individuals but by no less a body than the senate itself. All
the soldiers and the senators took oaths by his Fortune and all publicly
offered prayer for his preservation.

[Sidenote:--15--] The person principally responsible for this state of
affairs was Severus himself. He yielded to Plautianus in all matters to
such a degree that the latter occupied the position of emperor and he
himself that of prefect. In short, the man knew absolutely everything that
Severus said and did, but not a person was acquainted with any of
Plautianus's secrets. The emperor made advances to his daughter on behalf
of his own son, passing by many other maidens of high rank. He appointed
him consul and virtually showed an anxiety to have him for successor in
the imperial office. Indeed, once he did say in a letter: "I love the man
so much that I pray to die before he does."]

[Lacuna] so that [Lacuna] some one actually dared to write to him as to a
fourth Caesar.

Though many decrees in his honor were passed by the senate he accepted
only a few of them, saying to the senators: "It is through your hearts
that you show your love for me, not through your decrees."

At temporary stopping-places he endured seeing him located in superior
quarters and enjoying better and more abundant food than he. Hence in
Nicaea (my native country) when he once wanted a hammer-fish, large
specimens of which are found in the lake, he sent to Plautianus to get it.
So if he thought at all of doing aught to diminish this minister's
leadership, yet the opposite party, which contained far greater and more
brilliant members, saw to it that any such plan was frustrated. On one
occasion Severus went to visit him, when he had fallen sick at Tyana, and
the soldiers attached to Plautianus would not allow the visitor's escort
to enter with him. Moreover, the person who arranged cases to be pled
before Severus was once ordered by the latter in a moment of leisure to
bring forward some case or other, whereupon the fellow refused, saying: "I
can not do this, unless Plautianus bid me." So greatly did Plautianus have
the mastery in every way over the emperor that he [frequently treated]
Julia Augusta [in an outrageous way,--for he detested her cordially,--and]
was always abusing [her violently] to Severus, and conducted
investigations against her as well as tortures of noble women. For this
reason she began to study philosophy and passed her days in the company of
learned men.--