Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/133

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

Marcus Antoninus.
lxxxi

showing the least sign of Dissatisfaction, turn'd to the Athenians and told them, Gentlemen, you may open your Cause and go on with it, notwithstanding Herod is not at present in the Humour to hear you. Demostratus harangu'd, and argued with so much Force, that he drew Tears from the Emperour, who finding the Manumis'd Slaves of Herod most in fault, let all his Displeasure fall there, tho' according to his usual Clemency, he did not go to the Rigour of the Case with them neither: The Father of the two young Women, that were kill'd with Lightning had his Punishment wholly remitted ; for he was sufficiently punish'd already, the Emperour said, by the loss of his two Daughters.

Those who report that Herod was banish'd to Epirus, seem'd to mistake his residing a great while at Oricum in that Country, for a Banishment ; occasion'd by a long Sickness he was seiz'd with, at his return from Pannonia. [1] For in earnest which way can we reconcile this Exile with Herod's Letter some little time after to the Emperour, in which he takes the Freedom to Expostulate, why his Majesty did not do him the Honour of his usual Correspondence by writing ? And tells him, that he had formerly received three Couriers from him in a Day, and desires to

f
know
  1. Hungary.