hter
of Apollodorus the Jew was chosen to represent Roxana. Everything
that the Alexandrians had prepared to do honor to their sovereign was
magnificent and costly. So many ships had never before been engaged in
any Naumachia as were destroyed here in the sham sea-fight, no greater
number of wild beasts had ever been seen together on any occasion even
in the Roman Circus; and how bloody were the fights of the gladiators,
in which black and white combatants afforded a varied excitement for
both heart and senses. In the processions, the different elements which
were supplied by the great central metropolis of Egyptian, Greek and
Oriental culture afforded such a variety of food for the eye that, in
spite of their interminable length, the effect was less fatiguing than
the Romans had feared. The performances of the tragedies and comedies
were equally rich in startling effects; conflagrations and floods were
introduced and gave the Alexandrian actors the opportunity of displaying
their talents with such brilliant success that Hadrian and his
companions were forced to acknowledge that even in Rome and Athens they
had never witnessed any representations equally perfect.

A piece by the Jewish author Ezekiel who, under the Ptolemies, wrote
dramas in the Greek language of which the subject was taken from the
history of his own people, particularly claimed the Emperor's attention.

Titianus during all this festive season was unluckily suffering from an
attack of old-standing breathlessness, and he also had his hands full;
at the same time he did his best in helping Pontius in seeking out the
sculptor Pollux. Both men did their utmost, but though they soon were
able to find Euphorion and dame Doris, every trace of their son had
vanished. Papias, the former employer of the man who had disappeared,
was no longer in the city, having been sent by Hadrian to Italy to
execute centaurs and other figures to decorate his villa at Tibur. His
wife who remained at home, declared that she knew nothing of Pollux
but that he had abruptly quitted her husband's service. The unfortunate
man's fellow-workmen could give no news of him whatever, for not one
of them had been present when he was seized; Papias had had foresight
enough to have the man he dreaded placed in security without the
presence of any witnesses. Neither the prefect nor the architect thought
of seeking the worthy fellow in prison, and even if they had done so
they would hardly hav