A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PERTINAX. PERTINAX. 211
with some additional matter by Duebner, 8vo. from Rome, along with M. Didius Julianus in At. D.
Lips. 1839, will be able without further aid to 179. The accuracyof this date has, however, been
master the difficulties he may encounter. called in question. (See notes on Dion Cass. Ixxi.
The translations into different languages are, as 19.) 12. Being now held in high esteem by the emmight have been expected, very numerous. There peror, who on many occasions commended him pubare at least fourteen into English, upwards of licly in the presence of the soldiers and in the senate,
twenty into French, a still greater number into after the revolt of Cassius had been suppressed,
German, and also several into Italian and various he proceeded from Syria to guard the frontiers of
other European languages. Of those into English, the Danube, and was appointed to the command of
that of Barten Holiday is the most quaint, that both the Moesias and of Dacia in succession. 13.
of Gifford is the most accurate, and affords the He was made governor of Syria where he remained,
best representation of the manner of the original; performing the functions of his office with great
that of Dryden is incomparably the most spirited uprightness until the death of Aurelius. 14. lie
and poetical, but is often diffuse, and often far took his seat in the senate for the first time soon
from being correct; those of Brewster and Howes after the accession of Commodus, being one of the
are very praiseworthy performances. Of the Ger- guardians or counsellors to whose care the new
man versions, those of Passow (8vo. Lips. 1809) prince had been consigned by his father, and is one
and Donner (8vo. Stuttgard, 1822) enjoy con- of those enumerated by Dion (lxxii. 4; comp.
siderable reputation. [W. R.] Herod. ii. 1, 10) as having escaped the destruction
PERSO (Hipead), one of the Graeae. (Hygin. entailed by this dangerous distinction; but in coInFab. Praef. p. 9; Burmann. ad Ov. Ilet. iv. 773; sequence of exciting the jealousy of Perennis [PEcomp. GRAEAE.) [L. S.] RENNIS] was ordered to retire to his native proPE'RTINAX, HE'LVIUS, was born, accord- vince. 15. After the death of Perennis, Commodus
ing to Dion Cassius, at Alba Pompeia, a Roman earnestly requested him by letter to assume the
colony in Liguria on the west bank of the Tanaro, command in Britain, where he suppressed a mutiny
according to Capitolinus at a place called Villa among the legionaries at the peril of his life. 16.
Martis among the Apennines, on the first of Au- Recalled from Britain at his own desire in consegust, A. D. 126. His father Helvius Successus was quence of the bad feeling entertained towards him by
a libertinus of humble fortune, who followed the the soldiers, b)y whom he had been wounded and
trade of a wood merchant and charcoal burner, left for dead in the tumult; he was appointed
and brought up his son to the same calling. chief of the commissariat at Rome. 17. He was
The youth, however, appears to have soon aban- proconsulof Africa. 18. Lastly, he was praefectus
doned this career; and the various steps by which urbi and was consul for the second time in A. D.
he gradually ascended to the highest offices of state, 192, on the last day of which Commodus was
until at last he mounted the throne itself, " deserve slain; Pertinax, according to Capitolinus and Juwell," as Gibbon has observed, " to be set down lian, who upon this point are contradicted by Heas expressive of the form of government and man- rodian, being privy to the plot.
ners of the age." 1. Having received a good As soon as the tyrant was dead, before the news
elementary education he became a teacher of gram- had been spread abroad, Laetus the praefect of the
mar, but finding this occupation little profitable, praetorium, and Eclectus the imperial chamberlain,
2. he sought and obtained the post of a centurion hastened to offer the throne to Pertinax, and
through the interest of his father's patron, Lollius having with difficulty (Aurel. Vict. Jrpit. xviii. 1 )
Avitus. 3. He was next a praefectus cohortis, succeeded in vanquishing his scruples, immediately
served in this capacity in Syria, gained great re- hurried him in secret to the camp. An announcenown in the Parthian war, and was then transferred ment was made to the soldiers that Commodus had
to Britain. 4. He commanded an ala of cavalry died of apoplexy, upon which Pertinax delivered
in Moesia. 5. He was at the head of the com- an oration, declaring that the supreme power had
missariat on the line of the Aemilian Way. 6. been forced upon his acceptance, and concluded by
He was admiral of the German fleet. 7. Ile was promising a liberal donative. Upon this he was
collector of the imperial revenues in Dacia, but was slowly and reluctantly hailed as imperator by a
disqmissed from this employment in consequence of few, the rest maintaining a sullen silence. While
incurring the suspicions of M. Aurelius, who had it was yet night he appeared before the senate,
listened to the misrepresentations of his enemies. who greeted him with hearty good will; the fol8. Having found a protector in Claudius Pompei- lowing morning, being the 1st of January, A. D.
anus, the husband of Lucilla, he became commander 193, he was received with equal cordiality by the
of a vexillum attached t6 a legion. 9. Having magistrates and the populace, took up his abode in
discharged this duty with credit he was admitted the Palatium, and was invested with all the honours
into the senate. 10. M. Aurelius now discovered and titles appertaining to his station, in addition to
the falseness of the charges which had been pre- which, in order to conciliate the citizens, he asferred against him, and in order to make amends sumed the ancient constitutional designation of
for the injury inflicted, raised him to the rank of princeps senatus. From the very commencement
praetor, and gave him the command of the first of his reign he manifested a determination to
legion, at the head of which he drove out of Rhaetia introduce extensive reforms, not only in the exand Noricum the barbarians who were threatening penditure and internal arrangements of the palace,
to overrun Italy. This inroad, which is called by but in all departments of the government, more
Dion (lxxi. 3) the invasion of the Kelts from especially in all matters connected with the army,
beyond the Rhine, took place some time after A. D. and to restore, if possible, that strictness of disci172. The imperial legates were Pompeianus and pline by which the glory and dominion of Rome
Pertinax. 11. As a reward for his achievements had been won. But with rash enthusiasm he
he was declared consul elect, and is marked in the resolved to do that at once which could only be
Fasti as having held that office, although absent accomplished effectually by slow degrees, and raised
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