THE SAYINGS OF MARCUS
indeed of his sovranty God alone could be judge. With such wisdom and self-command did he rule them that, though engaged in so many and such great wars, he never swerved from what was right so as either to say anything from flattery or do anything from fear.[1]
(11) Philostratus, Vit. Soph. ii. 1, p. 242, Kayser.
Herodes was driven frantic by this calamity[2] and came up to the Emperor's seat of judgment[3] no longer in his right mind and in love with death. For coming forward he set himself to rail at the Emperor, and without measuring his words or keeping his anger in hand, as might have been expected from one who was practised in speaking, but in defiant and unbridled language he gave vent to his passion, saying "This is all that comes of my friendship with Lucius,[4] whom you sent to me, that in judging me you gratify your wife and three-year old child."[5] But when Bassaeus,[6] who had been invested with the power of capital punishment, threatened him with death, Herodes said, "My fine fellow, an old man has little more to fear.” Saying this he left the court without availing himself of his full time for speaking. But in our opinion the conduct of Marcus at this trial too was signally in keeping with his philosophical tenets; for
- ↑ This incident recorded by Dio belongs to the earlier stage of the Marcomannic war, when the Emperor was in great straits for money.
- ↑ The calamity was the death by lightning of his adopted daughters, the children of Alcimedon.
- ↑ The trial took place at Sirmium in Pannonia about 170 A.D., Herodes being accused of cruel and illegal conduct at Athens. He had been accused by the same persons of similar malpractices nearly thirty years before (see Fronto, Ad Caes. iii. 2–6). This Herodes was an Athenian famous for his riches, his generosity, and his oratory. He had been the teacher of Marcus in Greek rhetoric.
- ↑ Lucius Verus, the colleague of Marcus, who had died about a year before. He stayed with Herodes on his way to the East in 162
- ↑ Vibia Sabina, the last child of Marcus, who with Faustina, hence called Mater Castrorum, was with him at Sirmium.
- ↑ Bassaeus Rufus, praetorian prefect 168–177.
