150

CHAP.

IV.

He is ac-knowledg-ed by theprastorianguards;

THE DECLINE AND FALL

the friends and ministers of Marcus; and when,at a late hour of the night, he was awakenedwith the news that the chamberlain and the pre-fect were at his door, he received them with in-trepid resignation, and desired they would exe-cute their master’s orders. Instead of death,they offered him the throne of the Roman world.During some moments he distrusted their inten-tions and assurances. Convinced at length ofthe death of Commodus , he accepted the purplewitn a sincere reluctance, the natural effect ofhis knowledge both of the duties and the dan-gers of the supreme rank. 2

Lsetus conducted without delay his new em-peror to the camp of the praetorians, diffusing atthe same time through the city a seasonable re-port that Commodus died suddenly of an apo-plexy, and that the virtuous Pertinax had al-ready succeeded to the throne. The guardswere rather surprised than pleased with thesuspicious death of a prince, whose indulgenceand liberality they alone had experienced; butthe emergency of the occasion, the authority oftheir prefect, the reputation of Pertinax , andthe clamours of the people, obliged them tostifle their secret discontents, to accept the do-native promised of the new emperor, to swearallegiance to him, and with joyful acclamationsand laurels in their hands to conduct him to the

consul of Africa. 20. Prefect of the city. Herodian (1. i, p. 48) doesjustice to his disinterested spirit; but Capitolinus, who collected everypopular rumour, charges him with a great fortune, acquired by briberyand corruption.

1 Julian, in the Cajsars, taxes him with being accessory to the deathof Commodus .