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[Marcus,] emperor of [the] Romans, the one known as "Pious."[1] This man, in addition to possessing all the other virtues, was the best ruler of all those who have held any position of power, with the exception that he was not able to show great fortitude of body. And even this he made very strong from its original weak state. He was especially active in philanthropy, so that he even set up a temple to [Philanthropy], calling her by a peculiar and unheard-of name.[2] He himself steered clear of all offenses and did not err willingly or unwillingly, while the sins of others, particularly those of his wife,[3] he tolerated and did not investigate or punish them. But if someone did anything good, he praised him and treated him as a friend on that account, but ignored everything else, remarking that it is impossible for anyone to make men as he would wish them to be, but one must deal with them as they are, insofar as a person is useful to the community. He lived 50 years[4] and 10 months and 20 days and reigned 19 years and 11 days, and he was the same throughout, and underwent no alteration. He was a good man and there was no affectation in him. He was aided a great deal by education, having been trained in the study of rhetoric and philosophy. Because of this many men were induced to practice philosophy, so that they might be rewarded by him. But he suffered a great deal from physical ailments. Dio has a great deal else to say in praise of him.[5]

*ma/rkos, basileu\s *(rwmai/wn, o( *eu)sebh\s e)piklhqei/s. ou(=tos ei)=xe me\n kai\ ta\s a)/llas a)reta\s a(pa/sas, kai\ a)/rista dh\ pa/ntwn tw=n e)n kra/tei tini\ genome/nwn h)=rce, plh\n kaqo/son ou) polla\ tw=| sw/mati a)ndri/zesqai e)du/nato: kai\ tou=to e)c a)sqenesta/tou karterikw/taton a)pe/deice. plei=ston de\ e)n eu)ergesi/a| dih=gen, o(/qen pou kai\ new\n au)th=s i(dru/sato, o)no/mati/ tini i)diwta/tw| kai\ mh/pote a)kousqe/nti proskale/sas au)th/n. au)to\s me\n ga\r pa/ntwn tw=n a(marthma/twn a)pei/xeto kai\ ou)/te e(kw\n ou)/te a)/kwn e)plhmme/lei, ta\ de\ dh\ tw=n a)llotri/wn a(marth/mata, kai\ ma/lista ta\ th=s gunaiko/s, e)/fere kai\ ou)/te e)polupragmo/nei ou)/te e)ko/lazen. a)ll' ei) me/n tis xrhsto/n ti e)/pratten, e)ph/|nei kai\ e)xrh=to e)s e)kei=no au)tw=|, tw=n de\ e(te/rwn ou) prosepoiei=to, le/gwn, o(/ti poih=sai me/n tini a)nqrw/pous o(poi/ous bou/letai e)/xein a)du/nato/n e)sti, toi=s de\ dh\ ou)=si prosh/kei, e)s o(/ ti a)/n tis au)tw=n tw=| koinw=| xrh/simos h)=|, xrh=sqai. e)/th ga\r n# kai\ mh=nas i# h(me/ras te k# zh/sas kai\ iq# e)/th h(me/ras ia# au)tarxh/sas o(/moios dia\ pa/ntwn e)ge/neto kai\ e)n ou)deni\ h)lloiw/qh. a)gaqo\s de\ h)=n kai\ ou)de\n prospoihto\n ei)=xe. pa/mpolla ga\r kai\ u(po\ paidei/as w)felh/qh, e)n r(htorikh=s kai\ filosofi/as lo/gois a)skhqei/s. a)f' ou(= dh\ pamplhqei=s filosofei=n e)pla/ttonto, i(/na u(p' au)tou= plouti/zwntai. plei=ston de\ o(/mws u(po\ th=s fu/sews e)ch/rqh. le/gei kai\ a)/llous muri/ous e)pai/nous ei)s au)to\n *di/wn.

Despite the opening (see n. 1 below), this entry refers to the emperor commonly known as Marcus Aurelius, reigned 161-180 CE; see already mu 214 and mu 215.
[1] Marcus Aurelius here seems to be confused with his predecessor and adoptive father, Antoninus Pius (reigned 138-161 CE).
[2] Probably Indulgentia; cf. G. Wissowa, Religion und Kultus der Roemer (Munich 1902) 278f.
[3] Faustina.
[4] An error: Marcus Aurelius was born in 121 and died in 180.
[5] This whole entry, after the initial glossing, is in fact taken (with only slight changes) from Cassius Dio 71.34.2ff.

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