ed their emperor together
with Eclectus. The latter alone had not deserted him and defended him as
far as he was able, even to the extent of wounding several. Wherefore I,
who still earlier believed that he had shown himself a man of worth, now
thoroughly admired him. The soldiers cut off the head of Pertinax and
stuck it on a spear, glorying in the deed. Thus did Pertinax, who
undertook to restore everything in a brief interval, meet his end. He did
not comprehend, though a well trained man of affairs, that it is
impossible with safety to reform everything at once, but that the
constitution of a government requires, if anything does, both time and
wisdom. He had lived sixty-seven years lacking four months and three days.
He had reigned eighty-seven days.

[Sidenote:--11--] When the fate of Pertinax was reported, some ran to
their homes and some to those of the soldiers, and paid heed to their own
safety. It happened that Sulpicianus had been despatched by Pertinax to
the camp to set in order matters there, and he consequently stayed there
and took action looking to the appointment of an emperor. But there was a
certain Didius Julianus [of senatorial rank but eccentric character], an
insatiate money-getter and reckless spender, always anxious for a change
in the government, who on account of the last named proclivity had been
driven out by Commodus to his own city, Mediolanum. He, accordingly, on
hearing of the death of Pertinax, hastily made his way to the camp, and
standing near the gates of the fort made offers to the soldiers in regard
to the Roman throne. Then ensued a most disgraceful affair and one
unworthy of Rome. For just as is done in some market and auction-room,
both the city and her whole empire were bid off. The sellers were the
people who had killed their emperor, and the would-be buyers were
Sulpicianus and Julianus, who vied to outbid each other, one from within,
the other from without. By their increases they speedily reached the sum
of five thousand denarii per man. Some of the guard kept reporting and
saying to Julianus: "Sulpicianus is willing to give so much; now what will
you add?" And again to Sulpicianus: "Julianus offers so much; how much
more do you make it?" Sulpicianus would have won the day, since he was
inside and was prefect of the city and was the first to say five thousand,
had not Julianus raised his bid, and no longer by small degrees but by
twelve hundred and fifty denarii at once, w