Antoninus is said also to have been of an enquiring turn of mind and not to have held aloof from careful investigation of even small and commonplace matters; for this those disposed to scoff called him Cumminsplitter.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 161 (a.u. 914)] Quadratus states that he died at an advanced age, and that the happiest death befell him, like unto gentlest slumber.

[Sidenote:(A.D. 177?)] [Sidenote:—­4—­] In the days of Antoninus also a most frightful earthquake is said to have occurred in the region of Bithynia and the Hellespont.  Various cities were severely damaged or fell without a building left standing, and in particular Cyzicus; and the temple there that was the greatest and most beautiful of all temples was thrown down.  Its columns were four cubits in thickness and fifty cubits in height, each of a single block of stone; and each of the other features of the edifice was more to be wondered at than to be praised.  Somewhere in the interior of the country the peak of a mountain rose upwards and surges of the sea are said to have gushed out, while the spray from pure, transparent sea-water was driven to a great distance over the land. [Footnote:  Compare also Zonaras V, 12 (p. 80, II. 3-11 Dind)..  It is not certain whether this earthquake properly belongs to the reign of Pius or that of Marcus.  If to the former, it must have occurred between 150 and 155 B.C.  See Hermes XXVI, pages 444-446 (Boissevain:  Zonaras Quelle fuer die Romische Kaisergeschichte von Nerva bis Severus Alexander) and XXXII, pages 497-508 (B.  Keil:  Kyzikenisches); also Byzantinische Zeitschrift I, page 30 ff. (article by de Boor).]—­So much is the account of Antoninus at present extant.  He reigned twenty-four years.

III.  Of Dio [or rather of Eutropius, or John of Antioch].  Taken from the Writings of Suidas.

This prince Antoninus was an excellent man and deserves to be compared especially with Numa on account of the similarity of his reign to that king’s, just as Trajan was seen to resemble Romulus.  The private life that Antoninus lived was thoroughly excellent and honorable, [Sidenote:—­5—­] and in his position as ruler he seemed to be even more excellent and more prudent.  To no one was he harsh or oppressive, but he was gracious and gentle toward all.

[Sidenote:—­6—­] In warfare he sought glory rather from an impulse of duty than from one of gain, and was determined to preserve the borders of the empire intact rather than to extend them to greater distances.  In the matter of men he appointed to the administration of public affairs, so far as possible, those who were particularly scrupulous about right conduct, and he rewarded good officials with the honors that were in his power to grant, whereas he banished the worthless (though without any harshness) from the conduct of public affairs.

[Sidenote:—­7—­] He was admired not alone by those of his own race, but even by foreigners, as was shown by some of the neighboring barbarians laying down their arms and permitting the prince to decide their quarrels by his vote.  And whereas he had in the course of his life as a private citizen amassed a vast amount of money, when he entered upon office he expended his own abundance upon gifts for the soldiers and for his friends.  To the public treasury he left a great deal of property of all kinds.