Works and Other Worthy Writings (Aldine Edition)

titude fighting from above as if from a position of safety. Consequently, a large part of the cavalry, since they could no longer endure it, turned their backs to flight, and so many fell under the constant rain of missiles. Many were thrown from their horses, their footing failing as they slipped among the fallen stones; but the foot soldiers, who had stations in the city, rushed to bring aid to the people against the horsemen who were hateful to them. And so, although it was a civil war, no one yet dared to report what was happening to Commodus for fear of Cleander’s power. Until his eldest sister, named Fadilla, running to the emperor—for access was easy for a sister—with hair disheveled and thrown to the ground, and plainly deformed into a mournful habit, said, “You, indeed, O Prince, are enjoying leisure and, ignorant of all that is taking place, are in extreme danger. But we, your blood, are nearly destroyed. It is all over for the Roman people. It is all over, in large part, for the army, and those things which we did not expect to suffer even from the barbarians, our own household is doing to us, and those upon whom you bestowed the greatest benefits, you now have as your first enemies. Cleander has armed the people and the army against you, and although he is hateful to the former and dear to the latter, both sides are nevertheless in arms and are committing slaughter among themselves, and filling Rome with civil blood. But the calamity of both multitudes will surely fall upon us, unless you quickly put to death the most wicked servant who has already been the author of such great slaughter for them, and who is soon to be the author for us.” Speaking these things, she tore her garment, and many others who were present, having taken boldness from the woman’s words, terrified Commodus. He, struck with fear—fearing the danger now not as impending, but as present—orders Cleander to be summoned to him quickly, who knew nothing certain yet but was nevertheless suspecting something because of the report to the Emperor. And as he approached, he orders him to be seized, and his head to be cut off and carried about fixed on a pike, intending to provide a pleasurable and desired spectacle for the people. Thus that evil was calmed, and the fighting on both sides was broken off, for the soldiers, when they saw that the man for whom they were fighting was killed, feared also the wrath of the emperor, against whose will they had discovered they had been deceived and had done nothing but against his wishes. The people, on the other hand, thought they were satisfied by the punishment of the author. But even the children of Cleander (for he had two of the male sex) and as many as had been his friends were all slaughtered to a man, and their corpses were dragged through the city and treated most contemptuously, and finally thrown into the sewers. This was the end of the fates of Cleander, as if in that one man, nature wished to show (if I may say so) more ambitiously that a human being could be raised from the lowest place to the highest pinnacle, and once raised