Emperor of the Romans.[1] He was of senatorial descent, his father having been the general Afer -- for thus he was [sur]named;[2] he was by nature fluent in each language;[3] and he left behind both some prose pieces and various poems in verse. For he used his ambition assiduously and in accordance with this he pursued everything else, even the pettiest things; for he used to sculpt and paint and say that he knew nothing that was not both for times of peace and times of war, both of an emperor and of a private citizen. And whereas this hurt people in no way, most terrible was his envy of all men who were outstanding in something, many of whom he deposed and many he killed. For he wanted to be pre-eminent of all men in all things and he hated those who were superior in something. And because of this he attempted to undermine Favorinus the Gaul[4] and Dionysius the Milesian in various ways but especially by exalting their rivals, although some were worthy of nothing and others of very little.[5] This man in a letter wrote a number of arrogant things, including an oath that he would neither do anything [outside of what was] beneficial to the public[6] nor kill any senator, and he wished destruction upon himself if he should depart in any way from these things;[7] nevertheless he went astray on many points.
This man was pleasant to meet and some favor graced him, as he used the languages of both the Latins and the Greeks most excellently; furthermore he was regarded as a great marvel for the gentleness of his ways, and as someone who had been zealous in the amassing of public funds.[8]
This man was by nature such a man that he was envious not only towards the living but towards those who were dead; at any rate he undermined Homer and instead of him introduced Antimachus, whose name many had never heard of before.[9] They found fault with these deeds of his as well as with his strictness and his curiosity and his meddlesomeness; but he ameliorated and compensated for these things with other care and forethought and munificence and cleverness; and in addition to this he began no war and stopped those that were already on, and deprived no one of money unjustly, and he bestowed a lot [of money] on many men, both public officials and private citizens.[10] He was extremely superstitious and made use of various oracles and incantations. His boyfriend was a certain Antinoos; he founded and colonized a city and named it for him.[11] And he said that a certain [vision/apparition] was Antinoos.[12]
This man came into Pannonia and crossed the Danube with his troops. And the barbarians who were there beat off this [attack].[13]