Favorinus

, an ancient philosopher and orator, was born at Aries in Gaul, flourished under the emperor Adrian, in the second century, and taught both at Athens and Home with high reputation. Adrian had no kindness for him; for such was the nature and temper of this emperor, that, not content with being the first in dignity and power, he would needs be the first in every thing else. This pedantic affectation led him, as Spartian relates, to deride, to contemn, to trample upon the professors of all arts and sciences, whom he took a pleasure in contradicting upon all occasions, right or wrong. Thus one day he reproved Favorinus, with an air of great superiority, for using a certain word; which, however, was a good word, and frequently used by the best authors. Favorinus submitted patiently to the emperor, without making any reply, though he knew himself to be perfectly right: which when his friends objected to, “Shall not I easily suffer him,” says he, “to be the most learned of all men, who has thirty legions at his command” This philosopher is said to have wondered at three things first, that being a Gaul he should speak Greek so well; secondly, that being an eunuch he should be accused of adultery; and thirdly, that being envied and hated by the emperor he should be permitted to live. Many works are attributed to him; among the rest a Greek work of “Miscellaneous History,” often quoted by Diogenes Lærtius, but none of them are now extant. ²