THE FIRST BOOK 213 



cities and commonalties with new ordinances and constitu- 

 tions, and granting new franchises and incorporations ; so 

 that his whole time was a very restoration of all the lapses 

 and decays of former times. 



Antoninus Pius, who succeeded him, was a prince 

 excellently learned ; and had the patient and subtle wit of 

 a schoolman ; insomuch as in common speech (which leaves 

 no virtue untaxed) he was called cymini sector, a carver or 

 divider of cummin seed, which is one of the least seeds ; 

 such a patience he had and settled spirit to enter into the 

 least and most exact differences of causes ; a fruit no doubt 

 of the exceeding tranquillity and serenity of his mind; 

 which being no ways charged or incumbered either with 

 fears, remorses, or scruples, but having been noted for a 

 man of the purest goodness, without all fiction or affecta- 

 tion, that hath reigned or lived, made his mind continually 

 present and entire. He likewise approached a degree 

 nearer unto Christianity, and became, as Agrippa said unto 

 St. Paul, * half a Christian ' ; holding their religion and law 

 in good opinion, and not only ceasing persecution, but 

 giving way to the advancement of Christians. 



There succeeded him the first Divi fratres, the two 

 adoptive brethren, Lucius Commodus Verus, son to Aelius 

 Verus, who delighted much in the softer kind of learning, 

 and was wont to call the poet Martial his Virgil; and 

 Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ; whereof the latter, who 

 obscured his colleague and survived him long, was named 

 the Philosopher : who as he excelled all the rest in learning, 

 so he excelled them likewise in perfection of all royal 

 virtues ; insomuch as Julianus the emperor, in his book 

 intitled Caesares, being as a pasquil or satire to deride all 

 his predecessors, feigned that they were all invited to a 

 banquet of the gods, and Silenus the jester sat at the nether 

 end of the table and bestowed a scoff on every one as they 

 came in ; but when Marcus Philosophus came in, Silenus 

 was gravelled and out of countenance, not knowing where 

 to carp at him ; save at last he gave a glance at his patience 

 towards his wife. And the virtue of this prince, continued 

 with that of his predecessor, made the name of Antoninus 



