had done nothing to deserve freedom.]

[Sidenote:--30--] In his great grief over the death of Faustina he wrote
to the senate that no one of those who had cooperated with Cassius was
dead, as if in this fact alone he could find some consolation for
Faustina's loss. "May it never happen," he continued, "that any one of you
is slain during [Footnote: Reading [Greek: ep emou] (Dindorf).] my
lifetime either by my vote or by your own." Finally he said: "If I do not
obtain this request, I shall hasten on to death." So pure and excellent
and godfearing did he show himself throughout his career. [Nothing could
force him to do anything inconsistent with his character, neither the
wickedness of daring attempts nor the expectation of similar events to
follow as the result of pardon. To such an extent did he refrain from
inventing any imaginary conspiracy and concocting any tragedy that had not
taken place, that he released even those who most openly rose against him
and took arms against him and against his son, whether they were generals
or heads of tribes or kings, and he put none of them to death either by
his own action or by that of the senate or by any other arrangement
whatever. Wherefore I actually believe that if he had captured Cassius
himself alive, he would certainly have saved him from injury.] For he
conferred benefits upon many who had been murderers,--so far as lay in
their power,--of himself and his son.

[Sidenote:--31--] A law was at this time passed that no one should be
governor in the province from which he had originally come, because the
revolt of Cassius had occurred during his administration of Syria, which
included his native district. It was voted by the senate that silver
images of Marcus and Faustina should be set up in the temple of Venus and
Roma, and that an altar should be erected whereon all the maidens married
in the city and their bridegrooms should offer sacrifice; also that a
golden image of Faustina should be carried in a chair to the theatre on
each occasion that the emperor should be a spectator, and that it should
be placed in the seat well forward, where she herself was wont to take her
place when alive, and that the women of chief influence should all sit
round about it.

[Sidenote:--32--] Marcus went to Athens, where after being initiated into
the mysteries he bestowed honors upon the Athenians and gave teachers to
all men in Athens, for every species of knowledge, these teachers to