Historia Augusta: Aelius

I. 1 In animo mihi est, Diocletiane Auguste, tot principum maxime, non solum eos, qui principum locum in hac statione, quam temperas, retentarunt, ut usque ad divum Hadrianum feci, sed illos etiam, qui vel Caesarum nomine appellati sunt nec principes aut Augusti fuerunt vel quolibet alio genere aut in famam aut in spem principatus venerunt, cognitioni numinis tui sternere. 2 Quorum praecipue de Aelio Vero dicendum est, qui primus tantum Caesaris nomen accepit, adoptione Hadriani familiae principum adscitus. 3 Et quoniam nimis pauca dicenda sunt, nec debet prologus inormior esse quam fabula, de ipso iam loquar.

1. 1 I have in mind, Diocletian Augustus, most of so many princes, not only to lay before the cognition of your numen those who have retained the place of princes in this station which you temper, as I have done up to the deified Hadrian, but even those who either were called by the name of Caesars and were not princes or Augusti, or by some other kind came into the fame or the hope of principate. 2 Of whom it must chiefly be said concerning Aelius Verus, who first received only the name of Caesar, being admitted by the adoption of Hadrian into the family of princes. 3 And since very few things are to be said, nor ought the prologue to be more misshapen than the tale, I will now speak about him.

II. 1 Ceionius Commodus, qui et Aelius Verus appelatus est, quem sibi Hadrianus aevo ingravescente morbis tristioribus pressus peragrato iam orbe terrarum adoptavit, nihil habet in sua vita memorabile, nisi quod primus tantum Caesar est appellatus, 2 non testamento, ut antea solebat, neque eo modo quo Traianus est adoptatus, sed eo prope genere, quo nostris temporibus a vestra clementia Maximianus atque Constantius Caesares dicti sunt, quasi quidam principum fili, visi et designati augustae maiestatis heredes. 3 Et quoniam de Caesarum nomine in huius praecipue vita est aliquid disputandum, qui hoc solum nomen indeptus est, Caesarem vel ab elephanto, qui lingua Maurorum caesai dicitur, in proelio caeso eum, qui primus sic appellatus est, doctissimi viri et eruditissimi putant dictum, 4 vel quia mortua matre, sed ventre caeso, sit natus, vel quod cum magnis crinibus sit utero parentis effusus, vel quod oculis caesiis et ultra humanum morem viguerit. 5 Certe quaecumque illa, felix necessitas fuit, unde tam clarum et duraturum cum aeternitate mundi nomen effloruit.

2. 1 Ceionius Commodus, who was also called Aelius Verus, whom Hadrian, as his age grew heavy and pressed by rather sadder diseases, after the orb of lands had already been traversed, adopted for himself, has nothing memorable in his life, except that he was the first to be called only Caesar, 2 not by a testament, as was formerly the custom, nor in the manner in which Trajan was adopted, but by nearly that kind by which in our times by your clemency Maximian and Constantius were styled Caesars, as certain sons of princes, seen and designated heirs of august majesty. 3 And since about the name of the Caesars there is something especially to be debated in this man’s life, who obtained this name alone, the most learned and most erudite men think that “Caesar” is said either from an elephant, which in the tongue of the Mauri is called caesai, the one who was first so named having slain one in battle, 4 or because, his mother having died, but with the womb cut, he was born, or because with great locks of hair he was poured forth from his parent’s womb, or because with gray-blue eyes he flourished beyond the human norm. 5 Certainly, whatever it was, it was a happy necessity, whence there blossomed a name so illustrious and destined to endure with the eternity of the world.

6 Hic ergo, de quo sermo est, primum Lucius Aurelius Verus est dictus, sed ab Hadriano ascitus in Aeliorum familiam, hoc est in Hadriani, transscriptus et appellatus est Caesar. 7 Huic pater Ceionius Commodus fuit, quem alii Verum, alii Lucium Aurelium, multi Annium prodiderunt. 8 Maiores omnes nobilissimi, quorum origo pleraque ex Etruria fuit vel ex Faventia.

6 Therefore, he, about whom the discourse is, was first called Lucius Aurelius Verus, but, taken up by Hadrian into the family of the Aelii, that is, of Hadrian, he was transferred and appellated Caesar. 7 His father was Ceionius Commodus, whom some have reported as Verus, others as Lucius Aurelius, many as Annius. 8 All his ancestors were most noble, whose origin for the most part was from Etruria or from Faventia.

9 Et de huius quidem familia plenius in vita Lucii Aurelii Ceionii Commodi Veri Antonini, filii huiusce, quem sibi adoptare Antoninus iussus est, disseremus. 10 Is enim liber debet omnia, quae ad stemma generis pertinent, continere, qui habet principem, de quo plura dicenda sunt.

9 And indeed about this man’s family we shall discourse more fully in the Life of Lucius Aurelius Ceionius Commodus Verus Antoninus, his son, whom Antoninus, having been ordered, was bidden to adopt for himself. 10 For that book ought to contain everything that pertains to the stemma of the lineage, since it has an emperor as its subject, about whom more must be said.

III. 1 Adoptatus autem Aelius Verus ab Hadriano eo tempore, quo iam, ut superius diximus, parum vigebat et de successore necessario cogitabat, 2 statimque praetor factus et Pannonis dux ac rector impositus, mox consul creatus et, quia erat deputatus imperio, iterum consul designatus est. 3 Datum etiam populo congiarium causa eius adoptionis conlatumque militibus sestertium ter milies, circenses editi, neque quicquam praetermissum, quod posset laetitiam publicam frequentare.

3. 1 Aelius Verus, moreover, was adopted by Hadrian at that time, when already, as we said above, he was scarcely vigorous and was cogitating about a necessary successor, 2 and straightway he was made praetor and appointed as general and governor over Pannonia, soon created consul and, because he was deputed with the imperium, he was designated consul again. 3 A congiary was also given to the people on account of that adoption, and 300,000,000 sesterces were conferred upon the soldiers; the Circenses were exhibited, nor was anything omitted that could frequent the public joy.

4 Tantumque apud Hadrianum principem valuit, ut praeter adoptionis adfectum, quo ei videbatur adiunctus, solus omnia, quae cuperet, etiam per litteras impetraret. 5 Nec provinciae quidem, cui praepositus erat, defuit. 6 Nam bene gestis rebus vel potius feliciter etiamsi non summi, medii tamen optinuit ducis famam.

4 And he prevailed to such an extent with the emperor Hadrian
that, besides the affection of adoption, by which he seemed to be joined to him, he alone
obtained everything he desired, even by letters. 5 Nor did he indeed fail the province
over which he had been placed in charge. 6 For with affairs conducted well—or rather, happily—
although not of the highest, he nevertheless obtained the reputation of a middle-grade commander.

7 Hic tamen valetudinis adeo miserae fuit, ut Hadrianum statim adoptionis paenituerit potueritque eum amovere a familia imperatoria, cum saepe de aliis cogitaret, si forte vixisset. 8 Fertur denique ab his, qui Hadriani vitam diligentius in litteras rettulerunt, Hadrianum Veri scisse genituram et eum, quem non multum ad rem publicam regendam probarat, ob hoc tantum adoptasse, ut suae satisfaceret voluptati et, ut quidam dicunt, iuri iurando, quod intercessisse inter ipsum ac Verum secretis conditionibus ferebatur. 9 Fuisse enim Hadrianum peritum matheseos Marius Maximus usque adeo demonstrat, ut eum dicat cuncta de se scisse, sic ut omnium dierum usque ad horam mortis futuros actus ante perscripserit.

7 He, however, was of so wretched a state of health that Hadrian at once repented of the adoption and could have removed him from the imperial family, since he often thought about others, had he perchance lived longer. 8 Finally, it is reported by those who have more diligently committed Hadrian’s life to letters, that Hadrian knew the geniture (horoscope) of Verus, and that the man whom he had not greatly approved for governing the commonwealth he adopted for this one reason only: to satisfy his own pleasure, and, as some say, a sworn oath which was said to have intervened between himself and Verus under secret conditions. 9 For Marius Maximus shows to such a degree that Hadrian was skilled in mathesis (astrology), that he says he knew all things about himself, such that he had written beforehand the acts of all his days up to the hour of his death.

IV. 1 Satis praeterea constat eum de Vero saepe dixisse:

4. 1 Enough moreover, it is established that he often said about Verus:

Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata neque ultra
esse sinent.

The Fates will show this man to the lands only, nor will they allow
him to be beyond.

2 Quos versus cum aliquando in hortulo spatians cantitaret, atque adesset unus ex litteratis, quorum Hadrianus speciosa societate gaudebat, velletque addere:

2 Which verses when at some time, strolling in a little garden, he was chanting, and there was present one of the literati, in whose splendid company Hadrian rejoiced, and he wished to add:

Nimium vobis Romana propago
visa potens, superi, propria haec si dona fuissent.

Too mighty to you, gods above, the Roman progeny seemed,
if these gifts had been its own.

3 Hadrianus dixisse fertur "Hos Versus vita non capit Veri", illud addens:

3 Hadrian is reported to have said, "The life of Verus does not contain these verses," adding this:

manibus date lilia plenis;
purpureos spargam flores animamque nepotis
his saltim accumulem donis et fungar inani
munere.

give lilies with full hands;
I will scatter purple flowers, and the spirit of my grandson
with these gifts at least I may accumulate, and I may perform the empty
duty.

4 Cum quidem etiam illud dicitur cum risione dixisse : "Ego mihi divum adoptavi, non filium." 5 Nunc tamen cum eum consolaretur unus de litteratis, qui aderat, ac diceret : "Quid? si non recte constellatio eius collecta est, quem credimus esse victurum?", Hadrianus dixisse fertur : "Facile ista dicis tu, qui patrimonii tui, non rei p. quaeris heredem." 6 Unde apparet eum habuisse in animo alium deligere atque hunc ultimo vitae suae tempore a re publica summovere. 7 Sed eius consiliis iuvit eventus.

4 When indeed he is also said to have said with a laugh: "I adopted for myself a god, not a son." 5 Now, however, when one of the learned who was present was consoling him and said: "What? if his constellation has not been correctly cast, the one whom we believe is going to live?", Hadrian is said to have replied: "You say those things easily, you who seek an heir for your patrimony, not for the Republic." 6 Whence it appears that he had in mind to choose another and to remove this man from the Republic at the last time of his life. 7 But the outcome favored his counsels.

nam cum de provincia Aelius redisset atque orationem pulcherrimam, quae hodieque legitur, sive per se seu per scriniorum aut dicendi magistros parasset, qua kalendis ianuariis Hadriano patri gratias ageret, accepta potione, qua se aestimaret invari, kalendis ipsis Ianuariis perit. 8 Iussusque ab Hadriano, quia Vota interveniebant, non lugeri.

for when Aelius had returned from the province and had prepared a most beautiful oration, which is read even today, whether by himself or through the secretaries or teachers of speaking, with which on the Kalends of January he would give thanks to Hadrian his father, after taking a potion, by which he thought he would get well, on the very Kalends of January he died. 8 And by order of Hadrian, because the Vows intervened, he was not to be mourned.

V. 1 Fuit hic vitae laetissimae, eruditus in litteris, Hadriano, ut malivoli locuntur, acceptior forma quam moribus. 2 In aula diu non fuit, in vita privata etsi minus probabilis, minus tamen reprehendendus ac memor familiae suae, comptus, decorus, pulchritudinis regiae, oris venerandi, eloquentiae celsioris, versu facilis, in re publica etiam non inutilis. 3 Huius voluptates ab his, qui vitam eius scripserunt, multae feruntur, et quidem non infames sed aliquatenus diffluentes.

5. 1 He was of a most happy life most joyous, erudite in letters, to Hadrian, as the ill‑willed say, more acceptable in form than in morals. 2 In the court he was not long, in private life although less commendable, yet less to be reprehended and mindful of his family, well‑groomed, decorous, of royal pulchritude, of a venerable visage, of a loftier eloquence, facile in verse, in the republic also not useless. 3 His pleasures, by those who have written his life, are reported as many, and indeed not infamous but somewhat self‑indulgent.

4 Nam tetrafarmacum, seu potius pentefarmacum, quo postea semper Hadrianus est usus, ipse dicitur repperisse, hoc est sumen, fasianum, pavonem, pernam crustulatam et aprunam. 5 De quo genere cibi aliter refert Marius Maximus, non pentefarmacum sed tetrafarmacum appellans, ut et nos ipsi in eius vita persecuti sumus. 6 Fertur etiam aliud genus voluptatis, quod Verus invenerat.

4 For the tetrapharmacon, or rather
pentapharmacon, which thereafter Hadrian always used, he himself is said
to have discovered—namely sow’s udder, pheasant, peacock, crusted ham, and
wild boar. 5 Concerning which kind of food Marius Maximus reports differently, calling it not
a pentapharmacon but a tetrapharmacon, as we ourselves too have treated in his Life.
6 It is also reported that there was another kind of pleasure, which Verus
had invented.

7 Nam lectum eminentibus quattuor anacliteriis fecerat minuto reticulo undique inclusum eumque foliis rosae, quibus demptumesset album, replebat iacensque cum concubinis vel amine de liliis facto se tegebat unctus odoribus Persicis. 8 Iam illa frequentantur a nonnullis, quod et accubitationes ac mensas de rosis ac liliis fecerit et quidem purgatis. quae etsi non decora, non tamen ad perniciem publicam prompta sunt.

7 For he had made a bed with four prominent anacliteria, enclosed on all sides with a fine reticule,
and he would fill it with rose-leaves from which the white had been removed; and, lying with his concubines, he used to cover himself with a coverlet made from lilies, anointed with Persian perfumes. 8 Now those things are also reported by some, that he even made reclining-couches and tables out of roses and lilies, and indeed with the petals cleansed; which, although not decorous, are nevertheless not inclined to public ruin.

9 Atque idem Ovidii libros Amorum ad verbum memoriter scisse fertur, idem Apicii, ut ab aliis relatum, in lecto semper habuisse, idem Martialem epigrammaticum poetam, Vergilium suum dixisse. 10 Iam illa leviora quod cursoribus suis exemplo Cupidinum alas frequenter adposuit eosque ventorum nominibus saepe vocitavit, Boream alium, alium Notum et item Aquilonem aut Circium ceterisque nominibus appellans et indefesse atque inhumaniter faciens cursitare. 11 Idem uxori conquerenti de extraneis voluptatibus dixisse fertur : "Patere me per alias exercere cupiditates meas: uxor enim dignitatis nomen est, non voluptatis." 12 Eius est filius Antoninus Verus, qui adoptatus est a Marco, -vel certe cum Marco- et cum eodem aequale gessit imperium.

9 And the same man is said to have known by heart, word for word, Ovid’s books of the Amores; likewise, as others have reported, he always kept Apicius in his bed; likewise, he used to style Martial the epigrammatic poet, and said that Virgil was his own. 10 Those things are lighter: that he frequently attached wings to his runners in the example of the Cupids and often called them by the names of the winds, one Boreas, another Notus, and likewise Aquilo or Circius, addressing them by the other names as well, and making them run tirelessly and inhumanely. 11 The same man is said to have said to his wife, when she complained about outside pleasures: “Allow me to exercise my cupidities through others; for ‘wife’ is a name of dignity, not of pleasure.” 12 His is the son Antoninus Verus, who was adopted by Marcus—or certainly along with Marcus—and held an equal imperium with the same.

13 Nam ipsi sunt qui primi duo Augusti appellati sunt, et quorum fastis consularibus sic nomina praescribuntur, ut dicantur nonduo Antonini set duo Augusti. 14 Tantumque huius rei et novitas et dignitas valuit, ut fasti consulares nonnulli ab his sumerent ordinem consulum.

13 For they themselves are those who were first called the two Augusti are, and in whose consular fasti the names are thus headed, so that they are said not two Antonini but two Augusti. 14 And so greatly both the novelty and the dignity of this matter prevailed, that some consular fasti took from these the order of the consuls.

VI. 1 Pro eius adoptione infinitam pecuniam populo et militibus Hadrianus dedit. 2 Sed cum eum videret homo paulo argutior, miserrimae valetudinis, ita ut scutum solidius iactare non posset, dixisse fertur: 3 "Ter milies perdidimus, quod exercitui populoque dependimus; si quidem satis in caducum parietem incubuimus et qui non ipsam rem publicam, sed nos ipsos sustentare vix possit." 4 Et haec quidem Hadrianus cum praefecto suo locutus est. 5 Quae cum prodidisset praefectus, ac per hoc Aelius Caesar in dies magis magisque sollicitudine, utpote desperati hominis, adgravaretur, praefecto suo Hadrianus, qui rem prodiderat, successorem dedit volens videri, quod verba tristia temperasset.

6. 1 For his adoption Hadrian gave an immense sum of money to the people and to the soldiers. 2 But when he, a man a little shrewder, saw him to be of a most wretched health, so that he could not hurl a shield with any firmness, he is reported to have said: 3 "We have lost three hundred million, which we paid out to the army and the people; since indeed we have leaned enough upon a tottering wall—one who could scarcely support not the commonwealth itself, but us ourselves." 4 And Hadrian spoke these things with his prefect. 5 When the prefect had divulged these matters, and thereby Aelius Caesar, as a man in despair, was weighed down more and more with anxiety day by day, Hadrian gave a successor to his prefect who had revealed the matter, wishing to seem to have tempered the sad words.

6 Sed nihil profuit. nam, ut diximus, Lucius Ceionius Commodus Verus Aelius Caesar (nam his omnibus nominibus appellatus est) perit sepultusque est imperatorio funere, neque quicquam de regia ni mortis habuit dignitatem. 7 Doluit ergo illius mortem, ut bonus pater, non, ut bonus princeps.

6 But it was of no avail. for, as we have said, Lucius Ceionius Commodus Verus Aelius
Caesar (for by all these names he was called) perished and was buried with an imperial funeral,
nor had he anything of regal dignity except that of death. 7 Therefore he mourned his death as a good father, not as a good prince.

nam cum amici solliciti quaererent, qui adoptari posset, Hadrianus dixisse fertur his : "Etiam vivente adhuc Vero decreveram." 8 Ex quo ostendit aut iudicium suum aut scientiam futurorum. 9 Post hunc denique Hadrianus diu anceps, quid faceret, Antoninum adoptavit Pium cognomine appellatum. Cui conditionem addidit, utipse sibi Marcum et Verum Antoninus adoptaret filiamque suam Vero, non Marco daret.

for when anxious friends were asking who could be adopted, Hadrian is said to have said to them : "Even while Verus was still living, I had already decided." 8 From this he showed either his own judgment or a knowledge of things-to-come. 9 After this, at length, Hadrian, long in suspense as to what he should do, adopted Antoninus, called by the cognomen Pius. To whom he added the condition, that Antoninus should himself adopt for him Marcus and Verus, and should give his daughter to Verus, not to Marcus.

10 Nec diutius vixit gravatus languore ac diverso genere morborum saepe dicens sanum principem mori debere, non debilem.

10 Nor did he live longer, weighed down by languor and by a diverse kind of diseases, often saying that a prince ought to die sound, not debilitated.

VII. 1 Statuas sane Aelio Vero per totum orbem colossas poni iussit, templa etiam in nonnullis urbibus fieri. 2 Denique illius merito filium eius Verum, nepotem utpote suum, qui pereunte Aelio in familia ipsius Hadriani remanserat, adoptandum Antonino Pio cum Marco, ut iamdiximus, dedit saepe dicens : "Habeat res publica quodcumque de Vero." 3 Quod quidem contrarium his, quae de adoptionis paenitentia per auctores plurimos intimata sunt, cum Verus posterior nihil dignum praeter clementiam in moribus habuerit, quod imperatoriae familiae lumen adferret.

7. 1 He indeed ordered colossal statues of Aelius Verus to be set up through the whole orb, and even temples to be made in some cities. 2 Finally, by his merit he gave his son Verus—his grandson, as it were—who, with Aelius perishing, had remained in the household of Hadrian himself, to be adopted by Antoninus Pius together with Marcus, as we have said, often saying: "Let the republic have whatever of Verus." 3 Which indeed is contrary to those things which about repentance for the adoption have been intimated by very many authors, since the later Verus had nothing in his morals worthy, except clemency, that would bring luster to the imperial family.

4 Haec sunt, quae de Vero Caesare mandanda litteris fuerunt. 5 De quo idcirco non tacui, quia mihi propositum fuit omnes, qui [vel] post Caesarem dictatorem, hoc est divum Iulium, vel Caesares vel Augusti vel principes appellati sunt, quique in adoptationem venerunt, vel imperatorum filii aut parentes Caesarum nomine consecrati sunt, singulis libris exponere, meae satisfaciens conscientiae, etiamsi multis nulla sit necessitas talia requirendi.

4 These are the things which had to be committed to letters about Verus Caesar. 5 About whom for that reason I did not keep silent, because it was my purpose to present all who [or] after Caesar the Dictator, that is the deified Julius, were called either Caesars or Augusti or princes, and who came into adoption, or the sons of emperors or the parents were consecrated with the name of Caesars, in individual books to set forth, satisfying my conscience, even if for many there is no necessity of seeking such things.