The New Aid to Memory/Plate VIII

A-Dagger in "a real lion," (pronounced quickly, sounds not unlike Aurelian); near him stand two ounces, animals of the same class.

After an obstinate siege of his native city, Tyana of Cappadocia, he took it. But though its inhabitants were in his power, and his soldiers requested him to allow them to plunder, he forbade them. This part of his character was noble, like that of the lion; but his cruelty afterwards is well represented by the treacherous and savage disposition of the ounces.

Ounces will give the date 270 A.D.

A-Dear angel wearing a crown, having a finger upon the lips (a tacit for Tacitus, emblem of Wisdom), and holding a book. These symbols ​will suggest the name and date, as well as the conduct and character of this Emperor: compared with most of his predecessors, he was more like an angel than a man. He was fond of learning particularly the works of his namesake Tacitus, the historian. He commanded that they should be placed in every public library throughout the empire.

Angel will give the date 275 A.D.

A-Dear angel with a probe (for Probus) in his hand, with which he is pointing at a suspended bottle. The character and conduct of this Emperor was like the last. His pointing at the bottle is to remind us of his saying, which he used on seeing the rebel Bonosus, a determined votary of Bacchus, after he had hung himself: "There hangs not a man, but a bottle."

Angel will give the date 275 A.D.

A-Dismal car, "an ebony" one, made to carry three, with the number upon it. Car, carry, and number, will easily suggest the names, and "an ebony" the date of this triumvirate.

An ebony will give the date 282 A.D.

A-Dying diocesan (for Dioclesian), or bishop with a cross or X upon his mitre, attacked by one boar, will suggest not only the name and date of this Emperor, but the ten (or X) last persecutions of the Christians which happened in this reign. One boar suggests also the fulfilment of a prophecy, that Dioclesian, who slew Aper, the father-in-law of the previous Emperor Carinus, should be Emperor, after he had slain a boar, the Latin of which word is Aper.

One boar will give the date 284 A.D.

A-Dandified man in a gallery (for Galerius) with a quadrant, about to measure the height of a constellation, will suggest the names and date.

Measure will give the date 304 A.D.

A-Devoted man gazing at the great constellation (for Constantine the Great); by it is the miraculous pillar of light in shape of a cross, and the motto, "In this overcome," which was a means of converting this Emperor to Christianity.

Motto will give the date 311 A.D.

A-Dull sailing, mean hoy, with a throne on board. The pilot is looking at and steering by the great constellation.

Mean hoy will give the date 328 A.D.

A-Dancing girl, one of the Nine Muses (we will call her the May-muse), singing and dancing under a May-pole by the light of the great constellation.

May-muse will give the date 330 A.D.

A-Descending star is falling from the great constellation upon my image of Constantine.

My image will give the date 337 A.D.

Aur. Ounces, Tac. Angel, Prob. Angel, Carus An Ebon. Diocl. One Boar, Const. Measure Gale, Constantine Motto. Const. nople Mean Hoy, Const. nople May-Muse, Consta. De. My Image.