Rome had declined to accept the old world tenet that the soul has
its avatars, yet, when Commodus sauntered from that distant
sepulchre, into which, poison aiding, he had placed his putative
father, Rome felt that the Egyptians were wiser than they looked;
that the soul did migrate, and that in the blue eyes of the young
emperor Nero's spirit shone.
Herodian, who has written very agreeably on the subject, describes
him as another Prince Charming. His hair, which was very fair,
glistened like gold in the sun; he was slender, not at all
effeminate, exceedingly graceful, exceedingly gracious; endowed
with the promptest blush, with the best intentions; studious of
the interests of his people; glad of advice, seeking it even;
courteous and deferential to the senate and his father's friends--
in short, an adolescent Nero--a trifle more guileful, however;
already a parricide, a comedian as well; one who in a moment would
toss the mask aside and disclose the mongrel; the offspring, not
of an empress and an emperor, but the tiger-cub that Faustine had
got by a gladiator.
The tender-hearted philosopher, who in a campaign against some
fretful Teutons, had taken Commodus with him, knew that he was not
his son; knew, too, when the agony seized him, from whose hand the
agony came; but in earlier life he had jotted in his notebook,
"Forgive, forgive always; die forgiving"; and, as he forgave the
mother, so he forgave the child, recommending him with his last
breath to the army and to Rome.
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