[Sidenote:  A.D. 179-180]

[Sidenote:—­18—­] [The Iazyges sent an embassy and asked to be released from some of the agreements they had made, and a certain leniency was shown them, to prevent their being entirely alienated.  Yet neither they nor the Buri were willing to join the Roman alliance until they received pledges from Marcus that he would without fail prosecute the war to the uttermost.  They were afraid that he might make a treaty with the Quadi, as before, and leave enemies dwelling at their doors.]

[Sidenote:—­19—­] [Marcus gave audience to such persons as came in the capacity of envoys from outside nations, but all were not received on the same footing.  This varied according as the individual states were worthy to receive citizenship, or freedom from taxes, or perpetual or temporary exemption from tribute, or to enjoy permanent support.  And when the Iazyges proved themselves most useful to him, he released them from many of the restrictions imposed upon them,—­indeed, from all, save from the arrangements made in regard to their gatherings and mutual intercourse, and the provisions that they should not use boats of their own and should keep away from the islands in the Ister.  And he permitted them to go through Dacia and have dealings with the Rhoxolani as often as the governor of Dacia would give them permission.]

[Sidenote:—­20—­] [The Quadi and the Marcomani sent envoys to Marcus, saying that the two myriads of soldiers that were in the forts would not allow [Footnote:  Supplying, with Reiske, [Greek:  epetrepon.]] them to pasture or till the soil or do anything else with freedom, but kept receiving many deserters from them and captives of theirs; yet the soldiers themselves were enduring no great hardships, inasmuch as they had bath-houses and all necessary provisions in abundance.  The Quadi, consequently, would not endure the watch kept on them from fortifications and undertook to withdraw en masse to the territory of the Semnones.  But Antoninus learned beforehand of their intention and by barring the roads thither prevented them.  This showed that he desired not to acquire their territory, but to punish the members of the tribe.]

[Sidenote:—­21—­] [And the Naristi, having encountered hardships, deserted to the number of three thousand at once and received land in our territory.]

[Sidenote:—­22—­] Upon the rebellion of Cassius in Syria, Marcus, in great alarm, summoned his son Commodus from Rome, since he was now able to enter the ranks of the iuvenes.  Now Cassius, who was a Syrian from Cyrrhus, had shown himself an excellent man and the sort of person one would desire to have as emperor:  only he was a son of one Heliodorus, [Footnote:  C.  Avidius Heliodorus (cp.  Book Sixty-nine, chapter 3).] who had been delighted to secure the governorship of Egypt as a result of his oratorical skill.  But in this uprising he made a terrible mistake, and it was all due to