p。32。Hist。August。p。48。]
ButeverysentimentofvirtueandhumanitywasextinctinthemindofCommodus。Whilsthethusabandonedthereinsofempiretotheseunworthyfavorites，hevaluednothinginsovereignpower，excepttheunboundedlicenseofindulginghissensualappetites。Hishourswerespentinaseraglioofthreehundredbeautifulwomen，andasmanyboys，ofeveryrank，andofeveryprovince；and，wherevertheartsofseductionprovedineffectual，thebrutalloverhadrecoursetoviolence。Theancienthistorians^29haveexpatiatedontheseabandonedscenesofprostitution，whichscornedeveryrestraintofnatureormodesty；butitwouldnotbeeasytotranslatetheirtoofaithfuldescriptionsintothedecencyofmodernlanguage。Theintervalsoflustwerefilledupwiththebasestamusements。Theinfluenceofapoliteage，andthelaborofanattentiveeducation，hadneverbeenabletoinfuseintohisrudeandbrutishmindtheleasttinctureoflearning；andhewasthefirstoftheRomanemperorstotallydevoidoftasteforthepleasuresoftheunderstanding。Nerohimselfexcelled，oraffectedtoexcel，intheelegantartsofmusicandpoetry:norshouldwedespisehispursuits，hadhenotconvertedthepleasingrelaxationofaleisurehourintotheseriousbusinessandambitionofhislife。
ButCommodus，fromhisearliestinfancy，discoveredanaversiontowhateverwasrationalorliberal，andafondattachmenttotheamusementsofthepopulace；thesportsofthecircusandamphitheatre，thecombatsofgladiators，andthehuntingofwildbeasts。Themastersineverybranchoflearning，whomMarcusprovidedforhisson，wereheardwithinattentionanddisgust；
whilsttheMoorsandParthians，whotaughthimtodartthejavelinandtoshootwiththebow，foundadisciplewhodelightedinhisapplication，andsoonequalledthemostskilfulofhisinstructorsinthesteadinessoftheeyeandthedexterityofthehand。
[Footnote29:Sororibussuisconstupratis。Ipsasconcubinassuassuboculis……stuprarijubebat。Necirruentiuminsejuvenumcarebatinfamia，omnipartecorporisatqueoreinsexumutrumquepollutus。Hist。Aug。p。47。]