Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/170

cxviii took up the Bloody Lance which was kept there, and threw it over an opposite Column, in the Circus Flaminius, which pointed toward the Enemy's Quarters.

The Romans perceiving their Emperour broken with Age and Fatiguing, ready to set forward, and expose his Person to all the Hazards of a new War, and being afraid they might lose this brave Prince, and the benefit of that admirable Prudence too, which was not likely to out-live him; having these Apprehensions they came in a Body to the Palace, to desire him not to leave them till he had given them some Rules for their Conduct; that in case the Gods should take him to themselves, they might have some Directions to steer by; and be enabled to hold on that Course of Virtue into which his Example had led them. Antoninus was so much affected with the Probity, and good Disposition of this Address, that he spent three whole Days in Moral Discourses, explaining the greatest Difficulties upon that Argument, and giving the People some short Maxims, to assist their Memory, and govern their Practise.

In the beginning of August he left the Town, taking Commodus along with him, and gave the Command of the Troops to Paternus. The Schythians lost the best part