Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/68

 xvi in her Devotions for ; she's begging Apollo, that your Majesty may trip off, and that her Son may govern in your Place. This Sentence, which had they had a Tyrant to deal with, might have been fatal both to Mother and Son, was disregarded by the Emperour, who was too well assur'd of the Good-faith and Probity of Marcus Aurelius, to believe any Report to his Disadvantage. The good Understanding between these two Princes, continued without the least coolness till the Death of Antoninus ; who falling sick at Lorium, and perceiving himself past hopes of Recovery ; order'd his Captains of the Guards, Principal Officers, and those he could confide in, to be brought into his Bed-chamber, And before this Company he confirm'd the Adoption of Marcus Aurelius, naming him for his sole Successor, without any mention of Verus : And the Commander in Chief coming to receive Orders, he gave him Equanimity for the Word; letting them understand, that by leaving such a Successor, they had all they could reasonably wish for. Immediately after this, he order'd the Golden Fortune to be carried into Marcus Aurelius's Apartment : Now this Statue was look'd on as an Omen of good Luck, and a kind of Publick Security, and was always kept in the Emperour's Bed-chamber. Rh