Trajan
, That His was the same as that of
Alexander
, namely, To conquer. The Question, at length, was put to
Marcus Aurelius
, who replied, with great Modesty, That
it had always been his Care to imitate the Gods
. This Conduct seems to have gained him the most Votes and best Place in the whole Assembly.
Marcus Aurelius
being afterwards asked to explain himself declares, That, by imitating the Gods, he endeavoured to imitate them in the Use of his Understanding, and of all other Faculties; and, in particular, That it was always his Study to have as few Wants as possible in himself, and to do all the Good he could to others.