andhecouldrecommendmatrimonyonlyasthesacrificeofprivatepleasuretopublicduty。AulusGellius，i。6。][Footnote65:
Tacit。Annal。xiii。5。][Footnote66:Hist。August。p。102，107。][Footnote67:Dion，l。lxxx。p。1369。Herodian，l。vi。p。
206。Hist。August。p。131。Herodianrepresentsthepatricianasinnocent。TheAugustianHistory，ontheauthorityofDexippus，condemnshim，asguiltyofaconspiracyagainstthelifeofAlexander。Itisimpossibletopronouncebetweenthem；butDionisanirreproachablewitnessofthejealousyandcrueltyofMamaeatowardstheyoungempress，whosehardfateAlexanderlamented，butdurstnotoppose。]Notwithstandingthisactofjealouscruelty，aswellassomeinstancesofavarice，withwhichMamaeaischarged，thegeneraltenorofheradministrationwasequallyforthebenefitofhersonandoftheempire。Withtheapprobationofthesenate，shechosesixteenofthewisestandmostvirtuoussenatorsasaperpetualcouncilofstate，beforewhomeverypublicbusinessofmomentwasdebatedanddetermined。
ThecelebratedUlpian，equallydistinguishedbyhisknowledgeof，andhisrespectfor，thelawsofRome，wasattheirhead；andtheprudentfirmnessofthisaristocracyrestoredorderandauthoritytothegovernment。Assoonastheyhadpurgedthecityfromforeignsuperstitionandluxury，theremainsofthecapricioustyrannyofElagabalus，theyappliedthemselvestoremovehisworthlesscreaturesfromeverydepartmentofthepublicadministration，andtosupplytheirplaceswithmenofvirtueandability。Learning，andtheloveofjustice，becametheonlyrecommendationsforciviloffices；valor，andtheloveofdiscipline，theonlyqualificationsformilitaryemployments。^68
[Footnote68:Herodian，l。vi。p。203。Hist。August。p。119。Thelatterinsinuates，thatwhenanylawwastobepassed，thecouncilwasassistedbyanumberofablelawyersandexperiencedsenators，whoseopinionswereseparatelygiven，andtakendowninwriting。]ButthemostimportantcareofMamaeaandherwisecounsellors，wastoformthecharacteroftheyoungemperor，onwhosepersonalqualitiesthehappinessormiseryoftheRomanworldmustultimatelydepend。Thefortunatesoilassisted，andevenprevented，thehandofcultivation。AnexcellentunderstandingsoonconvincedAlexanderoftheadvantagesofvirtue，thepleasureofknowledge，andthenecessityoflabor。A