The Story of the Odyssey

were turned out, the sentries relieved, and the general order of service maintained without any action on the part of the officers-at least of those who held superior rank. These

nity which had just proved fatal to Gratianus. The country people, whose presence generally gave an air of cheerfulness and activity to the camp, were too much al

They were ready even to give proofs of their repentance by the summary execution of those who had taken an active part in the bloody deed. But here, one of the centurions, whose chee

and with them, and they would have either to accept a chief who would owe his best favours to others, or risk their lives in an unprofitable struggle with him.

te with the soldiers, was pushed to the front. His speech was short and sensible. "Comrades," he said, "I doubt whether what I have to say will please you; but I shall say

, and showed that the speaker had presumed at least

s recommend that we should trust to the mercy of Honorius? Very good, perhaps, for himself; for the

at the speaker had expressed

us himself!" said a Batavian; "he is a brave

mention of his name as a possible candidate for the throne overwhelmed him with terror. His jovial face grew pale as

that you should treat me thus? If I have off

the assembly answered this piteous appeal by con

the scabbard, and pointed it at his own heart. "At

r the soldiers to allow him to be tormented beyond endurance. A voice from the crowd shouted, "Long live the Centurion

probably as little desirous of the honour

ribune Manilius," sai

ceived with a s

e assembly, a sally which had considerable success, as his wife was a well-kno

e Centurio

edge the purple," for Pisinna

e Tribune

o say the least, no high reputation for personal courage, and

-for it really was nothing more-the crowd cried out for a speech from a well-known orator of the camp, whose

it be believed that Britain is less worthy to produce the Emperor than Gaul, or Spain, or Thrace, or even the effeminate [pg 18]Syria? Was

of his comrades caught him by the arm, hurried him to the front, and from thence on to the hustings. He was greeted with a perfect uproar of applause, partly, of course, ironical, but partly the expression of a genuine feeling that the right man had been found, and found by some sort of Divine assistance. The soldiers were, as has been said,

ne electe

some ability in thus avoiding promotion-not always a desirable thing in troublous times; but there was the fact that he was nearly fifty years of age, and was not even a deputy-centurion. On the other hand, he was a respectable man, ignorant indeed, for

xcited mob, as unmoved as if he had been a private soldier on the parade ground. A slight flush, indeed, might have been seen to mount to his face when the cloak of imperial purple was thrown over his shoulders, and the peaked diadem put upon his

f Britain and the West. The Blessed and Undivided Trinity order it for the best." A ringing shout of approval went up in response. The tribunes then took the oath of allegiance to the new Emperor in person. These again administered it to the centurions, and the centurions swore in great batches of the sold

ou a donative10 within

d the newly-made Emperor, attended by the offi

g