Dios Rome, Vol. 6 | Page 2

murder his brother at the
Saturnalia, but he was not able to carry out his intention. The danger
had already grown too evident to be concealed. As a consequence, there
were many violent meetings between the two,--both feeling that they
were being plotted against,--and many precautionary measures were
taken on both sides. As many soldiers and athletes, abroad and at home,
day and night, were guarding Geta, Antoninus persuaded his mother to
send for him and his brother and have them come along to her house
with a view to being reconciled. Geta without distrust went in with him.
When they were well inside, some centurions suborned by Antoninus
rushed in a body. Geta on seeing them had run to his mother, and as he
hung upon her neck and clung to her bosom and breasts he was cut
down, bewailing his fate and crying out: "Mother that bore me, mother
that bore me, help! I am slain!!"
[Sidenote: A.D. 212 (_a.u._ 965)] Tricked in this way, she beheld her
son perishing by most unholy violence in her very lap, and, as it were,
received his death into her womb whence she had borne him. She was
all covered with blood, so that she made no account of the wound she
had received in her hand. She might neither mourn nor weep for her
son, although, untimely he had met so miserable an end (he was only
twenty-two years and nine months old): on the contrary, she was
compelled to rejoice and laugh as though enjoying some great piece of
luck. All her words, gestures, and changes of color were watched with
the utmost narrowness. She alone, Augusta, wife of the emperor,
mother of emperors, was not permitted to shed tears even in private
over so great a calamity.
[Sidenote:--3--] Antoninus, although it was evening, took possession of
the legions after bawling all the way along the road that he had been the
object of a plot and was in danger. On entering the fortifications, he
exclaimed: "Rejoice, fellow-soldiers, for now I have a chance to benefit
you!" Before they heard the whole story he had stopped their mouths
with so many and so great promises that they could neither think nor
speak anything decent. "I am one of you," he said, "it is on your
account alone that I care to live, that so I may afford you much
happiness. All the treasuries are yours." Indeed, he said this also: "I

pray if possible to live with you, but if not, at any rate to die with you. I
do not fear death in any form, and it is my desire to end my days in
warfare. There should a man die, or nowhere!"
To the senate on the following day he made various remarks and after
rising from his seat he went towards the door and said: "Listen to a
great announcement from me. That the whole world may be glad, let all
the exiles, who have been condemned on any complaint whatever in
any way whatever, be restored to full rights." Thus did he empty the
islands of exiles and grant pardon to the worst condemned criminals,
but before long he had the isles full again.
[Sidenote:--4--] The Cæsarians and the soldiers that had been with Geta
were suddenly put to death to the number of twenty thousand, men and
women alike, wherever in the palace any of them happened to be.
Antoninus slew also various distinguished men, among them
Papinianus.
¶While the Pretorians accused Papianus (_sic_) and Patruinus
[Footnote: This is Valerius Patruinus.] for certain actions, Antoninus
allowed the complainants to kill them, and added the following remark:
"I hold sway for your advantage and not for my own; therefore, I defer
to you both as accusers and as judges."
He rebuked the murderer of Papinianus for using an axe instead of a
sword to give the finishing stroke.
He had also desired to deprive of life Cilo, his nurse and benefactor,
who had served as prefect of the city during his father's reign, whom he
had also often called father. The soldiers sent against him plundered his
silver plate, his robes, his money, and everything else that belonged to
him. Cilo himself they conducted along the Sacred Way, making the
palace their destination, where they prepared to give him his quietus.
He had low slippers [Footnote: Reading [Greek: blahytast] in the place
of the MS. [Greek: chlhapast]. This emendation is favored by Cobet
(Mnemosyne, N.S., X, p. 211) and Naber (Mnemosyne, N.S., XVI, p.
113).] on his feet, since he had chanced to be in the bath when
apprehended, and wore an abbreviated tunic. The men rent his clothing
open and disfigured his face, so that the people and the soldiers
stationed in the city made