Dio's Rome, Volume 3: An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus: and Now Presented in English FormCassius Dio Cocceianus
History
Dio's Rome, Volume 3: An Historical Narrative Originally Composed in Greek During The Reigns of Septimius Severus, Geta and Caracalla, Macrinus, Elagabalus and Alexander Severus: and Now Presented in English Form
Cassius Dio Cocceianus
Rome -- History
A slave had hidden his master in a cave, and then, when even so through
another's information he was likely to perish, this slave changed clothes
with him and wearing his master's apparel confronted the pursuers as the
man himself and was slain. So they were turned aside, thinking they had
despatched the desired man, but he when they had departed made his escape
to some other place.
Or a second. Another slave had likewise changed his entire accoutrement
with his master, and entered a covered litter which he made the other
help to carry. When they were overtaken the one in the litter was killed
without being even looked at, and the master, as a baggage-carrier,
was saved. Those services were rendered by those servants to their
benefactors in return for some kindness previously received.
There was also a branded runaway who so far from betraying the man who
had branded him very willingly preserved him. He was detected in carrying
him away and was being pursued, when he killed somebody who met him by
chance and gave the latter's clothes to his master. Having then placed
him upon a pyre he himself took his master's clothing and ring and going
to meet the pursuers pretended that he had killed the man while fleeing.
Because of his spoils and the marks of the branding he was believed and
both saved the person in question and was himself honored.
The names connected with the above anecdotes have not been preserved.
But in the case of Hosidius Greta his son arranged a funeral for him as
though already dead and preserved him in that way. Quintus Cicero, the
brother of Marcus, was secretly led away by his child and saved, so far
as his rescuer's responsibility went. The boy concealed his father so
well that he could not be discovered and when tormented for it by all
kinds of torture did not utter a syllable. His father, learning what was
being done, was filled at once with admiration and pity for the boy,
and therefore came voluntarily to view and surrendered himself to the
slayers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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