Select Observations of Roman Emperors, Life 18
Lucius Aelius Aurel. Commdous.
HIS name agreed not with his disposition, he being called Commodus, who (was according to*l. 7. c. 16. Semper incommodus saith Vopisous in vita Taciti Imperatoris. c. 6. Paulus Orosius) cunctis incommodus.
Dion writeth yet, that he was not naturally malicious, but as innocent as any; only his too great simplicity and timorousness inslaved him to them he conversed with: through whose seduction he became debauched and cruel.
Concerning his birth there passeth this story or fiction; His mother Annia Valeria Faustina (daughter of Antoninus Pius, and wife of Antoninus Philosophus) when she saw certain Gladiators or sword-players going to fight, was monstrously inflamed with the love of one of them: upon whom she doted so extreamly, that her affection was almost grown to phrensy, languishing wherewith, she confessed her love-madness to her husband.See Iuvenal of Hippia Sat. 6. from verse 82. to the 114. He perceiving her distemper to increase, consulted with the Chaldeans or Sooth-sayers, what was best to be done in so desperate a case, for the saving of his wife's life, and the quenching of her unchast desires. They after long consideration determined, that there was left for her but one only remedy, as strange as the disease; viz. to cause the said Gladiator to be murdered secretly that she might not know of it, and that the next night her husband intended to lye with her, a cup full of his luke-warm blood changed into the likeness of water should be given her to drink, ut sese *Nescio quis primus sublavaret hoc loco reposuit pro eo quod vetus editio & scripti codices habebant, sublevaret. Quam veram esse scripturam quovis pignore contendere sum paratus. Non dicit autem quomodo sublevaret se Faustina sanguine illius gladiatoris occisi. Quod de industria tacuit hic auctor, & modestis verbis mollivit horrendum medicationis genus. Non dubium certè est. pro remedio sanguinem illum ebibisse Faustinam, atque ita se sublevasse. Nam sublevare, subvenire, succurrere, juvare, verba sunt medelarum & medicamentorum propria apud illos qui de experimentis scripserunt. Salmasius in Historiam Augustam. p. 91. Sunt qui scribant, gladiatoris hujus quem Faustina deperibat, sanguinem, in aquae speciem mutatum, illi infaustae fuisse propinatum; cui reifingendae videtur vox ista sublevaret ansam praebuisse. Hoc tamen commentum secutus est ille suaviludius qui inscriptionem eam composuit quae a Faustina posita fingitur, amore isto liberata. Casaubonus in hunc Capitolini locum. Palatinus adhaeret vulgatis, sublevaret, quod tamen minus quadrat, saith Gruter on the place.sublevaret: which was performed accordingly, and she cured of her disease, but with this bad successe; for that night, as it is said, she was delivered of Commodus, who in qualities resembled that Gladiator upon this occasion, as some reported: which they ascribed to the power of her imagination, but others esteemed him a Bastard. Capitolinus in Marco Antonino. c. 17.
The conjecture that Commodus was born in adultery, is confirmed by the *Extant tamen nummi multi in ejus honorem cusi, cum hac i…scriptione, PUDICITIA. Casaubonus in Hist. Aug.behavior of Faustina his mother at Cajeta, where she was wont want only to gaze on naked gladiators and mariners. Capitolinus ibid. Aurelius Victor.
When his mother was with child with him and his twin-brother Antoninus (who dyed when 4 months old) she dreamed that she brought forth two Serpents, one whereof, viz. Commodus, as the event proved, exceeded in fierceness. Lampridius in Commodo. c. 1.
Tiberius presaged of Caligula, that he would prove a very poysonous Serpent to the people of Rome, and a Phaethon to the whole earth; and so he did, shewing himself not only an enemy to vertue, but also to all that savoured of it. Suetonius in Caligula. c. 11.
Commodus was more noble by descent than any of the former Emperors, and the most*Fuit revera Commodus forma corporis justa, ut Lampridius; sed ingenio moribusque planè distortissimis. Gatakerus in Antoninum. p. 45.beautiful person of his time. Herodianus. l. 1. c. ult.
He hath a place in Adrianus Barlandus his book among the Litterati urbis Romae Principes.
Iulius Pollux dedicateth his Onomasticon to him.
Valesius in Excerpta Peiresci thinks Solinus, Author of the Polyhistor, to be his contemporary, and that he was the Iulius Solon who being made Senator with other bankrupts, was said by way of reproach to he banisht into the Senate.
He was so excellent a marks-man, that he would hit with an arrow or dart whatsoever he *foreign.aimed at, exceeding the most expert Parthian Archers, and Numidian Darters which he had about him. Herodianus l. 1. c. 15. editionis Boeclerianae.
He darted at wild beasts so dexterously, that he never threw the second time, nor gave them any wound but was mortal. Id. ibid.Nulli certior fuit manus & majore dexteritate praedita: nisi quam his in rebus nactus erat felicitatem, studiis foedissimis contaminasset.
—A nulla mors est incerta sagitta.
Lucanus de Parthis. lib. 8.
His skill is the more remarkable, he being left handed, as Dio writeth; who saith, he boasted thereof.
Once he shot forked arrows at Moresco Estriches, which were wonderful swift of foot, using their wings as sails in running. These he did hit so full in the neck, that though their heads were struck off with the furiousness of the blow, yet they ran awhile headless,Gladiator & luctator eximius, Iaculator certissimus. as if they had not been hurt. Herodianus ubi supra.Herodianus fine lib. 1. interprete Stephano.
[Fromondus writeth of an Eagle, whose head being chopt off by an angry Clown,Dietericus in Breviario historico. for quarreling with his dog, the Body flew over the barn near the place of this rude execution. This was done at Fromond his Fathers house; nor is the story improbable, if we consider what ordinarily happens in Pigeons and Ducks, when their heads are cut off. He mentions also a Malefactor beheaded at Antwerp, whose head, when it had given some few jumps into the crowd, and a Dog fell a licking the blood, caught the Dogs ear in its teeth, and held it so fast, that he being frighted ran away with the mans head hanging at his ear, to the great astonishment and confusion of the people. This was told Fromondus by an ey-witnesse of the fact. Dr. More of the Immortality of the Soul. lib. 3. c. 14.]
Another time a Panther having fastned upon a man, (who was brought into the lists) so that all thought she would instantly tear him in pieces; Commodus darted at her so happily, that he killed the beast & saved the man, preventing the ‖foreign. Herodianus, l. 1. c. 15.impression of her teeth with the point of his dart.
[Alcon seeing his son Phalerus (one of the Argonauts) sleeping on the grasse, and a Serpent creeping on his breast, slew the Serpent, and saved his son.
— Non sic libravit in hostem
Spicula, qui nato Serpentis corpore cincto
Plus timuit dum succurrit; dum jactibus iisdem
Interitum vitamque daret; stabilemque teneret
Corde tremente manum; totamque exiret in artem
Spe propiore metus; dans inter membra duorum
Vnius mortem. —
Sidonius Apollinaris in paneg. Majoriani, videsis Servium in sextam Virgilii Eclogam.]
Commodus slew also 100 Lions with so many darts;Dio saith Bears. their bodies falling in such order, that they might easily be numbred (not one dart miscarrying.) Herodianus ubi supra.
[Celeberrimum illud est, Commodum Caesarem in solicitudinibus & aestuationibus theatricorum certaminum, quando ex superiore loco ursos jaculis impetebat: quod refert Dion, ingens poculum dulcis vini solitum haurire foreign. In quo a spectantibus id in conviviis frequens, succlamatum fuerit, foreign, id est Vivas: sed amphibolice pronunciatum Grammatici contendunt, perinde ac dicatur; Compleas vivendi modum, id est, Morere. Rhodiginus Antiqu. Lectionum. l. 7. c. 26.]
He used to retain with him the children of them whom he sent to be Lieutenants of Provinces, as pledges of their Allegiance and fidelity. Herodianus l. 3. c. 2.
Commodus *Imperii paterni, non & instituti haeres. Gatakerus in Ant. p. 4.resembled his Father in nothing, but that he also in person fought fortunately against the Germans. Eutropius l. 8.
He exceeded in lust, covetousness, and cruelty; was faithful to none: and most fierce against those whom he had before advanced to the greatest honours, and enriched with most vast rewards. Sextus Aurelius Victor in his Epitome.
He and Heliogabalus conferred all the dignities of the Empire upon men for lust and licentiousness most like unto themselves.Patris virtutes spurcissimis vitiis expunxit, adeo difficilius est, filium probum gignere, quam eligere; felicibus ab usque Trajano adoptionibus, infelicissima in Marco sobole. Bussieres in Flosculis Hist. Walsinghams Manual.
Commodus was so monstrously debauched, that very often he encountred the Gladiators at their own weapons in the Amphitheatre. Victor's Epitome.
Gladiatoribus convixit, & gladiatorem se perfectum exhibuit: secutoribus cumprimis tam impense favens, ut (Dione auctore) eorum armatura uteretur. Gatakerus in Antoninum foreign p. 4.
He was the first Emperor that had been hitherto born in the time of his Fathers Empire. Dr. Heylin's Geography.
He was the first Roman Emperor who through covetousness sold offices for money; Vespasian had done it before him, but through necessity, finding the common-wealth in debt, and the treasure exhausted. Mariana and Turquet's History of Spain translated by Grimston.
He killed some though innocent, instead of others who were guilty, and did let offenders escape for money. Lampridius in Commodo. cap. 14.
If any one had an enemy of whom he would be revenged, he needed but to bargain with Commodus for a sum of money to kill him. Id. Ibid.
He pretended that he would go into Africk, that he might raise money for that feigned journey, which when he had gathered, he spent in banqueting and gaming. Id. ib.
He was so careless in serious matters that he wrote nothing more than Vale in many of his letters; and so serious in things of light or ill concernment, that he caused to be registred how often he frequented the fence-school, with all his cruelties and impurities. Id. ibid. c. 13 compared with the 11. and 15.
He encountred the Gladiators 735 times, saith Lampridius in his life, cap. 11. and 12. the same Author writeth that 365 of those fights were in his Fathers reign. On which place Casaubon observeth, Est digna res maxima admiratione, hanc filii sui insaniam tantum virum inhibere non potuisse.
He employed not himself in any thing which *In his artifex, quae stationis imperatoriae non erant. Lampridius. cap. 1.became an Emperor; making glasses, dancing, singing, piping, playing the Buffoon and fencer: bathing seven or eight times in the day, eating in the Bath, drinking in the Theatre in womans habit; *Homo furiosus putabat magnum facere, cum suos convivas ab esu ciborum quibus ipse delectaretur hac spurcitie averteret. Casaubonus.mingling human excrements with the daintiest fare, tasting them himself, thinking so to mock others. Id. Ibid.
He kept 300 Concubines, and so many Boyes which he used as women; whereof Saoterus was chief: like *Commod. Imperator, qui natus est eo die quo Caligula; tanquam eundem haberet horoscopum, & ipse sorores constupravit, concubinas que suas sub oculis suis constuprari ab amicis jubebat. Beroald. in Suet. Caligulam habuit velut exemplar quod imitaretur. Id. Ibid.Caligula commanded women to be ravished in his sight, committed incest as he did with all his Sisters; and exceeded him (saith Tristan) in polluting the Temples with whoredom and human blood.
We read not of any Emperors which were more cruel, than those who were most fearful and effeminate; as Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Commodus. B. Reynolds of the Passions. p. 152.
His natural incontinence was incredibly enflamed with divers sorts of ointments (used by him to preserve himself from the Pestilence, whilst it reigned throughout Italy) which were of so hot and subtile a quality, that they excited in him the unquenchable flames of extraordinary lasciviousness. Theodorus Metochita.
What names this beastly Monster, rather than Emperor, gave to his attendants, I dare not mention, lest I should offend chast ears, and modest minds. Camden in his Remains.
He was so cruel, that when he was but twelve years old, because the bath in which he washed was a little too warm, he commanded that the heater of it should be cast into a hot furnace: but his Tutor Pitholaus who was put upon the employment, burned a wethers skin instead of the man; ut fidem poenae de faetore nidoris impleret. Lampridius in Commodo. c. 1.
Dio lib. 71. reporteth that the Physitians poysoned his Father to gratify him.
He put to death his Wife Crispina, his eldest sister *Lucilla soror Commodi, quae nupta fuerat Vero, post Veri mortem a Commodo commode tractata. Caeterum postquam Commodus uxorem duxit, coacta cedere imperatoris uxori, adeo id aegrè tulit, ut adversus fratrem occultam seditionem moverit. Ea cum malè cessisset, ingens Commodo in Senatum Romanum odium concitavit, ita ut inde Commodus nunquam bene commodarit urbi. Vnde Perennis occasionem nactus bona reorum piscandi, tantas congessit divitias, ut ad imperium occupandum aspirarit. Sed ut is oppressus, Cleander non minor tyrannus successit. Quo caeso, deinde caedes promiscuè durarunt, donec per concubinam Marciam ac alios conjuratos Commodus strangulatus est. Glareanus in Eutropium.Lucilla, and Annia Faustina his Fathers Cousin German, with 24 of the eminentest Personages of the Roman Empire.
Interfecit quamplurimos senatores, maximè quos animadvertit nobilitate industriaque excellere. P. Orosius l. 7. c. 16.
He commanded one to be cast to wild beasts, for reading the life of Caligula in Suetonius, because he had the same birthday with Caligula. August 31.Lampridius in Commod. c. 10.
Some for deferring to kill their Antagonists, he commanded to be tyed together with them, and so to fight all at once: which being done, they strove each against other, and killed divers of the Spectators, who were forced by the narrowness of the place, and multitude to press too near. Xiphilinus in Commodo.
His very jests were cruel; seeing one have white hairs among black ones, he set on his head a starling, which thinking it picked worms, made festers. Lampridius in Commodo. c. 10.
He cut a fat man off at the middle of the belly, that he might see his entrals drop out suddenly. Id. ibid. c. 10.
He called them *Monopodios vocando, quibus singulos pedes fregisset Commodus, per jocum adludebat ad gentis illius appellationem; quibus a natura finguli tantum pedes, atque inde foreign & foreign dicebantur: nec mihi dubium est eo respexisse per jocum, cum illis appellationibus luderet in rebus tristissimi exempli saevissimus imperator. Salmasius. Quos luscos fecisset jocose appellabat Commodus Luscinios. Luscinii autem sunt Lusciniae; nam Luscinius & Luscinia dicebatur. Id. ibid.Monopodii and Luscinii whom he deprived of a foot or eye. Id. ib.
He made the Priests of Isis beat their breasts with Pine-apples to the mischieving of themselves; charged Bellona her worshippers to cut off their arm in earnest: and stained the service of Mithras with real homicide. Lampridius in Commodo. c. 9.
He imitated Chirurgions in letting blood, and Barbers in trimming; under which pretence he cut off ears and noses: wherefore such was his jealousy of all men, that he was forced to be his own Barber.
Commodus once gathered together all the sick men and cripples in Rome, to whose knees tying somewhat like the feet of Dragons, (such as Poets feign the Giants have) he killed them with his club, having first given them spunges to throw at him instead of stones, with seeming opposition. Quia dicitur Hercules cum monstris & gigantibus pugnasse, & vicisse, voluit & novus hic Hercules Romanus gigantes occidere. Vix credi possit tantus furor, nisi narraret qui praesens vidit omnia Dio. Casaubonus.
Having killed an Ostrich and cut off his head, he came where the Senators sate in the Theatre, and holding out the birds head in one hand, and a bloody sword in the other, said nothing: only nodded his head with a smiling countenance, to shew he would do as much for them. Which moving laughter, had occasioned the slaughter of many; had not Dio perswaded those who sate near him, to champ bay leaves (which he took out of his Chaplet) as himself did, by the constant motion of his mouth, to conceal the indicium of laughter.
Under a shew of fencing he often slew his Antagonists, who encountred him only with foils. Aurelius Victor.
Histories not only affirm that he played the Gladiator, but his statue in that fashion stark naked, with his drawn sword in his hand, is yet extant at Rome in the Farnesian Palace. See Sandys Travels l. 4.
He imitated Neronis insania Commodi turpitudini per omnes flagitii gradus foreign est, ideoque hic a nobis producta, egregium sc. par: princeps histrio & gladiator. Boeclerus in Herodianum. p. 380.Nero in driving of Chariots, and if Laetus had not deterred him, he would have burned Rome, as Nero did.
So exceeding great was the madness of this vile monster, that he sent a letter to the Senate with this style: Imperator Caesar Lucius, Aelius, Aurelius, Commodus, Antoninus, Augustus, Pius, Foelix, Sarmaticus, Germanicus maximus, *Peireskius misit ad Cottonum ectypos variorum nummorum, ac nominatim Commodi, ob inusitatam scripturam vocis Britannia, per duplex T T, & simplex N. Gassendus de vita Peireskii. lib. 2.Britannicus, pacator orbis terrarum, Invictus, Romanus |Cum quo jaculandi arte feras que occidendi industria certabat. Ferunt enim multas summa dexteritate necare, & uno quidem ictu solitum. Album item, quodcunque poneretur collineando ferire consuevisse, & vulnera, plagasque lethales dijudicavisse. Ant. Augustinus Dial. V. Antiq.Hercules, Pontifex Maximus, Tribunitiae potestatis, XVIII. Imperator, VIII. Consul, VII. Pater Patriae, &c. Xiphilinus in Commodo.
The former Emperors at pleasure sometimes took some few names to themselves, sometimes bestowed them on others. In latter times, vertue decaying, ambition in titles encreased. Yet Iustinian accounted as a sober Emperor, hath his style notwithstanding not much shorter. Imp. Caesar Flavius Justinianus, Alemannicus, Gothicus, Francicus, Germanicus, Anticus, Alanicus, Vandalicus, Africanus, Pius, Foelix, Inclytus victor, ac Triumphator semper Augustus. Sr. H. Savil on Tacitus's History. p. 36.
He called Rome after his name, and all the months after his sur-names, viz.
January,
Amazonius.
February,
Invictus.
March,
Faelix.
April,
Pius.
May,
Lucius.
June,
Aelius.
July,
Aurelius.
August.
Commodus.
September,
Augustus.
October,
Herculeus.
November,
Romanus.
December,
Exuperatorius.
Which titles through madness he often altered, except that of Amazonius, taken up out of love to Marcia his Concubine, whose picture he wore upon the outside of his garment; and of Exuperatorius, because he would have been thought to excel all men: as appeareth by his being sacrificed to as a God. Lampridius in Commodo. c. 11. & 9.
When his Favorite Perennis was dead, he repealed many things that were done by him; but persisted not above 30 dayes in his reformation, permitting Cleander to be more licencious than Perennis: He designing 25 Consuls for one year, wch was never done before, nor since; and changing the Pretorian Prefects daily and hourly: Martius Quartus holding the place only 5 dayes, Niger but 6 hours; and those whom Commodus himself made Prefects, lasted not 3 years. Lampridius in Commodo. c. 6. &. 15.
Yea to such dotage he was grown,foreign; Athenaeus lib. 12. c. 9. that he refused his fathers name, commanding himself, in stead of Commodus the son of Marcus, to be styl'd Hercules the son of Iupiter; and accordingly he forsook the Roman and Imperial habit, thrusting himself into a Lions skin, and carried a great club in his hand: and (which made him extremely ridiculous) he put on also purple Amazonian robes embroydered with gold; expressing in one and the same garb austerity and effeminateness: this was his daily attire.
Camden writeth in his Britannia that a statue of Commodus was digged out of an hill in Richmond-shire, called Burgh, where the Romans had a garrison. Tunc posita haec statua videatur, saith he, cum ille immodicus sui aestimator, eo vesaniae processerit, ut Herculem Romanum Iovis filium se dici jusserit. Est enim Herculis habitu efformata, & dextra clava armata, cui subest mutila, & lacunis interrupta inscriptio.
Fox in his Acts and Monuments saith, Commodus wore a Lions skin, that he might be counted King of men, as the Lion is of beasts.
He commanded many Statues of himself to be erected throughout the City, and one before the Senate-house in form of an Archer ready to shoot; that his very Images might strike terror into the beholders. Herodian. lib. 1. c. 14. Lampridius in Commodo. c. 9. Dio.
He was so mad that he purposed to forsake his palace, and live in a fence-school; and now being weary of the name of Hercules, he assumed the name of a famous sword-player deceased.
On New-years day he determined in great solemnity to issue forth of a fenceschool, from which Marcia, Laetus, and Electus disswaded him; but he incensed with them, commanded them to depart, and retiring into his bed-chamber, to repose himself at noon (as he was wont,) he wrote their names in a table-book, dooming them to death that night.De multis jugulandis cogitans, ipse jugulatur ultimo die anni. Cappellus. Having done this, he laid his table-book on the pallet, not imagining that any would enter into his chamber. His darling Philo-Commodus being sport-ful while Commodus was bathing entred the bed-chamber (as he used) and taking the book to play with, as he came forth again was met by Marcia; who took the book from him, lest he might spoil some weighty matter. As soon as she perceived it was Commodus his own hand, she greatly desired to read it. But finding the deadly contents, she discovered to Electus and Laetus the danger they were in, who all resolved to purchase their own security by Commodus his death, and concluded it most convenient to †Et Commodum quidem primo occultatius veneno petivere, anno regni tertio ferè atque decimo: cujus vis frustrata per cibum quo se casu repleverat; cum tandem alvi dolorem causaretur, auctore medico principe factionis in palaestram perrexit. ibi per ministrum ungendi, (nam fortè is quo que è consilio erat) faucibus quasi arte exerciti… bracchiorum nodo validius pressis, exspiravit. Aurelius Vict. Schotti.dispatch him by poyson; which Marcia having given to him, it cast him into a slumber, out of which awaking he vomited extremely: the conspirators fearing fulness might expel the poyson, with great promises perswade Narcissus a bold young man to strangle him.
He lived 31 years 4 months, reigned 12 years, 9 months and 14 dayes. In him the Aelian together with the Aurelian family was extinguished, as the Iulian in Nero. Tristan.
How joyful his death was both to Senate and people, their assemblies in the Temples to give thanks for their deliverance, and their execrations pronounced against him, at large reported by Lampridius, do manifest.
He was counted an enemy of mankind, both while he lived and after his death. Orosius, Eutropius.
The Christians escaped *Quoniam lege veteri in Christianos confitentes ac perseverantes capitalis poena fuerat constituta, M. Aurelius Princeps foreign, sed hac quidem in re paulo superstitiosior & legum observantior, legem omnino tollere noluit, sed eam quo potuit modo enervavit & frustratus est, capitali poena in accusatores constituta. Atque haec est causa praecipua, propter quam imperante Commodo & usque ad edictum Severi Ecclesia tanta pace ac tranquillitate usa est. Heraldus in Apologet. Tertul. p. 46.47.persecution from him by the mediation of Marcia ▪ who favoured their doctrine. Dio.
Of all Emperors until Constantine he was most favourable unto Christians, whatsoever he was otherwise. Montague's Acts and Monuments of the Church. c. 7. paragr. 115.
In respect of much persecution before, those times were called Halcyonia sub Commodo Ecclesiae. Lloid's consent of time, p. 599.
Redintegrata adfulsit Imperante Commodo Britannis Lux Christiana. Seldeni Janus Anglor. lib. 1.
Anno a Christo Domino in salutem misso 183. Lucius primus Rex Christianus. Etenim foreign Eleutherius P P. & Commodus Aug. Ex quo plane fallit Beda, & fallitur in suo de hac re foreign. Idem in Chronologia ancillante ad finem Jani Angl. Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo subdita, scripsit hisce temporibus Tertullianus. Vsserius in Indice Chronologico Brit. Eccl. Primordiis subjuncto. p. 1079.
Silenus (in Iulian the Apostate's Satyre against the Emperors his Predecessors) passeth by Commodus in silence, as not worth a jest; but taxeth his Father for leaving such a plague after him to the Roman Empire, knowing what a one his Son was: having a Son-in-law Pompeianus worthier to rule than this Phaethon, and who was able to give better advice to him, than he could give to himself.
From the time of this wicked Emperor Commodus, to Gordian who was the 28. Emperor, greater were the troubles of the Roman Empire than before. Dr. Richard Reynolds the Physitian in his Chronicle of the Emperors, p. 161.
In his reign there died often on one day at Rome of the Pestilence, 2000. An innumerable company perished not only in the City, but also throughout all the Roman Empire almost, by infected needles cast upon them by malicious persons; an evil that happened in Domitian his time: but the people of Rome thought no pest so grievous as Commodus, saith Dio.
From hence the Roman story proceeds from the golden age to that of iron; such a change there was of affairs under Commodus. Xiphilinus in Marco Ant. Philos.
A Commodo in Constantinum Magnum, si unius & alterius principis tempora & merita excipimus, nihil aliud licet animad vertere, quam caedes assiduas principum, scelera atque prodigia tyrannidis, lanienas virorum illustrium, dedecora, vulnera, ruinas imperii; quas auspicato exortu Magnus ille Constantinus paulisper stitit ac sufflaminavit. Boeclerus in Epistola dedicatoria, praefixa Herodiano.
His Deputy in Britain, Vlpius Marcellus, was so vigilant that the Soldiers thought he never slept at night; and of such temperance, that he caused his bread to be brought to him into the Camp, from Rome, that for the staleness of it, he might eat no more than was needful. See Suidas in foreign.
Commodus insequitur, pugnis maculosus arenae;
Threicio princeps bella movens gladio.
Eliso tandem persolvens gutture poenas,
Chriminibus fassus matris adulterium.
Ausonius.