Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/144

 xcii Antoninus was so beloved by the People, that Cassius found the working of his Project a difficult Business ; And notwithstanding his Interest in Egypt and Syria he could never have made any Progress in the Matter, had it not been for a Sham-Report of Antoninus's Death. Some were of Opinion that this News was rais'd by himself, and that Faustina perceiving the Emperour broken by Age, Fatiguing, and ill Health, that his Son Commodus was too young to succeed him, and being afraid her Quality of Empress would not last, held a Correspondence with this Rebel ; and by a strange piece of Politicks, had awaken'd his Ambition, and made him the offer of her Person, and the Empire, which latter she hoped to secure for her Children by this Contrivance. But there's no likelyhood Faustina should take such wrong Measures, and indeed the Temper of Cassius is enough in all Conscience to justify her. But let this be as it will, 'tis certain he publish'd the News of the Emperour's being dead, and that with all the Appearance of Grief and Mortification imaginable ; adding withall, that the Army in Pannonia, not believing Commodus old enough to govern, had proclaimed him Emperour in his stead. This Pretence was sufficient for Cassius to set up