[1] 'Tis impossible my dear Faustina, for any one to show more Tenderness and Affection than you have done upon the Occasion, for me and the Children. I have read your Letter at Formianum over and over, in which you advise me to punish the Cassian Rebels. But for my part I am resolv'd to pardon Cassius's Wife and Children, and Son in Law ; And am now going to write to the Senate to perswade them to moderate their Rigour, and not make too many Traytors, for there s nothing that recommends a Roman Emperour so much as his Clemency. 'Twas this Quality which made Julius Cæsar greater than his Victories, and gave him and Augustus their Apotheosis ; [2] and procur'd our Father, [3] the Honourable surname of P I U S : [4] could this War have been ended as I would have had it, even Cassius should not have lost his Life. Ne'er disturb your self, For, the Gods who love my Clemency will be sure to protect me. [5] I have nominated our Son in Law Pompeianus, Consul for the ensuing Year.
This Clemency was admired by some, and censured by others : One of this latter sort took the Liberty to ask Antoninus what he thought Cassius would have done if he had gotten the Victory. The Emperour replied, We have not serv'd the Gods so negligently, nor lived so ill, as to have had any manner of fear of being conquer'd by Cas-sius.
