g now become more unbounded, the Caesar
began to be burdensome to all virtuous men; and discarding all
moderation, he harassed every part of the East, sparing neither those
who had received public honours, nor the chief citizens of the different
cities; nor the common people.

2. At last by one single sentence he ordered all the principal persons
at Antioch to be put to death; being exasperated because when he
recommended that a low price should be established in the market at an
unseasonable time, when the city was threatened with a scarcity, they
answered him with objections, urged with more force than he approved;
and they would all have been put to death to a man, if Honoratus, who
was at that time count of the East, had not resisted him with
pertinacious constancy.

3. This circumstance was also a proof, and that no doubtful or concealed
one, of the cruelty of his nature, that he took delight in cruel sports,
and in the circus he would rejoice as if he had made some great gain, to
see six or seven gladiators killing one another in combats which have
often been forbidden.

4. In addition to these things a certain worthless woman inflamed his
purpose of inflicting misery; for she, having obtained admission to the
palace, as she had requested, gave him information that a plot was
secretly laid against him by a few soldiers of the lowest rank. And
Constantina, in her exultation, thinking that her husband's safety was
now fully secured, rewarded and placed this woman, in a carriage, and in
this way sent her out into the public street through the great gate of
the palace, in order, by such a temptation, to allure others also to
give similar or more important information.

5. After these events, Gallus being about to set out for Hierapolis, in
order, as far as appearance went, to take part in the expedition, the
common people of Antioch entreated him in a suppliant manner to remove
their fear of a famine which for many reasons (some of them difficult to
explain) it was believed was impending; Gallus, however, did not, as is
the custom of princes whose power, by the great extent of country over
which it is diffused, is able continually to remedy local distresses,
order any distribution of food to be made, or any supplies to be brought
from the neighbouring countries; but he pointed out to them a man of
consular rank, named Theophilus, the governor of Syria, who happened to
be standing by, replying to the repeated appea