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).