Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/104

 lii the Truth out of him upon promise of Pardon, he was as good as his Word, tho' notwithstanding his Stoical Gravity, he could scarcely forbear laughing at the Fellows Roguery.

He made use of all sorts of Expedients to reform the Misbehaviour and Disorders among Women, and young People of Condition ; not knowing how much his own Family was concern'd in these Misfortunes. For he was still ignorant of the Liberties taken by his Empress Faustina ; as we may easily perceive by his Letters to her a little before her Death; And besides, we have reason to believe, that had he been acquainted with her Irregularities, he would rather have made use of proper Remedies, than conceal'd the Injury: Indeed we can't suppose him capable of so scandalous an Indulgence, especially since such Abuse of Families was severely punish'd in Private Persons by the Roman Laws. I grant a certain Historian is of another Opinion, who reports, that when the Emperour was advis'd by some of his Friends to be Divorced from Faustina upon the score of her ill Conduct, he made Answer, I must return her her Fortune then ; Now this jest of an Answer, has taken mightily, and gone a great way in Peoples Belief.

I am not ignorant of the Risque a Man runs in opposing his Private Sentiment