Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-06-20
For the Essex County herald.
FIVE EMPER0RS OF ROME,
BY A STUDENT.
AntOninus Plus 4. ID. 1885, IG1.
NUMBER ".

was adopted by Hadrlan as the SIX
teenth Emperor of Rome. He was
born in the city of Nismes in Gaul,
about the year a. ID. sc. He was at
the time of his appointment as sue
cessor to Hadrian, about fifty years
of age. He descended from nm an
cient family, that had received some
of the highest honors of State; and
at the time of being appointed sue
cessor of Hadrian, had passed through
many of the most important offices of
State, with great integrity and appli-
cation. In private life his virtues
were in no way impaired by exalta-
ton, as he showed himself to be one
Of the most excellent Princes for JUS
tice, clemency, and moderation. lie
has been compared to Numa on ac-
count OF the purity of his morals.
He was surnamed the Pous on ac-
count of the tenderness which he
showed to Ills predecessor while dying
and the particular attachment which
he had for the religion of his country.
He began his reign by studying
how to promote the most deserving to
employments and he moderated
many imposts and tributes, and
commanded that all should be levied
without partiality or oppression. So
great was his libcrality that he even
parted with his own fortune to relieve
the distresses Of the necessitous.
His wife, Faustina, demonstrated
against this, but he reprehended her,
saying, that when he had become pos
scssed Of the Empire, he had Quilted
all private interests, and that he had
nothing of his own, all properly be-
longing to the people.
He was not like his predecessors,
in regard to travelling, and seldom
left Rome, saying, that he was unwjlI-
ing to burden his subjects with o8ten-
tatious and unnecessary expenses.
He by means OF this frugal economy
was enabled to suppress all the insur-
rections that happened, either in Brit
ain, Dracia, or Germany, dnnng his
reign. Ambassadors were sent to
him from the remotest pats Of iIyr-
CANA, Batria, and India, offering him
their alliance and friendship; some
desiring him to appoint them Il King,
whom they seemed proud to obey.
In the time Of a great famine in
Rome, he provided for the wants of
the people, and maintained vast num-
bers with bread and wine all the time
of its continuance. He replied to
some Of bis subjects, who desired to
inA4me him nth a desire for military
glory, that he had rather save the life
Of one subject than to Stay Thousand
enemies.
He gave large pensions, aid great
honors, to learned men; which drew
them from all parts Of the world to
Rome. Among the rest, he sent for
Apollinus, the famous stole philosi-
pher, to instruct his adopted son,
1 Marcus Aurellus, whom he had previ-
ously married to his daughter. Upon
the arrival of Arollinus at Rome, An
tonius desired Lis attendance, but
Apollinus arrogantIy answered. that
it was the scholars duty to wait upon
the master. and not the masters to
wait upon the scholar. Amtonius re-
piled to this saying THAT it was sur
prising how Apollinus, who ma lie nc
difficulty of coming from Greece to
Rome, should think 1t so hard to walk
from one part of Rome to another" "
When this Emperor was thus employ
ed in making mankind happy, in di-
recting their conduct, by his own ex-
ample, or reproviug their foIIies
with the keenness Of rebuke, he was
seized with fever at LoriHus, Ga
pleasure house at some distance from
Romeo Finding himself nearing
his endh he orderel his friends and
principal officers to attend him. In
their presence, hc confirmed the adop
ton of Marcus Aurelius, as his success
sor.
He then commanded the golden
statue of Fortune, which was always
in the chamber of the Emperors to be
removed TO that of his successor. II,
died in A. ID. 1911, in the seventy-fltl
year OF his age, after prosperous
reign OF twenty-five years and eight
months.