[177] Old Palaemon. See [note 202], Vol. I.

[178] Samian wine. The island of Samos, near the coast of Asia Minor, was famed from ancient times for its delicious wine.

[179] Courage my child! This familiar tone from the physician’s lips need cause no surprise. Earlier (see [note 209], Vol. I.) I have explained that a sort of filial relation existed between the old family servants and the children, nay that the former often took it upon themselves to reprove and scold the latter.

[180] The venerable emperor, etc. See Dio Cassius, LXVIII, 3. In reality this adoption and the appointment of “crown-prince,” (“Caesar” in a stricter sense) connected with it, occurred some time later, while Ulpius Trajanus was living as imperial governor in Upper Germany.

[181] Trajan, that noble, moderate and just man. See Dio Cass. LXVIII, 5: “His character had not the slightest trace of falsity, malice or cruelty; he loved good citizens, treated them with respect and distinguished them: about the bad ones he did not ask.”—LXVIII, 6: “He was eminent for his love of justice, courage, and simplicity of manners.... He envied no one, barred no one’s path to fame; he rather honored and exalted all merit. Hence he had no cause to fear any man. Slanderers he did not trust. He neither meddled with the property of others, nor allowed the innocent to be put to death”—LXVIII, 16: “When he gave the sword to the commander of the Praetorian guard, he drew it from the sheath and held it up, saying: ‘Take this sword and use it, if I reign well, for me, if I reign ill, against me.’” Even the eulogy of the younger Pliny, who was a friend of the new emperor, spite of many exaggerated expressions, shows that it is the utterance of sincere conviction; certain facts especially speak for themselves; for instance the total change in the ceremonies of the court. “Formerly”—so says Pliny—“the imperial palace was a fortress; under Nerva and Trajan it has become a public building. There are no bolts, no degrees of humiliation, and when a thousand thresholds have been crossed, we do not constantly encounter fresh forms and obstacles. We do not come to Trajan, as was the case with former emperors, in confusion and haste, that we may not endanger our lives by delay, but with a feeling of security, gladly, and just as it suits our convenience. If some pressing business detains us, Trajan does not even require a word of apology. When we have saluted him, we do not rush hurriedly away. We linger, stroll comfortably about, as if the palace belonged to us—the very palace, which but a short time ago that abandoned monster (Domitian) surrounded with so many horrors; the very palace where the wild-beast shut himself up as if in a den, sometimes drinking the blood of his nearest relatives, sometimes rushing out to slay the noblest citizens.... But vengeance burst the wall of his guards and pressed victoriously through the locked doors.... How much safer and more free from anxiety is this palace, now that it is not protected by the guards of tyranny, but of love, not protected by seclusion and bolts, but by the citizens passing in and out. You have shown us by experience, that a prince’s virtue is his best defence,” Pliny Paneg. 65: “Trajan convinced us that the sovereign is not above the law—but the law above the sovereign,” Pliny Paneg. 67, and “Usually we have taken vows of fealty simply for the emperor’s welfare; but the expressions in which we have sworn faith to our present government deserve to be emphasized—if you will rule the state wisely and for the good of all ... that is you will only be preserved by the gods, on the condition that you rule the state wisely and for the welfare of all.”

Transcriber’s Notes

Incidental typographical errors have been corrected, and are noted in table below. On occasion, apparent errors, in modern usage, are allowed to stand. In particular, the repeated use of ‘eat’ in the past tense, even where the subjunctive is not in play, sounds odd to our ear.

On. p. 235, the footnote anchor 146 was missing from the text and has added.

This table documents the textual issues encountered, and their resolution.

p. 8[h]as suddenly vanishedAdded.
p. 18be[./ ]baptized in a quarryCorrected.
p. 26in such contempt[.]”Added.
p. 35Latin word ‘religio?[”/’]Corrected.
p. 50n. 41[“]In the commencementAdded.
p. 56n. 45Juv. VI, 31[)]Added.
p. 60n. 46accidentlysic.
p. 79comesic.
p. 87you may bes[ei/ie]ge meTransposed.
p. 89to Chian figs.[)“/”)]Transposed.
p. 125Piacenza[.]Added.
p. 128magna[min/nim]ousTransposed.
p. 133a[u/n]xiouslyCorrected.
p. 160resolute[d]lysic.
p. 168retractationsic.
p. 169responsiblityAdded.
p. 177bursting into tears[.]Added.
p. 184of Cornelia.[”]Added.
p. 205Febru[r]aryRemoved.
p. 224consulRemoved.
p. 234this very spot[.]Added.
p. 242tort[ru/ur]eTransposed.
his defenceless prey[.]Added.