the senate and returned to the palace. Finding the dinner that
had been prepared for Pertinax he made great fun of it, and sending out to
every place from which by any means whatever something expensive could be
procured at that time of day he satisfied his hunger (the corpse was still
lying in the building) and then proceeded to amuse himself by dicing.
Among his companions was Pylades the dancer. The next day we went up to
visit him, feigning in looks and behavior much that we did not feel, so as
not to let our grief be detected. The populace, however, openly frowned
upon the affair, spoke its mind as much at it pleased, and was ready to do
what it could. Finally, when he came to the senate-house and was about to
sacrifice to Janus before the entrance, all bawled out as if by
preconcerted arrangement, terming him empire-plunderer and parricide. He
affected not to be angry and promised them some money, whereupon they grew
indignant at the implication that they could be bribed and all cried out
together: "We don't want it, we won't take it!" The surrounding buildings
echoed back the shout in a way to make one shudder. When Julianus had
heard their response, he could endure it no longer, but ordered that those
who stood nearest should be slain. That excited the populace a great deal
more, and it did not cease expressing its longing for Pertinax or its
abuse of Julianus, its invocations of the gods or its curses upon the
soldiers. Though many were wounded and killed in many parts of the city,
they continued to resist and finally seized weapons and made a rush into
the hippodrome. There they spent the night and the ensuing day without
food or drink, calling upon the remainder of the soldiery (especially
Pescennius Niger and his followers in Syria) with prayers for assistance.
Later, feeling the effects of their outcries and fasting and loss of
sleep, they separated and kept quiet, awaiting the hoped for deliverance
from abroad.

"I do not assist the populace: for it has not called upon me."

[Sidenote:--14--] Julianus after seizing the power in this way managed
affairs in a servile fashion, paying court to the senate as well as to men
of any influence. Sometimes he made offers, again he bestowed gifts, and
he laughed and sported with anybody and everybody. He was constantly going
to the theatre and kept getting up banquets: in fine, he left nothing
undone to win our favor. However, he was not trusted; his servility was so