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.
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
[
]
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!"
FOOTNOTES