Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/60

 viii Marcus Aurelius fell as exactly upon the Head of this pretended Deity, as if it had been put on by a Mans Hand ; Now the Crowning of this Statue was the peculiar Privilege of the Emperour.

At fifteen Years of Age he put on his Mans Habit, and by Adrian's Order had the Daughter of L. Ceionius Commodus contracted to him. Not long after he was trusted with the Government of Rome, during the Absence of the Consuls, who went to Mount Alba to keep the Latin Holydays; In this Post of Authority he behaved himself with the Gravity of an Old Magistrate ; And represented the Emperour with great Dignity, and Prudence.

His Sister Anna Cornificia was married to Numidius Quadratus; and that her Hushand might not upbraid this Lady with want of Fortune, he gave her all his Paternal Estate; And also gave his Mother the Liberty of adding what part of her own Settlement she pleas'd.

He was not without some Fancy for the Pencil, and for this Study Diognetus was his Master, a Person eminent both for Painting, and Philosophy.

He loved Wrastling, Foot-Races,Tennis, and Hunting, not so much for the sake of the Diversion, as because he looked upon them as a sort of innocent Preservatives Rh