In this, and in his universal spirit of forgiveness, we cannot but
acknowledge a Christian by anticipation; nor can we hesitate to believe,
that through one or other of his many philosophic friends, [Footnote: Not
long after this, Alexander Severus meditated a temple to Christ; upon
which design Lampridius observes,--_Quod et Hadrianus cogitasse
fertur;_ and, as Lampridius was himself a pagan, we believe him to have
been right in his report, in spite of all which has been written by
Casaubon and others, who maintain that these imperfect temples of Hadrian
were left void of all images or idols,--not in respect to the Christian
practice, but because he designed them eventually to be dedicated to
himself. However, be this as it may, thus much appears on the face of the
story,--that Christ and Christianity had by that time begun to challenge
the imperial attention; and of this there is an indirect indication, as it
has been interpreted, even in the memoir of Marcus himself. The passage is
this: "Fama fuit sane quod sub philosophorum specie quidam rempublicam
vexarent et privates." The _philosophi_, here mentioned by Capitoline, are
by some supposed to be the Christians; and for many reasons we believe it;
and we understand the molestations of the public services and of private
individuals, here charged upon them, as a very natural reference to the
Christian doctrines falsely understood.
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