Saeculum Aureum, 171-189 Summary

As time goes on, Antinous begins to mature into a young prince, and Hadrian loves to take him about Rome and introduce him to dignitaries. At this point, Hadrian tells Marcus that he will try to explain how Antinous died young by his own hand. He admits that after a time, he felt the young man's presence was his due for his divinity. One day, he and Antinous are caught in a storm and take shelter in a barn. There, Antinous feeds him fruit, and the emperor truly feels the role of a god.

They travel to Africa before returning to Athens, where many of Hadrian's improvements are being completed. He is given divine titles by Greece and finally feels that Rome and Greece have been wed. He begins to take the young man's affection for granted, taking fleeting...