Subsequently in the senate he designated him Caesar and sent a message to him, written with his own hand (Trajan was governor of Germany):
"The Danaans by thy weapons shall requite my tears." [[63]]
4
Thus did Trajan become Caesar and afterwards emperor, although there were relatives of Nerva. But the man did not esteem family relationship above the safety of the State, nor was he less inclined to adopt Trajan because the latter was a Spaniard instead of an Italian or Italiot, [
] or because no foreigner had previously held the Roman sovereignty. It was a person's virtue and not his country that he thought needed examination.
A.D. 98 (a.u. 851)
Soon after this act he passed away, having ruled during the period of one year, four months and nine days. His life prior to that time [