Quietus was a Moor, himself a leader of the
Moors, and had belonged to [Footnote: Some puzzling corruption in the MS.]
a troop in the cavalry. Condemned for base conduct he was temporarily
relieved of his command and dishonored. [Footnote: Probably in the days of
Domitian.] But later, when the Dacian war came on and the army stood in
need of the Moorish alliance, he came to it of his own accord and gave
great exhibitions of prowess. For this he was honored, and in the second
war performed far greater and more numerous exploits. Finally, he advanced
so far in bravery and good fortune during this war which we are
considering that he was enrolled among the ex-praetors, became consul, and
governed Palestine. To this chiefly was due the jealousy and hatred felt
for him, and his destruction.] Now when Trajan had invaded the hostile
territory, the satraps and kings of that region approached him with gifts.
One of these gifts was a horse taught to do obeisance. It would kneel
with its front legs and place its head beneath the feet of whoever stood
near.

[Sidenote: A.D. 117 (a.u. 870)] [Sidenote:--33--] Now Trajan was preparing
to make a new expedition into Mesopotamia. Finding himself, however, held
fast by the clutches of the disease, he started to sail to Italy himself
and left behind Publius Aelius Hadrian with the army in Syria. So the
Romans, who had conquered Armenia, most of Mesopotamia, and the Parthians,
had labored in vain and had vainly undergone danger. The Parthians
disdained Parthamaspates and began to have kings according to their
original custom. Trajan suspected that his falling sick was due to the
administration of poison. Some declare it was because his blood, which
annually descended into the lower part of his body, was kept from flowing.
He had also become paralyzed, so that part of his body was disabled, and
his general diathesis was dropsical. And on coming to Selinus in Cilicia,
which we also call Traianoupolis, he suddenly expired after a reign of
nineteen years, six months, and fifteen days.

DIO'S ROMAN HISTORY
69

Hadrian without being adopted succeeds, through the favor of Plotina
(chapters 1, 2).

About the assassinations authorized by Hadrian: about his varied learning
and jealousies (chapters 3, 4).

His virtues, particularly affability and generosity: old arrears of debt
forgiven (chapters 5, 8).

Travels: discipline of the army reformed: interest in hunting (chapters 9,
10).