# Marius the Epicurean — Character guide

> Key figures in Marius the Epicurean by Walter Pater.

- [Marius](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/marius_the_epicurean.md): A young Roman of refined sensibility who seeks truth and beauty through various philosophical schools.
- [Marcus Aurelius](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/marcus_aurelius.md): The Stoic emperor whose court and philosophy deeply influence Marius during his time in Rome.
- [Flavian](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/flavian.md): Marius's brilliant and charismatic friend who introduces him to literature and a worldly life.
- [Cornelius Fronto](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/cornelius_fronto.md): A renowned orator and tutor to Marcus Aurelius, whom Marius meets in Rome.
- [Cecilia](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/cecilia.md): A Christian woman of noble family whose household becomes a center of worship and refuge.
- [Psyche](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/psyche.md): The mythological figure whose story of love and suffering is a recurring allegory in the narrative.
- [Lucius Verus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/lucius_verus.md): Co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius, known for his more pleasure-loving disposition.
- [Faustina](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/faustina.md): Empress and wife of Marcus Aurelius, whose reputation for scandal touches the court.
- [Apuleius](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/apuleius.md): Author of The Golden Ass, whose work is read and discussed by Marius and Flavian.
- [Antoninus Pius](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/antoninus_pius.md): The preceding emperor, whose death is recounted at the start of Marius's Roman sojourn.
- [Plato](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/plato.md): The Greek philosopher whose ideas on love and reality are frequently referenced by characters.
- [Hermotimus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/hermitimus.md): A character in Lucian's dialogue who represents a skeptical philosophical position.
- [Vettius Epagathus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/vettius_epagathus.md): A Christian martyr from Lyons whose story is told during the persecution narratives.
- [Blandina](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/blandina.md): A Christian slave and martyr whose courage is celebrated in the account of the Gallic persecution.
- [Commodus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/commodus.md): The son of Marcus Aurelius, whose violent nature foreshadows the empire's decline.
- [Lucilla](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/lucilla.md): Daughter of Marcus Aurelius and widow of Lucius Verus, involved in court intrigues.
- [Numa](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/numa.md): The legendary second king of Rome, whose religious institutions are recalled in the opening chapters.
- [Socrates](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/socrates.md): The Athenian philosopher, often invoked as a model of ethical inquiry and martyrdom.
- [Chaerephon](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/chaerephon.md): A friend of Socrates, mentioned in the context of the Delphic oracle's pronouncement.
- [Hercules](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/hercules.md): The mythological hero, used as a symbol of Stoic endurance and divine labor.
- [Cupid](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/cupid.md): The god of love, central to the myth of Psyche retold in the Golden Book.
- [Venus Speciosa](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/venus_speciosa.md): The goddess of love, whose temple and cult are described in Marius's early religious experiences.
- [Jupiter](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/jupiter.md): The king of the gods, frequently invoked in Roman religious contexts throughout the book.
- [Heraclitus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/heraclitus.md): The pre-Socratic philosopher known for his doctrine of flux and the unity of opposites.
- [Aesculapius](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/aesculapius.md): The god of medicine, whose temple is visited by Marius during his search for healing.
- [Diana](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/diana.md): The goddess of the hunt, associated with the natural world and virginity.
- [Ceres](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/ceres.md): The goddess of agriculture, whose rites are part of the old Roman religion.
- [Proserpine](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/proserpine.md): Queen of the underworld, whose abduction myth is referenced in relation to seasonal cycles.
- [Juno](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/juno.md): The queen of the gods, protector of women and the Roman state.
- [Bacchus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/bacchus.md): The god of wine and ecstasy, associated with mystery cults and liberation.
- [Mercury](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/mercury.md): The messenger god, guide of souls, and patron of travelers and merchants.
- [Apollo](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/apollo.md): The god of prophecy, music, and healing, whose oracle at Delphi is mentioned.
- [Zephyrus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/zephyrus.md): The west wind, a minor mythological figure in the Psyche narrative.
- [Ceyx](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/ceyx.md): A mythological king transformed into a bird, referenced in poetic contexts.
- [Nero](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/nero.md): The infamous emperor, cited as a negative example of tyranny and excess.
- [Augustus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/augustus.md): The first Roman emperor, whose reign is seen as a golden age of peace and culture.
- [Horace](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/horace.md): The Roman poet, quoted and admired for his Epicurean and lyrical verses.
- [Homer](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/homer.md): The epic poet, whose works are a touchstone for classical education and values.
- [Euripides](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/euripides.md): The Greek tragedian, cited for his psychological depth and skeptical themes.
- [Cicero](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/cicero.md): The Roman orator and philosopher, referenced for his writings on duty and the gods.
- [Pliny](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/pliny.md): The Roman naturalist and author, cited for his observations on the natural world.
- [Galen](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/galen.md): The Greek physician, whose medical theories are mentioned in passing.
- [Alexander](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/alexander.md): Alexander the Great, used as a symbol of worldly ambition and conquest.
- [Constantine](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/constantine.md): The first Christian emperor, referenced in the context of the church's later triumph.
- [Saint Augustine](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/saint_augustine.md): The Christian theologian, whose conversion story parallels some themes in the book.
- [Saint Francis of Assisi](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/saint_francis_of_assisi.md): The medieval saint, mentioned as an example of Christian simplicity and love of nature.
- [Jonathan Edwards](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/jonathan_edwards.md): The Puritan theologian, referenced in the endnotes for his religious intensity.
- [Dante](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/dante.md): The Italian poet, whose Divine Comedy is alluded to in discussions of the afterlife.
- [Saint Lewis](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/saint_lewis.md): King Louis IX of France, cited as a model of Christian kingship.
- [Pheidias](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/pheidias.md): The Greek sculptor, whose statue of Zeus is mentioned as a pinnacle of classical art.
- [Aristippus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/aristippus.md): The founder of the Cyrenaic school of philosophy, advocating for pleasure as the highest good.
- [Ponticus](https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters/ponticus.md): A Christian martyr mentioned in the account of the Gallic persecution.

HTML index: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/marius_the_epicurean_se/characters