Scriptores Historiae Augustae, Carus et Carinus et Numerianus

Curiosum non puto neque satis vulgare fabellam de Diocletiano Augusto ponere hoc convenientem loco, quae illi data est ad omen imperii, avus meus mihi rettulit ab ipso Diocletiano compertum. Cum, inquit, Diocletianus apud Tungros in Gallia in quadam caupona moraretur, in minoribus adhuc locis militans, et cum Druiade quadam muliere rationem convictus sui cottidiani faceret, atque illa diceret, Diocletiane, nimium avarus, nimium parcus es, ioco non serio Diocletianus respondisse fertur, Tunc ero largus, cum fuero imperator. post quod verbum Druias dixisse fertur, Diocletiane, iocari noli, nam eris imperator cum Aprum occideris.

I do not think it too curious, nor too commonplace, to set down in this fitting place a little story about Diocletian Augustus, which was given to him as an omen of his rule; my grandfather told it to me, having learned it from Diocletian himself. When, he said, Diocletian was staying at a certain inn among the Tungri in Gaul, while he was still serving in the lower ranks, and was settling the account for his daily board with a certain woman, a Druidess, and she said, “Diocletian, you are too greedy, too stingy,” Diocletian is said to have answered, in jest and not in earnest, “I shall be generous when I am emperor.” After this remark the Druidess is said to have said, “Diocletian, do not jest, for you will be emperor when you have killed Aper.”