y, men and women
alike, besought the immortals unbidden for the welfare of Titus. I, too,
am their lord; but"--and he laughed bitterly--"who has ever raised a hand
in prayer for me of his own impulse? My own mother always named my
brother first. He has paid for it,--But the rest!"

"They fear rather than love you," replied the philosopher. "He to whom
Phoebus Apollo appears may always expect some good to follow. And
yesterday--a happy omen, too--I overheard by chance a young Greek girl,
who believed herself unobserved, who of her own prompting fervently
entreated Asklepios to heal you. Nay, she collected all the coins in her
little purse, and had a goat and a cock sacrificed in your behalf."

"And you expect me to believe that!" said Caracalla, with a scornful
laugh.

But Philostratus eagerly replied:

"It is the pure truth. I went to the little temple because it was said
that Apollonius had left some documents there. Every word from his pen
is, as you know, of value to me in writing his history. The little
library was screened off from the cella by a curtain, and while I was
hunting through the manuscripts I heard a woman's voice."

"It spoke for some other Bassianus, Antoninus, Tarautus, or whatever they
choose to call me," Caesar broke in.

"Nay, my lord, not so. She prayed for you, the son of Severus. I spoke to
her afterwards. She had seen you yesterday morning, and fancied she had
noted how great and severe your sufferings were. This had gone to her
heart. So she went thither to pray and sacrifice for you, although she
knew that you were prosecuting her brother, the very painter of whom I
spoke. I would you too could have heard how fervently she addressed the
god, and then Hygeia!"

"A Greek, you say?" Caracalla remarked. "And she really did not know you,
or dream that you could hear her?"

"No, my lord; assuredly not. She is a sweet maid, and if you would care
to see her--"

Caesar had listened to the tale with great attention and evident
expectancy; but suddenly his face clouded, and, heedless of the slaves
who, under the guidance of his chamberlain Adventus, had now brought in
the portrait, he sprang up, went close to Philostratus, and stormed out:

"Woe to you if you lie to me! You want to get the brother out of prison,
and then, by chance, you come across the sister who is praying for me! A
fable to cheat a child with!"

"I am speaking the truth," replied Philostratus, coolly, though the rapid
w