[For letting these facts become public many suffered unseemly outrage.  But to Antoninus not one of the gods gave any response pertaining to the healing of either his body or his mind, although he showered attention upon all the most distinguished shrines.  This showed in the clearest light that they regarded not his offerings, nor his sacrifices, but only his purposes and his deeds.  He got no aid from Apollo Grannus [Footnote:  Grannus was really a Celtic god, merely identified with Apollo.  He was honored most in Germany and Dacia (also known in Rhaetia, Noricum), and, inasmuch as many inscriptions bearing his name have been found near the Danube, it may probably be conjectured that he had a temple of some importance in that vicinity.  For further details see Pauly, II, p. 46; Roscher, I, col. 1738.] nor Asclepius nor Serapis, in spite of his many supplications and his unwearying persistence.  Even when abroad he sent to them prayers and sacrifices and votive offerings and many runners traveled to them daily, carrying things of the sort.  He also went himself, hoping to prevail by appearing in person, and he performed all the usual practices of devotees, but he obtained nothing that would contribute to health.

[Sidenote:—­16—­] While declaring that he was the most scrupulous of all mankind, he ran to an excess of blood-guiltiness,] killing four of the vestal virgins, one of whom—­so far as he was able—­he had forcibly outraged.  For latterly all his sexual power had disappeared, as a result of which it was reported that he satisfied his vileness in a different way; and associated with him were others of similar inclinations, who not only admitted that they were given to such practices but maintained that they did so for the sake of their ruler’s welfare.

A young knight carried a coin with his image into a brothel and people informed against him.[Footnote:  Conjecture, on the basis of Reiske and Bekker.] For this he was at the time imprisoned to await execution, but later was released, as the emperor died before he did.] This maiden of whom I speak was named Clodia Laeta.  She, crying out loudly, “Antoninus himself knows that I am a virgin, [he himself knows that I am pure,]” was buried alive. [Three others shared her sentence.  Two of them, Aurelia Severa and Pomponia Rufina, met a similar death, but Cannutia Crescentina threw herself from the top of the house.

And in the case of adulterers he did the same.  For though he showed himself the most adulterous of men (so far, at least, as he was physically able) he both detested others who bore the same charge and killed them contrary to established laws.—­Though displeased at all good men, he affected to honor some few of them after their death.—­

¶Antoninus censured and rebuked them all because they asked nothing of him.  And he said, in the presence of all:  “It is evident from the fact that you ask nothing of me that you lack confidence in me.  And if you lack confidence, you are suspicious of me; and if you are suspicious of me, you fear me; and if you fear me, you hate me.”  He made this an excuse for severe measures.