the most secret recesses of his palace, whither he had re

est.

twelve Cæsars, as they have been denominated in history, ended with Domitian. In this number, however, Julius Cæsar is included, although Augustus was the first emperor strictly so called, and Nero was the last emperor of the Augustan family.

16. Nerva was elected emperor by the senate, upon the death of Domitian, 96 A. C. He was the first Roman emperor of foreign extraction, (being a native of Crete), and chosen on account of his virtues. His advanced age and the clemency of his disposition, with perhaps a want energy, unfitted him to stem the torrent of corruption, and to cure the disorders of the empire. He however, adopted the excellent Trajan as his successor, and thus rendered a service to mankind which his administration otherwise could never have accomplished. He died 98 A. C. in the seventy-second year of his age, having reigned sixteen months.

§ During his short reign, Nerva made several good laws and regulations, and in every respect conducted himself like an indulgent father to his people. No statues would he permit to be erected to his memory, and he converted into money, such of Domitian's as had been spared by the senate. He sold many rich robes, and much of the splendid furniture of the palace, and retrenched several unreasonable expenses at court, yet he was not at all avaricious of money.

The following is a striking instance of his lenity. He had solemnly sworn that no senator of Rome should be put to death by his command, during his reign, from any cause whatever.

This oath he observed with such sanctity, that when two senators had conspired his death, he sent for them, and carried them with him to the public theatre. There presenting each a dagger, he desired them to strike, as he was determined not to ward off the blow.

17. Trajan, now in the possession of the throne, 98 A. C. was a native of Seville in Spain. He proved to be one of Rome's best sovereigns, splendid, warlike, munificent, courteous, and modest. The few vices he possessed were scarcely noticed amidst the blaze of his virtues, and the fame of his exploits. This, perhaps, is an instance of human infirmity in the estimation of character, since no vice should pass uncondemned. It is a matter of deep regret, that his equity, so visible in other respects, should be implicated by his conduct towards the Christians, whom he suffered to be mo

lested. The third great persecution of them took place during bis reign.

The boundaries of the empire were greatly enlarged by the victories of Trajan, in Dacia and the East. They never were so extensive, either before or after his time. The em pire, however, was not improved by these conquests; it soon lost them, for the conquered countries immediately re-appeared in arms, and at length effected their independence.

Learning and learned men were signally encouraged by the emperor's liberality. His public works are also much celebrated. By his direction, the column still to be seen under the name of Trajan's column, was erected. It is one of the most remarkable monuments of ancient Rome. He died after a reign of nineteen years, at the age of sixty-three, 118 A. C.

§ It was a characteristic of Trajan, that he so little feared his enemies, that he could scarcely be induced to suppose he had any. Being once told that his favorite, Sura, was false to him; Trajan, to show how much he relied upon his fidelity, went in his ordinary manner to sup with him. There he commanded Sura's surgeon to be brought, whom he ordered to take off the hair about his eye! brows. He then made the barber shave his beard, after which, he went unconcerned into the bath as usual. The next day, when Sura's accusers were renewing their complaints; Trajan informed them how he had spent the night, remarking, that "if Sura, had any designs against his life, he had then the fairest opportunity."

The first war in which the emperor was engaged, was with the Dacians, who, in the reign of Domitian, had committed numerous ravages upon the provinces. Trajan, suddenly appearing in arms on the frontiers of their country, awed them at once into a treaty of peace. As, however, this was soon after violated, he entered the hostile territory, and obtained a complete victory, though with a prodigious slaughter of his troops; and Dacia became a Roman province. At his return to Rome he entered the city in triumph; and the rejoicings for his victories lasted for the space of one hundred and twenty days.

Trajan aferwards turned his arms eastward and speedily reduced Mesopotamia, Chaldea, and Assyria, and took Ctesiphon, the capital of the Parthian empire. At length, sailing down the Persian gulph, he entered the Indian ocean, conquering even the Indies, part of which he annexed to the Roman empire. This enterprise, which, at one time, he intended to pursue to the confines of the earth, he was obliged to relinquish on account of the inconveniences of increasing age.

Preparing to return to his capital in a style of unparalleled magaificence, he was unable from infirmity to reach home; and he died

in the city of Seleucia, having refused to nominate a successor, lest he should adopt a person that was unworthy.

It may serve to show how highly Trajan was esteemed by his subjects, that it was the practice, during two hundred years in blessing his successors, to wish them "the fortune of Augustus, and the goodness of Trajan."

18. Adrian succeeded Trajan 118 years A. C. The wife of Trajan forged a will in the emperor's name, declaring Adrian his successor. This designation was supported by the army, and Adrian ventured to assume the government. This emperor was a nephew of Trajan, and in most respects worthy of being his successor. He chose to cultivate rather the arts of peace than war, and judging that the limits of the empire were too extensive, he abandoned all the conquests of Trajan, and bounded the eastern provinces by the river Euphrates. He was, however, remarkably expert in military discipline.

During an expedition of thirteen years, he visited in person all the provinces of his empire, and dispensed wherever he went the blessings of peace, justice, and order. In his capacity as a sovereign, he rendered important services to his subjects in private life, however, it is said that his virtues were mingled with an alloy of vices, arising chiefly from irresolution. He indulged in vanity, envy, and detraction, in a degree which was too manifest to be palliated in a person of his exalted station. His virtues, however, were predominant, and Rome had few better emperors. His general knowledge, and his taste in the arts, were highly honourable in a sovereign. He died in the seventy-second year of his age, A. C. 138.

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Among his exploits, it is known that when he came to Britain, he built a wall of wood and earth, between the modern towns of Carlisle and Newcastle, eighty miles in length, to protect the Britons from the incursions of the Caledonians. In a war with the Jews, he killed in battle five hundred and eighty thousand of that people who had become rebellious, and built a city on the ruins of Jerusalem which he called Aelia Capitolina. In performing his long marches with his army, Adrian generally travelled on foot, and went without any covering on his head.

His character was in many respects extraordinary, and none of the Roman emperors excelled him in variety of endowments. He was highly skilful in all the exercises both of body and mind. He was an author, orator, mathematician, musician and painter. His memory was so retentive, that he recollected every incident of his life, and he knew all the soldiers of his army by name.

He was the first emperor who wore a long heard, a fashion which

he adopted to hide the warts on his face. His successor followed his example for the sake of ornament.

Though Adrian aimed at universal reputation, he strictly attended to the duties of his station. Through his cares he began to fail in health and strength, and adopting for his successor Titus Antoninus, he sought the repose which he needed. His bodily infirmities however, daily increased, and his pain becoming nearly insupportable, he vehemently desired death. Antoninus with difficulty persuaded him to sustain life, though the emperor frequently cried out in his agonies, "How miserable a thing is it to seek death, and not to find it." Alas! how pointed is the moral, that no station, however exalted, can exempt one from the infirmities of life and the sting of death. As he was expiring, the emperor repeated the following lines, as translated into English.

O fleeting spirit, wand'ring fire,

That long has warmed my tender breast,
Wilt thou no more my frame inspire?
No more a pleasing cheerful guest?
Whither, ah! whither art thou flying?
To what dark, undiscovered shore?
Thou seemest all trembling, shivering, dying,

And wit and humour are no more.

His reign was a prosperous one of twenty-two years. He died 139 A.C. aged seventy-two.

19. Titus Antoninus, surnamed Pius, having been adopted by Adrian, succeeded to the empire 138 A. C. His virtues were an ornament to human nature, and conferred innumerable blessings on mankind. He preferred peace to conquest, and yet whenever war became necessary, he carried it on with vigour and success. He was conspicuous for justice and clemency, and his love of the religion of his country. His reign was marked by few events, as the reigns of peaceable monarchs usually are. The most remarkable foreign occurrences were the enlargement of the province of Britain by the conquests of Urbicus, and the suppression of some forminable rebellions in Germany, Dacia, and the East. He died at the age of seventy-four, having reigned twentytwo years. A. C. 161.

§ Such was the munificence of Antoninus, that in cases of famine or inundation, he supplied with his own money the wants of the sufferers. Such were his humanity and love of peace, that when told of conquering heroes, he said with Scipio, that "he preferred the life and preservation of one subject to the death of an hundred enemies!" His regard of the christians was extraordinary for a heathen emperor. He declared that "if any should proceed to disturb them on account of their religion, such should undergo the same punishment which was intended against the accused." A de

gree of persecution nevertheless took place, contrary to the principles of the emperor.

He was a distinguished rewarder of learned men, whom he invited from all parts of the world, and raised to wealth and honour Among the rest, he sent for Apollonius the famous stoic philosopher, to instruct his adopted son, Marcus Aurelius, whom he had previous ly married to his daughter.

Apollonius being arrived at Rome, the emperor desired his attendance: but the philosopher arrogantly answered that it was the scholar's duty to wait upon the master, and not the master's to wait upon the scholar. To this reply, Antoninus only returned with a smile, "that it was surprising how Apollonius, who made no difficulty in coming from Greece to Rome, should think it so hard to walk from one part of Rome to the other," and immediately sent Marcus Aurelius to him.

In the midst of his labours in rendering his subjects happy, he was seized with a lingering illness, which terminated in death in the seventy-fifth year of his age, and the twenty-third of his reign.

20. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, the adopted son of Pius, now came to the throne, 161 A. C. His name before was Annius Verus, and he, together with Lucius Verus, his brother, had been designated by Adrian to succeed to the government, whenever Antoninus Pius should decease. Pius con firmed the adoption of Marcus, without once naming Lucius Verus. Marcus, however, upon assuming the empire, admitted his brother as a partner in the administration.

They were perfectly opposite in character; Marcus Aurelius being as much distinguished for his energy and virtue, as Verus was for imbecility, meanness, and vice. Aurelius was in every respect equal to his predecessor, and was even more conspicuous for his attachment to philosophy. This, as the stoics professed it, he has admirably taught and illustrated in his Meditations.

In the wars which were carried on during this joint reign, the worthless Verus brought disgrace upon the Roman name, wherever he commanded. The Parthians, however, were repulsed by the legions of the empire, and a rebellion of the Germans was subdued.

After the death of Verus, which happily soon took place, Aurelius directed all his energies for the improvement and happiness of his empire. For purposes of beneficence he visited the remotest corners of the Roman world. He died at length in Pannonia, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and nineteenth of his reign, A. C. 180.