(so far as a man might approach him in
the midst of such a jostling throng) he said in an impromptu way: "I have
been named emperor by the soldiers; however, I don't desire the office and
am going to resign it this very day because of my age and health and the
unpleasant condition of affairs." This was no sooner said than we gave the
selection our genuine approbation and chose him in very truth; for he was
noble in spirit and strong in body, except that he walked a little lame.

[Sidenote:--2--] In this way was Pertinax declared emperor and Commodus an
enemy, while both senate and people denounced the latter long and
savagely. They desired to hale away his body and tear it limb from limb,
as they did his images; but, when Pertinax told them that the corpse had
already been interred, they spared his remains but glutted their rage on
his representations, calling him all sorts of names. But "Commodus" or
"emperor" were two that no one applied to him. In stead, they termed him
"wretch" and "tyrant," adding in jest titles like "the gladiator," "the
charioteer," "the left-handed," "the ruptured man." To the senators, who
had been excited most by fear of Commodus, the crowd called out: "Huzza,
huzza, you are saved, you have conquered!" All the shouts that they had
been accustomed to raise with a kind of rhythmic swing to pay court to
Commodus in the theatres they now chanted metamorphosed into the most
ridiculous nonsense. Since they had got rid of one ruler, and as yet had
nothing to fear from his successor, they made the most of their freedom in
the intervening time and secured a reputation for frankness by their
fearlessness. They were not satisfied merely to be relieved of further
terror, but desired to show their courage by wanton insolence.

[Sidenote:--3--] Pertinax was a Ligurian from Alba Pompeia; his father was
not of noble birth and he himself had just enough literary training for
ordinary needs. Under these conditions he had become an associate of
Claudius Pompeianus, through whose influence he had become a commander in
the cavalry, and had reached such a height that he now came to be emperor
over his former friend. And I at that time, during the reign of Pertinax,
saw Pompeianus for the first and last occasion. He was wont to live mostly
in the country on account of Commodus [and very seldom came down to the
city], making his age and a disease of the eyes his excuse [and he had
never before, when I was present, ent