Domitia

ush. Of course. What else

er, that surely can

s all one's energies, it exerts all on

at do y

r up the ladder; of exciting the envy of your late companions,

t worth

ities. You dress for it; you prepare your table for it, accumulate servants for it, walk, smile, talk, acquire fu

her. I do not

he atrium that represented a young maiden running in pursui

t with, becomes a vehicle for Push. It really is vexatious that in Rome there should just now be such broils and effervescence of minds, proclamation of emperors, cutting of throats, that I, poor thing, here in Gabii run a chance of being forgot

obtained that at wh

t the start fo

f you

ion of being able to lay the blame on s

d what you aimed at,

y of Push. No, always g

hen she has caught the lovely insect she crushes it in her hand.

fter anothe

ejects each to whic

] "Cer

ucilla the slave to fan her, "That was the one defe

is splendid victories, over the C

ey should have served as m

ot unde

to do so. But, by Ops and Portumna! that was talking like a child. What might he not have been with those victories? But he cou

l. Just consider! What is Galba compared with him? What any of these fellows who have been popping up their heads like carp or trout

d have con

been a step in

e could y

othing but dribble and squall, but is a god for all that. My dear Domitia, think! the Divine Duilia! Salus Itali?, with my temples, my altars, my statues. By the Immortal Twelve, I think I should have tried to cut out Aphrodite, and have been represented rising fr

s you and for all nobles. But then-for the artisan, the herdsma

ives, I can't tell; I never was a herdsman nor a slave-never did any useful work in

he has g

es to accumula

d t

of himself sculptured, and when he g

nds in a hand

ould you have?-Remember

s a sad truth. Pursue your butterfly: when you have

maturely oldening you, and what ages you reflects on me-it advances my years. I will listen to no more of thi

him. I know beforeh

xcellent advice, he

nce of his doctrine. Then not to be too wise about the Gods; to aim t

desire it with

It is not running tho

ear, it keeps

I will never unde

t. Send me Plancus, Lucilla. I must scold

d the Chald?an to me in t

obeyed and

uing and finding nothing," sa

ched trellis with vines trained over it

d be seen the still lake, and beyond the beautiful ridges of the l

and down this wal

d at the end, under the gui

tervals, till he reached Do

ad pinch of dust. It is now some months since you spoke on the Artemis, when I asked you a question, and then you were forced to admit that all your science was built up on conjecture, and that there was no certainty underlying it. But a guess is better than nothing, and a guess that carries the mo

ered by matter; and the straining of the spirit in man after happiness is the striving of his divine

felicity is

d in man from matter, which pres

the lake; on a balustrade above the water stood a dreaming peacock, whilst

tter, and to find therein its expression, much as do our thoughts in words. May it n

petites, in pleasing eye and ear and taste and smell. But in all is found the after-taste of satiety that gluts. True h

o the Stoic advocates. I grant you give a reason-which seems to me lame-but it is a reason, whe

tified at his doctrine

syne approa

d up. The girl could not venture to spea

nnounce to [pg 86]you that Lucius ?li

am just now too troubled in mind. You, chi

ow; he quitted us

s a cheerful spirit. Where

, I find mine in serv

ts are vicious; they have it not because none has set them tasks. The ploughman whistles as he drives his team; the vineyard rings with laughter at the gathering of the grapes. The galley-slaves chant as they bend over the oar, and the herdboy pipes as he tends the goats. So each is set a task, and is content in discharge thereof, and each sleeps swee

to all God ha

idle, because on none was imposed any duty. It was a villainous household, and the estate went to the hammer. It seems to me, Euphrosyne, as if this whole world were the estate of Lentulus on a large scale, where all the servants squabbled, and one by

s, is that no

? Show me that-and, by the Gods! it will be new l

g