After this there occurred most violent wars and factional disturbances. The compilation of facts in this work of mine has been due to the following chance. I had written and published a book about the dreams and signs which caused Severus to expect the imperial power; and he, happening to look at a copy that was sent him by me, wrote me a long and complimentary acknowledgment. This letter I received about nightfall and soon after went to sleep. And in my slumbers Heaven commanded me that a history be written. So it came about that I wrote the narrative with which I am at this moment concerned. And because it pleased Severus himself and other people very much, I then conceived a desire to compile a record of all other matters of Roman interest. Therefore I decided no longer to leave that treatise as a separate composition, but to incorporate it in this present history, in order that in one undertaking I might write positively everything from the beginning as far as Fortune sees fit to permit. I have obtained this goddess, it appears, as the guide 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.
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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.
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.
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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]).