ith pride; it seemed to
me that I had grown several heads taller, not only than other boys, but
than the people that surrounded me.

"When the funeral procession began, my mother wished me to go with her
into the arcade where seats had been placed for the ladies to view, but
I refused to follow her. My father became angry. But when he heard me
declare that I was a man and the future Emperor, that I would rather see
nothing than show myself to the people among the women, he smiled. He
ordered Cilo, who was then the prefect of Rome, to lead me to the seats
of the past consuls and the old senators. I was delighted at this; but
when he allowed my younger brother Geta to follow me, my pleasure was
entirely spoiled."

"And you were then five years old?" asked Melissa, astonished.

"That surprises you!" smiled Caracalla. "But I had already traveled
through half the empire, and had experienced more than other boys
of twice my age. I was, at any rate, still child enough to forget
everything else in the brilliant spectacle that unfolded before my eyes.
I remember to this day the colored wax statue which represented Pertinax
so exactly that it might have been himself risen from the grave. And the
procession! It seemed to have no end; one new thing followed another.
All walked past in mourning robes, even the choir of singing boys and
men. Cilo explained to me who had made the statues of the Romans who had
served their country, who the artists and scholars were, whose statues
and busts were carried by. Then came bronze groups of the people of
every nation in the empire, in their costumes. Cilo told me what they
were called, and where they lived; he then added that one day they would
all belong to me; that I must learn the art of fighting, in case they
resisted me, and should require suppressing. Also, when they carried
the flags of the guilds past, when the horse and foot soldiers, the
race-horses from the circus and several other things came by, he
continued to explain them. I only remember it now because it made me so
happy. The old man spoke to me alone; he regarded me alone as the future
sovereign. He left Geta to eat the sweets which his aunts had given him,
and when I too wanted some my brother refused to let me have any. Then
Cilo stroked my hair, and said: 'leave him his toys. When you are a man
you shall have the whole Roman Empire for your own, and all the nations
I told you of.' Geta meanwhile had thought better of it,