IV. 155 the only one which delighted his ear. It was CHA P. infcribed on his coloffal ftatues, and repeated in the redoubled acclamations 40 of the mournful and applauding fenate". Claudius Pompeianus, the virtuous husband of Lucilla, was the only fenator who afferted the honour of his rank. As a father, he permitted his fons to confult their fafety by attending the amphitheatre. As a Roman, he declared, that his own life was in the Emperor's hands, but that he would never behold the fon of Marcus proftituting his perfon and dignity. Notwithstanding his manly refolution, Pompeianus escaped the refentment of the tyrant, and, with his honour, had the good fortune to preferve his life*. Commodus had now attained the fummit of vice and infamy. Amidst the acclamations of a flattering court, he was unable to difguife, from himself, that he had deferved the contempt and hatred of every man of sense and virtue in his empire. His ferocious fpirit was irritated by the concioufnefs of that hatred, by the envy of every kind of merit, by the juft apprehenfion of danger, and by the habit of flaughter which he contracted in his daily amusements. Hiftory 40 They were obliged to repeat fix hundred and twenty-fix times, Paulus firft of the Secutors, &c. 41 Dion, 1. lxxii. p1221. He fpeaks of his own bafenefs and danger. 42 He mixed however fome prudence with his courage, and paffed the greatest part of his time in a country retirement; alleging his advanced age, and the weakness of his eyes. "I never faw him in "the fenate," fays Dion, "except during the fhort reign of Perti"nax." All his infirmties had fuddenly left him, and they returned as fuddenly upon the murder of that excellent prince. Dion, 1. lxxiii. p. 1227. has CHA P. has preferved a long lift of confular fenators faIV. crificed to his wanton fufpicion, which fought Confpiracy out, with peculiar anxiety, thofe unfortunate of his do- perfons, connected, however remotely, with the meftics. family of the Antonines, without fparing even the minifters of his crimes or pleasures 43. His cruelty proved at last fatal to himfelf. He had shed with impunity the nobleft blood of Rome: he perished as foon as he was dreaded by his own domeftics. Marcia his favourite concubine, Eclectus his chamberlain, and Lætus his Prætorian præfect, alarmed by the fate of their companions and predeceffors, refolved to prevent the deftruction which every hour hung over their heads, either from the mad caprice of the tyrant, or the fuden indignation of the people. Marcia feized the occafion of prefenting a draught of wine to her lover, after he had fatigued himself with hunting fome wild beasts. Death of Commodus retired to fleep; but whilst he was Commo- labouring with the effects of poifon and drunkA.D. 192. enefs, a robuft youth, by profeffion a wrestler, entered his chamber, and ftrangled him without refiftance. The body was fecretly conveyed out of the palace, before the least fufpicion was entertained in the city, or even in the court, of the Emperor's death. Such was the fate of the fon of Marcus, and fo eafy was it to deftroy a hated tyrant, who, by the artificial powers of government, had oppreffed, during thirteen years, fo many millions of fubjects, each of dus, 31ft December. 43 The præfects were changed almost hourly or daily; and the caprice of Commodus was often fatal to his moft favourite chamber. lains. Hift. August, p. 46. 51. whom whom was equal to their mafter in perfonal CHA P. ftrength and perfonal abilities 44. IV. Pertinax The measures of the confpirators were con- Choice of ducted with the deliberate coolness and celerity for Empewhich the greatnefs of the occafion required. ror. They refolved inftantly to fill the vacant throne with an emperor whofe character would juftify. and maintain the action that had been committed. They fixed on Pertinax, præfect of the city, an ancient fenator of confular rank, whofe confpicuous merit had broke through the obfcurity of his birth, and raised him to the first honours of the ftate. He had fucceffively governed most of the provinces of the empire; and in all his great employments, military as well as civil, he had uniformly distinguished himself by the firmnefs, the prudence, and the integrity of his conduct. He now remained almost alone of the friends and minifters of Marcus ; 44 Dion, 1. lxxii. p. 1222. Herodian, l. i. p. 43. Hift. Auguft. p. 52. 45 Pertinax was a native of Alba Pompeia in Piedmont, and fon 14. He was confular legate of Mæfia. 15. Of Dacia. 16. Of Sy- ria. CHA P. Marcus; and when, at a late hour of the night, IV. He is acknowledged by the he was awakened with the news that the chamberlain and the præfect were at his door, he received them with intrepid refignation, and defired they would execute their master's orders. Inftead of death, they offered him the throne of the Roman world. During fome moments he diftrufted their intentions and affurances. Convinced at length of the death of Commodus, he accepted the purple with a fincere reluctance, the natural effect of his knowledge both of the duties and of the dangers of the fupreme rank". Lætus conducted without delay his new Emperor to the camp of the Prætorians, diffufing Prætorian at the fame time through the city a feasonable report that Commodus died fuddenly of an apoplexy; and that the viruous Pertinax had already fucceeded to the throne. The guards were rather surprised than pleased with the suspicious death of a prince, whose indulgence and liberality they alone had experienced; but the emergency of the occafion, the authority of their præfect, the reputation of Pertinax, and the clamours of the people, obliged them to ftifle their fecret discontents, to accept the donative promifed of the new Emperor, to fwear allegiance to him, and with joyful acclamations and laurels in their hands to conduct him to the fe guards; city. Herodian (1. i. p. 48.) does juftice to his difinterested spirit; but Capitolinus, who collected every popular rumour, charges him with a great fortune acquired by bribery and corruption. 46 Julian, in the Cæfars, taxes him with being acceffary to the death of Commodus. 10 nate IV. nate-house, that the military confent might be CHA P. ratified by the civil authority. A. D. 193. This important night was now far spent; with and by the the dawn of day, and the commencement of the fenate, new year, the fenators expected a fummons to ft Januattend an ignominious ceremony. In fpite of ary. all remonftrances, even of thofe of his creatures, who yet preferved any regard for prudence or decency, Commodus had refolved to pafs the night in the gladiator's fchool, and from thence to take poffeffion of the confulthip, in the habit and with the attendance of that infamous crew. On a fudden, before the break of day, the fenate was called together in the temple of Concord, to meet the guards, and to ratify the election of a new Emperor. For a few minutes they fat in filent fufpenfe, doubtful of their unexpected deliverance, and fufpicious of the cruel artifices of Commodus; but when at length they were affured that the tyrant was no more, they refigned themselves to all the transports of joy and indignation. Pertinax, who modeftly reprefented the meannefs of his extraction, and pointed out feveral noble fenators more deferving than himself of the empire, was constrained by their dutiful violence to afcend the throne, and received all the titles of Imperial power, confirmed by the moft fincere vows of fidelity. The memory of Commodus was branded with The me eternal infamy. The names of tyrant, of gla- mory of diator, of public enemy, refounded in every dus decorner of the houfe. They decreed in tumul- clared intuous votes, that his honours fhould be reverfed, famous. |