uniformly
distinguished himself by the firmness, the prudence, and the integrity
of his conduct. [45] He now remained almost alone of the friends and
ministers of Marcus; and when, at a late hour of the night, he was
awakened with the news, that the chamberlain and the praefect were at
his door, he received them with intrepid resignation, and desired they
would execute their master's orders. Instead of death, they offered him
the throne of the Roman world. During some moments he distrusted their
intentions and assurances. Convinced at length of the death of Commodus,
he accepted the purple with a sincere reluctance, the natural effect of
his knowledge both of the duties and of the dangers of the supreme rank.
[46]

[Footnote 45: Pertinax was a native of Alba Pompeia, in Piedmont,
and son of a timber merchant. The order of his employments (it is marked
by Capitolinus) well deserves to be set down, as expressive of the form
of government and manners of the age. 1. He was a centurion. 2. Praefect
of a cohort in Syria, in the Parthian war, and in Britain. 3. He
obtained an Ala, or squadron of horse, in Maesia. 4. He was commissary
of provisions on the Aemilian way. 5. He commanded the fleet upon the
Rhine. 6. He was procurator of Dacia, with a salary of about 1600l. a
year. 7. He commanded the veterans of a legion. 8. He obtained the rank
of senator. 9. Of praetor. 10. With the command of the first legion
in Rhaetia and Noricum. 11. He was consul about the year 175. 12. He
attended Marcus into the East. 13. He commanded an army on the Danube.
14. He was consular legate of Maesia. 15. Of Dacia. 16. Of Syria. 17.
Of Britain. 18. He had the care of the public provisions at Rome. 19.
He was proconsul of Africa. 20. Praefect of the city. Herodian (l. i.
p. 48) does justice to his disinterested spirit; but Capitolinus, who
collected every popular rumor, charges him with a great fortune acquired
by bribery and corruption.]

[Footnote 46: Julian, in the Caesars, taxes him with being accessory to
the death of Commodus.]

Laetus conducted without delay his new emperor to the camp of the
Praetorians, diffusing at the same time through the city a seasonable
report that Commodus died suddenly of an apoplexy; and that the virtuous
Pertinax had already succeeded to the throne. The guards were rather
surprised than pleased with the suspicious death of a prince, whose
indulgence and liberality they alone had experienced; but the emergen