276 The Empire. R O 
security of the southern parts of the kingdom, he built a 
wall of wood and earth, extending from the river Eden in 
Cumberland, to the Tyne in Northumberland, to prevent 
the incursions of the Piets, and other barbarous nations to 
the north. From Britain, returning through Gaul, he 
directed his journey to Spain, where he was received with 
great joy, as being a native of that country. There, 
wintering in the city of Tarragona, he called a meeting of 
the deputies from all the provinces, and ordained many 
things for the benefit of the nation. From Spain, returning 
to Rome, he continued there for some time, in order to 
prepare for his journey into the east, which was hastened by 
a new invasion of the Parthians. His approach compelling 
the enemy to peace, he pursued his travels without molesta¬ 
tion. Arriving in Asia Minor, he turned out of his way to 
visit the famous city of Athens. In this place he remitted 
the severity of the Christian persecution, at the suggestion of 
Granianus, the pro-consul of Asia; and even thought of 
receiving Christ among the number of the gods. After a 
winter’s continuance at Athens, he w r ent over into Sicily, and 
visited iEtna, and the other curiosities of the place. Re¬ 
turning from thence once more to Rome, after a short stay, 
he prepared ships and crossed over into Africa. There he 
spent much time in regulating abuses, and reforming the 
government; in deciding controversies, and erecting mag¬ 
nificent buildings. Among the rest, he ordered Carthage to 
be rebuilt; calling it, after his own name, Adrianople. 
Revisiting Rome, where he stayed but a very little time, he 
travelled a second time into Greece, passed over into Asia 
Minor, from thence he went into Syria, and then traversed 
Palestine, Arabia, and Egypt, where he caused Pompey's 
tomb to be rebuilt and beautified. 
About this time a dangerous irruption of the barba¬ 
rous nations to the northward of the empire took place; 
entering Media with great fury, and passing through 
Armenia, they carried their devastations as far as Cap¬ 
padocia. Adrian, preferring peace upon any terms, to 
an unprofitable war, with singular impolicy, bought them 
off by large sums of money; so that they returned peace¬ 
ably into their native wilds, to enjoy their plunder, and 
meditate fresh invasions. 
The emperor having now spent thirteen years in tra¬ 
velling through his dominions, returned to Rome. The 
people received him with the loudest demonstrations of joy; 
and, though he now began to grow old, he remitted not 
the least of his former assiduity and attention to the public 
welfare. His chief amusement was in conversing with the 
most celebrated men in every art and science, frequently 
boasting that he thought no kind of knowledge inconsidera¬ 
ble, or to be neglected either in his private or public capacity. 
Yet he seemed to affect universal excellence; and even en¬ 
vied all, who aspired at an equal reputation in any of the 
arts with himself. It is said that he ordered Apollodorus, 
the architect, to be put to death only for too freely remark¬ 
ing upon the errors of some structure erected from the empe¬ 
ror’s designs. Favorinus, however, a man of great reputa¬ 
tion for philosophy, happening one day to dispute with him 
upon some philosophical subject, had the good sense to 
acknowledge himself overcome. His friends blamed him 
for thus giving up the argument, when he might easily have 
pursued it with success: “ How,” replied Favorinus, “ would 
you have me contend with a man who is master of thirty le¬ 
gions ?” But whatever might have been Adrian’s weakness in 
aiming at universal reputation, he was in no part of his 
reign remiss in attending the duties of his exalted station. 
He forbade masters to kill their slaves, as had been before 
allowed ; but ordained that they should be tried by the laws 
enacted against capital offences.—A law so just, had he 
done nothing more, deserved to have ensured his reputation 
with posterity, and to have made him dear to mankind. 
Daily, at last, finding his strength diminishing, he re¬ 
solved upon adopting a successor ; and after many de¬ 
liberations, he made choice of Lucius Commodus, whose 
bodily infirmities, however, rendered him unfit for a trust 
of such importance. Of this, after some time, Adrian 
M E. The Empire. 
seemed sensible, declaring, that he repented of having chosen 
so feeble a successor, and saying, “ that he had leaned against 
a mouldering wall.’’ However, Commodus soon after 
dying, the emperor immediately adopted Marcus Antoninus, 
afterwards surnamed the Pius; but previously obliged him 
to adopt two others, namely, Marcus Aurelius and Lucius 
Verus, all of whom afterwards succeeded to the empire. 
While he was thus careful in appointing a successor, his 
bodily infirmities daily increased; and at"length, his pain 
becoming insupportable, he vehemently desired that some 
of his attendants would dispatch him. Antoninus, how¬ 
ever, would by no means permit any of his domestics to 
be guilty of so great an impiety, but used all the arts in his 
power to reconcile the emperor to sustain life, but with so 
little effect, that Adrian frequently cried out in his agonies, 
“ How miserable a thing it is to seek death, and not to find 
it!” In this deplorable situation, he resolved on going to 
Baise, where the tortures of his diseases increasing, they 
affected his understanding, so that he gave orders that 
several persons should be put to death; which, however, 
Antoninus took care to prevent. Continuing, for some 
time, in excruciating pain, the emperor was at last resolved 
to observe no regimen, often saying, “ that kings died mere¬ 
ly by the multitude of their physicians.” This conduct 
served to hasten that death he seemed so earnestly to desire; 
and it was probably joy upon its approach which dictated 
the celebrated stanzas which are so well known, in repeating 
which he expired, after a prosperous reign of twenty-two 
years, A. D. 139. 
Antoninus, who now succeeded to the imperial throne, 
was born in the city of Nesinis in Gaul. His father was a 
nobleman of an ancient family, who had enjoyed the high¬ 
est honours of the state. At the time of the death of Adrian, 
he was above fifty years old, and had passed through many 
of the most important offices of the state, with great in¬ 
tegrity and application. His virtues in private life were 
only rendered more conspicuous by his exaltation. He was 
distinguished for justice, clemency, and moderation; for 
purity of morals, and piety to the gods. 
In the beginning of his reign, he made it his particular 
study, to promote only the most deserving to employments; 
he moderated many imposts and tributes, and commanded 
that all should be levied without partiality or oppression. 
His liberality was such, that he even parted with all his own 
private fortune in relieving the distresses of the necessitous. 
He seldom incurred any expences by travelling, and avoid¬ 
ed all idle pageantry and ostentation. By this frugal con¬ 
duct, he was the better enabled to suppress all the insurrec¬ 
tions that happened during his reign, either in Britain, in 
Dacia, or in Germany. Thus he was at once reverenced 
and loved by mankind; being accounted rather a patron, 
and father of his subjects, than a master and commander. 
Ambassadors were sent to him from the remotest parts of 
Hyrcania, Bactria, and India, to solicit his alliance and 
friendship ; and some desiring him to appoint them a king, 
whom they seemed proud to obey. He shewed not. less pa¬ 
ternal care towards the oppressed Christians; in whose fa¬ 
vour he declared, “that if any should proceed to disturb 
them, merely upon the account of their religion, that such 
should undergo the same punishment which was intended 
against the accused.” 
He fook care that his courtiers should not sell their favours, 
nor take any gratuity from their suitors. In the time of 
a great famine in Rome, he provided for the rvants of the 
people, and maintained great numbers with bread and wine 
during its continuance. When any of his subjects attempt¬ 
ed to inflame him with a passion for military glory, he 
would answer, ** that he more desired the preservation of. 
one subject than the destruction of a thousand enemies.” 
While this exemplary prince was employed in making 
mankind happy, he was seized with a violent fever at Lo- 
rium, where lie ordered his friends and principal officers 
to attend him. In their presence he confirmed the adoption 
of Marcus Aurelius without naming Lucius Verus, who had 
been joined by Adrian with him in the succession; then 
commanding 
