to express his
desire to be on good terms with the military power. Nay, even the
Emperor himself walks (or till lately used to walk) on foot from his
palace to meet the Praefect as he moves slowly towards him at the head
of the Senate. The insignia of the Praefect's office are his lofty
chariot, his golden reed-case [pen-holder], weighing one hundred
pounds, his massive silver inkstand, and silver bowl on a tripod of
the same metal to receive the petitions of suitors. Three official
yachts wait upon his orders, and convey him from the capital to the
neighbouring Provinces.'

[Footnote 57: Var. vi. 3.]

[Footnote 58: Joannes Lydus, De Dignitatibus ii. 7, 8, 9, 13, 14.]

[Sidenote: The Praetorian Praefect as Judge of Appeal.]

The personage thus highly placed had a share in the government of the
State, a share which the Master of the Offices was for ever trying to
diminish, but which, in the hands of one who like Cassiodorus was
_persona grata_ at the Court, might be made not only important but
predominant[59]. The chief employment, however, of the ordinary
Praefectus Praetorio consisted in hearing appeals from the Governors
of the Provinces. When the magical words 'Provoco ad Caesarem' had
been uttered, it was in most cases before the Praetorian Praefect that
the appeal was practically heard; and when the Praetorian Praefect had
pronounced his decision, no appeal from that was permitted, even to
the Emperor himself[60].

[Footnote 59: Bethmann Hollweg (pp. 75, 76) enumerates the functions
of the Praetorian Praefect thus: '(1) _Legislative._ He promulgated
the Imperial laws, and issued edicts which had almost the force of
laws. (2) _Financial._ The general tax (indictio, delegatio) ordered
by the Emperor for the year, was proclaimed by each Praefect for his
own Praefecture. Through his officials he took part in the levy of the
tax, and had a special State-chest (arca praetoria) for the proceeds.
(3) _Administrative._ The Praefect proposed the names of provincial
governors, handed to them their salaries, had a general oversight of
them, issued rescripts on the information furnished by them, and could
as their ordinary Judge inflict punishments upon them, even depose
them from their offices, and temporarily nominate substitutes to act
in their places. (4) _Judicial_, as the highest Judge of Appeal.']

[Footnote 60: See authorities quoted by Bethmann Hollweg, pp. 79, 80.]

[Sidenote: Letters written during the Praefe