. o Cass. , 18). Titus succeeded his father in 79, andhis government proved an agreeable surpriseto those who had anticipated a return of thetimes of Nero. He was idolised by his army(Tac. Hist. v. 1), but he had a reputation forseverity, and even cruelty, and for licentious-ness, which made the Romans regard him asunpromising. But Titus exerted himself inevery way to win the affection of the could control his passions, as he showed byhis dismissal of Berenice, and he gave proofsof clemency by pardoning his brother,
. o Cass. , 18). Titus succeeded his father in 79, andhis government proved an agreeable surpriseto those who had anticipated a return of thetimes of Nero. He was idolised by his army(Tac. Hist. v. 1), but he had a reputation forseverity, and even cruelty, and for licentious-ness, which made the Romans regard him asunpromising. But Titus exerted himself inevery way to win the affection of the could control his passions, as he showed byhis dismissal of Berenice, and he gave proofsof clemency by pardoning his brother, Domitian,who intrigued against him, and in a still morewelcome and popular manner by checking de-lation : the informer was punished by scourgingand exile (Suet. Tit. 8). He assumed the officeof Pontifex Maximus after the death of hisfather, and with the purpose, as he declared, ofkeeping his hands free from blood (Suet. Tit. 9).It was recorded by his admirers that at the endof a day on which he had benefited no one byany gift, he exclaimed: I have lost a day. Bust of Titus. (From British Museum.) (Suet. Tit. 8). It must be admitted that thisoften quoted saying, as well as another of his, No one should leave his princes presence dis-satisfied, however conducive to popularity,points rather to lavish extravagance than todiscretion. The first year of his reign ismemorable for the great eruption of Vesuvius,which desolated a large part of the adjacentcountry, and buried with lava and ashes thetowns of Herculaneum and Pompeii. Titusendeavoured to repair the ravages of this greateruption : he sent two ccnsulars with money torestore the ruined towns, and he applied to thispurpose the property of those who had been de-stroyed and had left no next of kin. At thebeginning of the following year (80) there was agreat fire at Rome, which lasted three days andthree nights, and destroyed the Capitol, thelibrary of Augustus, the theatre of Pompeius,and other public buildings, besides manyhouses
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