Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/102

 l Senate, or House of Lords, as often as his Affairs would give him leave, tho' he had nothing to move; And when he had any Business to "propose", he made no Difficulty to come up to Town, from the remoter Parts of Italy. The greatest part of the Curators of Towns, were chosen by him out of the Senate; being perfectly of Augustus's Mind, that a Prince by raising the Character of the chief Magistrates; makes his own Figure shine out the better, and fortifies the Royal Authority, which neither can, nor ought to stand upon any other than a Just bottom.

His Regards for the Senate did not prevent his Favours coming down to the Inferiour Magistracy, nor indeed from reaching the Subject in general. He never thought any Persons, let their Condition be never so mean, beneath his Concern; his care stoop'd even to the Gladiators, and Ropedancers; ordering the first to fight with Foins, or Buttons upon their Swords; and that the other should have Feather-beds, or Mats spread under them, to prevent the danger of a Fall; and from hence the Custom began of hanging Nets under the Rope a great while after.

He made very severe Laws to secure the Privilege of burying Places, and to prevent the defacing of Tombs, and