[Marcus,] emperor of [the] Romans. It is easier to be astonished at him in silence than to praise him since no word could equal the man’s virtues—for already in his youth he displayed a calm and stable life, and his expression was never seen to be affected either by fear or by pleasure.[1] And of the philosophers he praised the Stoics[2] and was in fact an imitator of these men, not only in his practice of their mode of living but also in his comprehension of their teachings. At any rate in his youth he shone out so very much that Hadrian[3] often wanted to assign a share of the imperial power to him. But, when he [Hadrian] had made Pius[4] his first heir according to custom, he took care that this man would succeed him and determined that through intermarriage he [Marcus] be united with Pius so that he would come into hegemony through the hereditary succession. And at any rate he lived the private life in equality with the mass of Romans, nor was he at all changed by his adoption into that family. And, when he came into hegemony, ruled as a monarch, and enjoyed the lofty power, he was never driven to any vainglory but was free and liberal in his good deeds and good and moderate in his management of the nations.