scarf to them, which being
remarked by the gymnasiarch, who with his two assistants-herculean
athletes--walked in front, was answered by him with a loud "Hail,
Caesar!"

The youths who followed him imitated his example, and the troop that
came after them returned his greeting loud and heartily. The young
voices could be heard from afar, and the news soon spread to the last
ranks of the first division to whom these greetings were addressed. But,
among the men who already were masters of households of their own, there
were many who deemed it shameful and unworthy to raise their voices in
greeting to the tyrant whose heavy hand had oppressed them more than
once; and a group of young men belonging to the party of the "Greens,"
who ran their own horses, had the fatal audacity to agree among
themselves that they would leave Caesar's greeting unanswered. A
many-headed crowd is like a row of strings which sound together as soon
as the note is struck to which they are all attuned; and so each one now
felt sure that his acclamation would only increase the insolence of this
fratricide, this bloodstained monster, this oppressor and enemy of the
citizens. The succeeding ranks of "Greens" followed the example, and
from the midst of a troop of young married men, members in the gymnasium
of the society of the Dioscuri, one foolhardy spirit had the reckless
temerity to blow a shrill, far-sounding whistle between his fingers.

He found no imitators, but the insulting sound reached the emperor's
ear, and seemed to him like the signal-call of Fate; for, before it had
died away, the clouds broke, and a stream of brilliant sunshine spread
over the race-course and the assembled multitude. The cloudy day that
was to have brought happiness to Caesar had been suddenly transformed by
the sun of Africa into a bright one; and the radiant light which cheered
the hearts of others seemed to him to be a message from above to
warn him that, instead of the highest bliss, this day would bring him
disappointment and misfortune. He said nothing of this, for there was
no one there in whom it would be any relief to confide, or of whose
sympathy he could be sure. But those who watched him as he retired from
the window saw plainly that the idyl, which he had promised them should
begin to-day, would assuredly not do so for the next few hours at least,
unless some miracle should occur. No, he would have to wait awhile for
the pastoral joys he had promised himsel