popular master. A fter the murder of Alexan- chap.
der Severus, and the elevation of Maximin, no.
emperor could think himself safe upon thethrone, and every barbarian peasant of the fron-tier might aspire to that august, but dangerousstation.
About thirty-two years before that event, the Birth andemperor Severus, returning from an eastern ex-pedition, halted in Thrace , to celebrate, with mi-litary games, the birth-day of his younger son ,
Geta . The country flocked in crowds to beholdtheir sovereign, and a young barbarian of giganticstature, earnestly solicited, in his rude dialect,that he might be allowed to contend for the prizeof wrestling. As the pride of discipline wouldhavebeen disgraced in the overthrow of a Romansoldier by a Thracian peasant, he was matchedwith the stoutest followers of the camp, sixteenof whom he successively laid on the ground.
His victoi'y was rewarded by some trifling gifts,and a permission to inlist in the troops. Thenext day, the happy barbarian was distinguishedabove a crowd of recruits, dancing and exultingafter the fashion of his country. As soon as heperceived that he had attracted the emperor’snotice, he instantly ran up to his horse, and fol-lowed him on foot, without the least appearanceof fatigue, in a long and rapid career. “ Thra-“ cian,” said Severus with astonishment, “ art“ thou disposed to wrestle after thy race?” Mostwillingly, sir, replied the unwearied youth; and,almost in a breath, overthrew seven of thestrongest soldiers in the army. A gold collar was
VOL. i. x