IV. to pass the Alps in fmall parties, and various C H A P. disguises, and to affemble at Rome, during the licentious tumult of the feftival of Cybele". To murder Commodus, and to afcend the vacant throne, was the ambition of no, vulgar robber. His measures were fo ably concerted, that his concealed troops already filled the streets of Rome. The envy of an accomplice difcovered and ruined this fingular enterprise, in the moment when it was ripe for execution ". 19 der. Sufpicious princes often promote the laft of The minifmankind, from a vain perfuafion that thofe who ter Cleanhave no dependence, except on their favour, will have no attachment, except to the perfon of their benefactor. Cleander, the fucceffor of Perennis, was a Phrygian by birth; of a nation, over whofe ftubborn, but fervile temper, blows only could prevail 20. He had been fent from his native country to Rome, in the capacity of a flave. As a flave he entered the Imperial palace, rendered himself useful to his mafter's paffions, and rapidly afcended to the most exalted station which a fubject could enjoy. His influence over the mind of Commodus was much greater than that of his predeceffor; for Cleander was devoid of any ability or virtue 18 During the fecond Punic war, the Romans imported from Afia the worship of the mother of the gods. Her feftival, the Megalefia, began on the fourth of April, and lafted fix days. The streets were crowded with mad proceffions, the theatres with spectators, and the public tables with unbidden guests. Order and police were fufpended, and pleasure was the only serious business of the city. See Ovid. de Faftis, 1. iv. 189, &c. 19 Herodian, 1. i. p. 23. 28. 20 Cicero pro Flacco, c. 27. VOL. I. L which IV. His avarice and cruelty. CHAP. which could infpire the Emperor with envy or diftruft. Avarice was the reigning paffion of his foul, and the great principle of his adminiftration. The rank of Conful, of Patrician, of Senator, was expofed to public fale; and it would have been confidered as difaffection, if any one had refufed to purchase these empty and difgraceful honours with the greateft part of his fortune 2. In the lucrative provincial employments, the minifter fhared with the governor the spoils of the people. The execution of the laws was venal and arbitrary. A wealthy criminal might obtain, not only the reverfal of the fentence by which he was juftly condemned, but might likewife inflict whatever punishment he pleafed on the accufer, the witneffes, and the judge. By thefe means, Cleander, in the space of three years, had accumulated more wealth than had ever yet been poffeffed by any freedman 22. Commodus was perfectly satisfied with the magnificent prefents which the artful courtier laid at his feet in the most seasonable moments. To divert the public envy, Cleander, under the Emperor's name, erected baths, porticos, and places of exercise, for the ufe of the people 23. He 21 One of these dear-bought promotions occasioned a current bon mot, that Julius Solon was banished into the fenate. 2 Dion (1. lxxii. p. 12, 13.) observes, that no freedman had posfeffed riches equal to thofe of Cleander. The fortune of Pallas amounted, however, to upwards of five and twenty hundred thousand pounds; Ter millies. 23 Dion, 1. lxxii. p. 12, 13. Herodian, 1. i. p. 29. Hift. Auguft. These baths were fituated near the Porta Capena. See Nardini Roma Antica, p. 79. p. 52. flat IV. flattered himself that the Romans, dazzled and CHA P. amufed by this apparent liberality, would be lefs affected by the bloody fcenes which were daily exhibited; that they would forget the death of Byrrhus, a fenator to whofe fuperior merit the late Emperor had granted one of his daughters; and that they would forgive the execution of Arius Antoninus, the laft representative of the name and virtues of the Antonines. The former, with more integrity than prudence, had attempted to difclofe, to his brother-in-law, the true character of Cleander. An equitable fentence pronounced by the latter, when proconful of Afia, against a worthlefs creature of the favourite, proved fatal to him 24. After the fall of Perennis, the terrors of Commodus had, for a fhort time, affumed the appearance of a return to virtue. He repealed the most odious of his acts, loaded his memory with the public execration, and afcribed to the pernicious counfels of that wicked minister, all the errors of his inexperienced youth. But his repentance lafted only thirty days; and, under Cleander's tyranny, the adminiftration of Perennis was often regretted. of Clean Peftilence and famine contributed to fill up Sedition the measure of the calamities of Rome 25. The and death first could be only imputed to the juft indigna- der, tion of the gods; but a monopoly of corn, fup- A.D.189. ported by the riches and power of the minister, 24 Hift. Auguft. p. 48. 25 Herodian, 1. i. p. 28. Dion, 1. lxxii. p. 1215. The latter says, that two thousand perfons died every day at Rome, during a confiderable length of time. IV. 26 CHA P. was confidered as the immediate cause of the fecond. The popular difcontent, after it had long circulated in whispers, broke out in the affembled circus. The people quitted their favourite amufements, for the more delicious pleasure of revenge, rufhed in crowds towards a palace in the fuburbs, one of the Emperor's retirements, and demanded, with angry clamours, the head of the public enemy. Cleander, who commanded the Prætorian guards ordered a body of cavalry to fally forth, and difperfe the feditious multitude. The multitude fled with precipitation towards the city; feveral were flain, and many more were trampled to death: but when the cavalry entered the ftreets, their purfuit was checked by a fhower of ftones and darts from the roofs and windows of the houfes. The foot guards", who had been long jealous of the prerogatives and infolence of the Prætorian cavalry, embraced the party of the people. The tumult became a regular engagement, and threatened a general maffacre. The prætorians, at length, gave way, oppreffed with numbers; and the tide of popular fury returned 25 Tuncque primum tres præfecti prætorio fuere : inter quos libertinus. From fome remains of modefty, Cleander declined the title, whilft he affumed the powers of Prætorian præfect. As the other freedmen were ftyled, from their several departments, a rationibus, ab epiftolis; Cleander called himself a pugione, as intrufted with the defence of his master's perfon. Salmafius and Cafaubon seem to have talked very idly upon this paffage. 27 Οι της πόλεως πέζοι τρατιῶται. Herodian, 1. i. p. 31. It is doubtful whether he means the Prætorian infantry, or the cohortes urbanæ, a body of fix thousand men, but whose rank and discipline were not equal to their numbers. Neither Tillemont nor Wotton choose to decide this question. IV. with redoubled violence against the gates of c HA P. the palace, where Commodus lay, diffolved in luxury, and alone unconfcious of the civil war. It was death to approach his person with the unwelcome news. He would have perished in this fupine fecurity, had not two women, his elder fifter Fadilla, and Marcia, the most favoured of his concubines, ventured to break into his prefence. Bathed in tears, and with dishevelled hair, they threw themselves at his feet; and with all the preffing eloquence of fear, difcovered to the affrighted Emperor, the crimes of the minister, the rage of the people, and the impending ruin which, in a few minutes, would burft over his palace and perfon. Commodus ftarted from his dream of pleasure, and commanded that the head of Cleander should be thrown out to the people. The defired spectacle inftantly appeafed the tumult; and the fon of Marcus might even yet have regained the affection and confidence of his fubjects 28 of Com modus. But every fentiment of virtue and humanity Diffolute was extinct in the mind of Commodus. Whilft pleasures he thus abandoned the reins of empire to these unworthy favourites, he valued nothing in fovereign power, except the unbounded licence of indulging his fenfual appetites. His hours were fpent in a feraglio of three hundred beautiful women, and as many boys, of every rank, and of every province; and, wherever the arts of feduction proved ineffectual, the brutal lover 28 Dion Caffius, 1. lxxii. p. 1215. Auguft. p. 48. Herodian, l. i. p. 32. Hift L 3 had |