[Sidenote:  U.C. 891]

At the time of his succeeding to the throne he was above fifty years old, and had passed through many of the most important offices of the state with great integrity and application. 12.  His virtues in private life were no way impaired by his exaltation, as he showed himself one of the most excellent princes for justice, clemency, and moderation; his morals were so pure, that he was usually compared to Numa, and was surnamed the Pious, both for his tenderness to his predecessor A’drian, when dying, and his particular attachment to the religion of his country.

13.  He was an eminent rewarder of learned men, to whom he gave large pensions and great honours, collecting them around him from all parts of the world. 14.  Among the rest, he sent for Apollo’nius, the famous stoic philosopher, to instruct his adopted son, Mar’cus Aure’lius.  Apollo’nius being arrived, the emperor desired his attendance; but the other arrogantly answered, that it was the scholar’s duty to wait upon the master, not the master upon the scholar. 15.  To this reply, Antoni’nus only returned with a smile, “That it was surprising how Apollo’nius, who made no difficulty of coming from Greece to Rome, should think it hard to walk from one part of Rome to another;” and immediately sent Mar’cus Aure’lius to him.[8] 16.  While the good emperor was thus employed in making mankind happy, in directing their conduct by his own example, or reproving their follies by the keenness of rebuke, he was seized with a violent fever, and ordered his friends and principal officers to attend him. 17.  In their presence he confirmed the adoption of Mar’cus Aure’lius; then commanding the golden statue of Fortune, which was always in the chamber of the emperors, to be removed to that of his successor, he expired in the seventy-fourth year of his age, after a prosperous reign of twenty-two years and almost eight months.[9]

[Sidenote:  U.C. 914.]

18.  Mar’cus Aure’lius, though left sole successor to the throne, took Lu’cius Ve’rus as his associate and equal, in governing the state. 19.  Aure’lius was the son of An’nius Ve’rus, of an ancient and illustrious family, which claimed its origin from Nu’ma.  Lu’cius Ve’rus was the son of Com’modus, who had been adopted by A’drian, but died before he succeeded to the throne. 20.  Aure’lius was as remarkable for his virtues and accomplishments, as his partner in the empire was for his ungovernable passions and debauched morals.  The one was an example of the greatest goodness and wisdom; the other of ignorance, sloth, and extravagance.

21.  The two emperors were scarcely settled on the throne, when the empire was attacked on every side, from the barbarous nations by which it was surrounded.  The Cat’ti invaded Germany and Rhoe’tia, ravaging all with fire and sword; but were repelled by Victori’nus.  The Britons likewise revolted, but were repressed by Capur’nius. 22.  But the Parthians, under their king Volog’esus, made an irruption still more dreadful than either of the former; destroying the Roman legions in Arme’nia; then entering Syria, they drove out the Roman governor, and filled the whole country with terror and confusion.  To repel this barbarous eruption, Ve’rus went in person, being accompanied by Aure’lius part of the way.