to suffer such
experiences?" and "Until when must we be at war?" And after making a few
other remarks of this kind they finally cried out: "That's all there is to
it!" and turned their attention to the equestrian contest. In all of this
they were surely inspired by some divine afflation. For not otherwise
could so many myriads of men have started to utter the same shouts at the
same time like some carefully trained chorus or have spoken the words
without mistake just as if they had practiced them.

This manifestation caused us still greater disturbance as did also the
fact that so great a fire was of a sudden seen by night in the air toward
the north that some thought that the whole city and others that the sky
itself was burning. But the most remarkable fact I have to chronicle is
that in clear weather a fine silvery rain descended upon the forum of
Augustus, I did not see it in the air, but noticed it after it had fallen,
and with it I silverplated some small bronze coins. These retained the
same appearance for three days: on the fourth all the substance rubbed
upon them had disappeared.

[Sidenote:--5--] A certain Numerianus, who taught children their letters,
started from Rome for Galatia with I know not what object, and by
pretending to be a Roman senator sent by Severus to gather an army he
collected at first just a small force by means of which he destroyed a few
of Albinus's cavalry, whereupon he unblushingly made some further promises
in behalf of Severus. Severus heard of this and thinking that he was
really one of the senators sent him a message of praise and bade him
acquire still greater power. The man did acquire greater power and gave
many remarkable exhibitions of ability besides obtaining seventeen hundred
and fifty myriads of denarii, which he forwarded to Severus. After the
latter's victory Numerianus came to him, making no concealment, and did
not ask to become in very truth a senator. Indeed, though he might have
been exalted by great honors and wealth, he did not choose to accept them,
but passed the remainder of his life in some country place, receiving from
the emperor some small allowance for his daily subsistence.

[Sidenote: A.D. 197 (a.u. 950)] [Sidenote:--6--] The struggle between
Severus and Albinus near Lugdunum is now to be described. At the outset
there were a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers on each side. Both
leaders took part in the war, since it was a race for life and death,
th