared the body with
+gypsum. But as it was being carried through the Forum a heavy rain falling
+while the gypsum was still damp washed it all away, so that the horror was
+exposed not only to comment but to view. [After Britannicus was dead
+Seneca and Burrus ceased to give careful attention to public interests and
+were satisfied if they might manage them conservatively and still preserve
+their lives. Consequently Nero now made himself conspicuous by giving free
+rein to all his desires without fear of retribution. His behavior began to
+be absolutely insensate, as is shown, for instance, by his punishing a
+certain knight, Antonius, as a seller of poisons and by further burning
+the poisons publicly. He took great credit for this action as well as for
+prosecuting some persons who had tampered with wills; but other people
+only laughed to see him punishing his own acts in the persons of others.]
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] His secret acts of licentiousness were many, both at home
+and throughout the City, by night and by day. He used to frequent the
+taverns and wandered about everywhere like a private person. Any number of
+beatings and insults took place in this connection and the evil spread to
+the theatres, so that those who worked as dancers and who had charge of
+the horses paid no attention either to praetors or to consuls. They were
+disorderly themselves and led others to be the same, while Nero not only
+did not restrain them even by words, but stirred them up all the more. He
+delighted in their actions and used to be secretly conveyed in a litter
+into the theatres, where unseen by the rest he watched the proceedings.
+Indeed, he forbade the soldiers who had usually been in attendance at all
+public gatherings to appear there any longer. The reason he assigned was
+that they ought not to superintend anything but strictly military affairs,
+but his true purpose was to afford those who wished to raise a disturbance
+the amplest scope. He made use of the same excuse in reference to his not
+allowing any soldier to attend his mother, saying that no one except the
+emperor ought to be guarded by them. In this way he displayed his enmity
+toward the masses, and as for his mother he was already openly at variance
+with her. Everything that they said to each other, or that the imperial
+pair did each day, was reported outside the palace, yet it did not all
+reach the public and hence conjectures were made to supply missing details
+and different versions arose. What was conceivable as happening, in view
+of the baseness and lewdness of the pair, was noised abroad as having
+already taken place, and reports possessing some credibility were believed
+as true. The populace, seeing Agrippina now for the first time without
+Pretorians, took care not to fall in with her even by accident; and if any
+one did chance to meet her he would hastily get out of the way without
+saying a word.
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] At one spectacle men on horseback overcame bulls while
+riding along beside them, and the knights who served as Nero's personal
+guard brought down with their javelins four hundred bears and three
+hundred lions. On the same occasion thirty knights belonging to the
+military fought in the arena. The emperor sanctioned such proceedings
+openly. Secretly, however, he carried on nocturnal revels throughout the
+length and breadth of the city, insulting the women, practicing lewdness
+on boys, stripping those whom he encountered, striking, wounding,
+murdering. He had an idea that his incognito was impenetrable, for he used
+all sorts of different costumes and false hair at different times: but he
+would be recognized by his retinue and by his deeds. No one else would
+have dared to commit so many and such gross outrages so recklessly.
+[Sidenote: A.D. 56 (a.u. 809)] It was becoming unsafe even for a person to
+stay at home, since he would break into shops and houses. It came about
+that a certain Julius Montanus, [Footnote: _C. Iulius Montanus C.F._
+(Cp. Suetonius, Life of Nero, chapter 60).] a senator, enraged on his
+wife's account, fell upon this reveler and inflicted many blows upon him,
+so that he had to remain several days in concealment by reason of the
+black eyes he had received. Montanus did not suffer for it, since Nero
+thought the violence had been all an accident and was for showing no anger
+at the occurrence, had not the other sent him a letter begging his pardon.
+Nero on reading the epistle remarked: "So he knew that he was striking
+Nero." The suicide of Montanus followed hard after.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 57 (a.u. 810)] In the course of producing a spectacle at
+one of the theatres, he suddenly filled the place with sea-water so that
+the fishes and sea-monsters [Footnote: [Greek: ktaenae] of the MSS. was
+changed to [Greek: kaetae] on the conjecture of Sylburgius, who was
+followed by Bekker, Dindorf, and Boissevain. (Compare also Suetonius, Life
+of Nero, chapter 12).] swam in it, and had a naval battle between
+"Persians" and "Athenians." At the close of it he suddenly withdrew the
+water, dried the subsoil, and continued land contests, not only between
+two men at a time but with crowds pitted against other crowds.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 58 (a.u. 811)] [Sidenote:--10--] Subsequent to this,
+oratorical contests took place, and as a result even of these numbers were
+exiled and put to death.--Seneca also was held to account, one of the
+charges against him being that he was intimate with Agrippina. [It had not
+been enough for him to debauch Julia, nor had he become better as a result
+of exile, but he went on to make advances to such a woman as Agrippina,
+with such a son.] Not only in this instance but in others he was convicted
+of doing precisely the opposite of what he taught in his philosophical
+doctrines. He brought accusations against tyranny, yet he made himself a
+teacher of tyrants: he denounced such of his associates as were powerful,
+yet he did not hold aloof from the palace himself: he had nothing good to
+say of flatterers, yet he had so fawned upon Messalina and Claudius's
+freedmen [that he had sent them from the island a book containing eulogies
+upon them; this latter caused him such mortification that he erased the
+passage.] While finding fault with the rich, he himself possessed a
+property of seven thousand five hundred myriads; and though he censured
+the extravagances of others, he kept five hundred three-legged tables of
+cedar wood, every one of them with identical ivory feet, and he gave
+banquets on them. In mentioning these details I have at least given a hint
+of their inevitable adjuncts,--the licentiousness in which he indulged at
+the very time that he made a most brilliant marriage, and the delight that
+he took in boys past their prime (a practice which he also taught Nero to
+follow). Nevertheless, his austerity of life had earlier been so severe
+that he had asked his pupil neither to kiss him nor to eat at the same
+table with him. [For the latter request he had a good reason, namely, that
+Nero's absence would enable him to conduct his philosophical studies at
+leisure without being hindered by the young man's dinners. But as for the
+kiss, I can not conceive how that tradition came about. The only
+explanation which one could imagine, namely, his unwillingness to kiss
+that sort of mouth, is proved to be false by the facts concerning his
+favorites. For this and for his adultery some complaints were lodged
+against him, but at this time he was himself released without formal
+accusations and succeeded in begging off Pallas and Burrus. Later on he
+did not come out so well.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 59 (a.u. 811)] [Sidenote:--11--] There was a certain
+Marcus Salvius Otho, who through similarity of character and sharing in
+wrongdoing had become so intimate with Nero that he was not even punished
+for saying one day to the latter: "Then I hope you may see me Caesar." All
+that came of it was the response: "I sha'n't see you even consul." It was
+to him that the emperor gave Sabina, of patrician family, after separating
+her from her husband, and they both enjoyed her together. Agrippina,
+therefore, fearing that Nero would marry the woman (for he was now
+beginning to entertain a mad passion for her), ventured upon a most unholy
+course. As if it were not enough for her story that she had attracted her
+uncle Claudius into love for her by her blandishments and uncontrolled
+looks and kisses, she undertook to enslave Nero also in similar fashion.
+However, I am not sure whether this actually occurred, or whether it was
+invented to fit their characters: but I state here what is admitted by
+all, that Nero had a mistress resembling Agrippina of whom he was
+especially fond because of this very resemblance. And when he toyed with
+the girl herself or threw out hints about it to others, he would say that
+he was having intercourse with his mother.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 59 (a.u. 812)] Sabina on hearing about this began to
+persuade Nero to get rid of his mother in order to forestall her alleged
+plots against him. He was likewise incited,--so many trustworthy men have
+stated,--by Seneca, whether it was to obscure the complaint against his
+own name that the latter was anxious or to lead Nero on to a career of
+unholy bloodguiltiness that should bring about most speedily his
+destruction by gods and men. But they shrank from doing the deed openly
+and were not able to put her out of the way secretly by means of poison,
+for she took extreme precautions against all such things. One day they saw
+in the theatre a ship that automatically separated in two, let out some
+beasts, and came together again so as to be once more seaworthy; and they
+at once had another one built like it. By the time the ship was finished
+Agrippina had been quite won over by Nero's attentions, for he exhibited
+devotion to her in every way to make sure that she should suspect nothing
+and be off her guard. He dared, however, do nothing in Rome for fear the
+crime should become widely known. Hence he went some distance into
+Campania accompanied by his mother, and took a sail on the fatal ship
+itself, which was adorned in the most brilliant fashion to the end that
+she might feel a desire to use the vessel continually.
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] When they reached Bauli, he gave for several days most
+costly dinners at which he showed great solicitude in entertaining his
+mother. If she were absent he feigned to miss her sorely, and if she were
+present he was lavish of caresses. He bade her ask whatever she desired
+and bestowed many gifts without her asking. When he had shaped the
+situation to this extent [Footnote: Adopting Reiske's conjecture,
+_nv_.], then rising from dinner about midnight he embraced her, and
+straining her to his breast kissed her eyes and hands, exclaiming:
+"Mother, farewell, and happiness attend you! For you I live and because of
+you I rule." He then gave her in charge of Anicetus, a freedman,
+supposedly to convey her home on the ship that he had prepared.
+
+But the sea would not endure the tragedy about to be enacted on it nor
+would it submit to assume responsibility for the deception wrought by the
+monstrous contrivance: therefore, though the ship parted asunder and
+Agrippina fell into the water, she did not perish. In spite of the fact
+that it was dark and she was full of strong drink and that the sailors
+used their oar blades on her, so much so that they killed Acerronia Polla,
+her fellow voyager, she nevertheless saved her life and reached home.
+Thereupon she affected not to realize that it was a plot and let not a
+word of it be known, but sent speedily to her son an account of the
+occurrence with the implication that it had happened by accident, and
+conveyed to him the good news (as she assumed it to be) that she was safe.
+Nero hearing this could not endure the unexpected outcome but punished the
+messenger as savagely as if he had come to assassinate him, and at once
+despatched Anicetus with the sailors to make an end of his mother. He
+would not entrust the killing of her to the Pretorians. When she saw them,
+she knew for what they had come, and leaping from her bed tore open her
+clothing; exposing her abdomen, and cried out: "Strike here, Anicetus,
+strike here, for this bore Nero!"
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] Thus was Agrippina, daughter of Germanicus, grandchild of
+Agrippa, descendant of Augustus, slain by the very son to whom she had
+given the sovereignty and for whose sake she had killed her uncle and
+others. Nero when informed that she was dead would not believe it, for the
+monstrousness of his bold deed plunged him in doubts; therefore he desired
+to behold the victim with his own eyes. So he laid bare her body, looked
+her all over and inspected her wounds, finally uttering a remark far more
+abominable even than the crime. What he said was: "I did not know I had so
+beautiful a mother."
+
+To the Pretorians he gave money evidently to secure their prayers for many
+such occurrences, and he sent to the senate a message in which he
+enumerated the offences of which he knew she was guilty, stating also that
+she had plotted against him and on being detected had committed suicide.
+Yet for all this calm explanation to the governing body he was frequently
+subject to agitation at night, so that he would even leap suddenly from
+his bed. And by day terror seized him at the sound of trumpets that seemed
+to blare forth some horrid din of war from the spot where lay Agrippina's
+bones. Therefore he went elsewhere. And when in his new abode he had again
+the same experience, he distractedly transferred his residence to some
+other place.
+
+Nero, not having a word of truth from any one and seeing that all approved
+what he had been doing, thought that either his actions had escaped notice
+or that he had conducted himself correctly. Hence he became much worse
+also in other respects. He came to think that all that it was in his power
+to do was right and gave heed to those whose speech was prompted by fear
+or flattery as if they told absolute truth. For a time he was subject to
+fears and questionings, but, after the ambassadors had made him a number
+of pleasing speeches, he regained courage.
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] The population of Rome, on hearing the report, though
+horrified were nevertheless joyful, because they thought that now he would
+surely come to ruin. Nearly all of the senators pretended to rejoice at
+what had taken place, participated in Nero's pleasure, and voted many
+measures of which they thought he would be glad. Publius Thrasea Paetus
+had also come to the senate-house and listened to the letter. When,
+however, the reading was done, he at once rose without making any comment
+and went out. Thus what he would have said he could not, and what he could
+have said he would not. He behaved in the same way under all other
+conditions. For he used to say: "If it were a matter of Nero's putting
+only me to death, I could easily pardon the rest who load him with
+flatteries. But since among those even who praise him so excessively he
+has gotten rid of some and will yet destroy others, why should one stoop
+to indecent behavior and perish like a slave, when like a freeman one may
+pay the debt to nature? There shall be talk of me hereafter, but of these
+men not a word save for the single fact that they were killed." Such was
+the kind of man Thrasea showed himself, and he would always encourage
+himself by saying: "Nero can kill me, but he can not harm me."
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] When Nero after his mother's murder reentered Rome,
+people paid him reverence in public, but in private so long as any one
+could speak frankly with safety they tore his character to very tatters.
+And first they hung by night a piece of hide on one of his statues to
+signify that he himself ought to have a hiding. Second, they threw down in
+the Forum a baby to which was fastened a board, saying: "I will not take
+you up for fear you may slay your mother."
+
+At Nero's entrance into Rome they took down the statues of Agrippina. But
+there was one which they did not cut loose soon enough, and so they threw
+over it a cloth which gave it the appearance of being veiled. Thereupon
+somebody at once affixed to the statue the following inscription: "I am
+abashed and thou art unashamed."
+
+In many quarters at once, also, might be read the inscription:
+
+  "Nero, Orestes, Alemeon, matricides."
+
+Persons could actually be heard saying in so many words: "Nero put his
+mother out of the way." Not a few lodged information that certain persons
+had spoken in this way, their object being not so much to destroy those
+whom they accused as to bring reproach, on Nero. Hence he would admit no
+suit of that kind, either not wishing that the rumor should become more
+widespread by such means, or out of utter contempt for what was said.
+However, in the midst of the sacrifices offered in memory of Agrippina
+according to decree, the sun suffered a total eclipse and the stars could
+be seen. Also, the elephants drawing the chariot of Augustus entered the
+hippodrome and went as far as the senators' seats, but at that point they
+stopped and refused to proceed farther. And the event which one might most
+readily conjecture to have taken place through divine means was that a
+thunderbolt descended upon his dinner and consumed it all as it was being
+brought to him, like some tremendous harpy snatching away his food.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] [In spite of this he killed by poison also his aunt
+Domitia, whom likewise he used to say he revered like a mother. He would
+not even wait a few days for her to die a natural death of old age, but
+was eager to destroy her also. His haste to do this was inspired by her
+possessions at Baiae and Ravenna, which included magnificent amusement
+pavilions that she had erected and] are in fine condition even now. In
+honor of his mother he celebrated a very great and costly festival, events
+taking place for several days in five or six theatres at once. It was then
+that an elephant was led to the very top of the vault of the theatre and
+walked down from that point on ropes, carrying a rider. There was another
+exhibition at once most disgraceful and shocking. Men and women not only
+of equestrian but even of senatorial rank appeared in the orchestra, the
+hippodrome, and even the hunting-theatre, like the veriest outcasts. Some
+of them played the flute and danced or acted tragedies and comedies or
+sang to the lyre. They drove horses, killed beasts, fought as gladiators,
+some willingly, others with a very bad grace. Men of that day beheld the
+great families,--the Furii, the Horatii, the Fabii, Poreii, Valerii, and
+all the rest whose trophies, whose temples were to be seen,--standing down
+below the level of the spectators and doing some things to which no common
+citizen even would stoop. So they would point them out to one another and
+make remarks, Macedonians saying: "That is the descendant of Paulus";
+Greeks, "Yonder the offspring of Mummius"; Sicilians, "Look at Claudius";
+the Epirots, "Look at Appius"; Asiatics, "There's Lucius"; Iberians,
+"There's Publius"; Carthaginians, "There's Africanus"; Romans, "There they
+all are". Such was the expiation that the emperor chose to offer for his
+own indecency.
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] All who had sense, likewise, bewailed the multitude of
+expenditures. Every costliest viand that men eat, everything else, indeed,
+of the highest value,--horses, slaves, teams, gold, silver, raiment of
+varied hues,--was given away by tickets. Nero would throw tiny balls, each
+one appropriately inscribed, among the populace and that article
+represented by the token received would be presented to the person who had
+seized it. The sensible, I say, reflected that, when he spent so much to
+prevent molestation in his disgraceful course, he would not be restrained
+from any most outrageous proceedings through mere hope of profit.
+
+Some portents had taken place about this time, which the seers declared
+imported destruction to him, and they advised him to divert the danger
+upon others. So he would have immediately put numbers of men out of the
+way, had not Seneca said to him: "No matter how many you may slay, you can
+not kill your successor."
+
+It was now that he celebrated a corresponding number of "Preservation
+Sacrifices," as he called them, and dedicated the forum for the sale of
+dainties, called _Macellum_. [Sidenote:--19--] Somewhat later he
+instituted a different kind of feast (called Juvenalia, a word that showed
+it belonged in some way to "youth"). The occasion was the shaving of his
+beard for the first time. The hairs he cast into a small golden globe and
+offered to Jupiter Capitolinus. To furnish amusement members of the
+noblest families as well as others did not fail to give exhibitions. For
+instance, Aelia Catella danced: he was first of all a man prominent for
+family and wealth and also advanced in years,--he was eighty years of age.
+Others who on account of old age or disease could not do anything on their
+own account sang as chorus. All devoted themselves to practicing as much
+as and by whatever way they were able. Regularly appointed "schools" were
+frequented by the most distinguished men, women, girls, lads, old women,
+old men. In case any one was unable to appear in any other fashion, he
+would enter the choruses. And whereas some of them out of shame had put on
+masks to avoid being recognized, Nero at the request of the populace had
+them taken off and showed these people to those by whom they had once been
+ruled. Now most of all it was that these amateur performers and others
+deemed the dead happy; for many of the foremost men this year had been
+slain. Some of them, charged with conspiracy against Nero, were surrounded
+by the soldiers and stoned to death.
+
+[Sidenote:--20--] And, as there needed to be a fitting climax to these
+deeds, Nero himself appeared as an actor and Gallio [Footnote: _L.
+Iunius Gallio_.] proclaimed him by name. There stood Caesar on the
+stage wearing the garb of a singing zither-player. Spoke the emperor: "My
+lords, of your kindness give me ear." Then did the Augustus sing to the
+zither a thing called "Attis or the Bacchantes," [Footnote: The title of
+one of Nero's poems.] whilst many soldiers stood by and all the people
+that the seats would hold sat watching. Yet had he (according to the
+tradition) but a slight voice and an indistinct, so that he moved all
+present to laughter and tears at once. Beside him stood Burrus and Seneca
+like teachers prompting a pupil: they would wave their hands and togas at
+every utterance and draw others on to do the same. Indeed, Nero had ready
+a peculiar corps of about five thousand soldiers, called Augustans; these
+would begin the applause, and all the rest, however loath, were obliged to
+shout aloud with them,--except Thrasea. He would never stoop to such
+conduct. But the rest, and especially the prominent men, gathered with
+alacrity even when in grief and joined as if glad in all the shouts of the
+Augustans. One could hear them saying: "Excellent Caesar! Apollo!
+Augustus! One like unto the Pythian! By thine own self, O Caesar, no one
+can surpass thee!" After this performance he entertained the people at a
+feast on boats on the site of the naval battle given by Augustus: thence
+at midnight he sailed through a canal into the Tiber.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 60 (a.u. 813)] [Sidenote:--21--] This, then, he did to
+celebrate the shaving of his chin. In behalf of his preservation and the
+continuance of his authority,--thus he gave notice,--he instituted
+quinquennial games, naming them Neronia. In honor of the event he also
+constructed the gymnasium at the dedication of which he made a free
+distribution of olive oil to the senators and knights. The crown for
+singing to the zither, moreover, he took without a contest, for all others
+were debarred on the assumption that they were unworthy of victory. [And
+immediately in their garb he was enrolled on the very lists of the
+gymnasium.] Thenceforward all other crowns for zither playing at all the
+contests were sent to him as the only person competent to win victories of
+that sort.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+62
+
+About the disaster to the Romans in Britain, brought upon them by Buduica
+(chapters 1-7).
+
+Paulinus, returning from subduing the island of Mona, conquers in battle
+(chapters 8-12).
+
+Octavia Augusta and Burrus, likewise Plautus and Pallas, are put to death
+by Nero (chapters 13, 14).
+
+Most swinish reveling at the games of Tigillinus (chapter 15).
+
+How Nero set the city on fire (chapters 16-18).
+
+The uprightness of Corbulo: proceedings against Vologaesus and Tiridates
+(chapters 19, 20).
+
+Misfortune attends the endeavors of Paetus: Vologaesus forms a compact
+with Corbulo (chapters 21-23).
+
+Seneca, Soranus, Thrasea, Sabina are put to death: Musonius and Cornutus
+are banished (chapters 24-29).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+Nero Aug. (IV), Cornelius Cossus Cossi F. Lentulus. (A.D. 60 = a.u. 813 =
+Seventh of Nero, from Oct. 13th).
+
+Caesonius Paetus, P. Petronius Turpilianus. (A.D. 61 = a.u. 814 = Eighth
+of Nero).
+
+P. Marius Celsus, L. Asinius Gallus. (A.D. 62 = a.u. 815 = Ninth of Nero).
+
+C. Memmius Regulus, L. Verginius Rufus. (A.D. 63 = a.u. 816 = Tenth of
+Nero).
+
+C. Lecanius Bassus, M. Licinius Crassus Frugi. (A.D. 64 = a.u. 817 =
+Eleventh of Nero).
+
+A. Licinius Nerva Silanus, M. Vestinus Atticus. (A.D. 65 = a.u. 818 =
+Twelfth of Nero).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 61 (a.u. 814)] [Sidenote:--1--] While this sport was going
+on at Rome, a terrible disaster had taken place in Britain. Two cities had
+been sacked, eight myriads of Romans and of their allies had perished, and
+the island had been lost. Moreover, all this ruin was brought upon them by
+a woman, a fact which in itself caused them the greatest shame. Heaven
+evidently gave them in advance an indication of the catastrophe. At night
+there was heard to issue from the senate-house foreign jargon mingled with
+laughter and from the theatre outcries with wailing: yet no mortal man had
+uttered the speeches or the groans. Houses under water came to view in the
+river Thames, [Footnote: Compare Tacitus, Annals, XIV, 32 ("visamque
+speciem in aestuario Tamesae subversae Coloniae").] and the ocean between
+the island and Gaul sometimes grew bloody at flood-tide.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] The _casus belli_ lay in the confiscation of the
+money which Claudius had given to the foremost Britons,--Decianus Catus,
+governor of the island, announcing that this must now be sent back. This
+was one reason [Lacuna] [Footnote: It would seem natural to supply "for the
+uprising," as does Reiske.] and another was that Seneca had lent them on
+excellent terms as regards interest a thousand myriads that they did not
+want, [Footnote: The meaning of this phrase ( [Greek: achousin]) is not
+wholly clear. Naber purposes to substitute [Greek: aitousin] ("that they
+were asking for").] and had afterward called in this loan all at once and
+levied on them for it with severity. But the person who most stirred their
+spirits and persuaded them to fight the Romans, who was deemed worthy to
+stand at their head and to have the conduct of the entire war, was a
+British woman, Buduica, [Footnote: Known commonly as Boadicea.] of the
+royal family and possessed of greater judgment than often belongs to
+women. It was she who gathered the army to the number of nearly twelve
+myriads and ascended a tribunal of marshy soil made after the Roman
+fashion. In person she was very tall, with a most sturdy figure and a
+piercing glance; her voice was harsh; a great mass of yellow hair fell
+below her waist and a large golden necklace clasped her throat; wound
+about her was a tunic of every conceivable color and over it a thick
+chlamys had been fastened with a brooch. This was her constant attire. She
+now grasped a spear to aid her in terrifying all beholders and spoke as
+follows:--
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] "You have had actual experience of the difference between
+freedom and slavery. Hence, though some of you previously through
+ignorance of which was better may have been deceived by the alluring
+announcements of the Romans, yet now that you have tried both you have
+learned how great a mistake you made by preferring a self-imposed
+despotism to your ancestral mode of life. You have come to recognize how
+far superior is the poverty of independence to wealth in servitude. What
+treatment have we met with that is not most outrageous, that is not most
+grievous, ever since these men insinuated themselves into Britain? Have we
+not been deprived of our most numerous and our greatest possessions
+entire, while for what remains we must pay taxes? Besides pasturing and
+tilling all the various regions for them do we not contribute a yearly sum
+for our very bodies? How much better it would have been to be sold to
+masters once and for all than to ransom ourselves annually and possess
+empty names of freedom! How much better to have been slain and perish
+rather than go about with subservient heads! Yet what have I said? Even
+dying is not free from expense among them, and you know what fees we
+deposit on behalf of the dead. Throughout the rest of mankind death frees
+even those who are in slavery; only in the case of the Romans do the very
+dead live for their profit. Why is it that though none of us has any
+money,--and how or whence should we get it?,--we are stripped and
+despoiled like a murderer's victims? How should the Romans grow milder in
+process of time, when they have conducted themselves so toward us at the
+very start,--a period when all men show consideration for even newly
+captured beasts?
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] "But, to tell the truth, it is we who have made ourselves
+responsible for all these evils in allowing them so much as to set foot on
+the island in the first place instead of expelling them at once as we did
+their famous Julius Caesar,--yes, in not making the idea of attempting the
+voyage formidable to them, while they were as yet far off, as it was to
+Augustus and to Gaius Caligula. So great an island, or rather in one sense
+a continent encircled by water, do we inhabit, a veritable world of our
+own, and so far are we separated by the ocean from all the rest of mankind
+that we have been believed to dwell on a different earth and under a
+different sky and some of their wisest men were not previously sure of
+even our exact name. Yet for all this we have been scorned and trampled
+under foot by men who know naught else than how to secure gain. Still, let
+us even at this late day, if not before, fellow-citizens, friends and
+relatives,--for I deem you all relatives, in that you inhabit a single
+island and are called by [Footnote: Reading [Greek: chechlaemenous](van
+Herwerden).] one common name,--let us do our duty while the memory of
+freedom still abides within us, that we may leave both the name and the
+fact of it to our children. For if we utterly lose sight of the happy
+conditions amid which we were born and bred, what pray will they do,
+reared in bondage?
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] "This I say not to inspire you with a hatred of present
+circumstances,--that hatred is already apparent,--nor with a fear of the
+future,--that fear you already have,--but to commend you because of your
+own accord you choose to do just what you ought, and to thank you for
+cooperating so readily with me and your own selves at once. Be nowise
+afraid of the Romans. They are not more numerous than are we nor yet
+braver. And the proof is that they have protected themselves with helmets
+and breastplates and greaves and furthermore have equipped their camps
+with palisades and walls and ditches to make sure that they shall suffer
+no harm by any hostile assault. [Footnote: Corruptions in the text emended
+by Reiske.] Their fears impel them to choose this method rather than
+engage in any active work like us. We enjoy such a superabundance of
+bravery that we regard tents as safer than walls and our shields as
+affording greater protection than their whole suits of mail. As a
+consequence, we when victorious can capture them and when overcome by
+force can elude them. And should we ever choose to retreat, we can conceal
+ourselves in swamps and mountains so inaccessible that we can be neither
+found nor taken. The enemy, however, can neither pursue any one by reason
+of their heavy armor nor yet flee. And if they ever should slip away from
+us, taking refuge in certain designated spots, there, too, they are sure
+to be enclosed as in a trap. These are some of the respects in which they
+are vastly inferior to us, and others are their inability to bear up under
+hunger, thirst, cold, or heat, as we can; for they require shade and
+protection, they require kneaded bread and wine and oil, and if the supply
+of any of these things fails them they simply perish. For us, on the other
+hand, any root or grass serves as bread, any plant juice as olive oil, any
+water as wine, any tree as a house. Indeed, this very region is to us an
+acquaintance and ally, but to them unknown and hostile. As for the rivers,
+we swim them naked, but they even with boats can not cross easily. Let us
+therefore go against them trusting boldly to good fortune. Let us show
+them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule dogs and wolves."
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] At these words, employing a species of divination, she
+let a hare escape from her bosom, and as it ran in what they considered a
+lucky direction, the whole multitude shouted with pleasure, and Buduica
+raising her hand to heaven, spoke: "I thank thee, Andraste, [Footnote: Not
+much information is preserved regarding this indigenous goddess of
+Britain. Reimar asserts that she is practically identical with Boccharte,
+Astarte, or Venus.] and call upon thee, who are a woman, being myself also
+a woman that rules not burden-bearing Egyptians like Nitocris, nor
+merchant Assyrians like Semiramis (of these things we have heard from the
+Romans), nor even the Romans themselves, as did Messalina first and later
+Agrippina;--at present their chief is Nero, in name a man, in fact a
+woman, as is shown by his singing, his playing the cithara, his adorning
+himself:--but ruling as I do men of Britain that know not how to till the
+soil or ply a trade yet are thoroughly versed in the arts of war and hold
+all things common, even children and wives; wherefore the latter possess
+the same valor as the males: being therefore queen of such men and such
+women I supplicate and pray thee for victory and salvation and liberty
+against men insolent, unjust, insatiable, impious,--if, indeed we ought to
+term those creatures men who wash in warm water, eat artificial dainties,
+drink unmixed wine, anoint themselves with myrrh, sleep on soft couches
+with boys for bedfellows (and past their prime at that), are slaves to a
+zither-player, yes, an inferior zither-player. Wherefore may this
+Domitia-Nero _woman_ reign no more over you or over me: let the wench
+sing and play the despot over the Romans. They surely deserve to be in
+slavery to such a being whose tyranny they have patiently borne already
+this long time. But may we, mistress, ever look to thee alone as our
+head."
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] After an harangue of this general nature Buduica led her
+army against the Romans. The latter chanced to be without a leader for the
+reason that Paulinus their commander had gone on an expedition to Mona, an
+island near Britain. This enabled her to sack and plunder two Roman
+cities, and, as I said, she wrought indescribable slaughter. Persons
+captured by the Britons underwent every form of most frightful treatment.
+The conquerors committed the most atrocious and bestial outrages. For
+instance, they hung up naked the noblest and most distinguished women, cut
+off their breasts and sewed them to their mouths, to make the victims
+appear to be eating them. After that they impaled them on sharp skewers
+run perpendicularly the whole length of the body. All this they did to the
+accompaniment of sacrifices, banquets, and exhibitions of insolence in all
+of their sacred places, but chiefly in the grove of Andate,--that being
+the name of their personification of Victory, to whom they paid the most
+excessive reverence.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] It happened that Paulinus had already brought Mona to
+terms; hence on learning of the disaster in Britain he at once set sail
+thither from Mona. He was unwilling to risk a conflict with the barbarians
+immediately, for he feared their numbers and their frenzy; therefore he
+was for postponing the battle to a more convenient season. But as he grew
+short of food and the barbarians did not desist from pressing him hard, he
+was compelled, though contrary to his plan, to enter into an engagement
+with them. Buduica herself, heading an army of about twenty-three myriads
+of men, rode on a chariot and assigned the rest to their several stations.
+Now Paulinus could not extend his phalanx the width of her whole line,
+for, even if the men had been drawn up only one deep, they would not have
+stretched far enough, so inferior were they in numbers: nor did he dare to
+join battle with one compact force, for fear he should be surrounded and
+cut down. Accordingly, he separated his army into three divisions in order
+to fight at several points at once, and he made each of the divisions so
+strong that it could not easily be broken through. While ordering and
+arranging his men he likewise exhorted them, saying:
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] "Up, fellow-soldiers! Up, men of Rome! Show these pests
+how much even in misfortune we surpass them. It is a shame for you now to
+lose ingloriously what but a short while ago you gained by your valor.
+Often have we ourselves and also our fathers with far fewer numbers than
+we have at the present conquered far more numerous antagonists. Fear not
+the host of them or their rebellion: their boldness rests on nothing
+better than headlong rashness unaided by arms and exercise. Fear not
+because they have set on fire a few cities: they took these not by force
+nor after a battle, but one was betrayed and the other abandoned. Do you
+now exact from them the proper penalty for these deeds, that so they may
+learn by actual experience what they undertook when they wronged such men
+as us."
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] After speaking these words to some he came to a second
+group and said: "Now is the occasion, now, fellow-soldiers, for zeal, for
+daring. If to-day you prove yourselves brave men, you will recover what
+has slipped from your grasp. If you overcome this enemy, no one else will
+any longer withstand us. By one such battle you will both make sure of
+your present possessions and subdue whatever is left. All soldiers
+stationed anywhere else will emulate you and foes will be terror-stricken.
+Therefore, since it is in your own hands either to rule fearlessly all
+mankind, both the nations that your fathers left under your control and
+those which you yourselves have gained in addition, or else to be bereft
+of them utterly, choose rather to be free, to rule, to live in wealth, to
+enjoy prosperity, than through indolence to suffer the reverse of these
+conditions."
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] After making an address of this sort to the group in
+question, he came up to the third division and said also to them: "You
+have heard what sort of acts these wretches have committed against us, nay
+more, you have even seen some of them. Therefore choose either yourselves
+to suffer the same treatment as previous victims and furthermore to be
+driven entirely out of Britain, or else through victory to avenge those
+that perished and also to give to the rest of mankind an example of mild
+clemency toward the obedient, of necessary severity toward the rebellious.
+I entertain the highest hopes of victory for our side, counting on the
+following factors: first, the assistance of the gods; they usually
+cooperate with the party that has been wronged: second, our inherited
+bravery; we are Romans and have shown ourselves superior to all mankind in
+various instances of valor: next, our experience; we have defeated and
+subdued these very men that are now arrayed against us: last, our good
+name; it is not worthy opponents but our slaves with whom we are coming in
+conflict, persons who enjoyed freedom and self-government only so far as
+we allowed it. Yet even should the outcome prove contrary to our
+hope,--and I will not shrink from mentioning even this contingency,--it is
+better for us to fall fighting bravely than to be captured and impaled, to
+see our own entrails cut out, to be spitted on red hot skewers, to perish
+dissolved in boiling water, when we have fallen into the power of
+creatures that are very beasts, savage, lawless, godless. Let us therefore
+either beat them or die on the spot. Britain shall be a noble memorial to
+us, even though all subsequent Romans should be driven from it; for in any
+case our bodies shall forever possess the land."
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] At the conclusion of exhortations of this sort and
+others like them he raised the signal for battle. Thereupon they
+approached each other, the barbarians making a great outcry intermingled
+with menacing incantations, but the Romans silently and in order until
+they came within a javelin's throw of the enemy. Then, while the foe were
+advancing against them at a walk, the Romans started at a given word and
+charged them at full speed, and when the clash came easily broke through
+the opposing ranks; but, as they were surrounded by the great numbers,
+they had to be fighting everywhere at once. Their struggle took many
+forms. In the first place, light-armed troops might be in conflict with
+light-armed, heavy-armed be arrayed against heavy-armed, cavalry join
+issue with cavalry; and against the chariots of the barbarians the Roman
+archers would be contending. Again, the barbarians would assail the Romans
+with a rush of their chariots, knocking them helter-skelter, but, since
+they fought without breastplates, would be themselves repulsed by the
+arrows. Horseman would upset foot-soldier, and foot-soldier strike down
+horseman; some, forming in close order, would go to meet the chariots, and
+others would be scattered by them; some would come to close quarters with
+the archers and rout them, whereas others were content to dodge their
+shafts at a distance: and all these things went on not at one spot, but in
+the three divisions at once. They contended for a long time, both parties
+being animated by the same zeal and daring. Finally, though late in the
+day, the Romans prevailed, having slain numbers in the battle, beside the
+wagons, or in the wood: they also captured many alive. Still, not a few
+made their escape and went on to prepare to fight a second time.
+Meanwhile, however, Buduica fell sick and died. The Britons mourned her
+deeply and gave her a costly burial; but, as they themselves were this
+time really defeated, they scattered to their homes.--So far the history
+of affairs in Britain.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 62 (a.u. 815)] [Sidenote:--13--] In Rome Nero had before
+this sent away Octavia Augusta, on account of his concubine Sabina, and
+subsequently he put her to death. This he did in spite of the opposition
+of Burrus, who tried to prevent his sending her away, and once said to
+him: "Well, then, give her back her dowry" (by which he meant the
+sovereignty). Indeed, Burrus used such unmitigated frankness that on one
+occasion, when he was asked by the emperor a second time for an opinion on
+matters regarding which he had already made clear his attitude, he
+answered bluntly: "When I have once had my say about anything, don't ask
+me again." So Nero disposed of him by poison. He also appointed to command
+the Pretorians a certain Ofonius Tigillinus, who outstripped all his
+contemporaries in licentiousness and bloodiness. [It was he who won Nero
+away from them and made light of his colleague Rufus.] [Footnote:
+_Foenius Rufus._] To him the famous sentence of Pythias is said to have
+been directed. She had proved the only exception when all the other
+attendants of Octavia had joined Sabina in attacking their mistress,
+despising the one because she was in misfortune and toadying to the other
+because her influence was strong. Pythias alone had refused though cruelly
+tortured to utter lies against Octavia, and finally, as Tigillinus
+continued to urge her, she spat in his face, saying:
+
+  "My mistress's privy parts are cleaner, Tigillinus, than your mouth."
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] The troubles of his relatives Nero turned into laughter
+and jest. For instance, after killing Plautus [Footnote: _Rubellirs
+Plautus_.] he took a look at his head when it was brought to him and
+remarked: "I didn't know he had such a big nose," as much as to say that
+he would have spared him, had he been aware of this fact beforehand. And
+though he spent practically his whole existence in tavern life, he forbade
+others to sell in taverns anything boiled save vegetables and pea-soup. He
+put Pallas out of the way because the latter had accumulated great wealth
+that could be counted by the ten thousand myriads. Likewise he was very
+liable to peevishness that showed in his behavior, and at such times he
+would not speak a word to his servants or freedmen but write on tablets
+whatever he wanted as well as any orders that he had to give them.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 63 (a.u. 816)] [Sidenote:--15--] Indeed, when many of
+those who had gathered at Antium perished, Nero made that, too, an
+occasion for a festival.
+
+A certain Thrasea gave his opinion to the effect that for a senator the
+extreme penalty should be exile.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 64 (a.u. 817)] To such lengths did
+Nero's self-indulgence go that he actually drove chariots in public.
+Again, one time after the slaughter of beasts he straightway brought water
+into the theatre by means of pipes and produced a sea-fight: then he let
+the water out again and arranged a gladiatorial combat. Last of all he
+flooded the place once more and gave a costly public banquet. The person
+who had been appointed director of the banquet was Tigillinus, and a large
+and complete equipment had been furnished. The arrangements made were as
+follows. In the center and resting on the water were placed the great
+wooden wine vessels, over which boards had been fastened. Round about it
+had been built taverns and booths. Thus Nero and Tigillinus and their
+fellow-banqueters, being in the center, held their feast on purple carpets
+and soft mattresses, while all the other people caroused in the taverns.
+These also entered the brothels, where unrestrictedly they might enjoy
+absolutely any woman to be found there. Now the latter were some of the
+most beautiful and distinguished in the city, both slaves and free, some
+hetaerae, some virgins, some wives,--not merely, that is to say, public
+wenches, but both girls and women of the very noblest families. Every man
+was given authority to have whichever one he wished, for the women were
+not allowed to refuse any one. Consequently, the multitude being a regular
+rabble, they drank greedily and reveled in wanton conduct. So a slave
+debauched his mistress in the presence of his master and a gladiator
+ravished a girl of noble family while her father looked on. The shoving
+and striking and uproar that went on, first on the part of those who were
+going in and second on the part of those who stood around outside, was
+disgraceful. Many men met their death in these encounters, and of the
+women some were strangled and some were seized and carried off.
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] After this Nero had the wish (or rather it had always
+been a fixed purpose of his) to make an end of the whole city and
+sovereignty during his lifetime. Priam he deemed wonderfully happy in that
+he had seen his country perish at the same moment as his authority.
+Accordingly he sent in different directions men feigning to be drunk or
+engaged in some indifferent species of rascality and at first had one or
+two or more blazes quietly kindled in different quarters: people, of
+course, fell into the utmost confusion, not being able to find any
+beginning of the trouble nor to put any end to it, and meanwhile they
+became aware of many strange sights and sounds. For soon there was nothing
+to be observed but many fires as in a camp, and no other phrases fell from
+men's lips but "This or that is burning "; "Where?"; "How?"; "Who set
+it?"; "To the rescue!" An extraordinary perturbation laid hold on all
+wherever they might be, and they ran about as if distracted, some in one
+direction and some in another. Some men in the midst of assisting their
+neighbors would learn that their own premises were on fire. Others
+received the first intimation of their own possessions being aflame when
+informed that they were destroyed. Persons would run from their houses
+into the lanes with some idea of being of assistance from the outside, or
+again they would dash into the dwellings from the streets, appearing to
+think they could accomplish something inside. The shouting and screaming
+of children, women, men, and graybeards all together were incessant, so
+that one could have no consciousness nor comprehension of anything by
+reason of the smoke and shouting combined. On this account some might be
+seen standing speechless, as if dumb. All this time many who were carrying
+out their goods and many more who were stealing what belonged to others
+kept encountering one another and falling over the merchandise. It was not
+possible to get anywhere, nor yet to stand still; but people pushed and
+were pushed back, they upset others and were themselves upset, many were
+suffocated, many were crushed: in fine, no evil that can possibly happen
+to men at such a crisis failed to befall them. They could not with ease
+find even any avenue of escape, and, if any one did save himself from some
+immediate danger, he usually fell into another one and was lost.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] This did not all take place on one day, but lasted for
+several days and nights together. Many houses were destroyed through lack
+of some one to defend them and many were set on fire in still more places
+by persons who presumably came to the rescue. For the soldiers (including
+the night watch), having an eye upon plunder, instead of extinguishing any
+blaze kindled greater conflagrations. While similar scenes were being
+enacted at various points a sudden wind caught the fire and swept it over
+whatever remained. Consequently no one concerned himself any longer about
+goods or houses, but all the survivors, standing in a place of safety,
+gazed upon what seemed to be many islands and cities burning. There was no
+longer any grief over individual losses, for it was swallowed up in the
+public lamentation, as men reminded one another how once before most of
+their city had been similarly laid waste by the Gauls. [Sidenote:--18--]
+While the whole population was in this state of mind and many crazed by
+the disaster were leaping into the blaze itself, Nero mounted to the roof
+of the palace, where nearly the whole conflagration could be taken in by a
+sweeping glance, and having assumed the lyrist's garb he sang the Taking
+(as he said) of Ilium, which, to the ordinary vision, however, appeared to
+be the Taking of Rome.
+
+The calamity which the city at this time experienced has no parallel
+before or since, except in the Gallic invasion. The whole Palatine hill,
+the theatre of Taurus, and nearly two-thirds of the remainder of the city
+were burned and countless human beings perished. The populace invoked
+curses upon Nero without intermission, not uttering his name but simply
+cursing those who had set the city on fire: and this was especially the
+case because they were disturbed by the memory of the oracle chanted in
+Tiberius's day. These were the words:--
+
+  "Thrice three hundred cycles of tireless years being ended, Civil strife
+  shall the Romans destroy." [Footnote: Compare Book Fifty-seven, chapter
+  18.]
+
+And when Nero by way of encouraging them reported that these verses were
+nowhere to be found, they changed and went to repeating another oracle,
+which they averred to be a genuine Sibylline production, namely:--
+
+  "Last of the sons of Aeneas a matricide shall govern."
+
+And so it proved, whether this was actually revealed beforehand by some
+divination or whether the populace now for the first time gave it the form
+of a divine saying adapted to existing circumstances. For Nero was indeed
+the last emperor of the Julian line descended from Aeneas.
+
+He now began to collect vast sums from both individuals and nations,
+sometimes using compulsion, with the conflagration for his excuse, and
+sometimes obtaining it by "voluntary" offers; and the mass of the Romans
+had the food supply fund withdrawn.
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] While he was so engaged, he received news from Armenia
+and soon after a laurel wreath in honor of victory. The scattered bodies
+of soldiery in that region had been united by Corbulo, who trained them
+sedulously after a period of neglect, and then by the very report of his
+coming had terrified both Vologaesus, king of Parthia, and Tiridates,
+chief of Armenia. He resembled the primitive Romans in that besides coming
+of a brilliant family and besides possessing much strength of body he was
+still further gifted with a shrewd intelligence: and he behaved with great
+bravery, with great fairness, and with great good faith toward all, both
+friends and enemies. For these reasons Nero had despatched him to the
+scene of war in his own stead and had entrusted to him a larger force than
+to anybody else, being equally assured that the man would subdue the
+barbarians and would not revolt against him. And Corbulo proved neither of
+these assumptions false.
+
+All other men, however, had it as a particular grievance against him that
+he kept faith with Nero. They were very anxious to get him as emperor in
+place of the actual despot, and this conduct of his seemed to them his
+only defect.
+
+[Sidenote:--20--] Corbulo, accordingly, had taken Artaxata without a
+struggle and had razed the city to the ground. This exploit finished, he
+marched in the direction of Tigranocerta, sparing all the districts that
+yielded themselves but devastating the lands of all such as resisted him.
+Tigranocerta submitted to him voluntarily, and he performed other
+brilliant and glorious deeds, as a result of which he induced the
+formidable Vologaesus to accept terms that accorded with the Roman
+reputation. [For Vologaesus, on hearing that Nero had assigned Armenia to
+others and that Adiabene was being ravaged by Tigranes, made preparations
+himself to go on a campaign into Syria against Corbulo, but sent into
+Armenia Monobazus, king of Adiabene, and Monaeses, a Parthian. These two
+had shut up Tigranes in Tigranocerta. But since they did not succeed in
+harming him at all by their siege and as often as they tried conclusions
+with him were repulsed by both the native troops and the Romans that were
+in his army, and since Corbulo guarded Syria with extreme care, Vologaesus
+recognized the hopelessness of his attempt and disbanded his forces. Then
+he sent to Corbulo and obtained peace on condition that he send a new
+embassy to Nero, raise the siege, and withdraw his soldiers from Armenia.
+Nero made him no immediate nor speedy nor definite reply, but despatched
+Lucius Caesennius Paetus to Cappadocia to see to it that there should be
+no Armenian uprising.]
+
+[Sidenote:--21--] [So Vologaesus attacked Tigranocerta and drove back
+Paetus, who had come to its aid. When the latter fled he pursued him, beat
+back the garrison left by Paetus at the Taurus, and shut him up in
+Rhandea, near the river Arsanias. Then he was on the point of retiring
+without accomplishing anything; for destitute as he was of heavy-armed
+soldiers he could not approach close to the wall, and he had no large
+stock of provender, particularly as he had come at the head of a vast host
+without making arrangements for food supplies. Paetus, however, stood in
+terror of his archery, which took effect in the very camp itself, as well
+as of the cavalry, which kept appearing at all points. Hence he made peace
+proposals to his antagonist, accepted his terms, and took an oath that he
+would himself abandon all of Armenia and that Nero should give it to
+Tiridates. The Parthian was satisfied enough with this agreement, seeing
+that he was to obtain control of the country without a contest and would
+be making the Romans his debtors for a very considerable kindness. And, as
+he learned that Corbulo (whom Paetus several times sent for before he was
+surrounded) was drawing near, he dismissed the beleaguered soldiers,
+having first made them agree to build a bridge over the river Arsanias for
+him. He was not really in need of a bridge, for he had crossed on foot,
+but he wished to give them a practical example of the fact that he was
+stronger than they. Indeed, he did not retire by way of the bridge even on
+this occasion, but rode across on an elephant, while the rest got over as
+before.
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] The capitulation had scarcely been made when Corbulo
+with inconceivable swiftness reached the Euphrates and there waited for
+the retreating force. When the two armies approached each other you would
+have been struck with the difference between them and between their
+generals: one set were fairly aglow with delight at their rapidity; the
+others were grieved and ashamed of their compact. Vologaesus sent Monaeses
+to Corbulo with the demand that the newcomer should give up the fort in
+Mesopotamia. So they held a prolonged conference together right at the
+bridge crossing the Euphrates, after first destroying the center of the
+structure. Corbulo having promised to leave the country if the Parthian
+would also abandon Armenia, both of these things were done temporarily
+until Nero could learn the outcome of the engagements and begin
+negotiations with the envoys of Vologaesus, whom the latter had sent a
+second time. The answer given them by the emperor was that he would bestow
+Armenia upon Tiridates if this aspirant would come to Rome. Paetus was
+deposed from his command and the soldiers that had been with him were sent
+somewhere else. Corbulo was again assigned to the war against the same
+foes. Nero had intended to accompany the expedition in person, but after
+falling down during the ceremony of sacrificing he would not venture to go
+abroad but remained where he was.]
+
+[Sidenote:--23--] [Corbulo therefore officially prepared for war upon
+Vologaesus and sent a centurion bidding him depart from the country.
+Privately, however, he suggested to the king that he send his brother to
+Rome, and this advice met with acceptance, since Corbulo seemed to have
+the stronger force. Thus it came about that they both, Corbulo and
+Tiridates, met at no other place than Rhandea, which suited them both. It
+appealed to the Parthian because there his people had cut off the Romans
+and had sent them away under a capitulation, a visible proof of the favor
+that had been done them. To the Roman it appealed because his men were
+going to wipe out the ill repute that had attached to them there before.
+For the meeting of the two was not limited merely to conversation; a lofty
+platform had been erected on which were set images of Nero, and in the
+presence of crowds of Armenians, Parthians, and Romans Tiridates
+approached and did them reverence; after sacrificing to them and calling
+them by laudatory names he took off the diadem from his head and set it
+upon them. Monobazus and Vologaesus also came to Corbulo and gave him
+hostages. In honor of this event Nero was a number of times saluted as
+imperator and held a triumph, contrary to precedent.] But Corbulo in spite
+of the large force that he had and the very considerable reputation that
+he enjoyed did not rebel and was never accused of rebellion. He might
+easily have been made emperor, since men thoroughly detested Nero but all
+admired him in every way. [In addition to the more striking features of
+his submissive behavior he voluntarily sent to Rome his son-in-law Annius,
+who served as his lieutenant; this was done professedly that Annius might
+escort Tiridates back, but in fact this relative stood in the position of
+a hostage to Nero. The latter was so firmly persuaded that his general
+would not revolt that Corbulo obtained his son-in-law as lieutenant
+[Footnote: Reading [Greek: hyparchon] (Boissevain) for [Greek: hypaton].]
+before he had been praetor.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 65 (a.u. 818)] [Sidenote:--24--] Seneca, however, and
+Rufus the prefect and some other prominent men formed a plot against Nero.
+They could no longer endure his ignoble behavior, his licentiousness, and
+his cruelty. They desired at one and the same time to be rid of these
+evils and to give Nero his release from them. Indeed, Sulpicius Asper, a
+centurion, and Subrius Flavius, a military tribune, both belonging to the
+body-guards, admitted this to him point blank. Asper, when interrogated by
+the emperor as to the reason for his attempt, replied: "I could help you
+in no other way." And the response of Flavins was: "I both loved you and
+hated you above all men. I loved you, hoping that you would prove a good
+emperor: I have hated you because you do so-and-so. I can not be slave to
+charioteer or lyre-player."--Information was lodged and these men were
+punished, besides many others indirectly associated with them. Everything
+in the nature of a complaint that could be entertained against any one for
+excessive joy or grief, for words or gestures, was brought forward and was
+believed. Not one of these complaints, even if fictitious, could be
+refused credence in view of Nero's actual deeds. Hence conscienceless
+friends and house servants of some men flourished greatly. Persons guarded
+against strangers and foes,--for of these they were suspicious,--but were
+bound to expose themselves whether they would or no to their associates.
+
+[Sidenote:--25--] It would be no small task to record details about most
+of those that perished, but the fate of Seneca needs a few words by
+itself. It was his wish to end the life of his wife Paulina at the same
+time with his own, for he declared that he had taught her to despise death
+and that she desired to leave the world in company with him. So he opened
+her veins as well as his own. As he failed, however, to yield readily to
+death, his end was hastened by the soldiers; and his dying so speedily
+enabled Paulina to survive. He did not lay hands upon himself, however,
+until he had revised the book which he had composed and had deposited with
+various persons certain other valued possessions which he feared might
+come into Nero's hands and be destroyed. Thus was Seneca forced to part
+with life in spite of the fact that he had on the pretext of illness
+abandoned the society of the emperor and had bestowed upon him his entire
+property, supposedly to help defray the expense of necessary building
+operations. His brothers, too, perished after him.
+
+[Sidenote:--26--] Likewise Thrasea and Soranus, who had no superiors in
+family, wealth, and every excellence, met their death not because they
+were accused of conspiracy but because they were what they were. Against
+Soranus Publius Egnatius Celer, a philosopher, gave false evidence. The
+victim had had two associates,--Cassius Asclepiodotus of Nicaea and this
+Publius of Berytus. Now Asclepiodotus so far from speaking against Soranus
+bore witness to his noble qualities; he was at the time exiled for his
+pains, but later, under Galba, was restored. Publius in return for his
+services as blackmailer received money and honors (as did others of the
+same profession), but subsequently he was banished. Soranus was slain on
+the charge of having caused his daughter to employ a species of magic, the
+foundation for this story being that when he was sick his family had
+offered some sacrifices. Thrasea was executed for not appearing regularly
+at the senate-house, thus showing that he did not like the measures
+passed, for not listening to the emperor's singing and zither-playing, for
+not sacrificing to Nero's Divine Voice as did the rest, and for not giving
+any public exhibitions: for it was remarked that at Patavium, his native
+place, he had acted in a tragedy given in pursuance of some old custom at
+a festival held every thirty years. As he made the incision in his artery,
+he raised his hand, exclaiming: "To thee, Jupiter, patron of freedom, I
+pour this libation of blood."
+
+
+[Sidenote:--27--] [And Junius Torquatus, a descendant of Augustus, made
+himself liable to a most strange indictment. He had squandered his
+property in a rather lavish way, whether following his native bent or with
+the intention of not being very rich. Nero therefore declared that, as he
+lacked many things, he must be covetous of the goods of others, and
+consequently caused a fictitious charge to be brought against him of
+aspiring to imperial power.]
+
+And why should one be surprised that such complaints
+were fastened upon them, [Footnote: A slight gap in the MS. exists here,
+filled by a doubtful conjecture of Boissevain's.] seeing that one man
+[Footnote: _Salvidienus Orfitus_ (according to Suetonius, Life of
+Nero, chap. 37).] was brought to trial and slain for living near the
+Forum, for letting out some shops, or for receiving a few friends in them;
+and another [Footnote: _C. Cassius Longinus_ (ibid)..] because he
+possessed a likeness of Cassius, the murderer of Caesar?
+
+The conduct of a woman named Epicharis also deserves mention. She had been
+included in the conspiracy and all its details had been trusted to her
+without reserve; yet she revealed none of these though often tortured in
+all the ways that the skill of Tigillinus could devise. And why should one
+enumerate the sums given to the Pretorians on the occasion of this
+conspiracy or the excessive honors voted to Nero and his friends? Let me
+say only that it led to the banishment of Rufus Musonius, the philosopher.
+Sabina also perished at this time through an act of Nero's. Either
+accidentally or intentionally he had given her a violent kick while she
+was pregnant.
+
+[Sidenote:--28--] The extremes of luxury indulged in by this Sabina I will
+indicate in the briefest possible terms. She had gilded girths put upon
+the mules that carried her and caused five hundred asses that had recently
+foaled to be milked each day that she might bathe in their milk. She
+devoted great thought to making her person appear youthful and lustrously
+beautiful,--and with brilliant results; and this is why, not fancying her
+appearance in a mirror one day, she prayed that she might die before she
+passed her prime. Nero missed her so that [after her death, at first, on
+learning that there was a woman resembling her he sent for and kept this
+female: later] because a boy of the _liberti_ class, named Sporus,
+resembled Sabina, he had him castrated and used him in every way like a
+woman; and in due time he formally married him though he [Nero] was
+already married to a freedman Pythagoras. He assigned the boy a regular
+dowry according to contract, and Romans as well as others held a public
+celebration of their wedding.
+
+While Nero had Sporus the eunuch as a wife, one of his associates in Rome,
+who had made a specialty of philosophy, on being asked whether the
+marriage and cohabitation in question met with his approval replied: "You
+do well, Caesar, to seek the company of such wives. If only your father
+had had the same ambition and had dwelt with a similar
+consort!"--indicating that if this had been the case, Nero would not have
+been born, and the government would have been relieved of great evils.
+
+This was, however, later. At the time with which we are immediately
+concerned many, as I stated, were put to death and many who purchased
+their preservation with Tigillinus with a great price were released.
+
+[Sidenote:--29--] Nero continued to commit many ridiculous acts, among
+which may be cited his descending at a kind of popular festival to the
+orchestra of the theatre, where he read some Trojan lays of his own: and
+in honor of these there were offered numerous sacrifices, as there were
+over everything else that he did. He was now making preparations to
+compile in verse a narration of all the achievements of the Romans: before
+composing any of it, however, he began to consider the proper number of
+books, and took as his adviser Annaeus Cornutus, who at this time was
+famed for his learning. This man he came very near putting to death and
+did deport to an island, because, while some were urging him to write four
+hundred books, Cornutus said that was too many and nobody would read them.
+And when some one objected: "Yet Chrysippus, whom you praise and imitate,
+has composed many more," the savant retorted: "But they are a help to the
+conduct of men's lives." So Cornutus was punished with exile for this. And
+Lucanus was enjoined from writing poetry because he was securing great
+praise for his work.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+63
+
+Nero, receiving Tiridates with imposing state, places a crown upon his
+head (chapters 1-7).
+
+He journeys to Greece in order to become Periodonikes (chapters 8-10).
+
+With the help of Tigillinus and Crispinilla he lays Greece waste: Helius
+and Polycletus perform the same office for Rome and Italy (chapters 11,
+12).
+
+Nero's marriages and abominations with Sporus and Pythagoras (chapter 13).
+
+His victories and proclamation: frenzy against Apollo: hatred toward the
+senators (chapters 14, 15).
+
+Digging a canal through the Isthmus (chapter 16).
+
+Demise of the Scribonii, of Corbulo, of Paris, of the Sulpicii (chapters
+17, 18).
+
+At the solicitation of Helius, Nero returning conducts an Iselasticum
+triumph (chapters 19-21).
+
+Vindex's conspiracy against Nero, and his extinction (chapters 22-24).
+
+Rufus, saluted as Caesar and Augustus, refuses the sovereignty (chapter
+25).
+
+Nero's flight and demise (chapters 26-29).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+C. Lucius Telesinus, C. Suetonius Paulinus. (A.D. 66 = a.u. 819 =
+Thirteenth of Nero, from Oct. 13th).
+
+Fonteius Capito, Iunius Rufus. (A.D. 67 = a.u. 820 = Fourteenth of Nero).
+
+C. Silius Italicus, Galerius Trachalus Turpilianus. (A.D. 68 = a.u. 821,
+to June 9th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 66 (a.u. 819)] [Sidenote:--1--] In the consulship
+of Gaius Telesinus and Suetonius Paulinus one event of great glory and
+another of deep disgrace took place. For one thing Nero contended among
+the zither-players, and after Menecrates, [Footnote: This proper name is
+the result of an emendation by Reimar.]the teacher of this art, had
+celebrated a triumph for him in the hippodrome, he appeared as a
+charioteer. For the other, Tiridates presented himself in Rome, bringing
+with him not only his own children but those of Vologaesus, of Pacorus,
+and of Monobazus. They were the objects of interest in a quasi-triumphal
+procession through the whole country west from the Euphrates.
+[Sidenote:--2--] Tiridates himself was in the prime of life, a notable
+figure by reason of his youth, beauty, family, and intelligence: and his
+whole train of servants together with the entourage of a royal court
+accompanied the advance. Three thousand Parthian horsemen and besides them
+numerous Romans followed his train. They were received by gaily decorated
+cities and by peoples who shouted their compliments aloud. Provisions were
+furnished them free of cost, an expenditure of twenty myriads for their
+daily support being thus charged to the public treasury. This went on
+without change for the nine months occupied in their journey. The prince
+covered the whole distance to the confines of Italy on horseback and
+beside him rode his wife, wearing a golden helmet in place of a veil, so
+as not to defy the traditions of her country by letting her face be seen.
+In Italy he was conveyed in a two-horse carriage sent by Nero and met the
+emperor at Naples, which he reached by way of the Picentes. He refused,
+however, to obey the order to put down his dagger when he approached the
+Roman monarch, and he nailed it firmly to the scabbard. Yet he knelt upon
+the ground, and with arms crossed called him master and did obeisance.
+[Sidenote:--3--] Nero manifested his approbation of this act and
+entertained him in many ways, one of which was a gladiatorial show at
+Puteoli. The person who directed the contests was Patrobius, one of his
+freedmen. He managed to make it a brilliant and costly affair, as is shown
+by the fact that on one of the days not a person but Ethiopians, men,
+women, and children, appeared in the theatre. By way of showing Patrobius
+some proper honor Tiridates shot at beasts from his elevated seat. And, if
+we may trust the report, he transfixed and killed two bulls together with
+one arrow.
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] After this affair Nero took him up to Rome and set the
+diadem upon his head. The entire city had been decorated with lights and
+garlands, and great crowds of people were to be seen everywhere, the
+Forum, however, being especially full. The center was occupied by the
+populace, arranged according to rank, clad in white and carrying laurel
+branches: everywhere else were the soldiers, arrayed in shining armor,
+their weapons and standards reflecting back the sunbeams. The very roof
+tiles of the buildings in this vicinity were completely hidden from view
+by the spectators who had ascended to these points of vantage. Everything
+was in readiness by the time night drew to a close and at daybreak Nero,
+wearing the triumphal garb and accompanied by the senate and the
+Pretorians, entered the Forum. He ascended the rostra and seated himself
+upon the chair of state. Next Tiridates and his suite passed through rows
+of heavy-armed men drawn up on each side, took their stand close to the
+rostra, and did obeisance to the emperor as they had done before.
+[Sidenote:--5--] At this a great roar went up which so alarmed Tiridates
+that for some moments he stood speechless, in terror of his life. Then,
+silence having been proclaimed, he recovered courage and quelling his
+pride made himself subservient to the occasion and to his need, caring
+little how humbly he spoke, in view of the prize he hoped to obtain. These
+were his words: "Master, I am the descendant of Arsaces, brother of the
+princes Vologaesus and Pacorus, and thy slave. And I have come to thee, my
+deity, to worship thee as I do Mithra. The destiny thou spinnest for me
+shall be mine: for thou art my Fortune and my Fate."
+
+Nero replied to him as follows: "Well hast thou done to come hither in
+person, that present in my presence thou mayest enjoy my benefits. For
+what neither thy father left thee nor thy brothers gave and preserved for
+thee, this do I grant thee. King of Armenia I now declare thee, that both
+thou and they may understand that I have power to take away kingdoms and
+to bestow them." At the end of these words he bade him come up the
+inclined plane built for this very purpose in front of the rostra, and
+Tiridates having been made to sit beneath his feet he placed the diadem
+upon his head. At this there was no end of shouts of all sorts.
+[Sidenote:--6--] According to decree there also took place a celebration
+in the theatre. Not merely the stage but the whole interior of the theatre
+round about had been gilded, and all properties brought in had been
+adorned with gold, so that people came to refer to the very day as
+"golden." The curtains stretched across the sky-opening to keep off the
+sun were of purple and in the centre of them was an embroidered figure of
+Nero driving a chariot, with golden stars gleaming all about him. So much
+for the setting: and of course they had a costly banquet.
+
+Afterward Nero sang publicly with zither accompaniment and drove a
+chariot, clad in the costume of the Greens and wearing a charioteer's
+helmet. This made Tiridates disgusted with him; but for Corbulo the
+visitor had only praise and deemed the one thing against him to be that he
+would put up with such a master. Indeed, he made no concealment of his
+views to Nero's face, but one day said to him: "Master, you have in
+Corbulo a good slave." The person addressed, however, did not comprehend
+his speech.--In all other matters he flattered the emperor and ingratiated
+himself most skillfully, with the result that he received all kinds of
+gifts, said to have possessed in the aggregate a value of five thousand
+myriads, and obtained permission to rebuild Artaxata. Moreover, he took
+with him from Rome many artisans, some of whom he got from Nero, and some
+whom he persuaded by offers of high wages. Corbulo, however, would not let
+them all cross into Armenia, but only the ones whom Nero had given him.
+That caused Tiridates to admire him all the more and to despise his chief.
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] The return was made not by the same route as he followed
+in coming,--through Illyricum and north of the Ionian Gulf,--but instead
+he sailed from Brundusium to Dyrrachium. He viewed also the cities of
+Asia, which helped to increase his amazement at the strength and beauty of
+the Roman empire.
+
+Tiridates one day viewed an exhibition of pancratium. One of the
+contestants fell to the ground and was being pummeled by his opponent.
+When the prince saw it, he exclaimed: "That's an unfair contest. It isn't
+fair that a man who has fallen should be beaten."
+
+On rebuilding Artaxata Tiridates named it Neronia. But Vologaesus though
+often summoned refused to come to Nero, and finally, when the latter's
+invitations became burdensome to him, sent back a despatch to this effect:
+"It is far easier for you than for me to traverse so great a body of
+water. Therefore, if you will come to Asia, we can then arrange [where we
+shall be able] to meet each other." [Such was the message which the
+Parthian wrote at last.]
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] Nero though angry at him did not sail against him, nor
+yet against the Ethiopians or the Caspian Pylae, as he had intended. [He
+saw that the subjugation of these regions demanded time and labor and
+hoped that they would submit to him of their own accord:] and he sent
+spies to both places. But he did cross over into Greece, not at all as
+Flamininus or Mummius or as Agrippa and Augustus his ancestors had done,
+but for the purpose of chariot racing, of playing and singing, of making
+proclamations, and of acting in tragedies. Rome was not enough for him,
+nor Pompey's theatre, nor the great hippodrome, but he desired also a
+foreign tour, in order to become, as he said, victor in all the four
+contests. [Footnote: Literally "victor of the periodos." This was a name
+applied to an athlete who had conquered in the Pythian, Isthmian, Nemean
+and Olympian games.] And a multitude not only of Augustans but of other
+persons were taken with him, large enough, if it had been a hostile host,
+to have subdued both Parthians and all other nations. But they were the
+kind you would have expected Nero's soldiers to be, and the arms they
+carried were zithers and plectra, masks and buskins. The victories Nero
+won were such as befitted that sort of army, and he overcame Terpnus and
+Diodorus and Pammenes, instead of Philip or Perseus or Antiochus. It is
+probable that his purpose in forcing the Pammenes referred to, who had
+been in his prime in the reign of Gaius, to compete in spite of his age,
+was that he might overcome him and vent his dislike in abuse of his
+statues.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 67 (?)] [Sidenote:--9--] Had he done only this, he would
+have been the subject of ridicule. So how could one endure to hear about,
+let alone seeing, an emperor, an Augustus, listed on the program among the
+contestants, training his voice, practicing certain songs, wearing long
+hair on his head but with his chin shaven, throwing his toga over his
+shoulder in the races, walking about with one or two attendants, eyeing
+his adversaries suspiciously and ever and anon throwing out a word to them
+in the midst of a boxing match; how he dreaded the directors of the games
+and the wielders of the whip and spent money on all of them secretly to
+avoid being shown up in his true colors and whipped; and how all that he
+did to make himself victor in the citharoedic contest only contributed to
+his defeat in the Contest of the Caesars? How find words to denounce the
+wickedness of this proscription in which it was not [Footnote: [Greek: oi]
+supplied by Reiske.] Sulla that bulletined the names of others, but Nero
+bulletined his own name? What victory less deserves the name than that by
+which one receives the olive, the laurel, the parsley, or the fir-tree
+garland, and loses the political crown? And why should one bewail these
+acts of his alone, seeing that he also by treading on the high-soled
+buskins lowered himself from his eminence of power, and by hiding behind
+the mask lost the dignity of his sovereignty to beg in the guise of a
+runaway slave, to be led like a blind man, to conceive, to bear children,
+to go mad [to drive a chariot], as he acted out time after time the story
+of Oedipus, and of Thyestes, of Heracles and Alemeon, and of Orestes? The
+masks he wore were sometimes made to resemble the characters and sometimes
+had his own likeness. The women's masks were all fashioned to conform to
+the features of Sabina [in order that though dead she might still move in
+stately procession. All the situations that common actors simulate in
+their acting he, too, would undertake to present, by speech, by action, by
+being acted upon,--save only that] golden chains were used to bind him:
+apparently it was not thought proper for a Roman emperor to be bound in
+iron shackles.
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] All this behavior, nevertheless, the soldiers and all
+the rest saw, endured, and approved. They entitled him Pythian Victor,
+Olympian Victor, National Victor, Absolute Victor, besides all the usual
+expressions, and of course added to these names the honorific designations
+belonging to his imperial office, so that every one of them had "Caesar"
+and "Augustus" as a tag.
+
+He conceived a dislike for a certain man because while he was speaking the
+man frowned and was not overlavish of his praises; and so he drove him
+away and would not let him come into his presence. He persisted in his
+refusal to grant him audience, and when the person asked: "Where shall I
+go, then?" Phoebus, Nero's freedman, replied: "To the deuce!"
+
+No one of the people ventured either to pity or to hate the wretched
+creature. One of the soldiers, to be sure, on seeing him bound, grew
+indignant, ran up, and set him free. Another in reply to a question: "What
+is the emperor doing?" had to answer: "He is in labor pains," for Nero was
+then acting the part of Canace. Not one of them conducted himself in a way
+at all worthy of a Roman. Instead, because so much money fell to their
+share, they offered prayers that he might give many such performances and
+they in this way get still more.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] And if things had merely gone on like this, the affair,
+while being a source of shame and of ridicule alike, would still have been
+deemed free from danger. But as a fact he devastated the whole of Greece
+precisely as if he had been despatched to some war and without regard to
+the fact that he had declared the country free, also slaying great numbers
+[of men, women and children. At first he commanded the children and
+freedmen of those who were executed to leave him half their property at
+their death, and allowed the original victims to make wills in order to
+make it seem less likely that he had killed them for their money; and he
+invariably took all that was bequeathed to him, if not more. In case any
+one left to him or to Tigillinus less than they were expecting, the wills
+were of no avail.--Later he deprived persons of their _entire_
+property and banished all their children at once by one decree. Not even
+this satisfied him, but he destroyed not a few of the exiles.] For no one
+could begin to enumerate all the confiscated possessions of men allowed to
+live and all the votive offerings that he stole from the very temples in
+Rome. [The despatch-bearers hurried hither and thither with no piece of
+news other than "kill this man!" or that that man was dead. No private
+messages, only state documents, were delivered; for Nero had taken many of
+the foremost men to Greece under pretence of needing some assistance from
+them merely in order that they might perish there. [Sidenote:--12--] The
+whole population of Rome and Italy he surrendered like captives to a
+certain Helius, a Caesarian. The latter had been given absolutely complete
+authority, so that he might confiscate, banish, and put to death (even
+before notifying Nero) ordinary persons, knights, and senators alike.]
+
+Thus the Roman domain was at that time a slave to two emperors at
+once,--Nero and Helius; and I do not feel able to say which was the worse.
+In most respects they behaved entirely alike, and the one point of
+difference was that the descendant of Augustus was emulating
+zither-players, whereas the freedman of Claudius was emulating Caesars. I
+consider the acts of Tigillinus as a part of Nero's career because he was
+constantly with him: but Polyclitus and Calvia Crispinilla by themselves
+plundered, sacked, despoiled all the places they could get at. The former
+was associated with Helius at Rome, and the latter with Sabina, born
+Sporus. Calvia had been entrusted with the care of the boy and with the
+oversight of the wardrobe, though a woman and of high rank; and she saw to
+it that all were stripped of their possessions.
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] Now Nero called Sporus Sabina not merely on account of
+the fact that by reason of resemblance to her he had been made a eunuch,
+but because the boy like the mistress had been solemnly contracted to him
+in Greece, with Tigillinus to give the bride away, as the law ordained.
+All the Greeks held a festal celebration of their marriage, uttering all
+the customary good wishes (as they could not well help) even to the extent
+of praying that legitimate children might be born to them. After that Nero
+took to himself two bedfellows, Pythagoras to treat as a man and Sporus as
+a woman. The latter, in addition to other forms of address, was termed
+lady, queen, and mistress.
+
+Yet why should one wonder at this, seeing that this monarch would fasten
+naked boys and girls to poles, and then putting on the hide of a wild
+beast would approach them and satisfy his brutal lust under the appearance
+of devouring parts of their bodies? Such were the indecencies of Nero.
+
+When he received the senators he wore a short flowered tunic with muslin
+collar, for he had already begun to transgress precedent in wearing ungirt
+tunics in public. It is stated also that knights belonging to the army
+used in his reign for the first time saddle-cloths during their public
+review.
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] At the Olympic games he fell from the chariot he was
+driving and came very near being crushed to death: yet he was crowned
+victor. In acknowledgment of this favor he gave to the Hellanodikai the
+twenty-five myriads which Galba later demanded back from them. [And to the
+Pythia he gave ten myriads for giving some responses to suit him: this
+money Galba recovered.] Again, whether from vexation at Apollo for making
+some unpleasant predictions to him or because he was merely crazy, he took
+away from the god the territory of Cirrha and gave it to the soldiers. In
+fact, he abolished the oracle, slaying men and throwing them into the rock
+fissure from which the divine _afflatus_ arose. He contended in every
+single city that boasted any contest, and in all cases requiring the
+services of a herald he employed for that purpose Cluvius Rufus, an
+ex-consul. Athens and the Lacedaemonians were exceptions to this rule,
+being the only places that he did not visit at all. He avoided the second
+because of the laws of Lycurgus, which stood in the way of his designs,
+and the former because of the story about the Furies.--The proclamation
+ran: "Nero Caesar wins this contest and crowns the Roman people and his
+world." Possessing according to his own statement a world, he went on
+singing and playing, making proclamations, and acting tragedies.
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] His hatred for the senate was so fierce that he took
+particular pleasure in Vatinius, who kept always saying to him: "I hate
+you, Caesar, for being of senatorial rank."--I have used the exact
+expression that he uttered.--Both the senators and all others were
+constantly subjected to the closest scrutiny in their entrances, their
+exits, their attitudes, their gestures, their outcries. The men that stuck
+constantly by Nero, listened attentively, made their applause distinct,
+were commended and honored: the rest were both degraded and punished, so
+that some, when they could endure it no longer (for they were frequently
+expected to be on the _qui vive_ from early morning until evening),
+would feign to swoon and would be carried out of the theatres as if dead.
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] As an incidental labor connected with his sojourn in
+Greece he conceived a desire to dig a canal across the isthmus of the
+Peloponnesus, and he did begin the task. Men shrank from it, however,
+because, when the first workers touched the earth, blood spouted from it,
+groans and bellowings were heard, and many phantoms appeared. Nero himself
+thereupon grasped a mattock and by throwing up some of the soil fairly
+compelled the rest to imitate him. For this work he sent for a large
+number of men from other nations as well.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] For this and other purposes he needed great sums of
+money; and as he was a promoter of great enterprises and a liberal giver
+and at the same time feared an attack from the persons of most influence
+while he was thus engaged, he destroyed many excellent men. Of most of
+these I shall omit any mention, merely saying that the stock complaint
+under which all of them were brought before him was uprightness, wealth,
+and family: all of them either killed themselves or were slaughtered by
+others. I shall pause to consider only Corbulo and (of the Sulpicii
+Scribonii) Rufus and Proculus. These two deserve attention because they
+were in a way brothers and contemporaries, never doing anything separately
+but united in purpose and in property as they were in family: they had for
+a long time administered the affairs of the Germanies and had come to
+Greece at the summons of Nero, who affected to want something from them. A
+complaint of the kind which that period so prodigally afforded was lodged
+against them. They could obtain no hearing on the matter nor even get
+within sight of Nero; and as this caused them to be slighted by all
+persons without exception, they began to long for death and so met their
+end by slitting open their veins.--And I notice Corbulo, because the
+emperor, after giving him also a most courteous summons and invariably
+calling him (among other names) "father" and "benefactor," then, as this
+general approached Cenchrea, commanded that he be slain before he had even
+entered his presence. Some explain this by saying that Nero was about to
+sing with zither accompaniment and could not endure the idea of being seen
+by Corbulo while he wore the long ungirded tunic. The condemned man, as
+soon as he understood the import of the order, seized a sword, and dealing
+himself a lusty blow exclaimed: "Your due!" Now for the first time in his
+career was he ready to believe that he had done ill both in sparing the
+zither-player and in going to him unarmed.
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] This is the substance of what took place in Greece. Does
+it add much to mention that Nero ordered Paris the dancer killed because
+he wished to learn dancing from him and was disappointed? Or that he
+banished Caecina Tuscus, governor of Egypt, for bathing in the tub that
+had been specially constructed for his coming visit to Alexandria?
+
+In Rome about this same time Helius committed many acts of outrage. One of
+these was his killing of a distinguished man, Sulpicius Camerinus,
+together with his son; the complaint against them was that whereas they
+were called _Pythici_ after some of their ancestors they would not
+abandon possession of this name, thus blaspheming Nero's Pythian victories
+by the use of a similar title.--And when the Augustans offered to build a
+shrine to the emperor worth a thousand librae, the whole equestrian order
+was compelled to help defray the expense they had undertaken.--As for the
+doings of the senate, it would be a task to describe them all in detail.
+For so many sacrifices and days of thanksgiving were announced that the
+whole year would not hold them all.
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] Helius having for some time sent Nero repeated messages
+urging him to return as quickly as possible, when he found that no
+attention was paid to them, went himself to Greece on the seventh day and
+frightened him by saying that a great conspiracy against him was on foot
+in Rome. This news made him embark at double quick rate. There was some
+hope of his perishing in a storm and many rejoiced, but to no purpose: he
+came safely to land. And cause for destroying some few persons was found
+in the very fact that they had prayed and hoped that he might perish.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 68 (a.u. 821)] [Sidenote:--20--] So, when he marched into
+Rome, a portion of the wall was torn down and a section of the gates
+broken in, because some asserted that each of these ceremonies was
+customary upon the return of garlanded victors from the games. First
+entered men wearing the garlands which, had been won, and after them
+others with boards borne aloft on spears, upon which were inscribed the
+name of the set of games, the kind of contest, and a statement that "Nero
+Caesar first of all the Romans from the beginning of the world has
+conquered in it." Next came the victor himself on a triumphal car in which
+Augustus once had celebrated his many victories: he wore a vesture of
+purple sprinkled with gold and a garland of wild olive; he held in his
+hand the Pythian laurel. By his side in the vehicle sat Diodorus the
+Citharoedist. After passing in this manner through the hippodrome and
+through the Forum in company with the soldiers and the knights and the
+senate he ascended the Capitol and proceeded thence to the palace.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 68 (a.u. 821)] The city was all decked with garlands, was
+ablaze with lights and smoky with incense, and the whole population,--the
+senators themselves most of all,--kept shouting aloud: "Vah, Olympian
+Victor! Vah Pythian Victor! Augustus! Augustus! Hail to Nero the Hercules,
+hail to Nero the Apollo!! The one National Victor, the only one from the
+beginning of time! Augustus! Augustus! O, Divine Voice! Blessed are they
+that hear thee!"--Why should I employ circumlocutions instead of letting
+you see their very words? The actual expressions used do not disgrace my
+history: no, the concealment of none of them rather lends it distinction.
+
+[Sidenote:--21--] When he had finished these ceremonies, he announced a
+series of horse-races, and transferring to the hippodrome these crowns and
+all the rest that he had secured by victories in chariot racing, he put
+them about the Egyptian obelisk. The number of them was one thousand eight
+hundred and eight. After doing this he appeared as charioteer.--A certain
+Larcius, a Lydian, approached him with an offer of twenty-five myriads if
+he would play and sing for them. Nero would not take the money, disdaining
+to do anything for pay; and so Tigillinus collected it, as the price of
+not putting Larcius to death. However, the emperor did appear on the stage
+with an accompanied song and he also gave a tragedy. In the equestrian
+contests he was seldom absent, and sometimes he would voluntarily let
+himself be defeated in order to make it more credible that he really won
+at other times.
+
+Dio 62nd Book: "And he inflicted uncounted woes on many cities."
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] This was the kind of life Nero led, this was the way he
+ruled. I shall narrate also how he was put down and driven from his
+throne.
+
+While Nero was still in Greece, the Jews revolted openly and he sent
+Vespasian against them. The inhabitants of Britain and of Gaul, likewise,
+oppressed by the taxes, experienced an even keener distress, which added
+fuel to the already kindled fire of their indignation.
+
+--There was a Gaul named Gaius Julius Vindex [an Aquitanian], descended
+from the native royal race and on his father's side entitled to rank as a
+Roman senator. He was strong of body, had an intelligent mind, was skilled
+in warfare and was full of daring for every enterprise. [He was to the
+greatest degree a lover of freedom and was ambitious; and he stood at the
+head of the Gauls.] Now this Vindex made an assembly of the Gauls, who had
+suffered much during the numerous forced levies of money, and were still
+suffering at Nero's hands. And ascending a tribunal he delivered a long
+and detailed speech against Nero, saying that they ought to revolt from
+the emperor and join him in an attack [upon him],--"because," said he, "he
+has despoiled the whole Roman world, because he has destroyed all the
+flower of their senate, because he debauched and likewise killed his
+mother, and does not preserve even the semblance of sovereignty. Murders,
+seizures and outrages have often been committed and by many other persons:
+but how may one find words to describe the remainder of his conduct as it
+deserves? I have seen, my friends and allies,--believe me,--I have seen
+that man (if he is a man, who married Sporus and was given in marriage to
+Pythagoras) in the arena of the theatre and in the orchestra, sometimes
+with the zither, the loose tunic, the cothurnus, [Footnote: The two kinds
+of footwear mentioned here appear in the Greek as _chothornos_ and
+_embates_ respectively. These words are often synonymous, and both
+may refer, as a rule, to _high_ boots. In the present passage,
+however, some kind of contrast is evidently intended, and the most
+acceptable solution of the question is that given by Sturz, in his
+edition, who says that the _chothornos_ seems to have been used by
+Nero only in singing, whereas he wore the _embates_ (as also the
+mask) while acting.] sometimes with wooden shoes [Footnote: see previous
+footnote] and mask. I have often heard him sing, I have heard him make
+proclamations, I have heard him perform tragedy. I have seen him in
+chains, I have seen him dragged about, pregnant, bearing children, going
+through all the situations of mythology, by speech, by being addressed, by
+being acted upon, by acting. Who, then, will call such a person Caesar and
+emperor and Augustus? Let no one for any consideration so abuse those
+sacred titles. They were held by Augustus and by Claudius. This fellow
+might most properly be termed Thyestes and Oedipus, Alcmeon and Orestes.
+These are the persons he represents on the stage and it is these titles
+that he has assumed rather than the others. Therefore now at length rise
+against him: come to the succor of yourselves and of the Romans; liberate
+the entire world!"
+
+[Sidenote:--23--] Such words falling from the lips of Vindex met with
+entire approval from all. Vindex was not working to get the imperial
+office for himself but chose Servius Sulpicius Galba for that position:
+this man was distinguished for his upright behavior and knowledge of war,
+was governor of Spain, and had a not inconsiderable force. He was also
+nominated by the soldiers as emperor.
+
+It is stated that Nero having offered by proclamation
+two hundred and fifty myriads to the person who should kill Vindex, the
+latter when he heard of it remarked: "The person who kills Nero and brings
+his head to me may take mine in return." That was the sort of man Vindex
+was.
+
+[Sidenote:--24--] Rufus, governor of Germany, set out to make war on
+Vindex; but when he reached Vesontio he sat down to besiege the city, for
+the alleged reason that it had not received him. Vindex came against him
+to the aid of the city and encamped not far off. They then sent messages
+back and forth to each other and finally held a conference together at
+which no one else was present and made a mutual agreement,--against Nero,
+as it was thought. After this Vindex set his army in motion for the
+apparent purpose of occupying the town: and the soldiers of Rufus,
+becoming aware of their approach, and thinking the force was marching
+straight against them, set out without being ordered to oppose their
+progress. They fell upon the advancing troop while the men were off their
+guard and in disarray, and so cut down great numbers of them. Vindex
+seeing this was afflicted with so great grief that he slew himself. For he
+felt, besides, at odds with Heaven itself, in that he had not been able to
+attain his goal in an undertaking of so great magnitude, involving the
+overthrow of Nero and the liberation of the Romans.
+
+This is the truth of the matter. Many afterwards inflicted wounds on his
+body, and so gave currency to the erroneous supposition that they had
+themselves killed him.
+
+[Sidenote:--25--] Rufus mourned deeply his demise, but refused to accept
+the office of emperor, although his soldiers frequently obtained it. He
+was an energetic man and had a large, wide-awake body of troops. His
+soldiers tore down and shattered the image of Nero and called their
+general Caesar and Augustus. When he would not heed them, one of the
+soldiers thereupon quickly inscribed these words on one of his standards.
+He erased the terms, however, and after a great deal of trouble brought
+the men to order and persuaded them to submit the question [Footnote:
+[Greek: ta pragmata] supplied by Polak.] to the senate and the people. It
+is hard to say whether this was merely because he did not deem it right
+for the soldiers to bestow the supreme authority upon any one (for he
+declared this to be the prerogative of the senate and the people), or
+because he was entirely highminded and felt no personal desire for the
+imperial power, to secure which others were willing to do everything.
+
+[Sidenote:--26--] [Nero was informed of the Vindex episode as he was in
+Naples viewing the gymnastic contest just after luncheon. He was naturally
+far from sorry, and leaping from his seat vied in prowess with some
+athlete. He did not hurry back to Rome but merely sent a letter to the
+senate, in which he asked them to regard leniently his non-arrival,
+because he had a sore throat, implying that when he did come he wanted to
+sing to them. And he continued to devote the same care and attention to
+his voice, to his songs, and to the zither tunes, not only just then but
+also subsequently: so he would not try a tone of his intended program. If
+he was at any time compelled by circumstances to make some exclamation,
+yet somebody, reminding him that he was to appear as citharoedist, would
+straightway check and control him.
+
+In general he still behaved in his accustomed manner and
+he was pleased with the news brought him because he had been expecting in
+any event to overcome Vindex and because he thought he had now secured a
+justifiable ground for money-getting and murders. He enjoyed the same
+degree of luxury; and upon the completion and adornment of the heroum of
+Sabina he gave it a brilliant dedication, taking care to have inscribed
+upon it: "The Women have built This to Sabina, the Goddess Venus." And the
+writing told the truth: for the building had been constructed with money
+of which a great part had been stolen from women. Also he had his numerous
+little jokes, of which I shall mention only one, omitting the rest.] One
+night he suddenly summoned in haste the foremost senators and knights,
+apparently to make some communication to them regarding the political
+situation. When they were assembled, he said: "I have discovered a way by
+which the water organ"--I must write exactly what he said--"will produce a
+greater and more harmonious volume of sound." Such were his jokes about
+this period. And little did he reck that both sets of doors, those of the
+monument and those of the bedchamber of Augustus, opened of their own
+accord in one and the same night, or that at Albanum it rained so much
+blood that rivers of it flowed over the land, or that the sea retreated a
+good distance from Egypt and covered a large portion of Lycia.
+[Sidenote:--27--] But when he heard about Galba's being proclaimed emperor
+by the soldiers and about the desertion of Rufus, he fell into great fear:
+he made preparations in person at Rome and he sent against the rebels
+Rubrius Gallus and some others.
+
+On learning that Petronius, [Footnote: _P. Petronius Turpilianus_.]
+whom he had sent ahead against the rebels with the larger portion of the
+army, also favored the cause of Galba, Nero reposed no further hope in
+arms.
+
+Being abandoned by all without exception he began forming plans to kill
+the senators, burn the city to the ground, and sail to Alexandria. He
+dropped this hint in regard to his future course: "Even though we be
+driven from our empire, yet this little artistic gift of ours shall
+support us there." To such a pitch of folly had he come as to believe that
+he could live for a moment as a private citizen and would be able to
+appear as a musician.
+
+He was on the point of putting those measures into effect when the senate
+first withdrew the guard that surrounded Nero, then entered the camp, and
+declared Nero an enemy but chose Galba in his place as emperor.
+
+But when he perceived that he had been deserted also by his body-guards
+(he happened to be asleep in some garden), he undertook to make his
+escape. Accordingly, he assumed shabby clothing and mounted a horse no
+better than his attire. Closely veiled he rode while it was yet night
+towards an estate of Phao, a Caesarian, in company with the owner of the
+place, and Epaphroditus and Sporus. [Sidenote:--28--] While he was on the
+way an extraordinary earthquake occurred, so that one might have thought
+the whole world was breaking apart and all the spirits of those murdered
+by him were leaping up to assail him. Being recognized, they say, in spite
+of his disguise by some one who met him he was saluted as emperor;
+consequently he turned aside from the road and hid himself in a kind of
+reedy place. There he waited till daylight, lying flat on the ground so as
+to run the least risk of being seen. Every one who passed he suspected had
+come for him; he started at every voice, thinking it to be that of some
+one searching for him: if a dog barked anywhere or a bird chirped, or a
+bush or twig was shaken by the breeze, he was thrown into a violent
+tremor. These sounds would not let him have rest, yet he dared not speak a
+word to any one of those that were with him for fear some one else might
+hear: but he wept and bewailed his fortune, considering among other things
+how he had once stood resplendent in the midst of so vast a retinue and
+was now dodging from sight in company with three freedmen. Such was the
+drama that Fate had now prepared for him, to the end that he should no
+longer represent all other matricides and beggars, but only himself at
+last. Now he repented of his haughty insolence, as if he could make one of
+his acts undone. Such was the tragedy in which Nero found himself
+involved, and this verse constantly ran through his mind:
+
+  "Both spouse and father bid me pitiably die."
+
+After a long time, as no one was seen to be searching for him, he went
+over into the cave, where in his hunger he ate such bread as he had never
+before tasted and in his thirst drank water such as he had never drunk
+before. This gave him such a qualm that he said: "So this is my famous
+frigid _decocta_." [Footnote: Reading [Greek: apepsthon] (Reimar,
+Cobet et al)..]
+
+While he was in this plight the Roman people were going wild with delight
+and offering whole oxen in sacrifice. Some carried small liberty caps, and
+they voted to Galba the rights pertaining to the imperial office. For Nero
+himself they instituted a search in all directions and for some time were
+at a loss to know whither he could have betaken himself. When they finally
+learned, they sent horsemen to dispose of him. He, then, perceiving that
+they were drawing near, commanded his companions to kill him. As they
+refused to obey, he uttered a groan and said: "I alone have neither friend
+nor foe." By this time the horsemen were close at hand, and so he killed
+himself, uttering that far-famed sentence: "Jupiter, what an artist
+perishes in me!" And as he lingered in his agony Epaphroditus dealt him a
+finishing stroke. He had lived thirty years and nine months, out of which
+he had ruled thirteen years and eight months. Of the descendants of Aeneas
+and of Augustus he was the last, as was plainly indicated by the fact that
+the laurels planted by Livia and the breed of white chickens perished
+somewhat before his death.
+
+There was no one who might not hope to lay hands on the sovereignty in a
+time of so great confusion.
+
+Rufus visited Galba and could obtain from him no important privileges,
+unless one reckons the fact that a man who had frequently been hailed as
+emperor was allowed to live. Among the rest of mankind, however, he had
+acquired a great name, greater than if he had accepted the sovereignty,
+for refusing to receive it.
+
+Galba, now that Nero had been destroyed and the senate had voted him the
+imperial authority and Rufus had made advances to him, plucked up courage.
+However, He did not adopt the name "Caesar," until envoys of the senate
+had paid him a visit. Nor had he hitherto inscribed the name "emperor" in
+any document.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+64
+
+Omens announcing Galba's sovereignty: his avarice: the insolence of
+freedmen, of Nymphidius, of Capito (chapters 1, 2).
+
+His ferocious entrance into the city: punishment of the Neronians (chapter
+3).
+
+About the uprising of Vitellius against Galba (chapter 4).
+
+L. Piso Caesar adopted by Galba: Otho usurps the sovereignty (chapter 5).
+
+Death of Galba and Piso (chapter 6).
+
+Otho assumes the sovereignty amid unfavorable auspices and flattery
+(chapters 7, 8).
+
+Insolence of the soldiers: the Pseudo-Nero (chapter 9).
+
+Battles between Otho and Vitellius at Cremona (chapters 10, 11).
+
+Otho's speech to his soldiers (chapters 12, 13).
+
+How Otho with his dagger took his own life (chapters 14, 15).
+
+The rapacity of Valens (chapter 16).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+C. Silius Italicus, Galerius Trachalus Turpilianus. (A.D. 68 = a.u. 821,
+from the 9th of June).
+
+Galba Caes. Aug. (II), T. Vinius. (A.D. 69 = a.u. 822, to January 15th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 68 (a.u. 821)] [Sidenote:--1--] Thus was Galba declared
+emperor just as Tiberius had foretold when he said to him: "You also shall
+have a little taste of sovereignty." The event was likewise foretold by
+unmistakable omens. He beheld in visions the Goddess of Fortune telling
+him that she had now stuck by him for a long time yet no one appeared
+ready to take her into his house; and if she should be barred out much
+longer she should take up her abode with some one else. During those very
+days also boats full of weapons and under the guidance of no human being
+came to anchor off the coast of Spain. And a mule brought forth young, an
+occurrence which had been previously interpreted as destined to portend
+the possession of authority by him. Again, a boy that was bringing him
+incense in the course of a sacrifice suddenly had his hair turn gray;
+whereupon the seers declared that dominion over the younger generation
+should be given to his old age.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] These, then, were the signs given beforehand that had a
+bearing on his sovereignty. Personally his conduct was in most ways
+moderate and he avoided giving offence since he bore in mind that he had
+not taken the emperor's seat but it had been given him;--indeed, he said
+so frequently:--unfortunately, he collected money greedily since his wants
+were numerous, though he spent comparatively little after all, bestowing
+upon some persons not even denarii but merely asses. His freedmen,
+however, committed a great number of wrongs, the responsibility for which
+was laid upon him. Ordinary individuals need only keep themselves from
+crime, but those who hold sovereign power must see to it that no dependent
+of theirs practices villany either. For it makes little difference to the
+ones who suffer wrong at whose hands they happen to be ill treated.
+Consequently, even though Galba abstained from inflicting injury, yet he
+was ill spoken of because he allowed these others to commit crimes, or at
+least was ignorant of what was taking place. Nymphidius and Capito, in
+particular, were allowed by him to run riot. For instance, Capito, when
+one day some one appealed a case from his jurisdiction, changed his seat
+hastily to a high chair near by and then cried out: "Now plead your case
+before Caesar!" He went through the form of deciding it and had the man
+put to death. Galba felt obliged to proceed against them for this.
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] As he drew near the City, the guards of Nero met him and
+asked that their organization be preserved intact. At first he was for
+postponing his decision and averred that he wanted to think the matter
+over. Since, however, they would not obey but kept up a clamor, the army
+submitted to them. As a consequence about seven thousand of his soldiers
+lost their lives and the guardsmen were decimated. This shows that even if
+Galba was bowed down with age and disease, yet his spirit was keen and he
+did not believe in an emperor's being compelled to do anything
+unwillingly. A further proof is that when the Pretorians asked him for the
+money which Nymphidius had promised them, he would not give it, but
+replied: "I am accustomed to levy soldiers, not to buy them." And when the
+populace brought urgent pressure to bear on him to kill Tigillinus and
+some others who had before been wantonly insolent, he would not yield,
+though he would probably have disposed of them had not their enemies made
+this demand. Helius, however, as well as Narcissus, Patrobius, Lucusta the
+poison merchant, and some others who had been active in Nero's day, he
+ordered to be carried in chains all over the city and afterwards to
+receive punishment. The slaves, likewise, who had been guilty of any act
+or speech detrimental to their masters were handed over to the latter for
+punishment.
+
+Some disdained receiving their own slaves, wishing to be rid of rascally
+slaves.
+
+Galba demanded the return of all moneys and objects of value which any
+persons had received from Nero. However, if anybody had been exiled by the
+latter on the charge of impiety towards the emperor, he restored him to
+citizenship; and he also transferred to the tomb of Augustus the bones of
+members of the imperial family who had been murdered, and he set up their
+images anew.
+
+For this he was praised. On the other hand he was the victim of uproarious
+laughter for wearing a sword whenever he walked on the street, since he
+was so old and weak of sinew.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 69 (a.u. 822)] [Sidenote:--4--] I shall relate also the
+circumstances of his death. The soldiers in Germany under control of Rufus
+became more and more excited because they could not obtain any favors from
+Galba; and, having failed to secure the object of their desire through the
+medium of Rufus, they sought to obtain it through somebody else. This they
+did. With Aulus Vitellius, governor of Lower Germany, at their head they
+revolted. All that they had in mind regarding him was the nobility of his
+birth, and they paid no attention to the fact that he had been a favorite
+of Tiberius and was a slave to the licentious habits of his former master;
+or perhaps they thought that on this very account he would suit their
+purpose all the better. Indeed, Vitellius himself deemed himself of so
+little account that he made fun of the astrologers and used their
+prediction as evidence against them, saying: "Certainly they know nothing
+who declare that I shall become emperor." Nero when he heard it also
+laughed, and felt such contempt for the fellow that he did not try to
+injure him.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] Galba on being informed of his defection adopted Lucius
+Piso, a youth of good family, affable and prudent, and appointed him
+Caesar. At the same time Marcus Salvius Otho, angry because _he_ had
+not been adopted by Galba, brought about once more a beginning of
+countless evils for the Romans. He was always held in honor by Galba, so
+much so that on the day of the latter's death he was the only one of the
+senators to attend him at the sacrifice. And to him most of all was the
+catastrophe due. For when the diviner declared that Galba would be the
+victim of conspiracy and therefore urged him by no means to go abroad
+anywhere, Otho heard it, and hastening down immediately as if on some
+other errand was admitted within the wall by some few soldiers who were in
+the conspiracy with him. The next step was the winning over or rather the
+buying up of the rest, who were displeased at Galba, by means of many
+promises. From them he received the imperial office at once and later his
+claim was acknowledged by the others. [Sidenote:--6--] Galba on learning
+what was taking place thought he could bring the men into a better frame
+of mind and sent some emissaries to the camp for this purpose. Meanwhile a
+soldier holding aloft a bare blade covered with blood had approached him
+and said: "Be of good cheer, emperor: I have killed Otho, and no further
+danger awaits you." Galba, believing this, said to him: "And who ordered
+you to do that?" He himself started for the Capitol to offer sacrifice. As
+he reached the middle of the Roman Forum, horsemen and footsoldiers met
+him and then and there cut down in the presence of many senators and
+crowds of plebeians the old man, their consul, high priest, Caesar,
+emperor. After abusing his body in many ways they cut off his head and
+stuck it on a pole.--So he was struck by a javelin hurled into the very
+chair in which he was being carried, was wounded at the very moment he was
+bending forward from it, and only said: "Why, what harm have I done?"
+Sempronius Densus, a centurion, defended him as long as he was able, and
+finally, when he could accomplish nothing, let himself be slain with his
+sovereign. This is why I have included his name, for he richly deserves to
+be mentioned. Piso also was killed and numerous others, but not in aiding
+the emperor.
+
+When the soldiers had done this, they cut off their heads, which they then
+carried to Otho (who was in the camp) and also into the senate-house; and
+the senators, though terror-stricken, affected to be glad.
+
+Galba had lived seventy-two years and twenty-three days,
+out of which he ruled nine months and thirteen days. Piso perished after
+him, making this atonement for having been appointed Caesar.
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] This was the end that befell Galba. But retribution was
+destined full soon enough to seek out Otho in his turn, as he at once
+learned. As he was offering his first sacrifice, the omens were seen to be
+unfavorable, so that he repented of what had been done and said: "What
+need was there of my playing on the long flutes?" This is a colloquial and
+proverbial expression that has reference to those who do anything out of
+their usual line. Later he was so disturbed in his sleep at night that he
+fell out of the bed and alarmed the guards who slept at the door. They
+rushed in and found him lying on the ground. Yet once he had entered upon
+the imperial office he could not put it off; and he remained in it and
+paid the penalty, in spite of many temperate acts intended to conciliate
+people. It was not particularly his nature to behave that way, but since
+on account of Vitellius his prospects were in a somewhat precarious state,
+he did not wish to alienate the bulk of the population.
+
+Just at this time, to be sure, he annulled the sentences against some
+senators and granted various slight favors to others. By way of gaining
+the public approval he constantly frequented the theatres: he bestowed
+citizenship upon foreigners and made many other attractive announcements.
+Yet he did not succeed in winning the attachment of any one save a certain
+few, like himself. [For his restoration of the images of those under
+accusation and] his life and habits, his keeping Sporus as a companion and
+employing the rest of the Neronians, alarmed everybody.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] Moreover, the senate voted him all the privileges
+pertaining to his office. He said that he had been forced to do as he did,
+had been brought within the walls against his will, and had actually
+risked his life after that by opposing the scheme. He regularly talked in
+a considerate manner and assumed a kindly expression and attitude; he
+threw kisses on his fingers to everybody and made many promises. But the
+fact did not escape men that his rule was sure to be more licentious and
+oppressive than Nero's. (Indeed, he had immediately applied to himself the
+latter's name).
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] They hated him most of all, however, because he had
+demonstrated the fact that the imperial office was for sale and had put
+the city in the power of the boldest spirits; likewise because he held the
+senate and the people in slight esteem and had impressed upon the soldiers
+also this idea,--that they could kill or again create a Caesar. Moreover,
+he had brought the soldiers into such a daring and lawless condition by
+his gifts and his immoderate attentions that one day they forced an
+entrance just as they were into the palace while a number of the senators
+were dining there with Otho. before departing they rushed into the
+banquet-room itself, killing those that strove to bar their progress. And
+they would have slaughtered everybody found there had not the guests
+jumped up and hid themselves prior to their irruption. For this behavior
+the men received money, it being assumed that their act was due to their
+liking for Otho.
+
+About this time also a man was caught pretending to be Nero. His name was
+unknown to Dio. And at last he paid the penalty.
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] Otho, not succeeding by frequent invitations in
+persuading Vitellius to come and share the imperial office, eventually
+plunged into open war against him. And he sent soldiers whom he put in
+charge of several different leaders; this fact was largely responsible for
+his reverses.
+
+Valens was so eager for money and gathered it so assiduously from every
+source that he put to death the decurion, who had concealed him and had
+saved his life, on account of a thousand denarii which he thought had been
+purloined from his possessions.
+
+Otho declined battle, saying that he could not see a battle fought between
+kindred, just as if he had become emperor in some legitimate fashion and
+had not killed the consuls and the Caesar [Footnote: Piso and Galba are
+meant.] and the emperor [Footnote: Piso and Galba are meant.] in Rome
+itself. There fell in the battles which took place near Cremona four
+myriads of men on both sides. Here, they say, various omens appeared
+before the battle, most noteworthy being an unusual bird, such as men had
+never before beheld, that was seen for a number of days.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] After the forces of Otho had been worsted, a certain
+horseman brought word of the disaster to Otho. When the bystanders refused
+to credit his report--it chanced that there were many gathered there--and
+some set to calling him "renegade" and others "enemy," he exclaimed:
+"Would that this news were false, Caesar: for most gladly would I have
+died to secure thy victory. As it is, my demise is determined, that no one
+may think I fled hither to secure my own safety. But do thou be assured
+that the enemy will ere long arrive, and debate what must be done." Having
+finished these words, he despatched himself. [Sidenote:--12--] This act
+caused all to believe him, and they were ready to renew the conflict.
+Those present formed a numerous body and there were not a few others at
+hand from Pannonia. But the most important consideration, as usual in such
+cases, was that they loved Otho and were quite devoted to him, not in word
+but in their hearts. When, however, they besought him not to abandon
+either himself or them, he waited until the rest, at report of the news,
+had come running together, and then, after some muttered words to himself,
+he delivered to the soldiers a speech, from which the following is a brief
+excerpt:
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] "Enough, quite enough, has already been done. I hate a
+civil war, even though I conquer: and I love all Romans, even though they
+do not side with me. Let Vitellius be victor, since this has pleased the
+gods; and let the lives of his soldiers also be spared, since this pleases
+me. It is far better and more just that one should perish for all, rather
+than many for one, and that I should refuse on account of one single man
+to embroil the Roman people and cause so great a mass of human beings to
+perish. I certainly should prefer to be a Mucius, a Decius, a Curtius, a
+Regulus, rather than a Marius, a Cinna, or a Sulla,--not to mention other
+names. Therefore do not force me to become one of these men I hate, nor
+grudge me the privilege of imitating one of those whom I commend. Do you
+depart to meet the conqueror and do him reverence. As for me, I shall find
+means to free myself, that all men may be taught by the event that you
+have chosen such an emperor as has not given you up to save himself but
+himself to save you."
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] Of this nature were the words of Otho. Falling upon the
+ears of the soldiers they aroused both admiration of the man and pity for
+what might befall him: his troops shed tears of lamentation and mourning,
+calling him father and terming him dearer than children and parents.
+["Upon thee our lives depend," they said, "and for thee we will all die."]
+This argument continued so for most of the day, Otho begging to be allowed
+to die and the soldiers refusing to permit him to carry out his wish.
+Finally, he reduced them to silence and said: "It can not be that I should
+show myself inferior to this soldier, whom you have seen kill himself for
+the single reason that he had borne news of defeat to his own emperor. I
+shall certainly follow in his footsteps, that I may cease to see or hear
+aught any longer. And you, if you love me in reality, let me die as I
+desire and do not compel me to live against my will, but take your way to
+the victor and gain his good graces."
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] At the close of this speech he retired into his
+apartments and after sending some messages to his intimate friends and
+some to Vitellius in their behalf he burned all the letters which anybody
+had written to him containing hostile statements about Vitellius, not
+wanting them to serve as damaging evidence against anybody. Then he called
+each one of the persons that were at hand, greeted them, and gave them
+money. Meantime there was a disturbance made by the soldiers, so that he
+was obliged to go out and quiet them, and he did not come back until he
+had sent them to a place of safety, some here, some there. So then, when
+quiet had been permanently restored, taking a short sword he killed
+himself. The grief-stricken soldiery took up his body and buried it, and
+some slew themselves upon his grave. This was the end that befell Otho,
+after he had lived thirty-seven years lacking eleven days and had reigned
+ninety days, and it overshadowed the impiety and wickedness of his active
+career. In life the basest of men he died most nobly. He had seized the
+empire by the most villainous trick, but took leave of it most creditably.
+
+A series of brawls among the soldiers immediately ensued, and a number of
+them were slain by one another; afterwards they reached an agreement and
+set out to meet the victorious party.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+65
+
+Vitellius is proclaimed emperor: feasts his eyes on gladiators and
+slaughters: drives astrologers from Italy (chapter 1).
+
+Vitellius's excess in banquets, in his home, in furniture, in his almost
+absurd magnificence (chapters 2-5).
+
+Praiseworthy points in his character (chapters 6, 7).
+
+Portents of ill omen: the soldiers declare Vespasian emperor (chapter 8).
+
+Mucianus is sent by Vespasian against Vitellius: Primus of his own accord
+takes the lead against Vitellius (chapter 9).
+
+Alienus, put in charge of the war by Vitellius, is the author of a
+desertion, but is in turn seized by his followers, who change their minds
+(chapter 10).
+
+The adherents of Vitellius are conquered in battle (chapters 11-14).
+
+Catastrophe befalls the dwellers in Cremona (chapter 15).
+
+Wavering on the part of Vitellius: the Capitol is burned in the course of
+a siege by Sabinus (chapters 16, 17).
+
+Disaster to the city of Rome, taken by Vespasian's captains (chapters 18,
+19).
+
+How Vitellius was taken and perished (chapters 20, 21).
+
+How a brother and son of Vitellius met their fate (chapter 22).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+(Galba (II) and T. Vinius Coss.): A.D. 69 = a.u. 822, from January 15th.
+The following _Consules Suffecti_ took office:
+
+On the Calends of March--T. Virginius Rufus, Vopiscus Pompeius.
+
+On the Calends of May--Caelius Sabinus, T. Flavins Sabinus.
+
+On the Calends of July--T. Arrius Antoninus, P. Marius Celsus (II).
+
+On the Calends of September--C. Fabius Valens, A. Alienus Caecinna (also
+Roscius Regulus, as Caecinna was condemned on the last day of October).
+
+On the Calends of November--Cn. Caecilius Simplex, C. Quintius Atticus.
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 69 (a.u. 822)] [Sidenote:--1--] The population of Rome
+when it heard of the downfall of Otho naturally transferred its allegiance
+immediately. Otho, whom people previously praised and for whose victory
+they prayed, they now abused as an enemy, and Vitellius, upon whom they
+had been invoking curses, they praised and declared emperor. So truly
+there is nothing constant in human affairs. Those who flourish most and
+those who are lowliest alike choose unstable standards, and construct
+their praises and their censures, their honors and their degradations to
+conform to the accidents of their situation.
+
+News of the death of Otho was brought to him [Vitellius] while in Gaul.
+There he was joined by his wife and child, whom he placed on a platform
+and saluted as Germanicus and imperator, though the boy was only six years
+old.
+
+[Vitellius witnessed gladiatorial combats at Lugdunum and again at
+Cremona, as if the crowds of men who had perished in the battles and were
+even then exposed unburied to the elements did not suffice. He beheld the
+slain with his own eyes, for he traversed all the ground where they lay
+and gloated over the spectacle as if he were still in the moment of
+victory; and not even after that did he order them to be buried.] Upon
+reaching Rome and adjusting affairs to suit him, he issued a bulletin
+banishing the astrologers and commanding them by this particular day
+(mentioning a given date) to leave the whole country of Italy. They by
+night put up in turn another document, in which they announced that he
+should lose his life by the day on which he actually died. So accurate was
+their previous knowledge of what should come to pass.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] Vitellius was fond of luxury and licentiousness and cared
+for nothing else human or divine. He had always been the kind of man that
+would spend his time in taverns and gaming houses, over dancers and
+charioteers. Incalculable were the sums he spent on such pursuits, and the
+consequence was that he had many creditors. Now, when he attained to so
+great authority, his wantonness only increased, and his expenditures went
+on most of the day and night alike. He was insatiate in filling himself,
+yet kept constantly vomiting what he ate, apparently living on the mere
+passage of food. Yet that was what enabled him to hold out; for his fellow
+banqueters fared very badly. [He was always inviting numbers of the
+foremost men to his table and he was frequently entertained at their
+houses.]
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] On this point one of them, Vibius Crispus, [Footnote:
+_Q. Vibius Crispus._] was the author of a most witty remark. Having been
+compelled for some days by sickness to absent himself from the convivial
+board, he said: "If I had not fallen ill, I should certainly have died."
+The entire period of his reign consisted in nothing but carousals and
+revels. All the most valuable food products were brought together from the
+ocean itself (not to go farther) from the earth and from the
+Mediterranean, and were prepared in so costly a fashion that even now some
+cakes and other dishes are named Vitellian, after him. Why should one go
+into the details of these affairs? It is admitted by quite everybody that
+during the period of his reign he expended on dinners two hundred million
+two thousand five hundred denarii. There came very near being a famine in
+all costly articles of food, yet it was imperative that they should be
+provided. Once he had a dish made that cost twenty-five myriads, into
+which he put a mixture of tongues and brains and livers of fish and
+certain kinds of birds. As it was impossible to make so large a vessel of
+pottery, it was made of silver and remained extant for some time, regarded
+somewhat in the light of a votive offering, until Hadrian finally set eyes
+on it and had it melted down.
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] Since I have mentioned this fact, I will also add
+another, namely that not even Nero's Golden House would satisfy Vitellius.
+He delighted in and commended the name and the life and all the practices
+of its former owner, yet he found fault with the structure itself, saying
+that it had been badly built and was scantily and meanly equipped. When he
+fell ill one time he looked about for a room to afford him an abode; so
+little did even Nero's surroundings satisfy him. His wife Galeria
+ridiculed the small amount of decoration found in the royal apartments.
+This pair, as they spent other people's money, never stopped to count the
+cost of anything; but those who invited them to meals found themselves in
+great trouble [save a few whom he compensated for it]. Yet the same
+persons would not regularly entertain him the entire day, but one set of
+men furnished breakfast, another lunch, another dinner, and still another
+certain viands for dessert calculated to stimulate a jaded appetite.
+[Footnote: This little phrase is taken direct from Plato's
+_Critias_, 115 B.] [For all who were able were eager to entertain him.]
+It is said that after the elapse of a few days he spent a hundred myriads
+upon a dinner. [His birthday celebration lasted over two days and numbers
+of beasts and of men were slain.]
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] [Though his life was of this kind he was not entirely
+without good deeds. For example, he retained the coinage minted under Nero
+and Galba and Otho, evincing no displeasure at their images; and whatever
+gifts had been bestowed upon any persons he held to be valid and deprived
+no one of any such possession. He did not collect any sums still owing of
+former public contributions, and he confiscated no one's property. A very
+few of those who sided with Otho he put to death but did not withhold even
+the property of these from their relatives. Upon the kinsmen of those
+previously executed he bestowed all the funds that were found in the
+public treasury. He did not obstruct the execution of the wills of such as
+had fought against him and had fallen in the battles. Furthermore he
+forbade the senators and the knights to fight as gladiators or to appear
+in any spectacle in the orchestra. And for these measures he was
+commended.]
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] He was a constant attendant of the theatres, and this won
+the attachment of the populace. He ate with the most influential men on
+free and easy terms, and this gained their favor to an even greater
+degree. His old companions he never failed to remember and honored them
+greatly, not (like some others) disdaining to appear to recognize any of
+them. Many persons have unexpectedly attained to great power feel hate for
+those who are acquainted with their former humble state. [Vitellius, when
+Priscus opposed him in the senate and denounced one of the soldiers,
+called the tribunes to his side as if he had some need of their
+assistance. He did not himself do Priscus any harm and did not allow the
+officials to hurt him, but merely said: "Be not indignant, Conscript
+Fathers, that we two out of your number have had a little dispute with
+each other." This act seemed to have been due to a kindly disposition. The
+fact, however, that he wished to imitate Nero and offered sacrifices to
+his Manes, and that he spent so great sums on dinners, though it caused
+joy to some, made the sensible grieve, since they were fully aware that
+not all the money in the whole world would be sufficient for him.]
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] While he was behaving in this way, evil omens occurred. A
+comet star was seen, and the moon contrary to precedent appeared to have
+had two eclipses, being obscured by shadows on the fourth and on the
+seventh day. Also people saw two suns at once, one in the west weak and
+pale, and one in the east brilliant and powerful. On the Capitol many huge
+footprints were seen, presumably of some spirits that had descended that
+hill. The soldiers who had slept there the night in question said that the
+temple of Jupiter had opened of itself with great clangor and some of the
+guards were so terrified that they expired. At the same time that this
+happened Vespasian, engaged in warfare with the Jews, [sent his son Titus
+to the emperor Galba to give him a message. But when Titus returned,
+having learned on the way] of the rebellion of Vitellius and of Otho, he
+deliberated what ought to be done. [For Vespasian was in general not
+rashly inclined and he hesitated very much about involving himself in such
+troublous affairs.]
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] But people favored him greatly: his reputation won in
+Britain, his fame derived from the war under way, his kindheartedness and
+prudence, all led them to desire to have him at their head. Likewise
+Mucianus urged him strongly, hoping that Vespasian should get the name of
+emperor and that he as a result of the other's good nature should enjoy an
+equal share of power. Vespasian's soldiers on ascertaining all these facts
+surrounded his tent and hailed him as emperor. Portents and dreams
+pointing him out as sovereign long before had also fallen to the lot of
+Vespasian, and these will be recited in the story of his life. For the
+time being he sent Mucianus to Italy against Vitellius, while he himself,
+after taking a look at affairs in Syria and entrusting to others the
+conduct of the war against the Jews, proceeded to Egypt. There he
+collected money, of which of course he needed a great deal, and grin,
+which he desired to send in as large quantities as possible to Rome. The
+soldiers in Moesia, hearing how matters stood with him, would not wait for
+Mucianus,--they had learned that he was _en route_,--and chose as
+their general Antonius Primus, [Footnote: _M. Antonius Primus._] who
+had suffered sentence of exile in Nero's reign but had been restored by
+Galba and was commander of the legion in Pannonia. This man held supreme
+authority, although not chosen by the emperor nor by the senate. So great
+was the soldiers' anger at Vitellius and their zest for plunder. They were
+doing this for no other purpose except to pillage Italy. And their
+intention was realized.
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] Vitellius when he heard about it remained where he was
+and went on with his luxurious living even to the extent of arranging
+gladiatorial combats. In the course of these it was proposed that Sporus
+portray the role of a maiden being ravished, but he would not endure the
+shame and committed suicide. Vitellius gave the charge of the war to
+Alienus [Footnote: _A. Caevina Alienus._] and certain others. Alienus
+reached Cremona and occupied the town, but seeing that his own soldiers
+were out of training as a result of their luxurious life in Rome and
+impaired by lack of practice, whereas the others were physically well
+exercised and stout of heart, he was afraid. Subsequently, when friendly
+proposals came to him from Primus, he called the soldiers together and by
+indicating the weakness of Vitellius and the strength of Vespasian
+together with the character of the two men he persuaded them to revolt.
+Then they removed the images of Vitellius from their standards and took an
+oath that they would be governed by Vespasian. But, after the meeting had
+broken up and they had retired to their tents, they changed their minds
+and suddenly gathering excitedly in force with great outcry they again
+saluted Vitellius as emperor and imprisoned Alienus for having betrayed
+them, and they paid no heed to his consular office. Such are the regular
+practices of civil wars.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] The great confusion which under these conditions
+prevailed in the camp of Vitellius was increased that night by an eclipse
+of the moon. It was not so much its being obscured (though even such
+phenomena cause fear to men in excitement) as the fact that the luminary
+appeared both blood-colored and black and reflected still other terrifying
+shades. Not for this, however, would the men change their attitude or
+yield: but when they encountered each other they contended most
+vigorously, although, as I said, the Vitellians were leaderless; for
+Alienus had been imprisoned at Cremona.
+
+On the following day, when Primus through messengers tried to induce them
+to come to terms, the soldiers of Vitellius sent a return message to him
+urging that he espouse the cause of Vitellius. When, moreover, they joined
+battle with his soldiers they contended most vigorously. The battle was
+not the result of any concerted plan. Some few horsemen, as often happens
+when two forces are encamped opposite each other, were out foraging in
+front of the others and suddenly made an attack. After that reinforcements
+came from both armies to each of the two parties in whatever order the
+troops happened to become aware of the situation,--first to one side, then
+to the other, now of one kind of fighting force, now of another, infantry
+or cavalry: and the conflict was marked by vicissitudes until all had
+hastened to the front. Then they got into some kind of regular formation
+and carried on the struggle with some order even though leaderless.
+Alienus, as you remember, had been imprisoned.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] From this point on the battle between them was a well
+matched and evenly balanced affair, not only during the day but at night
+as well. For the coming of night did not separate them. They were
+thoroughly angry and determined, although they were acquainted with each
+other and talked back and forth. Hence not hunger nor fatigue nor cold nor
+darkness nor wounds nor deaths nor the remains of men that fell on this
+field before [nor the memory of the disaster nor the number of those that
+perished to no purpose] mitigated their fierceness. Such was the madness
+that possessed both sides alike [and so eager were they, incited by the
+very memories of the spot, which made one party resolved to conquer this
+time also, and the other not to be conquered this time either. So they
+fought as against foreigners instead of kindred, and as if all on both
+sides were absolutely obliged either to perish at once or thereafter to be
+slaves. Therefore, not even when night came on, as I stated, would they
+yield; but though tired out and for that reason often resting and
+indulging in conversation together, they nevertheless continued to
+struggle]. As often as the moon shone out (it was constantly being
+concealed by [numerous] clouds [of all shapes that kept passing in front
+of it]), one might see them sometimes fighting, sometimes
+[Sidenote:--13--] standing and leaning on their spears, sometimes sitting
+down. Now and then they would shout in unison on one side the name of
+Vespasian and on the other that of Vitellius, and again they would
+challenge each other with abuse and praise of the two men. At intervals
+one soldier would have a private chat with an opponent:--"Comrade,
+fellow-citizen, what are we doing? Why are we fighting? Come over to my
+side." "Oh, no, you come to my side." But what is there surprising about
+this, considering that when the women of the city in the course of the
+night brought food and drink to give to the soldiers of Vitellius, the
+latter after eating and drinking themselves passed the supplies on to
+their antagonists? One of them would call out the name of his adversary
+(for they practically all knew one another and were well acquainted) and
+would say: "Comrade, take and eat this. I give you not a sword, but bread.
+Take and drink: I hold toward you not a shield but a cup. For whether you
+kill me or I you, this will afford us a more comfortable leave-taking, and
+will save from feebleness and weakness the hand with which either you cut
+me down or I you. These are the consecrated offerings that Vitellius and
+Vespasian give us while we are yet alive, that they may sacrifice us to
+the corpses of the past." That would be the style of their conversation,
+after which they would rest a while, eat a bit, and then renew the battle.
+Soon they would stop again, and then once more join in conflict.
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] It went on this way the whole night through till dawn
+broke. At that time two men of the Vespasian party wrought a notable
+achievement. Their side was being severely damaged by an engine of some
+sort, and these two, seizing shields from among the spoils of the
+Vitellian faction, mingled with the opposing ranks, and made their way to
+the engine without its being noticed that they did not belong to that
+side. Thus they managed to cut the ropes of the affair, so that not
+another missile could be discharged from it. As the sun was rising the
+soldiers of the third legion, called the Gallic, that wintered in Syria
+but was now by chance in the party of Vespasian, suddenly according to
+custom saluted the Sun God. The followers of Vitellius, suspecting that
+Mucianus had arrived, underwent a revulsion of feeling, and panic-stricken
+at the shout took to flight. (Another instance of how the smallest things
+can produce great alarm in men who are completely tired out). They retired
+within the wall, from which they stretched forth their hands and made
+supplications. As no one listened to them, they released the consul, and,
+having arrayed him in his robe of office with the fasces, then sent him as
+an intercessor. Thus they obtained a truce, for Alienus because of his
+rank and the way he had been treated easily persuaded Primus to accept
+their submission.
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] When, however, the gates were opened and an amnesty had
+been declared for all, suddenly soldiers came rushing in from all
+directions and began plundering and setting fire to everything. This
+catastrophe proved to be one of the greatest recorded. The city was
+distinguished for the size and beauty of its buildings, and great sums of
+money belonging to natives and to strangers had been accumulated there.
+The larger portion of the harm was done by the Vitellians, since they knew
+exactly which were the houses of the richest men and all about the
+entrances on the alleys. They showed no scruples about destroying the
+persons in whose behalf they had fought, but dealt blows, committed
+murder, and acted as if it were they who had been wronged and had
+conquered. Thus, counting those that fell in battle, five myriads perished
+altogether.
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] Vitellius, on learning of the defeat, was for a time
+quite disturbed. Omens had contributed to make him uneasy. He had been
+offering a certain sacrifice, and after it was addressing the soldiers,
+when a lot of vultures swooped down, scattered the sacred meats, and
+nearly knocked him from the platform. Accordingly, the news of the defeat
+troubled him still more, and he quietly sent his brother to Tarracina, a
+strong city, which the latter occupied. But when the generals of Vespasian
+approached Rome he became alarmed and took his departure. He did nothing
+and formed no plan, but in a state of terror was carried back and forth on
+the billows of chance. One moment he was for clinging to the sovereignty
+and he was making definite preparations for warfare: the next he was quite
+willing to give it up and was definitely getting ready to live as a
+private person. At times he wore the purple chlamys and girded on a sword:
+again he assumed dark colored clothing. His public addresses both in the
+palace and in the Forum were now of one tenor, now of another, first
+urging battle and next terms of peace. At times he was inclined to
+surrender himself for the public welfare, and later he would clasp his
+child in his arms, kiss him, and hold him out to the people as if to
+arouse their pity. Similarly he would dismiss the Pretorians and then send
+for them again, would leave the palace to retire to his brother's house
+and then return: in this way he dulled the enthusiasm of almost everybody
+interested in him. Seeing him dashing hither and thither so frenziedly
+they ceased to carry out commands with their usual diligence, and began to
+consider their own interests as well as his. They ridiculed him a great
+deal, especially when in the assemblies he proffered his sword to the
+consuls and to the senators present as if to show that by this act he had
+divested himself of the imperial office. No one of the above persons dared
+to take it, and the bystanders jeered.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] In view of these conditions, when Primus at last drew
+near, the consuls, Gaius Quintius Atticus and Gnaeus Caecilius Simplex,
+together with Sabinus (a relative of Vespasian) and the other foremost men
+held a consultation, the result of which was that they set out for the
+palace in company with the soldiers that favored their cause, intending to
+either persuade or force Vitellius to resign his position as emperor. They
+encountered, however, the Celtae who were guarding him, and getting
+decidedly the worst of the encounter they fled to the Capitol. Arrived
+there they sent for Domitian, son of Vespasian, and his relatives, and put
+themselves in a state of defence. The following day, when their
+adversaries assailed them, they managed for a time to repulse them; but
+when the environs of the Capitol were set on fire, its defenders were
+beaten back by the flame. In this way the soldiers of Vitellius forced
+their way up, slaughtered many of the resisting party, and after
+plundering the whole stock of votive offerings burned down with other
+structures the great temple. Sabinus and Atticus they arrested and sent
+them to Vitellius. Domitian and the junior Sabinus had made their escape
+from the Capitol at the first noise of conflict and by concealing
+themselves in houses had succeeded in eluding observation.
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] Those soldiers of Vespasian that were led by Quintus
+Petilius Cerialis [Footnote: The epitome of Dio spells uniformly
+_Cerealius_.] (one of the foremost senators and a relative of Vespasian
+by marriage) and by Antonius Primus--for Mucianus had not yet overtaken
+them--were by this time close at hand, and Vitellius fell into the depths
+of terror. The oncoming leaders through the medium of certain messengers
+and by placing their letters in coffins with dead bodies, in baskets full
+of fruit, or the reed traps of bird-catchers, learned all that was being
+done in the city and formed their plans accordingly. Now, when they saw
+the blaze rising from the Capitol as from a beacon, they made haste. The
+first of the two to approach the city with his cavalry was Cerialis, [and
+he was defeated at the very entrance by being cut off with horsemen in a
+narrow spot. However, he prevented any harm being done by his opponents.
+For Vitellius, hoping that his proved superiority would afford him an
+opportunity to make terms, restrained his soldiers]. And having convened
+the senate he sent envoys chosen from that body together with the vestal
+virgins to Cerialis as envoys.
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] Since no one would listen to them and they came very
+near losing their lives, the emissaries visited Primus, who was also at
+last approaching; from him they secured an audience, but accomplished
+nothing. For at this juncture his soldiers came angrily toward him and
+overcame with ease the guard at the Tiber bridge. (When the latter took
+their stand upon it and disputed their passage, the horsemen forded the
+stream and fell upon them from the rear). After this various bodies of men
+made assaults at various points and committed some of the most atrocious
+deeds. All the behavior for which they censured Vitellius and his
+followers, behavior which they pretended was the cause of the war between
+them, they themselves repeated, slaying great numbers. Many of those
+killed were struck with pieces of tiling from the roof or cut down in
+alleyways while jostled about by a throng of adversaries. Thus as many as
+fifty thousand human beings were destroyed during those days of carnage.
+
+[Sidenote:--20--] So the city was being pillaged, and the men were some
+fighting, some fleeing, some actually plundering and murdering by
+themselves in order that they might be taken for the invaders and so
+preserve their lives. Vitellius in dread put on a ragged, dirty, little
+tunic and concealed himself in an obscure alcove where dogs were kept,
+intending to run off during the night to Tarracina and join his brother.
+But the soldiers found him after a short search, for he could not long be
+sure of remaining hid, seeing that he had been emperor. They seized him, a
+mass of shavings and blood--for the dogs had done him some harm
+already--and stripping off his clothes they bound his hands behind his
+back, put a rope around his neck and dragged from the palace the Caesar
+who had reveled there. Down the Sacred Way they hauled the emperor who had
+frequently paraded past in his chair of state. Then they conducted the
+Augustus to the Forum, where he had often addressed the people. Some
+buffeted him, some plucked at his beard, all ridiculed him, all insulted
+him, laying especial stress in their remarks on his intemperance, since he
+had an expansive paunch. [Sidenote:--21--] When in shame at this treatment
+he kept his eyes lowered, the soldiers would prick him under the chin with
+their daggers, to make him look up even against his will. A certain Celt
+who saw this would not endure it, but taking pity on him cried: "I will
+help you, as well as I can alone." Then he wounded Vitellius and killed
+himself. However, Vitellius did not die of the wound but was haled to the
+prison, as were also his statues, while many amusing and many disgraceful
+remarks were made about them. Finally, grieved to the heart at the way he
+had been treated and what he was compelled to hear, he was heard to
+exclaim: "Yet I was once your emperor!" At that the soldiers flew into a
+rage and took him to the top of the Scalae Gemoniae, where they struck him
+down. His head was cut off and carried about all over the city.
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] Subsequently his wife saw to his burial. He had lived
+fifty-four years [and eighty-nine days] and had reigned for a year lacking
+ten days. His brother had started from Tarracina to come to his
+assistance, but learned while _en route_ that he was dead. He also
+encountered a detachment of men sent against him and made terms with them
+on condition that his life should be spared. In spite of this he was
+murdered not long afterward. The son of Vitellius, too, perished soon
+after his father, notwithstanding that Vitellius had killed no relative
+either of Otho or of Vespasian. After all these various events had taken
+place, Mucianus came up and administered necessary details in conjunction
+with Domitian, whom he also presented to the soldiers and had him make a
+speech, boy though he was. Each of the soldiers received twenty-five
+denarii.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+66
+
+Vespasian is made Emperor: is also designated as such by portents (chapter
+1).
+
+The arrogance of Mucianus and Domitian (chapter 2).
+
+Revolt of the Germans (chapter 3).
+
+About the taking of Jerusalem by Titus (chapters 4-7).
+
+Vespasian levies money in Egypt (chapter 8).
+
+He treats the Romans considerately: drives philosophers from the capital
+(chapters 9-13).
+
+He gathers money by the efforts of his concubine Caenis, as well as by his
+own (chapter 14).
+
+The Temple of Peace and the Colossus are erected: Berenice is dismissed:
+the Cynics are punished (chapter 15).
+
+The punishment of Julius Sabinus: likewise of the conspirators, Alienus
+and Marcellus (chapter 16).
+
+How Vespasian met his death (chapter 17).
+
+The mildness of character of Titus Caesar Augustus (chapters 18, 19).
+
+War in Britain, which is ascertained to be an island (chapter 20).
+
+How Mount Vesuvius flamed forth: conflagration at Rome (chapters 21-24).
+
+Spectacles: death of Titus (chapters 25, 26).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+Fl. Vespasianus Aug. (II), Titus Caesar. (A.D. 70 = a.u. 823 = Second of
+Vespasian, from July 1st).
+
+Fl. Vespasianus Aug. (III), M. Cocceius Nerva. (A.D. 71 = a.u. 824 =
+Second of Vespasian).
+
+Fl. Vespasianus Aug. (IV), Titus Caesar (II). (A.D. 72 = a.u. 825 = Third
+of Vespasian).
+
+Domitianus Caesar (II), M. Valerius Messalinus. (A.D. 73 = a.u. 826 =
+Fourth of Vespasian).
+
+Fl. Vespasianus Aug. (V), Titus Caesar (III). (A.D. 74 = a.u. 827 = Fifth
+of Vespasian).
+
+Fl. Vespasianus Aug. (VI), Titus Caesar (IV). (A.D. 75 = a.u. 828 = Sixth
+of Vespasian).
+
+Fl. Vespasianus (VII), Titus Caesar (V). (A.D. 76 = a.u. 829 = Seventh of
+Vespasian). Fl. Vespasianus (VIII), Titus Caesar (VI). (A.D. 77 = a.u. 830
+= Eighth of Vespasian).
+
+L. Ceionius Commodus, D. Novius Priscus. (A.D. 78 = a.u. 831 = Ninth of
+Vespasian).
+
+Fl. Vespasianus (IX), Titus Caesar (VII). (A.D. 79 = a.u. 832 = First of
+Titus, from June 23rd).
+
+T. Vespasianus (VIII), Domitianus (VII). (A.D. 80 = a.u. 833 = Second of
+Titus).
+
+L. Fl. Silva Nonius Bassus, Asinius Pollio Verrucosus. (A.D. 81 = a.u. 834
+= Third of Titus, to September 13th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 70 (a.u. 823)] [Sidenote:--1--] Such was the course of
+events on the heels of which Vespasian was declared emperor by the senate
+and Titus and Domitian were given the title of Caesars. The consular
+office was assumed by Vespasian and Titus while the former was in Egypt
+and the latter in Palestine. Vespasian had seen portents and dreams that
+long beforehand indicated that he was destined to rule. As he was eating
+dinner in the country, where most of his time was spent, a cow approached
+him, knelt down, and put her head beneath his feet. Another time, when he
+was taking food, a dog threw a human hand under the table. And a
+conspicuous cypress tree, which had been uprooted and overthrown by a
+violent wind, on the next day stood upright again by its own power and
+continued to flourish. From a dream he learned that when Nero Caesar
+should lose a tooth, he should be emperor: and this matter of the tooth
+became a reality on the following day. Nero himself in his slumbers
+thought he was bringing the chariot of Jupiter to Vespasian's house. These
+occurrences, of course, needed interpretation. But in addition a Jew named
+Josephus, who had previously been disliked by him and imprisoned, gave a
+laugh and said: "You may imprison me now, but a year later when you become
+emperor you will release me."
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] Thus had Vespasian, like some others, been born for the
+position. While he was as yet absent in Egypt Mucianus administered all
+the details of government with the help of Domitian. Mucianus feeling that
+he had himself given the sovereignty to Vespasian exulted greatly at these
+facts above all,--that he was called "brother" by him, and that he had
+authority to decide every question that he liked without the emperor's
+express approval and could issue written orders by merely adding his
+superior's name. For this purpose, too, he wore a finger ring that had
+been sent him, which was intended to impress the imperial seal upon
+documents requiring authorization. [Indeed, Domitian himself gave offices
+and procuratorships to many persons, appointing prefect after prefect and
+even consuls.] In fine, they behaved in every way so much like absolute
+rulers that Vespasian once sent the following message to Domitian: "I
+thank you, my child, for letting me hold office and that you have not yet
+dethroned me."
+
+Now Mucianus gathered into the public treasury from every possible quarter
+vast sums of money, showing an entire readiness to relieve Vespasian of
+the censure which such a proceeding caused. He was forever declaring that
+money was the sinews of sovereignty; and in accordance with this belief he
+was constantly urging Vespasian to obtain funds from every quarter, and
+for his own part he continued from the outset to collect revenue, thus
+providing a large amount of money for the empire and acquiring a large
+amount himself.
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] In Germany various uprisings against the Romans took
+place which are not worth mentioning for my purposes, but there was one
+incident that must cause us surprise. A certain Julius Sabinus, one of the
+foremost of the Lingones, collected by his own efforts a separate force
+and took the name of Caesar, declaring that he was a descendant of Julius
+Caesar. He was defeated in several engagements, whereupon he fled to a
+field and plunged into a subterranean vault beneath a monument, which he
+first burned to the ground. His pursuers thought he had perished in the
+conflagration, but as a matter of fact he hid himself there with his wife
+for nine years and had two male children by her. The troubles in Germany
+were settled by Cerialis in the course of a number of battles, in one of
+which so great a multitude of Romans and barbarians both were slain that
+the river flowing near by was held back by the bodies of the fallen.
+Domitian stood in fear of his father because of what he did and still more
+because of what he intended, for his plans were on no small scale. He
+happened to be spending most of his time near the Alban Mount, devoting
+himself to his passion for Domitia, the daughter of Corbulo. Her he took
+away from her husband, Lucius Lamia Aelianus, and at this time he had her
+for one of his mistresses, but later he actually married her.
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] Titus, who was assigned to take charge of the war with
+the Jews, [undertook to win them over by certain conferences and offers;
+as they would not yield, he proceeded to direct hostilities. The first
+battles he fought were rather close; finally he prevailed and took up the
+siege of Jerusalem. This town had three walls including that surrounding
+the temple. The Romans accordingly heaped up mounds against the
+fortifications and brought their engines to bear: then collecting in a
+dense force they repulsed all sallying parties and with their slings and
+arrows kept back all the defenders of the wall. Many persons that had been
+sent by some of the barbarian kings they kept prisoners. The Jews who came
+to the assistance of their countrymen were many of them from the immediate
+region and many from kindred districts, not only in this same Roman empire
+but from beyond the Euphrates, and they, too, kept directing missiles and
+stones with considerable force on account of the higher ground, some being
+flung from the hand and some hurled by means of engines. They likewise
+made night and day sallies as often as occasion offered, set fire to the
+engines, slew numerous combatants, and by digging out under the wall took
+away earth from beneath the mound. As for the rams, they lassoed some of
+them and broke the ends off, others they seized and pulled up with hooks,
+while by means of thick boards well fastened together and strengthened
+with iron, which they let down against the face of the wall, they turned
+aside the assaults of the remainder. The Romans' chief cause of discomfort
+was the lack of water; their supply was of poor quality and had to be
+brought from a distance.
+
+The Jews found their underground passages a source of strength. They had
+these affairs dug from within the city out under the walls to distant
+points in the country, and going out through them they would attack
+parties in search of water and harass scattered detachments. Consequently
+Titus stopped them all up.]
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] In the course of these operations many on both sides were
+wounded and killed. Titus himself was struck on the left shoulder by a
+stone, and as a result of this accident the arm was always weaker. After a
+time the Romans managed to scale the outside circle, and, pitching their
+camps between the two encompassing lines of fortification, assaulted the
+second wall. Here, however, they found the conditions confronting them to
+be different. When all the inhabitants had retired behind the second wall,
+its defence proved an easier matter because the circuit to be guarded was
+so much less. Titus, accordingly, made anew a proclamation offering them
+immunity. They, however, even under these circumstances held out. And the
+captives and deserters from the enemy so far as they could do so
+unobserved spoiled the Roman water supply and slew many men that they
+could cut off from the main force, so that Titus refused to receive any of
+them. Meantime some of the Romans, too, growing disheartened, as often
+happens in a prolonged siege, and furthermore suspecting that the city was
+really, even as report declared, impregnable, went over to the other side.
+The Jews although they were short of food treated them kindly, in order to
+be able to exhibit deserters to their own ranks.
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] Though a breach in the wall was effected by engines,
+still the capture did not immediately follow; the defenders killed great
+numbers that tried to crowd through the opening. Next they set fire to
+some of the buildings near by, expecting in this way to check the onward
+progress of the Romans, even should the latter make themselves masters of
+the entire circuit. In this way they damaged the wall and unintentionally
+burned down the barrier encompassing their sacred precinct. The entrance
+to the temple was now laid open to the Romans. The soldiers on account of
+their superstition would not immediately rush in, but at last, as Titus
+forced them, they made their way inside. Then the Jews carried on a
+defence much more vigorous than before, as if they had discovered a rare
+and unexpected privilege in falling near the temple, while fighting to
+save it. The populace was stationed in the outer court, the senators on
+the steps, and the priests in the hall of worship itself. And though they
+were but a handful fighting against a far superior force they were not
+subdued until a section of the temple was fired. Then they went to meet
+death willingly, some letting themselves be pierced by the swords of the
+Romans, some slaughtering one another, others committing suicide, and
+others leaping into the blaze. It looked to everybody, and most of all to
+them, apparently, [that so far from being ruin, it was victory and
+salvation and happiness to perish along with the temple]. [Sidenote:--7--]
+Even under these conditions many captives were taken, among them Bargiora,
+[Footnote: Properly Simon Bar-Giora (patronymic).] the commander of the
+enemy: he was the only one punished in the course of the triumphal
+celebration.
+
+Thus was Jerusalem destroyed on the very day of Saturn, which even now the
+Jews reverence most. To commemorate the event it was ordered that the
+conquered, while still preserving their own ancestral customs should
+annually pay a tribute of two denarii to Capitoline Jupiter. As a reward
+for this success both generals received the title of imperator, but
+neither had that of _Iudaicus_, although all the other privileges
+(including arches bearing trophies) that were proper after so great a
+victory were voted to them.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] Hard upon Vespasian's entrance into Alexandria the Nile
+overflowed, and rose in one day a palm higher than usual; indeed, such an
+occurrence, it was said, had taken place only once before. Vespasian
+himself healed two persons who had come to him because of a vision seen in
+dreams. One of them, who had a weak hand, he cured by treading upon that
+member, and the other one, who was blind, by spitting upon his eyes. His
+divine power herein shown gave him great repute, yet the Alexandrians, far
+from enjoying his society, detested him heartily; not only in private but
+in public they were forever making fun of and abusing him. They had
+expected to receive some great reward from him because they had taken the
+first steps in making him emperor, but instead of securing anything they
+had additional contributions levied upon them. Large were the sums he
+gathered from them, for he omitted not a single source of revenue, no, not
+even the first that might offer itself, though its character were
+reprehensible, but he sought money from everybody alike, of secular or
+religious profession. As for taxes, he renewed many that had been
+abolished and increased those that were usual [and introduced still other
+new ones]. And he adopted this same course later in the rest of the
+subject territory, [in Italy] and in Rome itself. Hence the Alexandrians
+[both for the reasons mentioned and because most of the royal possessions
+had been sold were vexed and] threw out various derogatory remarks about
+him, one of them being: "You want six obols more." Vespasian,
+consequently, although the most affable of men, became indignant and gave
+orders that the six obols per man should be levied, and thought seriously
+about taking vengeance upon them. [The words themselves contained an
+insult, and of their many undignified and anapaestic rhythms there was not
+a single one but aroused his anger.] Titus, however, begged them off and
+Vespasian accordingly spared them. Yet they would not let him alone, and
+in some assembly they all together shouted at Titus these very words: "We
+forgive him. He doesn't understand being Caesar."
+
+So they continued to be foolhardy, took their thorough fill of that
+license which is always working to their detriment, and abused the good
+nature of the emperor. [Sidenote:--9--] Vespasian soon ceased to notice
+them. He sent a despatch to Rome rescinding the disfranchisement of such
+persons as had been condemned for so-called acts of maiestas by Nero and
+succeeding rulers. His action included living and dead alike, and he
+moreover stopped the indictments made upon such complaints.--The
+astrologers he banished from Rome, yet he consulted all of them who were
+distinguished, and through the influence of Barbillus, a man of that
+profession, allowed the Ephesians to celebrate some sacred games. This was
+a privilege he granted to no other city.
+
+He soon had Egypt subdued and sent from there a large supply of grain to
+Rome. He had left his son Titus at Jerusalem to sack the town, and awaited
+its capture that he might return to Rome in his son's company. But, as
+time dragged in the conduct of the siege, he left Titus in Palestine and
+took passage himself on a merchantman; he sailed in this manner as far as
+Lycia, and from that country partly by overland journeys and partly by
+seafaring he came to Brundusium.
+
+After this he came to Rome, meeting Mucianus and other prominent men at
+Brundusium and Domitian at Beneventum. In consequence of the consciousness
+of his own designs and of what he had already done, Domitian was ill at
+ease, and moreover he occasionally feigned madness. He spent most of his
+time on the Alban estate and did many ridiculous things, one of them being
+to impale flies on pencils. Even though this incident be unworthy of the
+dignity of history, yet because it shows his character so well and
+particularly in view of the fact that he continued the same practice after
+he became emperor, I have been obliged to record it. Hence that answer was
+not without wit which some one made to a person who enquired what Domitian
+was doing. "He is living in retirement," he said, "without so much as a
+fly to keep him company." [Sidenote:--10--] Vespasian though he humbled
+this upstart's pride greeted all the rest not like an emperor but like a
+private person, for he remembered his previous experience.
+
+On reaching Rome he bestowed gifts upon both soldiers and populace; he
+made repairs in the sacred precincts and upon those public works which
+showed signs of wear and tear; such as had already crumbled to decay he
+restored; and when they were completed he inscribed upon them not his own
+name but the names of the persons who had originally reared them.
+
+He immediately began to construct the temple on the Capitoline, being
+himself the first to carry away some of the soil; and, as a matter of
+course, he urged the other most prominent men to do this same thing in
+order that the rest of the populace might have no excuse for shirking this
+service.
+
+The property of his opponents who had fallen in one conflict or another he
+delivered to their children or to other kin of theirs; furthermore, he
+destroyed contracts of long standing representing sums due and owing to
+the public treasury.
+
+Though he invariably expended in munificent fashion all that was requisite
+for the public welfare and arranged the festivals on a most sumptuous
+scale, his own living was very far from costly, and he sanctioned no
+greater outlay than was absolutely necessary. Therefore even in the
+taverns he allowed nothing cooked to be sold except pulse. Thus he made it
+quite plainly evident that he was amassing riches not for his own
+enjoyment but for the needs of the people.
+
+Vespasian got laughed at every time that he would say, when spending
+money: "I am making this outlay from my own purse."
+
+He was neither of noble family nor rich.
+
+The general routine of life that he followed was this. He lived but little
+in the palace, spending most of his time in the so-called Sallustian
+Gardens. There he received anybody who desired to see him, not only
+senators but people in general. With his intimate friends he would
+converse also before dawn while lying in bed; others could greet him on
+the streets. The doors of the royal residence were open all day long and
+no guard was stationed at them. He was a regular visitor in the senate,
+whose members he consulted in regard to all projects, and he frequently
+tried cases in the Forum. Whatever measures he was prevented by old age
+from reading aloud, as well as any communications that he sent to the
+senate when absent, he usually caused to be read by his sons, showing
+honor by this course to the legislative body. Every day he had many of the
+senators and others join him at table, and he himself often dined at the
+houses of his intimate friends. [Sidenote:--11--] In general, his
+forethought for public interests caused him to be regarded as a real
+emperor. In his ordinary existence he was sociable and lived on a footing
+of equality with his subjects. He joked in unconventional manner and
+rather liked jokes upon himself. In case any anonymous documents were
+posted,--as happens to every emperor,--containing statements insulting to
+himself, he showed no signs of disturbance but posted in turn a suitable
+reply.
+
+One day Phoebus approached him to make an apology. It seemed that once,
+during Nero's reign, Vespasian when in the theatre in Greece had frowned
+at the misconduct of the emperor (of which he was a witness), whereupon
+Phoebus had angrily bidden him "Go!" And upon Vespasian's enquiring "Where
+to?" the other had responded "to the devil." [Footnote: This sentiment is
+expressed in the Greek by "to the crows."] Now when Phoebus apologized for
+this speech the monarch did him no harm, in fact vouchsafed him no answer
+at all, save a curt "Go to the devil yourself!"--Again, when Vologaesus
+forwarded a letter to the emperor addressed as follows: "Arsaces, King of
+Kings, to Flavius Vespasian, Greeting," the recipient did not rebuke him
+but wrote a reply couched in the same terms and added none of his imperial
+titles.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] Helvidius Priscus, the son-in-law of Thrasea, had been
+brought up in the doctrines of the Stoics and imitated Thrasea's
+bluntness, though there was no occasion for it. He was at this time
+praetor and instead of doing aught to increase the honor due to the
+emperor he would not cease reviling him. Therefore the tribunes once
+arrested him and gave him in charge of their assistants, at which
+procedure Vespasian was overcome by emotion and went out of the
+senate-house in tears, uttering this single exclamation only: "A son
+shall be my successor or no one at all."
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 71 (a.u. 824)] After Jerusalem had been captured Titus
+returned to Italy and celebrated a triumph, both he and his father riding
+in a chariot. Domitian, now in his consulship, also took part in the
+festivities, mounted upon a charger. Vespasian next established in Rome
+teachers of both Latin and Greek learning, who drew their pay from the
+public treasury.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] It became strikingly clear that Vespasian hated
+Helvidius Priscus not so much for personal affronts or on account of the
+friends that the man had abused as because he was a turbulent fellow that
+cultivated the favor of the rabble, was forever denouncing royalty and
+praising democracy. Helvidius's behavior, moreover, was consistent with
+his principles; he banded various men together, as if it were the function
+of philosophy to insult those in power, to stir up the multitudes, to
+overthrow the established order of things, and to incite people to
+revolution. He was a son-in-law of Thrasea and affected to emulate the
+latter's conduct: his failure to do so was striking. Thrasea lived in
+Nero's time and disliked the tyrant. Even so, however, he never spoke or
+behaved toward him in any insulting way: he merely refused to share in his
+practices. But Helvidius had a grudge against Vespasian and would not let
+him alone either in private or in public. By what he did he invited death
+and for his meddlesome interference he was destined ultimately to pay the
+penalty.
+
+Mucianus desired to be honored by all and beyond all, so
+that he was displeased not merely if a man insulted him but even if any
+one failed to extol him greatly. Hence, just as he was never tired of
+honoring those who assisted him to even the slightest extent, so his
+hatred was most cruel for all who did not so conduct themselves.
+
+Mucianus made a great number of remarkable statements to Vespasian against
+the Stoics, as, for instance, that they are full of empty boasting, and if
+one of them lets his beard grow long, elevates his eyebrows, wears his
+fustian cape thrown carelessly back and goes barefoot, he straightway
+postulates wisdom, bravery, righteousness as his own. He gives himself
+great airs, even though he may not understand (as the proverb says) either
+letters or swimming. They view everybody with contempt and call the man of
+good family a mollycoddle, the ill-born a dwarfed intellect, a handsome
+person licentious, an ugly person comely, the rich man an apostle of
+greed, and the poor man a servile groveler.
+
+And Vespasian did immediately expel from Rome all the philosophers except
+Musonius: Demetrius and Hostilianus he confined upon islands. Hostilianus
+would not stop, to be sure,--he happened to be conversing with somebody
+when he heard about the sentence of exile against him and merely inveighed
+all the more strongly against monarchy,--yet he straightway withdrew.
+Demetrius even now would not yield, and Vespasian bade it be told him:
+"You are working every way to have me kill you, but I am not slaughtering
+barking dogs."
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] Before long many others who followed the so-called Stoic
+system made themselves prominent, among whom was Demetrius the cynic.
+These men, abusing the title of philosophy, kept teaching their disciples
+publicly many pernicious doctrines, and in this way were gradually
+corrupting [Footnote: Reading [Greek: hypodiephtheiron] (Dindorf).] some.
+Under these circumstances Mucianus, influenced more by anger than by
+fondness for speaking, uttered many charges against them and persuaded
+Vespasian to expel all such persons from the city.
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] This period saw also the demise of Vespasian's
+concubine, Caenis. I have mentioned her because she was exceedingly
+faithful and possessed naturally a most excellent memory. For instance,
+her mistress Antonia, the mother of Claudius, had had her write secretly
+to Tiberius about Sejanus and later had ordered the message erased, that
+no trace of the same might be left. Thereupon she replied: "It is in vain,
+mistress, that you have issued this command. All of this and whatever else
+you dictate to me I always carry with me in my soul and it can never be
+erased." This is one thing I have admired about her and a second is that
+Vespasian should have been so much pleased with her. This fact gave her
+the greatest influence, and she collected untold wealth, so that it was
+even thought that she obtained money by her independent efforts. She
+received vast sums from all sources and sold to some persons offices, to
+others procuratorships, the command of campaigns, priesthoods, and to some
+actually imperial decisions. For Vespasian killed no one to get his money
+and took care to preserve large numbers of those who freely gave it. The
+person who secured the funds was his concubine, but it was suspected that
+Vespasian willingly allowed her to do as she did; and this belief was
+strengthened by his other acts, a few of which, for the sake of
+illustration, I shall relate. When certain persons voted to erect to him a
+statue costing twenty-five myriads, he stretched out his hand and said:
+"Give me the money; this [Footnote: i.e., the hollowed hand (compare
+Suetonius Vespasian, chapter 23).] will serve as its pedestal."--And to
+Titus, who was angry at the tax on urinating [Footnote: This refers to
+conveniences in the public streets.], which was appointed along with the
+rest, he replied, as he picked up some gold pieces that were the product
+of it: "See, my child, if they smell at all."
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 75 (a.u. 828)] [Sidenote:--15--] In the sixth year of
+Vespasian as magistrate and the fourth of Titus the precinct of Peace was
+dedicated and the so-called Colossus was set up on the Sacred Way. It is
+said to have been one hundred feet high, and to have had--according to one
+account--the figure of Nero, according to others that of Titus. Vespasian
+would often have beasts slain in the theatres. He did not particularly
+enjoy gladiatorial combats of men, although Titus during the youthful
+sports which were celebrated in his own land had once had a sham fight in
+heavy armor with Alienus. The Parthians, who fell into a war with some
+peoples, asked for an alliance with him, but he did not go to their aid,
+saying that it was not proper for him to interfere in other persons'
+business.
+
+Berenice was at the height of her power and consequently came to Rome
+along with her brother Agrippa. [Footnote: This Agrippa, known also as
+Herodes II, was an intimate friend of the Jewish historian Josephus and a
+companion of Titus at the siege of Jerusalem. It was before him, moreover,
+that the apostle Paul made his defence in A.D. 60.] The latter was
+accorded pretorial honors, while she dwelt in the Palace and cohabited
+with Titus. She expected to be married to him and behaved in all respects
+as if his wife. But when he perceived that the Romans were displeased at
+the situation he sent her away; for various reports were in circulation.
+At this time, too, certain sophists of the cynic school managed somehow to
+slip into the city: first, Diogenes entered the theatre when it was full
+of men and denounced them in a long, abusive speech, for which he was
+flogged; after him Heras, who showed no greater disposition to be
+obedient, gave vent to many senseless bawlings in the true cynic
+(dog-like) manner,--and for this behavior was beheaded.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 79 (a.u. 832)] [Sidenote:--16--] About the same period
+that these events took place it happened that at a certain inn such a
+quantity of overflowed the vessels that it ran out into the street.
+Moreover, Sabinus the Gaul, already mentioned, the person who had once
+named himself Caesar, had later taken up arms, had been defeated and had
+hidden himself in the monument, was discovered [Footnote: The meaning is
+clear. Cobet (Mnemosyne, N.S.X). thinks that ephorathae expresses the idea
+more accurately than the commonly accepted ephanerothae (Boissevain also
+ephorathae).] and brought to Rome. With him perished also his wife
+Peponila, who had previously saved his life. She had presented her
+children before Vespasian and had delivered a most pitiful speech in their
+behalf: "These little ones, Caesar, I both brought forth and reared in the
+monument, that we might be a greater number to supplicate you." She caused
+both him and the rest to weep; no mercy, however, was shown to the family.
+Meantime the emperor was also the object of a conspiracy on the part of
+Alienus and Marcellus, although he considered them among his best friends
+and bestowed honors upon them quite unstintedly. They did not succeed in
+killing him, though. Upon their being detected, Alienus was slain at once,
+in the imperial residence itself, as he rose from a meal with his intended
+victim. Titus issued this order to prevent his carrying his rebellion any
+further during the night; Alienus had already made arrangements with not a
+few of the soldiers. Marcellus was brought to trial before the senate and
+was condemned, whereupon he cut his own throat with a razor. Not even
+benefits, it may be remarked, can subdue those who are naturally vicious,
+as is shown by the plotting of these men against him who had done them so
+many kindnesses.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] It was after the episode just narrated that Vespasian
+fell sick, not, if the truth be known, of his ordinary gout but of fever
+and passed away at Aquae Cutiliae, [Footnote: These are mineral springs,
+chiefly sulphurous in nature, both hot and cold, situated near the town of
+Cutiliae, famous for its pool with the "floating island." Celsus (On
+Medicine, Book Four, chapter 5 (=12)) recommends bathing and standing in
+such cold mineral springs as those at Cutiliae in cases where a patient
+suffers from inability of the stomach to assimilate food.--The town itself
+is between Reate and Interocrea among the Sabines. (And compare Suetonius,
+Vespasian, chapter 24).] so-called, in Sabine territory. Some, who
+endeavor falsely to incriminate Titus (among them the emperor Hadrian)
+have spread a report that he was poisoned at a banquet. Portents had
+occurred in his career indicating his approaching end, such as the comet
+star which was seen for a considerable period and the opening of the
+monument of Augustus of its own accord. When the sick man's physician
+chided him for continuing his usual course of living and attending to all
+the duties that belonged to his office, he answered: "The emperor ought to
+die on his feet." To those who said anything to him about the comet he
+responded: "This is an omen not for me but for the Parthian king. He has
+flowing hair like the comet, whereas I am baldheaded." When he at length
+came to the belief that he was to die, he said only: "Now I shall become a
+god." He had lived to the age of sixty-nine years and eight months. His
+reign lasted ten years lacking six days. Accordingly, it results that from
+the death of Nero to Vespasian's becoming emperor a year and twenty-two
+days elapsed. I have recorded this fact to prevent a misapprehension on
+the part of any persons who might reckon the time with reference to the
+men who were in power. They, however, did not legitimately succeed one
+another, but each of them while his rival was alive and still ruling
+believed himself to be emperor from the moment that the thought first
+entered his head. One must not enumerate all the days of their reigns as
+if those days had followed one after another in orderly succession, but
+make a single sweeping calculation with the exact time, as I have stated
+it, in mind.
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] At his death Titus succeeded to the imperial power.
+Titus as a ruler committed no act of murder or passion, but showed himself
+upright, though the victim of plots, and self-controlled, though Berenice
+came to Rome again. Perhaps this was because he had undergone a change.
+(To share a reign with somebody else is a very different thing from being
+one's self an independent ruler. In the former case persons are heedless
+of the good name of the sovereignty and enjoy greedily the authority it
+gives them, thus doing many things that make their position the object of
+envy and slander. Actual monarchs, on the other hand, knowing that
+everything depends on their decision, have some eye to good repute as well
+as to other matters. So Titus said to somebody whose society he had
+previously affected: "It is not the same thing to desire something from
+another as to decide a case yourself, nor to ask something from another as
+it is to give it to some one yourself.") Perhaps his satisfactory conduct
+was also due to his surviving so short a time compared with most rulers,
+for he was thus given little opportunity for wrongdoing. For he lived
+after this only two years, two months and twenty days in addition to his
+thirty-nine years, five months and twenty-five days. People compare this
+feature of Titus's career with the fullness of years of Augustus, and say
+that the latter would never have won affection if he had lived a shorter
+time, nor the former, if he had lived longer. Augustus, though at the
+outset he had shown himself rather harsh because of the wars and the
+political factions, was able later in the course of time to become
+distinguished for his kindnesses: Titus ruled with forbearance and died at
+the summit of his glory, whereas if he had enjoyed a longer life, it might
+have been proved that he owes his present fame more to good fortune than
+to virtue.
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] It is worth noting that Titus during his reign put no
+senator to death, nor was any one else slain by him all the time that he
+was emperor. Cases involving maiestas he would never entertain himself nor
+allow others to entertain, for he said: "It is impossible for me to be
+insulted or outraged in any way. I do naught that deserves censure and I
+care not for what is falsely reported. As for the emperors that are dead
+and gone, they will avenge themselves in case any one does them wrong, if
+in very truth they be heroes and possess some power."--He also made
+various arrangements to render men more secure and free from trouble. One
+of these was the posting of a notice confirming all gifts bestowed upon
+any person by the former emperors. This also enabled him to avoid the
+nuisance of having people petition him individually about the
+matter.--Informers he banished from the city.
+
+In money matters he was frugal and sanctioned no unnecessary expenditure,
+yet he did not punish any one for opposite tendencies.
+
+In his reign also the False Nero appeared, who was an Asiatic and called
+himself Terentius Maximus. He resembled Nero in form and voice: he even
+sang to the zither's accompaniment. He gained a few followers in Asia and
+in his onward progress to the Euphrates he secured a far greater number
+and at length sought a retreat with Artabanus, the Parthian chief, who,
+out of the anger that he felt toward Titus, both received the pretender
+and set about preparations for restoring him to Rome. (Compare John of
+Antioch, frag. 104 Mueller).
+
+[Sidenote:--20--] Meantime war had again broken out in Britain, and Gnaeus
+Julius Agricola overran the whole of the hostile region. He was the first
+of the Romans whom we know to discover that Britain was surrounded by
+water. Some soldiers had rebelled and after killing centurions and a
+military tribune had taken refuge in boats. In these they put out to sea
+and sailed around to the western portion of the country just as the
+billows and the wind bore them. And without knowing it they came around
+from the opposite side and stopped at the camps on this side again. At
+that Agricola sent others to try the voyage around Britain and learned
+from them, too, that it was an island.
+
+As a result of these events in Britain Titus received the title of
+imperator for the fifteenth time. Agricola for the rest of his life lived
+in dishonor and even in want because he had accomplished greater things
+than a mere general should. Finally he was murdered on this account by
+Domitian, in spite of having received triumphal honors from Titus.
+
+[Sidenote:--21--] In Campania remarkable and frightful occurrences took
+place. A great fire was suddenly created just at the end of autumn. It was
+this way. The mountain Vesuvius stands over against Naples near the sea
+and has unquenchable springs of fire. Once it was equally high at all
+points and the fire rose from the center of it. This is the only portion
+of it that is in a blaze, for the outside parts of the mountain remain
+even now unkindled. Consequently, as the latter are never burned, while
+the interior is constantly growing brittle and being reduced to ashes, the
+surrounding peaks retain their original height to this day, but the whole
+section that is on fire, as it is consumed in the course of time, has
+grown hollow from continual collapse. Thus the entire mountain, if we may
+compare great things to small, resembles a hunting-theatre. The outlying
+heights of it support both trees and vines,--many of them,--but the crater
+is given over to fire and sends up smoke by day, flame by night. It looks
+as if quantities of incense of all sorts were being burned in it. This
+goes on all the time, sometimes more, sometimes less. Often it throws up
+ashes, when there is a general settling in the interior, or again it sends
+up stones when the air forces them out. It echoes and bellows, too,
+because its vents are not all together but are narrow and hidden.
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] Such is Vesuvius, and these phenomena regularly occur
+there at least once a year. But all the other happenings that took place
+in former time, though they may have seemed great and unusual to those who
+on each occasion observed them, nevertheless would be reckoned as but
+slight in comparison with what now occurred even though they should all be
+rolled into one. This was what befell. Numbers of huge men quite
+surpassing any human stature,--such creatures as giants are depicted to
+be,--appeared now on the mountain, now in the country surrounding it, and
+again in the cities, wandering over the earth day and night and also
+traversing the air. After this fearful droughts and earthquakes sudden and
+violent occurred, so that all the level ground in that region undulated
+and the heights gave a great leap. Reverberations were frequent, some
+subterranean resembling thunder and some on the surface like bellowings.
+The sea joined the roar and the sky resounded with it. Then suddenly a
+portentous crash was heard, as if the mountains were tumbling in ruins.
+And first there were belched forth stones of huge size that rose to the
+very summits before they fell; after them came a deal of fire and smoke in
+inexhaustible quantities so that the whole atmosphere was obscured and the
+whole sun was screened from view as if in an eclipse. [Sidenote:--23--]
+Thus night succeeded day and darkness light. Some thought the giants were
+rising in revolt (for even at this time many of their forms could be
+discerned in the smoke and moreover a kind of sound of trumpets was
+heard), while others believed that the whole world was disappearing in
+chaos or fire. Therefore they fled, some from the houses into the streets,
+others from without into the house; in their confusion, indeed, they
+hastened from the sea to the land or from the land to the sea, deeming any
+place at a distance from where they were safer than what was near by.
+While this was going on an inconceivable amount of ashes was blown out and
+covered the land and the sea everywhere and filled all the air. It did
+harm of all sorts, as chance dictated, to men and places and cattle, and
+the fish and the birds it utterly destroyed. Moreover, it buried two whole
+cities, Herculaneum and Pompeii, while the populace was seated in the
+theatre. The entire amount of dust was so great that some of it reached
+Africa and Syria and Egypt, and it also entered Rome, where it occupied
+all the air over the city and cast the sun into shadow. There, too, no
+little fear was felt for several days, since the people did not know and
+could not conjecture what had happened. They like the rest thought that
+everything was being turned upside down, that the sun was disappearing in
+the earth and the earth was bounding up to the sky. This ashes for the
+time being did them no great harm: later it bred among them a terrible
+pestilence.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 80 (a.u. 833)] [Sidenote:--24--] Another fire, above
+ground, in the following year spread over a very large portion of Rome
+while Titus was absent on business connected with the catastrophe that had
+befallen in Campania. It consumed the temple of Serapis, the temple of
+Isis, the Saepta, the temple of Neptune, the Baths of Agrippa, the
+Pantheon, the Diribitorium, the theatre of Balbus, the stage-building of
+Pompey's theatre, the Octavian buildings together with their books, and
+the temple of Capitoline Jupiter with its surrounding temples. Hence the
+disaster seemed to be not of human but of divine contrivance. Any one can
+estimate from the list of buildings that I have given, how many more must
+have been destroyed. Titus, accordingly, sent two exconsuls to the
+Campanians to supervise the founding of settlements and bestowed upon the
+inhabitants money that came (besides various other sources) from those
+citizens that had died without heirs. As for himself, he took nothing from
+individual or city or king, although many kept offering and promising him
+large sums. In spite of this, he restored everything from funds already at
+hand. [Sidenote:--25--] Most of his deeds had no unusual quality to mark
+them, but in dedicating the hunting-theatre and the baths that bear his
+name he produced many remarkable spectacles. Cranes fought with one
+another, and four elephants, as well as other grazing animals and wild
+beasts, to the number of nine thousand, were slaughtered, and women (not
+of any prominence, however,) took part in despatching them. Of men several
+fought in single combat and several groups contended together in infantry
+and naval battles. For Titus filled the above mentioned theatre suddenly
+with water and introduced horses and bulls and some other tractable
+creatures that had been taught to behave in the liquid element precisely
+as upon land. He introduced also human beings on boats. These persons had
+a sea-fight there, impersonating two parties, Corcyreans and Corinthians:
+others gave the same performance outside in the grove of Gaius and Lucius,
+a spot which Augustus had formerly excavated for this very purpose. There,
+on the first day, a gladiatorial combat and slaughter of beasts took
+place; this was done by building a structure of planks over the lake that
+faced the images and placing benches round about it. On the second day
+there was a horse-race, and on the third a naval battle involving three
+thousand men. Afterwards there was also an infantry battle. The Athenians
+conquered the Syracusans (these were the names that were used in the naval
+battle), made a landing on the islet, and having assaulted a wall
+constructed around the monument took it. These were the sights offered to
+spectators, and they lasted for a hundred days.
+
+Titus also contributed some things that were of practical use to the
+people. He would throw down into the theatre from aloft little wooden
+balls that had a mark, one signifying something to eat, another clothing,
+another a silver vessel, or perhaps a gold one, or again horses,
+pack-animals, cattle, slaves. Those who snatched them had to carry them
+back to the dispensers of the bounty to secure the article of which the
+name was inscribed.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 81 (a.u. 834)] [Sidenote:--26--] When he had finished this
+exhibition, he wept so bitterly on the last day that all the people saw
+him, and after this time he performed no other great deed; but the
+following year, in the consulship of Flavius [Footnote: L. Flavius Silva
+Nonius Bassus.] and Pollio, [Footnote: Asinius Pollio Verrucosus.]
+subsequent to the dedication of the buildings mentioned, he passed away at
+the same Aquae that was the scene of his father's demise. The common
+report had it that he was done to death by his brother, for he had
+previously been the object of that person's plot: but some writers state
+that a disease carried him off. The tradition is that, while he was still
+breathing and had a possible chance of recovery, Domitian, to hasten his
+end, put him in a box packed with a quantity of snow, pretending that the
+disease required a chill to be administered; and, before his victim was
+dead, he rode off to Rome, entered the camp, and received the title and
+authority of emperor, having given the soldiers all that his brother had
+been wont to give them. Titus, as he expired, said: "I have made but one
+error." What this was he did not reveal, and no one else feels quite sure
+about it. Some have conjectured one thing and some another. The prevailing
+impression, according to one set of historians, is that he referred to
+keeping his brother's wife, Domitia. Others (whom I am for following) say
+what he meant was that, after finding Domitian openly plotting against
+him, he had not killed him, but had chosen rather himself to suffer that
+fate at his rival's hands and to surrender the government of Rome to a man
+whose nature will be portrayed in the continuation of my narrative. Titus
+had ruled for two years, two months, and twenty days, as has been
+previously stated.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+67
+
+Domitian's cruel character: his hatred of his father and brother (chapters
+1, 2).
+
+He puts aside Domitia: falls in love with Julia: slays the Vestals
+(chapter 3).
+
+The German war (chapters 4, 5).
+
+Dacian war with Decebalus (chapters 6, 7).
+
+Domitian's nocturnal spectacles and entertainments (chapters 8, 9).
+
+Events of the Dacian war (chapter 10).
+
+Antonius, governor of Germany, rebels: many are slain (chapters 11-14).
+
+How Domitian was killed through snares laid by certain men (chapters
+15-18).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+L. Fl. Silva Nonius Bassus, Asinius Pollio Verrucosus Cosa. (A.D. 81 =
+a.u. 834 = First of Domitian, from Sept. 13th).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (VIII), T. Flavius Sabinus. (A.D. 82 = a.u. 835 = Second
+of Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (IX), Q. Petilius Rufus (II). (A.D. 83 = a.u. 836 = Third
+of Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (X), T. Aurelius Sabinus. (A.D. 84 = a.u. 837 = Fourth of
+Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (XI), T. Aurelius Fulvus. (A.D. 85 = a.u. 838 = Fifth of
+Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (XII), Ser. Cornelius Dolabella. (A.D. 88 = a.u. 839 =
+Sixth of Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (XIII), A. Volusius Saturninus. (A.D. 87 = a.u. 840 =
+Seventh of Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (XIV), L. Minucius Rufus. (A.D. 88 = a.u. 841 = Eighth of
+Domitian).
+
+T. Aurelius Fulvus (II), A. Sempronius Atratinus. (A.D. 89 = a.u. 842 =
+Ninth of Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (XV), M. Cocceius Nerva (II). (A.D. 90 = a.u. 843 = Tenth
+of Domitian).
+
+M. Ulpius Traianus, Manius Acilius Glabrio. (A.D. 91 = a.u. 844 = Eleventh
+of Domitian). Domitianus Aug. (XVI), Q. Volusius Saturninus. (A.D. 92 =
+a.u. 845 = Twelfth of Domitian).
+
+Sex. Pompeius Collega, Cornelius Priscus. (A.D. 93 = a.u. 846 = Thirteenth
+of Domitian).
+
+L. Nonius Asprenas, M. Arricinius Clemens. (A.D. 94 = a.u. 847 =
+Fourteenth of Domitian).
+
+Domitianus Aug. (XVII), T. Flavius Clemens. (A.D. 95 = a.u. 848 =
+Fifteenth of Domitian).
+
+Manlius Valens, Antistius Vetus. (A.D. 96 = a.u. 849 = Sixteenth of
+Domitian, to Sept. 18th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 81 (a.u. 834)] [Sidenote:--1--] Domitian was both, bold
+and passionate, both treacherous and given to dissembling. Hence, from
+these two characteristics, rashness on the one hand and craftiness on the
+other, he did much harm, falling upon some persons with the swiftness of a
+thunderbolt and damaging others by carefully prepared plots. The divinity
+that he chiefly revered was Minerva, so that he was wont to celebrate the
+Panathenaea on a magnificent scale: on this occasion he had contests of
+poets and chroniclers and gladiators almost every year at Albanum. This
+district, situated below the Alban Mount, from which it was named, he had
+set apart as a kind of acropolis. He had no genuine affection for any
+human being save a few women, but he always pretended to love the person
+whom at any time he was most determined to slay. He could not be relied
+upon even by those who did him some favor or helped him in his most
+revolting crimes, for whenever any persons furnished him with large sums
+of money or lodged information against numbers of men, he was sure to
+destroy these benefactors, being especially careful to do so in the case
+of slaves who had given information against their masters. [Accordingly,
+such individuals, though, they received money and honors and offices all
+at once from him, lived in no greater honor and security than other men.
+The very offences to which they had [Sidenote: A.D. 82 (a.u. 835)] been
+urged by Domitian commonly were made pretexts for their destruction, the
+emperor's object being to have the actual perpetrators appear solely
+responsible for their wrongdoing. It was the same intention which led him
+once to issue a public notice to the effect that, when an emperor does not
+punish informers he is the cause of the existence of such a class.]
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] Though this was his behavior to all throughout the course
+of his reign, still he quite outdid himself in dealing dishonor and ruin
+to his father's and brother's friends. [To be sure, he himself posted a
+notice that he would ratify all the gifts made to any persons by them and
+by other emperors. But this was mere show.] He hated them because they did
+not supply all his demands, many of which were unreasonable, as also
+because they had been held in some honor. [Whatever had enjoyed their
+affection and the benefit of their influence beyond the ordinary he
+regarded as hostile to him.] Therefore, although he himself had a passion
+for a eunuch named Earinus, nevertheless, because Titus had also shown
+great liking for castrated persons, he carried his desire to cast
+reflections on his brother's character to the extent of forbidding any one
+thereafter in the Roman empire to be castrated. In general, he was
+accustomed to say that those emperors who failed to punish large numbers
+of men were not good, but merely fortunate. [Personally, he paid no
+attention to those who praised Titus for not causing a single senator's
+death, nor did he care that the senate frequently saw fit to pass decrees
+that the emperor should not be permitted to put to death any of his peers.
+The emperor, as he believed, was far and away superior to them and might
+put any one of them out of the way either on his own responsibility or
+with the consent of the rest; it was ridiculous to suppose that they could
+offer any opposition or refuse to condemn a man. Some would praise Titus,
+only not in Domitian's hearing; for such effrontery would be deemed as
+grave an offence as if they were to revile the emperor in his presence and
+within hearing: but [Lacuna] [Footnote: A gap must probably be construed
+here. Bekker (followed by Dindorf) regarded it as coming after "secretly"
+and consisting of but a word or two (e.g. "he hated them") but Boissevain
+locates it as indicated above and believes that considerably more is
+missing.] because he understood that they were doing this secretly
+[Lacuna] Then there was another thing] that resembled play-acting.
+Domitian pretended that he too loved his brother and mourned him. He read,
+with tears, the eulogies upon him [and hastened to have him enrolled among
+the heroes], pretending just the opposite of what he really wished.
+(Indeed, he abolished the horse-race on Titus's birthday). People in
+general were not safe whether they sympathized with his indignation or
+with his joy. In one case they [Footnote: Reading [Greek: emellon]
+(Dindorf, Boissevain).] were sure to offend his feelings and in the other
+to let their lack of genuineness appear.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 83 (a.u. 836)] [Sidenote:--3--] His wife, Domitia, he
+planned to put to death on the ground of adultery, but, having been
+dissuaded by Ursus, he sent her away and midway on the road murdered
+Paris, the dancer, because of her. And many people paid honor to that spot
+with flowers [Sidenote: A.D. 83 (a.u. 836)] and perfumes, he gave orders
+that they, too, should be slain. After this he took into his house, quite
+undisguisedly, his own niece,--Julia, that is to say. [Then on petition of
+the people he became reconciled, to be sure, with Domitia, but continued
+none the less his relations with Julia.]
+
+He was removing many of the foremost men on many pretexts and by means of
+murders and banishments. [He also conveyed many to some out-of-the-way
+place, where he got rid of them; and not a few he caused to die in some
+way or other by their own acts that they might seem to have suffered death
+by their own wish and not through outside force.] He did not spare even
+the vestal virgins, but punished them on charges of their having had
+intercourse with men. It is further reported that since their examination
+was conducted in a harsh and unfeeling manner, and many of them were
+accused and constantly being punished, one of the pontifices, Helvius
+Agrippa, could not endure it, but, horror-stricken, expired there in the
+senate where he sat. [Domitian also took pride in the fact that he did not
+bury alive, as was the custom, the virgins he found guilty of debauchery,
+but ordered them to be killed by some different way.]
+
+After this he set out for Gaul and plundered some of the tribes across the
+Rhine enjoying treaty rights,--a performance which filled him with conceit
+as if he had achieved some great success. Presumably on account of the
+victory he increased the soldiers' wages, so that whereas each had been
+receiving seventy-five denarii he commanded that a hundred be given them.
+Later he thought better of it, but instead of diminishing the amount he
+curtailed the number of men-at-arms. Both of these steps entailed great
+injury to the public weal: he had made the defenders of the State too few,
+while rendering their support an item of great expense.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 84 (a.u. 837)] [Sidenote:--4--] Next he made a campaign
+into Germany and returned without having seen a trace of war anywhere. And
+what need is there of mentioning the honors bestowed upon him at this
+juncture for his exploit or from time to time upon the other emperors who
+were like him? For the object in any case was simply not to arouse the
+rage of those despots by letting them suspect, in consequence of the small
+number and insignificance of the rewards, that the people saw through
+them. Yet Domitian had this worst quality of all, that he desired to be
+flattered, and was equally displeased with both sorts of men, those who
+paid court to him and those who did not. He disliked the former because
+their attitude seemed one of cajolery and the latter because it seemed one
+of contempt. Notwithstanding [he affected to take pleasure in the honorary
+decrees voted him by the senate. Ursus he came near killing because he was
+not pleased with his sovereign's exploits, and then, at the request of
+Julia, he appointed him consul.] Subsequently, being still more puffed up
+by his folly, he was elected consul for ten years in succession, and first
+and only censor for life of all private citizens and emperors: and he
+obtained the right to employ twenty-four lictors and the triumphal garb
+whenever he entered the senate-house. He gave October a new name,
+Domitianum, because he had been born in that month. Among the charioteers
+he instituted two more parties, calling one the Golden and the other the
+Purple. To the spectators he gave many objects by means of balls thrown
+among them; and once he gave them a banquet while they remained in their
+seats and at night provided for them wine that flowed out in several
+different places. All this caused pleasure seemingly to the populace, but
+was a source of ruin to the powerful. For, as he had no resources for his
+expenditures, he murdered numbers of men, bringing some of them before the
+senate and accusing others in their absence. Lastly, he put some out of
+the way by concocting a plot and administering to them secret drugs.
+
+Many of the peoples tributary to the Romans revolted when contributions of
+money were forcibly extorted from them. The Nasamones are an instance in
+point. They massacred all the collectors of the money and so thoroughly
+defeated Flaccus, [Footnote: Probably _Cn. Suellius Flaccus._]
+governor of Numidia, who attacked them, that they were able to plunder his
+camp. Having gorged themselves on the provisions and the wine that they
+found there they fell into a slumber, and Flaccus becoming aware of this
+fact assailed and annihilated them all and destroyed the non-combatants.
+Domitian experienced a thrill of delight at the news and remarked to the
+senate: "Well, I have put a ban on the existence of the Nasamones."
+
+Even as early as this he was insisting upon being regarded as a god and
+took a huge pleasure in being called "master" and "god." These titles were
+used not merely orally but also in documents.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] Chariomerus, king of the Cherusci, had been driven out of
+his kingdom by the Chatti on account of his friendship for the Romans. At
+first he gathered some companions and was successful in his attempt to
+return. Later he was deserted by these men for having sent hostages to the
+Romans and so became the suppliant of Domitian. He was not accorded an
+alliance but received money.
+
+In Moesia, [Footnote: An error of the excerptor. The
+Lygians lived north of Moesia.] the Lygians, who had been at war with some
+of the Suebi, sent envoys, asking Domitian for an alliance. They obtained
+one that was strong, not in numbers, but in dignity: in other words, they
+were granted only a hundred knights. The Suebi, indignant at this, added
+to their contingent the Iazygae and began to prepare well in advance to
+cross the Ister.
+
+Masyus, king of the Semnones, and Ganna, a virgin (she was priestess in
+Celtica after Veleda), came to Domitian and having been honored by him
+returned.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 86 (a.u. 839)] [Sidenote:--6--] The greatest war that the
+Romans had on their hands at this time was one against the Dacians.
+Decebalus was now king of the latter [since Douras, to whom the
+sovereignty belonged, had voluntarily withdrawn from it in favor of
+Decebalus, because]. He had a good comprehension of the rules of warfare
+and was good at putting them in practice, displayed sagacity in advancing,
+took the right moment for retreating, was an expert in ambuscades, a
+professional warrior, knew how to make good use of a victory and to turn a
+defeat to advantage. Hence he showed himself for a long time a worthy
+antagonist of the Romans.
+
+I call the people Dacians, just as they name themselves and as the Romans
+do; but I am not ignorant that some of the Greeks refer to them as Getae,
+whether that is the right term or not. I myself know Getae that live along
+the Ister, beyond the Haemus range.
+
+Domitian made an expedition against them, to be sure but did not enter
+into real conflict. [Instead, he remained in a city of Moesia, rioting, as
+was his wont.] (Not only was he averse to physical labor and timorous in
+spirit, but also most profligate and lewd toward women and boys alike).
+But he sent others to officer the war and for the most part he got the
+worst of it.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 87(?)] Decebalus, king of the Dacians, carried on
+negotiations with Domitian, promising him peace. Domitian sent against him
+Fuscus [Footnote: _Cornelius Fuscus_, pretorian prefect.] with a
+large force. On learning of it Decebalus sent an embassy to him anew,
+sarcastically proposing to make peace with the emperor in case each of the
+Romans should choose to pay two asses as tribute to Decebalus each year;
+if they should not choose to do so, he affirmed that he should make war
+and afflict them with great ills.
+
+Dio [Lacuna] 67th Book [Lacuna] "When the soldiers making the campaign
+with Fuscus asked him to lead them."
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 90 (a.u. 843)] [Sidenote:--7--] Meantime he conceived a
+wish to take measures against the Quadi and the Marcomani because they had
+not assisted him against the Dacians. So he entered Pannonia to make war
+upon them, and the second set of envoys that they sent in regard to peace
+he killed.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] The same man laid the blame for his defeat, however, upon
+his commanders. All the superior plans he claimed for himself, though he
+executed none of them, but for the inferior management he blamed others,
+even though it was through his orders that some accident had taken place.
+Those who succeeded incurred his hatred and those who failed his censure.
+
+Domitian, being defeated by the Marcomani, took to flight and by hastily
+sending messages to Decebalus, king of the Dacians, induced him to make a
+truce with him. The monarch's frequent previous requests had always met
+with refusal. Decebalus now accepted the arrangement, for he was indeed
+hard pressed, yet he did not wish personally to hold a conference with
+Domitian, but sent Diegis with other men to give him the arms and a few
+captives, whom he pretended were the only ones he had. When this had been
+accomplished, Domitian set a diadem on the head of Diegis, just as if he
+had in very truth conquered and could make some one king over the Dacians.
+To the soldiers he granted honors and money. Like a victor, again, he sent
+on ahead to Rome, besides many other things, envoys from Decebalus, and
+something which he affirmed was a letter of his, though rumor declared it
+had been forged. He graced the festival that followed with many articles
+pertaining to a triumph, though they did not belong to any booty he had
+taken;--quite the reverse: and besides allowing the truce he made an
+outlay of a great deal of money immediately and also presented to
+Decebalus artisans of every imaginable profession, peaceful and warlike,
+and promised that he would give him a great deal more. These exhibits came
+from the imperial furniture which he at all times treated as captive
+goods, because he had enslaved the empire itself.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 91 (a.u. 844)] So many rewards were voted
+him that almost the whole world (so far as under his dominion) was filled
+with his images and statues of both silver and gold. He also gave an
+extremely costly spectacle in regard to which we have noted nothing that
+was striking for historical record, save that virgins contended in the
+foot-race. After this, in the course of holding what seem to have been
+triumphal celebrations, he arranged numerous contests. First of all, in
+the hippodrome he had battles of infantry against infantry, and again
+battles of cavalry, and next he gave a naval battle in a new place. And
+there perished in it practically all the naval combatants and numbers of
+the spectators. A great rain and violent storm had suddenly come up, yet
+he allowed no one to leave the spectacle; indeed, though he himself
+changed his clothing to a thick woolen cloak, he would not permit the
+people to alter their attire. As a result, not a few fell sick and died.
+By way of consoling them for this, he provided them at public expense a
+dinner lasting all night. Often, too, he would conduct games at night, and
+sometimes he would pit dwarfs [Footnote: Reading [Greek: nanous]
+(Dindorf)] and women against each other.
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] So at this time he feasted the populace as described, but
+on another occasion he entertained the foremost men of the senate and the
+knights in the following fashion. He prepared a room that was pitch black
+on every side, ceiling, walls and floor, and had ready bare couches, all
+alike, resting on the uncovered ground; then he invited in his guests
+alone, at night, without their attendants. And first he set beside each of
+them a slab shaped like a gravestone, bearing a person's name and also a
+small lamp, such as hangs in tombs. Next well-shaped, naked boys, likewise
+painted black, entered after the manner of phantoms, and, after passing
+around the guests in a kind of terrifying dance, took up their stations at
+their feet. After that, whatever is commonly dedicated in the course of
+offerings to departed spirits was set before them also, all black, and in
+dishes of a similar hue. Consequently, every single one of the guests
+feared and trembled and every moment felt certain that he was to be slain,
+especially as on the part of everybody save Domitian there was dead
+silence, as if they were already in the realms of the dead, and the
+emperor himself limited his conversation to matters pertaining to death
+and slaughter. Finally he dismissed them. But he had previously removed
+their servants, who stood at the doorway, and gave them in charge of
+other, unknown slaves, to convey either to carriages or litters, and by
+this act he filled them with far greater fear. Scarcely had each one
+reached home and was beginning to a certain extent to recover his spirits,
+when a message was brought him that some one was there from the Augustus.
+While they were expecting, as a result of this, that now at last they
+should surely perish, one person brought in the slab, which was of silver,
+then another something else, and another one of the dishes set before them
+at the dinner, which proved to be made of some costly material. Finally
+came [Footnote: Verb supplied by Xylander.] that particular boy who had
+been each one's familiar spirit, now washed and decked out. Thus, while in
+terror all night long, they received their gifts.
+
+Such was the triumph or, as the crowd said, such was the expiatory service
+that Domitian celebrated for those who had died in Dacia and in Rome. Even
+at this time, too, he killed off some of the foremost men. And he took
+away the property of whoever buried the body of any one of them, because
+the victim had died on ground belonging to the sovereign.
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] Here are some more events worth recording, that took
+place in the Dacian War. Julianus, assigned by the emperor to take charge
+of the war, made many excellent regulations, one being his command that
+the soldiers should inscribe their own names and those of the centurions
+upon their shields, in order that those of them who committed any
+particular good or bad action might be more readily observed by him.
+Encountering the enemy at Tapai, [Footnote: Pape thinks that the proper
+Latin form of this word be _Tabae_.] he killed a very great number of
+them. Among them Vezinas, who ranked next to Decebalus, since he could not
+get away alive, fell down purposely as if dead. In this way he escaped
+notice and fled during the night. Decebalus, fearing that the Romans now
+they had conquered would proceed against his residence, cut down the trees
+that were on the site and attached weapons to the trunks, to the end that
+his foes might think them soldiers, and so be frightened and withdraw.
+This actually took place.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] Antonius, a certain commander of this period in Germany,
+revolted against Domitian: him Lucius Maximus overcame and overthrew. For
+his victory he does not deserve any remarkable praise; [for many others
+have unexpectedly won victories, and his soldiers contributed largely to
+his success:] but for his burning all the documents that were found in the
+chests of Antonius, thus esteeming his own safety as of slight importance
+in comparison with having no blackmail result from them, I do not see how
+I may celebrate his memory as it deserves. But Domitian, as he had got a
+pretext from that source, proceeded to a series of slaughters even without
+the documents, and no one could well say how many he killed. [Indeed, he
+condemned himself so for this act that, to prevent any remembrance of the
+dead surviving, he prohibited the inscribing of their names in the
+records. Furthermore, he did not even make any communication to the senate
+regarding those put out of the way, although he sent their heads as well
+as that of Antonius to Rome and exposed them in the Forum.] But one young
+man, Julius Calvaster, who had served as military tribune in the hope of
+getting into the senate, was saved in a most unexpected fashion. Inasmuch
+as it was being proved that he had frequent meetings with Antonius alone
+and he had no other way to free himself from the charge of conspiracy, he
+declared that he had met him for amorous intercourse. The fact that he was
+of an appearance to inspire passion lent color to his statement. In this
+way he was acquitted.
+
+After just one more remark about the events of that time, I will cease.
+Lusianus Proculus, an aged senator, who spent most of his time in the
+country, had come out with Domitian from Borne under compulsion so as to
+avoid the appearance of deserting him when in danger and the death that
+might very likely be the result of such conduct. When the news came, he
+said: "You have conquered, emperor, as I ever prayed. Therefore, restore
+me to the country." Thereupon he left him without more ado and retired to
+his farm. And after this, although he survived for a long time, he never
+came near him.
+
+During this period some had become accustomed to smear needles with poison
+and then to prick with them whomsoever they would. Many persons thus
+attacked died without even knowing the cause, and many of the murderers
+were informed against and punished. And this went on not only in Rome but
+over practically the entire civilized world.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] To Ulpius Trajan and to Acilius Glabrio, who were
+consuls then, the same signs are said to have appeared. They foretold to
+Glabrio destruction, but to Trajan the imperial office. [Numerous wealthy
+men and women both were punished for adultery, and some of the women had
+been debauched by _him_. Many more were fined or executed on other
+charges.] A woman was tried and lost her life because she had stripped in
+front of an image of Domitian [and another for having had dealings with
+astrologers]. Among the many who perished at this time was also Mettius
+Pompusianus, whom Vespasian had refused to harm in any way after learning
+from some report that he would one day be sole ruler, but [Footnote:
+Reading [Greek: halla](Dindorf).] rather honored, saying: "You will
+certainly remember me and will certainly honor me in return." But Domitian
+first exiled him to Corsica and later put him to death, one of the
+complaints being that he had the inhabited world painted on the walls of
+his bedchamber and another that he had excerpted and was wont to read the
+speeches of kings and other eminent men that are written in Livy. Also
+Maternus, a sophist, met his death because in a practice speech [Footnote:
+Hartman (Mnemosyne, N. S. XXI, p. 395) would read [Greek: hasteion] for
+[Greek: haschon]. "Maternus met his death because he had made some witty
+remark against tyrants." H. maintains that Domitian could not know what
+Maternus said in his closet; but to the present translator the MS.
+tradition seems to lend to this incident a greater homogeneousness of
+detail with the preceding, and he retains it simply on that basis.] he had
+said something against tyrants. The emperor himself used to visit both
+those who were to accuse and those who were to give evidence for
+condemnation, and he would frame and compose everything that required to
+be said. Often, too, he would talk to the prisoners alone, keeping tight
+hold of their chains with his hands. In the former case he would not
+entrust to others what was to be said, and in the latter he feared the men
+even in their bonds.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 93 (a.u. 846)] [Sidenote:--13--] As censor, likewise, his
+behavior was noteworthy. He expelled Caecilius Rufinus from the senate
+because he danced, and restored Claudius Pacatus, though an ex-centurion,
+to his master because he was proved to be a slave. What came after, to be
+sure, can not be described in similar terms,--his deeds, that is to say,
+as emperor. _Then_ he killed Arulenus Rusticus for being a
+philosopher and for calling Thrasea sacred, and Herennius Senecio because
+in his long career he had stood for no office after the quaestorship and
+because he had compiled the life of Helvidius Priscus. Many others also
+perished as a result of this same charge of philosophizing, and all
+remaining members of that profession were again driven from Rome. One
+Juventius Celsus, however, who had been conspicuous in conspiring with
+certain persons against Domitian and had been accused of it, saved his
+life in a remarkable way. When he was on the point of being condemned, he
+begged that he might speak a few words with the emperor in private. Having
+gained the opportunity he did obeisance before him and after repeatedly
+calling him "master," and "god" (terms that were already being applied to
+him by others), he said: "I have done nothing of the sort. And if I obtain
+a respite, I will pry into everything and both inform against and convict
+many persons for you." He was released on these conditions, but did not
+report any one; instead, by advancing different excuses at different
+times, he lived until Domitian was killed.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 95 (a.u. 848)] [Sidenote:--14--] During this period the
+road leading from Sinuessa to Puteoli was paved with stones. And the same
+year Domitian slew among many others Flavius Clemens the consul, though he
+was a cousin and had to wife Flavia Domitilla, who was also a relative of
+the emperor's. [Footnote: His sister's daughter.] The complaint brought
+against them both was that of atheism, under which many others who drifted
+into Jewish ways were condemned. Some of these were killed and the
+remainder were at least deprived of their property. Domitilla was merely
+banished to Pandateria; but Glabrio, colleague of Trajan in the
+consulship, after being accused on various regular stock charges, and also
+of fighting with wild beasts, suffered death. This ability in the arena
+was the chief cause of the emperor's anger against him,--an anger prompted
+by jealousy. In the victim's consulship Domitian had summoned him to
+Albanum to attend the so-called Juvenalia and had imposed on him the task
+of killing a large lion. Glabrio not only had escaped all injury but had
+despatched the creature with most accurate aim.
+
+As a consequence of his cruelty the emperor was suspicious of all mankind
+and ceased now to put hopes of safety in either the freedmen or the
+prefects, whom he usually caused to be tried during their very term of
+office. Moreover, Epaphroditus, who belonged to Nero, he first drove out
+and then slew, censuring him for not having defended Nero; his object was
+by the vengeance that he took in this person's case to terrify his own
+freedmen long enough in advance to prevent their ever attempting a similar
+deed. [Sidenote: A.D. 96 (a.u. 849)] It did him no good, however, for he
+became the object of a conspiracy in the following year and perished in
+the consulship of Gaius [Footnote: An error, possibly emanating from Dio.
+The man's right name is _T. Manlius Valens._] Valens (who died after
+holding the consular office in his ninetieth year) and of Gaius Antistius.
+[Sidenote:--15--] Those who attacked him and prepared the undertaking were
+Parthenius his cubicularius (though he was the recipient of such marks of
+imperial favor as to be allowed to wear a sword) and Sigerus, [Footnote:
+Probably the person who is called Saturius in Suetonius, Domitian, chapter
+17.] who was also a member of the excubiae, as well as Entellus, the
+person entrusted with the care of the state documents, and Stephanus, a
+freedman. The plot was not unknown to Domitia, the emperor's wife, nor to
+the prefect Norbanus, nor to the latter's partner in office, Petronius
+Secundus: at least, this is the tradition. Domitia was ever an object of
+the imperial hatred and consequently stood in terror of her life; the rest
+no longer loved their sovereign, some of them because complaints had been
+lodged against them and others because they were expecting them to be
+lodged. For my part, I have heard also the following account,--that
+Domitian, having become suspicious of all these persons, conceived a
+desire to kill them, and wrote their names on a two-leaved tablet of
+linden wood, and put it under his pillow on the couch where he was wont to
+repose; and one of the naked prattling [Footnote: Compare Book
+Forty-eight, chapter 44.] boys, while the emperor was asleep in the
+daytime, filched it away and kept it without knowing what it contained.
+Domitia then chanced upon it and reading what was written gave information
+of the matter to those involved. As a result, they changed their plans
+somewhat and hastened the plot; yet they did not proceed to action until
+they had determined who was to succeed to the office. Having conversed
+with various persons, when they found that no one would accept it
+(everybody was afraid of them, thinking that they were simply testing
+people's loyalty) they betook themselves to Nerva. He was of most noble
+birth and most suitable character and had, besides, encountered danger
+through being slandered by astrologers [who declared that he should be
+sovereign.] Thus they the more easily persuaded him to be the next to
+receive the power. In truth, Domitian, who conducted an investigation of
+the days and the hours when the foremost men had been born, had
+consequently ere this despatched not a few even of those who entertained
+no hopes of gaining any power. [Footnote: As the MS tradition of this
+sentence is corrupt, the emendations of Polak have been adopted.] And he
+would have slain Nerva, had not one of the astrologers who favored the
+latter declared that he would die within a few days. [Believing that this
+would really prove true, he did not desire to be guilty of this additional
+murder, inasmuch as Nerva in any event was to meet death so very soon.]
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] Since no occurrence of such magnitude is without
+previous indications, various unfavorable tokens appeared in his case,
+too. In a vision he himself beheld Rusticus approaching him with a sword;
+and he thought that Minerva, whose statue he kept in his bedchamber, had
+thrown away her weapons and, mounted upon a chariot drawn by black horses,
+was being swallowed up in an abyss. But the feature which of all claims
+our wonder is connected with the name of Larginus Proculus. He had
+publicly foretold in Germany that the emperor should die on the day when
+he actually did die, and was, therefore, sent on to Rome by the governor.
+Brought before Domitian he declared once more that this should be so. A
+death sentence was postponed in order that he might be put to death after
+the emperor had escaped the danger. Meanwhile Domitian was slain, his life
+was saved, and he received a hundred thousand denarii from Nerva. Some one
+else had on a previous occasion told the ruler both when and how he should
+perish, and then being asked what manner of death he, the prophet, should
+meet, he answered that he would be despatched by dogs. Thereupon command
+was given that the fellow should be burned alive, and the fire was applied
+to him. But just then there was a great downpour of rain, the pyre was
+extinguished, and later dogs found him lying upon it with his hands bound
+behind him and tore him to pieces.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] I have one more astonishing fact to record, which I
+shall touch on after I have given the account of Domitian's end. As soon
+as he rose to leave the courthouse and was ready to take his afternoon
+nap, as was his custom, first Parthenius took the blade out of the sword,
+which always lay under his pillow, so that he should not have the use of
+that. Next he sent in Stephanus, who was stronger then the rest. The
+latter smote Domitian, and though it was not an opportune blow the emperor
+was knocked to the ground, where he lay. Then, fearing an escape,
+Parthenius leaped in, or, as some believe, he sent in Maximus, a freedman.
+Thus both Domitian was murdered, and Stephanus perished likewise in a rush
+that those who had not shared in the conspiracy made upon him.
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] The matter of which I spoke, saying that it surprises me
+more than anything else, is this. A certain Apollonius of Tyana on the
+very day and at that very hour when Domitian was being murdered (this was
+later confirmed by other events that happened in both places) climbed a
+lofty stone at Ephesus (or possibly some other town) and having gathered
+the populace, uttered these words: "Bravo, Stephanus! Good, Stephanus!
+Smite the wretch! You have struck, you have wounded, you have killed
+him!!" This is what really took place, though there should be ten thousand
+doubters. Domitian had lived forty-four years, ten months, and twenty-six
+days. His reign had lasted fifteen years and five days. His body was
+stolen away and buried by his nurse, Phyllis.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+68
+
+Most of Domitian's measures are annulled (chapter 1).
+
+The excellencies of Nerva Augustus Caesar: his kindness to Verginius
+(chapter 2).
+
+The conspiracy of Crassus: rebellion of the Pretorians: adoption of Trajan
+(chapter 3).
+
+Birthplace and praise of Trajan: Nerva dies (chapter 4).
+
+How Trajan entered upon his sovereignty (chapter 5),
+
+He undertakes a war against Decebalus, proving himself formidable to the
+latter but worthy the affection of his own people (chapters 6, 7).
+
+He conquers the Dacians and holds a triumph over them (chapters 8-10).
+
+A second war against the Dacians (chapters 11, 12).
+
+How Trajan saddled the Danube with a stone bridge (chapter 13).
+
+With the disappearance from the scene of Decebalus the Dacians are reduced
+to the condition of a province: Arabia is taken (chapter 14).
+
+Embassies: the Pontine marshes filled: statues to the well-deserving: the
+column of Trajan (chapters 15, 16).
+
+Campaign against the Parthians on account of the expulsion of Exedares
+from Armenia and the introduction there of Parthomasiris (chapters 17,
+18).
+
+Parthomasiris gains access to Trajan and Armenia is taken away from him
+(chapters 19, 20).
+
+How Abgarus the Osrhoenian obtained pardon from Trajan (chapter 21).
+
+About the envoys of Mannus and Manisarus sent to Trajan (chapter 22).
+
+Trajan is named Optimus, and, after the capture of Nisibis and Batnae,
+Parthicus (chapter 23).
+
+About the huge earthquake at Antioch (chapters 24, 25).
+
+After the bridging of the Tigris he reduces Adiabene, Mesopotamia, and
+Ctesiphon (chapters 26-28).
+
+He loses and regains several districts: he bestows a king upon the
+Parthians (chapters 29, 30).
+
+He besieges the Atreni without result (chapter 31). The Jews in Cyrene,
+Egypt, and Cyprus rebel, and are crushed, chiefly through the activity of
+Lusius (chapter 32).
+
+The Parthians cast out the king imposed upon them: Trajan dies (chapter
+33).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+C. Manlius Valens, C. Antistius Vetus. (A.D. 96 = a.u. 849 = First of
+Nerva, from Sept. 18th).
+
+Nerva Caes. Aug. (III), L. Verginius Rufus (III). (A.D. 97 = a.u. 850 =
+Second of Nerva).
+
+Nerva Caes. Aug. (IV), Nerva Traianus Caes. (II). (A.D. 98 = a.u. 851 =
+Third of Nerva, to January 27th).
+
+C. Sosius Senecio (II), A. Cornelius Palma. (A.D. 99 = a.u. 852 = Second
+of Trajan).
+
+Nerva Traianus Aug. (III), Sex. Iul. Frontinus (III). (A.D. 100 = a.u. 853
+= Third of Trajan).
+
+Nerva Traianus Aug. (IV), Sex. Articuleius Paetus. (A.D. 101 = a.u. 854 =
+Fourth of Trajan).
+
+C. Sosius Senecio (III), L. Licinius Sura (II). (A.D. 102 = a.u. 855 =
+Fifth of Trajan).
+
+Nerva Traianus Aug. (V), Q. Messius Maximus (II). (A.D. 103 = a.u. 856 =
+Sixth of Trajan).
+
+Suburanus (II), P. Neratius Marcellus. (A.D. 104 = a.u. 857 = Seventh of
+Trajan).
+
+Ti. Iulius Candidus (II), A. Iulius Quadratus (II). (A.D. 105 = a.u. 858 =
+Eighth of Trajan).
+
+L. Ceionius Commodus Verus, L. Cerealis. (A.D. 106 = a.u. 859 = Ninth of
+Trajan).
+
+C. Sosius Senecio (IV), L. Licinius Sura (III). (A.D. 107 = a.u. 860 =
+Tenth of Trajan).
+
+Ap. Trebonius Gallus, M. Atilius Bradua. (A.D. 108 = a.u. 861 = Eleventh
+of Trajan).
+
+A. Cornelius Palma (II), C. Calvisius Tullus (II). (A.D. 109 = a.u. 862 =
+Twelfth of Trajan).
+
+Clodius Priscinus, Solenus Orfitus. (A.D. 110 = a.u. 863 = Thirteenth of
+Trajan).
+
+C. Calpurnius Piso, M. Vettius Bolanus. (A.D. 111 = a.u. 864 = Fourteenth
+of Trajan). Nerva Traianus Aug. (VI), C. Iulius Africanus. (A.D. 112 = a.u.
+865=Fifteenth of Trajan).
+
+L. Celsus (II), Clodius Crispinus. (A.D. 113 = a.u. 866=Sixteenth of
+Trajan).
+
+Q. Ninnius Hasta, P. Manilius Vopiscus. (A.D. 114 = a.u. 867=Seventeenth of
+Trajan).
+
+L. Vipsanius Messala, M. Pedo Virgilianus. (A.D. 115 = a.u. 868=Eighteenth
+of Trajan).
+
+L. Aelius Lamia, Aelianus Vetus. (A.D. 116 = a.u. 869 = Nineteenth of
+Trajan).
+
+Quinctius Niger, C. Vipsanius Apronianus. (A.D. 117 = a.u. 870=Twentieth of
+Trajan, to Aug. 11th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 96 (a.u. 849)] [Sidenote:--1--] After Domitian, the Romans
+appointed Nerva Cocceius emperor. The hatred felt for Domitian caused his
+images, many of which were of silver and many of gold to be melted down;
+and from this source large amounts of money were obtained. The arches,
+too, of which more had been erected to the late emperor than previously to
+any one man, were torn down. Nerva also released such as were on trial for
+maiestas and restored the exiles. All the slaves and freedmen that had
+conspired against their masters he put to death, and allowed that class of
+persons to lodge no complaint whatever against their masters. Others were
+not permitted to accuse anybody for maiestas or for "Jewish living." Many
+who had been sycophants were condemned to death, among whom was Seras
+[Lacuna] [Footnote: The name is suspicious and possibly a corrupt
+reading.] the philosopher. Now, as a quite extraordinary disturbance arose
+from the fact that everybody was accusing everybody else, Fronto, the
+consul, is said to have remarked that it was bad to have an emperor under
+whom no one could do anything, but worse to have one under whom any one
+could do everything. Nerva, on hearing this, prohibited the future
+recurrence of such scenes. But Nerva, as a result of old age and sickness
+(which was always making him vomit his food), was rather weak.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] He also forbade gold statues being made in his honor. He
+paid back to such as under Domitian had been causelessly deprived of their
+property all that was still found in the imperial treasury. To the very
+poor Romans he granted allotments of land worth in the aggregate fifteen
+hundred myriads, and put certain senators in charge of their purchase and
+distribution. When he ran short of funds he sold many robes and plate,
+both silver and gold, besides furniture, both his own and what belonged to
+the imperial residence, many fields and houses,--in fact, everything save
+what was quite necessary. He did not, however, haggle over the prices of
+them, and in this very point benefited many persons. He abolished many
+sacrifices, many horse-races, and some other spectacles, in an attempt to
+reduce expenses as far as possible. In the senate he took oath that he
+would not cause the death of any of the senators and he kept his pledge in
+spite of plots. And he did nothing without the advice of prominent men.
+Among his various laws were those prohibiting any one from being made a
+eunuch and from marrying one's niece. When consul he did not hesitate to
+take as his colleague Verginius Rufus, though the latter had been
+frequently saluted as emperor. [Footnote: Compare Book Sixty-three,
+chapter 25 of Dio, and also Tacitus, _Historiae_ I, 9.] [Sidenote:
+A.D. 97 (a.u. 850)] Upon his monument was inscribed when he died: "Having
+conquered Vindex he ascribed the credit of victory not to himself but to
+his country." [Footnote: Compare also Pliny's Letters, Book Six, number
+10.]
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] Nerva ruled so well that he once remarked: "I have done
+nothing that could prevent me from laying down the imperial office and
+returning to private life in safety." When Crassus Calpurnius, a grandson
+of the famous Crassi, formed a plot with some others against him, he made
+them sit beside him at a spectacle--they were still ignorant of the fact
+that they had been informed upon--and gave them some swords, nominally to
+look at and see if they were sharp (as was often done), but really by way
+of showing that he did not care if he died that moment where he was.
+
+Aelianus Casperius, who was governor under him as he had been under
+Domitian, and had become one of the Pretorians, incited the soldiers to
+mutiny against him; his plan was to have them demand some persons for
+execution. Nerva resisted them stoutly, even to the point of baring his
+collar-bone and offering them his throat: but he accomplished nothing and
+those whom Aelianus wished were put out of the way. Wherefore Nerva,
+subjected to such profound humiliation because of his old age, ascended
+the Capitol and cried aloud: "To the good fortune of the Roman people and
+senate and myself I adopt Marcus Ulpius Nerva Trajan."
+
+Subsequently in the senate he designated him Caesar and sent a message to
+him, written with his own hand (Trajan was governor of Germany):
+
+  "The Danaans by thy weapons shall requite my tears." [Footnote: From
+  Homer's Iliad, Book One, verse 42.]
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] Thus did Trajan become Caesar and afterwards emperor,
+although there were relatives of Nerva. But the man did not esteem family
+relationship above the safety of the State, nor was he less inclined to
+adopt Trajan because the latter was a Spaniard instead of an Italian or
+Italiot, [Footnote: Dio means by _Italian_ one born in Italy, by
+_Italiot_ one who settles in Italy.] or because no foreigner had
+previously held the Roman sovereignty. It was a person's virtue and not
+his country that he thought needed examination.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 98 (a.u. 851)] Soon after this act he passed away, having
+ruled during the period of one year, four months and nine days. His life
+prior to that time [Footnote: Reading [Greek: proebebiochei]
+(Boissevain).] had comprised sixty-five years, ten months, and ten days.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] Trajan, before he became emperor, had had a dream of the
+following nature. He thought that an old man in purple robe and vesture,
+moreover adorned with a crown, as the senate is represented in pictures,
+impressed a seal upon him with a finger ring, first on the left side of
+his throat and then on the right. When he had been made emperor, he sent a
+despatch to the senate written with his own hand, which stated, among
+other things, that he would not slay nor dishonor any man of worth. This
+he confirmed by oaths not merely at that time but also later.
+
+He sent for Aelianus and the Pretorians who had mutinied against Nerva,
+pretending that he was going to employ them in some way, and relieved the
+world of their presence. [Sidenote: A.D. 99 (a.u. 852)] When he had
+entered Rome he did much toward the administration of state affairs and to
+please the excellent. To the former business he gave unusual attention,
+making many grants even to Italian cities for the support of their
+children, and to good citizens he did continual favors. Plotina, his wife,
+on first going into the palace turned around so as to face the Scalae and
+the populace, and said: "My wish is to issue hence the same sort of person
+as I am now when I enter." And she so conducted herself during the entire
+sovereignty as to incur no censure.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 100 (a.u. 853)] [Sidenote:--6--] After spending some time
+in Rome he instituted a campaign against the Dacians; for he made their
+deeds the object of thought and was irritated at the amount of money they
+were annually getting. He likewise saw that their power and their pride
+were increasing. Decebalus, learning of his advance, was frightened, since
+he well knew that formerly he had conquered not the Romans but Domitian,
+whereas now he would be fighting against both Romans and Trajan as emperor.
+
+And Trajan had a great reputation for justice, for bravery, and for simple
+living. He was strong in body (being in his forty-second year when he
+began to rule) [so that in every enterprise he toiled almost as much as
+the rest;] and his intellectual powers were at their highest, so that he
+had neither the recklessness of youth nor the sluggishness of old age. He
+did not envy nor kill any one, but honored and exalted all without
+exception that were men of worth, and hence he neither feared nor hated
+one of them. To slanders he paid very little heed and was no slave of
+anger. He refrained equally from the money of others and from unjust
+murders. [Sidenote:--7--] He expended vast sums on wars and vast sums on
+works of peace; and while making very many most necessary repairs on roads
+and harbors and public buildings, he drained no one's blood for these
+undertakings. His nature was so noble and magnanimous that even upon the
+hippodrome he merely inscribed the statement that he had made it suitable
+for the Roman people when it had crumbled away in spots, and had rendered
+it larger and more beautiful. For these deeds he was better satisfied to
+be loved than honored. His meetings with the people were marked by
+affability and his intercourse with the senate by dignity. He was loved by
+all and dreaded by none save the enemy. He joined people in hunting and
+banquets, and in work and plans and jokes. Often he would make a fourth in
+somebody's litter, and sometimes he would enter persons' houses even
+without a guard and make himself at home. He lacked education in the exact
+sense,--book-learning, at least,--but he both understood and carried out
+its spirit, and there was no quality of his that was not _excellent_.
+I know well enough that he was given to wine and boys, but if he had ever
+committed or endured any base or wicked deed as a result of this, he would
+have incurred censure. As the case stood, he drank all the wine he wanted,
+yet remained sober, and his pursuit of pederasty harmed no one. And even
+if he did delight in war, still he was satisfied with success in it,--with
+overthrowing a most hostile element and bettering his own side. Nor did
+the usual thing under such circumstances,--conceit and arrogance on the
+part of the soldiers,--ever manifest itself during his reign; with such a
+firm hand did he rule them. For these reasons Decebalus was somewhat
+justified in fearing him.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] When Trajan, in the course of his campaign against the
+Dacians had come near Tapai, where the barbarians were encamping, a large
+mushroom was brought to him, on which it said in Latin characters that the
+Buri and other allies advised Trajan to turn back and make peace. At
+Trajan's first encounter with the foe he visited many of the wounded on
+his own side and killed many of the enemy. And when the bandages gave out,
+he is said not to have spared even his own clothing, but to have cut it up
+into strips. In honor of the soldiers that had died in battle he ordered
+an altar erected and the performance of funeral rites annually.
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] [Decebalus had sent envoys also before the defeat, and no
+longer the long-haired men, as before, but the chief among the
+cap-wearers. [Footnote: Latin, _pileati_. The distinction drawn is
+that between the plebeians and the _nobles_, to whom reference is
+made respectively by the terms "unshorn" and "covered." Compare here the
+make up of the Marcomanian embassy in Book Seventy-two, chapter two.]
+These threw down their arms and casting themselves upon the earth begged
+Trajan that if possible Decebalus himself be allowed to meet and confer
+with him, promising that he would do everything that might be commanded;
+or, if not, that at least some one should be despatched to agree upon
+terms with him. Those sent were Sura and Claudius Livianus, the prefect;
+but nothing was accomplished, for Decebalus did not dare even to come near
+them. He sent representatives also on this occasion.
+
+Trajan had now seized some fortified mountains and on them found the arms
+and the captured engines, as well as the standard which had been taken in
+the time Fuscus. [Sidenote: A.D. 101 (a.u. 854)] Undertaking to ascend the
+heights themselves, he secured one crest after another amid dangers and
+approached the capital of the Dacians. Lusius, attacking in another
+quarter, slaughtered numbers and captured still more alive. Then Decebalus
+sent envoys.
+
+Decebalus, for this reason, and particularly because Maximus at the same
+time had possession of his sister and a strong position, was ready to
+agree without exception to every demand made. It was not that he intended
+to abide by his agreement, but he wanted to secure a respite from his
+temporary reverses.] So, though against his will, he made a compact to
+surrender his arms, engines, and manufacturers of engines, to give back
+the deserters, to demolish his forts, to withdraw from captured territory,
+and furthermore to consider the same persons enemies and friends as the
+Romans did [besides neither giving shelter to any of the deserters,
+[Footnote: Reading [Greek: automolon tina] (Boissevain).] nor employing
+any soldiers from the Roman empire, for he had acquired the largest and
+best part of his force by persuading them to come from that quarter]. When
+he came into Trajan's presence, he fell upon the earth and did obeisance
+[and cast away his arms. He also sent envoys to the senate to secure these
+terms, in order that he might have the further ratification of the peace
+by that body. At the conclusion of this compact the emperor left a camp in
+Sarmizegethusa, and, having placed garrisons at intervals through the
+remainder of the territory, returned to Italy.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 103 (a.u. 856)] [Sidenote:--10--] The envoys from
+Decebalus were introduced in the senate. They laid down their arms,
+clasped their hands in the posture of captives, and spoke some words of
+supplication; thus they obtained peace and received back their arms.
+Trajan celebrated a triumph and was given the title of Dacicus; in the
+theatre he had contests of gladiators, in whom he delighted, and he
+brought back dancers once more to the theatre, being in love with one of
+them, Pylades. However, he did not pay less attention to general
+administration, as might have been expected of a warlike personage, nor
+did he hold court the less: on the contrary, he conducted trials now in
+the forum of Augustus, now in the porch named the Porch of Livia, and
+often elsewhere on a platform.
+
+And since Decebalus was reported to him to be acting in many ways contrary
+to the treaty, since he was gathering arms, receiving such as deserted,
+repairing the forts, sending ambassadors to the neighbors, and injuring
+those who had previously differed with him, since also he was devastating
+some land of the Iazygae (which Trajan later would not give back to them
+when they asked for it), therefore, the senate voted that he was again an
+enemy. And Trajan again conducted the war against him, commanding in
+person and not represented by others.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 104 (a.u. 857)] [Sidenote:--11--] [As numerous Dacians
+kept transferring their allegiance to Trajan, and for certain other
+reasons, Decebalus again requested peace. But since he could not be
+persuaded to surrender both his arms and himself, he proceeded openly to
+collect troops and called the surrounding nations to his aid, saying that
+if they deserted him they themselves would come into danger and that it
+was safer and easier by fighting on his side to preserve their freedom,
+before suffering any harm, than if they should allow his people to be
+destroyed and then later be subjugated when bereft of allies.] And
+Decebalus in the open field came off poorly, but by craft and deceit he
+almost compassed the death of Trajan. He sent into Moesia some deserters
+to see whether they could make away with him, inasmuch as the emperor was
+generally accessible, and now, on account of the needs of warfare,
+admitted to conference absolutely every one who desired it. But this plan
+they were unable to carry out, since one of them was arrested on suspicion
+and, under torture, revealed the entire plot.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] Longinus was the commandant of the Roman camp who had
+made himself a terror to the Dacian leader in warfare. The latter,
+therefore, sent him an invitation and persuaded him to meet him, on the
+pretext that he would perform whatever should be enjoined. He then
+arrested him and questioned him publicly about Trajan's plans. As the
+Roman would not yield at all, he took him about with him under guard,
+though not in bonds. And [Decebalus sending an envoy to Trajan, asked that
+he might get back the territory as far as the Ister and receive indemnity
+for all the money he had spent on the war,] in recompense for restoring
+Longinus to him. An ambiguous answer was returned, of a kind that would
+not make Decebalus think that the emperor regarded Longinus as of either
+great value or small, the object being to prevent his being destroyed on
+the one hand, or being preserved on excessive terms, on the other. So
+Decebalus delayed, still considering what he should do.
+
+Meanwhile Longinus, having [through his freedman] secured a poison [--he
+had promised Decebalus that he would reconcile Trajan to the proposition,
+in order that the Dacian should be as far as possible from suspecting what
+was to happen, and so not keep an especially careful watch over him. Also,
+to enable his servant to attain safety, he wrote a letter containing a
+supplication, and gave it to the freedman to carry to Trajan. Then, when
+he had gone, at night he took the poison,] drank it and died. [After this
+event Decebalus asked Trajan to give him back his freedman, promising to
+give him in return the body of Longinus and ten captives. He sent at once
+the centurion who had been captured with the dead general, assuming that
+this man would arrange the matter for him; and it was from the centurion
+that the whole story of Longinus was learned. However, Trajan neither sent
+him back, nor surrendered the freedman, deeming his safety more valuable
+for establishing the dignity of the empire than the of Longinus.]
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] Now, Trajan constructed over the Ister a stone bridge,
+for which I cannot sufficiently admire him. His other works are most
+brilliant, but this surpasses them. There are twenty square pieces of
+stone, the height of which is one hundred and fifty feet above the
+foundations and the breadth sixty, and these, standing at a distance of
+one hundred and seventy feet from one to another, are connected by arches.
+How then could one fail to be astonished at the expenditure made upon
+them? Or the manner in which each of them was placed in a river so deep,
+in water so full of eddies, on ground so slimy? It was impossible, you
+note, to divert the course of the river in any direction. I have spoken of
+the breadth of the river; but the stream is not uniformly so limited,
+since it covers in some places twice and elsewhere thrice as much ground,
+but the narrowest point, and the one in that region most adapted to
+bridge-building, has just those dimensions. Yet the very fact that the
+river here shrinks from a great flood to such a narrow channel and is here
+confined, though it again expands into a greater flood, makes it all the
+more violent and deep; and this feature must be considered in estimating
+the difficulty of preparing a bridge. This achievement, then, shows the
+greatness of Trajan's designs, though the bridge is of no particular use
+to us. Merely the piers are standing, affording no means of crossing, as
+if they were erected for the sole purpose of demonstrating that there is
+nothing which human energy can not accomplish. Trajan's reason for
+constructing the bridge was his fear that, some time when the Ister was
+frozen, war might be made on the Romans across the water, and his desire
+to enjoy the easy access to them that this work would permit. Hadrian, on
+the contrary, was afraid that the barbarians might overpower the guard at
+the bridge and cross into Moesia, and so he removed the surface work.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 105 (a.u. 858)] [Sidenote:--14--] Trajan, having crossed
+the Ister on this bridge, conducted the war with prudence, rather than
+with haste, and eventually, after a hard struggle, vanquished the Dacians.
+In the course of these encounters he personally performed many deeds of
+good generalship and bravery, and his soldiers ran many risks and
+displayed great prowess on his behalf. It was here that a certain
+horseman, dangerously wounded, was carried from the battle on the
+supposition that he could be healed; but, when he found that he could not
+recover, he rushed from his quarters (since his hurt had not incapacitated
+him) and stationing himself in the line again he perished, after having
+displayed great valor. [Sidenote: A.D. 106 (a.u. 859)] Decebalus, when his
+capital and all his territory had been occupied and he was himself in
+danger of being captured, committed suicide, and his head was brought to
+Rome.
+
+In this way Dacia became subject to Rome and Trajan founded cities there.
+The treasures of Decebalus were also discovered, though hidden beneath the
+Sargetia river, which ran past his palace. He had made some captives
+divert the course of the river and had then excavated its bed. There he
+had placed a large amount of silver and of gold and other objects of great
+value, that could endure some moisture, had heaped stones over them and
+piled on earth. After that he had let the river flow over them. The same
+captives were compelled to deposit his robes and other similar objects in
+neighboring caves; and when he had effected this, he made away with them
+to prevent their talking. But Bicilis, a comrade of his, who knew what had
+been done, was seized and gave this information.--About this same time,
+Palma, who was governor of Syria, subdued the portion of Arabia, near
+Petra, and made it subservient to the Romans.
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] [The ambassadors who came from the kings were given
+seats by Trajan in the senatorial row at spectacles.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 107 (a.u. 860)] Upon Trajan's return to
+Rome the greatest imaginable number of embassies came to him from the
+barbarians, even the Indi being represented. And he gave spectacles on one
+hundred and twenty-three days. At these affairs thousands, yes, possibly
+tens of thousands of animals, both wild and tame, were slaughtered, and
+fully ten thousand gladiators fought in combat.
+
+About the same period he made the Pontine marshes traversable by means of
+a stone foundation, and built roads alongside, which he furnished with
+most magnificent bridges.--All the obsolete money he had melted down.
+
+
+[He had sworn not to commit bloodshed and he confirmed
+his promise by his actions in spite of plots. He was by nature not at all
+given to duplicity or guile or harshness. He loved and greeted and honored
+the good, and the rest he neglected. His age made him still more inclined
+to mildness.] When Licinius Sura died, he bestowed upon
+him a public funeral and a statue. This man had attained such a degree of
+wealth and pride that he built a gymnasium for the Romans. So great was
+the friendship and confidence [which Sura showed toward Trajan and Trajan
+toward him that although the man was often slandered,--as naturally
+happens in the case of all those who possess any influence with the
+emperors,--Trajan never felt a moment's suspicion or hatred. On the
+contrary, when those who envied him became insistent, Trajan] went
+[uninvited to his house] to dinner. And having dismissed his whole
+body-guard he first called Sura's physician and had him anoint his eyes
+and then his barber shave his chin. Anciently the emperors themselves as
+well as all other people used to do this. It was Hadrian who first set the
+fashion of wearing a beard. When he had done this, he next took a bath and
+had dinner. So the next day he said to his friends who were always in the
+habit of making statements detrimental to Sura: "If Sura had wanted to
+kill me, he would have killed me yesterday." [Sidenote:--16--] Now he did
+a great thing in running this risk in the case of a man who had been
+calumniated, but a still greater thing in believing that he would never be
+harmed by him.
+
+So it was that the confidence of his mind was strengthened by his own
+knowledge of his dealings with Sura instead of being influenced by the
+fancies of others.
+
+Indeed, when he first handed to him [Footnote: Saburanus. (?)] who was to
+be prefect of the Pretorians the sword which the latter required to wear
+by his side, he bared the blade, holding it up said: "Take this sword, to
+the end that if I rule well, you may use it for me, but if ill, against
+me."
+
+He also set up images of Sosia and Palma and Celsus, [Footnote: _L.
+Publilius Celsus_.]--so greatly did he esteem them above others. Those,
+however, who conspired against him (among whom was Crassus) he brought
+before the senate and caused to be punished.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 114 (a.u. 867)] Again he gathered collections of books.
+And he set up in the Forum an enormous column, to serve at once as a
+sepulchral monument to himself and as a reminder of his work in the Forum.
+The whole region there was hilly and he dug it down for a distance
+equaling the height of the column, thus making the Forum level.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] Next he made a campaign against the Armenians and
+Parthians on the pretext that the Armenian king [Footnote:
+_Exedares_.] had obtained his diadem not at his hands but from the
+Parthian king. [Footnote: _Osrhoes_.] His real reason, however, was a
+desire to win fame. [On his campaign against the Parthians, when he had
+reached Athens, an embassy from Osrhoes met him asking for peace and
+proffering gifts. This king had learned of his advance and was terrified
+because Trajan was wont to make good his threats by deeds. Therefore he
+humbled his pride and sent a supplication that war be not made against
+him: he asked Armenia for Parthomasiris, who was likewise a son of
+Pacorus, and requested that the diadem be sent to him. He had put a stop,
+he said, to the reign of Exedares, who was beneficial neither to the
+Romans nor to the Parthians.
+
+The emperor neither received the gifts, nor sent any answer or command,
+save that friendship is determined by deeds and not by words; and that
+accordingly when he should reach Syria he would do what was proper.
+
+And being of this mind he proceeded through Asia, Syria, and adjoining
+provinces to Seleucia. Upon his coming to Antioch, Abgarus the Osrhoenian
+did not appear in person, but sent gifts and a friendly communication.
+For, as he dreaded both him and the Parthians, he was trying to play a
+double game and for that reason would not come to confer with him.]
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] Parthomasiris behaved in rather violent fashion. In his
+first letter to Trajan he had signed himself as king, but when no answer
+came to his epistle, he wrote again, omitting this title, and asked that
+Marcus Junius, the governor of Cappadocia, be sent to him, implying that
+he wanted to prefer some request through him. Trajan, accordingly, sent
+him the son of Junius, and himself went ahead to Arsamosata, of which he
+took possession without a struggle. Then he came to Satala and rewarded
+with gifts Anchialus, the king of the Heniochi and Machelones. At Elegeia
+in Armenia he awaited Parthomasiris. He was seated upon a platform in the
+trenches. The prince greeted him, took off his diadem from his head, and
+laid it at his feet. Then he stood there in silence, expecting to receive
+it back. At this the soldiers shouted aloud, and hailed Trajan imperator
+as if on account of some victory. (They termed it an uncrowned, [Footnote:
+Reading [Greek: haselinon] (Bekker) = "without the parsley crown" (such as
+was bestowed upon victors in some of the Greek games).] bloodless victory
+to see the king, a descendant of Arsaces, a son of Pacorus, and a nephew
+of Osrhoes, standing beside Trajan without a diadem, like a captive). The
+shout terrified the prince, who thought that it heralded insult and
+destruction for him. He turned about as if to flee, but, seeing that he
+was hemmed in on all sides, begged as a favor not to be obliged to speak
+before the crowd. Accordingly, he was escorted into the tent, where he had
+none of his wishes granted. [Sidenote:--20--] So out he rushed in a rage,
+and from there out of the camp, but Trajan sent for him, and again
+ascending the platform bade him speak in the hearing of all everything
+that he desired. This was to prevent any person from spreading a false
+report through ignorance of what had been said in private conference. On
+hearing this exhortation Parthomasiris no longer kept silence, but with
+great frankness made many statements, some of them being to the effect
+that he had not been defeated or captured, but had come there voluntarily,
+believing that he should not be wronged and should receive back the
+kingdom, as Tiridates had received it from Nero. Trajan made appropriate
+replies to all his remarks and said that he should abandon Armenia to no
+one. It belonged to the Romans and should have a Roman governor. He would,
+however, allow Parthomasiris to depart to any place he pleased. So he sent
+the prince away together with his Parthian companions and gave them an
+escort of cavalry to ensure their meeting no one and adopting no
+rebellious tactics. All the Armenians who had come with him he commanded
+to remain where they were, on the ground that they were already his
+subjects.
+
+[Sidenote:--21--] [Leaving garrisons at opportune points Trajan came to
+Edessa, and there for the first time he set eyes upon Abgarus. Previously
+this person had sent envoys and gifts to the prince frequently, but he
+himself for different reasons at different times failed to put in an
+appearance. The same was true also of Mannus, the phylarch of adjoining
+Arabia, and Sporaces, phylarch of Anthemusia. On this occasion, however,
+he was persuaded partly by his son Arvandes, who was beautiful and in the
+prime of youth and therefore on good terms with Trajan, and partly by the
+fear of the latter's presence near by; consequently he met him on the
+road, made his apologies, and obtained pardon. He had a powerful
+intercessor in the boy. Accordingly, he became a friend of Trajan's and
+entertained him with a banquet. At the dinner in question he presented his
+boy in some kind of barbaric dance.]
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] [When Trajan came into Mesopotamia, Mannus sent a herald
+to him, and Manisarus despatched envoys in regard to peace, because, he
+said, Osrhoes was making a campaign against him, and he was ready to
+withdraw from Armenia and Mesopotamia so far as captured. Thereupon the
+emperor replied that he would not believe him until he should come to him
+and confirm his offers by deeds, as he was promising. He was also
+suspicious of Mannus, especially because the latter had sent an auxiliary
+force to Mebarsapes, king of Adiabene, and then had lost it all at the
+hands of the Romans. Therefore Mannus never waited for the Romans to draw
+near but took his course to Adiabene to find shelter with the other two
+princes. Thus were Singara and some other points occupied by Lusius,
+without a battle.]
+
+When he had captured the whole country of Armenia and
+had won over also many of the kings, some of whom, since they submitted,
+he treated as his friends, and others, though disobedient, he subdued
+without resort to arms, [Sidenote:--23--] the senate voted to him many
+honors of various descriptions, and they bestowed upon him the title of
+Optimus, i.e., Excellent.--He was always accustomed to trudge on foot with
+his entire army and he had the ordering and arrangement of the troops
+throughout the entire expedition, leading them sometimes in one order and
+sometimes in another; and he forded as many rivers as they did. Sometimes
+he even had his scouts circulate false reports, in order that the soldiers
+might at the same time practice military manoeuvres and be so impervious
+to alarm as to be ready for anything. After he had captured Nisibis and
+Batnae he was given the title of Parthicus. But he took greater pride in
+the name of Optimus than in all the rest, inasmuch as it belonged rather
+to his character than to his arms.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 115 (a.u. 868)] [Sidenote:--24--] While he was staying in
+Antioch, a dreadful earthquake occurred. Many cities were damaged, but
+Antioch was most of all unfortunate. Since Trajan was wintering there and
+many soldiers and many private persons had flocked thither from all
+directions for lawsuits, embassies, business, or sightseeing, there was no
+nation nor people that went unscathed. Thus in Antioch the whole world
+under Roman sway suffered disaster.
+
+There were many thunderstorms to start with and portentous winds, but no
+one could have expected that so many evils would result from them. First
+came, on a sudden, a great bellowing roar, and there followed it a
+tremendous shock. The whole earth was up-heaved and buildings leaped into
+the air. Those that were lifted up collapsed and were smashed to pieces,
+[Sidenote: A.D. 115 (a.u. 868)] while others were beaten this way and that
+as if by the surges and were turned about. The wrecks were strewn a long
+distance over the countryside. The crash of grinding and breaking timbers,
+tiles, and stones together became most frightful, and an inconceivable
+mass of dust arose, so that no one could see any person nor say or hear
+anything. Many persons were hurt even outside the houses, being picked up
+and tossed violently about, and then with a momentum as in a fall from a
+cliff dashed to the earth. Some were maimed, others killed. Not a few
+trees leaped into the air, roots and all.
+
+The number of those found in the houses who perished was beyond discovery.
+Multitudes were destroyed by the very force of the collapse and crowds
+were suffocated in the debris. Those who lay with a part of their bodies
+buried under the stones or timbers suffered fearful agony, being able
+neither to live nor to find an immediate death.
+
+[Sidenote:--25--] Nevertheless many even of these were saved, as was
+natural in such overwhelming numbers of people. And those outside did not
+all get off safe and sound. Numbers lost their legs or their shoulders and
+some [Lacuna] their [Lacuna] heads. Others vomited blood. One of these was
+Pedo the consul, and he died at once. In brief, there was no form of
+violent experience that those people did not undergo at that time. And as
+Heaven continued the earthquake for several days and nights, the people
+were dismayed and helpless, some crushed and perishing under the weight of
+the buildings pressing upon them, and others dying of hunger in case it
+chanced that by the inclination of the timbers they were left alive in a
+clear space, it might be in a kind of arch-shaped colonnade. When at last
+the trouble had subsided, some one who ventured to mount the ruins caught
+sight of a live woman. She was not alone but had also an infant, and had
+endured by feeding both herself and her child with her milk. They dug her
+out and resuscitated her together with her offspring, and after that they
+searched the other heaps but were no longer able to find in them any
+living creature save a child sucking at the breasts of its mother, who was
+dead. As they drew out the corpses they no longer felt any pleasure at
+their own escape.
+
+So great were the disasters that had overwhelmed Antioch at this time.
+Trajan made his way out through a window of the room where he was. Some
+being of more than human stature had approached him and led him forth, so
+that he survived with only a few small bruises. As the shocks extended
+over a number of days, he lived out of doors in the hippodrome. Casium
+itself, too, was so shaken that its peaks seemed to bend and break and to
+be falling upon the city. Other hills settled, and quantities of water not
+previously in existence came to light, while quantities more escaped by
+flowing away.
+
+[Sidenote:--26--] Trajan about spring time proceeded into the enemy's
+country. Now since the region near the Tigris is barren of timbers fit for
+shipbuilding, he brought the boats which had been constructed in the
+forests surrounding Nisibis on wagons to the river. The vessels had been
+arranged in such a way that they could be taken apart and put together. He
+had very hard work in bridging the stream opposite Mount Carduenum, for
+the opposing barbarians tried to hinder him. Trajan, however, had a great
+abundance of both ships and soldiers, and so some boats were fastened
+together with great speed while others lay motionless in front of them,
+carrying heavy infantry and archers. Still others kept making dashes this
+way and that, as if they intended to cross. As a result of these tactics
+and from their very astonishment at seeing so many ships at once appear
+_en masse_ from a land devoid of trees the barbarians gave way and
+the Romans crossed over. They won possession of the whole of Adiabene.
+(This is a portion of Assyria in the vicinity of Ninus; and Arbela and
+Gaugamela, close to which Alexander conquered Darius, are also in this
+same territory. The country has also been called Atyria in the language of
+the barbarians, the double S being changed to T).
+
+[Adenystrae was a strong post to which one Sentius, a
+centurion, had been sent as an envoy to Mebarsapes. He was imprisoned by
+the latter in that place, and later, at the approach of the Romans, he
+made an arrangement with some of his fellow-prisoners, and with their aid
+escaped from his shackles, killed the commander of the garrison, and
+opened the gates to his countrymen.] [Sidenote:--26--] Hereupon they
+advanced as far as Babylon itself, being quite free from molestation,
+since the Parthian power had been ruined by civil conflicts and was still
+at this time involved in dissensions.
+
+[Sidenote:--27--] Cassius Dio Cocceianus in writings concerning the Latins
+has written that this city [i.e. Babylon] comprised a circuit of four
+hundred stades. (Compare also Tzetzes, Exegesis of Homer's Iliad, p. 141,
+15 ff).
+
+Here, moreover, Trajan saw the asphalt out of which the walls of Babylon
+had been built. When mixed with baked bricks or smooth stones this
+material affords so great strength as to render them stronger than rock or
+any kind of iron. He also looked at the opening from which issues a deadly
+vapor that destroys any creature living upon the earth and any winged
+thing that so much as inhales a breath of it. If it extended far above
+ground or had several vents, the place would not be inhabitable; but, as
+it is, this gas circles round within itself and remains stationary. Hence
+creatures that fly high enough above it and such as remain to one side are
+safe. I saw another opening like it at Hierapolis in Asia, and tested it
+by means of birds; I bent over it myself and myself gazed down upon the
+vapor. It is enclosed in a sort of a cistern and a theatre had been built
+over it. It destroys all living things save human beings that have been
+emasculated. The reason for that I can not comprehend. I relate what I
+have seen as I have seen it and what I have heard as I have heard it.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 116 (a.u. 869)] Trajan had planned to conduct the
+Euphrates through a channel into the Tigris, in order that boats might be
+floated down by this route, affording him an opportunity to make a bridge.
+But on learning that it had a much higher elevation than the Tigris, he
+did not do it, fearing that the water might rush pell-mell down hill and
+render the Euphrates unnavigable. So he conveyed the boats across by means
+of hauling engines at the point where the space between the rivers is the
+least--the whole stream of the Euphrates empties into a swamp and from
+there somehow joins the Tigris--then crossed the Tigris and entered
+Ctesiphon. Having taken possession of this town he was saluted as
+imperator and established his right to the title of Parthicus. Various
+honors were voted him by the senate, among others the privilege of
+celebrating as many triumphs as he might desire.
+
+After his capture of Ctesiphon he felt a wish to sail down into the Red
+Sea. This is a part of the ocean and has been so named [Footnote: [Greek:
+erythra] from Erythras, who was said to have been drowned in it (as if in
+English we should invent a King Redd).] from some person formerly ruler
+there. Mesene, the island in the Tigris of which Athambelus was king, he
+acquired without difficulty. [And it remained loyal to Trajan, although
+ordered to pay tribute.] But through a storm, and the violence of the
+Tigris, and the backward flow from the ocean, he fell into danger. The
+inhabitants of the so-called palisade of Spasinus [they were subject to
+the dominion of Athambelus] received him kindly.
+
+[Sidenote:--29--] Thence he came to the ocean itself, and when he had
+learned its nature and seen a boat sailing to India, he said: "I should
+certainly have crossed over to the Indi, if I were still young." He gave
+much thought to the Indi, and was curious about their affairs. Alexander
+he counted a happy man and at the same time declared that he himself had
+advanced farther. This was the tenor of the despatch that he forwarded to
+the senate, although he was unable to preserve even what territory had
+been subdued. On its receipt he obtained among other honors the privilege
+of celebrating a triumph for as many nations as he pleased. For, on
+account of the number of those peoples regarding which communications in
+writing were being constantly forwarded to them, they were unable to
+understand them or even to name some of them correctly. So the citizens of
+the capital prepared a trophy-bearing arch, besides many other decorations
+in his own forum, and were getting themselves in readiness to meet him
+some distance out when he should return. But he was destined never to
+reach Rome again nor to accomplish anything deserving comparison with his
+previous exploits, and furthermore to lose even those earlier
+acquisitions. For, during the time that he was sailing down the ocean and
+returning from there again, all his conquests were thrown into tumult and
+revolted. And the garrisons placed among the various peoples were in some
+cases driven out and in others killed.
+
+[Sidenote:--30--] Trajan ascertained this in Babylon. [Footnote: The
+Tauchnitz reading, [Greek: en ploio] will not fit the context. Just below
+[Greek: ithous] (Bekker) has to be read for [Greek: mythous].] He had
+taken the side-trip there on the basis of reports, unmerited by aught that
+he saw (which were merely mounds and stones and ruins), and for the sake
+of Alexander, to whose spirit he offered sacrifice in the room where he
+had died. When, therefore, he ascertained it, he sent Lusius and Maximus
+against the rebels. The latter perished after a defeat in the field; but
+Lusius was generally successful, recovering Nisibis, besieging Edessa,
+plundering and burning. Seleucia was also captured by Erucius Clarus and
+Julius Alexander, lieutenants, and was burned. Trajan, in fear that the
+Parthians, too, might begin some revolt, decided to give them a king of
+their own. And when he came to Ctesiphon he called together in a great
+plain all the Romans and likewise all the Parthians that were there at the
+time. He mounted a lofty platform, and, after describing in lofty language
+what he had accomplished, he appointed Parthamaspates king of the
+Parthians and set the diadem upon his head.
+
+[Sidenote: LXXV, 9, 6] When Volgaesus, the son of Sanatruces, confronted
+in battle array the followers of Severus and before coming to an actual
+test of strength asked and secured an armistice, Trajan sent envoys to him
+and granted him a portion of Armenia in return for peace.
+
+[Sidenote:--31--] Next he came into Arabia and commenced operations
+against the people of Hatra, since they, too, had revolted. This city is
+neither large nor prosperous. The surrounding country is mostly desert and
+holds no water (save a small amount, poor in quality), nor timber, nor
+herb. It is protected by these very features, which make a siege in any
+form impossible, and by the Sun, to whom it is, in a way, consecrated. It
+was neither at this time taken by Trajan nor later by Severus, although
+they knocked down some parts of its wall. Trajan sent the cavalry ahead
+against the wall but failed in his attempt, and the attacking force was
+hurled back into the camp. As he was riding by, he barely missed being
+wounded himself, in spite of the fact that he had laid aside his imperial
+attire to avoid being recognized. Seeing the majestic gray head and his
+august countenance they suspected him to be the man he was, shot at him,
+and killed a cavalryman in his escort. There were peals of thunder and
+rainbow tints glimmered indistinctly. Flashes of lightning and spray-like
+storms, hail and thunderbolts fell upon the Romans as often as they made
+assaults. And whenever they ate a meal, flies settled on the food and
+drink causing universal discomfort. Thus Trajan left the place and not
+long after began to fail in health.
+
+[Sidenote:--32--] Meanwhile the Jews in the region of Cyrene had put one
+Andreas at their head and were destroying both the Romans and the Greeks.
+They would cook their flesh, make belts for themselves of their entrails,
+anoint themselves with their blood, and wear their skins for clothing.
+Many they sawed in two, from the head downwards. Others they would give to
+wild beasts and force still others to fight as gladiators. In all,
+consequently, two hundred and twenty thousand perished. In Egypt, also,
+they performed many similar deeds, and in Cyprus under the leadership of
+Artemio. There, likewise, two hundred and forty thousand perished. For
+this reason no Jew may set foot in that land, but even if one of them is
+driven upon the island by force of the wind, he is put to death. Various
+persons took part in subduing these Jews, one being Lusius, who was sent
+by Trajan.
+
+[Lusius Quietus was a Moor, himself a leader of the
+Moors, and had belonged to [Footnote: Some puzzling corruption in the MS.]
+a troop in the cavalry. Condemned for base conduct he was temporarily
+relieved of his command and dishonored. [Footnote: Probably in the days of
+Domitian.] But later, when the Dacian war came on and the army stood in
+need of the Moorish alliance, he came to it of his own accord and gave
+great exhibitions of prowess. For this he was honored, and in the second
+war performed far greater and more numerous exploits. Finally, he advanced
+so far in bravery and good fortune during this war which we are
+considering that he was enrolled among the ex-praetors, became consul, and
+governed Palestine. To this chiefly was due the jealousy and hatred felt
+for him, and his destruction.] Now when Trajan had invaded the hostile
+territory, the satraps and kings of that region approached him with gifts.
+ One of these gifts was a horse taught to do obeisance. It would kneel
+with its front legs and place its head beneath the feet of whoever stood
+near.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 117 (a.u. 870)] [Sidenote:--33--] Now Trajan was preparing
+to make a new expedition into Mesopotamia. Finding himself, however, held
+fast by the clutches of the disease, he started to sail to Italy himself
+and left behind Publius Aelius Hadrian with the army in Syria. So the
+Romans, who had conquered Armenia, most of Mesopotamia, and the Parthians,
+had labored in vain and had vainly undergone danger. The Parthians
+disdained Parthamaspates and began to have kings according to their
+original custom. Trajan suspected that his falling sick was due to the
+administration of poison. Some declare it was because his blood, which
+annually descended into the lower part of his body, was kept from flowing.
+He had also become paralyzed, so that part of his body was disabled, and
+his general diathesis was dropsical. And on coming to Selinus in Cilicia,
+which we also call Traianoupolis, he suddenly expired after a reign of
+nineteen years, six months, and fifteen days.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+69
+
+Hadrian without being adopted succeeds, through the favor of Plotina
+(chapters 1, 2).
+
+About the assassinations authorized by Hadrian: about his varied learning
+and jealousies (chapters 3, 4).
+
+His virtues, particularly affability and generosity: old arrears of debt
+forgiven (chapters 5, 8).
+
+Travels: discipline of the army reformed: interest in hunting (chapters 9,
+10).
+
+How he honored Antinous with various marks of remembrance (chapter 11).
+
+Uprising of Jews on account of the founding of Capitolina: Bithynia
+recovered (chapters 12-14).
+
+The Albanians are held in check: Pharasmanes the Iberian is honored
+(chapter 15).
+
+The Temple of Jupiter Olympius and the Panellenium are consecrated
+(chapter 16).
+
+Growing ill, he adopts Commodus, slays Servianus: the distinguished
+services of Turbo, Fronto, Similis (chapters 17-19).
+
+On the death of Commodus he adopts Antoninus, the latter adopting at the
+same time Marcus and Verus (chapters 20, 21).
+
+How Hadrian departed this life (chapters 22, 23).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+Quinctius Niger, Vipsanius Apronianus. (A.D. 117 = a.u. 870 = First of
+Hadrian, from Aug. 11th).
+
+Hadrianus Aug. (II), Claudius Fuseus Salinator. (A.D. 118 = a.u. 871 =
+Second of Hadrian).
+
+Hadrianus Aug. (III), Q. Iunius Rusticus. (A.D. 119 = a.u. 872 = Third of
+Hadrian).
+
+L. Catilius Severus, T. Aurelius Fulvus. (A.D. 120 = a.u. 873 = Fourth of
+Hadrian).
+
+L. Annius Verus, Aur. Augurinus. (A.D. 121 = a.u. 874 = Fifth of Hadrian).
+
+Acilius Aviola, Corellius Pansa. (A.D. 122 = a.u. 875 = Sixth of Hadrian).
+Q. Arrius Paetinus, C. Ventidius Apronianus. (A.D. 123 = a.u. 876 =
+Seventh of Hadrian).
+
+Manius Acilius Glabrio, C. Bellicius Torquatus. (A.D. 124 = a.u. 877 =
+Eighth of Hadrian).
+
+P. Corn. Scipio Asiaticus (II), Q. Vettius Aquilinus. (A.D. 125 = a.u. 878
+= Ninth of Hadrian).
+
+Annius Verus (III), L. Varius Ambibulus. (A.D. 126 = a.u. 879 = Tenth of
+Hadrian).
+
+Gallicianus, Caelius Titianus. (A.D. 127 = a.u. 880 = Eleventh of
+Hadrian).
+
+L. Nonius Asprenas Torquatus (II), M. Annius Libo. (A.D. 128 = a.u. 881 =
+Twelfth of Hadrian).
+
+Iuventius Celsus (II), Marcellus. (A.D. 129 = a.u. 882 = Thirteenth of
+Hadrian).
+
+Q. Fabius Catullinus, M. Flavius Aper. (A.D. 130 = a.u. 883 = Fourteenth
+of Hadrian).
+
+Ser. Octav. Laenas Pontianus, M. Antonius Rufinus. (A.D. 131 = a.u. 884 =
+Fifteenth of Hadrian).
+
+Augurinus, Severianus (or, according to others, Sergianus). (A.D. 132 =
+a.u. 885 = Sixteenth of Hadrian).
+
+Hiberus, Iunius Silanus Sisenna. (A.D. 133 = a.u. 886 = Seventeenth of
+Hadrian).
+
+Servianus (III), Vibius Varus. (A.D. 134 = a.u. 887 = Eighteenth of
+Hadrian).
+
+Pontianus, Atilianus. (A.D. 135 = a.u. 888 = Nineteenth of Hadrian).
+
+L. Ceionius Commodus Verus, Sex. Vetulenus Civica Pompeianus. (A.D. 136 =
+a.u. 889 = Twentieth of Hadrian).
+
+L. Aelius Verus Caesar, P. Caelius Balbinus Vibullius. (A.D. 137 = a.u.
+890 = Twenty-first of Hadrian).
+
+Camerinus, Niger. (A.D. 138 = a.u. 891 = Twenty-second of Hadrian, to July
+10th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 117 (a.u. 870)] [Sidenote:--1--] Hadrian had not been
+adopted by Trajan. He was merely a fellow-citizen of the latter, had
+enjoyed Trajan's services as guardian, was of near kin to him, and had
+married his niece. In fine, he was a companion of his, sharing his daily
+life, and had been assigned to Syria for the Parthian War. However, he had
+received no distinguishing mark of favor from Trajan and had not been one
+of the first to be appointed consul. His position as Caesar and emperor
+was due to the fact that, when Trajan died without an heir, Attianus, a
+fellow-citizen and former guardian, together with Plotina, who was in love
+with him, secured him the appointment,--their efforts being facilitated by
+his proximity and his having a large force under his command. My father
+Apronianus, who was governor of Cilicia, had ascertained accurately the
+whole story about him. He used to relate the different incidents, and said
+in particular that the death of Trajan was concealed for several days to
+the end that the adoption might be announced. This was shown also by his
+letters to the senate, the signature upon which was not his, but
+Plotina's. She had not done this in any previous instance.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] At the time that he was declared emperor, Hadrian was in
+Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, of which he was governor. In a dream
+just before that day he seemed to see fire descend from heaven in the
+midst of clear sky and wholly fair weather and fall first upon the left of
+his throat and then upon the right also, though it neither frightened nor
+injured him. And Hadrian wrote to the senate, asking that his sovereignty
+be confirmed also by that body, and forbidding any measure to be voted (as
+was so often done) either then or thereafter that contained any special
+honor for him, unless he should first himself approve it.
+
+The bones of Trajan were deposited in his column, and the so-called
+Parthian games continued for a number of years. At a later date even this
+observance, like many others, was abolished.
+
+Hadrian's rule was in general most humane. [In a letter he expresses
+himself with the greatest degree of consideration for others and swears
+that he will neither do anything contrary to the public advantage nor put
+to death any senator, calling down destruction upon himself, if he shall
+transgress these principles in any way. But] Still he was spoken against
+on account of some murders of excellent men that he had sanctioned in the
+beginning of his reign and near the end of his life. And for this reason
+he came near not being enrolled among the heroes. Those murdered at the
+beginning were Palma and Celsus, Nigrinus and Lusius, the first two for
+the alleged reason that they had conspired against him during a hunt, and
+the others on certain other complaints, because they had great influence,
+or were in a strong position as regards wealth and fame. Hadrian felt so
+keenly the talk that was made about them that he defended himself and
+declared upon oath that he had not ordered their deaths. Those that
+perished at the end of the reign were Servianus and his grandson Fuscus.
+
+Hadrian was a pleasant man to meet and his presence shed a kind of grace.
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] As for Hadrian's family, he was a son of [a man of
+senatorial rank, an ex-praetor] Hadrianus, [for thus he was named]. In
+regard to his disposition, he was fond of literature in both languages and
+has left behind all kinds of prose pieces as well as compositions in
+verse. His ambition was insatiable, and as a result he practiced all
+conceivable pursuits, even the most trivial. He modeled and painted and
+declared that there was nothing in peace or in war, in imperial or in
+private life, of which he was not cognizant. [And this, of course, did
+people no harm; but his jealousy of those who excelled in any branch was
+terrible and] ruined many besides utterly destroying quite a few. [For,]
+since he desired to surpass everybody in everything, [he hated those who
+attained eminence in any direction.] This feeling it was which led him to
+undertake the overthrow of two sophists, Favorinus the Gaul and Dionysius
+the Milesian, [by various methods, chiefly] by stirring up their
+antagonists [who were of little or no worth at all]. Dionysius is said to
+have remarked at this time to Avidius [Footnote: Boissevain's reading.]
+Heliodorus, who managed his correspondence: "Caesar can give you money and
+honor, but he can't make you an orator." Favorinus was about to bring a
+case before the emperor in regard to exemption from taxes, a privilege
+which he desired to secure in his native city. Suspecting, however, that
+he should be unsuccessful and be insulted in addition he entered the
+courtroom, to be sure, but made no other statement save: "My teacher stood
+this night in a dream by my side and bade me do service for my country,
+since I have been born in it."
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] Now Hadrian spared these men, although he was displeased
+with them, for he could find no satisfactory pretext to use against them
+that might compass their destruction. But he first banished and later
+actually put to death Apollodorus the architect, who had planned the
+various creations of Trajan in Rome,--the forum, the odeum, and the
+gymnasium. The excuse given was that he had been guilty of some
+misdemeanor, but the true reason was that, when Trajan was consulting him
+on some point about the works, he had said to Hadrian, who broke in with
+some remark: "Be off and draw gourds. You don't understand any of these
+matters." It happened that Hadrian at the time was pluming himself upon
+some such drawing. When he became emperor, therefore, he remembered the
+slight and would not endure the man's freedom of speech. He sent him his
+own plan of the temple of Venus and Roma by way of showing him that a
+great work could be accomplished without his aid, and he asked Apollodorus
+whether the structure was a good one. The latter in his reply said about
+the temple that it ought to have been made to tower aloft in the air and
+have been scooped out beneath. Then, as a result of being higher, it would
+have stood out more conspicuously on the Sacred Way, and might have
+received [Sidenote: A.D. 117 (a.u. 870)] within its expanse the engines,
+so that they could be built unobserved and could be brought into the
+theatre without any one's being aware of it beforehand. In regard to the
+statues, he said that they had been made too tall for the height adopted
+in the principal room. "If the goddesses," he said, "wish to get up and go
+out, they will be unable to do so." When he wrote this so bluntly to
+Hadrian, the latter was both vexed and exceedingly pained because he had
+fallen into a mistake that could not be set right. He restrained neither
+his anger nor his grief, but murdered the man. [By nature] the emperor was
+such a person [that he was jealous not only of the living, but also of the
+dead. For instance,] he abolished Homer and introduced in his stead
+Antimachus, whose name many persons had not previously known.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] These acts were charged against him as offences, and so
+were also his great exactness, his superfluous labors, and his divided
+interests. But he healed the wounds made and recovered favor by his
+general care, his foresight, his grandeur and his skill. Again, he did not
+stir up any war and ended those already in progress. He deprived no one of
+money unjustly, and upon many peoples and private citizens and senators
+and knights he bestowed large sums. He did not wait to be asked, but was
+certain to act each time according to each man's needs. The military he
+trained with great precision, so that its strength rendered it neither
+disobedient nor insolent. Allied and subject cities he aided most
+munificently. He had seen many that no other emperor had even set eyes
+upon, and he assisted practically all of them, giving to some water, to
+others harbors, or food, or public works, or money, and to still others
+various honors.
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] As a leader of the Roman people he was distinguished for
+force rather than for flattery. Once, at a gladiatorial contest, when the
+crowd was urging its petition strongly, he not only would not grant its
+wish, but further ordered this command of Domitian's to be proclaimed: "Be
+silent." The words were not uttered, though. The herald raised his hand
+and by that very gesture quieted the people as he had been accustomed to
+do. (They are never silenced by proclamation). Then, when they had become
+quiet, he said: "This is what he wishes." Hadrian was not in the least
+angry with the herald; on the contrary, he honored him for not publishing
+the rudeness of the order. He could endure such things and was not
+displeased if he was aided in any unexpected way and by chance comers. It
+must be admitted that once, when a woman passed him on some road and
+preferred a request, he at first said to her: "I haven't time."
+Afterwards, when she cried out loudly, saying: "Don't be emperor, then",
+he turned about and granted her a hearing.
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] He transacted through the senate all serious and most
+urgent business and he held court with the assistance of prominent men now
+in the palace or again in the Forum, the Pantheon, and in many other
+places, always on a platform, so that what was done was open to public
+inspection. Sometimes he would join the consuls when _they_ were
+trying cases, and he showed them honor at the horse-races. When he
+returned home he was accustomed to be carried in a litter, in order not to
+trouble any one to accompany him. On days neither sacred nor public he
+remained at home, and admitted no one even long enough to greet him,
+unless it were some urgent matter; this was to relieve the courtiers of
+needless annoyance. Both in Rome and abroad he always kept the noblest men
+about him; and he used to join them at banquets, which led to his being
+often carried in their litters as one of a party of four. As frequently as
+possible he went hunting, and he breakfasted without wine; in fact, most
+of his food was served without any accompanying beverage; and often in the
+midst of a meal he would turn his attention to a case at law: later he
+would drive in the company of all the foremost and best men, and their
+eating together was the occasion for all kind of discussions. When his
+friends were very ill, he would go to see them, and he used to attend
+their festivals, besides evincing pleasure at visiting their country seats
+and houses. As might have been expected, then, he set up in his forum
+images for many who were dead and many still alive. No one of his
+associates, moreover, displayed insolence nor sold aught that he should
+pronounce or perform, as the Caesarians and other attendants in the suite
+of emperors have made it their custom to do.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] This is a kind of preface, of a summary nature, I have
+been giving in regard to his character. I shall also touch upon all the
+details that require mention.
+
+The Alexandrians had been rioting and nothing would make them stop until
+they received a letter from Hadrian rebuking them. So true it is that an
+emperor's word has more power than force of arms.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 118 (a.u. 871)] On coming to Rome he canceled debts owing
+to the imperial treasury and to the public treasury of the Romans, setting
+a limit of sixteen years, from which and as far back as which this
+provision was to be observed. On his own birthday he gave a spectacle to
+the people free of charge, and slaughtered numbers of wild beasts,--one
+hundred lions and a like number of lionesses biting the dust on this one
+occasion. Gifts, likewise, he brought about by means of balls both in the
+theatres and in the hippodrome, one lot for the men and one lot for the
+women. Indeed, he had also commanded them to battle separately.
+
+This, then, was what happened that year. Euphrates the philosopher also
+died a death of his own choosing; and Hadrian assented to his drinking
+hemlock in consideration of his extreme age and sickliness.
+[Sidenote:--9--] Hadrian went from one province to another, visiting the
+districts and cities and observing all the garrisons and fortifications.
+Some of these he removed to more desirable locations, some he abolished,
+and he founded some new ones. He personally oversaw and investigated
+absolutely everything, not merely the usual appurtenances of camps,--I
+mean weapons and engines and ditches and enclosures and palisades,--but
+also the private affairs of each one, and the lives, the dwellings and the
+characters both of the men serving in the organization, and of the
+commanders themselves. Many cases of too delicate living and equipment he
+harmonized with military needs and reformed in various ways. He exercised
+the men in every variety of battle, honoring some and reproving others. He
+taught all of them what they ought to do. And to make sure that they
+should obtain benefit from observing _him_, he led everywhere a
+severe existence and walked or rode horseback on all occasions. Never at
+this period did he enter either a chariot or a four-wheeled vehicle. He
+covered his head neither in heat nor in cold, but alike in Celtic snows
+and under scorching Egyptian suns he went about with it bare. [Sidenote:
+A.D. 119 (a.u. 872)] In fine, so thoroughly by action and exhortations did
+he train and discipline the whole military force throughout the whole
+empire that even now the methods then introduced by him are the soldiers'
+law of campaigning. This best explains why he lived for the most part at
+peace with foreign nations. As they saw what support he had and were
+victims of no injustice, but instead received money, they made no
+uprising. So excellently had his soldiery been trained, that the cavalry
+of the so-called Batavians swam the Ister with their heavy armor on.
+Seeing this the barbarians stood in terror of the Romans, and turning
+their attention to their own affairs [Footnote: Reading [Greek: epi]
+(Dindorf) instead of [Greek: peri]] they employed Hadrian as an arbitrator
+of their differences.
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] He also constructed theatres and held games as he
+traveled about from city to city, dispensing, however, with the imperial
+paraphernalia. This he never used outside of Rome. His own country, though
+he did her great honor and bestowed many proud possessions on her, he
+nevertheless did not set eyes upon.
+
+He is said to have been enthusiastic over hunting. Indeed, he broke his
+collar-bone in this pursuit and came near losing a leg. And to a city that
+he founded in Mysia he gave the name of Adrianotherae. [Sidenote: A.D. 121
+(a.u. 874)] However, he did not, while so occupied, leave undone any of
+the duties pertaining to his office. Of his enthusiasm for hunting his
+horse Borysthenes, which was his favorite steed for the chase, gives us an
+indication. When the animal died, he prepared a tomb for him, set up a
+slab, and placed an inscription upon it. Hence it is scarcely surprising
+that when Plotina died, the woman through whom he had secured the imperial
+office, and who was passionately in love with him, he honored her to the
+extent of wearing mourning garments for nine days, building a temple to
+her, and composing several hymns to her memory.
+
+When Plotina was dead, Hadrian praised her and said: "Though she asked
+much of me, she was never refused aught." By this he surely meant to say:
+"Her requests were of such a character that they neither burdened me nor
+afforded me any justification for saying no."
+
+He was so skillful in hunting that once he brought down a huge boar with a
+single blow.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] On reaching Greece he became a spectator at the
+Mysteries.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 122 (a.u. 875)] After this he passed through Judaea into
+Egypt and offered sacrifice to Pompey, about whom, he is said to have
+uttered this verse:
+
+  Strange lack of tomb for one with shrines o'erwhelmed! [Footnote:
+  Compare Appian, Civil Wars, Book Two, chapter 86 (also Spartianus, 14,
+  4).]
+
+And he restored his monument, which had fallen to ruin. In Egypt also he
+restored the so-called City of Antinous. Antinous was from Bithynium, a
+city of Bithynia which we also call Claudioupolis; he had been a favorite
+of the emperor and had died in Egypt, either by falling into the Nile, as
+Hadrian writes, or, as is more probably the truth, by being offered in
+sacrifice. For Hadrian, as I have stated, was in general a great dabbler
+in superstitions and employed divinations and incantations of all kinds.
+Accordingly, he honored Antinous either because of his love for him or
+because he had voluntarily submitted to death (it being necessary that a
+life be surrendered voluntarily for the accomplishment of the ends he had
+in view), by building a city on the spot where he had suffered this fate
+and naming it after him: and he further set up likenesses, or rather
+sacred statues of him, practically all over the world. Finally, he
+declared that he had seen a star which he assumed to belong to Antinous,
+and gladly lent an ear to the fictitious tales woven by his associates to
+the effect that the star had really come into being from the spirit of
+Antinous and had then appeared for the first time. [Sidenote: A.D. 133
+(a.u. 886)] On this account he became the object of some ridicule [as also
+because the death of his sister Paulina he had not immediately paid her
+any honor. [Lacuna]]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 133 (a.u. 886)] [Sidenote:--12--] In Jerusalem he founded
+a city in place of the one razed to the ground, naming it Aelia
+Capitolina, and on the site of the temple of the god he raised a new
+temple to Jupiter. This brought on a war that was not slight nor of brief
+duration, for the Jews deemed it intolerable that foreign races should be
+settled in their city and foreign religious rites be planted there. While
+Hadrian was close by in Egypt and again in Syria, they remained quiet,
+save in so far as they purposely made the weapons they were called upon to
+furnish of poorer quality, to the end that the Romans might reject them
+and they have the use of them. But when he went farther away, they openly
+revolted. To be sure, they did not dare try conclusions with the Romans in
+the open field, but they occupied advantageous positions in the country
+and strengthened them with mines and walls, in order that they might have
+places of refuge whenever they should be hard pressed, and meet together
+unobserved under ground; and in these subterranean passages they sunk
+shafts from above to let in air and light. [Sidenote:--13--] At first the
+Romans made no account of them. Soon, however, all Judaea had been
+up-heaved, and the Jews all over the world were showing signs of
+disturbance, were gathering together, and giving evidence of great
+hostility to the Romans, partly by secret and partly by open acts; many
+other outside nations, too, were joining them through eagerness for gain,
+and the whole earth, almost, was becoming convulsed over the matter. Then,
+indeed, did Hadrian send against them his best generals, of who Julius
+Severus was the first to be despatched, from Britain, of which he was
+governor, against the Jews. He did not venture to attack his opponents at
+any one point, seeing their numbers and their desperation, but by taking
+them in separate groups by means of the number of his soldiers and his
+under-officers and by depriving them of food and shutting them up he was
+able, rather slowly, to be sure, but with comparatively little danger, to
+crush and exhaust and exterminate them. Very few of them survived.
+[Sidenote:--14--] Fifty of their most important garrisons and nine hundred
+and eighty-five of their most renowned towns were blotted out. Fifty-eight
+myriads of men were slaughtered in the course of the invasions and
+battles, and the number of those that perished by famine and disease and
+fire was past all investigating. Thus nearly the whole of Judaea was made
+desolate, an event of which the people had had indications even before the
+war. The tomb of Solomon, which these men regarded as one of their sacred
+objects, fell to pieces of itself and collapsed and many wolves and hyenas
+rushed howling into their cities.
+
+Many Romans, moreover, perished in the war. Wherefore Hadrian in writing
+to the senate did not employ the opening phrase commonly affected by the
+emperors: "If you and your children are in health, it shall be well: I and
+the armies are in health."
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 134(?)] Severus [Footnote: Not the same person as is
+mentioned in the previous chapter.] he sent into Bithynia, which needed no
+force of arms but a governor and presiding officer who was just and
+prudent and had a reputation. All these qualifications Severus possessed.
+And he managed and administered both their private and their public
+affairs in such a way that we [Footnote: i.e., "we natives of Bithynia"
+(Dio's country).] are still, even to-day wont to remember him. [Pamphylia
+in place of Bithynia was given into the jurisdiction of the senate and the
+lot.]
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] This, then, was the ending that the war with the Jews
+took. A second war was started among the Alani (they are Massagetae) by
+Pharasmanes. On Albanis and Media he inflicted severe injury and then laid
+hold on Armenia and Cappadocia, after which, as the Alani were on the one
+hand persuaded by gifts from Vologaesus and on the other stood in dread of
+Flavius Arrianus, the governor of Cappadocia, he stopped. [Envoys were
+sent from Vologaesus and from the Iazygae; the former made some charges
+against Pharasmanes and the latter wanted to confirm the peace. [?]
+[Footnote: It is impossible to determine, from the date of this fragment,
+whether the subject should be Hadrian or Antoninus Pius.] introduced them
+to the senate and was empowered by that body to return appropriate
+answers; and accordingly he prepared and read to them his responses.]
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] Hadrian completed the Olympieum in Athens, in which his
+own statue also stands, and consecrated there a serpent, which was brought
+from India. He also presided at the Dionysia, the greatest office within
+the gift of the people, and arrayed in the local costume carried it
+through brilliantly. He allowed the Greeks, too, to build his sepulchre
+(called the Panellenium), and instituted a series of games to be connected
+with it; and he granted to the Athenians large sums of money, annual corn
+distribution, and the whole of Cephallenia.--Among various laws that he
+enacted was one to the effect that no senator, either personally or
+through the medium of another, should have any tax farmed out to him.
+[Sidenote: A.D. 135 (a.u. 888)] After he had come to Rome, the crowd at a
+spectacle shouted their request for the emancipation of a certain
+charioteer: but he replied by means of a writing on a board: "It is not
+right for you either to ask me to free another's slave or to force his
+master to do so."
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] He now began to be sick, having suffered even before
+this from blood gushing from his nostrils: this flow now grew very much
+more copious, so that he despaired of his life. Consequently, he appointed
+as Caesar for the Romans Lucius Commodus, although this man frequently
+vomited blood. [Sidenote: A.D. 136 (a.u. 889)] Servianus and his grandson
+Fuscus, the former a nonagenarian and the latter eighteen years of age,
+were put to death on the ground that they were displeased at this action.
+Servianus before being executed asked for fire, and as he offered incense
+he exclaimed: "That I am guilty of no wrong, ye; O Gods, are well aware:
+and as for Hadrian I pray only this, that he may desire to die and not be
+able." And, indeed, Hadrian did come to his end only after often praying
+that he might expire and often feeling a desire to kill himself. There is
+in existence also a letter of his which lays stress on this very matter,
+showing what a dreadful thing it is for a man to desire to die and not be
+able. This Servianus had been by Hadrian deemed capable of filling the
+imperial office. He had once at a banquet told his friends to name for him
+ten men who were competent to be sole rulers, and then after a moment's
+pause, had added: "I want to know _nine_: I have one already,
+Servianus."
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] Other excellent men, also, had come to light during that
+period, of whom the most distinguished were Turbo and Similis, who,
+indeed, were honored with statues.
+
+Turbo was a man of great qualities as a general, who had become prefect
+(or commander of the Pretorians). He committed no act of luxury or
+haughtiness, but lived like one of the multitude: the entire day he spent
+in proximity to the palace and often he would go there even shortly before
+midnight, when some of the others were beginning to sleep. A
+characteristic anecdote is that which brings in the name of Cornelius
+Fronto, at this time reputed to be the foremost Roman advocate in
+lawsuits. One evening very late he was returning home from dinner and
+ascertained from a man whose counsel he had promised to be that Turbo was
+holding court. Accordingly, just as he was, in his dress for dinner, he
+went into his courtroom and greeted him not with the morning salutation,
+_I wish you joy_, but with that belonging to the evening, _I trust
+your health continues good_.
+
+Turbo was never seen at home in the daytime even when he was sick; and to
+Hadrian, who advised him to remain quiet, he replied: "The prefect ought
+to die on his feet."
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] Similis, who was of greater age and more advanced rank,
+in character was second to none of the great men, I think. Very slight
+things may serve us as evidence. When he was centurion, Trajan had
+summoned him to enter his presence before the prefects, whereupon he said:
+"It is a shame for you, Caesar, to be talking with a centurion, while the
+prefects stand outside." And he took unwillingly at that time the command
+of the Pretorians, and after taking it resigned it. Having with difficulty
+secured his release he spent the rest of his life, seven years, quietly in
+the country, and upon his tomb he had this inscription placed: "Similis
+lies here, who existed so-and-so many years, but lived for seven."
+
+Julius (?) Fabius (?), not being able to endure his
+son's effeminacy, desired to throw himself into the river.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 138 (a.u. 891)] [Sidenote:--20--] Hadrian became
+consumptive as a result of the great loss of blood, and that led to
+dropsy. And as it happened that Lucius Commodus was suddenly removed from
+the scene by the outgushing of a large quantity of blood all at once, he
+convened at his house the foremost and most renowned of the senators; and
+lying on a couch he spoke to them as follows: "I, my friends, was not
+permitted by nature to secure offspring, but you have made it possible by
+legal enactment. There is this difference between the two ways,--that a
+begotten son turns out to be whatever sort of person Heaven pleases,
+whereas one that is adopted a man takes to himself because he chooses just
+that sort of being. Thus in process of nature a maimed and [Sidenote: A.D.
+138 (a.u. 891)] senseless creature is often given to a parent, but by
+process of voluntary decision one of sound body and sound mind is certain
+to be selected. For this cause I formerly chose out Lucius from among all,
+a person of such attainments as I could never have prayed to find in a
+child. But since the Heavenly Power has taken him from among us, I have
+found an emperor in his place whom I now give you, one who is noble, mild,
+tractable, prudent, neither young enough to do anything reckless nor old
+enough to neglect aught,--one brought up according to the laws, who has
+held possession of authority according to his country's traditions, so
+that he is not ignorant of any matters pertaining to his office, but can
+handle them all effectively. I refer to Aurelius Antoninus here. Although
+I know him to be the most retiring of men and to be far from desiring any
+such thing, still I do not think that he will deliberately disregard
+either me or you but will accept the office even against his will."
+
+[Sidenote:--21--] So it was that Antoninus became emperor. Since he was
+destitute of male children, Hadrian adopted for him Commodus's son
+Commodus and, moreover, besides the latter, Marcus Annius Verus; for he
+wished to appoint those who were afterwards to be emperors for as long a
+time ahead as possible. (This Marcus Annius, earlier named Catilius, was a
+grandson of Annius Verus who had thrice been consul and prefect of the
+city). And though Hadrian urged Antoninus to adopt them both, he preferred
+Verus on account of his kinship and his age and because he already
+exhibited an extremely strong cast of mind. This led him to apply to the
+young man the name Verissimus, with a play upon the meaning of the Latin
+word.
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] By certain charms and species of magic Hadrian was
+relieved of the water, but shortly was full of it again. Since, therefore,
+he was constantly growing worse and might be said to be slowly perishing
+day by day, he began to long for death. Often he would ask for poison and
+a sword, but no one would give them to him. As no one would obey him,
+although he promised money and immunity, he sent for Mastor, an Iazygian
+barbarian that had become a captive, whom he had employed in hunts on
+account of his strength and daring. Then, partly by threatening him and
+partly by making promises, he compelled the man to undertake the duty of
+killing him. He drew a colored line around a spot beneath the nipple that
+had been shown him by Hermogenes the physician, in order that he might
+there be struck a finishing blow and perish painlessly. But even this plan
+did not succeed, for Mastor became afraid of the project and in terror
+withdrew. The emperor lamented bitterly the plight in which the disease
+had placed him and bitterly his powerlessness, in that he was not able to
+make away with himself, though he might still, even when so near death,
+destroy anybody else. Finally he abandoned his careful regimen and through
+using unsuitable foods and drinks met his death, saying and shouting aloud
+the popular saying: "Many physicians have ruined a king."
+
+[Sidenote:--23--] He had lived sixty-two years, five months and nineteen
+[Footnote: Seventeen, according to the common tradition.] days, and had
+been emperor twenty years and eleven months. He was buried near the river
+itself, close to the Aelian bridge; that was where he had prepared his
+tomb, for the one belonging to Augustus was full and no other body was
+deposited there.
+
+This emperor was hated [by the people, in spite of his excellent reign] on
+account of the early and the late murders, since they had been unjustly
+and impiously brought about. Yet he had so little of a bloodthirsty
+disposition that even in the case of some who took pains to thwart him he
+deemed it sufficient to write to their native lands the bare statement
+that they did not please him. And if any man who had children was
+absolutely obliged to receive punishment, still, in proportion to the
+number of his children he would also lighten the penalty imposed.
+[Notwithstanding, the senate persisted for a long time in its refusal to
+vote him divine honors, and in its strictures upon some of those who had
+committed excesses during his reign and had been honored therefor, when
+they ought to have been chastised.]
+
+After Hadrian's death there was erected to him a huge equestrian statue
+representing him with a four-horse team. It was so large that the bulkiest
+man could walk through the eye of each horse, yet because of the extreme
+height of the monument persons passing along on the ground below are wont
+to think that the horses themselves as well as Hadrian are very small.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+70
+
+Antoninus Pius, succeeding by adoption, effects the deification of Hadrian
+(chapter 1).
+
+The cognomen Pius is bestowed upon Antoninus by the senate (chapter 2).
+
+He showed little hostility toward the Christians: was careful in trifles:
+met a quiet death in old age (chapter 3).
+
+Earthquake that damaged Bithynia, the Hellespontine region, and especially
+Cyzicus (chapter 4).
+
+He is compared with Numa: his gentleness and kindliness (chapter 5).
+
+He was intent upon justice, not upon enlarging the empire: hence the
+barbarians brought their quarrels to him to settle (chapters 6, 7).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+Camerinus, Niger. (A.D. 138 = a.u. 891 = First of Antoninus, from July
+10th).
+
+Antoninus Pius Aug. (II), Bruttius Praesens. (A.D. 139 = a.u. 892 = Second
+of Antoninus).
+
+Antoninus Pius Aug. (III), Aurelius Caesar (II). (A.D. 140 = a.u. 893 =
+Third of Antoninus).
+
+M. Peducaeus Sylloga Priscinus, T. Hoenius Severus. (A.D. 141 = a.u. 894 =
+Fourth of Antoninus).
+
+L. Cuspius Rufinus, L. Statius Quadratus. (A.D. 142 = a.u. 895 = Fifth of
+Antoninus).
+
+C. Bellicius Torquatus, Tib. Claudius Atticus Herodes. (A.D. 143 = a.u.
+896 = Sixth of Antoninus).
+
+Avitus, Maximus. (A.D. 144 = a.u. 897 = Seventh of Antoninus).
+
+Antoninus Pius Aug. (IV), M. Aurelius Caesar (II). (A.D. 145 = a.u. 898 =
+Eighth of Antoninus).
+
+Sex. Erucius Clarus (II), Cn. Claudius Severus. (A.D. 146 = a.u. 899 =
+Ninth of Antoninus).
+
+Largus, Messalinus. (A.D. 147 = a.u. 900 = Tenth of Antoninus).
+
+L. Torquatus (III), C. Iulianus Vetus. (A.D. 148 = a.u. 901 = Eleventh of
+Antoninus). Sergius Scipio Orfitus, Q. Nonius Priscus. (A.D. 149 = a.u.
+902 = Twelfth of Antoninus).
+
+Gallicanus, Vetus. (A.D. 150 = a.u. 903 = Thirteenth of Antoninus).
+
+Quintilius Condianus, Quintilius Maximus. (A.D. 151 = a.u. 904 =
+Fourteenth of Antoninus).
+
+M.' Acilius Glabrio, M. Valerius Homullus. (A.D. 152 = a.u. 905 =
+Fifteenth of Antoninus).
+
+C. Bruttius Praesens, A. Iunius Rufinus. (A.D. 153 = a.u. 906 = Sixteenth
+of Antoninus).
+
+L. Ael. Aurelius Commodus, T. Sextius Lateranus. (A.D. 154 = a.u. 907 =
+Seventeenth of Antoninus).
+
+C. Iulius Severus, M. Rufinius Sabinianus. (A.D. 155 = a.u. 908 =
+Eighteenth of Antoninus).
+
+M. Ceionius Silvanus, C. Serius Augurinus. (A.D. 158 = a.u. 909 =
+Nineteenth of Antoninus).
+
+Barbaras, Regulus. (A.D. 157 = a.u. 910 = Twentieth of Antoninus).
+
+Tertullus, Sacerdos. (A.D. 158 = a.u. 911 = Twenty-first of Antoninus).
+
+Plautius Quintilius, Statius Priscus. (A.D. 159 = a.u. 912 = Twenty-second
+of Antoninus).
+
+T. Clodius Vibius Varus, App. Annius Atilius Bradua. (A.D. 160 = a.u. 913
+= Twenty-third of Antoninus).
+
+M. Ael. Aurelius Verus Caesar (III), I. Ael. Aurelius Commodus (II). (A.D.
+161 = a.u. 914 = Twenty-fourth of Antoninus, to March 7th).
+
+
+I. From Dio:
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 138 (a.u. 891)] [Sidenote:--1--] It should be noted that
+information about Antoninus Pius is not found in the copies of Dio,
+probably because the books have met with some accident, so that the
+history of his reign is almost wholly unknown, save that when Lucius
+Commodus, whom Hadrian had adopted, died before Hadrian, Antoninus was
+also adopted by him and became emperor, and that when the senate demurred
+to giving heroic honors to Hadrian after his demise on account of certain
+murders of eminent men, Antoninus addressed many words to them with tears
+and laments, and finally said: "I will not govern you either, if he has
+become base and inimical and a national foe in your eyes. For you will of
+course be annulling all his acts, of which my adoption was one." On
+hearing this the senate both through respect for the man and through a
+certain fear of the soldiers bestowed the honors upon Hadrian.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] Only this in regard to Antoninus is preserved in Dio.
+Yes, one thing more--that the senate gave him the titles both of Augustus
+and of Pius for some such reason as the following. When in the beginning
+of his imperial reign many men were accused and some of them had been
+interceded for by name, he nevertheless punished no one, saying: "I must
+not begin my career of supervision with such deeds."
+
+[Sidenote: LXIX, 15, 3] [When Pharasmanes the Iberian came to Rome with
+his wife, he increased his domain, allowed him to offer sacrifice on the
+Capitoline, set up a statue of him on horseback in the temple of Bellona,
+and viewed an exercise in arms of the chieftain, his son, and the other
+prominent Iberians.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 139 (a.u. 892)] We do not find preserved, either, the
+first part of the account of Marcus Verus, who ruled after Antoninus and
+all that the latter himself did in the case of Lucius, son of Commodus,
+whom Marcus made his son-in-law, and all that Lucius accomplished when
+sent by his father to the war against Vologaesus. I shall speak briefly
+about these matters, gathering my material from other books, and then I
+shall go back to the continuation of Dio's narrative.
+
+II. From Xiphilinus:
+
+[Sidenote: LXX, 3] [Sidenote: A.D. 153 (a.u. 906)] Antoninus is admitted
+by all to have been noble and good, not oppressive to the Christians nor
+severe to any of his other subjects; instead, he showed the Christians
+great respect and added to the honor in which Hadrian had been wont to
+hold them. For Eusebius, son of Pamphilus, cites in his Church History
+[Footnote: IV, 9.] some letters of Hadrian in which the latter is shown to
+threaten terrible vengeance upon those who harm in any way or accuse the
+Christians, and to swear by Hercules that they shall receive punishment.
+
+Antoninus is said also to have been of an enquiring turn of mind and not
+to have held aloof from careful investigation of even small and
+commonplace matters; for this those disposed to scoff called him
+Cumminsplitter.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 161 (a.u. 914)] Quadratus states that he died at an
+advanced age, and that the happiest death befell him, like unto gentlest
+slumber.
+
+[Sidenote:(A.D. 177?)] [Sidenote:--4--] In the days of Antoninus also a
+most frightful earthquake is said to have occurred in the region of
+Bithynia and the Hellespont. Various cities were severely damaged or fell
+without a building left standing, and in particular Cyzicus; and the
+temple there that was the greatest and most beautiful of all temples was
+thrown down. Its columns were four cubits in thickness and fifty cubits in
+height, each of a single block of stone; and each of the other features of
+the edifice was more to be wondered at than to be praised. Somewhere in
+the interior of the country the peak of a mountain rose upwards and surges
+of the sea are said to have gushed out, while the spray from pure,
+transparent sea-water was driven to a great distance over the land.
+[Footnote: Compare also Zonaras V, 12 (p. 80, II. 3-11 Dind).. It is not
+certain whether this earthquake properly belongs to the reign of Pius or
+that of Marcus. If to the former, it must have occurred between 150 and
+155 B.C. See _Hermes_ XXVI, pages 444-446 (Boissevain: _Zonaras
+Quelle fuer die Romische Kaisergeschichte von Nerva bis Severus
+Alexander_) and XXXII, pages 497-508 (B. Keil: _Kyzikenisches_);
+also _Byzantinische Zeitschrift_ I, page 30 ff. (article by de
+Boor).]--So much is the account of Antoninus at present extant. He reigned
+twenty-four years.
+
+III. Of Dio [or rather of Eutropius, or John of Antioch]. Taken from the
+Writings of Suidas.
+
+This prince Antoninus was an excellent man and deserves to be compared
+especially with Numa on account of the similarity of his reign to that
+king's, just as Trajan was seen to resemble Romulus. The private life that
+Antoninus lived was thoroughly excellent and honorable, [Sidenote:--5--]
+and in his position as ruler he seemed to be even more excellent and more
+prudent. To no one was he harsh or oppressive, but he was gracious and
+gentle toward all.
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] In warfare he sought glory rather from an impulse of duty
+than from one of gain, and was determined to preserve the borders of the
+empire intact rather than to extend them to greater distances. In the
+matter of men he appointed to the administration of public affairs, so far
+as possible, those who were particularly scrupulous about right conduct,
+and he rewarded good officials with the honors that were in his power to
+grant, whereas he banished the worthless (though without any harshness)
+from the conduct of public affairs.
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] He was admired not alone by those of his own race, but
+even by foreigners, as was shown by some of the neighboring barbarians
+laying down their arms and permitting the prince to decide their quarrels
+by his vote. And whereas he had in the course of his life as a private
+citizen amassed a vast amount of money, when he entered upon office he
+expended his own abundance upon gifts for the soldiers and for his
+friends. To the public treasury he left a great deal of property of all
+kinds.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+71
+
+The emperor Marcus takes Verus as an associate: he gives him charge of the
+Parthian war (chapters 1, 2).
+
+Wars with the Iazyges, Marcomani, and Germans (chapters 3 and 5).
+
+About the war in Egypt with the Bucoli (chapter 4).
+
+Marcus's tirelessness in hearing cases at law (chapter 6).
+
+The Iazyges conquered (chapter 7).
+
+The Quadi are vanquished by rain sent from Heaven in answer to Roman
+prayers (chapters 8 and 10).
+
+About the Thunderbolt Legion from Melitene (chapter 9).
+
+How envoys came to the emperor from a number of barbarians,--the Quadi,
+Astingi, Iazyges, Marcomani, Naristi (chapters 11-21).
+
+Revolt of Cassius and of Syria (chapters 22-26).
+
+How Cassius was killed, together with his son (chapter 27).
+
+Kindness of Marcus toward the adherents of Cassius: death of Faustina and
+honors accorded her (chapters 28-31).
+
+The return of Marcus and his generosity (chapter 32).
+
+With his son Commodus he subjugates the Scythians: he himself meets death
+(chapter 33).
+
+Eulogy of Marcus (chapters 34, 35).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+M. Ael. Aurel. Verus Caes. (III), L. Ael. Aurel. Commodus (II). (A.D. 161
+= a.u. 914 = First of Marcus, from March 7th).
+
+Iunius Rusticus, Vettius Aquilinus. (A.D. 162 = a.u. 915 = Second of
+Marcus).
+
+I. Aelianus, Pastor. (A.D. 163 = a.u. 916 = Third of Marcus).
+
+M. Pompeius Macrinus, P. Iuventius Celsus. (A.D. 164 = a.u. 917 = Fourth
+of Marcus).
+
+L. Arrius Pudens, M. Gavius Orfitus. (A.D. 165 = a.u. 918 = Fifth of
+Marcus).
+
+Q. Servilius Pudens, L. Fufidius Pollio. (A.D. 166 = a.u. 919 = Sixth of
+Marcus). L. Aurelius Verus Aug. (III), Quadratus. (A.D. 167 = a.u. 920 =
+Seventh of Marcus).
+
+T. Iunius Montanus, L. Vettius Paulus. (A.D. 168 = a.u. 921 = Eighth of
+Marcus).
+
+Q. Sosius Priscus, P. Caelius Apollinaris. (A.D. 169 = a.u. 922 = Ninth of
+Marcus).
+
+M. Cornelius Cethegus, C. Erucius Clarus. (A.D. 170 = a.u. 923 = Tenth of
+Marcus).
+
+L. Septimius Severus (II), L. Alfidius Herennianus. (A.D. 171 = a.u. 924 =
+Eleventh of Marcus).
+
+Maximus, Orfitus. (A.D. 172 = a.u. 925 = Twelfth of Marcus).
+
+M. Aurelius Severus (II), T. Claudius Pompeianus. (A.D. 173 = a.u. 926 =
+Thirteenth of Marcus).
+
+Gallus, Flaccus. (A.D. 174 = a.u. 927 = Fourteenth of Marcus).
+
+Piso, Iulianus. (A.D. 175 = a.u. 928 = Fifteenth of Marcus).
+
+Pollio (II), Aper (II). (A.D. 176 = a.u. 929 = Sixteenth of Marcus).
+
+L. Aurel. Commodus Aug., Quintilius. (A.D. 177 = a.u. 930 = Seventeenth of
+Marcus).
+
+Rufus, Orfitus. (A.D. 178 = a.u. 931 = Eighteenth of Marcus).
+
+Commodus Aug. (II), T. Annius Aurel. Verus (II). (A.D. 179 = a.u. 932 =
+Nineteenth of Marcus).
+
+L. Fulvius Bruttius Praesens (II), Sextus Quintilius Condianus. (A.D. 180
+= a.u. 933 = Twentieth of Marcus, to March 17th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 161 (a.u. 914)] [Sidenote:--1--] Marcus Antoninus, the
+philosopher, upon obtaining the sovereignty at the death of Antoninus, who
+adopted him, had immediately taken to share the authority with him the son
+of Lucius Commodus, Lucius Verus. He was personally weak in body and he
+devoted the greater part of his time to letters. It is told that even when
+he was emperor he showed no shame (or hesitation) at going to a teacher
+for instruction, but became a pupil of Sextus, the Boeotian philosopher,
+[Footnote: "Sextus of Chaeronea, grandson of Plutarch" (Capitolinus,
+_Vita M. Antoni Philosophi_, 3, 2).] and did not hesitate to go to hear
+the lectures of Hermogenes on rhetoric. He was most inclined to the Stoic
+school.
+
+Lucius, on the other hand, was strong and rather young, and better suited
+for military enterprises. Therefore, Marcus made him his son-in-law by
+marrying him to his daughter Lucilla, and sent him to the Parthian war.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] For Vologaesus had begun war by assailing on all sides
+the Roman camp under Severianus, situated in Elegeia, a place in Armenia;
+and he had shot down and destroyed the whole force, leaders and all. He
+was now proceeding with numbers that inspired terror against the cities of
+Syria. [Sidenote: A.D. 162 (a.u. 915)] Lucius, accordingly, on coming to
+Antioch collected a great many soldiers, and with the best commanders
+under his supervision took up a position in the city, spending his time in
+ordering all arrangements and in gathering the contingent for the war. He
+entrusted the armies themselves to Cassius. The latter made a noble stand
+against the attack [Sidenote: A.D. 165 (a.u. 918)] of Vologaesus, and
+finally the chieftain was deserted by his allies and began to retire; then
+Cassius pursued him as far as Seleucia and destroyed it and razed to the
+ground the palace of Vologaesus at Ctesiphon. In the course of his return
+he lost a great many soldiers through famine and disease, yet he started
+off to Syria with the men that were left. Lucius attained glory by these
+exploits and felt a just pride in them, yet his extreme good fortune did
+him no good. [Sidenote: A.D. 169 (a.u. 922)] For he is said to have
+subsequently plotted against his father-in-law Marcus and to have perished
+by poison before he could accomplish anything.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Fragments of Dio from Suidas (thought by de Valois to belong to Book
+LXXI).
+
+[Martius Verus sends out Thucydides to conduct Sohaemus into Armenia; and
+he, in spite of lack of arms, applied himself sturdily to this distant
+task with the inherent good sense that he showed in all business falling
+to his lot. Marcus had the gift not only of overpowering his antagonists
+or anticipating them by swiftness or outwitting them by deceit (on which
+qualities generals most rely), but also of persuading them by trustworthy
+promises and conciliating them by generous gifts and luring them on by
+tempting hopes. He was suave in all that he did or said, and soothed the
+vexed and angry feelings of each adversary while greatly raising his
+hopes. He knew well the right time for flattery and presents and
+entertainment at table. And since in addition to these talents he showed
+persistency in endeavor and activity together with speed against his foes,
+he made it plain to the barbarians that his friendship was better worth
+gaining than his enmity. So when he arrived at the New city, which a
+garrison of Romans placed there by Priscus was occupying, and found them
+attempting mutiny, he took care, both by word and by deed, to bring them
+to a better temper, and he made the city the foremost of Armenia.]
+
+[* * _Bridging_.--By the Romans the streams and rivers are bridged
+with the greatest ease, since the soldiers are always practicing at it,
+and it is carried on like any other warlike exercise on the Ister and the
+Rhine and the Euphrates. The manner of doing it (which I think not
+everybody knows) is as follows. The boats, by means of which the river is
+bridged, are flat. They are anchored up stream a little above the spot
+where the bridge is to be constructed. When the signal is given, they
+first let one ship drift down stream close to the bank that they are
+holding. When it has come opposite the spot to be bridged, they throw into
+the water a basket filled with stones and fastened with a cord, which
+serves as an anchor. Made fast in this way the ship is joined to the bank
+by planks and bridgework, which the vessel carries in large quantities,
+and immediately a floor is laid to the farther edge. Then they release
+another ship at a little distance from this one and another one after that
+until they run the bridge to the opposite bank. The boat which is near the
+hostile side carries also towers upon it and a gate and archers and
+catapults.
+
+As many weapons were hurled at the men engaged in bridging, Cassius
+ordered weapons and catapults to be discharged. And when the front rank of
+the barbarians fell, the rest gave way.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 172 (a.u. 925)] [Sidenote:--3--] Cassius, however, was
+bidden by Marcus to have the superintendence of all Asia. The emperor
+himself fought for a long time, in fact almost his whole life, one might
+say, with the barbarians in the Ister region, the Iazyges and the
+Marcomani, first one and then the other, and he used Pannonia as his
+starting point.
+
+The Langobardi and the Obii [Footnote: Or perhaps _Osi_.] to the
+number of six thousand crossed the Ister, but the cavalry under Vindex
+[Footnote: _M. Macrinius Avitus Catonius Vindex_.] marched out and
+the infantry commanded by Candidus got the start of them, so that an utter
+rout of the barbarians was instituted. The barbarians, thrown into
+consternation by such an outcome of their very first undertaking,
+despatched as envoys to the headquarters of Iallius Bassus [Footnote:
+_M. Iallius Bassus_.] (administrator of Pannonia) Bellomarius [Footnote:
+Or perhaps _Badomarius_.], king of the Marcomani, and ten more, for
+they selected one man per nation. The envoys took oaths to cement the
+peace and departed homewards.
+
+Many of the Celtae, too, across the Rhine, advanced to the confines of
+Italy and inflicted much serious harm upon the Romans. They, in turn, were
+followed up by Marcus, who opposed to them the lieutenants Pompeianus and
+Pertinax. Pertinax, who later became emperor, greatly distinguished
+himself. Among the corpses of the barbarians were found also the bodies of
+women in armor.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 168(?)] Yet, when a most violent struggle and brilliant
+victory had taken place, the emperor nevertheless refused the petition of
+the soldiers for money, making this statement: "Whatever excess they
+obtain above the customary amount will be wrung from the blood of their
+parents and their kinsmen. For respecting the fate of the empire Heaven
+alone can decide."--And he ruled them so temperately and firmly that even
+in the course of so many and great wars he was impelled neither by
+flattery nor by fear to do aught that was unfitting.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 172 (a.u. 925)] After conquering them
+Marcus received the title of Germanicus. We give the name "Germans" to
+those who dwell in the northern regions.
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] The so-called Bucoli began a disturbance in Egypt, and
+under the leadership of Isidorus, a priest, [Footnote: Omitting [Greek:
+kai].] caused the rest of the Egyptians to revolt. They had first, arrayed
+in women's garments, deceived the Roman centurion, making him think that
+they were Bucoli women and wanted to give him gold pieces in exchange for
+their husbands, and then striking him down when he approached them. His
+companion they sacrificed, and after taking a common oath over his
+entrails they devoured them. Isidorus surpassed in bribery all his
+contemporaries. Next, having conquered the Romans in Egypt in regular
+battle they came very near capturing Alexandria, and would have done so,
+had not Cassius been sent against them from Syria as directing general. He
+succeeded in spoiling the concord that existed among them and sundering
+them one from another, for on account of their numbers and desperation he
+had not ventured to attack them united. So when they fell into factional
+disputes he easily subdued them.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] Now it was in Marcus's war against the Germans (if
+mention ought to be made of these matters), that a captive lad on being
+asked some questions by him rejoined: "I can not answer you because of the
+cold. So if you want to find out anything, command that a coat be given
+me, if you have one."--And a soldier one night, who was doing guard duty
+on the Ister, hearing a shout of his fellow-soldiers in captivity on the
+other side, at once swam the stream just as he was, released them, and
+brought them back.
+
+One prefect of Marcus's was Bassaeus Rufus, a good man on the whole, but
+uneducated and boorish, having been brought up in poverty in his early
+youth. [Wherefore he had been disinclined to go on the campaign, and what
+Marcus said was incomprehensible to him.] Once some one had interrupted
+him in the midst of trimming a vine that wound about a tree, and when he
+did not come down at the first bidding, the person rebuked him, and said:
+"Come down there, prefect." This he said thinking to humiliate him for his
+previous haughtiness; yet later Fortune gave him this title to wear.
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] The emperor, as often as he had leisure from war, held
+court and used to order that a most liberal supply of water be measured
+out for the speakers. [Footnote: This refers to the contrivance known as
+the clepsydra or water-clock, which measured time by the slow dropping of
+water from an upper into a lower vessel, somewhat on the plan of the
+hour-glass.] He made inquiries and answers of greater length, so that
+exact justice was ensured by every possible expedient. When thus engaged
+he would often hold court to try the same case for eleven or even twelve
+days and sometimes [Sidenote: A.D. 172 (a.u. 926)] at night. He was
+industrious and applied himself diligently to all the duties of his
+office; and there was nothing which he said or wrote or did that he
+regarded a minor matter, but sometimes he would consume whole days on the
+finest point, putting into practice his belief that the emperor should do
+nothing hurriedly. For he thought that if he should slight even the
+smallest detail, it would bring him reproach that would overshadow all his
+other achievements. Yet he was so frail in body that at first he could not
+endure the cold, but when the soldiers had already come together in
+obedience to orders he would retire before speaking a word to them; and he
+took but very little food always, and that at night. It was never his
+custom to eat during the daytime unless it were some of the drug called
+theriac. [Footnote: See Galen, On Antidotes, Book Two, chapter 17, and On
+Theriac (to Piso), chapter 2.] This drug he took not so much because he
+feared anything as because his stomach and chest were in bad condition.
+And it is related that this practice enabled him to endure the disease as
+well as other hardships.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 172(?) 173(?)] [Sidenote:--7--] The Iazyges were conquered
+by the Romans on land at this time and subsequently on the river. By this
+I mean not that any naval battle took place, but that the Romans followed
+them as they fled over the frozen Ister and fought there as on dry land.
+The Iazyges, perceiving that they were being pursued, awaited the foe's
+onset, expecting easily to overcome them, since their opponents were not
+accustomed to ice. Accordingly, some of the barbarians dashed straight at
+them, while others rode around to attack the flanks, for their horses were
+trained to run safely even over a surface of this kind. The Romans, seeing
+this, were not alarmed, but made a close formation, placing themselves so
+as to face all of them at once. The majority laid down their shields and
+resting one foot upon them, so that they might slip less, received the
+enemy's assault. Some seized bridles, others shields and spear-shafts, and
+drew them towards them. Then, becoming involved in close conflict, they
+knocked down both men and horses, for on account of their momentum the
+enemy could not help slipping. The Romans also slipped down: but in case
+one of them fell on his back he dragged his adversary down on top of him
+and then by winding his legs about him as in a wrestling match would get
+him underneath; and if one fell on his face, he made his opponent fall
+before he did, also on his face. The barbarians, being unused to a contest
+of this sort, and having lighter equipment, were unable to resist, so that
+but few escaped out of a large force.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 174 (a.u. 927)] [Sidenote:--8--] So Marcus made the
+Marcomani and Iazyges subservient by a series of great struggles and
+dangers. A great war against the so-called Quadi also fell to his lot and
+it was his good fortune to win an unexpected victory, or rather it was
+given him from Heaven. At a time when the Romans had run into danger in
+the battle the Heavenly Power most unexpectedly saved them. The Quadi had
+surrounded them at an opportune spot and the Romans were fighting
+valiantly with their shields locked together: and the barbarians ceased
+fighting, expecting to capture their enemies easily by heat and thirst. So
+they posted guards all about and hemmed them in to prevent their getting
+water anywhere, for the barbarians were far superior in numbers. The
+Romans fell into dire distress from their fatigue and wounds and the sun's
+heat and their thirst, and for these reasons could neither fight nor march
+in any direction but were standing and being scorched in line of battle
+and at their several posts, when suddenly numbers of clouds rushed
+together and a great rain, certainly of divine origin, came pouring down.
+Indeed, there is a story that Arnouphis, an Egyptian wizard, who was a
+companion of Marcus, invoked by means of enchantments various deities and
+in particular Mercury, god of the air, and by this means attracted the
+rain.
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] This is what Dio says about it, but he seems to be
+telling an untruth, whether voluntarily or involuntarily; I am more
+inclined to think it is voluntarily. It surely must be so, for he was not
+ignorant of the fact that one company of the soldiers had the special name
+of "The Thunderbolt" (he mentions it in the list along with the rest),
+[Footnote: The reference is evidently to Book Fifty-five, chapter 23, but
+it should be observed that the names, though very possibly having the same
+sense, are not identical. The legion is here called [Greek: keraunobolos]
+(=Fulminatrix or Fulminata) but in 55, 23 [Greek: keraunophoros] (=
+Fulminifera).] and this was due to no other cause (nor is any other
+reported) save that event which gave rise to the title in this very
+war,--an event which enabled the Romans to survive on this occasion and
+brought destruction upon the barbarians. It was not Arnouphis, the wizard,
+for Marcus is not accounted to have taken pleasure in the company of
+wizards and charms. But what I have reference to is as follows: Marcus had
+a company (and the Roman name for company is "legion") of soldiers from
+Melitene. They were all worshipers of Christ. Now it is stated that in
+that battle, when Marcus was in a quandary over having been surrounded and
+feared the loss of his whole army, the prefect approached him and said
+that those called Christians can accomplish anything whatever by their
+prayers, and that among them there chanced to be a whole company of this
+sect. Marcus, on hearing this, made an appeal to them to pray to their
+God. And when they had prayed, the God immediately gave ear, hurling a
+thunderbolt upon the enemy and encouraging the Romans with rain. Marcus
+was astounded at what happened and honored the Christians by an official
+decree, while the legion he named "The Thunderbolt." It is said also that
+there is a letter of Marcus extant on this matter. But the Greeks, though
+they know that the company was called "Thunderbolt" and bear witness to
+the fact themselves, make no statement whatever about the reason for the
+appellation.
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] Dio goes on to say that when the rain poured down at
+first all bent their faces upwards and received it in their mouths. Then
+some held their shields and their helmets as pails, and they themselves
+took fullmouthed draughts of it and gave their horses to drink. The
+barbarians making a charge upon them, they drank and fought at the same
+time; and some who were wounded gulped down together the water and the
+blood that flowed into their helmets. The most of them had given so much
+attention to drinking that they would have suffered some great damage from
+the enemy's onset had not a violent hail and numbers of thunderbolts
+fallen upon the latter's ranks. In the same spot one might see water and
+fire descending from Heaven at the same time: the one side was being
+drenched and drinking, the other was being burned with fire and dying. The
+fire did not touch the Romans, but if it fell anywhere among them it was
+straightway extinguished. On the other hand, the shower did the barbarians
+no good, but like oil served rather to feed the flames that fed on them,
+and they searched for water while in the midst of rain. Some wounded
+themselves in the attempt to put out the fire with blood, and others ran
+over to the side of the Romans, convinced that they alone had the saving
+water. Marcus finally took pity on them. He was for the seventh time
+saluted as imperator by the soldiers. And although he was not wont to
+accept any such honor before the senate voted it, [Footnote: Cp. Mommsen,
+_Staatsrecht_, 12, p. 123 (or 13, p. 124); also III, p. 1108.]
+nevertheless this time he took it under the assumption that it was
+bestowed from Heaven, and he sent a despatch to that effect to the
+senate.--Moreover Faustina was named "Mother of the Legions."
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] [Marcus [Antoninus] remained in Pannonia in order to
+transact business with the embassies of the barbarians. Many came to him
+also at this time. Some promised an alliance: they were led by Battarius,
+a child twelve years old, and they received money and succeeded in
+restraining Tarbus, a neighboring potentate, who had come into Dacia, was
+demanding money, and threatening to make war if he should not get it.
+Others, like the Quadi, were asking for peace, and they obtained it, the
+emperor's purpose being to have them detached from the Marcomani. Another
+reason was that they gave horses and cattle, surrendered all the deserters
+and the captives at first to the number of thirteen thousand, though later
+they promised to restore the remainder as well. However, the right of free
+intercourse even at markets was not granted them, the intention being to
+prevent the Iazyges and the Marcomani, whom they had sworn not to receive
+nor let pass through their country, from either mingling with them or
+presenting themselves also in the guise of Quadi,--a plan which would
+enable them to reconnoitre the Roman position and to purchase provisions.
+Besides these who came to Marcus, many others despatched envoys, some by
+tribes and some by nations, offering to surrender themselves. Some of them
+were sent on campaigns to other parts of the world, and the captives and
+deserters who were fit for it were similarly treated. Others received
+land, in Dacia or in Pannonia or in Moesia and Germany or in Italy itself.
+A few of them who settled at Ravenna made an uprising and even dared to
+take possession of the city: and for this reason he did not again bring
+any barbarian into Italy, but made even those who had previously come
+there find homes outside.]
+
+Detachments of both Astingi and Lacringi had come to lend assistance to
+Marcus.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] [The Astingi, whose leaders were Raus and Raptus, came
+into Dacia to settle, in the hope of receiving both money and land in
+return for terms of alliance. As they did not obtain this, they put their
+wives and children in the keeping of Clemens, [Footnote: _Sex. Cornelius
+Clemens._] with the apparent intention of acquiring the land of the
+Costobocci by force of arms; and upon conquering them they injured Dacia
+no less. The Lacringi, fearing that Clemens out of dread might lead these
+newcomers into the land which they were inhabiting, attacked them off
+their guard and won a decisive victory. As a result, the Astingi committed
+no further deeds displaying hostility to the Romans, but by making urgent
+supplication to Marcus received money from him and asked that land might
+be given them if they should harm in some way his temporary enemies. Now
+these performed some of their promises. The Cotini made similar
+propositions, but upon getting control of Tarrutenius Paternus, secretary
+of the emperor's Latin letters, under the pretext of requiring his aid for
+a campaign against the Marcomani, they not only failed to take this course
+but did him frightful injury and thereby ensured their own destruction
+later.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 171 (a.u. 924)] When in one battle the Marcomani were
+successful and killed Marcus Vindex, the prefect, he erected three statues
+in his memory.
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] [Envoys were also sent to Marcus by the Iazyges,
+requesting peace, but they did not obtain any. For Marcus, knowing their
+race to be untrustworthy, and, furthermore, because he had been deceived
+by the Quadi, wished to annihilate them absolutely. [Footnote: Reading
+[Greek: exelein] (Boissevain) in place of the MS. [Greek: exelthein].] The
+Quadi had not only made alliances at this time with the Iazyges, but
+previously, too, were wont to receive in their own land Marcomanian
+fugitives who might be hard pressed, while that tribe was at war with the
+Romans. Nor did they do aught else that they had agreed, for they did not
+restore all the captives, but only a few, and these were such as they
+could not sell nor use for any work as helpers. And whenever they did give
+back any of those in good condition, they would keep their relatives at
+home in order that the men given up might desert again to join their
+friends. They also expelled their king, Furtius, and on their own
+responsibility made Ariogaesus king instead. Consequently the emperor did
+not confirm him, since he had not been legally installed, nor renew the
+treaty of peace, though they promised to return fifty thousand captives if
+he would.]
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] [Against Ariogaesus Marcus was so bitter that he issued
+a proclamation to the effect that any one who would bring him alive should
+receive a thousand gold pieces, and any one who killed him and exhibited
+his head, five hundred. Yet in other cases this emperor was always
+accustomed to treat even his most stubborn foes humanely; for instance, he
+did not kill, but merely sent to Britain Tiridates, a satrap who roused a
+tumult in Armenia and the person who slew the king of the Heniochi and
+then held the sword in Verus's [Footnote: _P. Martius Verus._] face,
+when the latter rebuked him for it. This, then, shows the extent of his
+irritation against Ariogaesus at the time. However, when the man was later
+captured he did him no harm, but sent him away to Alexandria.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 174(?) 175(?)] When Pertinax in
+consideration of his brave exploits obtained the consulship, there were
+nevertheless some who showed displeasure at the fact that he was of
+obscure family, and quoted the line from tragedy:
+
+  "Such things the wretched war brings in its train." [Footnote: From
+  Euripides, The Suppliants, verse 119.]
+
+They did not know that he should yet be sovereign.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 176(?)] [Sidenote:--15--] [At the request of the
+Marcomani, as expressed by their envoys and in view of the fact that they
+had followed all the injunctions laid upon them, even if sullenly and
+hesitatingly, he released to them one half of the adjoining territory, so
+that they could settle for a distance of about thirty-eight stades
+[Footnote: Or five miles.] from the Ister, and established the places and
+the days for their meeting together (these had not been previously
+determined), and he exchanged hostages with them.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 175 (a.u. 928)] [Sidenote:--16--] [The Iazyges, also, when
+they had experienced reverses, came to an agreement, Zanticus himself
+appearing as suppliant before Antoninus. Previously they had imprisoned
+Banadaspus, their second king, for making proposals to him. Now, however,
+all the foremost men came in company with Zanticus and made the same
+compact as that accepted by the Quadi and the Marcomani, except in so far
+as they were required [Footnote: Reading [Greek: aemellon] (Boissevain).]
+to dwell twice as far away from the Ister as those tribes. It was his wish
+to root them out utterly. That they were still strong at this time and
+could have done the Romans great harm is evident from the fact that they
+gave back one hundred thousand captives out of a body in which many had
+been sold, many were dead, and many had run away and been recaptured. They
+supplied Antoninus at once with a cavalry force of eight thousand allies,
+fifty-five hundred of whom he sent to Britain.]
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] [The revolt of Cassius and Syria forced Marcus
+Antoninus, even contrary to his wishes, to come to terms with the Iazyges.
+He was so upset at the news that he did not even communicate to the senate
+the basis of the reconciliation made with them, as he was wont to do in
+all other cases.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 179-180]
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] [The Iazyges sent an embassy and asked to be released
+from some of the agreements they had made, and a certain leniency was
+shown them, to prevent their being entirely alienated. Yet neither they
+nor the Buri were willing to join the Roman alliance until they received
+pledges from Marcus that he would without fail prosecute the war to the
+uttermost. They were afraid that he might make a treaty with the Quadi, as
+before, and leave enemies dwelling at their doors.]
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] [Marcus gave audience to such persons as came in the
+capacity of envoys from outside nations, but all were not received on the
+same footing. This varied according as the individual states were worthy
+to receive citizenship, or freedom from taxes, or perpetual or temporary
+exemption from tribute, or to enjoy permanent support. And when the
+Iazyges proved themselves most useful to him, he released them from many
+of the restrictions imposed upon them,--indeed, from all, save from the
+arrangements made in regard to their gatherings and mutual intercourse,
+and the provisions that they should _not_ use boats of their own and
+_should_ keep away from the islands in the Ister. And he permitted
+them to go through Dacia and have dealings with the Rhoxolani as often as
+the governor of Dacia would give them permission.]
+
+[Sidenote:--20--] [The Quadi and the Marcomani sent envoys to Marcus,
+saying that the two myriads of soldiers that were in the forts would not
+allow [Footnote: Supplying, with Reiske, [Greek: epetrepon.]] them to
+pasture or till the soil or do anything else with freedom, but kept
+receiving many deserters from them and captives of theirs; yet the
+soldiers themselves were enduring no great hardships, inasmuch as they had
+bath-houses and all necessary provisions in abundance. The Quadi,
+consequently, would not endure the watch kept on them from fortifications
+and undertook to withdraw _en masse_ to the territory of the
+Semnones. But Antoninus learned beforehand of their intention and by
+barring the roads thither prevented them. This showed that he desired not
+to acquire their territory, but to punish the members of the tribe.]
+
+[Sidenote:--21--] [And the Naristi, having encountered hardships, deserted
+to the number of three thousand at once and received land in our
+territory.]
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] Upon the rebellion of Cassius in Syria, Marcus, in great
+alarm, summoned his son Commodus from Rome, since he was now able to enter
+the ranks of the iuvenes. Now Cassius, who was a Syrian from Cyrrhus, had
+shown himself an excellent man and the sort of person one would desire to
+have as emperor: only he was a son of one Heliodorus, [Footnote: _C.
+Avidius Heliodorus_ (cp. Book Sixty-nine, chapter 3).] who had been
+delighted to secure the governorship of Egypt as a result of his
+oratorical skill. But in this uprising he made a terrible mistake, and it
+was all due to his having been deceived by Faustina. The latter, who was a
+daughter of Antoninus Pius, seeing that her husband had fallen ill, and
+expecting that he might die at any moment, was afraid that the imperial
+office might revert to some outsider and she be left in private life; for
+Commodus was both young and rather callow, besides. So she secretly
+induced Cassius to make preparations to the end that if anything should
+happen to Antoninus he might take both her and the sovereignty.
+[Sidenote:--23--] Now while he was in this frame of mind, a message came
+that Marcus was dead (in such circumstances reports always make matters
+worse than they really are) and immediately, without waiting to confirm
+the rumor, he laid claim to the empire on the ground that it had been
+bestowed upon him by the soldiers at this time quartered in Pannonia. And
+in spite of the fact that before long he learned the truth, nevertheless,
+since he had once made a move, he would not change his attitude but
+speedily won over the whole district bounded by the Taurus, and was making
+preparations to maintain his ascendancy by war. Marcus, on being informed
+of his uprising by Verus, the governor of Cappadocia, for a time concealed
+it; but, as the soldiers were being mightily disturbed by the reports and
+were doing a deal of talking, he called them together and read an address
+of the following nature:
+
+[Sidenote:--24--] "Fellow-soldiers, I have not come before you to express
+indignation, nor yet in a spirit of lamentation. Why rage against Fate,
+that is all-powerful? But perchance it is needful to bewail the lot of
+those who are undeservedly unfortunate, a lot which is now mine. Is it not
+afflicting for us to meet war after war? Is it not absurd to be involved
+in civil conflict? Are not both these conditions surpassed in affliction
+and in absurdity by the proof before us that there is naught to be trusted
+among mankind, since I have been plotted against by my dearest friend and
+have been thrust into a conflict against my will, though I have committed
+no crime nor even error? What virtue, what friendship shall henceforth be
+deemed secure after this experience of mine? Has not faith, has not hope
+perished? If the danger were mine alone, I should give the matter no
+heed,--I was not born to be immortal,--but since there has been a public
+secession (or rather obsession) and war is fastening its clutches upon all
+of us alike, I should desire, were it possible, to invite Cassius here and
+argue the case with him in your presence or in the presence of the senate;
+and I would gladly, without a contest, withdraw from my office in his
+favor, if this seemed to be for the public advantage. For it is on behalf
+of the public that I continue to toil and undergo dangers and have spent
+so much time yonder outside of Italy, during mature manhood and now in old
+age and weakness, though I can not take food without pain nor get sleep
+free from anxiety.
+
+[Sidenote:--25--] "But since Cassius would never be willing to agree to
+this (for how could he trust me after having shown himself so
+untrustworthy towards me?), you, at least, fellow-soldiers, ought to be of
+good cheer. Cilicians, Syrians, Jews and Egyptians have never proved your
+superiors nor shall so prove, even if they assemble in numbers ten times
+your own, whereas they are now by the same proportion inferior. Nor yet
+would Cassius himself now appear worthy of any particular consideration,
+however much he may seem to possess the qualities of generalship, however
+many successes he may seem to have gained. An eagle is not formidable at
+the head of an army of daws, nor a lion commanding fawns; and it was not
+Cassius, but you, that brought to an end the Arabian or the famous
+Parthian War. Again, even though he is renowned as a result of his
+achievements against the Parthians, yet you have Verus, who has won more
+victories than he and has acquired more territory in a not less, but more
+distinguished manner.--But probably he has already changed his mind, on
+hearing that I am alive, for surely he has done this on no other
+assumption than that I was dead. And if he resists still further, yet when
+he learns that we are approaching, he will surely hesitate both out of
+fear of you and out of respect for me.
+
+[Sidenote:--26--] "There is only one thing I fear, fellow-soldiers (you
+shall be told the whole truth), and that is that he may either kill
+himself because ashamed to come into our presence, or some one else upon
+learning that I shall come and am setting out against him may do it. Then
+should I be deprived of a great prize both of war and of victory, and of a
+magnitude such as no human being ever yet obtained. What is this? Why, to
+forgive a man that has done you an injury, to remain a friend to one who
+has transgressed friendship, to continue faithful to one who has broken
+faith. Perhaps this seems strange to you, but you ought not to disbelieve
+it. For all goodness has not yet perished from among mankind, but there is
+still in us a remnant of the ancient virtue. And if any one does
+disbelieve it, that renders the more ardent my desire that men may see
+accomplished what no one would believe could come to pass. That would be
+one profit I could derive from present ills, if I could settle the affair
+well and show to all mankind that there is a right way to handle even
+civil wars."
+
+[Sidenote:--27--] This is what Marcus both said to the soldiers and wrote
+to the senate, in no place abusing Cassius, save he constantly termed him
+ungrateful. Nor, indeed, did Cassius ever utter or write anything of a
+nature insulting to Marcus.
+
+Marcus at the time he was preparing for the war against Cassius would
+accept no barbarian alliance although he found a concourse of foreign
+nations offering their services; for he said that the barbarians ought not
+to know about troubles arising between Romans.
+
+While Marcus was making preparations for the civil war, many victories
+over various barbarians were reported at one and the same time with the
+death of Cassius. The latter while walking had encountered Antonius, a
+centurion, who gave him a sudden wound in the neck, though the blow was
+not entirely effective. And Antonius, borne away by the impetus of his
+horse, left the deed incomplete, so that his victim nearly escaped; but
+meantime the decurion had finished what was left to do. They cut off his
+head and set out to meet the emperor.
+
+Marcus Antoninus [was so much grieved at the destruction
+of Cassius that he would not even endure to see the severed head, but
+before the murderers drew near gave orders that it should be buried.]
+
+Thus was this pretender slain after a dream of
+sovereignty lasting three months and six days, and his son was murdered
+somewhere else. And Marcus upon reaching the provinces that had joined in
+Cassius's uprising treated them all very kindly and put no one, either
+obscure or prominent, to death.
+
+[Sidenote:--28--] [The same man would not slay nor imprison nor did he put
+under any guard any one of the senators associated with Cassius. He did
+not so much as bring them before his own court, but merely sent them
+before the senate, nominally under some other complaint, and appointed
+them a fixed day on which to have their case heard. Of the rest he brought
+to justice a very few, who had not only cooperated with Cassius to the
+extent of some overt action but were personally guilty of some crime. A
+proof of this is that he did not murder nor deprive of his property
+Flavius Calvisius, the governor of Egypt, but merely confined him on an
+island. The records made about his case Marcus caused to be burned, in
+order that no reproach might attach to him from them. Furthermore he
+released all his relatives.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 176 (a.u. 929)] [Sidenote:--29--] About this same time
+Faustina died, either of the gout from which she had suffered or from less
+natural causes and to avoid being convicted of her compact with
+Cassius.--Moreover, Marcus destroyed the documents [found in the chests of
+Pudens], [Footnote: Reimar suggested that perhaps Pudens was secretary of
+the Greek letters of Cassius, as Manlius (Book Seventy-two, chapter 7) was
+of his Latin letters.] not even reading them, in order that he might not
+learn even a name of any of the conspirators who had written something
+against him and that he might not [therefore] be reluctantly forced to
+hate any one. Another account is that Verus, who was sent ahead into
+Syria, of which he had secured the governorship, found them among the
+effects of Cassius and put them out of the way, saying that this course
+would most probably be agreeable to the emperor, but even if he should be
+angry, it would be better that he [Verus] himself should perish than many
+others. Marcus was so averse to slaughter that he saw to it that the
+gladiators in Rome contended without danger, like athletes; for he never
+permitted any of them to have any sharp iron, but they fought with blunt
+weapons, rounded off at the ends. [And so far was he from countenancing
+any slaughter that though at the request of the populace he ordered to be
+brought in a lion trained to eat men, he would not look at the beast nor
+emancipate its teacher, in spite of the long-continued and urgent demands
+of the people. Instead, he commanded proclamation to be made that the man
+had done nothing to deserve freedom.]
+
+[Sidenote:--30--] In his great grief over the death of Faustina he wrote
+to the senate that no one of those who had cooperated with Cassius was
+dead, as if in this fact alone he could find some consolation for
+Faustina's loss. "May it never happen," he continued, "that any one of you
+is slain during [Footnote: Reading [Greek: ep emou] (Dindorf).] my
+lifetime either by my vote or by your own." Finally he said: "If I do not
+obtain this request, I shall hasten on to death." So pure and excellent
+and godfearing did he show himself throughout his career. [Nothing could
+force him to do anything inconsistent with his character, neither the
+wickedness of daring attempts nor the expectation of similar events to
+follow as the result of pardon. To such an extent did he refrain from
+inventing any imaginary conspiracy and concocting any tragedy that had not
+taken place, that he released even those who most openly rose against him
+and took arms against him and against his son, whether they were generals
+or heads of tribes or kings, and he put none of them to death either by
+his own action or by that of the senate or by any other arrangement
+whatever. Wherefore I actually believe that if he had captured Cassius
+himself alive, he would certainly have saved him from injury.] For he
+conferred benefits upon many who had been murderers,--so far as lay in
+their power,--of himself and his son.
+
+[Sidenote:--31--] A law was at this time passed that no one should be
+governor in the province from which he had originally come, because the
+revolt of Cassius had occurred during his administration of Syria, which
+included his native district. It was voted by the senate that silver
+images of Marcus and Faustina should be set up in the temple of Venus and
+Roma, and that an altar should be erected whereon all the maidens married
+in the city and their bridegrooms should offer sacrifice; also that a
+golden image of Faustina should be carried in a chair to the theatre on
+each occasion that the emperor should be a spectator, and that it should
+be placed in the seat well forward, where she herself was wont to take her
+place when alive, and that the women of chief influence should all sit
+round about it.
+
+[Sidenote:--32--] Marcus went to Athens, where after being initiated into
+the mysteries he bestowed honors upon the Athenians and gave teachers to
+all men in Athens, for every species of knowledge, these teachers to
+receive an annual salary. On his return to Rome he made an address to the
+people; and while he was saying, among other things, that he had been
+absent many years, they cried out: "Eight!" and indicated this also with
+their hands, in order that they might receive an equal number of gold
+pieces for a banquet. He smiled and himself uttered the word "Eight."
+After that he distributed to them two hundred denarii apiece, more than
+they had ever received before.--In addition to doing this, he forgave all
+persons all their debts to the imperial and to the public treasury for a
+space of forty-six years, outside of the sixteen granted by Hadrian. And
+all the documents relating to these debts he ordered burned in the Forum.
+[Sidenote: A.D. 177 (a.u. 930)]--He gave money to many cities, one of them
+being Smyrna, that had suffered terribly by an earthquake; he also
+assigned the duty of building up this place to an ex-praetor of senatorial
+rank. Therefore I am surprised at the censures even now passed upon him to
+the effect that he was not a man of large calibre. For, whereas in
+ordinary matters he was really quite frugal, he never demurred at a single
+necessary expenditure (though, as I have said, [Footnote: The reference
+here made by Dio may very possibly be to a passage reproduced by Zonaras
+(XII, 1), regarding the authenticity of which Boissevain is nevertheless
+somewhat doubtful. For the sake of completeness a translation is here
+given ([Greek: oumaen [Lacuna] ebiasato]):
+
+  "Yet he was not thereby induced to secure money from the subject
+  nations. On one occasion, indeed, with wars impending, he had come short
+  for funds and still did not devise any new tax nor endure to ask money
+  from any one. Instead, he exposed in the Forum all the heirlooms of the
+  palace, even down to this or that piece of finery belonging to his wife,
+  and solicited their purchase by any person so disposed. This brought him
+  a store of coin, which he distributed to the soldiers. By success in the
+  war he gained many times the amount in question, and he issued a
+  proclamation to the effect than any one so disposed among the purchasers
+  of the imperial property might return the article purchased and receive
+  its value. Some did so, but the majority declined. And nobody was
+  compelled to restore any object thus acquired."]
+
+he hurt no one by levies), and he necessarily laid out very large sums
+beyond the ordinary requirements.
+
+[Sidenote:--33--] The Scythian imbroglio, which needed his attention,
+caused him to give his son a wife, Crispina, sooner than he actually
+wished. The Quintilii could not end the war, although there were two of
+them and they possessed prudence, courage, and considerable experience.
+Consequently the rulers themselves were forced to take the field.
+[Sidenote: A.D. 178 (a.u. 931)] Marcus also asked the senate for money
+from the public treasury, not because it had not been placed in the
+sovereign's authority, but because Marcus was wont to declare that this
+and everything else belonged to the senate and the people. "We," said he
+(speaking to the senate), "are so far from having anything of our own that
+we even live in a house of yours." He set out, therefore, after these
+remarks, and after hurling the bloody spear, that lay in the temple of
+Bellona, into hostile territory. (I heard this from men who accompanied
+him). [Sidenote: A.D. 179] Paternus was given a large detachment and sent
+to the scene of fighting. The barbarians held out the entire day, but were
+all cut down by the Romans. And Marcus was for the tenth time saluted as
+imperator.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 180 (a.u. 933)] Had he lived longer, he
+would have subdued the whole region: as it was, he passed away on the
+seventeenth of March, not from the effects of the sickness that he had at
+the time, but by the connivance of his physicians, as I have heard on good
+evidence, who wanted to do a favor to Commodus.
+
+[Sidenote:--34--] When at the point of death he commended his son to the
+protection of the soldiers (for he did not wish his death to appear to be
+his fault); and to the military tribunes, who asked him for the watchword,
+he said: "Go to the rising sun: I am already setting." After he was dead
+he obtained many marks of honor and was set up in gold within the
+senate-house itself.
+
+So this was the manner of Marcus's demise, [who besides all other virtues
+was so godfearing that even on the dies nefasti he sacrificed at home; and
+he ruled better than any that had ever been in power. To be sure, he could
+not display many feats of physical prowess; yet in his own person he made
+a very strong body out of a very weak one.] Most of his life he passed in
+the service of beneficence, and therefore he erected on the Capitol a
+temple to that goddess and called her by a most peculiar name, which had
+never before been current. [Footnote: What this name was no one knows.
+Sylburgius conjectured that it might be _Aequanimitas_.] He himself
+refrained from all offences, [and committed no faults voluntarily:] but
+the offences of others, particularly those of his wife, he endured, and
+neither investigated them nor punished them. In case any person did
+anything good, he would praise him and use him for the service in which he
+excelled, but about others he did not trouble himself, [saying: "It is
+impossible for one to create such men as one wishes to have, but it is
+proper to employ those in existence for that in which each of them may be
+useful to the commonwealth."] That all his actions were prompted not by
+pretence but by real virtue is strikingly clear. He lived fifty-eight
+years, ten months, and twenty-two days, and of this time he had spent
+considerable as assistant to the previous Antoninus and had himself been
+emperor nineteen years and eleven days, yet from first to last he remained
+the same and changed not a particle. So truly was he a good man, without
+any pretence about him. [Sidenote:--35--] He was vastly helped by his
+education being an expert in rhetoric and in philosophical argument. In
+the one he had Cornelius Fronto and Claudius Herodes for teachers, and in
+the other, Junius Rusticus and Apollonius of Nicomedea, [Footnote: Since
+Apollonius was really from Chalcedon, an error may here charged to Dio's
+or some one else's account.] both of whom followed Zeno's school. As a
+result, great numbers pretended to engage in philosophy, in order that
+they might be enriched by the emperor.
+
+After all, however, he owed his great attainments chiefly to his natural
+disposition; for even before he enjoyed the society of those men he was
+unflinchingly set upon virtue. While still a boy he delighted all his
+relations, who were numerous and influential and wealthy, and was loved by
+all of them. This, most of all, led Hadrian to adopt him into his family,
+and Marcus, for his part, did not grow haughty [but, though young and a
+Caesar he dutifully played the part of servant to Antoninus through all
+the latter's reign and ungrudgingly did honor to the other men of
+eminence. Before going to see his father he used to greet the most worthy
+men in the house near the Tiber where he lived, and in the very apartment
+where he slept; and all this time, instead of wearing the attire allowed
+by his rank, he went dressed as a private citizen. He visited many who
+were sick and invariably met his teachers at the proper time. Dark
+garments were what he wore on going out when not in his father's company,
+and he never used the attendant for himself alone. Upon being appointed
+leader of the knights he entered the Forum with the rest, although he was
+Caesar. This shows how excellent was his own natural disposition, though
+it was aided to the greatest degree by education.] He was always steeped
+in Greek and Latin rhetorical and philosophical learning [though he had
+reached man's estate and had hopes of becoming emperor].
+
+[Sidenote:--36--] Before he was made Caesar he had a dream in which he
+seemed to have shoulders and hands of ivory and to use them in all
+respects as he did his real limbs.
+
+As a result of his great labors and studies he was extremely frail in
+body, yet from the very start he enjoyed such good health that he used to
+fight in armor and on a hunt struck down wild boars while on horseback.
+[And not only in his early youth but even later he wrote most of his
+letters to his intimate friends with his own hand.] However, he did not
+meet the good fortune that he deserved, for he was not strong [in body]
+and was involved in the greatest variety of troubles throughout
+practically the whole period that he was ruler. But I am sure I admire him
+all the more for this very reason, that amid unusual and extraordinary
+happenings he both himself survived and preserved the empire. One thing in
+particular contributed to his lack of happiness,--the fact that after
+rearing and educating his son in the best possible way he was monstrously
+disappointed in him. This matter must now form the subject of our
+discourse, for our history now descends from a kingdom of gold to one of
+iron and rust, [Footnote: Reading [Greek: chatiomenaen] (Dindorf,
+following Reiske).] as affairs did for the Romans of that day.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+73
+
+About Commodus Augustus (chapter 1).
+
+How Commodus made terms of peace with the Marcomani, the Quadi, and the
+Buri (chapters 2, 3).
+
+Intrigues of Pompeianus against Commodus (chapter 4).
+
+About the killing of the Quintilii (chapters 5-7).
+
+About the war in Britain, and the captain, Ulpius Marcellus (chapter 8).
+
+How Perennis, pretorian prefect, was slain (chapters 9, 10)
+
+Statue erected to Victorinus (chapter 11).
+
+Crimes and death of Cleander, a Caesarian (chapters 12, 13)
+
+Fresh assassinations occur (chapter 15).
+
+Commodus's titles (chapter 15).
+
+About the spectacles presented by Commodus, and his insolent behavior
+(chapters 16-21).
+
+Commodus is killed as the result of a conspiracy (chapter 22).
+
+Dio begins to lay the foundations of his history (chapter 23).
+
+Portents indicating the death of Commodus (chapter 24).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+
+L. Fulvius Bruttius Praesens (II), Sextus Quintilius Condianus. (A.D. 180
+= a.u. 933 = First of Commodus, from March 17th).
+
+Commodus Aug. (III), Antistius Burrus. (A.D. 181 = a.u. 934 = Second of
+Commodus).
+
+C. Petronius Mamertinus, Cornelius Rufus. (A.D. 182 = a.u. 935 = Third of
+Commodus).
+
+Commodus Aug. (IV), Aufidius Victorinus (II). (A.D. 183 = a.u. 936 =
+Fourth of Commodus).
+
+L. Eggius Marullus, Cn. Papirius Aelianus. (A.D. 184 = a.u. 937 = Fifth of
+Commodus).
+
+Maternus, Bradua. (A.D. 185 = a.u. 938 = Sixth of Commodus).
+
+Commodus Aug. (V), Acilius Glabrio (II). (A.D. 186 = a.u. 939 = Seventh of
+Commodus). Crispinus, Aelianus. (A.D. 187 = a.u. 940 = Eighth of
+Commodus).
+
+C. Allius Fuscianus (II), Duillius Silanus (II). (A.D. 188 = a.u. 941 =
+Ninth of Commodus).
+
+Iunius Silanus, Servilius Silanus. (A.D. 189 = a.u. 942 = Tenth of
+Commodus).
+
+Commodus Aug. (VI), M. Petronius Septimianus. (A.D. 190 = a.u. 943 =
+Eleventh of Commodus).
+
+Apronianus, Bradua. (A.D. 191 = a.u. 944 = Twelfth of Commodus).
+
+Commodus Aug. (VII), P. Helvius Pertinax (II). (A.D. 192 = a.u. 945 =
+Thirteenth of Commodus, to Dec. 31st).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 180 (a.u. 933)] [Sidenote:--1--] This [Commodus] was not
+naturally wicked, but was originally as free from taint as any man ever
+was. His great simplicity, however, and likewise his cowardice made him a
+slave of his companions and it was through them that he first, out of
+ignorance, missed the better life and then was attracted into
+licentiousness and bloodthirsty habits, which soon became second nature.
+[And this, I think, Marcus clearly perceived beforehand.] He was nineteen
+years old when his father died, leaving him many guardians, among whom
+were numbered the best men of the senate. But to their suggestions and
+counsels Commodus bade farewell, and, after making a truce with the
+barbarians, he hastened to Rome.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] [For the Marcomani by reason of the number of their
+people that were perishing and the damage constantly being done to their
+farms no longer had either food or men in any numbers. Thus they sent only
+two of their foremost representatives and two others that were of inferior
+rank as envoys in regard to peace. And whereas he might easily have put an
+end to their resistance, he so detested exertion and was so eager for the
+comforts of city life that he made terms with them. Besides the conditions
+which his father had settled upon with them new ones were now imposed
+requiring them to restore to him the deserters and the captives that they
+took after this time and to contribute annually a stipulated amount of
+grain,--a demand from which he subsequently released them. He obtained
+some weapons from them and also soldiers, thirteen thousand from the Quadi
+and a smaller number from the Marcomani. In return for this contingent he
+relieved them of the requirement of an annual levy. However, he issued
+further orders that they should not assemble often nor in many parts of
+the country, but once each month, in one place, in the presence of a Roman
+centurion; and again, that they should not make war upon the Iazyges, the
+Buri, or the Vandili. On these terms a reconciliation was effected and all
+the garrisons in their country beyond the detached border territory were
+abandoned [Lacuna]]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 181(?)] [Sidenote:--3--] [Commodus also granted peace to
+an embassy from the Buri. Previously he would not have it, though often
+asked, because they were strong and because it was not peace they wanted,
+but the securing of a respite for further preparations. Now, however,
+since they were exhausted, he made terms with them and accepted hostages.
+From the Buri he received back many captives and from the others
+[Footnote: The MS. is here very possibly corrupt.] fifteen thousand, and
+he compelled the others [Footnote: The MS. is here very possibly corrupt.]
+to take oath that they would never dwell in nor use as pasture forty
+stadia of their territory, nearest to Dacia. The same (?) Sabinianus also
+reduced twelve thousand of the neighboring Dacians who had been driven out
+of their own country and were on the point of aiding the rest. [Footnote:
+The MS. is here very possibly corrupt.] He promised these that some land
+in our Dacia should be given them.]
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] Frequent plots were formed by various persons against
+Commodus [for he did many reprehensible deeds] and he murdered great
+numbers both of men and of women, some openly and some by secret
+poison,--in a word, practically all those who had attained eminence during
+his father's lifetime and his own. Exceptions were Pompeianus and Pertinax
+and Victorinus: these for some reason unknown to me he did not kill. THIS
+AND WHAT FOLLOWS I STATE NOT ON THE AUTHORITY OF ANOTHER'S TRADITION, BUT
+FROM MY OWN OBSERVATION. On coming to Rome he had a conference with the
+senate, at which he talked a great deal of nonsense, one thing that he
+said in praise of himself being that he had once on horseback saved the
+life of his father, who had fallen into a deep mire. Of such a nature were
+his lofty pratings. [Sidenote: A.D. 182 (a.u. 935)]As he was entering the
+hunting theatre, Claudius Pompeianus laid a snare for him. He held up a
+sword in the narrow passage which served as an entrance and said: "See,
+this is what the senate has sent you."
+
+This man had taken as his spouse the daughter of Lucilla, but had intimate
+relations both with the daughter herself and with the girl's mother; in
+this way he had become friendly with Commodus, so that he was his
+companion at banquets and in the diversions of youth. Lucilla, who was
+neither more respectable nor more continent than her brother Commodus,
+detested the girl's husband, Pompeianus. It was for this reason that she
+persuaded the aforementioned to undertake the attack upon Commodus, and
+she not only caused his destruction, but was herself detected and put out
+of the way. Commodus killed also Crispina, because he was angry with her
+for some act of adultery. Previous to their execution both women had keen
+banished to the island of Capreae.
+
+There was a certain Marcia, mistress of Quadratus (one of the men murdered
+at this time) and Eclectus, his cubicularius: the latter became also the
+cubicularius of Commodus, and the former, first, the emperor's mistress
+and later the wife of Eclectus; and she beheld them also perish by
+violence. The tradition is that she very much favored the Christians and
+did them many kindnesses, as she was enabled to do through possessing all
+influence with Commodus.
+
+Commodus killed also Julianus [Salvius, [Footnote: _P. Salvius
+Julianus._] and Tarrutenius Paternus, who was numbered among the
+exconsuls, and others with them; he furthermore put to death some woman of
+the nobility. [Footnote: Vitrasia Faustina by name.] Yet Julianus after
+the death of Marcus could at once have done anything at all that he
+pleased against him, since he possessed great renown, was in charge of a
+large army, and enjoyed the devotion of his soldiers: and he refused to
+make any rebellious move, both because of his own uprightness and because
+of the good will that he bore to Marcus, though dead. And Paternus, if he
+had plotted against Commodus, as he was accused of doing, could easily
+have murdered him while he himself still commanded the Pretorians; but he
+had not done it.]
+
+The emperor murdered likewise Condianus and Maximus Quintilius; for they
+had a great reputation on account of education and military ability and
+fraternal harmony and wealth. Their notable talents led to the suspicion
+that, even if they were not planning any hostile movement, still they were
+not pleased with the state of affairs. Thus, even as they had lived
+together, so they died together, and one child as well. They had exhibited
+the most striking example ever seen of affection for each other, and at no
+time had they been divided, even in their political offices. They had
+grown prosperous and exceedingly wealthy and were wont to govern together
+and to assist each other in trying cases at law.
+
+Sextus Condianus, son of Maximus, who surpassed the generality of men in
+character and education, when be heard that sentence of death had been
+passed upon him, too, drank hare's blood (he was at that time located in
+Syria); and after this he mounted a horse and purposely fell from it.
+Then, as he vomited the blood (which was supposed to be his own), he was
+taken up in the expectation of his immediate demise and conveyed into a
+dwelling. The man himself now disappeared from view, but a ram's body was
+placed in a coffin, in his place and burned. Thereafter, by constantly
+changing his appearance and clothing, he wandered about, now here, now
+there. And when this story was reported (for it is impossible to conceal
+for a long time so weighty a matter), there was hue and cry after him in
+every place, bar none. Many were punished in his stead on account of their
+resemblance, and many, too, who were alleged to have shared his
+confidences or to have received and hidden him. Several, moreover, who had
+perhaps never even seen him, were deprived of their property. But no one
+knows whether he was really killed (though a great number of heads
+purporting to be his were carried to Rome) or whether he made good his
+escape.
+
+Some other person, after the death of Commodus, dared to assert that
+_he_ was Sextus and to undertake the recovery of his wealth and
+dignities. And he played the part well while many persons asked him
+numbers of questions: when, however, Pertinax enquired of him something
+about Grecian affairs, with which the real Sextus had been well
+acquainted, he suffered the greatest embarrassment, not being able even to
+understand what was said. [So it was that nature had made him like
+Condianus in form and practice like him in other ways, but he did not
+share in his education.]
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] This matter came to my own ears, and another thing that I
+saw I shall now describe. There is in the city of Mallus, in Cilicia, an
+oracle of Amphilochus, that gives responses by means of dreams. It had
+given warning also to Sextus, in a way that he indicated by a drawing. The
+picture that he put on a board represented a boy strangling two serpents
+and a lion pursuing a fawn. I was with my father, then governor of
+Cilicia, and could not comprehend what they meant until I learned that
+Sextus's brothers had been, as it were, strangled by Commodus (who later
+emulated Hercules), just as Hercules, when an infant, is related to have
+strangled the serpents sent against him by Juno: similarly, the Quintilii
+were hanged; I learned also that Sextus was a fugitive and was being
+pursued by a more powerful adversary.
+
+I should render my narrative unduly irksome, were I to set down carefully
+every single man put to death by this ruler,--all that he despatched
+because of false information, because of unjustified suspicions, because
+of notable wealth, because of distinguished family, because of unusual
+education, or for any other excellence.
+
+[Commodus displayed in Rome itself many marks of wealth and very many
+more, even, of love for the beautiful. Indeed, he performed one or two
+acts of public benefit. Manilius, a kinsman of Cassius, who had been
+secretary of his Latin letters and had possessed the greatest influence
+with him, was caught after a flight, but the emperor would not listen to a
+word of his, though he promised to lay a great deal of information, and
+burned all the conspirator's documents without reading them.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 184 a.u. 937] [Sidenote:--8--] He had also some wars with
+the barbarians beyond Dacia, in which Albinus and Niger, who later fought
+the emperor Severus, won fame, but the greatest conflict was the one in
+Britain. When the tribes in the island, passing beyond the wall that
+separated them from the Roman legions, proceeded to commit many outrages
+and cut down a general, together with the soldiers that he had, Commodus
+was seized with fear and sent Marcellus Ulpius against them. This man, who
+was temperate and frugal and always followed strict military rules in
+regard to food and all other details when he was at war, became in course
+of time haughty and arrogant. He was conspicuously incorruptible in the
+matter of bribes, but was not of a pleasant or kindly nature. He showed
+himself more wakeful than any other general, and, as he desired his
+associates also to be alert, he wrote orders on twelve tablets (such as
+are made out of linden wood) [almost] every evening, and bade a man carry
+them to various persons at various hours, that they, believing the general
+to be always awake, might not themselves take their fill of sleep. Nature
+had made him able in the first place to go without sleep and he had
+developed this faculty a great deal more by abstinence from food. [Of
+scarcely anything did he eat his fill and] in order to avoid satisfying
+his hunger even with bread he sent to Rome for the loaves: [this was not
+because he could not eat what was prepared in that region, but] it was
+done with the purpose that the age of the article might prevent him eating
+ever so little more than what was absolutely necessary. [His gums, which
+were sore, were easily made to bleed by the dryness of the bread. And he
+made it his practice to affect sleeplessness even more than was the case,
+that he might have a reputation for being always awake.] This was the kind
+of man Marcellus was, who inflicted great damage upon the barbarians in
+Britain. Later he narrowly escaped being destroyed by Commodus on account
+of his peculiar excellence, but was, nevertheless, released.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 185 (a.u. 938)] [Sidenote:--9--] Perennis, commander of
+the Pretorians after Paternus, met destruction on account of a rebellion
+of the soldiers. For, since Commodus had devoted himself to chariot-racing
+and licentiousness and paid scarcely any attention to matters pertaining
+to the empire, Perennis was compelled to manage not only military affairs,
+but everything else, and to preside over the government. The soldiers,
+accordingly, when anything did not go to suit them, laid the blame upon
+Perennis and cherished anger against him.
+
+The soldiers in Britain chose Priscus, a lieutenant, emperor. But he
+deprecated their action, saying "I am as little suited for emperor as you
+are for soldiers."
+
+The lieutenants in Britain had been rebuked for their turbulence (indeed,
+they had not become quiet until Pertinax put a stop to their discord), and
+now they chose of their number fifteen hundred javelin-slingers, whom they
+sent into Italy. They had approached Rome without meeting any hindrance,
+when Commodus met them and enquired: "Why is this, fellow-soldiers? What
+does your presence signify?" Their answer was: "We are here because
+Perennis is plotting against you, and intends to make his son emperor."
+Commodus believed them, especially since Cleander dwelt at length upon the
+point. (The latter was often prevented by Perennis from doing all that he
+desired, and consequently entertained a bitter hatred for him). Therefore
+he delivered the prefect to the soldiers of whom he was commander, and did
+not venture to despise fifteen hundred men, though he had many times that
+number of Pretorians. So Perennis was abused and struck down, and his wife
+and sister and two sons were also killed.
+
+[Sidenote:--10--] Thus was he slain though he deserved a far different
+fate both on his own account and for the interest of the entire Roman
+domain. Only, it may be remarked that his fondness for office had been the
+chief cause of the ruin of his colleague Paternus. Privately he was never
+remotely concerned about either fame or wealth, but lived a most
+incorruptible and temperate life, and for Commodus he preserved his empire
+in entire safety. [For the emperor wholly followed his amusements and gave
+himself over to chariot-driving and cared not a whit for any political
+interests; nor, indeed, had he given his mind to the matter ever so
+zealously, could he have accomplished aught by reason of his luxurious
+living and inexperience.]
+
+And the Caesarians, having got rid of this man, with Cleander at their
+head entered upon every form of outrage, selling all privileges, doing
+violence, plunging into licentiousness.
+
+Commodus during most of his life was given to idleness and horses and
+battles of beasts and of men. Aside from his performances at home he
+despatched many beasts in public and many men on many occasions. With his
+own hands and without assistance he gave the finishing stroke to five
+hippopotami at one time and to two elephants on separate days. Moreover,
+he killed rhinoceroses and a camelopard. This is what I have to say in
+general with reference to his whole career.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] To Victorinus, prefect of the city, a statue was
+granted. [He died not as the victim of a plot. At one time what might be
+called a loud rumor and many reports were circulating in regard to his
+destruction] and, though Commodus frequently wished to get him out of the
+way, he still kept putting it off and shrinking from the deed until the
+man grew very bold, and one day approaching Perennis said: "I hear that
+you wish to kill me. Why then do you delay? Why do you put it off, when
+you might do it this very day?" [But not even this caused him to suffer
+any harm at the hands of any one else; it was a self-sought death that he
+suffered, and the fact seems strange, inasmuch as he had been honored
+among the foremost men by Marcus and in mental excellence and forensic
+eloquence stood second to none of his contemporaries. Indeed, by
+mentioning two incidents in his history I shall reveal his whole
+character.]
+
+Once, when he was governor of Germany, he at first attempted by private
+persuasion indoors to induce his lieutenant not to accept bribes. As the
+latter would not listen to him, he mounted the tribunal and [after bidding
+the herald proclaim him] took oath that he had never received bribes and
+never would receive any. Next he bade his under-officer also take oath;
+and when this person refused to perjure himself, he ordered him to be
+dismissed from office. [And later as commandant of Africa he had an
+associate of similar character to the man just mentioned. He did not, to
+be sure, treat him in the same way, but put him aboard a boat and sent him
+back to Rome.] This is the kind of man Victorinus was.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] As for Cleander, who after Perennis possessed greatest
+influence, he had been sold along with his fellow-slaves and had been
+brought to Rome along with them for the purpose of carrying burdens. As
+time went on he attained such prominence that he slept before the chamber
+of Commodus, married the emperor's concubine Damostratia, and put to death
+Saoterus of Nicomedea (who had held the position before him) besides many
+others. Yet this victim had possessed very great influence, so that the
+Nicomedeans obtained from the senate the right of holding a series of
+games and of building a temple to Commodus. At any rate, Cleander, raised
+to greatness by the power of Fortune, granted and sold senatorships.
+praetorships, procuratorships, leaderships,--in a word everything. Some by
+expending all that they possessed had finally become senators. It came to
+be said of Julius Solon (an exceedingly obscure man) that he had been
+deprived of his property and banished to the senate. [Sidenote: A.D. 189
+(a.u. 942)] Not only did Cleander do this, but he appointed twenty-five
+consuls for one year,--something which never occurred before or after. One
+of those consuls was Severus, who later became emperor. The man obtained
+money, therefore, from every quarter and amassed more wealth than had ever
+yet belonged to those nominated cubicularii. A great deal of it he gave to
+Commodus and his concubines and a great deal of it he spent on houses,
+baths, and other works useful to individuals and to cities.
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] This Cleander, who had soared to so exalted a height,
+himself fell suddenly and perished in dishonor. It was not the soldiers
+that killed him, as they had Perennis, but the populace. There occurred a
+real and pressing famine, which was increased to the utmost severity by
+Papirius Dionysius, the grain commissioner, in order that Cleander, whose
+thefts would seem as much responsible for it as any cause, might both
+incur hatred and suffer destruction at the hands of the Romans. So it fell
+out. There was a horse-race on, and as the horses were about to contend
+for the seventh time a crowd of children ran into the race course, at
+their head a tall and sturdy maiden. As a result of what subsequently
+happened she was deemed by people to have been a divinity. The children
+shouted many wild words of complaint, which the people took up again and
+began to bawl anything that came into their heads. Finally, the throng
+jumped down and started to find Commodus (who was then in the Quintilian
+suburb), invoking many blessings on his head but many curses upon
+Cleander. The latter sent some soldiers against them, who wounded and
+killed a few, but encouraged by their numbers and the strength of the
+Pretorians they became still more urgent. They drew near to Commodus
+before information reached him from any source of what was going on. Then
+the famous Marcia, wife of Quadratus, brought him the news. And Commodus
+was so terrified,--he was always the veriest coward,--that he at once
+ordered Cleander to be slain and also his child, who was in Commodus's
+hands to be reared. The child was dashed to the earth and perished, and
+the Romans, taking the body of Cleander, dragged it away and abused it and
+carried his head all about the city on a pole. They also wounded some
+other men who had possessed great power during his ascendancy.
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] Commodus, taking a respite from his lusts and sports,
+developed a taste for blood and proceeded to compass the death of
+distinguished men. Among these was Julianus the prefect, whom he used to
+embrace and caress in public and saluted as "father." Another was Julius
+Alexander, who was executed for having brought down a lion by a lucky cast
+of his javelin while on horseback. [Footnote: Boissevain suggests that the
+"Roman Hercules" perhaps feared that Alexander might diminish his glory.]
+This victim, on becoming aware of the presence of his assassins, murdered
+them by night and likewise put out of the way all his own enemies at
+Emesa, his native town. After doing this he mounted a horse and started
+toward the barbarians; and he would have escaped, had he not carried a
+favorite along with him. He was himself a most excellent horseman, but he
+would not think of abandoning the lad, who was tired out, and so when he
+was being overtaken he killed both the boy and himself. Dionysius, too,
+the grain commissioner, met his death by the orders of Commodus.
+
+Moreover, a pestilence, as great as any I know, took place, for it should
+be noted that two thousand persons several times died in Rome on a single
+day. Many more, not merely in the capital but throughout almost the entire
+empire, perished by the hands of scoundrels, who smeared some deadly drugs
+on tiny needles, and, for pay, infected men with the poison by means of
+these instruments. The same thing had happened before in the reign of
+Domitian. [Footnote: See Book Sixty-seven, chapter 11.] But the death of
+these unfortunates was not regarded as of any importance.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 190 (a.u. 943)] [Sidenote:--15--] Still, the effect of
+Commodus upon the Romans was worse than that of all pestilences and all
+villanies. One feature was that whatever honors they were wont to vote to
+his father out of pure regard they were compelled by fear and by strict
+injunction to assign also to the son. He gave orders that Rome itself be
+called Commodiana, the legions "Commodian," and the day on which this
+measure was voted "Commodiana." Upon himself he bestowed, in addition to
+very many other titles, that of Hercules. Rome he termed "the Immortal,"
+"the Fortunate," "the Universal Colony of the Earth" (for he wished it to
+seem a settlement of his own). In his honor a gold statue was erected of a
+thousand pounds' weight, together with a bull and a cow. Finally, all the
+months were likewise called after him, so that they were enumerated as
+follows: Amazonian, Invincible, Fortunate, Pious, Lucius, Aelius,
+Aurelius, Commodus, August, Herculean, Roman, Transcendent. For he had
+assumed these different names at different times. "Amazonian" and
+"Transcendent," however, he applied exclusively to himself, to indicate
+that in absolutely every respect he unapproachably surpassed all mankind.
+So extravagantly did the wretch rave. And to the senate he would send a
+despatch couched in these terms: "Caesar Imperator, Lucius Aelius Aurelius
+Commodus, Augustus, Pius, Beatus, Sarmaticus, Germanicus, Maximus,
+Britannicus, Peacemaker of the World, Invincible, Roman Hercules, High
+Priest, Holder of Tribunician Authority for the eighteenth term, Imperator
+for the eighth time, Consul for the seventh time, Father of the
+Fatherland, to consuls, praetors, tribunes and the Commodian Fortunate
+Senate, Greeting." Great numbers of statues were erected displaying him in
+the garb of Hercules. And it was voted that his age should be called the
+"Golden Age" and that entries to correspond with this should in every case
+be made in the records.
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] Now this Golden One, this Hercules, this God (such was
+another designation of his) one day in the afternoon rode suddenly from
+the suburbs with haste into Rome and conducted thirty horse-races in two
+hours. These proceedings had much to do with his running short of money.
+He was also fond of bestowing gifts and frequently presented the populace
+with one hundred and forty denarii apiece. But most of his expenditures
+were for the objects that I have mentioned. [So it was that neither his
+general income nor what was provided by Cleander (though incalculable in
+amount) sufficed him, and he was compelled to bring charges against both
+women and men,--charges not serious enough for capital punishment but
+prolific in threats and terror.] Some of these persons he murdered, to
+others he sold preservation in return for their property [and got
+something from them by constraint under the pretence that it was a
+voluntary offering]. And finally on his birthday he ordered us, our wives,
+and our children each to contribute two aurei [a year as] a kind of
+first-fruits, and the senators in all the other cities five denarii per
+head. [Of this, too, he saved not the smallest part, but spent it all
+disgracefully on beasts and gladiators.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 192 (a.u. 945)] [Sidenote:--17--] In public he nowhere
+drove chariots except sometimes on a moonless night. He became very
+desirous to play the character also in public, but, being ashamed to be
+seen doing this, he kept it up constantly at home, wearing the Green
+uniform. Beasts, moreover, in large numbers were slaughtered at his house
+and many also in public. Again, he would contend as gladiator: (at home he
+killed a man in this way, and, in pretending to shave others, instead of
+taking off the hairs he sliced off one man's nose, another's ears, and
+some other feature of a third;) but in public his contests were [Footnote:
+It is just barely possible that the original gave some different idea from
+"his contests were" (cp. the text of Boissee).] minus the steel and human
+blood. Before entering the theatre he would put on a cleeved tonic of
+silk, white interwoven with gold, and we greeted him standing there in
+this attire. When he actually went in he donned a pure purple dress
+sprinkled with gold, assuming also a similar chlamys of Greek pattern and
+a crown made of Indic gems and gold, and carried such a herald's staff as
+Mercury does. The lion skin and club were carried before him along the
+streets, and at the theatres were invariably placed on a gilded chair,
+whether he was present or absent. He himself would enter the theatre in
+the garb of Mercury, and casting off everything else begin his performance
+in simple tunic and unshod.
+
+[Sidenote:--18--] On the first day he individually killed a hundred bears
+by shooting down at them from the top of the elevated circle. The whole
+theatre had been divided up by some diameters built in, which supported a
+circular roof and intersected each other, the object being that the
+beasts, divided into four herds, might be more easily speared at short
+range from any point. In the midst of the struggle he grew weary, and
+taking from a woman some sweet wine cooled in a club-shaped cup drank it
+down at a gulp. At this both the populace and we on the instant all
+shouted this phrase, common at drinking bouts: "Long life to you!"
+
+Let no one think that I sully the dignity of history in noting down such
+happenings. In general I should have preferred not to mention it, but
+since it was one of the emperor's acts and I was myself present, taking
+part in everything seen and heard and spoken, I have judged it proper to
+suppress none of the details, but to hand them down to the attention of
+those who shall live hereafter, just as I should do in the case of
+anything else especially great and important. And, indeed, all the
+remaining events that took place in my lifetime I shall polish and
+elaborate more than earlier occurrences for the reason that my evidence is
+that of a contemporary and I know no one else who has my ability at
+reducing notable things to writing that has studied them so exhaustively
+as I.
+
+[Sidenote:--19--] It was on the first day, then, that this took place. On
+the others he frequently went down from the raised section to the bottom
+of the circle and slaughtered all the tame animals that he approached,
+some of them also being led to him or brought before him in nets. He also
+killed a tiger, a hippopotamus, and an elephant. After accomplishing this,
+he retired, but at the conclusion of breakfast fought again as a
+gladiator. The form of fighting which he practiced and the armor which he
+used was that pertaining to the so-called _secutor:_ in his right
+hand he held the shield and in his left the wooden sword. He prided
+himself very greatly upon being left-handed. His antagonist would be some
+professional athlete, or, perhaps, gladiator, with a cane; this was
+sometimes a man that the emperor himself challenged and sometimes one that
+the people chose. In this and other matters he acted the same way as the
+other gladiators, except that they go in for a very small sum, whereas
+Commodus had twenty-five myriads from the gladiatorial fund given him each
+day. There stood beside him during the contest Aemilius Laetus, the
+prefect, and Eclectus, his cubicularius. He went through a skirmish, and,
+of course, conquered, and then, just as he was, he kissed them [Footnote:
+Supplying [Greek: ois] (after Reimar).] with his helmet on. After this the
+rest did some fighting.--The first day he personally paired all the
+combatants, either down below, where he wore all the attire of Mercury,
+including a gilded wand, or else from his place on the elevated platform;
+and we took his proceeding as an omen. Later he ascended his customary
+seat and from that point viewed the remainder of the spectacle with us.
+Nothing more was done that resembled child's play, but great numbers of
+men were killed. At one place somebody delayed about slaying and he
+fastened the various opponents together and bade them all fight at once.
+At that the men so bound struggled one against another and some killed
+those who did not belong to their group, since the numbers and the limited
+space had brought them into proximity.
+
+[Sidenote:--20--] That spectacle as here described lasted fourteen days.
+While the contests were going on we senators invariably attended, along
+with the knights, save that Claudius Pompeianus the elder never appeared,
+but sent his sons, remaining away himself. He chose rather to be put to
+death for this than to behold the child of Marcus as emperor conducting
+himself so.--Besides all the rest that we did, we shouted whatever we were
+bidden and this sentence continuously: "Thou art lord, and thou art
+foremost, of all most fortunate: thou dost conquer, thou shalt conquer;
+from everlasting, Amazonian, thou dost conquer!"
+
+Of the rest of the people many did not even enter the theatre and some
+managed to steal out quietly, for they were partly ashamed of what was
+being done and partly afraid. A story was current that he would like to
+shoot a few of them as Hercules had the Stymphalian birds. This story was
+believed, too, because once he had gathered all the men in the city who by
+disease or some other calamity had lost their feet, had fastened some
+dragon's extremities about their knees, and after giving them sponges to
+throw instead of stones had killed them with blows of a club, on the
+pretence that they were giants.
+
+[Sidenote:--21--] This fear was shared by all, both us and the rest. Here
+is another way in which he menaced us senators,--an act which he certainly
+expected would be the death of us. He had killed an ostrich, and cutting
+off its head he came toward where we were sitting. In his left hand he
+held the spoils and in the right stretched aloft his bloody sword. He
+spoke not a word, but with a grin wagged his head to and fro, intimating
+that he would subject us to this same treatment. And many on the spot
+would have perished by the sword for laughing at him (for it was laughter
+and not grief that overcame us), had I not myself chewed a laurel leaf,
+which I got from my garland, and brought the rest who were sitting near me
+to munch similar sprigs, so that in the constant motion of our jaws we
+might conceal the fact that we were laughing. After this occurrence he
+raised our spirits, since before fighting again as a gladiator he bade us
+enter the theatre in the equestrian garb and with woolen cloaks. (This was
+something we never do when going into the theatre unless some emperor has
+passed away). And on the last day his helmet was carried out by the gates
+through which the dead are taken out. That made us all without exception
+think that he was surely about to meet his end in some way.
+
+[Sidenote:--22--] And he did die (or rather was despatched) before a great
+while. Laetus and Eclectus, displeased at the way he acted, and moreover
+filled with fear at the threats he uttered against them when he was
+checked in any of his whims, formed a plot against him. Commodus was
+anxious to slay both the consuls (Erucius Clarus and Sosius Falco) and on
+the first of the month to issue as consul and secutor at once from the
+place where the gladiators are kept. He had the first cell in their
+quarters, as if he were one of them. Let no one be incredulous about this,
+for he even cut off the head of the Colossus and put one of his own there
+instead; and then, having given it a club and placed a bronze lion at its
+feet so as to make it look like Hercules, he inscribed, besides the titles
+that belonged to him, also this sentence: "First of secutors to engage;
+the only left-handed fighter that has conquered twelve times"--I think it
+is--"a thousand."
+
+[Lacuna] was written by Lucius Commodus Hercules, and upon it was
+inscribed the well known couplet, viz.: "Hercules I, Jove's son, Lord of
+Fair Fame, Not Lucius, howsoe'er constrained thereto."
+
+For these reasons Laetus and Eclectus, making Marcia their confidante,
+attacked him. At night on the last of the year, when people were busy with
+merry-making, they had Marcia administer poison to him in cooked beef. The
+wine he had consumed and his always immoderate use of the baths kept him
+from succumbing at once, and instead he vomited; this caused him to
+suspect the attempt and he uttered some threats. Then they sent Narcissus,
+an athlete, to him and had this man strangle him in the midst of a bath.
+This was the end that Commodus met after ruling twelve years, nine months,
+and fourteen days. He had lived thirty-one years and four months, and with
+him the imperial house of the true Aurelii ceased.
+
+[Sidenote:--23--] After this there occurred most violent wars and
+factional disturbances. The compilation of facts in this work of mine has
+been due to the following chance. I had written and published a book about
+the dreams and signs which caused Severus to expect the imperial power;
+and he, happening to look at a copy that was sent him by me, wrote me a
+long and complimentary acknowledgment. This letter I received about
+nightfall and soon after went to sleep. And in my slumbers Heaven
+commanded me that a history be written. So it came about that I wrote the
+narrative with which I am at this moment concerned. And because it pleased
+Severus himself and other people very much, I then conceived a desire to
+compile a record of all other matters of Roman interest. Therefore I
+decided no longer to leave that treatise as a separate composition, but to
+incorporate it in this present history, in order that in one undertaking I
+might write positively everything from the beginning as far as Fortune
+sees fit to permit. I have obtained this goddess, it appears, as the guide
+of the conduct of my life, and therefore I am dependent on her entirely:
+she gives me strength for my historical research when I am respectful and
+subdued before her, and wins me back to work by means of dreams when I am
+discouraged and give up the task: she grants me delightful hopes in regard
+to the future, that time will allow this history to survive and never let
+its brightness be dimmed. To gather an account of everything done by the
+Romans from the beginning until the death of Severus has taken me ten
+years, and to arrange it in literary form twelve years more. The rest will
+be written as opportunity offers.
+
+[Sidenote:--24--] Prior to the death of Commodus there were the following
+signs. Many ill-boding eagles wandered about the Capitol uttering cries
+that portended naught of peace, and an owl hooted there. [Sidenote: A.D.
+191 (a.u. 944)] A fire, starting by night in some dwelling, laid hold of
+the temple of Peace and spread to the stores of Egyptian and Arabian
+wares: then, leaping to a great height, it entered the palace and burned a
+very large portion of it, so that the documents belonging to the empire
+almost all perished. This as much as anything made it clear that the
+injury would not stop in the City but extend over the entire civilized
+world. The conflagration could not be extinguished by human hands,
+although great numbers of civilians and great numbers of soldiers were
+carrying water and Commodus himself came from the suburbs to cheer them
+on. Only after it had destroyed everything on which it had fastened did it
+spend its force and reach a limit.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+74
+
+Pertinax, through the agency of Eclectus and Laetus, is created emperor by
+the soldiers and by the senate (chapter 1).
+
+Commodus is declared an enemy and is made a subject for jest (chapter 2).
+
+Kindness of Pertinax toward Pompeianus, Glabrio, and the senators (chapter
+3).
+
+Omens portending supreme power for him (chapter 4).
+
+Pertinax reforms pernicious practices: he sells Commodus's apparatus of
+licentiousness (chapter 5, 6).
+
+His moderation with regard to his own family (chapter 7).
+
+At the instigation of Laetus Falco the consul is slated for emperor
+(chapter 8).
+
+Death of Pertinax Augustus (chapter 9, 10).
+
+Flavius Sulpicianus and Julianus strive in outbidding each other for the
+sovereignty (chapter 11).
+
+Julianus is made emperor contrary to the wishes of the senate and the
+Roman people (chapters 12, 13).
+
+About the three leaders, Severus, Niger, Albinus (chapter 14).
+
+Severus forms an alliance with Albinus and proceeds against Julianus
+(chapter 15).
+
+Julianus, in the midst of laughable preparations, is killed by order of
+the senate (chapters 16, 17).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME, five months (from the Calends of January
+to the Calends of June), in which the following were consuls:
+
+1. Quintus Sosius Falco, C. Erucius Clarus.
+
+2. Flavius Sulpicianus, Fabius Cilo Septiminus (from the
+Calends of March).
+
+3. Silius Messala (from the Calends of May).
+(A.D. 193 = a.u. 946).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 193 (a.u. 946)] [Sidenote:--1--] Pertinax was one of those
+men to whom no exception can be taken, but he ruled only for an
+exceedingly brief space of time and was then put out of the way by the
+soldiers. While the fate of Commodus was still a secret the party of
+Eclectus and Laetus came to him and acknowledged [Footnote: Reading
+[Greek: emaenusan] (Dindorf, after H. Stephanus).] what had been done. On
+account of his excellence and reputation they were glad to select him. He,
+after seeing them and hearing their story, sent his most trustworthy
+comrade to view the body of Commodus. When the man confirmed the report of
+the act, he was then conveyed secretly into the camp and caused the
+soldiers consternation; but through the presence of the adherents of
+Laetus and by means of promises [Footnote: Reading [Greek: epaeggeilato]
+(Dindorf, after Bekker).] to give them three thousand denarii per man, he
+won them over. They would certainly have remained content, had he not
+phrased the conclusion of his speech somewhat as follows: "There are many
+unpleasant features, fellow-soldiers, in the present situation, but the
+rest with your help shall be set right again." On hearing this they took
+occasion to suspect that all the irregular privileges granted them by
+Commodus would be abolished. Though irritated, they nevertheless remained
+quiet, concealing their anger.
+
+On leaving the fortifications he came to the senate-house while it was
+still night, and after greeting us (so far as a man might approach him in
+the midst of such a jostling throng) he said in an impromptu way: "I have
+been named emperor by the soldiers; however, I don't desire the office and
+am going to resign it this very day because of my age and health and the
+unpleasant condition of affairs." This was no sooner said than we gave the
+selection our genuine approbation and chose him in very truth; for he was
+noble in spirit and strong in body, except that he walked a little lame.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] In this way was Pertinax declared emperor and Commodus an
+enemy, while both senate and people denounced the latter long and
+savagely. They desired to hale away his body and tear it limb from limb,
+as they did his images; but, when Pertinax told them that the corpse had
+already been interred, they spared his remains but glutted their rage on
+his representations, calling him all sorts of names. But "Commodus" or
+"emperor" were two that no one applied to him. In stead, they termed him
+"wretch" and "tyrant," adding in jest titles like "the gladiator," "the
+charioteer," "the left-handed," "the ruptured man." To the senators, who
+had been excited most by fear of Commodus, the crowd called out: "Huzza,
+huzza, you are saved, you have conquered!" All the shouts that they had
+been accustomed to raise with a kind of rhythmic swing to pay court to
+Commodus in the theatres they now chanted metamorphosed into the most
+ridiculous nonsense. Since they had got rid of one ruler, and as yet had
+nothing to fear from his successor, they made the most of their freedom in
+the intervening time and secured a reputation for frankness by their
+fearlessness. They were not satisfied merely to be relieved of further
+terror, but desired to show their courage by wanton insolence.
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] Pertinax was a Ligurian from Alba Pompeia; his father was
+not of noble birth and he himself had just enough literary training for
+ordinary needs. Under these conditions he had become an associate of
+Claudius Pompeianus, through whose influence he had become a commander in
+the cavalry, and had reached such a height that he now came to be emperor
+over his former friend. And I at that time, during the reign of Pertinax,
+saw Pompeianus for the first and last occasion. He was wont to live mostly
+in the country on account of Commodus [and very seldom came down to the
+city], making his age and a disease of the eyes his excuse [and he had
+never before, when I was present, entered the senate]. Moreover, after
+Pertinax he was always ill. [During his reign he saw and was well
+[Footnote: Reading [Greek: erroto] (Dindorf).] and advised.] Pertinax
+honored him mightily in every way and in the senate made him take the seat
+beside him. [The same privilege he accorded also to Acilius Glabrio. This
+man, too, at that period both heard and saw. It was to these, then, that
+he granted such surpassing honor.] Toward us also he behaved in a very
+sociable way. He was easy of access, listened readily to any one's
+request, and cordially answered as he thought right. Again, he gave us
+banquets marked by moderation. Whenever he failed to invite us, he would
+send to various persons various foods, even the least costly. For this the
+wealthy and vainglorious made great sport of him, but the rest of us, who
+valued excellence above debauchery, approved his course.
+
+[Public opinion regarding Pertinax was so different from
+that in the case of Commodus that those who heard what had happened,
+suspecting that this story had been spread by Commodus to test them, in
+several instances (governors of provinces being particularly involved)
+imprisoned the men who brought the news. It was not that they did not wish
+it to be true, but they were more afraid of seeming to have helped destroy
+Commodus than of not attaching themselves to Pertinax. For under the
+latter one who even committed an error of this kind might still breathe
+freely, but under the former not even a faultless person could feel safe.]
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] While he was still in Britain, after that great revolt
+which he quelled, and was being accorded praise on all sides, a horse
+named Pertinax won a race at Rome. It belonged to the Greens and was
+picked as a winner by Commodus. So, when its partisans raised a great
+shout, proclaiming "It is Pertinax," the others, their opponents, in
+disgust at Commodus likewise prayed (speaking with reference to the man,
+not the horse): "Would that it might be so!" Later, when this same horse
+by reason of age had given up racing and was in the country, it was sent
+for by Commodus, who brought it into the hippodrome, gilded its hoofs, and
+adorned its back with a gilded skin. And people suddenly seeing it cried
+out again: "It is Pertinax!" The very expression was itself ominous, since
+it occurred at the last horse-race that year, and immediately after it the
+sovereignty passed to Pertinax. A similar import was attached to the club,
+for Commodus when about to fight on the final day had given it to
+Pertinax.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] It was in this way that Pertinax came into power. He
+obtained all the proper titles and a new one for wishing to be democratic.
+That is, he was named Princeps Senatus, according to ancient custom. He at
+once reduced to order everything that was previously irregular and lacking
+in discipline. He showed in his capacity of emperor kindliness and
+uprightness, unimpeachable management, and a most careful consideration
+for the public welfare. Pertinax did everything, in fact, that a good
+emperor should do, and he removed the stigma of disgrace from the memories
+of those who had been unjustly put to death; moreover, he took oath that
+he would never sanction such a penalty. Immediately some recalled their
+relatives and some their friends with tears and joy at once; formerly not
+even these exhibitions of emotion were allowed. After this they exhumed
+the bodies, some of which were found entire and some in fragments,
+according as decay and time had caused each of them to fare, and they gave
+them decent treatment and deposited them in their ancestral tombs.
+
+At this time the treasury was suffering from such lack of funds that only
+twenty-five myriad denarii could be found. Pertinax therefore had
+difficulty in raising money from the images and the arms, the horses and
+the trappings, and the favorites of Commodus, but gave to the Pretorians
+all that he had promised and to the people one hundred denarii apiece. All
+the articles that Commodus had gathered by way of luxury and for armed
+combats and for chariot driving were exposed in the auction-room, the
+principal object sought being their sale, though there was a further
+intention to show what were the late emperor's deeds and practices and to
+ascertain who would purchase such articles.
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] Laetus consistently spoke well of Pertinax and abused
+Commodus [relating all the latter's evil deeds].
+
+He [Footnote: Pertinax is meant.] summoned some barbarians that had
+received a large sum of gold coin from Commodus in return for preservation
+of peace (the party was already on the road) and demanded its return,
+saying: "Tell your people that Pertinax is ruler." The foreigners knew his
+name very well as a result of the reverses they had suffered when he made
+a campaign against them with Marcus.--Let me tell you another similar act
+of his intended to cast reflections upon Commodus. He found that some
+filthy clowns and buffoons, disgusting in appearance, with still more
+disgusting names and habits, had been made extremely wealthy by Commodus
+on account of their wantonness and licentiousness; accordingly, he made
+public their titles and the amounts they had acquired. The former caused
+laughter and the latter wrath and grief, for there were some of them that
+possessed just the sums for which the emperor had slain numbers of
+senators. However, Laetus did not remain permanently loyal to Pertinax, or
+perhaps we might even say not for a moment. Since he did not get what he
+wanted, he proceeded to incite the soldiers against him (as will be
+related).
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] Pertinax appointed as prefect of the city his
+father-in-law, Flavius Sulpicianus, a man who in any case deserved the
+position. Yet he was unwilling to make his wife Augusta or his son Caesar,
+though we voted him permission. He rejected emphatically each proposition,
+whether because he had not yet firmly rooted his own power, or because he
+did not choose to let his unchaste consort sully the name of Augusta. As
+for his son, who was still a child, he did not care to have him spoiled by
+the dignity [Footnote: Reading [Greek: ogkho] (Reimar) for the MS. [Greek:
+horkho].] and the hope implied in the name before he should be educated.
+Indeed, he would not even bring him up in the palace, but on the very
+first day of his sovereignty he put aside everything that had belonged to
+him previously and divided it between his children--he had also a
+daughter--and gave orders that they should live at their grandfather's
+house; there he visited them occasionally in the capacity of father and
+not of emperor.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] Now, since the soldiers were no longer allowed to plunder
+nor the Caesarians to indulge their licentiousness, they hated him
+bitterly. The Caesarians attempted no revolt, because they were unarmed,
+but the Pretorian soldiers and Laetus formed a plot against him. In the
+first place they selected Falco the consul for emperor, because he was
+prominent for both wealth and family, and purposed to bring him to the
+camp while Pertinax was at the coast investigating the corn supply. The
+latter, learning of the plan, returned in haste to the City, and coming
+before the senate said: "You should not be ignorant, Conscript Fathers,
+that though I found but twenty-five myriad denarii, I have distributed as
+much to the soldiers as did Marcus and Lucius, to whom were left
+sixty-seven thousand five hundred myriads. It is the surprising Caesarians
+who have been responsible for this deficiency of funds." Pertinax told a
+lie when he said that he had bestowed upon the soldiers an equal amount
+with Lucius and Marcus; for the one had given them about five thousand and
+the other about three thousand denarii apiece. The soldiers and the
+Caesarians, who were present in the senate in great numbers, became
+mightily indignant and muttered dangerously. But as we were about to
+condemn Falco [and were already declaring him an enemy] Pertinax rose and
+cried out: "Heaven forbid that any senator, while I am ruler, be put to
+death even for a just cause!" [And in this way Falco's life was saved, and
+thenceforth he lived in the country, preserving a cautious and respectful
+demeanor.]
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] But Laetus, using Falco as a starting point, destroyed
+many of the soldiers on the pretence that the emperor ordered it. The
+rest, when they became aware of it, were afraid that they should perish,
+too, and raised a tumult. Two hundred bolder than their mates invaded the
+palace with drawn swords. Pertinax had no warning of their approach until
+they had got upstairs. Then his wife rushed in and informed him what had
+happened. On learning this he behaved in a way which one may call noble or
+senseless or however one pleases. For, whereas he might probably have
+killed his assailants (since he had the night-guard and the cavalry by to
+protect him and there were also many other people in the palace at the
+time), or might at any rate have concealed himself and made his escape to
+some place or other, and might have closed the doors of the palace and the
+other intervening doors, he, nevertheless, adopted neither alternative.
+Instead, hoping to awe them by his presence and thus gain a hearing and
+persuade them to their duty, he confronted the approaching band, which was
+already indoors. No one of their fellow soldiers had barred the way, and
+the porters and other Caesarians so far from making any door fast had
+opened absolutely all the entrances. The soldiers, seeing him, at first
+were [Sidenote:--10--] abashed, save one, and rested their eyes on the
+floor and began thrusting their swords back into their scabbards. But the
+one exception leaped forward, exclaiming: "This sword the soldiers have
+sent you," and forthwith made a dash at him, striking him a blow. Then his
+comrades did not restrain themselves and felled their emperor together
+with Eclectus. The latter alone had not deserted him and defended him as
+far as he was able, even to the extent of wounding several. Wherefore I,
+who still earlier believed that he had shown himself a man of worth, now
+thoroughly admired him. The soldiers cut off the head of Pertinax and
+stuck it on a spear, glorying in the deed. Thus did Pertinax, who
+undertook to restore everything in a brief interval, meet his end. He did
+not comprehend, though a well trained man of affairs, that it is
+impossible with safety to reform everything at once, but that the
+constitution of a government requires, if anything does, both time and
+wisdom. He had lived sixty-seven years lacking four months and three days.
+He had reigned eighty-seven days.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] When the fate of Pertinax was reported, some ran to
+their homes and some to those of the soldiers, and paid heed to their own
+safety. It happened that Sulpicianus had been despatched by Pertinax to
+the camp to set in order matters there, and he consequently stayed there
+and took action looking to the appointment of an emperor. But there was a
+certain Didius Julianus [of senatorial rank but eccentric character], an
+insatiate money-getter and reckless spender, always anxious for a change
+in the government, who on account of the last named proclivity had been
+driven out by Commodus to his own city, Mediolanum. He, accordingly, on
+hearing of the death of Pertinax, hastily made his way to the camp, and
+standing near the gates of the fort made offers to the soldiers in regard
+to the Roman throne. Then ensued a most disgraceful affair and one
+unworthy of Rome. For just as is done in some market and auction-room,
+both the city and her whole empire were bid off. The sellers were the
+people who had killed their emperor, and the would-be buyers were
+Sulpicianus and Julianus, who vied to outbid each other, one from within,
+the other from without. By their increases they speedily reached the sum
+of five thousand denarii per man. Some of the guard kept reporting and
+saying to Julianus: "Sulpicianus is willing to give so much; now what will
+you add?" And again to Sulpicianus: "Julianus offers so much; how much
+more do you make it?" Sulpicianus would have won the day, since he was
+inside and was prefect of the city and was the first to say five thousand,
+had not Julianus raised his bid, and no longer by small degrees but by
+twelve hundred and fifty denarii at once, which he offered with a great
+shout, indicating the amount likewise on his fingers. Captivated by the
+difference and at the same time through fear that Sulpicianus might avenge
+Pertinax (an idea that Julianus put into their heads) they received the
+highest bidder inside and designated him emperor.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] So toward evening the new ruler turned his steps with
+speed toward the Forum and senate-house. He was escorted by a vast number
+of Pretorians with numerous standards as if prepared for action, his
+object being to scare both us and the populace and thereby secure our
+allegiance. The soldiers called him "Commodus," and exalted him in various
+other ways. As the news was brought to us each individually, and we
+ascertained the truth, we were possessed with fear of Julianus and the
+soldiers, especially all of us who had [Lacuna] any favors for Pertinax.
+[Footnote: A slight gap in the MS., where we should perhaps read: "all of
+us who had done any favors for Pertinax or anything to displease Julianus"
+(Boissevain).] [Lacuna] I was one of them, for I had been honored by
+Pertinax in various ways, owing to him my appointment as praetor, and when
+acting as advocate for others at trials I had frequently proved Julianus
+in the wrong on many points. Nevertheless, we put in an appearance, and
+partly for this very reason, since it did not seem to us to be safe to
+hide at home, for fear that act in itself might arouse suspicion. So when
+bath [Footnote: Reading [Greek: leloumenoi] (Reiske) for the MS. [Greek:
+dedoulomenoi].] and dinner were both over, we pushed our way through the
+soldiers, entered the senate-house, and heard the potentate deliver a
+characteristic speech, in the course of which he said: "I see that you
+need a ruler, and I myself am better fitted than any one else to direct
+you. And I should mention all the advantages I can offer, if you did not
+know them perfectly and had not already had experience with me.
+Consequently, I felt no need of being attended by many soldiers, but have
+come to you alone, that you may ratify what has been given me by them." "I
+am here alone" is what he said, when he had surrounded the entire exterior
+of the senate-house with heavily armed men and had a number of soldiers in
+the senate-house itself. Moreover, he mentioned our being aware what kind
+of person he was, and made us both hate and fear him.
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] In this way he got his imperial power confirmed also by
+decrees of the senate and returned to the palace. Finding the dinner that
+had been prepared for Pertinax he made great fun of it, and sending out to
+every place from which by any means whatever something expensive could be
+procured at that time of day he satisfied his hunger (the corpse was still
+lying in the building) and then proceeded to amuse himself by dicing.
+Among his companions was Pylades the dancer. The next day we went up to
+visit him, feigning in looks and behavior much that we did not feel, so as
+not to let our grief be detected. The populace, however, openly frowned
+upon the affair, spoke its mind as much at it pleased, and was ready to do
+what it could. Finally, when he came to the senate-house and was about to
+sacrifice to Janus before the entrance, all bawled out as if by
+preconcerted arrangement, terming him empire-plunderer and parricide. He
+affected not to be angry and promised them some money, whereupon they grew
+indignant at the implication that they could be bribed and all cried out
+together: "We don't want it, we won't take it!" The surrounding buildings
+echoed back the shout in a way to make one shudder. When Julianus had
+heard their response, he could endure it no longer, but ordered that those
+who stood nearest should be slain. That excited the populace a great deal
+more, and it did not cease expressing its longing for Pertinax or its
+abuse of Julianus, its invocations of the gods or its curses upon the
+soldiers. Though many were wounded and killed in many parts of the city,
+they continued to resist and finally seized weapons and made a rush into
+the hippodrome. There they spent the night and the ensuing day without
+food or drink, calling upon the remainder of the soldiery (especially
+Pescennius Niger and his followers in Syria) with prayers for assistance.
+Later, feeling the effects of their outcries and fasting and loss of
+sleep, they separated and kept quiet, awaiting the hoped for deliverance
+from abroad.
+
+  "I do not assist the populace: for it has not called upon me."
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] Julianus after seizing the power in this way managed
+affairs in a servile fashion, paying court to the senate as well as to men
+of any influence. Sometimes he made offers, again he bestowed gifts, and
+he laughed and sported with anybody and everybody. He was constantly going
+to the theatre and kept getting up banquets: in fine, he left nothing
+undone to win our favor. However, he was not trusted; his servility was so
+abject that it made him an object of suspicion. Everything out of the
+common, even if it seems to be a kindness to somebody, is regarded by men
+of sense as a trap.
+
+The senate had at one time voted him a golden statue and he refused to
+accept it, saying: "Give me a bronze one so that it may last; for I
+perceive that the gold and silver statues of the emperors that ruled
+before me have been torn down, whereas the bronze ones remain." In this he
+was not right: since 'tis excellence that safeguards the memory of
+potentates. And the bronze statue that was bestowed upon him was torn down
+after he was overthrown.
+
+This was what went on in Rome. Now I shall speak about what happened
+outside and the various revolutions. There were three men at this time who
+were commanding each three legions of citizens and many foreigners
+besides, and they all asserted their claims,--Severus, Niger, and Albinus.
+The last-named governed Britain, Severus Pannonia, and Niger Syria. These
+were the three persons darkly indicated by the three stars that suddenly
+came to view surrounding the sun, when Julianus in our presence was
+offering the Sacrifices of Entrance in front of the senate-house. These
+heavenly bodies were so very brilliant that the soldiers kept continually
+looking at them and pointing them out to one another, declaring moreover
+that some dreadful fate would befall the usurper. As for us, however much
+we hoped and prayed that it might so prove, yet the fear of the moment
+would not permit us to gaze at them, save by occasional glances. Such are
+the facts that I know about the matter.
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] Of the three leaders that I have mentioned Severus [was]
+the shrewdest [in being able to foresee the future with accuracy, to
+manage present affairs successfully, to ascertain everything concealed as
+well as if it had been laid bare and to work out every complicated
+situation with the greatest ease.] He understood in advance that after
+deposing Julianus the three would fall to blows with one another and offer
+combat for the possession of the empire, and therefore determined to win
+over the rival who was nearest him. So he sent a letter by one of his
+trusted managers to Albinus, creating him Caesar. Of Niger, who was proud
+of having been invoked by the people, he had no hopes. Albinus on the
+supposition that he was going to share the empire with Severus remained
+where he was: Severus made all strategic points in Europe, save Byzantium,
+his own and hastened toward Rome. He did not venture outside a protecting
+circle of weapons, having selected his six hundred most valiant men in
+whose midst he passed his time day and night; these did not once put off
+their breastplates until they reached Rome.
+
+[This Fulvius [Footnote: The name, so far as can be discerned in the MS.,
+may be Fulvius or Flavius or Fabius. The position and import of the
+fragment are alike doubtful.] (?) too, who when governor of Africa had
+been tried and condemned by Pertinax for rascality, avarice, and
+licentiousness, was later elevated to the highest position by the same
+man, now become emperor, as a favor to Severus.]
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] Julianus on learning the condition of affairs had the
+senate make Severus an enemy and proceeded to prepare against him. [In the
+suburbs he constructed a rampart, wherein he set gates, that he might take
+up a position there outside and fight from that base.] The City during
+these days became nothing more nor less than a camp, pitched, as it were,
+in hostile territory. There was great turmoil from the various bodies of
+those bivouacked and exercising,--men, horses, elephants. The mass of the
+population stood in great fear of the armed men [because the latter hated
+them.] Occasionally laughter would overcome us. The Pretorians did nothing
+that was expected of their name and reputation, for they had learned to
+live delicately. The men summoned from the fleet that lay at anchor in
+Misenum did not even know how to exercise. The elephants found the towers
+oppressive and so would not even carry their drivers any longer [but threw
+them off also]. What caused us most amusement was his strengthening the
+palace with latticed gates and strong doors. For, as it seemed likely that
+the soldiers would never have slain Pertinax so easily if the building had
+been securely fastened, Julianus harbored the belief that in case of
+defeat he would be able to shut himself up there and survive.
+
+Moreover, he put to death both Laetus and Marcia, so that all the
+conspirators against Commodus had now perished. Later Severus gave
+Narcissus also to the beasts, making the proclamation (verbatim): "This is
+the man that strangled Commodus." The emperor likewise killed many boys
+for purposes of enchantments, thinking that he could avert some future
+calamities, if he should ascertain them in advance. And he kept sending
+man after man to find Severus and assassinate him. [Vespronius Candidus, a
+man of very distinguished rank but still more remarkable for his
+sullenness and boorishness, came near meeting his end at the hands of the
+soldiers.]
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] The avenger had now reached Italy and without striking a
+blow took possession of Ravenna. The men whom his opponent kept sending to
+him to either persuade him to turn back or else block his approaches were
+won over. The Pretorians, in whom Julianus reposed most confidence, were
+becoming worn out by constant toil and were getting terribly alarmed at
+the report of Severus's proximity. At this juncture Julianus called us
+together and bade us vote for Severus to be his colleague in office.
+
+The soldiers were led to believe by communications from Severus that, if
+they would surrender the assassins of Pertinax and themselves offer no
+hostile demonstration, they should receive no harm; therefore they
+arrested the men who had killed Pertinax and announced this very fact to
+Silius Messala, the consul. The latter assembled us in the Athenaeum,
+[Footnote: Located on the Capitol, and established by Hadrian.] so called
+from the fact that it was a seat of educational activity, and informed us
+of the news from the soldiers. We then sentenced Julianus to death, named
+Severus emperor, and bestowed heroic honors upon Pertinax. So it was that
+Julianus came to be slain as he was reclining in the palace itself; he had
+only time to say: "Why, what harm have I done? Whom have I killed?" He had
+lived sixty years, four months, and the same number of days, out of which
+he had reigned sixty-six days.
+
+Dio, 74th Book: "Men of intelligence should neither begin a war nor seek
+to evade it when it is thrust upon them. They should rather grant pardon
+to him who voluntarily conducts himself properly, in spite Of any previous
+transgression, [Lacuna]
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+
+Severus takes vengeance on the Pretorians who were the assassins of
+Pertinax and enters the city (chapters 1, 2).
+
+Prodigies which portended the sovereignty to Severus (chapter 3).
+
+Funeral procession which he superintended, in honor of Pertinax (chapters
+4, 5).
+
+War of Severus Augustus against Pescennius Niger (chapters 6-9).
+
+The storming of Byzantium (chapters 10-14).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+Q. Sosius Falco, C. Erucius Clarus. (A.D. 193 = a.u. 946 = First of
+Severus, from the Calends of June).
+
+I. Septimius Severus Aug. (II), D. Clodius Septimius Albinus Caes. (A.D.
+194 = a.u. 947 = Second of Severus).
+
+Scapula Tertullus, Tineius Clemens. (A.D. 195 = a.u. 948 = Third of
+Severus).
+
+C. Domitius Dexter (II), L. Valerius Messala Priscus. (A.D. 196 = a.u. 949
+= Fourth of Severus).
+
+
+[Sidenote:--1--] Severus upon becoming emperor in the manner described
+punished with death the | Pretorians | who had contrived the fate of
+Pertinax. Before reaching Rome he summoned those remaining [Pretorians],
+surrounded them in a plain while they still did not know what was going
+to happen to them, and having reproached them long and bitterly for
+their transgression against their emperor he relieved them of their
+arms, took away their horses, and expelled them from Rome. The majority
+reluctantly proceeded to throw away their arms and let their horses go,
+and scattered uninjured, in their tunics. One man, as his horse refused
+to leave him, but kept following him and neighing, slew both the beast
+and himself. To the spectators it seemed that the horse also was glad to
+die.
+
+When he had attended to this matter Severus entered Rome; he went as far
+as the gates on horseback and in cavalry costume, but from that point on
+changed to citizen's garb and walked. The entire army, both, infantry and
+cavalry, in full armor accompanied him. The spectacle proved the most
+brilliant of all that I have witnessed, for the whole city had been decked
+with wreaths of blossoms and laurel and besides being adorned with richly
+colored stuffs blazed with lights and burning incense. The population,
+clad in white and jubilant, gave utterance to many hopeful expressions.
+The soldiers were present, conspicuous by their arms, as if participating
+[Footnote: Reading [Greek: pompeyontes] (Dindorf, after Bekker).] in some
+festival procession, and we, too, were walking about in our best attire.
+The crowd chafed in their eagerness to see him and to hear him say
+something, as if his voice had been somehow changed by his good fortune,
+and some of them held one another up aloft to get a look at him from a
+higher position.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] Having entered in this style he began to make us rash
+promises, such as the good emperors of old had given, to the effect that
+he would not put any senator to death. He not only took oath concerning
+this matter, but what was of greater import he also ordered it ratified by
+public decree, and passed an ordinance that both the emperor and the
+person who helped him in any such deed should be considered an
+enemy,--themselves and also their children. Yet he was himself the first
+to break the law and instead of keeping it caused the death of many
+persons. Even Julius Solon himself, who framed this decree according to
+imperial mandate, was a little later murdered. The emperor did many things
+that were not to our liking. [He was blamed for making the city turbulent
+by the multitude of soldiers and he oppressed the commonwealth by
+excessive expenditure of funds: he was blamed most of all for placing his
+hope of safety in the strength of his army and not in the good-will of his
+companions.] But some found fault with him especially because, whereas it
+had been the custom for the body-guard to be drawn from Italy, Spain,
+Macedonia and Noricum only,--a plan which furnished men more distinguished
+in appearance and of simpler habits,--he had abolished this method, [He
+ruled that any vacancies should be filled from all the legions alike; this
+he did with the idea that he should find them as a result more conversant
+with military practices and should be setting up warfare as a kind of
+prize for the excellent. As a matter of fact he incidentally ruined all
+the most reliable men of military age in Italy, who turned their attention
+to robbery and gladiatorial fighting in place of the service that had
+previously claimed it.] and filled the city with a throng of motley
+soldiers, most savage in appearance, most terrifying in their talk, and
+most uncultured to associate with.
+
+[Sidenote:--3--] The signs which led him to expect the sovereignty were
+these. When he had been registered in the senate-house, it seemed to him
+in a vision that a she-wolf suckled him, as was the case with Romulus. On
+the occasion of his marrying Julia, Faustina, the wife of Marcus, prepared
+their bedchamber in the temple of Venus opposite the palace; and once,
+when he was asleep, water gushed from his hand as from a spring; and when
+he was governor of Lugdunum, the whole Roman domain approached and greeted
+him,--all this in dreams, I mean. At another time he was taken by some one
+to a point affording a wide view; and as he gazed from it over all the
+earth and all the sea he laid his fingers on them as one might on some
+instrument [Footnote: Compare Plato, Republic, 399 C.] capable of all
+harmonies, and they answered to his touch. Again, he thought that in the
+Roman Forum a horse threw Pertinax, who was already mounted, but readily
+took him on its back. These things he had already learned from dreams, but
+in his waking hours he had, while a youth, ignorantly seated himself upon
+the imperial chair. This accident, taken with the rest, indicated
+rulership to him in advance.
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] Upon attaining that condition he erected a heroum to
+Pertinax and commanded that his name should be repeated in the course of
+all prayers and of all oaths. A gold image of him was ordered brought into
+the hippodrome on a car drawn by elephants and three gilded thrones for
+him conveyed into the remaining theatres. His funeral, in spite of the
+time elapsed since his death, took place as follows:
+
+In the Forum Romanum a wooden platform was constructed hard by the stone
+one, upon which was set a building without walls but encompassed by
+columns, with elaborate ivory and gold decoration. In it a couch of
+similar material was placed, surrounded by heads of land and sea
+creatures, and adorned with purple coverlets interwoven with gold. Upon it
+had been laid a kind of wax image of Pertinax, arrayed in triumphal
+attire. A well-formed boy was scaring the flies away from it with peacock
+feathers, as though it were really a person sleeping. While it was lying
+there in state, Severus, we senators, and our wives approached, clad in
+mourning garb. [Footnote: Reading [Greek: penthikos] (Sylburgius,
+Boissevain et al)..] The ladies sat in the porticos, and we under the open
+sky. After this there came forward, first, statues of all the famous
+ancient Romans, then choruses of boys and men, intoning a kind of mournful
+hymn to Pertinax. Next were all the subject nations, represented by bronze
+images, attired in native garb. And the guilds in the City itself,--those
+of the lictors and the scribes and the heralds, and all others of the
+sort,--followed on. Then came images of other men who were famous for some
+deed or invention or brilliant trait. Behind them were the cavalry and
+infantry in armor, the race-horses, and all the funeral offerings that the
+emperor and we and our wives, together with distinguished knights and
+peoples and the collegia of the city, had sent. They were accompanied by
+an altar, entirely gilded, the beauty of which was enhanced by ivory and
+Indic jewels. [Sidenote:--5--] When these had gone by, Severus mounted the
+Platform of the Beaks and read a eulogy of Pertinax. We shouted our
+approval many times in the midst of his discourse, partly praising and
+partly bewailing Pertinax, but our cries were loudest when he had ceased.
+Finally, as the couch was about to be moved, we all together uttered our
+lamentations and all shed tears. Those who carried the bier from the
+platform were the high priests and the officials who were completing their
+term of office, as well as any that had been appointed for the ensuing
+year. These gave it to certain knights to carry. The rank and file of us
+went ahead of the bier, some beating our breasts and others playing on the
+flute some dirge-like air; the emperor followed behind all, and in this
+order we arrived at the Campus Martius. Here there had been built a pyre,
+tower-shaped and triple pointed, adorned with ivory and gold together with
+certain statues. On its very summit was lodged a gilded chariot that
+Pertinax had been wont to drive. Into this the funeral offerings were cast
+and the bier was placed in it, and next Severus and the relatives of
+Pertinax kissed the image. Our monarch ascended a tribunal, while we the
+senate, except officials, took our places on the benches, that with safety
+and convenience alike we might view what went on. The magistrates and the
+equestrian order, arrayed in a manner becoming their station, besides the
+cavalry of the army and the infantry, passed in and out performing
+intricate evolutions, both traditional and newly invented. Then at length
+the consuls applied fire to the mound, which being done an eagle flew up
+from it. In this way was immortality secured for Pertinax [who (although
+bodies of men engaged in warfare usually turn out savage and those given
+to peace cowardly) excelled equally in both departments, being an enemy to
+dread, yet shrewd in the arts of peace. His boldness, wherein bravery
+appears, he displayed towards foreigners and rebels, but his clemency,
+wherewith is mingled justice, towards friends and the orderly elements of
+society. When advanced to preside over the destinies of the world, he was
+never ensnared by the increase of greatness so as to show himself in some
+things more subservient and in others more haughty than was fitting. He
+underwent no change from the beginning to the very end, but was august
+without sullenness, gentle without humiliating lowliness, prudent, yet did
+no injury, just without inquisitorial qualities, a close administrator
+without stinginess, highminded, but devoid of boasts.]
+
+[Sidenote:--6--] Now Severus made a campaign against Niger. The latter was
+an Italian, one of the knights, remarkable for nothing either very good or
+very bad, so that one could either greatly praise or greatly censure him.
+[Wherefore he had been assigned to Syria by Commodus.] He had as a
+lieutenant, together with others, Aemilianus, who [by remaining neutral
+and watching the course of events] was thought to surpass all the senators
+of that day in understanding and in experience of affairs; for he had been
+tested in many provinces. [These conditions and the fact that he was a
+relative of Albinus had made him conceited.]
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] [Niger was not in general a well-balanced man and though
+he had very great abilities still fell into error. But at this time he was
+more than usually elated, so that he showed how much he liked those who
+called him "the new Alexander"; and when one man asked, "Who gave you
+permission to do this?" he pointed to his sword and rejoined, "This did."
+When the war broke out Niger had gone to Byzantium and from that point
+conducted a campaign against Perinthus. He was disturbed, however, by
+unfavorable omens that came to his notice. An eagle perched upon a
+military shrine and remained there till captured, in spite of attempts
+to scare it away. Bees made wax around the military standards and about
+his images most of all. For these reasons he retired to Byzantium.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 194 (a.u. 947)] Now Aemilianus while engaged in conflict
+with some of the generals of Severus near Cyzicus was defeated by them and
+slain. After this, between the narrows of Nicaea and Cius, they had a
+great war of various forms. Some battled in close formation on the plains;
+others occupied the hill-crests and hurled stones and javelins at their
+opponents from the higher ground; still others got into boats and
+discharged their bows at the enemy from the lake. At first the adherents
+of Severus, under the direction of Candidus, were victorious; for they
+found their advantage in the higher ground from which they fought. But the
+moment Niger himself appeared a pursuit in turn was instituted by Niger's
+men and victory was on their side. Then Candidus caught hold of the
+standard bearers and turned them to face the enemy, upbraiding the
+soldiers for their flight; at this his followers were ashamed, turned
+back, and once more conquered those opposed to them. Indeed, they would
+have destroyed them utterly, had not the city been near and the night a
+dark one.
+
+The next event was a tremendous battle at Issus, near the
+so-called Gates. In this contest Valerianus and Anullinus [Footnote: _P.
+Cornelius Anullinus._] commanded the army of Severus, whereas Niger was
+with his own ranks and marshaled them for war. This pass, the Cilician
+"Gates", [Footnote: Compare Xenophon's _Anabasis_, I, 4, 4-5.] is so
+named on account of its narrowness. On the one side rise precipitous
+mountains, and on the other sheer cliffs descend to the sea. So Niger had
+here made a camp on a strong hill, and he put in front heavy-armed
+soldiers, next the javelin slingers and stone throwers, and behind all the
+archers. His purpose was that the foremost might thrust back such as
+assailed them in hand-to-hand conflict, while the others from a distance
+might be able to bring their force into play over the heads of the others.
+The detachment on the left and that on the right were defended by the
+sea-crags and by the forest, which had no issue. This is the way in which
+he arranged his army, and he stationed the beasts of burden close to it,
+in order that none of them should be able to flee in case they should wish
+it. Anullinus after making all this out placed in advance the heavier part
+of his force and behind it his entire light-armed contingent, to the end
+that the latter, though discharging their weapons from a distance might
+still retard the progress of the enemy, while the solidity of the advance
+guard rendered the upward passage safe for them. The cavalry he sent with
+Valerianus, bidding him, so far as he could, go around the forest and
+unexpectedly fall upon the troops of Niger from the rear. When they came
+to close quarters, the soldiers of Sevents placed some of their shields in
+front of them and held some above their heads, making a testudo, and in
+this formation they approached the enemy. So the battle was a drawn one
+for a long while, but eventually Niger's men got decidedly the advantage
+both by their numbers and by the topography of the country. They would
+have been entirely victorious, had not clouds gathered out of a clear sky
+and a wind arisen from a perfect calm, while there were crashes of thunder
+and sharp flashes of lightning and a violent rain beat in their faces.
+This did not trouble Severus's troops because it was behind them, but
+threw Niger's men into great confusion since it came right against them.
+Most important of all, the opportune character of this occurrence infused
+courage in the one side, which believed it was aided by Heaven, and fear
+in the other, which felt that the supernatural was warring against them;
+thus it made the former strong even beyond its own strength and terrified
+the latter in spite of real power. Just as they were fleeing Valerianus
+came in sight. Seeing him, they turned about, and after that, as Anullinus
+beat them back, retreated once more. Then they wandered about, running
+this way and that way, to see where they could break through.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] It turned out that this was the greatest slaughter to
+take place during the war in question. Two myriads of Niger's followers
+perished utterly. The fact was indicated also by the priest's vision.
+While Severus was in Pannonia, the priest of Jupiter saw in a vision a
+black man force his way into the emperor's camps and meet his death by
+superior numbers. And by turning the name of Niger into Greek people
+recognized that he was the one meant by the "black" person mentioned.
+Directly Antioch had been captured (not long after) Niger fled from it,
+making the Euphrates his objective point, for he intended to seek refuge
+among the barbarians. His pursuers, however, overtook him; he was taken
+and had his head struck off. This head Severus sent to Byzantium and
+caused to be reared on a cross, that the sight of it might incline the
+Byzantines to his cause. The next move of Severus was to mete out justice
+to those who had belonged to Niger's party. [Of the cities and individuals
+he chastised some and rewarded others. He executed no Roman senator, but
+deprived most of them of their property and confined them on islands. He
+was merciless in his search for money. Among other measures he exacted
+four times the amount that any individuals or peoples had given to Niger,
+whether they had done so voluntarily or under compulsion. He himself
+doubtless perceived the injustice of it,] [Footnote: The MS. text is
+faulty, and the translation, ventured independently, corresponds
+approximately to a suggestion by van Herwerden in Boissevain's edition.]
+but as he required great sums, he paid no attention to the common talk.
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] Cassius Clemens, a senator, while on trial before Severus
+himself, did not hide the truth but spoke with such frankness as the
+following report will show:
+
+"I," he said, "was acquainted with neither you nor Niger, but as I found
+myself in his part of the world, I accepted the situation heartily, not
+with the idea of being hostile to you but with the purpose of deposing
+Julianus. I have, then, committed no wrong in this, since I labored
+originally for the same ends as you, nor should I be censured for failing
+to desert the master whom I had once secured by the will of Heaven and for
+not transferring my allegiance to you. You would not yourself have liked
+to have your intimate circle and fellow judges here betray your cause and
+go over to him. Examine therefore not our bodies nor our names but the
+events themselves. For in every point in which you condemn us you will be
+passing sentence upon yourself and your associates. However secure you may
+be from conviction in any suit or by any court finding, still, in the
+report of men, of which an eternal memory shall survive, you will be
+represented as making against yourself the same charges as have led to
+punishment [Footnote: Supplying, with Reiske, [Greek: soi [Lacuna]
+kolasthaenai].] in the case of others."--Severus admired this man for his
+frankness and allowed him to keep half his property.
+
+[Many who had never even seen Niger and had not cooperated with him were
+victims of abuse on the charge that they had been members of his party.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 195 (a.u. 948)] [Sidenote:--10--] The Byzantines performed
+many remarkable deeds both during the life and after the death of Niger.
+This city is favorably located with reference both to the continents and
+to the sea that lies between them, and is strongly intrenched by the
+nature of its position as well as by that of the Bosporus. The town sits
+on high ground extending into the sea. The latter, rushing down from the
+Pontus with the speed of a mountain torrent assails the headland and in
+part is diverted to the right, forming there the bay and harbors. But the
+greater part of the water passes on with great energy past the city itself
+toward the Propontis. Moreover, the place had walls that were very strong.
+Their face was constructed of thick squared stones, fastened together by
+bronze plates, and the inner side of it had been strengthened with mounds
+and buildings so that the whole seemed to be one thick wall and the top of
+it formed a circuit betraying no flaws and easy to guard. Many large
+towers occupied an exposed position outside it, with windows set close
+together on every side so that those assaulting the fortification in a
+circle would be cut off between them. Being built at a short distance from
+the wall and not in a regular line, but one here and another there over a
+rather crooked route, they were sure to command both sides of any
+attacking party. Of the entire circuit the part on the land side reached a
+great height so as to repel any who came that way: the portion next to the
+sea was lower. There, the rocks on which it had been reared and the
+dangerous character of the Bosporus were effective allies. The harbors
+within the wall had both been closed with chains and their breakwaters
+carried towers projecting far out on each side, making approach impossible
+for the enemy. And, in fine, the Bosporus was of the greatest aid to the
+citizens. It was quite inevitable that once any person became entangled in
+its current he should willy-nilly be cast up on the land. This was a
+feature quite satisfactory to friends, but impossible for foes to deal
+with.
+
+[Sidenote:--11--] It was thus that Byzantium had been fortified. The
+engines, besides, the whole length of the wall, were of the most varied
+description. In one place they threw rocks and wooden beams upon parties
+approaching and in another they discharged stones and missiles and spears
+against such as stood at a distance. Hence over a considerable extent of
+territory no one could draw near them without danger. Still others had
+hooks, which they would let down suddenly and shortly after draw up boats
+and machines. Priscus, a fellow-citizen of mine, had designed most of
+them, and this fact both caused him to incur the death penalty and saved
+his life. For Severus, on learning his proficiency, prevented his being
+executed. Subsequently he employed him on various missions, among others
+at the siege of Hatra, and his contrivances were the only ones not burned
+by the barbarians. He also furnished the Byzantines with five hundred
+boats, mostly of one bank, but some of two banks, and equipped with beaks.
+A few of them were provided with rudders at both ends, stern and prow, and
+had a double quota of pilots and sailors in order that they might both
+attack and retire without turning around and damage their opponents while
+sailing back as well as while sailing forward.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] Many, therefore, were the exploits and sufferings of the
+Byzantines, since for the entire space of three years they were besieged
+by the armaments of practically the whole world. A few of their
+experiences will be mentioned that seem almost marvelous. They captured,
+by making an opportune attack, some boats that sailed by and captured also
+some of the triremes that were in their opponents' roadstead. This they
+did by having divers cut their anchors under water, after which they drove
+nails into the ship's bottom and with cords attached thereto and running
+from friendly territory they would draw the vessel towards them. Hence one
+might see the ships approaching shore by themselves, with no oarsman nor
+wind to urge them forward. There were cases in which merchants purposely
+allowed themselves to be captured by the Byzantines, though pretending
+unwillingness, and after selling their wares for a huge price made their
+escape by sea.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 196 (a.u. 949)] When all the supplies in the town had been
+exhausted and the people had been set fairly in a strait with regard to
+both their situation and the expectations that might be founded upon it,
+at first, although beset by great difficulties (because they were cut off
+from all outside resources), they nevertheless continued to resist; and to
+make ships they used lumber taken from the houses and braided ropes of the
+hair of their women. Whenever any troops assaulted the wall, they would
+hurl upon them stones from the theatres, bronze horses, and whole statues
+of bronze. When even their normal food supply began to fail them, they
+proceeded to soak and eat hides. Then these, too, were used up, and the
+majority, having waited for rough water and a squall so that no one might
+man a ship to oppose them, sailed out with the determination either to
+perish or to secure provender. They assailed the countryside without
+warning and plundered every quarter indiscriminately. Those left behind
+committed a monstrous deed; for when they grew very faint, they turned
+against and devoured one another.
+
+[Sidenote:--13--] This was the condition of the men in the city. The rest,
+when they had laden their boats with more than the latter could bear, set
+sail after waiting this time also for a great storm. They did not succeed,
+however, in making any use of it. The Romans, noticing [Sidenote: A.D. 196
+a.u. 949] that their vessels were overheavy and depressed almost to the
+water's edge, put out against them. They assailed the company, which was
+scattered about as wind and flood chose to dispose them, and really
+engaged in nothing like a naval contest but crushed the enemy's boats
+mercilessly, striking many with their boat-hooks, ripping up many with
+their beaks, and actually capsizing some by their mere onset. The victims
+were unable to do anything, however much they might have wished it: and
+when they attempted to flee in any direction either they would be sunk by
+force of the wind, which encountered them with the utmost violence, or
+else they would be overtaken by the enemy and destroyed. The inhabitants
+of Byzantium, as they watched this, for a time called unceasingly upon the
+gods and kept uttering now one shout and now another at the various
+events, according as each one was affected by the spectacle or the
+disaster enacted before his eyes. But when they saw their friends
+perishing all together, the united throng sent up a chorus of groans and
+wailings, and thereafter they mourned for the rest of the day and the
+whole night. The entire number of wrecks proved so great that some drifted
+upon the islands and the Asiatic coast, and the defeat became known by
+these relics before it was reported. The next day the Byzantines had the
+horror increased even above what it had been. For, when the surf had
+subsided, the whole sea in the vicinity of Byzantium was covered with
+corpses and wrecks with blood, and many of the remains were cast up on
+shore, with the result that the catastrophe, now seen in its details,
+appeared even worse than when in process of consummation.
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] The Byzantines straightway, though against their will,
+surrendered their city. The Romans executed all the soldiers and
+magistrates except the pugilist who had greatly aided the Byzantines and
+injured the Romans. He perished also, for in order to make the soldiers
+angry enough to destroy him he immediately hit one with his fist and with
+a leap gave another a violent kick.
+
+Severus was so pleased at the capture of Byzantium that to his soldiers in
+Mesopotamia (where he was at this time) he said unreservedly: "We have
+taken Byzantium, too!" He deprived the city of its independence and of its
+civil rank, and made it tributary, confiscating the property of the
+citizens. He granted the town and its territory to the Perinthians, and
+the latter, treating it after the manner of a village, committed
+innumerable outrages. So far he seemed in a way to be justified in what he
+did. His demolition of the walls of the city grieved the inhabitants no
+more than did the loss of that reputation which the appearance of the
+walls had caused them to enjoy; and incidentally he had abolished a strong
+Roman outpost and base of operations against the barbarians from the
+Pontus and Asia. I was one that viewed the walls after they had fallen,
+and a person would have judged that they had been taken by some other
+people than the Romans. I had also seen them standing and had heard them
+"speak." There were seven towers extending from the Thracian gates to the
+sea. If a man approached any of these but the first, it was silent; but if
+he shouted a few words at that one or threw a stone at it, it not only
+echoed and spoke itself but caused the second to do the same thing. In
+this way the sound passed through them all alike, and they did not
+interrupt one another, but all in their proper turn, one receiving the
+impulse from the one before it, took up the echo and the voice and sent it
+on.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+76
+
+Severus's war against the Osrhoeni, Adiabeni, and Arabians (chapters 1-3).
+
+Severus's war against Albinus Caesar (chapters 4, 5).
+
+How Albinus was vanquished by Severus and perished (chapters 6, 7).
+
+The arrogance of Severus after his victory (chapters 7, 8).
+
+Severus's Parthian expedition (chapter 9).
+
+How he besieged the Atreni, but found his endeavors fruitless (chapters
+10-12).
+
+How he started for Egypt: and about the source of the Nile (chapter 13).
+
+About the power and tyrannous conduct of Plautianus (chapters 14-16).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+Scapula Tertullus, Tineius Clemens, (A.D. 195 = a.u. 948 = Third of
+Severus, from the Calends of June).
+
+C. Domitius Dexter (II), L. Valerius Messala Priscus. (A.D. 196 = a.u. 949
+= Fourth of Severus).
+
+Ap. Claudius Lateranus, Rufinus. (A.D. 197 = a.u. 950 = Fifth of Severus).
+
+Ti. Saturninus, C. Gallus. (A.D. 198 = a.u. 951 = Sixth of Severus).
+
+P. Cornelius Anullinus, M. Aufidius Fronto. (A.D. 199 = a.u. 952 = Seventh
+of Severus).
+
+Ti. Claudius Severus, C. Aufidius Victorinus. (A.D. 200 = a.u. 953 =
+Eighth of Severus).
+
+L. Annius Fabianus, M. Nonius Mucianus. (A.D. 201 = a.u. 954 = Ninth of
+Severus).
+
+L. Septimius Severus Aug. (III), M. Aurel. Antoninus Aug. (A.D. 202 = a.u.
+955 = Tenth of Severus).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 195 (a.u. 948)] [Sidenote:--1--] Of such a nature were the
+walls of Byzantium. During the progress of this siege Severus out of a
+desire for fame had made a campaign against the barbarians,--the Osrhoeni,
+the Adiabeni, and the Arabians. [The Osrhoeni and Adiabeni having revolted
+were besieging Nisibis: defeated by Severus they sent an embassy to him
+after the death of Niger, not to beg his clemency as wrongdoers but to
+demand reciprocal favors, pretending to have brought about the outcome for
+his benefit. It was for his sake, they said, that they had destroyed the
+soldiers who belonged to Niger's party. Indeed, they sent a few gifts to
+him and promised to restore the captives and whatever spoils were left.
+However, they were not willing either to abandon the walled towns they had
+captured or to accept the imposition of tributes, but they desired those
+in existence to be lifted from the country. It was this that led to the
+war just mentioned.]
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] When he had crossed the Euphrates and invaded hostile
+territory, where the country was destitute of water and at this summer
+season had become especially parched, he came dangerously near losing
+great numbers of soldiers. Wearied as they were by their tramping and the
+hot sun, clouds of dust that they encountered harrassed them greatly, so
+that they could no longer walk nor yet speak, but only utter the word
+"Water, water!" When [moisture] appeared, on account of [its] strangeness
+it attracted no more attention than if it had not been found, till Severus
+called for a cup, and having filled it with water drank it down in full
+view of all. Upon this some others likewise drank and were invigorated.
+Soon after Severus entered Nisibis and himself waited there, but
+despatched Lateranus and Candidus and Laetus severally among the
+aforementioned barbarians. These upon attaining their goals proceeded to
+lay waste the land of the barbarians and to capture their cities. While
+Severus was greatly priding himself upon this achievement and feeling that
+he surpassed all mankind in both understanding and bravery, a most
+unexpected event took place. One Claudius, a robber, who overran Judaea
+and Syria and was sought for in consequence with great hue and cry, came
+to him one day with horsemen, like some military tribune, and saluted and
+kissed him. The visitor was not discovered at the time nor was he later
+arrested. [And the Arabians, because none of their neighbors was willing
+to aid them, sent an embassy a second time to Severus making quite
+reasonable propositions. Still, they did not obtain what they wanted,
+inasmuch as they had not come in person.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 196 (a.u. 949)] [Sidenote:--3--] The Scythians, too, were
+in fighting humor, when at this juncture during a deliberation of theirs
+thunder and lightning-flashes with rain suddenly broke over them, and
+thunderbolts began to fall, killing their three foremost men. This caused
+them to hesitate.
+
+Severus again made three divisions of his army, and giving one to Laetus,
+one to Anullinus, and one to Probus, sent them out against ARCHE [Lacuna];
+[Footnote: The MS. is corrupt. Adiabene, Atrene and Arbelitis have all
+been suggested as the district to which Dio actually referred here.] and
+they, invading it in three divisions, subdued it not without trouble.
+Severus bestowed some dignity upon Nisibis and entrusted the city to the
+care of a knight. He declared he had won a mighty territory and had
+rendered it a bulwark of Syria. It is shown, on the contrary, by the facts
+themselves that the place is responsible for our constant wars as well as
+for great expenditures. It yields very little and uses up vast sums. And
+having extended our borders to include men who are neighbors of the Medes
+and Parthians rather than of ourselves, we are always, one might say,
+fighting over those peoples.
+
+[Sidenote:--4--] Before Severus had had time to recover breath from his
+conflicts with the barbarians he found a civil war on his hands with
+Albinus, his Caesar. Severus after getting Niger out of the way was still
+not giving him the rank of Caesar and had ordered other details in that
+quarter as he pleased; and Albinus aspired to the preeminence of emperor.
+[Footnote: Omitting [Greek: autou] (as Dindorf).] While the whole world
+was moved by this state of affairs we senators kept quiet, at least so
+many of us as inclining openly neither to one man nor the other yet shared
+their dangers and hopes. But the populace could not restrain itself and
+showed its grief in the most violent fashion. It was at the last
+horse-race before the Saturnalia, and a countless throng of people flocked
+to it. I too was present at the spectacle because the consul was a friend
+of mine and I heard distinctly everything that was said,--a fact which
+renders me able to write a little about it.
+
+It came about in this way. There had gathered (as I said) more people than
+could be computed and they had watched the chariots contesting in six
+divisions (which had been the way also in Oleander's time), applauding no
+one in any manner, as was the custom. When these races had ceased and the
+charioteers were about to begin another event, then they suddenly enjoined
+silence upon one another and all clapped their hands simultaneously,
+shouting, besides, and entreating good fortune for the public welfare.
+They first said this, and afterward, applying the terms "Queen" and
+"Immortal" to Rome, they roared: "How long are we to suffer such
+experiences?" and "Until when must we be at war?" And after making a few
+other remarks of this kind they finally cried out: "That's all there is to
+it!" and turned their attention to the equestrian contest. In all of this
+they were surely inspired by some divine afflation. For not otherwise
+could so many myriads of men have started to utter the same shouts at the
+same time like some carefully trained chorus or have spoken the words
+without mistake just as if they had practiced them.
+
+This manifestation caused us still greater disturbance as did also the
+fact that so great a fire was of a sudden seen by night in the air toward
+the north that some thought that the whole city and others that the sky
+itself was burning. But the most remarkable fact I have to chronicle is
+that in clear weather a fine silvery rain descended upon the forum of
+Augustus, I did not see it in the air, but noticed it after it had fallen,
+and with it I silverplated some small bronze coins. These retained the
+same appearance for three days: on the fourth all the substance rubbed
+upon them had disappeared.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] A certain Numerianus, who taught children their letters,
+started from Rome for Galatia with I know not what object, and by
+pretending to be a Roman senator sent by Severus to gather an army he
+collected at first just a small force by means of which he destroyed a few
+of Albinus's cavalry, whereupon he unblushingly made some further promises
+in behalf of Severus. Severus heard of this and thinking that he was
+really one of the senators sent him a message of praise and bade him
+acquire still greater power. The man did acquire greater power and gave
+many remarkable exhibitions of ability besides obtaining seventeen hundred
+and fifty myriads of denarii, which he forwarded to Severus. After the
+latter's victory Numerianus came to him, making no concealment, and did
+not ask to become in very truth a senator. Indeed, though he might have
+been exalted by great honors and wealth, he did not choose to accept them,
+but passed the remainder of his life in some country place, receiving from
+the emperor some small allowance for his daily subsistence.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 197 (a.u. 950)] [Sidenote:--6--] The struggle between
+Severus and Albinus near Lugdunum is now to be described. At the outset
+there were a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers on each side. Both
+leaders took part in the war, since it was a race for life and death,
+though Severus had previously not been present at any important battle.
+Albinus excelled in rank and in education, but his adversary was superior
+in warfare and was a skillful commander. It happened that in a former
+battle Albinus had conquered Lupus, one of the generals of Severus, and
+had destroyed many of the soldiers attending him. The present conflict
+took many shapes and turns. The left wing of Albinus was beaten and sought
+refuge behind the rampart, whereupon Severus 's soldiers in their pursuit
+burst into the enclosure with them, slaughtered their opponents and
+plundered their tents. Meantime the soldiers of Albinus arrayed on the
+right wing, who had trenches hidden in front of them and pits in the earth
+covered over only on the surface, approached as far as these snares and
+hurled javelins from a distance. They did not go very far but turned back
+as if frightened, with the purpose of drawing their foes into pursuit.
+This actually took place. Severus's men, nettled by their brief charge and
+despising them for their retreat after so short an advance, rushed upon
+them without a thought that the whole intervening space could not be
+easily traversed. When they reached the trenches they were involved in a
+fearful catastrophe. The men in the front ranks as soon as the surface
+covering broke through fell into the excavations and those immediately
+behind stumbled over them, slipped, and likewise fell. The rest crowded
+back in terror, their retreat being so sudden that they themselves lost
+their footing, upset those in the rear, and pushed them into a deep
+ravine. Of course there was a terrible slaughter of these soldiers as well
+as of those who had fallen into the trenches, horses and men perishing in
+one wild mass. In the midst of this tumult the warriors between the ravine
+and the trenches were annihilated by showers of stones and arrows.
+
+Severus seeing this came to their assistance with the Pretorians, but this
+step proved of so little benefit that he came near causing the ruin of the
+Pretorians and himself ran some risk through the loss of a horse. When he
+saw all his men in flight, he tore off his riding cloak and drawing his
+sword rushed among the fugitives, hoping either that they would be ashamed
+and turn back or that he might himself perish with them. Some did stop
+when they saw him in such an attitude, and turned back. Brought in this
+way face to face with the men close behind them they cut down not a few of
+them, thinking them to be followers of Albinus, and routed all their
+pursuers. At this moment the cavalry under Laetus came up from the side
+and decided the rest of the issue for them. Laetus, so long as the
+struggle was close, remained inactive, hoping that both parties would be
+destroyed and that whatever soldiers were left on both sides would give
+him supreme authority. When, however, he saw Severus's party getting the
+upper hand, he contributed to the result. So it was that Severus
+conquered.
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] Roman power had suffered a severe blow, since the numbers
+that fell on each side were beyond reckoning. Many even of the victors
+deplored the disaster, for the entire plain was seen to be covered with
+the bodies of men and horses. Some of them lay there exhausted by many
+wounds, others thoroughly mangled, and still others unwounded but buried
+under heaps. Weapons had been tossed about and blood flowed in streams,
+even swelling the rivers. Albinus took refuge in a house located near the
+Rhone, but when he saw all its environs guarded, he slew himself. I am not
+telling what Severus wrote about it, but what actually took place. The
+emperor after inspecting his body and feasting his eyes upon it to the
+full while he let his tongue indulge in appropriate utterances, ordered
+it,--all but the head,--to be cast out, and that he sent to Rome to be
+exposed on a cross. As he showed clearly by this action that he was very
+far from being an excellent ruler, he alarmed even more than before the
+populace and us by the commands which he issued. Now that he had
+vanquished all forces under arms he poured out upon the unarmed all the
+wrath he had nourished against them during the previous period. He
+terrified us most of all by declaring himself the son of Marcus and
+brother of Commodus; and to Commodus, whom but recently he was wont to
+abuse, he gave heroic honors. [Sidenote:--8--] While reading before the
+senate a speech in which he praised the severity and cruelty of Sulla and
+Marius and Augustus as rather the safer course, and deprecated the
+clemency of Pompey and Caesar because it had proved their ruin, he
+introduced a defence of Commodus, and inveighed against the senate for
+dishonoring him unjustly though the majority of their own body lived even
+worse lives. "For if", said he, "this is abominable, that he with his own
+hands should have killed beasts, yet at Ostia yesterday or the day before
+one of your number, an old man that had been consul, indulged publicly in
+play with a prostitute who imitated a leopard. 'He fought as a gladiator,'
+do you say? By Jupiter, does none of you fight as gladiator? If not, how
+is it and for what purpose that some persons have bought his shields and
+the famous golden helmets?" At the conclusion of this reading he released
+thirty-five prisoners charged with having taken Albinus's side and behaved
+toward them as if they had incurred no charge at all. They were among the
+foremost members of the senate. He condemned to death twenty-nine men, as
+one of whom was reckoned Sulpicianus, the father-in-law of Pertinax.
+
+All pretended to sympathize with Severus but were confuted as often as a
+sudden piece of news arrived, not being able to conceal the sentiments
+hidden in their hearts. When off their guard they started at reports which
+happened to assail their ears without warning. In such ways, as well as
+through facial expression and habits of behavior, the feelings of every
+one of them became manifest. Some also by an excess of affectation only
+betrayed their attitude the more.
+
+[Sidenote: LXXIV, 9, 5] Severus endeavored in the case of those who were
+receiving vengeance at his hands [Lacuna] [Footnote: Some words appear to
+have fallen out at this point (so Dindorf).] to employ Erucius Clarus
+[Footnote: _C. Iulius Erucius Clarus Vibianus_.] as informer
+against them, that he might both put the man in an unpleasant position and
+be thought to have more fully justified conviction in view of his
+witness's family and reputation. He promised Clarus to grant him safety
+and immunity. But when the latter chose rather to die than to make any
+such revelations, he turned to Julianus and persuaded him to play the
+part. For this willingness he released him in so far as not to kill nor
+disenfranchise him; but he carefully verified all his statements by
+tortures and regarded as of no value his existing reputation.
+
+[Sidenote: LXXV, 5] [In Britain at this period, because the Caledonians
+did not abide by their promises but made preparations to aid the
+Maeatians, and because Severus at the time was attending to the war
+abroad, Lupus was compelled to purchase peace for the Maeatians at a high
+figure, and recovered some few captives.]
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 198 (a.u. 951)] [Sidenote:--9--] The next thing Severus
+did was to make a campaign against the Parthians. While he was busied with
+civil wars, they had been free from molestation and had thus been able by
+an expedition in full force to capture Mesopotamia. They also came very
+near reducing Nisbis, and would have done so, had not Laetus, who was
+besieged there, preserved the place. Though previously noted for other
+political and private and public excellences, in peace as well as in wars,
+he derived even greater glory from this exploit. Severus on reaching the
+aforesaid Nisibis encountered an enormous boar. With its charge it killed
+a horseman who, trusting to his own strength, attempted to run it down,
+and it was with difficulty stopped and killed by many soldiers,--thirty
+being the number required to stop it; the beast was then conveyed to
+Severus.
+
+The Parthians did not wait for him but retired homeward. (Their leader was
+Vologaesus, whose brother was accompanying Severus). Hence Severus
+equipped boats on the Euphrates and reached him partly by marching, partly
+by sailing. The newly constructed vessels were exceedingly manageable and
+well appointed, for the forest along the Euphrates and those regions in
+general afforded the emperor an abundant supply of timber. Thus he soon
+had seized Seleucia and Babylon, both of which had been abandoned.
+Subsequently he captured Ctesiphon and permitted his soldiers to plunder
+the whole town, causing a great slaughter of men and taking nearly ten
+myriads alive. However, he did not pursue Vologaesus nor yet occupy
+Ctesiphon, but as if the sole purpose of his campaign had been to plunder
+it, he thereupon departed. This action was due partly to lack of
+acquaintance with the country and partly to dearth of provisions. His
+return was made by a different route, because the wood and fodder found on
+the previous route had been exhausted. Some of his soldiers made their
+retreat by land along the Tigris, following the stream toward its source,
+and some on boats.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 199(?)] [Sidenote:--10--] Next, Severus crossed
+Mesopotamia and made an attempt on Hatra, which was not far off, but
+accomplished nothing. In fact, even the engines were burned, many soldiers
+perished, and vast numbers were wounded. Therefore Severus retired from
+the place and shifted his quarters. While he was at war, he also put to
+death two distinguished men. The first was Julius Crispus, a tribune of
+the Pretorians. The cause of his execution was that indignant at the
+damage done by the war he had casually uttered a verse of the poet Maro,
+in which one of the soldiers fighting on the side of Turnus against Aeneas
+bewails his lot and says: "To enable Turnus to marry Lavinia we are
+meanwhile perishing, without heed being paid to us." [Footnote: Two and a
+half lines beginning with verse 371 in Book Eleven of Virgil's Aeneid.]
+Severus made Valerius, the soldier who had accused him, tribune in his
+place. The other whom he killed was Laetus, and the reason was that Laetus
+was proud and was beloved by the soldiers. They often said they would not
+march, unless Laetus would lead them. The responsibility for this murder,
+for which he had no clear reason save jealousy, he fastened upon the
+soldiers, making it appear that they had ventured upon the act contrary to
+his will.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 200(?)] [Sidenote:--11--] After laying in a large store of
+food and preparing many engines he in person again led an attack upon
+Hatra. He deemed it a disgrace, now that other points had been subdued,
+that this one alone, occupying a central position, should continue to
+resist. And he lost a large amount of money and all his engines except
+those of Priscus, as I stated earlier, [Footnote: Compare Book
+Seventy-four, chapter 11.] besides many soldiers. Numbers were annihilated
+in foraging expeditions, as the barbarian cavalry (I mean that of the
+Arabians) kept everywhere assailing them with precision and violence. The
+archery of the Atreni, too, was effective over a very long range. Some
+missiles they hurled from engines, striking many of Severus's men-at-arms,
+for they discharged two missiles in one and the same shot and there were
+also many hands and many arrows to inflict injury. They did their
+assailants the utmost damage, however, when the latter approached the
+wall, and in an even greater degree after they had broken down a little of
+it. Then they threw at them among other things the bituminous naphtha of
+which I wrote above [Footnote: Compare the beginning of Book Thirty-six
+(supplied from Xiphilinus).] and set fire to the engines and all the
+soldiers that were struck with it. Severus observed proceedings from a
+lofty tribunal. [Sidenote:--12--] A portion of the outer circuit had
+fallen in one place and all the soldiers were eager to force their way
+inside the remainder, when Severus checked them from doing so by giving
+orders that the signal for retreat be sounded clearly on all sides. The
+fame of the place was great, since it contained enormous offerings to the
+Sun God and vast stores of valuables; and he expected that the Arabians
+would voluntarily come to terms in order to avoid being forcibly captured
+and enslaved. When, after letting one day elapse, no one made any formal
+proposition to him, he commanded the soldiers again to assault the wall,
+though it had been built up in the night. The Europeans who had the power
+to accomplish something were so angry that not one of them would any
+longer obey him, and some others, Syrians, compelled to go to the assault
+in their stead, were miserably destroyed. Thus Heaven, that rescued the
+city, caused Severus to recall the soldiers that could have entered it,
+and in turn when he later wished to take it caused the soldiers to prevent
+him from doing so. The situation placed Severus in such a dilemma that
+when some one of his followers promised him that, if he would give him
+only five hundred and fifty of the Europeans, he would get possession of
+the city without any risk to the rest, the emperor said within hearing of
+all: "And where can I get so many soldiers?" (referring to the
+disobedience of the soldiers).
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 200 (a.u. 953)] [Sidenote:--13--] Having prosecuted the
+siege for twenty days he next came to Palestine and sacrificed to the
+spirit of Pompey: and into [upper] Egypt [he sailed along the Nile and
+viewed the whole country, with some small exceptions. For instance, he was
+unable to pass the frontier of Ethiopia on account of pestilence.] And he
+made a search of everything, including what was very carefully hidden, for
+he was the sort of man to leave nothing, human or divine, uninvestigated.
+Following this tendency he drew from practically all their hiding places
+all the books that he could find containing anything secret, and he closed
+the monument of Alexander, to the end that no one should either behold his
+body any more or read what was written in these books.
+
+This was what he did. For myself, there is no need that I should write in
+general about Egypt, but what I know about the Nile through verifying
+statements from many sources I am bound to mention. It clearly rises in
+Mount Atlas. This lies in Macennitis, close to the Western ocean itself,
+and towers far above all mountains, wherefore the poets have called it
+"Pillar of the Sky." No one ever ascended its summits nor saw its topmost
+peaks. Hence it is always covered with snow, which in summer time sends
+down great quantities of water. The whole country about its base is in
+general marshy, but at this season becomes even more so, with the result
+that it swells the size of the Nile at harvest time. This is the river's
+source, as is evidenced by the crocodiles and other beasts that are born
+alike on both sides of it. Let no one be surprised that we have made
+pronouncements unknown to the ancient Greeks. The Macennitae live near
+lower Mauretania and many of the people who go on campaigns there also
+visit Atlas. It is thus that the matter stands.
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] Plautianus, who enjoyed the special favor of Severus and
+had the authority of prefect, besides possessing the fullest and greatest
+influence on earth, had put to death many men of renown and his own
+peers [Lacuna] [After killing Aemilius Saturninus he took away all the
+most important prerogatives belonging to the minor officers of the
+Pretorians, his subordinates, in order that none of them might be so
+elated by his position of eminence as to lie in wait for the captaincy of
+the body-guards. Already it was his wish to be not simply the only but a
+perpetual prefect.] He wanted everything, asked everything from everybody,
+and got everything. He left no province and no city unplundered, but
+sacked and gathered everything from all sides. All sent a great deal more
+to him than they did to Severus. Finally he sent centurions and stole
+tiger-striped horses sacred [Footnote: Supplying [Greek: therous] (Reiske's
+conjecture).] to the Sun God from the island in the Red Sea. This mere
+statement, I think, must instantly make plain all his officiousness and
+greediness. Yet, on second thought, I will add one thing more. At home he
+castrated one hundred nobly born Roman citizens, though none of us knew of
+it until after he was dead. From this fact one may comprehend the extent
+alike of his lawlessness and of his authority. He castrated not merely
+boys or youths, but grown men, some of whom had wives; his object was that
+Plautilla his daughter (whom Antoninus afterward married) should be waited
+upon entirely by eunuchs [and also have them to give her instruction in
+music and other branches of art. So we beheld the same persons eunuchs and
+men, fathers and impotent, gelded and bearded. In view of this one might
+not improperly declare that Plautianus had power beyond all men, over even
+the emperors themselves. For one thing, his portrait statues were not only
+far more numerous but also larger than theirs, and this not simply in
+outside cities but in Rome itself, and they were at this time reared not
+merely by individuals but by no less a body than the senate itself. All
+the soldiers and the senators took oaths by his Fortune and all publicly
+offered prayer for his preservation.
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] The person principally responsible for this state of
+affairs was Severus himself. He yielded to Plautianus in all matters to
+such a degree that the latter occupied the position of emperor and he
+himself that of prefect. In short, the man knew absolutely everything that
+Severus said and did, but not a person was acquainted with any of
+Plautianus's secrets. The emperor made advances to his daughter on behalf
+of his own son, passing by many other maidens of high rank. He appointed
+him consul and virtually showed an anxiety to have him for successor in
+the imperial office. Indeed, once he did say in a letter: "I love the man
+so much that I pray to die before he does."]
+
+[Lacuna] so that [Lacuna] some one actually dared to write to him as to a
+fourth Caesar.
+
+Though many decrees in his honor were passed by the senate he accepted
+only a few of them, saying to the senators: "It is through your hearts
+that you show your love for me, not through your decrees."
+
+At temporary stopping-places he endured seeing him located in superior
+quarters and enjoying better and more abundant food than he. Hence in
+Nicaea (my native country) when he once wanted a hammer-fish, large
+specimens of which are found in the lake, he sent to Plautianus to get it.
+So if he thought at all of doing aught to diminish this minister's
+leadership, yet the opposite party, which contained far greater and more
+brilliant members, saw to it that any such plan was frustrated. On one
+occasion Severus went to visit him, when he had fallen sick at Tyana, and
+the soldiers attached to Plautianus would not allow the visitor's escort
+to enter with him. Moreover, the person who arranged cases to be pled
+before Severus was once ordered by the latter in a moment of leisure to
+bring forward some case or other, whereupon the fellow refused, saying: "I
+can not do this, unless Plautianus bid me." So greatly did Plautianus have
+the mastery in every way over the emperor that he [frequently treated]
+Julia Augusta [in an outrageous way,--for he detested her cordially,--and]
+was always abusing [her violently] to Severus, and conducted
+investigations against her as well as tortures of noble women. For this
+reason she began to study philosophy and passed her days in the company of
+learned men.--As for Plautianus, he proved himself the most licentious of
+men, for he would go to banquets and vomit meantime, inasmuch as the mass
+of foods and wine that he swallowed made it impossible for him to digest
+anything. And whereas he made use of lads and girls in perfectly notorious
+fashion, he would not permit his own wife to see or be seen by any person
+whomsoever, not even by Severus or Julia [to say nothing of others].
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] At this period there took place also a gymnastic
+[Footnote: Reading [Greek: gymnikon] for [Greek: gynaikon], which is
+possibly corrupt.] contest, at which so great a multitude assembled under
+compulsion that we wondered how the race-course could hold them all. And
+in this contest Alamanni [Footnote: Reading [Greek: Alamannai] for [Greek:
+alomenai], which is undoubtedly corrupt.] women fought most ferociously,
+with the result that jokes were made about other ladies, who were very
+distinguished. Therefore, from this time on every woman, no matter what
+her origin, was prohibited from fighting in the arena.
+
+On one occasion a good many images of Plautianus were made (what happened
+is worth relating) and Severus, being displeased at their number, melted
+down some of them. As a consequence a rumor penetrated the cities to the
+effect that the prefect had been overthrown and had perished. So some of
+them demolished his images,--an act for which they were afterward
+punished. Among these was the governor of Sardinia, Racius Constans, a
+very famous man, whom I have mentioned, however, for a particular reason.
+The orator who accused Constans had made this statement in addition to
+others: "Sooner may the sky collapse than Plautianus suffer any harm at
+the hands of Severus, and with greater cause might any one believe even
+that report, were any story of the sort circulated." Now, though the
+orator made this declaration, and though moreover Severus himself volubly
+affirmed it to us, who were helping him try the case, and stated "it is
+impossible for Plautianus to come to any harm at my hands," still, this
+very Plautianus did not live the year out, but was slain and all his
+images destroyed.--Previous to this a vast sea-monster had come ashore in
+the harbor named for Augustus, and had been captured. A representation of
+him, taken into the hunting-theatre, admitted fifty bears in its interior.
+Again, for many days a comet star had been seen in Rome and was said to
+portend nothing favorable.
+
+
+
+
+DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
+77
+
+Festivities on account of Severus's decennial, the marriage of Antoninus
+and victories (chapter 1).
+
+Death of Plautianus (chapters 2-4).
+
+The friends and children of Plautianus are persecuted by Severus (chapters
+5-9).
+
+About Bulla Felix, a noble brigand (chapter 10).
+
+Severus's campaign in Britain: an account of the Britons (chapters 11,
+12).
+
+After traversing the whole of Britain Severus makes peace (chapter 13).
+
+How Antoninus desired to slay his father (chapter 14).
+
+Death of Severus Augustus and a summary view of his life (chapters 15-17).
+
+
+DURATION OF TIME.
+
+L. Septimius Severus Aug. (III), M. Aur. Antoninus Aug. (A.D. 202 = a.u.
+955 = Tenth of Severus, from the Calends of June).
+
+P. Septimius Geta, Fulvius Plautianus (II). (A.D. 203 = a.u. 956 =
+Eleventh of Severus).
+
+L. Fabius Septimius Cilo (II), L. Flavius Libo. (A.D. 204 = a.u. 957 =
+Twelfth of Severus).
+
+M. Aur. Antoninus Aug. (II), P. Septimius Geta Caesar. (A.D. 205 = a.u.
+958 = Thirteenth of Severus).
+
+Nummius Albinus, Fulv. Aemilianus. (A.D. 206 = a.u. 959 = Fourteenth of
+Severus).
+
+Aper, Maximus. (A.D. 207 = a.u. 960 = Fifteenth of Severus).
+
+M. Aur. Antoninus Aug. (III), P. Septim. Geta Caesar (II). (A.D. 208 =
+a.u. 961 = Sixteenth of Severus).
+
+Civica Pompeianus, Lollianus Avitus. (A.D. 209 = a.u. 962 = Seventeenth of
+Severus).
+
+M. Acilius Faustinus, Triarius Rufinus. (A.D. 210 = a.u. 963 = Eighteenth
+of Severus).
+
+Q. Epid. Ruf. Lollianus Gentianus, Pomponius Bassus. (A.D. 211 = a.u. 964
+= Nineteenth of Severus, to Feb. 4th).
+
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 202 (a.u. 955)] [Sidenote:--1--] Severus to celebrate the
+first decade of his reign presented to the entire populace accustomed to
+receive dole and to the soldiers of the pretorian guard gold pieces equal
+in number to the years of his sovereignty. He took the greatest delight in
+this achievement, and, as a matter of fact, no one had ever before given
+so much to whole masses of people. Upon this gift five hundred myriads of
+denarii were expended. Another event was the marriage between Antoninus,
+son of Severus, and Plautilla, the daughter of Plautianus. The latter gave
+as much for his daughter's dowry as would have sufficed for fifty women of
+royal rank. We saw the gifts as they were being carried through the Forum
+into the palace. We were banqueted, likewise, in the meantime, partly in
+royal and partly in barbarian fashion on whatever is regularly eaten
+cooked or raw, and we received other animal food also alive. At this time,
+too, there occurred all sorts of spectacles in honor of Severus's return,
+the completion of his first decade, and his victories. At these spectacles
+sixty wild boars of Plautianus upon a given signal began a combat with one
+another, and there were slain (besides many other beasts) an elephant and
+a crocotta. [Footnote: Hesychius says of this beast merely that it is a
+quadruped of Aethiopia. Strabo calls it a cross between wolf and dog.
+Pliny (Natural History, VIII, 21 (30)) gives the following description:
+
+  "Crocottas are apparently the offspring of dog and wolf; they crush all
+  their food with their teeth and forthwith gulp it down to be assimilated
+  by the belly."
+
+Again, of the Leucrocotta:
+
+  "A most destructive beast about the size of an ass, with legs of a deer,
+  the neck, tail and breast of a lion, a badger's head, cloven hoof, mouth
+  slit to the ears, and, in place of teeth, a solid line of bone."
+
+Also, in VIII, 30 (45), he says:
+
+  "The lioness of Ethiopia by copulation with a hyaena brings forth the
+  crocotta."
+
+Capitolinus (Life of Antoninus Pius, 10, 9) remarks that the first
+Antoninus had exhibited the animal in Rome. Further, see Aelian, VII, 22.]
+The last named animal is of Indian origin, and was then for the first
+time, so far as I am aware, introduced into Rome. It has the skin of lion
+and tiger mingled and the appearance of those animals, as also of the wolf
+and fox, curiously blended. The entire cage in the theatre had been so
+constructed as to resemble a boat in form, so that it would both receive
+and discharge four hundred beasts at once, [Footnote: These cages were
+often made in various odd shapes and opened automatically. Compare the
+closing sentences of the preceding book.] and then, as it suddenly fell
+apart, there came rushing up bears, lionesses, panthers, lions, ostriches,
+wild asses, bisons (this is a kind of cattle of foreign species and
+appearance),--the result being that altogether seven hundred wild and tame
+beasts at once were seen running about and were slaughtered. For, to
+correspond with the duration of the festival, seven days, the number of
+animals was also seven times one hundred.
+
+[Sidenote:--2--] On Mount Vesuvius a great gush of fire burst out and
+there were bellowings mighty enough to be heard in Capua, where I live
+whenever I am in Italy. This place I have selected for various reasons,
+chief of which is its quiet, that enables me to get leisure from city
+affairs and to write on this compilation. As a result of the Vesuvian
+phenomena it was believed that there would be a change in the political
+status of Plautianus. In very truth Plautianus had grown great and more
+than great, so that even the populace at the hippodrome exclaimed: "Why do
+you tremble? Why are you pale? You possess more than the three." They did
+not say this to his face, of course, but differently. And by "three" they
+indicated Severus and his sons, Antoninus and Geta. Plautianus's pallor
+and his trembling were in fact due to the life that he lived, the hopes
+that he hoped, and the fears that he feared. Still, for a time most of
+this eluded Severus's individual notice, or else he knew it but pretended
+the opposite. When, however, his brother Geta on his deathbed revealed to
+him the whole attitude of Plautianus,--for Geta hated the prefect and now
+no longer feared him,--the emperor set up a bronze statue of his brother
+in the Forum and no longer held his minister in equal honor; indeed, the
+latter was stripped of most of his power. Hence [Sidenote: A.D. 203 (a.u.
+956)] Plautianus became violently enraged, and whereas he had formerly
+hated Antoninus for slighting his daughter, he was now especially
+indignant, feeling that his son-in-law was responsible for his present
+disgrace, and began to behave more harshly toward him. [Sidenote:--3--]
+For these reasons Antoninus became both disgusted with his wife (who was a
+most shameless creature), and offended at her father himself, because the
+latter kept meddling in all his undertakings and rebuking him for
+everything that he did. Conceiving a desire to be rid of the man in some
+way or other he accordingly had Euodus, his nurse, persuade a certain
+centurion, Saturninus, and two others of similar rank to bring him word
+that Plautianus had ordered some ten centurions, to whose number they also
+belonged, to kill both Severus and Antoninus; and they read a certain
+writing which they pretended to have received bearing upon this very
+matter. This was done as a surprise at the observances held in the palace
+in honor of the heroes, at a time when the spectacle had ceased and dinner
+was about to be served. That fact was largely instrumental in showing the
+story to be a fabrication. Plautianus would never have dared to impose
+such a bidding upon ten centurions at once, certainly not in Rome,
+certainly not in the palace, nor on that day, nor at that hour; much less
+would he have written it. Nevertheless, Severus believed the information
+trustworthy because he had the night before seen in a dream Albinus alive
+and plotting against him. [Sidenote:--4--] In haste, therefore, he
+summoned Plautianus, as if upon some other business. The latter hurried so
+(or rather, Heaven so indicated to him approaching disaster) that the
+mules that were carrying him fell in the palace yard. And when he sought
+to enter, the porters in charge of the bolts admitted him alone inside and
+would permit no one to enter with him, just as he himself had done in the
+case of Severus at Tyana. He grew a little suspicious at this and became
+terrified; as he had, however, no pretext for withdrawing, he went in.
+Severus conversed with him very mildly: "Why have you seen fit to do this!
+For what reason have you wished to kill us?" He gave him opportunity to
+speak and prepared to listen to his defence.
+
+In the midst of the accused's denial and surprise at what was said,
+Antoninus rushed up, took away his sword, and struck him with his fist. He
+was ready to put an end to Plautianus with his own hand after the latter
+said: "You wanted to get the start of me in any killing!" Being prevented,
+however, by his father, Antoninus ordered one of his attendants to slay
+Plautianus. Somebody plucked out a few hairs from his chin and carried
+them to Julia and Plautilla (who were together) before they had heard a
+word of the affair, and said: "Behold your Plautianus!" This speech
+aroused grief in one and joy in the other.
+
+Thus the man who had possessed the greatest influence of all my
+contemporaries, so that everybody both feared and trembled before him more
+than before the very emperors, [Footnote: Reading [Greek: autokratoron]
+(emendation of H. Stephanus).] the man who had hung poised upon greater
+hopes than they, was slain by his son-in-law and thrown from the top of
+the palace into some street. Later, at the order of Severus, he was taken
+up and buried.
+
+[Sidenote:--5--] Severus next called a meeting of the senate in the
+senate-house. He uttered no accusation against Plautianus, but himself
+deplored the weakness of human nature, which was not able to endure
+excessive honors, and blamed himself that he had so honored and loved the
+man. Those, however, who had informed him of the victim's plot he bade
+tell us everything; but first he expelled from the senate-chamber some
+whose presence was not necessary, and by revealing nothing to them
+intimated that he did not altogether trust them.
+
+Many were brought into danger by the Plautianus episode and some actually
+lost their lives. But Coeranus was accustomed to declare (what most people
+are given to pretending with reference to the fortunate) that he was his
+associate. As often as these friends of the prefect were wont to be called
+in before the others desiring to greet the great man, it was his custom to
+accompany them as far as the bars. So he did not share his secrets, but
+remained in the space midway, giving Plautianus the impression that he was
+outside and those outside the idea that he was within. This caused him to
+be the object of greater suspicion,--a feeling which was strengthened by
+the fact that Plautianus once in a dream saw fishes issue from the Tiber
+and fall at his feet, whereupon he declared that Coeranus should rule the
+land and water. This man, after being confined to an island for seven
+years, was later recalled, was the first Egyptian to be enrolled in the
+senate, and became consul, like Pompey, without holding any previous
+office. Caecilius Agricola, however, numbered among the deceased's
+foremost flatterers and second to no man on earth in rascality and
+licentiousness, was sentenced to death. He went home, and after drinking
+his fill of chilled wine, shattered the cup which had cost him five
+myriads, and cutting his veins fell dead upon the fragments.
+[Sidenote:--6--] As for Saturninus and Euodus, they were honored at the
+time but were later executed by Antoninus. While we were engaged in voting
+eulogies to Euodus, Severus restrained us by saying: "It is disgraceful
+that in one of your decrees there should be inscribed such a statement
+respecting a man that is a Caesarian." It was not the only instance of
+such an attitude, but he also refused to allow all the other imperial
+freedmen either to be insolent or to swagger; for this he was commended.
+The senate once, while chanting his praises, uttered without reserve no
+less a sentiment than this: "All do all things well since you rule well!"
+
+Plautilla and Plautius, the children of Plautianus, were temporarily
+allowed to live, being banished to Lipara; but in the reign of Antoninus
+they were destroyed, though they had been existing in great fear and
+wretchedness and though their life was not even blessed by a goodly store
+of necessities.
+
+[Sidenote:--7--] The sons of Severus, Antoninus and Greta, felt as if they
+had got rid of a pedagogue in Plautianus, and their conduct was from this
+time on irresponsible. They outraged women and abused boys, they embezzled
+moneys and made friends of the gladiators and charioteers, emulating each
+other in the similarity of their deeds and full of strife in their
+respective rivalries. If one attached himself to any cause, the other
+would be sure to choose the opposite side. Finally, they were pitted
+against each other in some kind of exercise with teams of ponies and drove
+with such fierce opposition that Antoninus fell out of the two-wheeled car
+and broke his leg. [During his son's sickness that followed this accident
+Severus neglected not one of his duties, but held court and managed all
+affairs pertaining to his office. For this he was praised. But he was
+blamed for murdering Plautianus Quintillus. [Footnote: This person's name
+is properly _M. Plautius Quintillus_.] He executed also many of the
+senators, some of whom had been accused before him, and made their defence
+and had been convicted. But Quintillus,] a man of noblest birth, for a
+long term of years counted among the foremost members of the senate,
+standing at the gates of old age, one who lived in the country, interfered
+in no one's business and did naught amiss, nevertheless became the prey of
+sycophants and was put out of the way. As he was near death he called for
+his funeral garments, which he had long since kept in readiness. On seeing
+that they had fallen to pieces through lapse of time, he said: "Why did we
+delay this!" And as he perfumed the place with burning incense, he
+remarked: "I offer the same prayer as Servianus offered over Hadrian."
+[Footnote: Compare Book Sixty-nine, chapter 17.]--Besides his death there
+were also gladiatorial contests, in which among other features ten tigers
+were slaughtered at once.
+
+[Sidenote:--8--] After this came the _denouement_ of the Apronianus
+affair,--a startling story even in the hearing. He incurred censure
+because his nurse is said to have seen once in a vision that he should
+enjoy sovereignty, and because he was believed to employ some magic to
+this end. He was condemned while absent in his governorship of Asia. When
+the evidence taken in his case was read to us, there was found written
+there this statement,--that one person in charge of the investigation had
+enquired who had told the dream and who had heard it, and that the man
+interrogated had said among other things: "I saw a certain baldheaded
+senator taking a peep there." On hearing this we all became
+terror-stricken, for neither had the man spoken nor Severus written any
+one's name. In their state of panic even those who had never visited the
+house of Apronianus, and not only the baldheaded but those whose foreheads
+were indifferently bare grew afraid. No one felt easy save those who had
+unusually thick hair. We all looked around at such men, and a whisper ran
+about: "It's so-and-so. No, it's so-and-so." I will not conceal how I was
+then affected, however absurd it may be. I felt with my hand to see
+whether I had any hair on my head; and a number of others behaved in the
+very same way. We were very careful to direct our gaze upon baldish
+persons as if we could thereby divert our own danger upon them. This we
+did until it was further read that the particular baldhead in question
+wore a purple toga. When this statement came out, we turned our eyes upon
+Baebius Marcellinus. He had been aedile at the time and was extremely
+bald. So he stood up and coming forward said: "He will certainly be able
+to point me out, if he has seen me." We commended this speech, the
+informer was brought in while the senator stood by, and for a long time
+was silent, looking about for the man to point out. Finally, following the
+direction of an almost imperceptible nod that somebody gave, he said that
+this was he.
+
+[Sidenote:--9--] Thus was Marcellinus convicted of a baldhead's peeping,
+[Footnote: The phrase [Greek: phalakrou parakupseos] has a humorous ring
+to it, and I am inclined to believe, especially considering the situation,
+that Dio had in his mind while writing this the familiar proverb [Greek:
+honou parakupseos], a famous response given by a careless ass-driver,
+whose animal being several rods in advance of its lagging master had stuck
+its head into an open doorway and thereby scattered the nucleus of a
+promising aviary. The fellow was haled to court to answer to a charge of
+contributory negligence and when some bystander asked him for what misdeed
+he had been brought to that place, he rejoined with a great air of injured
+innocence: "For an ass's peeping!"] and bewailing his fate he was
+conducted out of the senate-house. When he had passed through the Forum,
+he refused to advance farther, but right where he was took leave of his
+children, four in number, and uttered this most affecting speech: "There
+is only one thing that I am sorry for, children; it is that I must leave
+you behind alive." Then he had his head cut off before Severus learned
+even that he had been condemned.
+
+Just vengeance, however, befell Pollenius Sebennus, who had preferred the
+charge that caused his death. He was delivered by Sabinus to the Norici,
+for whom he had shown scant consideration during his governorship of them,
+and went through a most disgraceful experience. We saw him stretched on
+the ground, pleading piteously, and had he not obtained mercy, thanks to
+his uncle Auspex, [Footnote: _A. Pollenius Auspex_.] he would have
+perished pitiably. This Auspex was the cleverest imaginable man for jokes
+and chit-chat, for despising all mankind, gratifying his friends, and
+making reprisals upon his enemy. Many bitter and witty epigrams of his
+spoken to various people are reported, and many to Severus himself. Here
+is one of the latter. When the emperor was enrolled in the family of
+Marcus, Auspex said: "I congratulate you, Caesar, upon having found a
+father." This implied that up to this time his obscure origin had made him
+as good as fatherless.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 206-7(?)] [Sidenote:--10--] It was at this period that one
+Bulla, an Italian, established a robber band of about six hundred men and
+for two years continued to plunder Italy under the very noses of the
+emperors and of so great bodies of soldiers. Pursuit was instituted by
+numerous persons, and Severus emulously followed his trail, but the fellow
+was never really seen when seen, never found when found, never apprehended
+when caught. This was due to his great bribes and his cleverness. He got
+wind of everybody that was setting out from Rome and everybody that was
+putting into port at Brundusium, learning who and how many they were, and
+what and how much they had with them. His general method was to take a
+part of what they had and then let them go at once. Artisans, however, he
+detained for a time and after making use of their skill dismissed them
+with something extra as a present. Once two of his robbers had been
+captured and were to be given to beasts, whereupon the chief paid a visit
+to the keeper of the prison, pretending that he was the governor of his
+native place (?) and needed some such men, and in this way he secured and
+saved them. Again, he approached the centurion who was charged with
+abolishing brigandage and in disguise accused his own self; he further
+promised, if the centurion would accompany him, to deliver the robber to
+him. So, pretending that he was leading him to Felix (this was another
+name of the chief), he brought him to a hill-encompassed spot, suitable
+for ambuscade, and easily seized him. Later he assumed the garb of a
+magistrate, ascended the tribunal, and having called the centurion caused
+his head to be shaved, and said: "Take this message to your masters: 'Feed
+your slaves, if you want to make an end of brigandage.'" Bulla had,
+indeed, a very great number of Caesarians, some who had been poorly paid
+and some who had gone absolutely without pay.
+
+Severus, informed of these events one at a time, was moved to anger to
+think that while having other men win victory in warfare in Britain, he
+himself in Italy had proved no match for a robber. At last he despatched a
+tribune from his body-guard with many horsemen and threatened him with
+terrible punishments if he should not bring the culprit alive. Then this
+commander ascertained that the chief was maintaining relations of intimacy
+with the wife of another, and through the agency of her husband persuaded
+her on promise of immunity to cooperate with them. As a result the elusive
+leader was arrested while asleep in a cave. Papinianus the prefect asked
+him: "For what reason did you become a robber?" The other rejoined: "For
+what reason are you a prefect?" And thereafter by solemn proclamation he
+was given to beasts. His robber band broke up, for the entire strength of
+the six hundred lay in him.
+
+[Sidenote: A.D. 208 (a.u. 961)] [Sidenote:--11--] Severus, seeing that his
+children were departing from their accustomed modes of life and that his
+legions were becoming enervated by idleness, set out on a campaign against
+Britain, though he knew that he should not return. He knew this chiefly
+from the stars under which he had been born, for he had them painted upon
+the ceilings of the two halls in the palace where he was wont to hold
+court. Thus they were visible to all, save the portion which
+"regarded-the-hour" when he first saw the light (i.e., his horo-scope).
+This he had not engraved in the same way in both the rooms.--He knew it
+also by the report of the seers. And a thunderbolt struck a statue of his
+standing near the gates through which he intended to march out and looking
+off along the road leading to his destination, and it had erased three
+letters from his name. For this reason, [Footnote: The significance of
+this happening is explained as follows. Taking the Greek form of Severus,
+namely [Greek: SEBAEROS] and erasing the first three letters you have left
+[Greek: AEROS]= [Greek: AEROS]=heros, "hero." When a thunderbolt
+substitutes the word "hero" for the emperor's name, the supposition
+naturally arises that the ruler will soon be numbered among the heroes,
+that is, that he will cease to exist as a mortal man.] as the seers
+indicated, he did not come back again but departed from life two years
+after this. He took with him very great sums of money.
+
+[Sidenote:--12--] There are two principal races of the Britons,--the
+Caledonians and the Maeatians. The titles of the rest have all been
+reduced to these two. The Maeatians live near the cross wall which cuts
+the island in two, and the Caledonians are behind them. Both inhabit wild
+and waterless mountains, desolate and swampy plains, holding no walls, nor
+cities, nor tilled fields, but living by pasturage and hunting and a few
+fruit trees. The fish, which are inexhaustible and past computing for
+multitude, they do not taste. They dwell coatless and shoeless in tents,
+possess their women in common, and rear all the offspring as a community.
+Their form of government is mostly democratic and they are very fond of
+plundering.
+
+Consequently they choose their boldest spirits as leaders. They go into
+battle on chariots with small, swift horses. There are also infantry, very
+quick at running and very firm in standing their ground. Their weapons are
+shield and short spear, with a bronze apple attached to the end of the
+ground-spike, so that when the instrument is shaken it may clash and
+inspire the enemy with terror. They also have daggers. They can endure
+hunger and cold and any kind of wretchedness. They plunge into the swamps
+and exist there for many days with only their heads above water, and in
+the forests they support themselves upon bark and roots and in all
+[Footnote: The reading is a little doubtful. Possibly "in such cases" (
+[Greek: para tauta]). (Boissevain).] cases they have ready a kind of food
+of which a piece the size of a bean when eaten prevents them from being
+either hungry or thirsty. Of such a nature is the island of Britain, and
+such are the inhabitants that the enemy's country has. For it is an
+island, and the fact (as I have stated) [Footnote: Compare Book
+Thirty-nine, chapter 50, which, in turn, refers to Book Sixty-six, chapter
+20.] was clearly proved at this time. The length of it is seven thousand
+one hundred and thirty-two stades. Its greatest breadth is two thousand
+three hundred and ten, and its least is three hundred. [Sidenote:--13--]
+Of all this we hold a little less than a half. So Severus, desiring to
+subjugate the whole of it, invaded Caledonia. While traversing the
+territory he had untold trouble in cutting down the forests, reducing the
+levels of heights, filling up the swamps, and bridging the rivers. He
+fought no battle and beheld no adversary in battle array. The enemy
+purposely put sheep and cattle in front of them for the soldiers to seize,
+in order that the latter might be deceived for a longer time and wear
+themselves out. The Romans received great damage from the streams and were
+made objects of attack when they were scattered. Afterward, being unable
+to walk, they were slain by their own friends to avoid capture, so that
+nearly as many as fifty thousand died.
+
+But the emperor did not desist till he had approached the extremity of the
+island. Here he observed very accurately to how slight a degree the sun
+declined below the horizon [Footnote: Compare Tacitus, _Agricola_,
+chapter 12 (two sentences, Dierum [Lacuna] affirmant).] and the length of
+days and nights both summer and winter. Thus having been conveyed through
+practically the whole of the hostile region,--for he was really conveyed
+in a covered chair most of the way on account of his weakness,--he
+returned to [Sidenote: A.D. 210 (a.u. 963)] friendly territory, first
+forcing the Britons to come to terms on condition that he should abandon a
+good part of their territory.
+
+[Sidenote:--14--] Antoninus also disturbed him and involved him in vain
+worry by his intemperate life, by his evident intention to murder his
+brother if the chance should present itself, and finally by plotting
+against his own father. Once he leaped suddenly out of his quarters,
+shouting and bawling and feigning to have been wronged by Castor. This man
+was the best of the Caesarians attending upon Severus, had been trusted
+with his opinions, and had been assigned the duties of chamberlain.
+Certain soldiers with whom previous arrangements had been made hereupon
+gathered and joined the outcry; but they were checked in short order, as
+Severus himself appeared on the scene and punished the more unruly among
+them.
+
+On another occasion both were riding to meet the Caledonians for the
+purpose of receiving them and holding a conference about a truce, and
+Antoninus undertook to kill his father outright with his own hand. They
+were going along on their horses, for Severus, although his feet were
+rather shrunken [Footnote: Reading [Greek: hypotetaekos] (suggestion of
+Boissevain, who does not regard Naber's emendation, Mnemosyne, XVI, p.
+113, as feasible).] by an ailment, nevertheless was on horseback himself
+and the rest of the army was following: the enemy's force, too, was
+likewise a spectator. At this juncture, in the midst of the silence and
+order, Antoninus reined up his horse and drew his sword, apparently
+intending to strike his father in the back. Seeing this, the other
+horsemen in the detachment raised a cry of alarm, which scared the son, so
+that he did nothing further. Severus turned at their shout and saw the
+sword; however, he uttered not a syllable but ascended the tribunal,
+finished what he had to do, and returned to the general's tent. Then he
+called his son and Papinianus and Castor, ordered a sword to be placed
+within easy reach, and upbraided the youth for having dared to do such a
+thing at all and especially for having been on the point of committing so
+great a crime in the presence of all the allies and the enemy. Finally he
+said: "Now if you desire to slay me and have done, put an end to me here.
+You are strong: I am an old man and prostrate. If you have no objection to
+this, but shrink from becoming my actual murderer, there stands by your
+side Papinianus the prefect, whom you may order to put me out of the way.
+He will certainly do anything that you command, since you are emperor."
+Though he spoke in this fashion, he still did the plotter no harm, in
+spite of the fact that he had often blamed Marcus for not ending the life
+of Commodus and that he had himself often threatened his son with this
+treatment. Such words, however, were invariably spoken in a fit of anger:
+on this occasion he allowed his love of offspring to get the better of his
+love of country; yet in doing so he simply betrayed his other child, for
+he well knew what would happen.
+
+[Sidenote:--15--] Upon another revolt of the inhabitants of the island he
+summoned the soldiers and bade them invade the rebels' country, killing
+whomsoever they should encounter. He added these verses:
+
+  "Let none escape utter destruction At our hands. Yea, whatso is found in
+  the womb of the mother, Child unborn though it be, let it not escape
+  utter destruction!" [Footnote: Homer's Iliad, VI, verse 57, with a
+  slight change at the end.]
+
+When this had been done and the Caledonians as well as the Maeatians
+revolted, he proceeded with preparations to make war upon them in person.
+While he was thus engaged his sickness carried him off on the fourth of
+February. [Sidenote: A.D. 211 (a.u. 964)] Antoninus, it is said,
+contributed something to the result. Before he closed his eyes he is
+reputed to have spoken these words to his children (I shall use the exact
+phraseology without embellishment): "Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers,
+scorn everybody else." After this his body arrayed in military garb was
+placed upon a pyre, and as a mark of honor the soldiers and his children
+ran about it. Those present who had any military gifts threw them upon it
+and the sons applied the fire. Later his bones were put in a jar of purple
+stone, conveyed to Rome, and deposited in the tomb of the Antonines. It is
+said that Severus sent for the jar a little before his death and after
+feeling it over remarked: "Thou shalt hold a man that the world could not
+hold."
+
+[Sidenote:--16--] He was slow-moulded but strong, though he eventually
+grew very weak from gout: mentally he was very keen and very firm. He
+wished for more education than he got and for this reason he was sagacious
+rather than a good talker. Toward friends not forgetful, to enemies most
+oppressive, he was capable of everything that he desired to accomplish but
+careless of everything said about him. Hence he gathered money from every
+source (save that he killed no one to get it) [and met all necessary
+expenditures quite ungrudgingly. He restored very many of the ancient
+buildings and inscribed upon them his own name to signify that he had
+repaired them so as to be new structures, and from his private funds. Also
+he spent a great deal uselessly upon renovating and repairing other
+places], erecting, for instance, to Bacchus and Hercules a temple of huge
+size. Yet, though his expenses were enormous, he left behind not merely a
+few myriad denarii, easily reckoned, but a great many. Again, he rebuked
+such persons as were not chaste, even going to the extent of enacting
+certain laws in regard to adultery, with the result that there were any
+number of prosecutions for that offence. When consul I once found three
+thousand entered on the docket. But inasmuch as very few persons appeared
+to conduct their cases, he too ceased to trouble his head about it.
+Apropos of this, a quite witty remark is reported of the wife of
+Argentocoxus, a Caledonian, to Julia Augusta, when the latter after the
+treaty was joking her about the free intercourse of her sex in Britain
+with men. Thereupon the foreigner asserted: "We fulfill the necessities of
+nature in a much better way than you Roman women. We have dealings openly
+with the best men, whereas you let yourselves be debauched in secret by
+the vilest." This is what the British woman said.
+
+[Sidenote:--17--] The following is the style of life that Severus led in
+time of peace. He was sure to be doing something before dawn, while it was
+still night, and after this he would go to walk, telling and hearing of
+the interests of the empire. Then he held court, and separately (unless
+there were some great festival); and indeed, he did this very well. Those
+on trial were allowed plenty of water [Footnote: The water-clock again.
+Compare Book Seventy-one, chapter 6.] and he granted us, his coadjutors,
+full liberty to speak.--He continued to preside till noonday. After that
+he went riding as much as he could. Next he took some kind of exercise and
+a bath. He then consumed a not meagre lunch, either by himself or with his
+children. Next, as a rule, he enjoyed a nap. Later he rose, attended to
+his remaining duties of administration, and while walking about occupied
+himself with discussions of both Greek and Latin lore. Then, toward
+evening, he would bathe again and dine with his attendants. Very seldom
+did he have any outsider to dinner and only on days when it was quite
+unavoidable did he arrange expensive banquets.--He lived sixty-five years,
+nine months, and twenty-five days, for he was born on the eleventh of
+April. Of this he had ruled seventeen years, eight months and three days.
+In fine, he showed himself so active that even expiring he gasped: "Come,
+give it to us, if we have anything to do!"
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dio's Rome, Volume V., Books 61-76
+(A.D. 54-211), by Cassius Dio
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