Hadrian forced his 90-year-old brother-in-law and the man's 18-year-old grandson to die, and the old man prayed Hadrian would long for death and not be able to die

The emperor Hadrian had no son. Lucius Julius Ursus Servianus had married Hadrian's elder sister Domitia Paulina. Their grandson, Pedanius Fuscus, was Hadrian's closest male relative. In AD 136 Hadrian adopted Ceionius Commodus, known as Lucius Aelius, and gave large sums to the people and soldiers to mark it. The Historia Augusta says Hadrian then compelled Servianus, aged 90, to kill himself, and had Fuscus put to death on suspicion that he hoped for the throne. Cassius Dio says Fuscus was 18. Dio says Servianus burned incense before he died and prayed that Hadrian might "long for death but be unable to die." Aelius died before Hadrian. The Historia Augusta says Hadrian complained that he had wasted the money given out at the adoption. He then adopted Antoninus, on condition that Antoninus adopt Marcus Annius Verus, the future Marcus Aurelius, and Lucius Verus. Dio says Hadrian, dying of dropsy, repeatedly asked for poison or a sword, and no one would give him either. He died shouting the saying, "Many physicians have slain a king."