of being a secret enemy to the government, the emperor
was satisfied with the general proof that he was a man of property and
virtue. From this well-grounded principle he frequently drew the most
bloody inferences. [281]

[Footnote 25: Dion, l. lxxvii. p. 1307]

[Footnote 251: The most valuable paragraph of dion, which the industry
of M. Manas recovered, relates to this daughter of Marcus, executed by
Caracalla. Her name, as appears from Fronto, as well as from Dion,
was Cornificia. When commanded to choose the kind of death she was
to suffer, she burst into womanish tears; but remembering her father
Marcus, she thus spoke:--"O my hapless soul, (... animula,) now
imprisoned in the body, burst forth! be free! show them, however
reluctant to believe it, that thou art the daughter of Marcus." She then
laid aside all her ornaments, and preparing herself for death, ordered
her veins to be opened. Mai. Fragm. Vatican ii p. 220.--M.]

[Footnote 26: Dion, l. lxxvii. p. 1290. Herodian, l. iv. p. 150. Dion
(p. 2298) says, that the comic poets no longer durst employ the name of
Geta in their plays, and that the estates of those who mentioned it in
their testaments were confiscated.]

[Footnote 27: Caracalla had assumed the names of several conquered
nations; Pertinax observed, that the name of Geticus (he had obtained
some advantage over the Goths, or Getae) would be a proper addition to
Parthieus, Alemannicus, &c. Hist. August. p. 89.]

[Footnote 28: Dion, l. lxxvii. p. 1291. He was probably descended from
Helvidius Priscus, and Thrasea Paetus, those patriots, whose firm, but
useless and unseasonable, virtue has been immortalized by Tacitus. Note:
M. Guizot is indignant at this "cold" observation of Gibbon on the noble
character of Thrasea; but he admits that his virtue was useless to the
public, and unseasonable amidst the vices of his age.--M.]

[Footnote 281: Caracalla reproached all those who demanded no favors of
him. "It is clear that if you make me no requests, you do not trust me;
if you do not trust me, you suspect me; if you suspect me, you fear me;
if you fear me, you hate me." And forthwith he condemned them as
conspirators, a good specimen of the sorites in a tyrant's logic. See
Fragm. Vatican p.--M.]

Chapter VI: Death Of Severus, Tyranny Of Caracalla, Usurpation Of Marcinus.--Part II.

The execution of so many innocent citizens was bewailed by the secret
tears of their friends and families. The death