ht
from India. He also presided at the Dionysia, the greatest office within
the gift of the people, and arrayed in the local costume carried it
through brilliantly. He allowed the Greeks, too, to build his sepulchre
(called the Panellenium), and instituted a series of games to be connected
with it; and he granted to the Athenians large sums of money, annual corn
distribution, and the whole of Cephallenia.--Among various laws that he
enacted was one to the effect that no senator, either personally or
through the medium of another, should have any tax farmed out to him.
[Sidenote: A.D. 135 (a.u. 888)] After he had come to Rome, the crowd at a
spectacle shouted their request for the emancipation of a certain
charioteer: but he replied by means of a writing on a board: "It is not
right for you either to ask me to free another's slave or to force his
master to do so."

[Sidenote:--17--] He now began to be sick, having suffered even before
this from blood gushing from his nostrils: this flow now grew very much
more copious, so that he despaired of his life. Consequently, he appointed
as Caesar for the Romans Lucius Commodus, although this man frequently
vomited blood. [Sidenote: A.D. 136 (a.u. 889)] Servianus and his grandson
Fuscus, the former a nonagenarian and the latter eighteen years of age,
were put to death on the ground that they were displeased at this action.
Servianus before being executed asked for fire, and as he offered incense
he exclaimed: "That I am guilty of no wrong, ye; O Gods, are well aware:
and as for Hadrian I pray only this, that he may desire to die and not be
able." And, indeed, Hadrian did come to his end only after often praying
that he might expire and often feeling a desire to kill himself. There is
in existence also a letter of his which lays stress on this very matter,
showing what a dreadful thing it is for a man to desire to die and not be
able. This Servianus had been by Hadrian deemed capable of filling the
imperial office. He had once at a banquet told his friends to name for him
ten men who were competent to be sole rulers, and then after a moment's
pause, had added: "I want to know _nine_: I have one already,
Servianus."

[Sidenote:--18--] Other excellent men, also, had come to light during that
period, of whom the most distinguished were Turbo and Similis, who,
indeed, were honored with statues.

Turbo was a man of great qualities as a general, who had become prefect
(or commander o