§4Ubi vero primum inluxit, senatum et equestrem ordinem in Palatium venientem admisit atque unumquemque, ut erat aetas, vel fratrem vel filium vel parentem adfatus blandissime est.
But as soon as it was dawn, he admitted the senate and the equestrian order coming to the Palace, and addressed each one, according to his age, most flatteringly either as a brother, a son, or a parent.
sed populus in Rostris atque ante curiam ingentibus eum conviciis lacessebat, sperans deponi ab eo posse imperium quod milites dederant, lapidationem quoque fecere, descendens cum militibus et senatu in curiam diras imprecati sunt, rem divinam facienti ne litaret optarunt.
But the people provoked him with huge insults on the Rostra and before the senate-house, hoping that the empire which the soldiers had given could be laid down by him. They also threw stones at him, and as he was descending to the senate-house with the soldiers and the senate, they uttered dire curses, and as he was performing a sacrifice, they prayed that he might not obtain a favorable omen.
lapides etiam in eum iecerunt, cum Iulianus manu eos semper placare cuperet, ingressus autem curiam, placide et prudenter verba fecit, egit gratias, quod esset adscitus, quod et ipse et uxor et filia eius Augustorum nomen acceperunt.
They even threw stones at him, although Iulianus was always desiring to pacify them with his hand. But having entered the senate-house, he spoke calmly and prudently, and returned thanks because he had been co-opted, and because he himself, his wife, and his daughter had received the name of the Augusti.
patris patriae quoque nomen recepit, argenteam statuam respuit.
He also accepted the title of Father of the Country, but rejected a silver statue.
e senatu in Capitolium pergenti populus obstitit, sed ferro et vulneribus et pollicitationibus aureorum, quos digitis ostendebat ipse Iulianus ut fidem faceret, summotus atque depulsus est.
As he was proceeding from the senate-house to the Capitol, the people blocked his way, but they were cleared away and driven back by the sword, by wounds, and by promises of gold coins, which Iulianus himself was showing with his fingers in order to gain credit.
inde ad circense spectaculum itum est.
From there, they went to the spectacle in the Circus.
sed occupatis indifferenter omnium subselliis populus geminavit convicia in Iulianum; Pescennium Nigrum, qui iam imperare dicebatur, ad urbis praesidium vocavit.
But with the seats of all occupied without distinction, the people redoubled their insults against Iulianus; they called upon Pescennius Niger, who was already said to be ruling, for the protection of the city.
haec omnia Iulianus placide tulit totoque imperii sui tempore mitissimus fuit.
All these things Iulianus bore calmly, and throughout the whole time of his reign, he was extremely mild.
populus autem in milites vehementissime invehebatur, qui ob pecuniam Pertinacem occidissent.
The people, however, inveighed most vehemently against the soldiers who had killed Pertinax for money.
multa igitur quae Commodus statuerat, Pertinax tulerat, ad conciliandum favorem populi restituit, de ipso Pertinace neque male neque bene quicquam egit, quod gravissimum plurimis visum est.
Therefore, in order to win the favor of the people, he restored many things which Commodus had established and Pertinax had abolished. Concerning Pertinax himself, he did nothing either bad or good, which seemed most grievous to very many.
constitit autem propter metum militum de honore Pertinacis tacitum esse.
It was well known, however, that because of fear of the soldiers, silence was kept regarding the honor of Pertinax.
§5Et Iulianus quidem neque Britannicos exercitus neque Illyricos timebat, Nigrum vero misso primipilario occidi praeceperat, timens praecipue Syriacos exercitus, ergo Pescennius Niger in Syria, Septimius Severus in Illyrico cum exercitibus quibus praesidebant a Iuliano descivere.
And indeed, Iulianus feared neither the British armies nor the Illyrian ones; but he had ordered Niger to be killed by sending a chief centurion, fearing especially the Syrian armies. Therefore, Pescennius Niger in Syria and Septimius Severus in Illyricum, along with the armies which they commanded, revolted from Iulianus.
sed cum ei nuntiatum esset Severum descivisse, quem suspectum non habuerat, perturbatus est et ad senatum venit impetravitque ut hostis Severus renuntiaretur; militibus etiam qui Severum secuti fuerant dies praestitutus, ultra quam, si cum Severo fuissent, hostium numero haberentur.
But when it was announced to him that Severus had revolted, whom he had not held under suspicion, he was perturbed and came to the senate, and obtained that Severus should be declared a public enemy; also, a day was appointed for the soldiers who had followed Severus, beyond which, if they remained with Severus, they would be held in the number of enemies.
missi sunt praeterea legati a senatu consulares ad milites, qui suaderent ut Severus repudiaretur, et is esset imperator quem senatus elegerat, inter ceteros legatus est Vespronius Candidus, vetus consularis, olim militibus invisus ob durum et sordidum imperium.
Furthermore, consular legates were sent by the senate to the soldiers, who were to persuade them that Severus should be rejected, and that he should be emperor whom the senate had chosen; among others, Vespronius Candidus was sent as legate, an elderly consular, formerly hated by the soldiers on account of his harsh and stingy command.
missus est successor Severo Valerius Catullinus, quasi posset ei succedi, qui militem iam sibi tenebat, missus praeterea Aquilius centurio, notus caedibus senatoriis, qui Severum occideret.
Valerius Catullinus was sent as successor to Severus, as if a successor could be appointed to him who already held the soldiery for himself; furthermore, the centurion Aquilius was sent, notorious for the murders of senators, to kill Severus.
ipse autem Iulianus praetorianos in campum deduci iubet, muniri turres, sed milites desides et urbana luxuria dissolutos invitissimos ad exercitium militare produxit, ita ut vicarios operis, quod unicuique praescribebatur, mercede conducerent.
But Iulianus himself ordered the praetorians to be led out to the field, and the towers to be fortified; but he led out the soldiers, who were lazy and dissolved by city luxury, to military exercises most unwillingly, so that they hired substitutes with money for the labor which was prescribed to each.
§6Et Severus quidem ad urbem infesto agmine veniebat, sed Didius Iulianus nihil cum exercitu praetoriano proficiebat, quem cotidie populus et magis oderat et ridebat.
And indeed, Severus was coming to the city with a hostile army, but Didius Iulianus was making no progress with the praetorian army, which the people daily both hated and laughed at more.
et Iulianus sperans Laetum fautorem Severi, cum per eum Commodi manus evasisset ingratus tanto beneficio iussit eum occidi, iussit etiam Marciam una interfici.
And Iulianus, suspecting that Laetus was a supporter of Severus, although through him he had escaped the hands of Commodus, ungrateful for so great a benefit, ordered him to be killed; he ordered Marcia also to be slain together with him.
Sed dum haec egit Iulianus, Severus classem Ravennatem occupat, legati senatus, qui Iuliano promiserant operam suam, ad Severum transierunt.
But while Iulianus was doing these things, Severus seized the fleet at Ravenna, and the legates of the senate, who had promised their assistance to Iulianus, went over to Severus.
Tullius Crispinus, praefectus praetorio, contra Severum missus ut classem produceret, repulsus Romam rediit.
Tullius Crispinus, the praetorian prefect, sent against Severus to lead out the fleet, was repulsed and returned to Rome.
haec cum Iulianus videret, senatum rogavit ut virgines Vestales et ceteri sacerdotes cum senatu obviam exercitui Severi prodirent et praetentis infulis rogarent, inanem rem contra barbaros milites parans.
When Iulianus saw these things, he asked the senate that the Vestal Virgins and the other priests, together with the senate, should go out to meet the army of Severus and plead with sacred headbands held out before them—preparing a futile measure against barbarian soldiers.
haec tamen agenti Iuliano Plautius Quintilius consularis augur contradixit, adserens non debere imperare eum qui armis adversario non posset resistere, cui multi senatores consenserunt, quare iratus Didius milites e castris petiit, qui senatum ad obsequium cogerent aut obtruncarent.
However, as Iulianus was doing these things, Plautius Quintilius, a consular and augur, opposed him, asserting that he ought not to rule who was unable to resist his adversary with arms. Many senators agreed with him, which is why Didius, in anger, sought soldiers from the camp to force the senate to obedience or to slaughter them.
sed id consilium displicuit, neque enim decebat, ut, cum senatus hostem Severum Iuliani causa iudicasset, eundem Iulianum pateretur infestum.
But this plan was rejected; for indeed it was not fitting that, when the senate had judged Severus a public enemy for the sake of Iulianus, they should suffer that same Iulianus to be hostile to them.
quare meliore consilio ad senatum venit petiitque, ut fieret senatus consultum de participatione imperii, quod statim factum est.
Therefore, with a better plan, he came to the senate and requested that a decree of the senate should be made concerning the sharing of the empire, which was immediately done.