a
wild steed carrying him away, through sea and sky-wherever it pleased.
He had had to hold tightly to the arm of the couch, and only remembered
that some one--who it was he did not know--had whispered to him to thank
Caesar.

"This," continued the gem-cutter, "restored me so far to myself that I
could express my gratitude to your future husband, my child. I am only
the second Egyptian who has entered the senate. Coeranus was the only
one before me. What favor! And how can I describe what followed? All the
distinguished members of the senate and the past consuls offered me a
brotherly embrace as their new colleague. When Caesar commanded me to
appear at your side in the Circus, wearing the white toga with the
broad purple stripe, and I remarked that the shops of the better
clothes-sellers would be shut by this time on account of the
performance, and that such a toga was not to be obtained, there was a
great laugh over the Alexandrian love of amusement. From all sides they
offered me what I required; but I gave the preference to Theocritus, on
account of his height. What is long enough for him will not be too short
for me.--And now one of the emperor's chariots is waiting for me. If
only Alexander were at home! The house ought to have been illuminated
and hung with garlands for my arrival, and a crowd of slaves waiting to
kiss my hands.

"There will soon be more than our two. I hope Argutis may understand how
to fasten on the shoes with the straps and the crescent! Philip knows
even less of these things than I do myself, besides which the poor
boy is laid low. It is lucky that I remembered him. I had very nearly
forgotten his existence. Ah!--if your mother were still alive! She had
clever-fingers! She--Ah, lady Euryale, Melissa has perhaps told you
about her. Olympias she was called, like the mother of the great
Alexander, and, like her, she bore good children. You yourself were
praising my boys just now. And the girl!.. Only a few days ago, it was
a pretty, shy thing that no one would ever have expected to do anything
great; and now, what have we not to thank that gentle child for? The
little one was always her mother's darling. Eternal gods! I dare not
think of it! If only she who is gone might have had the joy of hearing
me called senator and praetor! O child! if she could have sat with
us to-day in the emperor's seats, and we two could have seen you
there--you, our pride, honored by the whole city, Caesar's future