As for Plautianus, he proved himself the most licentious of
men, for he would go to banquets and vomit meantime, inasmuch as the mass
of foods and wine that he swallowed made it impossible for him to digest
anything. And whereas he made use of lads and girls in perfectly notorious
fashion, he would not permit his own wife to see or be seen by any person
whomsoever, not even by Severus or Julia [to say nothing of others].

[Sidenote:--16--] At this period there took place also a gymnastic
[Footnote: Reading [Greek: gymnikon] for [Greek: gynaikon], which is
possibly corrupt.] contest, at which so great a multitude assembled under
compulsion that we wondered how the race-course could hold them all. And
in this contest Alamanni [Footnote: Reading [Greek: Alamannai] for [Greek:
alomenai], which is undoubtedly corrupt.] women fought most ferociously,
with the result that jokes were made about other ladies, who were very
distinguished. Therefore, from this time on every woman, no matter what
her origin, was prohibited from fighting in the arena.

On one occasion a good many images of Plautianus were made (what happened
is worth relating) and Severus, being displeased at their number, melted
down some of them. As a consequence a rumor penetrated the cities to the
effect that the prefect had been overthrown and had perished. So some of
them demolished his images,--an act for which they were afterward
punished. Among these was the governor of Sardinia, Racius Constans, a
very famous man, whom I have mentioned, however, for a particular reason.
The orator who accused Constans had made this statement in addition to
others: "Sooner may the sky collapse than Plautianus suffer any harm at
the hands of Severus, and with greater cause might any one believe even
that report, were any story of the sort circulated." Now, though the
orator made this declaration, and though moreover Severus himself volubly
affirmed it to us, who were helping him try the case, and stated "it is
impossible for Plautianus to come to any harm at my hands," still, this
very Plautianus did not live the year out, but was slain and all his
images destroyed.--Previous to this a vast sea-monster had come ashore in
the harbor named for Augustus, and had been captured. A representation of
him, taken into the hunting-theatre, admitted fifty bears in its interior.
Again, for many days a comet star had been seen in Rome and was said to
portend nothing favorable.

DI