Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: April 30, 2025
Nor has Alyrus, who was sent on an errand by Aurelius that afternoon, nor Alexis, the Greek. Not one has come back to tell of their fate. This morning, Sahira, my Lady Claudia's waiting-maid disappeared and the mistress lies there moaning and crying. It is pitiful. Everyone is in disorder of spirit.
Now it is desolate." The shepherd rose and picked up his staff. "Lidia, it is Alyrus who has wrought all this. He and the priests of Jupiter. I will seek out Lycias, the gladiator. He will know what to do." A warm red shone in Lidia's thin, sallow cheeks. "Thou wilt greet him from me, father?" He nodded, and walked rapidly away, while Lidia, taking another path, ran toward the gates of Rome.
There is no danger. But it is wiser that we should start at once. Later, there will be thousands returning home." At that moment, the porter from the gate came running toward the arbor. He was, plainly, very much excited. With him was a man of dark swarthy skin, and a scar across his forehead. "Thou, Alyrus?" exclaimed Martius, surprised to see the Moor here.
"If it does not inconvenience you," he said. "Not in the least," replied Alyrus, flattered at the attention thus drawn to him. The gladiator laid aside his silver helmet, unloosed his short sword and ordered light refreshment from the proprietor who came himself to serve so noted a guest.
"Let him go!" he advised. "See, he is already almost out of sight." The games in the amphitheatre on this, the first day of November attracted an unusual number of persons. The emperor was there, with all his court, and the Vestals honored the games with their presence. Alyrus sat in a prominent place, with Sahira, former slave of Aurelius Lucanus and maid to Claudia, beside him.
Alyrus was satirical, sneering, critical; Alexis was gentle, yet commanding; benign, yet firm. Both slaves became alert, as the Master had been, listening to the song of the water-carrier, now becoming less and less distinct. Alexis's eyes shown, but Alyrus cast a malignant glance at Martius, whose face was flushed. "What a strange song!" repeated the lawyer.
Virgilia was so intent on her thoughts that she did not observe the cat-like approach of her mother's personal slave, the daughter of Alyrus, the porter. She and her father had been brought to Rome as prisoners of war after a victorious conquest by the Romans in North Africa. They were by descent, Moors, having dark skins but very regular, even classical features.
Its eyes were two emeralds and its body blazed with diamonds and rubies. "I have." The porter held up the bronze lizard, similar in form to that on the priest's forehead. "It is well. Come forward to the light, and relate to me and these my brethren, all that thou knowest of thy master." The spirit of recklessness which makes men daring possessed Alyrus at this moment.
A servant, assisted by the porter, Alyrus, brought the food in on huge trays, roast kid and vegetables, green salad fresh from the market in the Forum Boarium, dressed with oil from the groves of Lucca and vinegar made of sour red wine.
It did not occur to Alyrus to be grateful that when they were placed on a platform down yonder at the lower end of the Forum, to be sold to the highest bidder, Aurelius Lucanus, who had bought him first, being moved by pity, had also purchased Sahira, his daughter, paying for her many sesterces of gold, because she was very beautiful and could bring a high price.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking