A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

Hadrian's Travels 507
and no emperor was ever so careful to avoid buying and
keeping useless material.
When Hadrian had reformed the soldiers of Germany
after the pattern of their emperor, he crossed into Britain.
j.\.
In addition to other improvements there, he was the first Rome, 251;
• 1 -I'll Ancient
to build a wall—eighty miles in length—to separate the Wodd, 487 f.
barbarians from the Romans. . . .
Curious to learn the trifling details not only of his own His prying
1 , r •!• disposition,
1 1
household but of his friends families as well, he employed
detectives to pry into all their secrets. Often his friends
failed to discover that their private affairs were known to
the emperor till he gave them the information. It may be
of interest here to tell a story which shows how well acquainted
Hadrian was with the affairs of his friends. One
of them received a letter from his wife reproaching him for
staying away from home to give himself up to the baths
and other pleasures. Immediately a detective informed
Hadrian of the contents of this letter. When accordingly
the man came to ask a passport, the emperor rebuked him
"What!"
for his devotion to baths and luxurious living.
the man exclaimed, "has my wife been writing this to you,
too?"
People blamed Hadrian for his prying disposition,
as they considered it a grave fault.
After the emperor had regulated the affairs of Britain,
|n^^aul and
he returned to Gaul, where he recei^•ed the unpleasant
1 • •
A A Spartianus,
news of an insurrection m Alexandria over an Apis. As Hadrian, 12.
an animal of this kind was discovered after a long in- ^^^^.^
terval, the various tribes of Egyi^t were violently con- V^'o'ld,
tending for the honor of giving the sacred beast a
dwelling-place.
About the same time Hadrian erected at Nimes a mag-
Then he went to
nificent basilica in memory of Plotina.
Spain to winter in Terragona (Lat. Tarraco), where he releni
16.