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Marcus, we know, was devoted to his children. They were delicate

in health, in spite of Fronto's assurance, and only one son

survived the father. We find echoes of this affection now and

again in the letters. 'We have summer heat here still,' writes

Marcus, 'but since my little girls are pretty well, if I may say

so, it is like the bracing climate of spring to us.'[42] When

little Faustina came back from the valley of the shadow of death,

her father at once writes to inform Fronto.[43] The sympathy he

asks he also gives, and as old age brings more and more

infirmity, Marcus becomes even more solicitous for his beloved

teacher. The poor old man suffered a heavy blow in the death of

his grandson, on which Marcus writes:[44] 'I have just heard of

your misfortune. Feeling grieved as I do when one of your joints

gives you pain, what do you think I feel, dear master, when you

have pain of mind?' The old man's reply, in spite of a certain

self-consciousness, is full of pathos.