§3Adoptatus autem Helius Verus ab Hadriano eo tempore quo iam, ut superius diximus, parum vigebat et de successore necessario cogitabat, statimque praetor factus et Pannoniis dux ac rector impositus, mox consul creatus et, quia erat deputatus imperio, iterum consul designatus est.
Now Helius Verus was adopted by Hadrian at that time when, as we have said above, the emperor was already not very vigorous and was of necessity thinking of a successor, and having been immediately made praetor and appointed leader and governor over the Pannonians, he was soon created consul, and, because he had been destined for the imperial power, was designated consul for a second time.
datum etiam populo congiarium causa eius adoptionis conlatumque militibus sestertium ter milies, circenses editi, neque quicquam praetermissum quod posset laetitiam publicam frequentare.
A congiarium was also given to the people on account of his adoption, and three hundred million sesterces were distributed to the soldiers, circus games were exhibited, nor was anything omitted which could increase the public joy.
tantumque apud Hadrianum principem valuit ut praeter adoptionis adfectum, quo ei videbatur adiunctus, solus omnia, quae cuperet, etiam per litteras impetraret.
And he had such influence 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 letter.
nec provinciae quidem, cui praepositus erat, defuit; nam bene gestis rebus vel potius feliciter etiamsi non summi, medii tamen obtinuit ducis famam.
Nor indeed did he fail the province over which he had been placed; for, having conducted affairs well, or rather successfully, although not of the highest, he nevertheless obtained the reputation of an average leader.
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.
This man, however, was of such miserable health that Hadrian immediately repented of the adoption and could have removed him from the imperial family, while he often thought of others, if by chance he had survived.
fertur denique ab iis 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 condicionibus ferebatur.
Finally, it is said by those who have recorded Hadrian's life more diligently in writing that Hadrian knew Verus's horoscope, and that he adopted him—whom he did not highly approve of for governing the state—solely for this reason: to satisfy his own pleasure and, as some say, an oath which was rumored to have passed between himself and Verus on secret conditions.
fuisse enim Hadrianum peritum matheseos Marius Maximus usque adeo demonstrat ut eum dicat cuncta de se scisse, sic ut omnium dierum usque ad §4horam mortis futuros actus ante perscripserit.
For Marius Maximus demonstrates that Hadrian was so skilled in astrology that he says he knew everything about himself, so that he had written down beforehand his future actions for all days, right up to the hour of his death.
satis praeterea constat eum de Vero saepe dixisse:
Ostendent terris hunc tantum fata neque ultra esse sinent. quos versus cum aliquando in hortulo spatians cantitaret atque adesset unus ex litteratis, quorum Hadrianus speciosa societate gaudebat, velletque addere
nimium vobis Romana propago visa potens, superi, propria haec si dona fuissent,
Hadrianus dixisse fertur
hos versus vita non capit Veri,
illud addens:
Manibus date lilia plenis; purpureos spargam flores animamque nepotis his saltem accumulem donis et fungar inani munere,
cum quidem etiam illud dicitur cum risione dixisse:
Ego mihi divum adoptavi non filium.
Furthermore, it is sufficiently established that he often said of Verus: "The fates will only show this man to the earth, nor will they permit him to exist longer." When he was humming these verses while strolling in his little garden, and there was present one of the men of letters, in whose brilliant company Hadrian delighted, and who wished to add: "Too powerful, O gods, did the Roman offspring seem to you, if these gifts had been lasting," Hadrian is said to have said: "The life of Verus does not admit these verses," adding this: "Give lilies with full hands; let me scatter purple flowers, and let me at least heap these gifts upon the soul of my descendant, and perform a useless service," indeed, it is said that he also said this with a laugh: "I have adopted for myself a god, not a son." When, however, one of the men of letters who was present tried to comfort him and said: "What?
hunc tamen cum consolaretur unus de litteratis qui aderat ac diceret:
Quid 3? si non recte constellatio eius collecta est quem credimus esse victurum?
Hadrianus dixisse fertur:
Facile ista dicis tu, qui patrimonii tui non rei publicae quaeris heredem. unde apparet eum habuisse in animo alium deligere atque hunc ultimo vitae suae tempore a re publica summovere.
What if his horoscope has not been correctly cast, whom we believe is going to live?" Hadrian is said to have said: "You say those things easily, you who seek an heir for your patrimony, not for the state." From this it is clear that he had it in mind to choose another and to remove this man from the state in the last period of his life.
sed eius consiliis iuvit eventus, nam cum de provincia Helius 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 iuvari, kalendis ipsis Ianuariis periit.
But the outcome favored his plans, for when Helius had returned from the province and had prepared a very beautiful speech (which is read even today), either by himself or through the masters of the bureaus or of rhetoric, in which he was to thank his father Hadrian on the Kalends of January, having taken a potion by which he thought he was being helped, he died on the very Kalends of January.
iussusque ab Hadriano, quia vota interveniebant, non lugeri.
And he was ordered by Hadrian, because the vows were intervening, not to be mourned.