Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/114

 lxii Conduct were blam'd without Reason, his Custom was to reply to the Charge either by Letter or Word of Mouth, not so much to justify himself, as to undeceive those that spread the Report, and acquaint them with Matter of Fact.

He would never admit of those overgrown Ambitious Titles, which us'd to be given to other Princes, nor suffer any Temples or Altars to be built for him ; Being fully convinc'd, that the Flattery of the Subject signifies nothing in true Greatness, that 'tis the peculiar Privilege of Virtue, to raise up a Monarch to the Gods; and that a Prince remarkable for Justice ; has the whole World for his Temple, and all honed Men will be his Priests to worship him.

The Marcomanni, whose Submissions were only to deceive the Emperour, and make their Advantage by his drawing off, levyed Forces again, and Menaced higher than ever. This Enemy had now enlarg'd their Confederacy, and made themselves more formidable than before, by being reinforced with all the Nations from Illyricum to Gaul. On the other side, the Roman Troops were very much lessen'd both by Plague, and Service, and the Exchequer quite exhausted by a long War, insomuch that the Emperour found