Opilius Macrinus

The lives of those princes—whether tyrants or Caesars—who did not reign long lie hidden in obscurity, for the reason that neither concerning their private life are there things worthy to be told, since they would not even have been known at all had they not aspired to empire, nor concerning their reign, which they did not long hold, can much be said. We, however, will bring to light things dug out from various historians—and indeed those things which will be worthy of record; for there is no one who, in his life, has not done something or other on this or that day, but it is the duty of him who undertakes to write the lives of others to set down in full the things worthy of being known. And Junius Cordus indeed had the eagerness to publish the lives of those emperors whom he saw to be more obscure—who profited little; for he found things both few and unworthy of record, asserting that he would pursue all the smallest matters, as if it were worth knowing about Trajan or Pius or Marcus how often he went out, when he varied his food and when he changed his clothing and whom he promoted and when. By pursuing all these things he filled his books with fables by writing such things, when in truth either nothing or very little of trivial matters ought to be written—if from these the character can be observed, which truly is worth knowing, but only in part, so that from this the rest may be inferred.

When, then, Antoninus Bassianus had been killed at Opis, Macrinus, his prefect of the guard, who before had managed the private estate, seized the empire—a man born in a humble place and of a shameless spirit and countenance—and called himself now Severus, now Antoninus, though he was hateful to all, both men and soldiers. And at once, having set out for the Parthian war, he took away from the soldiers the power of judging concerning himself and of growing accustomed to the rumors by which he was pressed—although the senate gladly received him as emperor out of hatred of Antoninus Bassianus, since in the senate there was one voice for all: "Anyone rather than a parricide, anyone rather than the incestuous one, anyone rather than the impure one, anyone rather than the slayer both of the senate and of the people." And it may perhaps seem strange to all why Macrinus wished his son Diadumenus to be called Antoninus,

since he is said to have been the author of Antoninus' death. Concerning him I shall set forth what has been recorded in the annals. The prophetess of Caelestis at Carthage—which goddess, when filled, is wont to sing true things—under Antoninus Pius, when, the proconsul inquiring, as was the custom, about the public condition and about his reign, she foretold the future, and when she came to the princes, with a clear voice she ordered to be counted how many times she should say "Antoninus." And then, while all were astonished, she gave the name of Antoninus eight times. But while all believed that Antoninus Pius would reign for eight years, he both passed beyond this number of years, and it became established, among those who believed, either then or afterward, that something else had been signified by the prophetess. Finally, when all who were called Antoninus have been reckoned, this number of the Antonines is found: indeed Pius was first, Marcus second, Verus third, Commodus fourth, Caracalla fifth, Geta sixth, Diadumenus seventh, Heliogabalus eighth—these were the Antonines. Nor are the two Gordians to be counted among the Antonines, who either had only the praenomen of the Antonines or were even called Antonii, not Antonini. Hence it is that Severus too called himself Antoninus, as very many say, and Pertinax and Julianus and this same Macrinus; and by the Antonines themselves, who were the true successors of Antoninus, this name was retained rather than their own. So say some. But others say that Diadumenus was called Antoninus by his father Macrinus for this reason: that the suspicion of having killed Antoninus might be removed from Macrinus in the eyes of the soldiers. Others, however, say that there was simply such longing for this name that, unless the people and the soldiers heard the name of Antoninus, they would not think a man imperial.

And concerning Macrinus, indeed, many things were said in the senate—when it was announced that Varius Heliogabalus was reigning, though the senate had already called Alexander Caesar—such that it appears he was ignoble, base, and foul. The words, finally, of Aurelius Victor, whose surname was Pinius, were these: that Macrinus was a freedman, a prostituted man, engaged in servile offices in the imperial house, of venal loyalty, of base life under Commodus, removed by Severus even from the most wretched offices and relegated to Africa, where, to cover the infamy of his condemnation, he gave attention to reading, pleaded petty cases, declaimed, and at last administered the law; that he was presented with the gold rings, his fellow-freedman Festus acting as his patron, and was made advocate of the treasury under Verus Antoninus. But these things too are set down as doubtful, and other things are said by others, which we too shall not pass over in silence. For very many have said that he gave a gladiatorial combat and, having received the wooden sword of discharge, went to Africa; that he was first a huntsman, afterward also a clerk, and then advocate of the treasury; and from this office he came to all the highest positions. Then, when he was prefect of the guard, his colleague being sent away, he killed his emperor Antoninus Caracalla by so great a stratagem that he did not seem to have been killed by him; for, having bribed Antoninus' groom and held out a vast hope, he brought it about that he should be said to have been killed as if by a military plot, because he was displeasing either for his parricide or his incest.

At once, finally, he seized the empire, his son Diadumenus being taken on as a partner, whom forthwith, as we have said, he ordered to be called Antoninus by the soldiers. Then he sent back the body of Antoninus to Rome, to be carried into the tombs of his ancestors. He charged his recent colleague, the prefect of the guard, to attend to his office and especially to bury Antoninus honorably, with a royal funeral conducted, because he knew that, on account of the garments given to the people as a largess, Antoninus was much loved by the common folk. There was added also this, that he feared a military uprising, lest, by its intervening, his own empire should be hindered—which he had gone to seize, but had taken as if unwillingly, as men are who say they are forced to those things which they procure even by crimes. He feared, moreover, even his colleague, lest he too should desire to reign, all hoping that, if the consent of even a single vote were added, that man would not refuse, and all would do it most eagerly out of hatred of Macrinus, either on account of his base life or on account of his low birth, since all the former emperors had been noble. He thrust himself, besides, into the name of Severus, though he was touched by no kinship with him. Whence a jest arose: "Macrinus is Severus in the same way that Diadumenus is Antoninus." Yet at once, to quell the soldiers' uprising, he gave pay both to the legionaries and to the praetorians more generously than usual, inasmuch as he desired to lessen the crime of the slain emperor; and money profited him, as it usually does, where innocence could not profit—for the man, full of every vice, was retained for some time in the empire. Then he sent letters to the senate about the death of Antoninus, calling him divine and excusing himself and swearing that he had known nothing of his murder. Thus, after the manner of abandoned men, he joined perjury to his crime—with which it befitted a wicked man to begin.

Since he wrote to the senate, it is worth knowing what kind of speech it was by which he excused himself, that both the man's shamelessness may be known and the sacrilege from which the wicked emperor took his beginning. Extracts from the speech of the emperors Macrinus and Diadumenus: "We could wish, conscript fathers, both with our Antoninus safe and ourselves brought back in triumph, to behold your Clemency; for then at last, the state flourishing, we should all be happy and should live under that prince whom the gods had given us in place of the Antonines. But since this could not come to pass owing to a military tumult, we announce first what the army has done concerning us; then we decree divine honors—which is the first thing to be done—to that man into whose words we swore, since the army thought no one worthier to avenge the murder of Bassianus than his prefect, to whom he himself would assuredly have entrusted the avenging of the plot, had he been able to detect it alive." And below: "They have conferred the empire upon me, of which I, conscript fathers, have for the present received the guardianship; I shall hold the rule, if that please you too which pleased the soldiers, to whom I have already ordered both pay and everything after the imperial manner." Likewise below: "My son Diadumenus, known to you, the soldiery has presented with the empire and with a name—calling him, namely, Antoninus—so that he may be honored first by the name and so also by the honor of rule; which we ask that you, conscript fathers, approve with a good and auspicious omen, that the name of the Antonines may not be lacking to you, which you most love." Likewise below: "To Antoninus the soldiery has decreed divine honors, and we decree them, and we ask that you, conscript fathers, decree them; for though we can command by imperial right, we yet ask, dedicating to him two equestrian statues, two on foot in military dress, two seated in civil dress; likewise to the deified Severus two triumphal statues—all which, conscript fathers, you will order to be fulfilled for us, scrupulously, as we petition on behalf of the former emperors."

When the letter, then, had been read in the senate, the senate, contrary to the expectation of all, received with gladness even the death of Antoninus, and, hoping that Opilius Macrinus would take care of the public liberty, first enrolled him among the patricians—a new man, and one who a little before had been procurator of the private estate—and, when he was a pontifical scribe, of those whom today they call lesser pontiffs, called him pontifex maximus, by decree under the name of Pius. Yet for a long time after the letter was read, since no one at all believed about Antoninus' death, there was silence. But after it was established that he had been killed, the senate inveighed against him as against a tyrant. Finally, at once they conferred upon Macrinus both proconsular power and tribunician authority. His own son indeed—when he himself had received the name of Felix, to remove the suspicion of Antoninus having been killed by him—he called Antoninus, who before had been called Diadumenus; which name afterward Varius Heliogabalus too, who said he was the son of Bassianus, a most base man and conceived of a harlot, also received. Finally, there survive the verses of a certain poet, by which it is shown that the name of Antoninus began from Pius and gradually, through the Antonines, came down to the lowest filth—since Marcus alone seems to have augmented that sacred name by his manner of life, while Verus degenerated, but Commodus even polluted the reverence of the consecrated name. And what now can be said of Caracalla Antoninus, or what of this one? And finally, what of Heliogabalus, who, the last of the Antonines, is recorded to have lived in the utmost impurity?

Having been hailed emperor, then, and the empire taken up, he set out against the Parthians with great equipment, eager to wipe out the baseness of his birth and the infamy of his former life by the greatness of a victory. But, an engagement having been fought against the Parthians, through the desertion of the legions, which had fled to Varius Heliogabalus, he was killed. But he reigned more than a year. Indeed, since he was inferior in that war which Antoninus had waged—Artabanus grievously avenging the slaughter of his own citizens—at first Macrinus fought back; but afterward, legates being sent, he sought peace, which the Parthian, with willing mind, granted now that Antoninus was killed. Then, when he had withdrawn to Antioch and was giving himself over to luxury, he furnished the army a just cause for killing him and for following the son, as it was thought, of Bassianus—that is, Heliogabalus Bassianus Varius, who was afterward called both Bassianus and Antoninus.

There was a certain woman, Maesa or Varia, from the city of Emesa, the sister of Julia, wife of the African Severus Pertinax, who, after the death of Antoninus Bassianus, had been expelled from the court household by the arrogance of Macrinus—to whom indeed Macrinus granted everything which she had long amassed. She had two daughters, Symiamira and Mamaea, of whom the elder had a son, Heliogabalus, who received both the name of Bassianus and of Antoninus; for the Phoenicians call the sun "Heliogabalus." Now Heliogabalus was conspicuous for his beauty and stature and his priesthood, and known to all the men who came to the temple, and especially to the soldiers. To these Maesa, or Varia, said that Bassianus was the son of Antoninus—which gradually became known to all the soldiers. Maesa herself, moreover, was very rich, from which too Heliogabalus was most luxurious. By her promises to the soldiers, the legions were drawn away from Macrinus. For, she having been received by night into the town with her people, her grandson was called Antoninus, the insignia of empire being conferred on him.

When these things were reported to Macrinus, posted at Antioch, marveling at the woman's audacity and at the same time despising it, he sent the prefect Julianus with legions to besiege them; and when Antoninus was shown to these soldiers, with all inclined toward him in a wondrous love, the prefect Julianus being killed, they all went over to him. Then, part of the army being joined to him, Antoninus came against Macrinus, who was hastening against him; and battle being joined, Macrinus was defeated through the treachery of his soldiers and the love of Antoninus. Macrinus indeed, fleeing with a few and with his son, was killed in a certain village of Bithynia together with Diadumenus, and his head was taken off and carried to Antoninus. It must be known, moreover, that the boy Diadumenus is said to have been Caesar, not Augustus, though very many have handed down that he held the empire equally with his father. The son too was killed, to whom the empire brought only this, that he should be killed by a soldier; for there will be nothing worthy in his life that should be told, except this, that he was attached to the name of the Antonines like a bastard.

Yet in his imperial life Macrinus was somewhat rigid and austere, hoping that he could consign all his past deeds to oblivion, when his very severity opened the way for reproaching and tearing at him. For he had wished to be called both Severus and Pertinax, which two names seemed to him names of harshness; and when the senate had called him Pius and Felix, he received the name of Felix but was unwilling to have that of Pius; whence there seems to survive against him an elegant epigram of a certain Greek poet, which in Latin is contained in this sense: "An actor now grown old, base, heavy, harsh, unjust, impious—and 'Felix'—he wishes thus to be at once, so that he is unwilling to be Pius, yet wishes to be blessed, which Nature denies and Reason does not admit; for he could both be called and seem Pius and Felix—impious and unfortunate he is, and so he will be to himself." These verses someone or other, of those who were Latin, placed in the forum beside those which were Greek; and Macrinus, having received them, is said to have replied with these verses: "If the fates had borne such a Greek poet as that Latin gibbet-bird was, the people would have known nothing, the senate would have known nothing, you slave-dealer; no one would have written foul songs against me." With these verses, far worse than those Latin ones, Macrinus believed he had replied; but he was held no less for a laughingstock than that poet who attempted to write in Latin from the Greek.

He was therefore arrogant and bloodthirsty and wishing to rule in military fashion, even blaming the discipline of former times and praising Severus alone above the rest; for he both sent soldiers to the cross and always afflicted them with servile punishments, and, when he suffered military mutinies, he very often decimated the soldiers, and sometimes even "centesimated" them—which word is his own peculiar one—while he called himself merciful, when he "centesimated" those who deserved decimation and "vicesimation." It is long to set forth all his cruelties; yet I shall show one, not great, as he himself believed, but more grievous than all tyrannical savageries. When certain soldiers had assailed the maidservant of their host—a woman long of depraved honor—and he had learned this through a certain frumentarius, he ordered them brought in and asked whether the thing had been done; and when this was established, he ordered two oxen of wondrous size to be suddenly opened up alive, and into these the soldiers inserted one by one, with their heads thrust out, so that they could talk with one another; and thus he punished them—when not even for adulterers were such punishments appointed among the ancestors or in his own time. Yet he fought both against the Parthians and against the Armenians and against the Arabs, whom they call the Eudaemones (the Blessed), no less bravely than fortunately. A tribune who allowed the watches to be deserted, he bound beneath a wheeled cart and dragged through the whole road, alive and lifeless. He revived also the punishment of Mezentius, by which that man used to bind the living to the dead and force them to death, worn out by a long wasting. Whence too in the Circus, when the public favor had burst forth for Diadumenus, this was shouted: "An excellent youth in form, whose father, would he were not Mezentius." He even shut up living men in walls and built them in; those guilty of adultery he always burned alive, their bodies joined together; slaves who had fled from their masters, when found, he assigned to the sword of the gladiatorial school. Informers, if they did not prove their case, he punished with death; if they proved it, he dismissed them disgraced, the promised reward of money taken away.

He was not unskilled in law, so much so that he had resolved to abolish all the rescripts of former princes, that legal matters might be conducted not by rescripts—saying it was monstrous that the wishes of Commodus and Caracalla and of unskilled men should be regarded as laws, when Trajan never answered petitions, lest acts which seemed composed for favor should be cited as precedents in other cases. In distributing the grain-allowances he was most lavish, in gold most sparing; but in flogging the courtiers he was so impious, so persistent, so harsh, that his own slaves called him not Macrinus but "Macellinus" (the butcher), because his house, in the likeness of a meat-market, was stained with the blood of his home-born slaves. He was most greedy of wine and food, sometimes to the point of drunkenness, but in the evening hours; for if he had lunched, even in private, most sparingly, at dinner he was most lavish. He brought literary men to his banquet, so that, speaking of liberal studies, he was necessarily abstemious.

But when men recalled his old worthlessness and saw the cruelty of his ways, they could not bear in the empire so contemptible a man; and especially the soldiers, who remembered many most fatal and sometimes most base deeds of his, having formed a conspiracy, killed him together with his boy Diadumenus—that is, Antoninus by surname—of whom it was said that he had been Antoninus in dreams. Whence too there survive verses of this kind: "We have seen in dreams, citizens, unless I am mistaken," and this: "The name of the Antonines that boy bore, born of a venal father but of a chaste mother—for she endured a hundred adulterers and asked for a hundred; he himself too was a bald adulterer, then a husband. Behold a Pius, behold a Marcus—for he was no Verus." And these verses were translated from Greek into Latin; for in Greek they are most eloquent, but they seem to me to have been translated by some common poet. When Macrinus had heard this, he made iambics which do not survive, but which are said to have been most delightful; which indeed perished in that tumult in which he himself was killed, when all his belongings too were plundered by the soldiers.

The manner of his death, as we have said, was such: when the army had inclined toward Antoninus Heliogabalus, he fled and, defeated in war, was killed in the outskirts of Bithynia, his men partly surrendering, partly killed, partly put to flight. Thus Heliogabalus was thought illustrious, because he seemed to have avenged his father's death; and thence he came to the empire, which he disgraced with vast vices—luxury, baseness, gluttony, arrogance, savagery—who himself too was allotted an end of his life like that one. These things about Macrinus are known to us, with many varying in some particulars, as the history of a man stands; which, collected from very many sources, we have set before your Serenity, Diocletian Augustus, because we have perceived that you are eager for the ancient emperors.