The Emperor, Complete

peninsula called Lochias which stretched out into the blue sea like a finge

e palatial quarter of the town-the Bruchiom as it was called-which was bathed by the sea, to the spit of land was so crowded with curious citizens on foot

the suite of the imperial couple to Alexandria. A very large vessel with a particularly high cabin on the after deck and having the head of a she-wolf on the lofty and boldly-carved prow excited the utmost attention. It

s a wolf's

r. Did you see her on her way to

o, with a wand in his right-hand and the assistance of his comrades, was endeavoring to part the crowd and make room for the chariot of his master, Titianus, the imperial prefect, which came slowly i

, and yet I would rather walk from here to Canopus on the

the stout man was s

they had to pay only a sesterce for every venomous word, I tell you Pontius, the city w

a man of about thirty years of age with highly-arched brows and eager piercing

r, in idleness they bite each other, like unbroken horses harnessed to the same pole

re we are, eternal gods! I never imagined anything so bad

ral places, fallen from the walls, the capitals of the marble columns were lamentably injured and the tall doors, overlaid with metal, hung askew on their hinges. Pontius inspected every portion of the door-way with a keen eye and then, with the prefect, went into the first court of the palace, in which, in the time of the Ptolemies, the tents had stood for ambassado

nus, shrugging his shoulders, but stopping the li

itect positively. "Gate-keeper! hi, gate-keep

ing made his way in a stooping attitude through the damp clothes, there he stood still. Ever since he had come in at the gate annoyance a

take the troub

ead, did not find it quite so easy to pass under the ropes with his head bent down; but he di

rts; one can at any rate get through them without break

hich framed the door and window in its long runners. Amidst the greenery hung numbers of cages with starlings, blackbirds, and smaller singing-birds. The wide door of the little house stood open, giving a view

n the arm-chair in which she sat. Notwithstanding the faint grey moustache that marked her upper-lip and the pronounced ruddiness of her fore head and cheeks, she looked pleasant and kind. She must have been dreaming of something that pleased her, for the expression of her lips and of her eyes-one being half open and the other closely shut-gave her a look of contentment. In her lap slept a l

itect pointed to this study of s

here it would make a

et on the dame's cheeks seems to me suspicious, consider

calmer, kindlier, or mor

allowed himself leave of absence for once! or

He gave tongue, and his companion immediately jumped up and barked as if for a wager. The old woman's pet spra

thousand!" said the

Caesar," added Titianus, "might be vanquished with a

t up a little, lifted her hands, and then, half singing, h

cious!" cried

care" she san

ecimen of humanity lo

ld lady out of her nest!" said th

an; he delights in such queer things and queer people, and I will wager he will make fr

of his person would allow; but his hasty arrival, the effort of strength he had made, and his astonishment at the appearance of the most powerful personage in the Nile Province in the building entrusted to his care, so utterly took away his breath-of which he at all times was but "scant"-that he was unable even to stammer out a suitable greeting. Titianus gave him a little time, and then, after expressing his regret at the sad plight of the washing, now strewn upon the ground, and mentioning to the stew

ears of rest: "I will hasten to fetch the keys." And as he went, puffing and panting, he re-arranged wit

only one side was done when the lictor called him away, and I will wager my own head t

will not be able to give his attention without reserve to our questions till t

ifeless materials. Did you see the fat fellow turn pale when you said that it would be but a few days before the Emperor would

e metropolis, and of the harbor, swarming with ships. The outlook from Lochias was rich, gay and varied to the south and west, but east and north from the platform of the palace of the Ptolemies, the gaze fell on the never-wearying prospect of the eternal sea, limited only by the vault of heaven. When Hadrian had sent a special messenger from Mount Kasius to desire his prefect Titianus to have this particular building prepared for his reception, he knew full well what advantages its posit

rown in the midst of a hall, or an arcade; for Octavianus Augustus, Tiberius, Vespasian, Titus and a whole series of prefects, had already carefully removed the finest of the mosaics from the famous palace of the Ptolemies, and carried them to Rome or to the pr

stormy weather switched the water all over the floor, now robbed of its mosaics, and covered, wherever the foot could tread, with a thin, dark green, damp and slippery c

r excursion through the palace, and it seemed like a mockery of t

begin our re-examin

d the number of stairs to be climbed over again, he l

the rest of your labors, which must be principally dir

at my plan, so as to inform yourself on the whole of what I propose, and t

t Pontius will not demand a man or a sesterce

ed in silence and

ink you can accomplish your task

could only have four days more

s to delay Hadrian's arriv

and Favorinus, the sophist, who await him here-to meet him

on on the Empress's moods? At any rate, consid

oo

pe to be able to

of the old building is, st

said the prefect emphatically, and turning to the steward

have been your duty to inform me earlier

e man, "but I was told in answer to my report t

of these things,

d your petition to t

redecessor, H

d the prefect

y reference to the appointment of a new prefect. However, we have now no time for talking. Duri

ack on the steward, a

what part of the palace

and rooms are in

"The Emperor is satisfied with everything in camp, but where fre

western suite; hold th

t took his pencil and made a vigorous line in th

we may assign to the officers and scribes, in this spacious hypaethral hall-the one with the Muses-Hadrian may give audience and the guests may assemble there whom he may admit to eat at his table in this broad peristyle. The smaller and well-preserved rooms, along this long passage l

s, "I should like to show

ght days I must have as many

g. "But tell me, Keraunus, how comes it that

hyra wood, and they

r another of them there

ers will have a bu

ad; wherever we can we will close

p abode of fogs, which, if I mistak

a garden filled with

dmissable-and th

et rid of

stand in the room you intend fo

es

irly good condi

d the steward, who was still hold

er?" asked Titianus,

ius Nepos, took a particular fancy t

above all, ought not to be missing from the hall of audi

made as tall as her sisters, and we have no ti

ight

ight n

iend, only to g

gypsum-I know his magic hand-and in order that the others may no

hoose Papias when

s him money. His last things certainly amaze me, particularly the Hygyeia for Dositheus the Jew, and the bust of Plutarch put up in the Caesareum; they are full of grace and power. But who can disti

but the hapless mutilated pavem

nd provide us with torches and lamps for to-day, and the next following ones must have twenty-four hours apiece, full measure. I must ask you for half a dozen trustworthy slaves Titianus; I shall want t

ff, but the architect did not spare him the

in your own fat. Is it Nile-mud or bloo

rked at first, nor require the impossible of your strength, for Rome and the world still expect great things of you. I can now write in perfect security to the Emperor