THE DECLINE AND FALL

222

CHAP.

VI.

skilled in the knowledge of futurity, a very dan*gerous prediction, that Macrinus and his sonwere destined to reign over the empire. Thereport was soon diffused through the province;and when the man was sent in chains to Rome ,he still asserted, in the presence of the prefect ofthe city, the faith of his prophecy. That ma-gistrate, who had received the most pressing in-structions to inform himself of the successors ofCaracalla , immediately communicated the exa-mination of the African to the imperial court,which at that time resided in Syria . But, not-withstanding the diligence of the public messen-gers, a friend of Macrinus found means to apprizehim of the approaching danger. The emperorreceived the letters from Rome ; and as he wasthen engaged in the conduct of a chariot race,he delivered them unopened to the praetorianprefect, directing him to dispatch the ordinaryaffairs, and to report the more important busi-ness that might be contained in them. Macrinus read his fate, and resolved to prevent it. Heinflamed the discontents of some inferior officers,and employed the hand of Martialis , a desperatesoldier , who had been refused the rank of cen-turion. The devotion of Caracalla promptedhim to make a pilgrimage from Edessa to thecelebrated temple of the moon at Carrhae . Hewas attended by a body of cavalry; but havingstopped on the road for some necessary occasion,his guards preserved a respectful distance, andMartialis approaching his person under a pre-tence of duty, stabbed him with a dagger. The