Caesar Dies

ble and the green of giant cypresses as only music can suggest. The dying breeze stirred hardly a ripple on the winding ponds,

temple entrance-voices droning from the near-by booths behind the shrubbery- one flute, like the

of the River Ladon that had been guided twenty years ago by Hadrian's engineers in curves of exquisitely studied beauty. From between Corinthian columns was a view of nearly all the temple precincts and of the lawns

nobstructed view from the pavilion. Pertinax-neither guest nor host, but a god, as it were, who had arrived and permitted the city of Antioch to ennoble itself by paying his expenses-stretched his long length on the middle couch, with Galen the physician

bitter jealousies of rivals. He understood all about charlatanry, mocked it in all its disguises and knew how to defeat it with sarcastic wit. He wore none of the distinguishing insignia that practising physicians usually favored; the studied plainness

an. There was a world of humor in his eyes, and an expression on his weathered face of wonder at the ways of men-an almost comical confession of

ffidence. Being honest, you are naturally frugal; but you are ashamed of your own honesty, so you imitate the court's extravagance and made up for it wi

uld take a murderer at the age of twelve and keep him from breaking t

ave learned from teaching Commodus and others, not even Marcus Aurelius could have persuaded me to undertake the task-medical problem though it was, and promotion though it was, and answer though it was to all the doctors who d

t in any case,

ind beast. I removed th

ve pulled it

den-haired savage into a crimi

lled me a great proconsul. So I was. They would welcome me back there, if all I hear about the present man is true. But do you suppose I did not fail in certain instances? They praise me for the aqueducts I built, and for the peace I left along the border. But I also left dry bones, and sons of dead men who will teach their grandsons how to hate the name of Rome! I sent a hundred thousand slaves from Africa. Sometimes, when I

ooked almost super-humanly lovely in the deepening twilight, and as they laid their garlands on the marble altar near the temple steps and grouped themselves again on either side of it their

"A larger scale, a coarser effect. What I find thrilling is t

interrupted, laughing. "Men say Hadrian tried to chasten this place, but he only made them realiz

priestly college, four by four, came chanting down the temple steps. To an accompanying pleading, sobbing note of flutes the high priest laid an offering of fruit, milk, wine and honey in the midst of the heaped-up garlands (for

o behind the priests. Instantly, then, shouts of laughter-torchlight scattering the shadows amid gloom-green cypresses -fire-color splurging on the bosom of the water-babel of hundreds of voices as the gay Antiochenes swarmed out

night! Good Galen, may Apollo's wisdom ooze from you like sweat; for all our sakes, be you the arbiter of what we drink, les

said Pertinax. "Will you teach your grandmother to suck eggs? I was the first grammarian in Rome before you were born and

you. I came because my father tells me you are a Roman beyond praise. I am a Roman. I believe praise is worthless unless prov

teward and the slaves who were beginning to carry in the meal. But

about you, I will follow where you

t water and the green and purple gloom of cypresses, was nothing to complain of; statuary, since it could no

here a litter was set down on marble pavement and a eunuc

Norbanus whispered, l

presently he returned with a woman on his arm, he stroking her hand as it rested on his. He introduced Sext

en, and everybody except Sextus grinned. It was notorious that Cornificia refined and r

odesty and all the older graces that had grown unfashionable since the Emperor Marcus Aurelius died. In all ways, in fact, she was the opposite of Flavia Titiana-it was hard to tell whether from natural preference or because the co

ne at the end of the half-moon table, saying she preferred it-which was likely true eno

ation while the feast, restricted within moderate

fish and mussels. Followed in their order pheasants, grouse, swan, peacock and a large pig stuffed with larks and mincemeat. Then there were sweetmeats of various kinds, and a pudding invented in Persia, made with h

ide and keep the crowd away, his lictor and his personal official bodyguard being kept out of sight in a small stone house near the pavilion kitchen at the rear among the trees, in order not to arouse unwelcome comment. It was known he was in Daphne; there was even a subdued expectation in Antioch that his unannounc

to be out of earshot, or at any rate to emphasize that what he might hear would not concern him. Pertinax strolled to the front of the pavilion and looked out to make sure there were no eavesdroppers, starin

, Pertinax? That would

o say noth

oulders, but his e

elease all tongues; he looked from face to face expectantly, but no one spoke until Cornificia urged him to protect himself against the night breeze. He threw a purple-bordered cloak over his

t choose an emperor, w

soldier, used to the st

whose nose goes up in

and ga

fingers of the man she idolized. Sextus gave rein to his impulse t

d restore Rome's honor. I believe my father could persuade a hundred noblemen to take your part, if you

hey dislike my discipline. I am the governor of Rome and still alive in spite of it because even Commodus' informers know it would be silly to accuse me of intrigue. Not even

n la

he thoughtful Romans know you as a fruga

hat," said

enabl

-new streets; and there was twice the amount of tax on the new tenements they rais

who broke the famin

he men were who were holding corn for speculation. All I did was to hand their names to Commodus; he

birds, Commodus renames Rome the City of

room who are all involved with him in cruelties and infamy, so they guard him carefully. Besides, whoever tried to murder him would probably kill

kill Commodus? But who shall be raised in his place? Th

n laughe

d have killed me long ago with jealousy! A man dies when his inner man grows sick and weary of him. Then a pin-prick does it, or a sudden terror. Until that time comes you may break his skull, and do not more t

ow sick sooner than t

xt

yes. But in that case we should wish him to live, although his soul would prefer the contrary and leave him to die by

famies he practises. It would be a merry joke to have a Christian emperor, who died because his soul was sick of him! It would be a choice

p Marcia protect him because he is the only emperor who never persecuted them, and because Marcia sees to it that they are free to meet together without having even to bribe th

ertinax. "Whom would she no

Daedalus. "Thereafter let things take the

"Marcia's soul may be all the soul Commo

her Christians and knows no other way to protect them than to make Commod

be devoured by a monster, in order to save her people fro

fight for his place, unless, like Perseus, we have the head of a Medusa with which to freeze them into stone! There

f us blind," s

enty years and men are used to him, and he used to the task, as was Augustus; but an old man new to the throne lacks energy. And besides, they would never endure a man whose father was a

t is needed," said Sext

n the t

us Severus. He commands three legions at Caruntum in Pannonia. (Roughly speaking, the S.W. portion of modern Hungary whose frontiers were then occu

him well. He is a lawyer and a Carthaginian. He would never ask for the nomination; he is too crafty. He would say his legions nominated him against his will and that to have disobeyed them would have laid him open to the punishment for treason. (This is what Severus actually did, later on, after Pe

ts you. So does the se

praetorian guard trusts

life is in dange

Daedalus

ud of having made an emperor, and too unwilling to seem vacillating, to reverse themselves in any man's favor, even though he should command six legions. The senate will gladly accept one who has governed Rome a

qualified by any subtleties, suggesting a trace of the p

gine me a go

among the legions just at present. But I make one, and there are plenty of ene

e roisterers away and some one who demanded admission. Near at hand was a woman's voice, shrilling and scolding. Then another voic

aid of Flavia Titiana. As a wife sh

n no

answered, "keep him off the th

ew, which were firm a

ax' fo

him deified!" she whispered; and aga

ng. "You mother Pertinax, who is more than twice your age-just as Ma

you were Pert

I

urgent ad

nax would make a splendid minister for Lucius Severus; and the two of them could

ed in the moonlit view of revelry than in the altercation between slaves. He strolled back and stood smiling at Cornificia

naked woman stab a man with her hairpin and kick his cor

ornificia. The murder was uninte

Galen's couch. "You find me not man enough for

st man would let it rule itself and claim the credit, whereas you would give the praise to others, who would shoulder off the work and all the blame on to you. An empire is like a human body, which heals itself if th

d and shoulders upright and the hand that held a letter thrust well for

de Sextus' couch. "Cadmus brought i

admus had by some means learned the

" he said, and

ha

l, no matter

taking permission for granted. He frowned as he read, bit his lip, his face growing cri

eyes gave the story away-grieved, mortified, indignant. Scylax offered him his arm to lea

"Calm! Your friends are your

sed it to Cornificia, then paced

rusted?" he asked with

d nearly as upse

knowing that if he did he would insult a man w

angely enough, I suspected nothing. He has been flatteringly friendly of late. Those whom I requested him to spare, he spared, even though their names were on his proscription list an

like a statue framed in the luminous gloom. The only part of him that moved

her contralto voice,

tus, son of Galienus Ma

nds humble

cused of treason and of blasphemy toward the emperor, by whose orders he was seized yesterday and beheaded the same day. The estates hav

uctions from you. Titus, the son of the freedman Paulinus, will convey this letter to Brundisium and then

to be of great value. Therefore, we your true friends and devoted servants, urge you to make all spee

the forfeit. We have not much money, but enough for the expenses of a journey to a foreign land. The place where we will hide near Tarentum is known to you. In deep anxiety, and not w

s tongue, keepeth his soul from trouble. Often I warned Maximus that he was too free with his speech.

; plainly enough Norbanus was urging patience-discretion- deliberate though

you? What can I do?

ficia was

hing you can do!" she

hilosopher was watching

periment. "Let Commodu

ere in this

rrupted, ve

oy that I wear is too short and not sharp. You may forget me, Pert

oke up. He was youn

his slaves and learn about that letter that has reached him. If he runs a

asked him as

ll his slaves from the torture but remove the suspic

anus finished the

y I can protect you, Sextus. Let us think of some great favor you can do the emperor,

ornificia drew in he

?" Pertinax strode over

enjoyment because he has flattered you so often publicly and called you 'father Pertinax.' He poisoned his own father; why not you? They will tell him

, not I!" s

ld please Commodus almost as much as to see gladiators killed in the arena. If you wept over the death of Sextus, that would please him even more. He would enjoy your feelings. Do you remember how he picked two gladiators

Sextus. "I die

wered. "Didn't Pertinax see some

t one another. Only Galen, sipping at

not even Commodus would doubt. In the dark I might recognize Sextus' garments, even though I could not s

resolution. "Get my purse. My slave ha