第12部分(第2/7 頁)

　only　to　follow　in　the　footsteps　of　his　father　to　please　hispeople　and　soldiers；　but；　being　by　nature　cruel　and　brutal；　he　gavehimself　up　to　amusing　the　soldiers　and　corrupting　them；　so　that　he　mightindulge　his　rapacity　upon　the　people；　on　the　other　hand；　not　maintaininghis　dignity；　often　descending　to　the　theatre　to　pete　with　gladiators；and　doing　other　vile　things；　little　worthy　of　the　imperial　majesty；　hefell　into　contempt　with　the　soldiers；　and　being　hated　by　one　party　anddespised　by　the　other；　he　was　conspired　against　and　killed。It　remains　to　discuss　the　character　of　Maximinus。　He　was　a　very　warlikeman；　and　the　armies；　being　disgusted　with　the　effeminacy　of　Alexander；of　whom　I　have　already　spoken；　killed　him　and　elected　Maximinus　to　thethrone。　This　he　did　not　possess　for　long；　for　two　things　made　him　hatedand　despised；　the　one；　his　having　kept　sheep　in　Thrace；　which　broughthim　into　contempt　（it　being　well　known　to　all；　and　considered　a　greatindignity　by　every　one）；　and　the　other；　his　having　at　the　accession　tohis　dominions　deferred　going　to　Rome　and　taking　possession　of　theimperial　seat；　he　had　also　gained　a　reputation　for　the　utmost　ferocityby　having；　through　his　prefects　in　Rome　and　elsewhere　in　the　empire；practised　many　cruelties；　so　that　the　whole　world　was　moved　to　anger　atthe　meanness　of　his　birth　and　to　fear　at　his　barbarity。　First　Africarebelled；　then　the　Senate　with　all　the　people　of　Rome；　and　all　Italyconspired　against　him；　to　which　may　be　added　his　own　army：　this　latter；besieging　Aquileia　and　meeting　with　difficulties　in　taking　it；　weredisgusted　with　his　cruelties；　and　fearing　him　less　when　they　found　somany　against　him；　murdered　him。I　do　not　wish　to　discuss　Heliogabalus；　Macrinus；　or　Julian；　who；　beingthoroughly　contemptible；　were　quickly　wiped　out；　but