to which Cleopatra desired to add a new building. But scarcely had he
quitted the Bruchium when he was detained by the crowd assailing the
house of Didymus with beams and rams, and at the same time keeping off
the Ephebi who had attacked them.

He had forced his way through the raging mob to aid the old couple and
their granddaughter. The slave Phryx had been busily preparing the boats
which lay moored in the harbour of the seawashed estate, but Gorgias had
found it difficult to persuade the grey-haired philosopher to go with him
and his family to the shore. He was ready to face the enraged rioters
and--though it should cost his life--cry out that they were shamefully
deceived and were staining themselves with a disgraceful crime. Not until
the architect represented that it was unworthy of a Didymus to expose to
bestial violence a life on which helpless women and the whole world--to
whom his writings were guide-posts to the realms of truth--possessed a
claim, could he be induced to yield. Nevertheless, the sage and his
relatives almost fell into the hands of the furious rabble, for Didymus
would not depart until he had saved this, that, and the other precious
book, till the number reached twenty or thirty. Besides, his old deaf
wife, who usually submitted quietly when her defective hearing prevented
her comprehension of many things, insisted upon knowing what was
occurring. She ordered everybody who came near her to explain what had
happened, thus detaining her granddaughter Helena, who was trying to save
the most valuable articles in the dwelling. So the departure was delayed,
and only the brave defence of young Philotas, Didymus's assistant, and
some of the Ephebi, who joined him, enabled them to escape unharmed.

The Scythian guards, which at last put a stop to the frantic rage of the
deluded populace, arrived too late to prevent the destruction of the
house, but they saved Philotas and the other youths from the fists and
stones of the rabble. When the boats had gone farther out into the
harbour the question of finding a home for the philosopher and his family
was discussed. Berenike's house was also threatened, and the rules of the
museum prevented the reception of women. Five servants had accompanied
the family, and none of Didymus's learned friends had room for so many
guests. When the old man and Helena began to enumerate the lodgings of
which they could think, Gorgias interposed with an entreaty that they
would