the
wonderful things Serapion had made known to him. The prefect's son, too,
had been invited to the banquet of Seleukus; and when Caracalla heard
from him and others of the splendor of the feast, he had begun to feel
hungry. Even with regard to food, Caesar acted only on the impulse of the
moment; and though, in the field, he would, to please his soldiers, be
content with a morsel of bread and a little porridge, at home he highly
appreciated the pleasures of the table. Whenever he gave the word, an
abundant meal must at once be ready. It was all the same to him what was
kept waiting or postponed, so long as something to his taste was set
before him. Macrinus, indeed, humbly reminded him that the guardians of
the peace were awaiting him; but he only waved his hand with contempt,
and proceeded to the dining-room, which was soon filled with a large
number of guests. Within a few minutes the first dish was set before his
couch, and, as plenty of good stories were told, and an admirable band of
flute-playing and singing girls filled up the pauses in the conversation,
he enjoyed his meal. In spite, too, of the warning which Galenus had
impressed on his Roman physician, he drank freely of the fine wine which
had been brought out for him from the airy lofts of the Serapeum, and
those about him were surprised at their master's unwonted good spirits.

He was especially gracious to the high-priest, whom he bade to a place by
his side; and he even accepted his arm as a support, when, the meal being
over, they returned to the tablinum.

'There he flung himself on a couch, with a burning head, and began
feeding the lion, without paying any heed to his company. It was a
pleasure to him to see the huge brute rend a young lamb. When the remains
of this introductory morsel had been removed and the pavement washed, he
gave the "Sword of Persia" pieces of raw flesh, teasing the beast by
snatching the daintiest bits out of his mouth, and then offering them to
him again, till the satiated brute stretched himself yawning at his feet.
During this entertainment, he had a letter read to him from the senate,
and dictated a reply to a secretary. His eyes twinkled with a tipsy leer
in his flushed face, and yet he was perfectly competent; and his
instructions to the senate, though imperious indeed, were neither more
nor less rational than in his soberest moods.

Then, after washing his hands in a golden basin, he acted on Macrinus's
suggestion,