And the Caesarians, having got rid of this man, with Cleander at their head entered upon every form of outrage, selling all privileges, doing violence, plunging into licentiousness.

Commodus during most of his life was given to idleness and horses and battles of beasts and of men.  Aside from his performances at home he despatched many beasts in public and many men on many occasions.  With his own hands and without assistance he gave the finishing stroke to five hippopotami at one time and to two elephants on separate days.  Moreover, he killed rhinoceroses and a camelopard.  This is what I have to say in general with reference to his whole career.

[Sidenote:—­11—­] To Victorinus, prefect of the city, a statue was granted. [He died not as the victim of a plot.  At one time what might be called a loud rumor and many reports were circulating in regard to his destruction] and, though Commodus frequently wished to get him out of the way, he still kept putting it off and shrinking from the deed until the man grew very bold, and one day approaching Perennis said:  “I hear that you wish to kill me.  Why then do you delay?  Why do you put it off, when you might do it this very day?” [But not even this caused him to suffer any harm at the hands of any one else; it was a self-sought death that he suffered, and the fact seems strange, inasmuch as he had been honored among the foremost men by Marcus and in mental excellence and forensic eloquence stood second to none of his contemporaries.  Indeed, by mentioning two incidents in his history I shall reveal his whole character.]

Once, when he was governor of Germany, he at first attempted by private persuasion indoors to induce his lieutenant not to accept bribes.  As the latter would not listen to him, he mounted the tribunal and [after bidding the herald proclaim him] took oath that he had never received bribes and never would receive any.  Next he bade his under-officer also take oath; and when this person refused to perjure himself, he ordered him to be dismissed from office. [And later as commandant of Africa he had an associate of similar character to the man just mentioned.  He did not, to be sure, treat him in the same way, but put him aboard a boat and sent him back to Rome.] This is the kind of man Victorinus was.

[Sidenote:—­12—­] As for Cleander, who after Perennis possessed greatest influence, he had been sold along with his fellow-slaves and had been brought to Rome along with them for the purpose of carrying burdens.  As time went on he attained such prominence that he slept before the chamber of Commodus, married the emperor’s concubine Damostratia, and put to death Saoterus of Nicomedea (who had held the position before him) besides many others.  Yet this victim had possessed very great influence, so that the Nicomedeans obtained from the senate the right of holding a series of games and of building a temple to Commodus.  At any rate, Cleander, raised