of the conduct of my life, and therefore I am dependent on her entirely:  she gives me strength for my historical research when I am respectful and subdued before her, and wins me back to work by means of dreams when I am discouraged and give up the task:  she grants me delightful hopes in regard to the future, that time will allow this history to survive and never let its brightness be dimmed.  To gather an account of everything done by the Romans from the beginning until the death of Severus has taken me ten years, and to arrange it in literary form twelve years more.  The rest will be written as opportunity offers.

[Sidenote:—­24—­] Prior to the death of Commodus there were the following signs.  Many ill-boding eagles wandered about the Capitol uttering cries that portended naught of peace, and an owl hooted there. [Sidenote:  A.D. 191 (a.u. 944)] A fire, starting by night in some dwelling, laid hold of the temple of Peace and spread to the stores of Egyptian and Arabian wares:  then, leaping to a great height, it entered the palace and burned a very large portion of it, so that the documents belonging to the empire almost all perished.  This as much as anything made it clear that the injury would not stop in the City but extend over the entire civilized world.  The conflagration could not be extinguished by human hands, although great numbers of civilians and great numbers of soldiers were carrying water and Commodus himself came from the suburbs to cheer them on.  Only after it had destroyed everything on which it had fastened did it spend its force and reach a limit.

DIO’S ROMAN HISTORY 74

Pertinax, through the agency of Eclectus and Laetus, is created emperor by the soldiers and by the senate (chapter 1).

Commodus is declared an enemy and is made a subject for jest (chapter 2).

Kindness of Pertinax toward Pompeianus, Glabrio, and the senators (chapter 3).

Omens portending supreme power for him (chapter 4).

Pertinax reforms pernicious practices:  he sells Commodus’s apparatus of licentiousness (chapter 5, 6).

His moderation with regard to his own family (chapter 7).

At the instigation of Laetus Falco the consul is slated for emperor (chapter 8).

Death of Pertinax Augustus (chapter 9, 10).

Flavius Sulpicianus and Julianus strive in outbidding each other for the sovereignty (chapter 11).

Julianus is made emperor contrary to the wishes of the senate and the Roman people (chapters 12, 13).

About the three leaders, Severus, Niger, Albinus (chapter 14).

Severus forms an alliance with Albinus and proceeds against Julianus (chapter 15).

Julianus, in the midst of laughable preparations, is killed by order of the senate (chapters 16, 17).

DURATION OF TIME, five months (from the Calends of January to the Calends of June), in which the following were consuls: