Caracalla had meanwhile received the praetorian prefect; he had forgiven
him his long delay, when Macrinus, of his own accord, had told him of
the wonderful things Serapion had made known to him. The prefect's son,
too, had been invited to the banquet of Seleukus; and when Caracalla
heard from him and others of the splendor of the feast, he had begun to
feel hungry. Even with regard to food, Caesar acted only on the impulse
of the moment; and though, in the field, he would, to please his
soldiers, be content with a morsel of bread and a little porridge, at
home he highly appreciated the pleasures of the table. Whenever he gave
the word, an abundant meal must at once be ready. It was all the same
to him what was kept waiting or postponed, so long as something to his
taste was set before him. Macrinus, indeed, humbly reminded him that
the guardians of the peace were awaiting him; but he only waved his hand
with contempt, and proceeded to the dining-room, which was soon filled
with a large number of guests. Within a few minutes the first dish was
set before his couch, and, as plenty of good stories were told, and an
admirable band of flute-playing and singing girls filled up the pauses
in the conversation, he enjoyed his meal. In spite, too, of the warning
which Galenus had impressed on his Roman physician, he drank freely of
the fine wine which had been brought out for him from the airy lofts
of the Serapeum, and those about him were surprised at their master's
unwonted good spirits.

He was especially gracious to the high-priest, whom he bade to a place
by his side; and he even accepted his arm as a support, when, the meal
being over, they returned to the tablinum.

'There he flung himself on a couch, with a burning head, and began
feeding the lion, without paying any heed to his company. It was a
pleasure to him to see the huge brute rend a young lamb. When the
remains of this introductory morsel had been removed and the pavement
washed, he gave the "Sword of Persia" pieces of raw flesh, teasing
the beast by snatching the daintiest bits out of his mouth, and then
offering them to him again, till the satiated brute stretched himself
yawning at his feet. During this entertainment, he had a letter read
to him from the senate, and dictated a reply to a secretary. His eyes
twinkled with a tipsy leer in his flushed face, and yet he was perfectly
competent; and his instructions to the senate, though imperious indeed,
were