From my father...

I. 2. From the reputation and remembrance of my father, modesty and a manly character.

Marcus probably remembered very little of his father. Marcus was born in 121, and his father was certainly dead by 136. Anthony Birley in his biography of Marcus chooses 124 for his death because Marcus Annius Verus only reached the status of praetor in his political career. Others have chosen a date as late as 135 for his death. I follow Birley in his opinion, both because of his reasoning regarding Marcus Annius Verus’ political career and because of the wording in this passage. If Marcus was 14 years old at the time of his fathers death, one would think that he would base his opinions more upon his own memories than upon the reputation of his father.

The virtue of modesty makes its first appearance very early in Marcus’ work. This is not surprising. It must have been hard at times to remain modest growing up in such an important household. The presentation of modesty was important, but it was more important to be modest in one’s own appraisal of self. Marcus was a master.