Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/135

Rh rage, Conduct, and Indefatigable Industry. They sent to beg a Peace, and offer him Hostages. So that now all his time was taken up in giving Audience to Ambassadors, and in receiving a great many Kings who came in Person to do their Homage. The King of the Sarmatians, whom we may imagine was no small Prince, restor'd him a hunder'd thousand Roman Prisoners, which he had taken, and gave him eight thousand of his Troops, the greatest part of which were sent away against the Britains. And here the Emperour adjusted the Articles to the Temper of the People he had to deal with; and either rais'd or relax'd the Rigour of the Terms, according as he found the People more or less inclin'd to a Revolt: And now they were all dispos'd to comply with what was put upon them, insomuch that the Country of the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Sarmatians, had all been made Provinces of the Empire, if the News of Cassius's Rebellion had not happened, who was so hardy as to assume the Imperial Stile, and set up for himself in Syria at the same time. This News was a surprize upon the Emperour, and rais'd the Spirits of the Barbarians; who valuing their Liberties much above their Honour, took Advantage of the Juncture, and obliged Rh