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"I am ready to take such an oath at the altar," Petronius said. "I have come to bring peace to the land. I am ready to do all in my power to bring it about; but how are they to know what I have done?" "I would say, Petronius, let us, your captives, be present when you take the oath.
Permit me to see her, or take me thyself to her. I know not how long I shall be in Antium; and remember that near Cæsar no one is sure of to-morrow. Petronius himself told me that I should not be altogether safe there. Let me see her before I go; let me delight my eyes with her; and let me ask her if she will forget my evil and return good."
Petronius said this with a certain sincerity even, for Pomponia Græcina, though descending from the midday of life, had preserved an uncommon freshness of face; and since she had a small head and delicate features, she produced at times, despite her dark robes, despite her solemnity and sadness, the impression of a woman quite young.
But I fear that they may not bring the bodies out till morning." "The hail-storm will not last," said Petronius. "We must wait even till daybreak." They waited, listening to hear the sound of the procession. The hail-storm passed, but immediately after a shower began to roar.
At last Petronius heard from Cæsar's own lips that three days from then he would go to Antium without fail. Next morning he went straightway to inform Vinicius, who showed him a list of persons invited to Antium, which list one of Cæsar's freedmen had brought him that morning. "My name is on it; so is thine," said he. "Thou wilt find the same at thy house on returning."
"Tell him that he will get a cap full of aurei," said Petronius. "But canst thou find reliable assistants?" "I can find men who would sell their own wives and children for money." "Where wilt thou find them?" "In the prison itself or in the city. Once the guards are paid, they will admit whomever I like." "In that case take me as a hired servant," said Vinicius.
The orchestra returned; the candles paled and others were lighted. I recalled a supper of Petronius, where the lights went out around the drunken masters, and the slaves entered and stole the silver.
May Antium be cursed, and the journey of Ahenobarbus! Thrice and four times happy am I in not being so wise as Petronius; if I were, I should be forced to go to Greece perhaps. Meanwhile the moment of separation will sweeten my memory of thee. Whenever I can tear myself away, I shall sit on a horse, and rush back to Rome, to gladden my eyes with sight of thee, and my ears with thy voice.
If the gods gave me immortality, and Cæsar gave me power over the earth, I would follow thee still." Petronius smiled, raised himself a little, touched her lips with his, and said, "Come with me." She stretched her rosy arm to the physician, and after a while her blood began to mingle and be lost in his blood.
But! hast thou heard that in Upper Egypt the phoenix has just been hatched out, as 'tis said? an event which happens not oftener than once in five centuries." "Petronius! Petronius! Let us talk of the phoenix some other time." "What shall I tell thee, my Marcus? If it is thy thought that I might do something for thee with Aulus, I am at thy command." "I judge that thou hast the power.
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