for him, and
feared lest death should speedily overtake him. He began to address
them thus:

"Senators and Sages of Rome, I have heard that my people murmur
against me, and will rebel if I do not arouse myself. A terrible fate
has fallen upon me, and I see no way of escape from my misery, unless
ye can find one. It is now more than a week since I went hunting with
my court, and when I was wearied I dismounted and slept. In my sleep I
dreamt, and a vision cast its spell upon me, so that I feel no
happiness unless I am sleeping, and seem to live only in my dreams. I
thought I was hunting along the Tiber valley, lost my courtiers, and
rode to the head of the valley alone. There the river flowed forth
from a great mountain, which looked to me the highest in the world;
but I ascended it, and found beyond fair and fertile plains, far
vaster than any in our Italy, with mighty rivers flowing through the
lovely country to the sea. I followed the course of the greatest
river, and reached its mouth, where a noble port stood on the shores
of a sea unknown to me. In the harbour lay a fleet of well-appointed
ships, and one of these was most beautifully adorned, its planks
covered with gold or silver, and its sails of silk. As a gangway of
carved ivory led to the deck, I crossed it and entered the vessel,
which immediately sailed out of the harbour into the ocean. The voyage
was not of long duration, for we soon came to land in a wondrously
beautiful island, with scenery of varied loveliness. This island I
traversed, led by some secret guidance, till I reached its farthest
shore, broken by cliffs and precipices and mountain ranges, while
between the mountains and the sea I saw a fair and fruitful land
traversed by a silvery, winding river, with a castle at its mouth. My
longing drew me to the castle, and when I came to the gate I entered,
for the dwelling stood open to every man, and such a hall as was
therein I have never seen for splendour, even in Imperial Rome. The
walls were covered with gold, set with precious gems, the seats were
of gold and the tables of silver, and two fair youths, whom I saw
playing chess, used pieces of gold on a board of silver. Their attire
was of black satin embroidered with gold, and golden circlets were on
their brows. I gazed at the youths for a moment, and next became aware
of an aged man sitting near them. His carved ivory seat was adorned
with golden eagles, the token of Imperial Rome; his ornamen