DIO CASSIUS, a famous Greek historian, a native of Nicea, a city of Phrygia, was governor of Pergamus and Smyrna, and commanded in Africa and Pannonia. In the year 229, he was raised by Alexander Severus to the dignity of consul; but not being agreeable to the troops, was obliged to retire to the place of his birth, where he ended his days. He composed a Roman History in Greek, a part of which only has been handed down to us. He is accused of partiality against Pompey, Cicero, Seneca, and several other great men. He is chiefly esteemed for the speeches he puts into the mouths of Agrippa and Mæcenas, when Augustus advised with them whether he should preserve the empire, or restore the ancient government.
Dio Chrysostom, that is, Golden Mouth, a cele-
brated orator and philosopher of Greece, in the first century, was born at Prusa in Bithynia. He attempted to persuade Vespasian to quit the empire; was hated by Domitian; but acquired the esteem of Trajan. This last prince took pleasure in conversing with him, and made him ride with him in his triumphal chariot. There are still extant, 80 of Dio's orations, and some other of his works: the best edition of which is that of Hermand Samuel Raimarus, in 1750, in folio.