crushed a revolt in Syria, and visited Egypt and Greece, Aurelius returned to Rome after eight years' absence; and celebrated a triumph, at which he gave every citizen eight gold pieces, and associated his son Commodus with himself in the Empire. Scarcely were the last solemnities over before he was again summoned to the field and his shattered constitution gave way at Vindobona (Vienna), in the nineteenth year of his reign and fifty-ninth of his age, not without suspicion that his son had accelerated his death by poison. With Aurelius Antoninus the glory of imperial Rome was sadly believed to have expired, so sudden and woeful was the disastrous gloom which immediately enshrouded it, after the reign of an Emperor so distinguished for his acquirements in learning, taste, and philosophy; and for outward homage to the national worship. The veneration felt for him by the Romans was so great that it became their fond belief, that he had been some good genius sent from heaven to bless them, who had now returned to his real home. It was even considered impious for any house to be without a picture or statue of the Imperial Philosopher; though his aspect was far less attractive than that of his predecessors. But a foul

blot rests on the memory of this last of the philosophic Emperors in consequence of his persecution of Christians; not by a sudden and transient impulse like his predecessors, but by a cold, and callous, and implacable intolerance. 'During the whole course of his reign,' observes Gibbon, 'he despised the Christians as a philosopher, and punished them as a sovereign.' Such fanatacism might be expected from a prince, who entered on his noviciate in the fierce Salian priesthood in his eighth year; who assumed the pallium, or cloak worn by philosophers, in his twelfth year; and practised the most rigid austerities prescribed by the Stoic sect, 'for the victory of the soul in its grave conflict with the

161-180.]

THEIR LAST PHILOSOPHIC EMPEROR.

171

flesh and its passions,' such as long fasting and lying on the bare ground, until with difficulty prevailed upon by his mother to use a mattress, and slight coverlet. After his accession his private chapel was thronged with gold statues of his deceased instructors, whose tombs he often crowned with flowers, and for whose shades he there offered sacrifices. He used to lecture in Rome and the provinces, on the Stoic principles of virtue, as the sole good; vice, as the sole evil; and all other things, wealth, honours, &c., as things indifferent. His meditations are still extant, and display his philosophic apathy kindling into hate towards the Christians, whose superiority to all the terrors of death appears at once to have astonished, and wounded his Stoic pride. Ever dwelling on the immortality of the soul, which to the pagans was at best a solemn question, he could not comprehend the eager resolution with which a Christian departed from life; and in the bitterness of his jealousy thus sought out unworthy motives for the intrepidity, which he could not emulate. 'How great is that soul which is ready, if it must depart from the body, to be extinguished, to be dispersed, or still to subsist! and this readiness must proceed from the individual judgment, not from mere obstinacy like the Christians, but deliberately, solemnly, and without tragic display.' He could admire the bold and fearless valour with which his soldiers could confront death on the field of battle, for a fading crown; but at the height of his wisdom he could not comprehend the Christian's exultation in the victory over the last enemy,' assured to him with his immortal crown, by the great Captain of his Salvation. Christianity was also every year gaining a more public and powerful character. Some philosophers had joined its ranks; its sublimity and beauty having at length attracted their attention, and carried them off from the shadowy illusions that beguiled them. They published

defences of Christianity under the name of Apologies, which they circulated through the Schools of the Empire; and even laid at the foot of the throne. Instead of suppliantly imploring toleration, they now boldly arraigned the folly and unholiness of ancient Romanism; and publicly proclaimed the Gospel in the ears of the sovereign of the Roman world, and of the Empire. One of these apologists exclaims, 'We are no Indian Brahmins, or devotees, living naked in the woods, self-banished from civilised life.' Christians were now to be found in the camp, the court, and the commercial market; whilst public attention was rivetted upon them by their gentle treatment of their slaves; and admission of them to an equality in religious privileges, as brethren enjoying equal hopes in another life.

This persecution blazed out in its fiercest fury, after the solemn and costly ceremonies of ancient Romanism had been exhausted in efforts to purify the city, and avert the wrath of the gods, during the awful calamities which succeeded the Eastern war. Indeed the unusual number of victims provoked some satiric Roman to publish the first of all the pasquinades, in an address from the white oxen to the Emperor, insinuating that if he returned from Germany victorious, there would be a dearth of oxen. The white oxen to the Emperor-If you conquer, we are undone.' Justin, one of the noblest of the apologists, and famous as a scholar, was the first summoned to confirm with his blood the sincerity of his belief in the faith for which he had abandoned the pagan philosophy. Justin was the first philosopher who embraced Christianity, and he gives us an interesting sketch of his conversion in his dialogue with Trypho. He studied philosophy at Alexandria in his youth, under the various sects, without finding any of them able to satisfy his inquiring and anxious spirit. From the Stoics he could learn nothing of the nature

161-180.]

CONVERSION OF A PHILOSOPHER.

173

of God; and it confirms Bishop Warburton's view of their virtual Atheism, when we hear, that they told Justin that this knowledge was wholly unnecessary. A Peripatetic teacher was so eager to extort money from him, that Justin turned away in disgust. A Pythagorean next engaged his attention, but dismissed him till he could muster more knowledge of music, astronomy, and geography. A Platonist gave him such little satisfaction by his plausible and pompous logic, that Justin in despair betook himself to solitude. 'As I was walking,' he says, 'one day, near the sea, I was met by a venerable old man of benignant aspect, with whom I entered into conversation. Upon my speaking of my love for private meditation, he hinted at the absurdity of mere speculation abstracted from practice. This gave occasion to me to express my ardent desire of knowing God, and to praise philosophy. The stranger by degrees endeavoured to cure me of my ignorant admiration for Plato and Pythagoras. He pointed out the writings of the Hebrew prophets, as much more ancient than any of the so-called philosophers; and he led me to some views of the nature and evidences of Christianity. He added, "Above all things, pray, that the gates of light may be opened to you; for they are not discernible, nor to be understood by any one, except God and His Christ enable a man to understand." He said many other things to the same effect, directed me to follow his advice; then left me. I saw him no more; but immediately a fire was kindled in my soul, and I had a strong affection for the prophets, and for those men who are the friends of CHRIST. I weighed within myself the arguments of the aged stranger ; and in the end I found the Holy Scriptures to be the only sure philosophy.' Justin was summoned before Rusticus, one of the philosophic teachers of the Emperor, then præfect of the city, and commanded to offer sacrifice to the

gods.' On his refusal, and open confession of Christianity, the præfect said, 'Hark, thou that hast the reputation of eloquence, and thinkest that thou holdest the truth: if thou shalt be scourged and beheaded, art thou persuaded that thou shalt go up into heaven, and receive a reward?' 'Although I suffer what you threaten,' was the dauntless answer, yet I expect to enjoy the portion of all true Christians; as I know that the Divine favour is laid up for all such, and shall be so, while the world endures.' 'Do you conceive, then,' reiterated the amazed philosopher, ' that you will go up into heaven, and receive a reward?' 'I not only conceive, but know and am fully assured of it,' was the firm reply. Nothing remains but for us to come immediately to the point. Sacrifice to the gods,' was the præfect's last charge. 'No one in his proper senses falls from piety into impiety,' was Justin's final reply; and speedily the bloody sentence was executed, by which he obtained the glorious title of Martyr that has ever since been attached to his name.

The persecution now raged in Asia Minor, and by the imperial edicts the informers were again let loose; and stimulated by the gratification of their rapacity as well as of their revenge, by rewards from the forfeited goods of the Christian victims. Polycarp, the aged bishop of Smyrna, a disciple of St. John, was its most illustrious martyr. He had not ostentatiously exposed himself, but retired into a neighbouring village, from which, on the intelligence of the approach of the officers, he retreated to another, but was betrayed to the Roman officers, and carried to the Amphitheatre. According to custom, he was first treated mildly by the governor; and entreated, in respect for his old age, to disguise his name. He proclaimed aloud that he was Polycarp; the trial proceeded. 'Swear,' the officers said, 'by the genius of Cæsar; retract, and say, Away with the godless!' The