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　prisoner　from　the　dust；　and　helped　him　on　a　horse　behind　a　soldier。　The　Nazarenes　went　to　their　housesamong　them　Rabbi　Joseph　and　his　apprentice。

And　so；　for　the　first　time；　Judah　and　the　son　of　Mary　met　and　parted。





BOOK　THIRD

〃Cleopatra。　。　。　。　Our　size　of　sorrow；　Proportion'd　to　our　cause；　must　be　as　great　As　that　which　makes　it。　　　　　　　　　　　　　Enter；　below；　DIOMEDES。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　How　now？　is　he　dead？

Diomedes。　His　death's　upon　him；　but　not　dead。〃　　　　　　　　　　　Antony　and　Cleopatra　（act　iv。；　sc。　xiii。）。




CHAPTER　I



The　city　of　Misenum　gave　name　to　the　promontory　which　it　crowned；　a　few　miles　southwest　of　Naples。　An　account　of　ruins　is　all　that　remains　of　it　now；　yet　in　the　year　of　our　Lord　24to　which　it　is　desirable　to　advance　the　readerthe　place　was　one　of　the　most　important　on　the　western　coast　of　Italy。*

…　*　The　Roman　government；　it　will　be　remembered；　had　two　harbors　in　　　which　great　fleets　were　constantly　keptRavenna　and　Misenum。　…

In　the　year　mentioned；　a　traveller　coming　to　the　promontory　to　regale　himself　with　the　view　there　offered；　would　have　mounted　a　wall；　and；　with　the　city　at　his　back；　looked　over　the　bay　of　Neapolis；　as　charming　then　as　now；　and　then；　as　now；　he　would　have　seen　the　matchless　shore；　the　smoking　cone；　the　sky　and　waves　so　softly；　deeply　blue；　Ischia　here　and　Capri　yonder；　from　one　to　the　other　and　back　again；　through　the　purpled　air；　his　gaze　would　have　sported；　at　lastfor　the　eyes　do　weary　of　the　beautiful　as　the　palate　with　sweetsat　last　it　would　have　dropped　upon　a　spectacle　which　the　modern　tourist　cannot　see　half　the　reserve　navy　of　Rome　astir　or　at　anchor　below　him。　Thus　regarded；　Misenum　was　a　very　proper　place　for　three　masters　to　meet；　and　at　leisure　parcel　the　world　among　them。

In　the　old　time；　moreover；　there　was　a　gateway　in　the　wall　at　a　certain　point　fronting　the　seaan　empty　gateway　forming　the　outlet　of　a　street　which；　after　the　exit；　stretched　itself；　in　the　form　of　a　broad　mole；　out　many　stadia　into　the　waves。

The　watchman　on　the　wall　above　the　gateway　was　disturbed；　one　cool　September　morning；　by　a　party　coming　down　the　street　in　noisy　conversation。　He　gave　one　look；　then　settled　into　his　drowse　again。

There　were　twenty　or　thirty　persons　in　the　party；　of　whom　the　greater　number　were　slaves　with　torches；　which　flamed　little　and　smoked　much；　leaving　on　the　air　the　perfume　of　the　Indian　nard。　The　masters　walked　in　advance　arm…in…arm。　One　of　them；　apparently　fifty　years　old；　slightly　bald；　and　wearing　over　his　scant　locks　a　crown　of　laurel；　seemed；　from　the　attentions　paid　him；　the　central　object　of　some　affectionate　ceremony。　They　all　sported　ample　togas　of　white　wool　broadly　bordered　with　purple。　A　glance　had　sufficed　the　watchman。　He　knew；　without　question；　they　were　of　high　rank；　and　escorting　a　friend　to　ship　after　a　night　of　festivity。　Further　explanation　will　be　found　in　the　conversation　they　carried　on。

〃No；　my　Quintus；〃　said　one；　speaking　to　him　with　the　crown；　〃it　is　ill　of　Fortune　to　take　thee　from　us　so　soon。　Only　yesterday　thou　didst　return　from　the　seas　beyond　the　Pillars。　Why；　thou　hast　not　even　got　back　thy　land　legs。〃

〃By　Castor！　if　a　man　may　swear　a　woman's　oath；〃　said　another；　somewhat　worse　of　wine；　〃let　us　not　lament。　Our　Quintus　is　but　going　to　find　what　he　lost　last　night。　Dice　on　a　rolling　ship　is　not　dice　on　shoreeh；　Quintus？〃

〃Abuse　not　Fortune！〃　exclaimed　a　third。　〃She　is　not　blind　or　fickle。　At　Antium；　where　our　Arrius　questions　her；　she　answers　him　with　nods；　and　at　sea　she　abides　with　him　holding　the　rudder。　She　takes　him　from　us；　but　does　she　not　always　give　him　back　with　a　new　victory？〃

〃The　Greeks　are　taking　him　away；〃　another　broke　in。　〃Let　us　abuse　them；　not　the　gods。　In　learning　to　trade　they　forgot　how　to　fight。〃

With　these　words；　the　party　passed　the　gateway；　and　came　upon　the　mole；　with　the　bay　before　them　beautiful　in　the　morning　light。　To　the　veteran　sailor　the　plash　of　the　waves　was　like　a　greeting。　He　drew　a　long　breath；　as　if　the　perfume　of　the　water　were　sweeter　than　that　of　the　nard；　and　held　his　hand　aloft。

〃My　gifts　were　at　Praeneste；　not　Antiumand　see！　Wind　from　the　west。　Thanks；　O　Fortune；　my　mother！〃　he　said；　earnestly。

The　friends　all　repeated　the　exclamation；　and　the　slaves　waved　their　torches。

〃She　comesyonder！〃　he　continued；　pointing　to　a　galley　outside　the　mole。　〃What　need　has　a　sailor　for　other　mistress？　Is　your　Lucrece　more　graceful；　my　Caius？〃

He　gazed　at　the　coming　ship；　and　justified　his　pride。　A　white　sail　was　bent　to　the　low　mast；　and　the　oars　dipped；　arose；　poised　a　moment；　then　dipped　again；　with　wing…like　action；　and　in　perfect　time。

〃Yes；　spare　the　gods；〃　he　said；　soberly；　his　eyes　fixed　upon　the　vessel。　〃They　send　us　opportunities。　Ours　the　fault　if　we　fail。　And　as　for　the　Greeks；　you　forget；　O　my　Lentulus；　the　pirates　I　am　going　to　punish　are　Greeks。　One　victory　over　them　is　of　more　account　than　a　hundred　over　the　Africans。〃

〃Then　thy　way　is　to　the　Aegean？〃

The　sailor's　eyes　were　full　of　his　ship。

〃What　grace；　what　freedom！　A　bird　hath　not　less　care　for　the　fretting　of　the　waves。　See！〃　he　said；　but　almost　immediately　added；　〃Thy　pardon；　my　Lentulus。　I　am　going　to　the　Aegean；　and　as　my　departure　is　so　near；　I　will　tell　the　occasiononly　keep　it　under　the　rose。　I　would　not　that　you　abuse　the　duumvir　when　next　you　meet　him。　He　is　my　friend。　The　trade　between　Greece　and　Alexandria；　as　ye　may　have　heard；　is　hardly　inferior　to　that　between　Alexandria　and　Rome。　The　people　in　that　part　of　the　world　forgot　to　celebrate　the　Cerealia；　and　Triptolemus　paid　them　with　a　harvest　not　worth　the　gathering。　At　all　events；　the　trade　is　so　grown　that　it　will　not　brook　interruption　a　day。　Ye　may　also　have　heard　of　the　Chersonesan　pirates；　nested　up　in　the　Euxine；　none　bolder；　by　the　Bacchae！　Yesterday　word　came　to　Rome　that；　with　a　fleet；　they　had　rowed　down　the　Bosphorus；　sunk　the　galleys　off　Byzantium　and　Chalcedon；　swept　the　Propontis；　and；　still　unsated；　burst　through　into　the　Aegean。　The　corn…merchants　who　have　ships　in　the　East　Mediterranean　are　frightened。　They　had　audience　with　the　Emperor　himself；　and　from　Ravenna　there　go　to…day　a　hundred　galleys；　and　from　Misenum〃he　paused　as　if　to　pique　the　curiosity　of　his　friends；　and　ended　with　an　emphatic〃one。〃

〃Happy　Quintus！　We　congratulate　thee！〃

〃The　preferment　forerunneth　promotion。　We　salute　thee　duumvir；　nothing　less。〃

〃Quintus　Arrius；　the　duumvir；　hath　a　better　sound　than　Quintus　Arrius；　the　tribune。〃

In　such　manner　they　showered　him　with　congratulations。

〃I　am　glad　with　the　rest；〃　said　the　bibulous　friend；　〃very　glad；　but　I　must　be　practical；　O　my　duumvir；　and　not　until　I　know　if　promotion　will　help　thee　to　knowledge　of　the　tesserae　will　I　have　an　opinion　as　to　whether　the　gods　mean　thee　ill　or　good　in　this　this　business。〃

〃Thanks；　many　thanks！〃　Arrius　replied；　speaking　to　them　collectively。　〃Had　ye　but　lanterns；　I　would　say　ye　were　augurs。　Perpol！　I　will　go　further；　and　show　what　master　diviners　ye　are！　Seeand　read。〃

From　the　folds　of　his　toga　he　drew　a　roll　of　paper；　and　passed　it　to　them；　saying；　〃Received　while　at　table　last　night　fromSejanus。〃

The　name　was　already　a　great　one　in　the　Roman　world；　great；　and　not　so　infamous　as　it　afterwards　became。

〃Sejanus！〃　they　exclaimed；　with　one　voice；　closing　in　to　read　what　the　minister　had　written。


〃Sejanus　to　C。　Coecilius　Rufus；　Duumvir。

〃ROME；　XIX。　Kal。　Sept。

〃Caesar　hath　good　report　of　Quintus　Arrius；　the　tribune。　In　particular　he　bath　heard　of　his　valor；　manifested　in　the　western　seas；　insomuch　that　it　is　his　will　that　the　said　Quintus　be　transferred　instantly　to　the　East。

〃It　is　our　Caesar's　will；　further；　that　you　cause　a　hundred　triremes；　of　the　first　class；　and　full　appointment；　to　be　despatched　without　delay　against　the　pirates　who　have　appeared　in　the　Aegean；　and　that　Quintus　be　sent　to　command　the　fleet　so　despatched。

〃Details　are　thine；　my　Caecilius。

〃The　necessity　is　urgent；　as　thou　will　be　advised　by　the　reports　enclosed　for　thy　perusal　and　the　information　of　the　said　Quintus。

〃SEJANUS。〃


Arrius　gave　little　heed　to　the　reading。　As　the　ship　drew　more　plainly　out　of　the　perspective；　she　became　more　and　more　an　attraction　to　him。　The　look　with　which　he　watched　her　was　that　of　an　enthusiast。　At　length　he　tossed　the　loosened　folds　of　his　toga　in　the　air；　in　reply　to　the　signal；　over　the　aplustre；　or　fan…like　fixture　at　the　stern　of　the　vessel；　a　scarlet　flag　was　displayed；　while　several　sailors　appeared　upon　the　bulwarks；　and　swung　themselves　hand　over　hand　up　the　ropes　to　the　antenna；　or　yard；　and　furled　the　sail。　The　bow　was　put　round；　and　the　time　of　the　oars　increased　one　half；　so　that　at　racing　speed　she　bore　down　directly　towards　him　and　his　friends。　He　observed　the　manoeuvring　with　a　perceptible　brightening　of　the　eyes。　Her　instant　answer　to　the　rudder；　and　the　steadiness　with　which　she　kept　her　course；　were　especially　noticeable　as　virtues　to　be　relied　upon　in　action。

〃By　the　Nymphae！〃　said　one　of　the　friends；　giving　back　the　roll；　〃we　may　not　longer　say　our　friend　will　be　great；　he　is　already　great。　Our　love　will　now　have　famous　things　to　feed　upon。　What　more　hast　thou　for　us？〃