=Antonīnus Titus=, surnamed _Pius_, was adopted by the emperor Adrian, to whom he succeeded. This prince is remarkable for all the virtues that can form a perfect statesman, philosopher, and king. He rebuilt whatever cities had been destroyed by wars in former reigns. In cases of famines or inundation, he relieved the distressed, and supplied their wants with his own money. He suffered the governors of the provinces to remain long in the administration, that no opportunity of extortion might be given to new comers. In his conduct towards his subjects, he behaved with affability and humanity, and listened with patience to every complaint brought before him. When told of conquering heroes, he said with Scipio, “I prefer the life and preservation of a citizen to the death of 100 enemies.” He did not persecute the christians like his predecessors, but his life was a scene of universal benevolence. His last moments were easy, though preceded by a lingering illness. When consul of Asia, he lodged at Smyrna in the house of a sophist, who in civility obliged the governor to change his house at night. The sophist, when Antoninus became emperor, visited Rome, and was jocosely desired to use the palace as his own house, without any apprehension of being turned out at night. He extended the boundaries of the Roman province in Britain, by raising a rampart between the friths of Clyde and Forth; but he waged no war during his reign, and only repulsed the enemies of the empire who appeared in the field. He died in the 75th year of his age, after a reign of 23 years, A.D. 161. He was succeeded by his adopted son Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, surnamed the philosopher, a prince as virtuous as his father. He raised to the imperial dignity his brother Lucius Verus, whose voluptuousness and dissipation were as conspicuous as the moderation of the philosopher. During their reign, the Quadi, Parthians, and Marcomanni were defeated. Antoninus wrote a book in Greek, entitled τα καθ’ ἑαυτον, _concerning himself_, the best editions of which are the 4to, Oxford, 1704. After the war with the Quadi had been finished, Verus died of an apoplexy, and Antoninus survived him eight years, and died in his 61st year, after a reign of 29 years and 10 days. _Dio Cassius._――――Bassianus Caracalla, son of the emperor Septimus Severus, was celebrated for his cruelties. He killed his brother Geta in his mother’s arms, and attempted to destroy the writings of Aristotle, observing that Aristotle was one of those who sent poison to Alexander. He married his mother, and publicly lived with her, which gave occasion to the people of Alexandria to say, that he was an Œdipus, and his wife a Jocasta. This joke was fatal to them; and the emperor, to punish their ill language, slaughtered many thousands in Alexandria. After assuming the name and dress of Achilles, and styling himself the conqueror