The Emperor, Complete

, his wife Domitia Lucilla, the young Balbilla and, last of all, Annaeus Florus, the historian, entered. All four were in the best spirits, and imme

ting, and then-my smelling-bottle, Verus. Leukippe, bring me a

mand, and the Empress, as she waved an elegant bo

. While you have been away I have had much to hear and to say; it would have exhausted the strength of the strongest. I only wonder you don't find me more worn out, for what can be

s twitching her thin lips over it, Verus went u

while alone wit

spoke and clenched his fist so hard that the praetor

ied, and particularly

asked Sabina taking

obliged to occupy myself in the senate or with the

as a son might wait on his honored and suffering mother, he gave it to the Greek slave. The Empress bowed her thanks a

is there to be

red Balbilla readily and

of all the hundreds of workmen which are astir there, not one got in the way of another, for one little man orders and manages them all, just as

ius the architect," interposed Verus. "

dmit it-a man of average height, with a papyrus-roll in his right-hand and a sty

d the praetor. "Let Balbilla go on w

e confusion we could divine the elements of an orderly cr

. "If it had been dark, and if the laborers had been worms, we must hav

ere the

formerly been removed, and skilled artists were painting colored figures on smooth surfaces of plaster. Every pillar and every statue was built round with

had seen, and, as she spoke, moving her hands with expressive gestures, the

id the Empress, interrupting her young companion.

but the ninth, that patroness of the arts, who protects the stargazer, the lofty Urania

l-wh

p of s

s? Are there not among your learned and verse spinn

e conceal the contents of our heads in the hard nut of the skull, and under

pointing to her abundant locks, "as if I especial

was called the fair-h

d the praetor's wife, drawing

e in verse all that you have s

n said brightly: "It might inspire me, everything s

nd therefore you should write in the ancient Aeolian dialect and not Attic Greek." Verus laughed, and th

nd do so? To-morrow morning I will begin to

Lucilla; "your simplest son

"In a few weeks I will know how to use the Aeolian dialect, fo

der our curls!" exclaimed the Empress,

of apprehension

his best pupil was a woman of noble family

he words, and said wi

me or did Hephaest

I am one of the masculine scholars beaten by Balbilla. But it is no ne

you write in Latin and she in Greek. Do you stil

Verus, "as Alexand

eavors, by the grace of Venus, to live like him," a

answer to this not very kindly-meant speech; but Verus said, while he p

me. But we are not yet at the end of our story; our Lesbian swa

d among birds?" asked Sabina. "At the utm

t of Papias, and handles noble materials in the grand style. On this occasion

l to listen till the merry fellow, who had no idea that we were by, was silent again; and then hearing the architect's voice, he called to him over the screen. 'Now we must clap Urania's head on; I saw it clearly in my mind and would have had it finished with a score of touches, but Papias said he had one in the workshop. I am curio

ied to mimic a man's deep voice, and seei

y vigorous creative joy, that it quite fired me, and we all went

ound?" ask

se's figure is perfectly thought out with reference to possibility-rich, broadly handled, and at the same time of surprising delicacy. Urania has drawn her mantle closely round her, as if to protect herself from the keen night-a

. "If the bust is successful I

re," said the girl. "The brigh

s a marvel, and she promised him that, with your permission, she

um in folds without reproof or repulse, and to-day when we had to get past bogs of plaster, and lakes of wet paint, she scarcely pi

ddened and

hat way, so now you know it once for all; I have so little liking for wh

deous smile. "Do not you think Domitia Lucilla, that sh

g her shoulders, and with an expressive movement of her hands. Sabina

band who has chosen Ovid's amatory poems as his

fect an important letter, admitting of no delay. The state official had withdrawn to the farther side of the r

had observed that while the governor was considering the document address

me. I must take my leave, and I hope ere long to b

that lett

rom the provinces

inquire

sired that this matter should be kept secret. Its settlement demands the prom

th icy coldness and immediately desired to be conduc

Olympian table," the famous eating-house kept by Lycortas

his wife he went up in a

ive you h

e made no reply. "May I?" repeated the praetor. As his wife persisted in her silence, he w

She pushed away his hand, with a sl

leave you. Business takes m

th whom you revelled through the night,

us quite coolly. "White, brown, copper-colored, black-and all d

olemn title of honor and has nothing to do with the joys of life. How could I mention your

s occasion they gave her a pang. But she concealed it, a

your gods of love, but do not attempt to cru

of herself and has too much spirit to let herself get entangled in erotics. The little

belie

" cried he, frankly offering his hand to his wife. Luc

unutterable longing to see my c

us. "Not at present; but

not s

ot as

know why she is separated f

tience, a little longer for that which I am striving after, for you, and for me, and not last, for ou

zed him only in decisive moments, but his wife, even before he had done speak

e purple?" He

what it m

ha

na an

sharp to others, but to me she has shown no

hates

the wife of Caesar, and the former Empress-but I will not finish. I am, as yo

e will

king of it, and h

ely to hap

ide on in the very next hour. But probably his d

birt

s certainly casting my horoscope, f

hen are to s

must also be inclined t

I be of u

really are in your inter

it might yet be something more than a mere post of honor to be the wife

wn to-day; I will stay wit

r arm to throw it round her husband's ne

lic is out of place in