صفحة 154 من 310

From these causes it arose that Marcus, Pertinax, and Alexander,

being all men of modest life, lovers of justice, enemies to

cruelty, humane, and benignant, came to a sad end except Marcus;

he alone lived and died honoured, because he had succeeded to the

throne by hereditary title, and owed nothing either to the

soldiers or the people; and afterwards, being possessed of many

virtues which made him respected, he always kept both orders in

their places whilst he lived, and was neither hated nor despised.