Quintus Claudius, Volume 1 of 2

e bay, but the streamers of the crowd of barks, which lay under the shore, hardly fl

weather-beaten porters in Phrygian caps urgently offered their services, while vendors of cakes and fruit shrilly advertised the quality of their fragrant goods. Behind this bustling foreground of unresting and eager activity rose the amphitheatre of buildings that composed the town. Aurelius had been charmed with Panormus and Gades, but he now had to confess that they both must yield the pa

way; then came Octavia, her litter borne by six bronze-hued Lusitanians.[55] Claudia shared her litter with Baucis, while Herodianus, Magus, Octavia's rowers, and a few servants with various bundles foll

idge," said Claudia. "There, where the

"That great pillared building, hal

s have not housed us so magnificently. To

intment was evidently a very pleasant

ce she has lived separate from her imperia

w steeper as

man! By Osiris! I am ashamed of myself. To carry you, sweet Claudia, is indeed a pleasure-but me, wrinkled old Baucis! If I

he went on: "By all the gods, I entreat you-a draught of Caecubum![56] I am bound to carry this weary load," and he slapped his round pau

ne of the slaves, who was carry

58] gracious giver, I sacrifice to thee!" and as he spoke he shed a few drops as a libat

Octavia's house; in the vestibule[60] a

st. Oh! we have been so dreadfully frightened, Quintus and I; that awful storm! the whole bay w

where they heard her fresh, happ

id Octavia, in answer to an e

, "whom I love as if she

Then he pressed a long and loving kiss on Claudia's lips, and it was not till after he had thus welcomed the mother and daughter, that he turned hesitatingly to Aurelius, who stood on one side blushing deeply; a sign from Octavia postponed all e

t you owe it that you see us here now. He took us on board his trireme, for our boat was sinking. I declare myself his debtor hencefort

for some time give us the honor of your company and so give us,

promised to do s

the stranger, and stuck a rose into her chestnut hair; she sat down

Quintus. "I am burning to hear a full

y thought it possible, it was the hour for dinner-the first serious m

ly of his distant home in the north. He spoke of his distinguished father, who, as a merchant, had travelled eastwards to the remote lands east of the peninsula of the Cimbri[64] and to the fog-veiled shores of the Guttoni,[65] the Aestui[66] and the Scandii;[67] indeed Aurelius himself knew much of the wonders and peculiarities of these l

o life, the idea of perils so remote seemed to double their appreciation.[68] When they rose from table the ladies withdrew, to indulge in that private repose which was customary of an afternoon. Lucilia could not forbear whispering to her companion,

Golden House[69] by the Esquiline. But he is also like the gods, in that he is apt to vanish suddenly behind a cloud, and is gone. Now Aurelius, or my soul deceiv

one is good for anything in your eyes, that was

nion, and carried her off half-resi

where everything was planned by line and square; here were no trained trees and hedges, circular beds or clipped shrubs. All was free and wholesome Nature, lavish and thriving vitality. The paths alone, leading from the villa in three directions into the wood, betrayed the care of man. The whole vegetation of the happy land of Campania seemed to have been brought together on the slope below. Huge plane-trees, on which vines hung their garlands, lifted their heads above the holm-oaks and gnarled quinces. The broad-leaved fig glistened by the side of the grey-green olive; here stood a clump of stalwart pines, there

to you, who came hither from the region of Boreas himself, where the birch and the beech can scarcely thrive. But you can o

Titus Claudius, your illustrious father, does not enjoy himself o

ght at a time. Dignity, you see, brings its own burdens, and not even the greatest can have everything their own way. Many a time has m

mphasis, that the st

f yours can be

le parted the

ertainly I lack little. Everything may be had in Rome for money; ever

u understan

pected of a young fellow in my position. I had hardly to do more than put out my hand, to acquire the most influential position and the highest offices and honors-to become Praetor or Consul.[73] I am well received at court, and look boldly in the face of C

said A

fe is endurable. My cup wreathed with roses, a fiery-eyed dancer from Gades[74] by my side, floating on the giddy whirl of luxury, as mad and thoughtless as a

will forgive my plainness-that you are satiated with excess. You are betrothed, you say, and yet you can feel a fl

h of Rome go to work somewhat differently, and no one thinks the worse of us for it. Of course we avoid

ook his hea

prayers can alter that; and after all you get used to it! I believe Cornelia herself would hardly scold if she heard.... Besides, it is in the air. Old Cato has long, long

e in the capital?" asked

he court on principle. The fact that Domitia resides here is quite enough to make him

found their way everywhere, scenting their prey, had undermined all mutual confidence and trust to such an extent that friends feared each other; the patron trembled before his client, and the master before his slave. Although the manner and address of his host invited confidence, caution was always on the safe side, all the more

orest of masts by Puteoli; beyond these, Parthenope, beautiful Surrentum,[77] and the shining islands bathed by the boundless sea; the vaporous cloud from Vesuvius hung like a cone of snow in the still blue atmosphere. To the north the horizon was bounded by the bay of Caieta[78] the Lucrine lake and the wooded slopes of Cumae. The foreground was no less enchanting;

e, there where the branches parted in an arch to form a vista down into the valley-there was a

tus!" he whispere

e Empress's grounds

lane-tree? About six-eight paces on the other side o

ged. Stephanus, Domitia's steward, is one of

ch a deep, hea

his lash falls the skin comes off; then he is apt to tie up

rrupting him. "Let us run down

ing of the kind. We have no right

at he has done wrong. His torturer's b

im sharply on the forehead. But the native courtesy, the urbanity[79] or town breeding, which distinguished every Roman, prevailed, and in a few minutes they had reached the laurel-hedge. Quintus w

y moved. A pale, bearded man,[80] young, but with a singularly resolute expression, stood fettered to a wooden

. "What have you done, that you

nced up to heaven and

d my

frowning, and, unable any longer to control himself, he went straight up to th

n. Fresh torture would be all that would come of it. Let me be; I have borne the like before now; I have only

ally heroic resignation excited his

d, "are you a disciple of the Stoa,[81] or yourself a demi-

Scaevola have suffered for their country; but you-a wretched slave, a grain of sand among millions-you, whose sufferings are of no more acc

stole over the ma

mphasis, "who has pity on the feeble; the all

s heard a

the slave implored them

ling up to where the slave was bound, released him presently from the stake and led him away into the gardens. For a minute or two long