small, was doubled by the demons of
epilepsy. In an instant the whole Court had rushed to the spot on hearing
the lion's roar of rage, which grew louder and louder, and could be heard
at no small distance, and then Alexander's shout for help. But the
private physician and Epagathos, the chamberlain, would allow no one to
enter the room; only old Adventus, who was half blind, was permitted to
assist them in succoring the sufferer. He had been raised by Caracalla
from the humble office of letter-carrier to the highest dignities and the
office of his private chamberlain; but the leech availed himself by
preference of the assistance of this experienced and quiet man, and
between them they soon brought Caesar to his senses. Caesar then lay pale
and exhausted on a couch which had hastily been arranged, his eyes fixed
on vacancy, scarcely able to move a finger. Alexander held his trembling
hand, and when the physician, a stout man of middle age, took the
artist's place and bade him retire, Caracalla, in a low voice, desired
him to remain.

As soon as Caesar's suspended faculties were fully awake again, he turned
to the cause of his attack. With a look of pain and entreaty he desired
Alexander to give him the tablets once more; but the artist assured
him--and Caracalla seemed not sorry to believe--that he had crushed the
wax in his convulsion. The sick man himself no doubt felt that such food
was too strong for him. After he had remained staring at nothing in
silence for some time, he began again to speak of the gibes of the
Alexandrians. Surrounded as he was by servile favorites, whose superior
he was in gifts and intellect, what had here come under his notice seemed
to interest him above measure.

He desired to know where and from whom the painter had got these
epigrams. But again Alexander declared that he did not know the names of
the authors; that he had found one at the public baths, the second in a
tavern, and the third at a hairdresser's shop. Caesar looked sadly at the
youth's abundant brown curls which had been freshly oiled, and said:
"Hair is like the other good gifts of life. It remains fine only with the
healthy. You, happy rascal, hardly know what sickness means!" Then again
he sat staring in silence, till he suddenly started up and asked
Alexander, as Philostratus had yesterday asked Melissa:

"Do you and your sister belong to the Christians?"

When he vehemently denied it, Caracalla went on: "And yet these e