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.]
A.D. 184 (a.u. 937)
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.
A.D. 185 (a.u. 938)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
[
]
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.
[
]
But the death of these
unfortunates was not regarded as of any importance.
A.D. 190 (a.u. 943)
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.
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.]
A.D. 192 (a.u. 945)
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
[
]
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.
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.
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
[
]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
(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).
A.D. 193 (a.u. 946)
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
[
]
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
[
]
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.
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.
[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.]
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
[
]
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.
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.