The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-16
New Publications.
MARCUS AuREr1vs ANroNrNus.

One of the most interesting and deservedly
respected characters which the student of bis
tory and philosophy discovers in the ancient
world is that of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus:
and yet Of this man there has been until now
no biography in the English language. The
want has been supplied by Paul Barron Wat
son of Cambridge, Massachusetts, who has
done the work SO well that his book may be
expected to stand for a long time as the sole
and adequate "Life'' of the wise and amiable
emperor, the last of the GOOD Emperors, .
before Commodus began that illustration of ex-
allied corruption and heartlessness, continued
by his successors, which makes horrible page
in the annals of Rome.
Marcus Aurelius shares with Socrates the
honor OF exemplifying to modern men the
perfection OF character which the classic pa
ganjsm was able to nourish. These two men
had not much in common. One was a Greek,
the other Roman. One lived in the fifth
century before Christ, the other in the second
century OF our era when some knowledge OF
the marvellous jew was spreading through the
world. Yet now they are often named to-
gether as the two supreme characters of an
Gent civilization who attained nearest to the
ideal OF Christian perfection. Socrates we
know chiefly through the admiring and lust
narrative of Plato. OF Marcus Aurelius we
have some precious remains, his Thoughts ("
from which we are able to get more direct
impression of his very self.
He was born in the pa trician rank and from
uio youth "ao dCqudiut6O Win ana p0Lt6u Dy
the highest ranks 10 the empire, the Emperor
Hadrian being frequent guest of his grand
father with whom he lived after the death Of
his father. He was made Knight when
eight years old and began the study and prac-
tice of the philosophy of the Stools at twelve.
His ingenious disposition, his talent, his apt
ness to learn, his precocious maturity and ro-
business early designated him for great ca
reer. When his grandfather died he was
adopted by Antoninus, and when Hadrian des-
lgnated Antoninus as his successor on the
throne it was with the understanding that
Aurelius should succeed Antoninus, all of
which came to pass in good time and the Ro-
man Empire, then quiverng with the papes
Of decay, was thus provides with a Succession
of rulers whose influence was conservative and
who preserved the traditions of glory and hon
or in time of popular degeneraey.
His reign which lasted about twenty YEARS
was in wisdom and justice the fitsequel Of his
sober and docile youth. It was harrassed by
wars and vexed by the growing vices of the
times, but the brave, patient, phianthropic
emperor devised and executed measures OF
advantage with a firm and constant zeal. and
the narrative which Mr.. Watson has given us
confirms the best that we have known of his
character and motives. 1t is not a hasty or
skatchy book, but a serious essay in one of the
difficult forms of literature and so successful
that it will be appreciated as an addition to the
honorable achievements of American scholar
ship. The reader feels that he has Committed
himself to competent instructor and guide,
and when he closes the volume is sure he has
gained clearer view not only of one of the
noble figures of history, but also of the com
pick conditions which determined the ten
dency of sn era and the fate of great empire.