No More Learning

razed the city to the ground, leaving orders, how- But the career of the warlike prince was drawing
ever, to restore the temple of the Sun, which had to a close. A certain Mnesthenis, his freedman
been pillaged by the soldiers. While yet in Me- and private secretary, had betrayed his trust, and,
sopotamia, it became known that Egypt had risen conscious of guilt, contrived by means of forged
in rebellion, and acknowledged a certain Firmus as documents to organise a conspiracy among some of
their prince. Aurelian instantly hurried to Alex- the chief leaders of the army. While Aurelian
andria, put to death the usurper, and then returned was on the march between Heracleia and Byzan-
to Rome.
tium, he was suddenly assailed, and fell by the
But Aurelian’s labours were not yet orer. All the hands of an officer of high rank, named Mucapor.
provinces of the East, Greece, Italy, Illyria, and The treachery of Mnestheus was discovered when
Thrace, now owned his sway; but Gaul, Britain, it was too late. He was seized and condemned to
and Spain were still in the hands of Tetricus [TE- be cast to wild beasts.
TRICUS), who had been declared emperor a short It will be seen from the above sketch that Au-
time before the death of Gallienus, and had been left relian was a soldier of fortune; that he possessed


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438
AURELIANUS.
AURELIANUS.
military talents of the highest order; and that to prove that he was at least a century later. This
these alone he was indebted for his elevation. One opinion is founded principally upon the circum-
of his most conspicuous virtues as a commander stance of his not mentioning, or being mentioned
was the rigid discipline which he enforced among by, Galen, indicating that they were contempora-
legions long accustomed to unbounded license. ries or rivals. Numidia has been generally assigned
His rigour, however, was free from caprice, and as his native country, but perlaps without any di-
tempered by stern and inflexible justice; for we rect evidence ; it may, however, be concluded, from
find that his soldiers submitted to his rule without the imperfection of his style and the incorrectness
a murmur while he was still in a private station, of some of the terms which he employs, that he
raised bim to the throne, served him with fidelity was not a native either of Greece or italy. But
during the period of his dominion, and after his whatever doubts may attach to his personal history,
death displayed the most enthusiastic devotion to and whatever faults of style may exist in his
his memory. His great faults as a statesman were writings, they afford us much valuable information
the harshness of his disposition, and the impetuous respecting the state of medical science. He was a
violence of his passions, which frequently betrayed professed and zealous member of the sect of
him into acts of sanguinary cruelty. Diocletian ihe Methodici, and it is principally from his
was wont to say, that Aurelian was better fitted to work that we are able to obtain a correct view of
command an army than to govern a state.
the principles and practice of this sect. In his de-
The wife of Aurelian, we learn from coins and scriptions of the phaenomena of disease, he displays
inscriptions, was Ulpia Severina, and, as was re- considerable accuracy of observation and diagnostic
marked above, is supposed to have been the daugh- sagacity; and he describes some disorders which are
ter of his adopted father, Ulpius Crinitus. He noi to be met with in any other ancient author.
had a daughter whose descendants were living at He gives us a very ample and minute detail of the
Rome when Vopiscus wrote. (c. 42. )
practice which was adopted both by himself and
It is worthy of observation, that this humble his contemporaries; and it must be acknowledged
Pannonian peasant was the first of the Roman that on these points his remarks display a compe-
princes who openly assumed the regal diadem; tent knowledge of his subject, united to a clear
and now for the first time we read upon medals and comprehensive judgment.
struck during the lifetime of an emperor the arro- He divides diseases into the two great classes of
gant and impious titles of Lord and God (Deo et acute and chronic, nearly corresponding to diseases
Dornino nostro Aureliano Aug. ).
of constriction and of relaxation, and upon these
Our chief authorities for the life of Aurelian are supposed states he founds his primary indications ;
an elaborate biography by Vopiscus, founded, as he but with respect to the intimate nature of these
himself informs us, upon Greek memoirs, and espe states of the system, as well as of all hidden or
cially upon certain journals kept by the order of recondite causes generally, he thinks it unnecessary
the emperor, and deposited in the Ulpian library. to inquire, provided we can recognise their exisi-
We find also some important information in the ence, and can discover the means of removing them.
other writers of the Augustan history, in the minor Hence his writings are less theoretical and more
historians, and in the works of Dexippus and Zosi- decidedly practical than those of any other author
But the chronology is involved in inextrica- of antiquity; and they consequently contributed
ble confusion. Coins, which are usually our surest more to the advancement of the knowledge and
guides, here afford no aid. Thus we cannot decide actual treatment of disease than any that had pre-
whether the expedition against Zenobia preceded ceded them. They contributed in an especial man-
or followed the submission of Tetricus; the invasion ner to perfect the knowledge of therapeutics, by
of the Goths and Vandals, described above as the ascertaining with precision the proper indications
first event after his accession, is by Tillemont di- of cure, with the means best adapted for fulfilling
vided into two distinct inroads, one before and the them. The great defect of Caelius Aurelianus (a
other after the Alemannic war ; so also the evacu- defect which was inherent in the sect to which he
ation of Dacia is placed by Gibbon among the ear- belonged), was that of placing too much dependence
liest acts of his reign, and represented as having upon the twofold division of diseases and not suf-
exercised a material influence upon the treaty con- ficiently attending to the minute shades by which
cluded with the Goths, while others refer it to the they gradually run into each other ; which is the
very close of his life. Although these and all the more remarkable in one who shews so much atten-
other events may be regarded as certain, the time tion to the phaenomena of disease, and who for the
when they occurred, and consequently their relation most part allows himself to be so little warped by
to each other, are altogether doubtful. (W. R. ) preconceived hypotheses. This view of the subject
leads him not unfrequently to reject active and de
cisive remedies, when he could not reconcile their
operation to his supposed indications ; so that, al-
though his practice is seldom what can be styled
bad, it is occasionally defective.
His work consists of three books On Acute Dis-
eases, “Celerum Passionum," (or “De Morbis Acu-
tis,") and five books On Chronic Diseases, “ Tar-
darum Passionum” (or “ De Morbis Chronicis").
COIN OF AURELIANUS.
The books On Chronic Discases were first published
AURELIANUS, CAELIUS or COE’LIUS, in folio, Basil. 1529; those On Acute Diseases in
a very celebrated Latin physician, respecting whose i 8vo. Paris, 1533. The first edition of the whole
age and country there is considerable uncertainty. work was that published at Lyons in 8vo. 1566;
Some writers place him as early as the first century perhaps the best is that by Aminan, Amstel. 1709,
of the Christian era, while others endeavour to ! 1to. , which was several times reprinted. The last
mus.
AV
'r 9 9


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AURELIUS.
439
AURELIUS.
i
edition of the whole work is that by Haller, Lau- | Roman emperors, of whom an account is given
san, 1774, 8vo. 2 vols. A new edition was begun under ANTONINUS, AURELIUS, CARACALLA, CA-
at Paris by Delattre, 1826, 8vo. , but only one vo- RINUS, Carus, CLAUDIUS, COMMODUS, Maxen-
lume was published. Some academical dissertations Tius, MAXIMIANUS, NUMERIANUS, PROBUS,
on Caelius Aurelianus were published by C. G. QUINTILLUS, ROMULUS, SEVERUS, VERUs.
Kühn, which are reprinted in his Opuscula Acade- M. AURE'LIUS ANTONI'NUS, commonly
mica Medica et Philologica, Lips. 1827, 1828, 8vo. distinguished by the epithet of " the philosopher,"
vol. ii. p. 1, &c. For further information respecting was born at Rome, on the Coelian hill, on the 20th
Caelius Aurelianus, see Haller's Biblioth. Medic
. of April, a. D. 121. From his paternal ancestors,
Pract. vol. i. ; Sprengel's Hist de la Méd. vol. ii. ; who for three generations had held high offices of
Bostock's Hist. of Med. ; and Choulant's Handbuch state and claimed descent from Numa, he inherited
der Bücherkunde für die Aeltere Medicin, Leipzig, the name of M. Annius Verus, while from his
8vo. 1841, from which two latter works the pre- great-grandfather on the mother's side he received
ceding account has been taken. (W. A. G. ) the appellation of Catilius Severus. The principal
AURELIANUS FESTI'VUS. [FESTIVUS. ] members and connexions of the family are repre-
AURELIUS, one of the names of several sented in the followir. g table :-
Annius Verus, of praetorian rank, a native
of the municipium of Succubo in Spain.
Maternal Descent.
Annius Verus, consul for a third time A. d. 126,
L. Catilius Severus,
and praef. urb. Married Rupilia Faustina,
consul A. D. 120, and praef. urb.
daughter of Rupilius Bonus, a consular.
Catilia. (Not named),
married, it would seem,
Annius
Annius Verus. Married Annia Galeria
L. Calvisius Tullus,
Libo,
Domitia Calvilla, named Faustina Augusta,
consul a second time 109.
Consul, also Lucilla, and died wife of Antoninus
A. D. 128.
Pius Augustus.
Domitia Calvilla.
Married Annius Verus.
1
M. Annius Verus,
Annia
M. Annius Verus,
Annia Faustina
postea
Cornificia,
postea
Augusta, wife of
M. AURELIUS ANTONINUS
younger M. AURELIUS ANTONINUS Marcus Aurelius
AUG.
than M. AUGUSTUS. Married
Antoninus Au-
Aurelius. his first cousin, Annia gustus.
Faustina.
I
while praetor.
Fadilla.
Vibia Domitia
Aurelia Faustina.
Sabina,
Annius Antoninus L. Aurelius Com- Annia Lucilla Augusta, wife
Verus Geminus, modus Augustus, of L. Aurelius Verus Au-
Caesar, twin bro-
born 31 August,
gustus, the colleague of M.
born ther of A. D. 161. Mar- Aurelius. Her second hus-
163, Commodus, ried Brutia Cris- band was Claudius Pom-
died died when pina, daughter of peianus, a Roman knight,
170.
4 years old.
Brutius Praesens. of Syrian extraction.
N. B. M. Aurelius and Faustina seem to have had several children in addition to the above. Three
daughters were still alive after the death of Commodus (Lamprid. Commod. 18; Herodian. i. 12),
and one of these was put to death by Caracalla in 212. We find in an inscription the names of his
sons, T. Aurelius Antoninus, and T. Aelius Aurelius, both of whom were, it is probable, older than
Commodus, and died young. (See Tillemont. )
The father of young Marcus having died while | Pius, both he and L. Ceionius Commodus, son of
praetor, the boy was adopted by his grandfather, Aelius Caesar, were adopted by Antoninus Pius,
Annius Verus, and from a very early period enjoyed immediately after the latter had been himself
the favour of Hadrian, who bestowed on him the adopted by Hadrian. He was now styled M.
honours of the equestrian order when only six Aelius Aurelius Verus Caesar, and was immediately
years old, admitted him as a member of the frater- chosen to fill the office of quaestor for the following
nity of the Salian priests at the age of eight, and year. The proposed union with the daughter of
as a tribute to the sincerity and truthfulness of his Aelius Caesar was set aside, on account, it was
disposition, was wont in playful affection to ad- alleged, of disparity in age, and Faustina, the
dress him not as Verus but Verissimus. At the age daughter of Pius, who had been previously des-
of fifteen he received the manly gown, and was be- tined by Hadrian for young Ceionius Commodus,
trothed to the daughter of Aelius Caesar, the heir- was fixed upon as the future wife of Marcus Aure-
apparent to the throne. But not long after (138), lius. Their nuptials, however, were not celebrated
in consequence of the sudden death of his intended until after a lapse of seven years. (145. ) In 140
father in-law, still more brilliant prospects were he was raised to the consulship, and in 147, after
suddenly opened up to the youth. For, according the birth of a daughter by Faustina, was permitted
to the arrangement explained under ANTONINUS to share the tribunate, and was invested with va-


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440
AURELIUS.
AURELIUS.
rious other honours and privileges befitting his the war were performed by his legates, and all the
station. From this time forward he was the con- general arrangements conducted by M. Aurelius at
stant companion and adviser of the monarch, and Rome.
the most perfect confidence subsisted between the A still heavier danger was now impending, which
son and his adopted father until the death of the threatened to crush Italy itself. A combination
latter, which happened on the 7th of March, 161. had been formed among the numerous tribes,
The first act of the new ruler was the admission dwelling along the whole extent of the northern
of Ceionius Commodus to a full participation in the limits of the empire, from the sources of the Danube
sovereign power, and these emperors henceforward to the Illyrian border, including the Marcomanni,
bore respectively the names of M. Aurelius Anto- the Alani, the Jazyges, the Quadi, the Sarmatac,
ninus and L. Aurelius Verus. When the double and many others. In addition to the danger from
adoption by Antoninus Pius took place, it was without, the city was hard pressed by numerous
settled that the son of Aelius Caesar should be calamities from within. Inundations had destroy-
considered as the younger brother. Thus, on the ed many buildings and much property, among
coins struck before the death of Pius, M. Aurelius which were vast granaries with their contents, the
alone bears the appellation of Caesar, to him alone poor were starving in consequence of the deficiency
Pius committed the empire with his dying breath, thus caused in the supplies of corn, and numbers
and to him alone did the senate formally offer the were perishing by a fearful pestilence, said to have
vacant throne. Hence his conduct towards L. Verus been brought from the east by the troops of Verus.
was purely an act of grace. But the alliance pro- So great was the panic, that it was resolved that
mised to prove advantageous both to the parties both emperors should go forth to encounter the foe.
themselves, and also to the general interests of the Previous to their departure, in order to restore
state. Marcus was weak in constitution, and took confidence to the populace, priests were summoned
more delight in philosophy and literary pursuits from all quarters, a multitude of expiatory sacri-
than in politics and war, while Lucius, young, fices were performed, many of them according to
active, and skilled in all manly exercises, was strange and foreign rites, and victims were offered
likely to be better fitted for the toils of a military to the gods with the most unsparing profusion.
life. His aptitude for such a career was soon put The contest which had now commenced with
to the proof. The war, which had been long the northern nations was continued with varying
threatening the east, at length burst forth. Verus, success during the whole life of M. Aurelius, whose
after being betrothed to Lucilla, the daughter of head-quarters were generally fixed in Pannonia ;
his colleague, was despatched in all haste to the but the details preserved by the historians who
Parthian frontier towards the end of 161, while treat of this period are so confused and so utterly
M. Aurelius remained in the city to watch an destitute of all chronological arrangement, that it
irruption of the Catti into the Rhenish provinces becomes impossible to draw up anything like a
and a threatened insurrection in Britain.
regular and well-connected narrative of the progress
Vologeses III. , who had been induced to aban- of the struggle. Medals are our only sure guide,
don a meditated attack upon Armenia by the re- and the information afforded by these is neces-
monstrances of Antoninus Pius, thinking that a sarily meagre and imperfect. It would appear that
fitting season had now arrived for the execution of the barbarians, overawed by the extensive pre-
his long-cherished schemes, had destroyed a whole parations of the Romans and by the presence of the
Roman legion quartered at Elegeia, and advancing two Augusti, submitted for a time and sued for
at the head of a great army, had spread devasta- peace, and that the brothers returned to Rome in
tion throughout Syria. Lucius having collected the course of 168. They set out again, howerer, in
his troops, proceeded to Antioch, where he deter- 169, but before they reached the army, L. Verus
mined to remain, and entrusted the command of was seized with apoplexy, and expired at Aetinum,
his army to Cassius and others of his generals. in the territory of Veneti. Marcus hastened back
Cassius compelled the Parthians to retreat, invaded to Rome, paid the last honours to the memory of
Aíesopotamia, plundered and burnt Seleuceia, razed his colleague, and returned to Germany towards
to the ground the royal palace at Ctesiphon, and the close of the year.
He now prosecuted the war
penetrated as far as Babylon ; while Statius Priscus, against the Marcomanni with great vigour, although
who was sent into Armenia, stormed Artaxata, from the ravages caused by the plague among the
and, rescuing the country from the usurper, rein- troops, he was forced to enrol gladiators, slaves,
stated the lawful but dethroned monarch Soaemus. and exiles, and, from the exhausted state of the
Vologeses was thus constrained to conclude an igno- public treasury, was compelled to raise money by
minious peace, in virtue of which Mesopotamia was selling the precious jewels and furniture of the
ceded to the Romans. These events took place in imperial palace. In consequence of the success
162 and the three following years. In 166, Lucius which attended these extraordinary efforts, the
returned home, and the two emperors celebrated legends Germanicus and Germania Subacta now
jointly a magnificent triumph, assuming the titles appear upon the coins, while Parthicus, Armeniacus,
of Armeniacus, Parthicus duximus, and Medicus. and Medicus are dropped, as having more especi-
But although this campaign had terminated so ally appertained to L. Verus. Among the nume-
gloriously, little praise was due to the commander- rous engagements which took place at this epoch,
in-chief. Twice he was unwillingly prevailed upon a battle fought on the frozen Danube has been
to advance as far as the Euphrates, and he made a very graphically described by Dion Cassius (lxxii.
journey to Ephesus (in 164) to meet his bride on 7); but by far the most celebrated and important
her arrival from Italy; but with these exceptions was the victory gained over the Quadi in 174,
he passed his winters at Laodiceia, and the rest which having been attended by certain circum-
of his time at Daphne or at Antioch, abandon- stances believed to be supernatural, gave rise to the
ing himself to gaming, drunkenness, and dissolute famous controversy among the historians of Chris-
pleasures of every kind. All the achievements of tianity upon what is commonly termed the Miracle


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AURELIUS.
441
AURELIUS.
*
of the Thundering Legion. Those who may desire | the whole of this rebellion can scarcely fail to ex-
to investigate this question will find the subject cite the warmest admiration. In the mournful
fully discussed in the correspondence between King address delivered to his soldiers, he bitterly de-
and Moyle. (Moyle's Works, vol. ii. Lond. 1726. ) plores that he should be forced to engage in a con-
There is an excellent summary of the whole argu- test so revolting to his feelings as civil strife. His
ment in Lardner's “ Jewish and Heathen Testimo- chief dread was that Cassius, from shame or re-
nies" (chap. xv. ), and many useful remarks are to morse, might put an end to his own life, or fall by
be found in Milman's History of Christianity (chap. the hand of some loyal subject — his fondest wish,
vii. ), and in the Bishop of Lincoln's “ Illustrations, that he might have an opportunity of granting a
&c. from Tertullian” (p. 105). An attempt has free pardon. Nor did this forgiving temper exhaust
been made recently to restore the credit of the sup- itself in words. When the head of the traitor was
posed miracle, in the essay by Mr. Newman, prefixed laid at his feet, he rejected with horror the bloody
io a portion of Fleury's " Ecclesiastical History," offering, and refused to admit the murderers to his
published at Oxford in 1842.
presence. On repairing to the East, where his
Whatever opinion we may form upon the sub presence was thought necessary to restore tran-
ject of debate, we may feel certain of the fact, that quillity and order, he displayed the greatest lenity
the Romans were rescued from a very critical towards those provinces which had acknowledged
situation by a sudden storm, and gained an im- the usurper, and towards those senators and per-
portant victory over their opponents. That they sons of distinction who were proved to have fa-
attributed their preservation to the direct interpo roured his designs. Not one individual suffered
sition of heaven is proved by the testimonies of the death ; few were punished in any shape, except
ancient historians, and also by the sculptures of such as had been guilty of other crimes ; and
the Antonine column, where a figure supposed to finally, to establish perfect confidence in all, he
represent Jupiter Pluvius is seen sending down ordered the papers of Cassius to be destroyed with-
streams of water from his arms and head, which out suffering them to be read. During this expe-
the Roman soldiers below catch in the hollow of dition, Faustina, who had accompanied her husband,
their shields.
died in a village among the defiles of Taurus.
This success, and the circumstances by which it According to some, her end was caused by an at-
was accompanied, seem to have struck terror into tack of gout ; according to others, it was hastened
the surrounding nations, who now tendered sub- by her own act, in order to escape the punishment
mission or claimed protection. But the fruits were which she feared would inevitably follow the dis-
in a great measure lost, for the emperor was pre-covery of her negotiations with Cassius. Her guilt
vented from following up the advantage gained, in in this matter is spoken of by Dion without any
consequence of the alarm caused by unexpected expression of doubt; is mentioned by Capitolinus as
disturbances which had broken out in the East, a report only, and positively denied by Vulcatius ;
and had quickly assumed a very formidable aspect. but the arguments employed by the latter are of
Faustina had long watche with anxiety the de- no weight.
clining health of her husband, and anticipating his After visiting Egypt, the emperor set out for
speedy death, was filled with alarm lest, from Italy, touched at Athens on his homeward journey,
the youth and incapacity of her son Coinmodus, reached Brundusium towards the end of the year
the empire might pass away into other hands. She 176, and celebrated a triumph along with Commo-
had, therefore, opened a correspondence with A vi- dus, now consul elect, on the 23rd of December.
dius Cassius, who had gained great fame in the Scarcely was this ceremony concluded, when fresh
Parthian war commemorated above, who had sub- tumults arose upon the Danube, where the presence
sequently suppressed a serious insurrection in of the emperor was once more required. According-
Egypt, and had acted as supreme governor of the ly, after concluding somewhat earlier than he had
Eastern provinces after the departure of Lucius intended the nuptials of Commodus and Crispina, he
Verus. Her object was to persuade him to hold quitted Rome along with his son, in the month of
himself in readiness to aid her projects, and she August (177), and hastened to Germany. During
offered him her hand and the throne as his rewards. the two following years his operations were attended
While Cassius was meditating upon these propo- with the most prosperous results. The Marcomanni,
sals, he suddenly received intelligence that Marcus the Hermanduri, the Sarmatae, and the Quadi, were
was dead, and forth with, without waiting for a repeatedly routed, their confederacy was broken up,
confirmation of the news, caused himself to be pro and everything seemed to promise that they would
claimed his successor. The falseness of the rumour at length be effectually crushed. But the shat-
soon became known, but deeming that his offence tered constitution of Marcus now sunk beneath the
was beyond forgiveness, he determined to prose pressure of mental and bodily fatigue. He died in
cute the enterprise ; within a short period he made Pannonia, either at Vindobona (Vienna) or at Sir-
himself master of all Asia within Mount Taurus, mium, on the 17th of March, 180, in the 59th
and resolved to maintain his pretensions by force. year of his age and the 20th of his reign. A
A report of these transactions was forthwith trans- strong suspicion prevailed that his death had been
mitted to Rome by M. Verus, the legate commanding accelerated by the machinations of his son, who
in Cappadocia. Aurelius, who was still in Panno- was accused of having tampered with the physi-
nia, summoned his son to his presence in all haste, cians, and persuaded them to administer poison.
and bestowed on him the manly gown, intending The leading feature in the character of M. Aure-
to set out instantly for the seat of war. But in the lius was his devotion to philosophy and literature.
midst of active preparations for a campaign Cassius When only twelve years old he adopted the dress
was assassinated by two of his own officers, after and practised the austerities of the Stoics, whose
having enjoyed a nominal sovereignty for three doctrines were imparted to him by the most cele-
months and six days. His son soon after shared brated teachers of the day-Diognotus, Apollonius,
the same fate. The conduct of Marcus throughout and Junius Rusticus. He studied the principles


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442
AURELIUS.
AURELIUS.
of composition and oratory under Herodes Atticus ral policy, both at home and abroad, he steadily
and Cornelius Fronto, and by his close and unre- followed in the path of his predecessor, whose
mitting application laid the foundation of the bad counsels he had shared for more than twenty years.
health by which he was so much oppressed in after The same praise, therefore, which belongs to the
life. While yet Caesar he was addressed by Justin elder may fairly be imparted to the younger Anto
Martyr (Apolog. i. init. ) as Verissimus “ the phi- nine; and this is perhaps the most emphatic pane-
losopher," an epithet by which he has been com- gyric we could pronounce. No monarch was ever
monly distinguished from that period down to the more widely or more deeply beloved. The people
present day, although no such title was ever pub- believed, that he had been sent down by the gods,
licly or formally conferred. Even after his elevation for a time, to bless mankind, and had now returned
to the purple, he felt neither reluctance nor shame to the heaven from which he descended. So uni-
in resorting to the school of Sextus of Chaeroneia, versal was this conviction among persons of
the descendant of Plutarch, and in listening to the every age and calling, that his apotheosis was
extemporaneous declamations of Hermogenes. From not, as in other cases, viewed in the light of a mere
his earliest youth he lived upon terms of the most empty form. Every one, whose means permitted,
affectionate familiarity with his instructors, as we procured a statue of the emperor. More than a
may gather from his correspondence with Fronto century after his decease, these images were to be
[FRONTO); the most worthy were, through his found in many mansions among the household
influence, promoted to the highest dignities ; after gods, and persons were wont to declare, that he
their death he placed their images in the chapel of had appeared to them in dreams and visions, and
bis lares, and was wont to strew flowers and offer revealed events which afterwards came to pass.
sacrifices on their graves. Nor was his liberality The great, perhaps the only, indelible stain upon
confined to his own preceptors, for learned men in his memory is the severity with which he treated
every quarter of the world enjoyed substantial the Christians; and his conduct in this respect was
proofs of his bounty. Philosophy was the great the more remarkable, because it was not only com-
object of his zeal, but the other branches of a polite pletely at variance with his own general principles,
education were by no means neglected ; music, but was also in direct opposition to the wise and
poetry, and painting, were cultivated in turn, and liberal policy pursued by Hadrian and Pius. The
the severer sciences of mathematics and law en- numerous apologies published during his reign
gaged no small portion of his attention. In juris- would alone serve to point out that the church was
prudence especially, he laboured throughout life surrounded by difficulties and dangers; but the
with great activity, and his Constitutions are be charge of positive persecution is fully established
lieved to have filled many volumes. These are now by the martyrdom of Justin at Rome, of the vene
all lost, but they are constantly quoted with great rable Polycarp, with many others, at Smyrna (167)
respect by later writers. (See Westenberg, Dis- in the early part of his reign, and by the horri-
sertationes ad Constitutiones M. Aurelii Imperatoris, ble atrocities perpetrated at Vienne and Lyons se
Lug. Bat. 1736. )
veral ars afterwards. (177. ) It would be but a
With the exception of a few letters contained poor defence to allege, that these excesses were
in the recently discovered remains of Fronto, the committed without the knowledge of a prince who
only production of Marcus which has been pre on all other occasions watched with such care over
served is a volume composed in Greck, and entitled the rights of his subjects in the most remote pro
Μάρκου Αντωνίνου του αυτοκράτορος των εις | Vinces. But, in so far as the proceedings in Gaul
éautòv Biblía 16. It is a sort of coioinon-place are concerned, we have clear evidence that they
book, in which were registered from time to time received his direct sanction; for when the Roman
the thoughts and feelings of the author upon moral governor applied for instructions, an answer was
and religious topics, together with striking maxims returned, that all who confessed themselves to be
extracted from the works of those who had been Christians should suffer death. It is probable that
most eminent for wisdom and virtue. There is no bis better feelings were in this instance overpow-
attempt at order or arrangement, but the contents ered by the violence of evil counsellors; for had he
are valuable, in so far as they illustrate the system followed the dictates of his own nature, he would
of self-examination enjoined by the discipline of the have been contented to moralise upon and lament
Stoics, and present a genuine picture of the doubts over what he viewed as ignorant and obstinate ad-
and difficulties and struggles of a speculative and herence to a vain superstition. (See Med. xi. 3. )
reflecting mind.
But this calm contempt by no means satisfied the
The education and pursuits of M. Aurelius exer- active hate of the crowd of real and pretended
cised the happiest influence upon a temper and Stoics, whom his patronage had attracted. Many
disposition naturally calm and benevolent. He of these were bigots of the worst class, and che-
succeeded in acquiring the boasted composure and rished sentiments of the most malignant animosity
self-command of the disciples of the Porch, without towards the professors of the new religion. Accus-
imbibing the harshness which they were wont to tomed to regard all other sects with self-satisfied
exhibit. He was firm without being obstinate ; he disdain, they could ill brook the freedom with
steadfastly maintained his own principles without which their follies and fallacies were now attacked
manifesting any overweening contempt for the opi- and exposed ; they regarded with jealous rage a
nions of those who differed from himself; his jus code of morals and a spotless purity of life far su-
tice was tempered with gentleness and mercy; his perior to aught they had ever practised, or taught,
gravity was devoid of gloom. In public life, he or imagined ; and least of all could they forgive
sought to demonstrate practically the truth of the the complete overthrow of their own exclusive pre
Platonic maxim, ever on his lips, that those states tensions to mental fortitude and calm endurance of
only could be truly happy which were governed by bodily suffering.
philosophers, or in which the kings and rulers were Although no other serious charge has been pre-
guided by the tenets of pure philosophy. In gene- ferred against M. Aurelius, for the rumour thai he


## p. 443 (#463) ############################################

AURELIUS.
443
AUREOLUS.
a
poisoned L. Verus never seems to have obtained or is probably the same person who is mentioned in
deserved the slightest credit, we may perhaps by a Cramer's Anecd. Gr. Paris, vol. i. p. 394. (W. A. G. )
close scrutiny detect a few weaknesses. The deep AURE'LIUS ARCA'DIUS CHA'RISIUS.
sorrow expressed upon the death of Faustina, and [CHARISIUS. )
the eagerness with which he sought to heap ho- AURELIUS AUGUSTI'NUS. (AUGUSTI-
nours on the memory of a wicked woman and a NUS. ]
faithless wife, who rivalled Messalina in shameless AURELIUS CORNE’LIUS CELSUS.
and promiscuous profligacy, if sincere, betoken a (Celsus. ]
degree of carelessness and blindness almost incre- AURELIUS OLY'MPIUS NEMESIANUS.
dible ; if feigned, a strange combination of apathy [NEMESIANUS.
and dissimulation. Nor can we altogether forgive AUREʻLIUS OPI’LIUS. [Opilius. ]
his want of discernment or of resolution in not dis- AURELIUS PHILIPPUS. [PHILIPPUS. ]
covering or restraining the evil propensities of his AUREʻLIUS PRUDE'NTIUS. [Pruden-
son, wliose education he is said to have conducted TIUs. ]
with the inost zealous care. Making every allow- AURELIUS SYÖMMACHUS. [SYMMACH US. ]
ance for the innate depravity of the youth, we can AUREʻLIUS VICTOR. [Victor. )
scarcely conceive that if he had been trained with AUREOLUS. After the defeat and captivity
judicious firmness, and his evil passions combated of Valerian, the legions in the different provinces,
and controlled before they became fully developed, while they agreed in scorning the feeble rule of
he would ever have proved such a prodigy of heart- Gallienus, could by no means unite their suffrages
less cruelty and brutal sensuality.
in favour of any one aspirant to the purple ; but each
Our chief authorities for this period of history army hastened to bestow the title of Augustus up-
are the life of M. Aurelius by Capitolinus, a mass on its favourite general. Hence arose within the
of ill-selected and badly arranged materials, and short space of eight years (A. D. 260—267) no less
the 71st book of Dion Cassius, a collection of awk- ! than nineteen usurpers in the various dependencies
wardly patched fragments. Some facts may be ex- of Rome, whose contests threatened speedily to
tracted from the minor Roman historians, and from produce the complete dissolution of the empire.
Aristeides (Orat. ix. ), Herodian, Joannes Antio- The biographies of these adventurers, most of whom
chenus, and Zonaras.
were of very humble origin, have been compiled by
The editio princeps of the Meditations was pub Trebellius Pollio, who has collected the whole un-
lished by Xylander (Tigur. 1558, 8vo. ), and re- der the fanciful designation of the Thirty Tyrants.
published with improvements by the same scholar But the analogy thus indicated will not bear exa-
ten years afterwards. (Basil
. 1568, 8vo,) The mination. No parallel can be established between
next in order was superintended by Merick Casau- those pretenders who sprung up suddenly in diverse
bon (Lond. 1643, 8vo. ), followed by the edition of quarters of the world, without concert or sympathy,
Gataker (Cantab. 1652, 4to. ), reprinted at London each struggling to obtain supreme dominion for
(1697) with additional notes from the French of himself, and that cabal which united under Critias
And. Dacier, and his life of M. Aurelius translated and Theramenes with the common purpose of
into Latin by Stanhope. This last edition must, crushing the liberties of Athens. Nor does even
upon the whole, be still considered as the most the number correspond, for the Augustan historian
useful and ample. A new recension of the text, is obliged to press in women and children and
accompanied by a commentary, was commenced by many doubtful names
, in order to complete his tale.
Schulz, at the beginning of the present century of the whole nineteen, one only, Odenathus the
(Slesvic. 1802, 8vo. ), but the work is still imper- Palmyrene, in gratitude for his successful valour
fect, one volume only having appeared.
against Sapor, was recognised by Gallienus as a
There are numerous translations into most of the colleague. " It has been remarked, that not one
European languages. In English, the best, though lived in peace or died a natural death.
indifferent, is that published at Glasgow in 1749 Among the last of the number was Aureolus, a
and 1764; in French, that of Madame Dacier Dacian by birth, by occupation originally a shepherd.
(Paris, 1691); in German, that of Schulz. (Sles- His merits as a soldier were discovered by Valerian,
wick, 1799. ) For further information with regard who gave him high military rank; and he subse-
to the instructors of this emperor and his various quently did good service in the wars waged against
literary compositions, see Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. Ingenuus, Macrianus, and Postumus. He was at
v. p. 500.
[W. R. ] length induced to revolt, was proclaimed emperor by
the legions of Illyria in the year 267, and made him-
self master of Northern Italy. Gallienus, having
been recalled by this alarm from a campaign against
the Goths, encountered and defeated his rebellious
general, and shut him up in Milan ; but, while
prosecuting the siege with vigour, was assassinated.
This catastrophe, however, did not long delay the
fate of the usurper, who was the nearest enemy
SC
and consequently the first object of attack to his
rival, the new emperor Claudius. Their preten-
sions were decided by a battle fought between
COIN OF AURELIUS.
Milan and Bergamo, in which Aureolus was slain;
and the modern town of Pontirolo is said to repre-
AURE'LIUS, a physician who must have lived sent under a corrupt form the name of the bridge
in or before the second century after Christ, as one (Pons Aureoli) thrown over the Adda at the spot
of his prescriptions is quoted by Galen. (De Com- where the victory was won. The records preserved
pos. Medicam. sec. Loc. v.