71
of Vespasian was the source of his magnificence, chap.
The works of Trajan bear the stamp of his ge-.
nius. The public monuments with which Had-rian adorned every province of the empire, wereexecuted not only by his orders, but under hisimmediate inspection. He was himself an artist ,and he loved the arts, as they conduced to theglory of the monarch. They were encouraged bythe Antonines, as they contributed to the happi-ness of the people. But if the emperors werethe first, they were not the only architects of theirdominions. Their example was universally imi-tated by their principal subjects, who were notafraid of declaring to the world, that they hadspirit to conceive, and wealth to accomplish, theuoblest undertakings. Scarcely had the proudstructure of the Coliseum been dedicated atRome , before the edifices, of a smaller scale in-deed, but of the same design and materials, wereerected for the use, and at the expence, of thecities of Capua and Verona.' The inscriptionof the stupendous bridge of Alcantara, atteststhat it was thrown over the Tagus by the contri-bution of a few Lusitanian communities. WhenPliny was entrusted with the government ofBithynia and Pontus, provinces by no means therichest or most considerable of the empire, hefound the cities within his jurisdiction striving
pitol; that of Apollo Palatine , with public libraries; the portico andbasilica of Caius and Lucius; the porticos of Livid and Octavia; andthe theatre of Marcellus. The example of the sovereign was imitatedby his ministers and generals ; and his friend Agrippa left behind himthe immortal monument of the Pantheon.
1 See Maffei Verona illustrata, 1. iv, p. 68