[Sidenote:—­7—­] He had Alexander on the brain to such an extent that he used certain weapons and cups which purported to have belonged to the great conqueror, and furthermore he set up many representations of him both among the legions and in Rome itself.  He organized a phalanx, sixteen thousand men, of Macedonians alone, named it “Alexander’s phalanx,” and equipped it with the arms which warriors had used in his day.  These were:  a helmet of raw oxhide, a three-ply linen breastplate, a bronze shield, long pike, short spear, high boots, sword.  Not even this, however, satisfied him, but he called his hero “The Eastern Augustus.”  Once he wrote to the senate that Alexander had come on earth again in, the body of the Augustus, [Footnote:  Antoninus meant himself.] so that when he had finished his own brief existence he might enjoy a larger life in the emperor’s person.  The so-called Aristotelian philosophers he hated bitterly, wishing even to burn their books, and he abolished the common messes they had in Alexandria and all the other privileges they enjoyed:  his grievance, as stated, was the tradition that Aristotle had been an accomplice in the death of Alexander.

This was the way he behaved in those matters.  And, by Jupiter, he took around with him numbers of elephants, that in this respect, too, he might seem to be imitating Alexander, or rather, perhaps, Dionysus.

[Sidenote:—­8—­] On Alexander’s account he was fond of all the Macedonians.  Once after praising a Macedonian tribune because the latter had shown agility in jumping upon his horse, he enquired of him first:  “From what country are you?” Then, learning that he was a Macedonian, he pursued:  “What is your name?” Having thereupon heard that it was Antigonus, he further questioned:  “How was your father called?” When the father’s name was found to be Philip, he declared:  “I have all my desire.”  He straightway bestowed upon him the whole series of exalted military honors and before a great while appointed him one of the senators with the rank of an ex-praetor.

There was another man who had no connection with Macedonia, but had committed many dreadful crimes, and for this reason was tried before him in an appealed case.  His name proved to be Alexander, and when the orator accusing him said repeatedly “the bloodthirsty Alexander, the god-detested Alexander,” the emperor became angry, as if he were personally slandered, and spoke out:  “If Alexander doesn’t suit you, you may regard yourself as dismissed.”

[Sidenote:—­9—­] Now this great Alexandrophile, Antoninus, [kept many men about him, alleging reasons after reasons, all fictitious, and wars upon wars.  He had also this most frightful characteristic, that he was fond of spending money not only upon the soldiers but for all other projects with one sole end in view,—­to] strip, despoil and grind down all mankind, and the senators by no means least. [In the first place, there were gold