12.  Ti’tus took particular care to punish all informers, false witnesses, and promoters of dissension.  Wretches who had their rise in the licentiousness and impunity of former reigns, were now become so numerous, that their crimes called loud for punishment. 13.  Of these he daily made public example, condemning them to be scourged in the public streets, dragged through the theatre, and then banished into the uninhabited parts of the empire, or sold as slaves. 14.  His courtesy and readiness to do good have been celebrated even by Christian writers; his principal rule being, not to send away a petitioner dissatisfied.  One night, recollecting that he had done nothing beneficial to mankind during the day, he cried out, “I have lost a day!” A sentence too remarkable not to be had in remembrance.

15.  In the first year of his reign, an eruption of Mount Vesu’vius overwhelmed many towns,[27] throwing its ashes into countries more than a hundred miles distant.  Upon this memorable occasion, Pliny, the naturalist, lost his life; being impelled by too eager a curiosity to observe the eruption, he was suffocated in the flames. 16.  This and other disasters were, in some measure, counterbalanced by the successes in Britain, under Agrico’la.  This excellent general, having been sent into Britain towards the latter end of Vespasian’s reign, showed himself equally expert in quelling the refractory, and civilizing those who had formerly submitted to the Roman power. 17.  The Ordovi’ces, or inhabitants of North Wales, were the first that were subdued.  He then made a descent upon the isle of An’glesey, which surrendered at discretion. 18.  Having thus rendered himself master of the whole country, he took every method to restore discipline to his whole army, and to introduce politeness among those whom he had conquered.  He exhorted them, both by advice and example, to build temples, theatres, and stately houses.  He caused the sons of their nobility to be instructed in the liberal arts, and to be taught the Latin language; and induced them to imitate the Roman modes of dress and living. 19.  Thus, by degrees, this barbarous people began to assume the luxurious manners of their conquerors, and even to outdo them in all the refinements of sensual pleasure. 20.  Upon account of the successes in Britain, Titus was saluted Impera’tor[28] for the fifteenth time; but he did not long survive this honour, being seized with a violent fever at a little distance from Rome.  He expired shortly after, but not without suspicion of treachery from his brother Domi’tian, who had long wished to govern.  He died in the forty-first year of his age, having reigned two years, two months, and twenty days.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 81.]