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| The Apology of Justin addressed to Antoninus. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter XII.—The Apology of Justin
addressed to Antoninus.
“To the Emperor Titus Ælius Adrian Antoninus Pius
Cæsar Augustus,1098
1098 On
the titles of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, see Otto’s notes in his
edition of Justin’s works (Corpus Apol. Christianorum,
Vol. I. p. 2. sq.). | and to
Verissimus his son,1099
1099 That
is, Marcus Aurelius, whose original name was Marcus Annius Verus, but
who, after his adoption by the Emperor Antoninus Pius, was styled
Marcus Ælius Aurelius Verus Cæsar. As a tribute to his
sincerity and truthfulness, he was quite commonly called, instead of
Verus, Verissimus. | the philosopher,
and to Lucius the philosopher,1100
1100 The
mss. are divided here between the forms
φιλοσόφω and φιλοσόφου. If the former reading be followed, we must translate,
“to Lucius, own son of Cæsar the philosopher.” The
mss. are about equally divided, and the latter
reading is adopted by Stephanus, Valesius, Stroth, and Burton. But our
mss. of Justin support the former reading,
which is adopted by Schwegler and Heinichen, and which, as the latter
remarks, is far more natural than the other reading, for Justin had
greater reason for giving the appellation of “philosopher”
to a Cæsar who was still living, even though he may not have been
noted for his philosophical tastes, than to a Cæsar who was
already dead, and whose character certainly entitled him to the
appellation no more than, if as much as, his son. See Heinichen’s
note in loco, and Otto’s note in his edition of
Justin’s works, Vol. I. p. 3. ff. The Lucius addressed here was
Lucius Ceionius Commodus, whose father, bearing the same name, had been
adopted as Cæsar by Hadrian. The younger Lucius was adopted as
Cæsar along with Marcus by Antoninus Pius, and later became
Marcus’ colleague in the empire, when he added to his own name
the name Verus, which Marcus had formerly borne. He is therefore
commonly known in history as Lucius Verus (see the respective articles
in Smith’s Dict. of Greek and Roman Biog.). | own son of Cæsar
and adopted son of Pius, a lover of learning, and to the sacred senate
and to the whole Roman people, I , Justin, son of Priscus and grandson
of Bacchius,1101
1101 Of
Justin’s father and grandfather we know nothing except their
names. On the place of his birth, see above, chap. 11, note
20. | of Flavia Neapolis in Palestine, Syria,
present this address and petition in behalf of those men of every
nation who are unjustly hated and persecuted, I myself being one of
them.” And the same emperor having learned also from other
brethren in Asia of the injuries of all kinds which they were suffering
from the inhabitants of the province, thought it proper to address the
following ordinance to the Common Assembly1102
1102 This
“Assembly of Asia” (τὸ
κοινὸν τῆς
᾽Ασίας) was one
of the regular provincial diets which Augustus had called into being as
fixed institutions. It was an annual assembly of the civic deputies of
the province, and served as a general organ of the province, especially
in bringing the wishes of the people to the knowledge of the governor,
and through him to the emperor, and decrees of the emperor were often
addressed to it, and legates chosen by it were sent to the emperor
whenever occasion required. See Marquardt, Röm.
Staatsverwaltung, I. p. 366. sq. | of
Asia.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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