As well as being responsible for the care of Priscus, the Aelian (not alien) family were also made criminally responsible if he ever hurt anyone again. In fact, our pals Marcus Aurelius and Commodus continued their letter to Scapula by insisting that he find out whether Priscus’ family were aware of his condition prior to the matricide incident and were ‘looking after him’ because ‘those who have custody of the insane are not responsible only for seeing that they do not do themselves too much harm but also for seeing that they do not bring destruction on others’.
