s
limbs after him, leaning on the shoulders of two young slaves fifteen or
sixteen years of age, who were luxuriously dressed, but in such a style,
and so effeminately, that it was impossible to tell whether they were
young men or girls. Two other and older slaves followed. One carried
under his arm his master's thick cloak, the other a golden
night-vessel.[31]

The proprietor of the stall hastened to receive his patrician customer
with tokens of reverence, exchanged a few words with him, and then moved
forward a stool on which the old man let himself down. As the seat had
no back, one of the young slaves immediately stationed himself
motionless behind his master, to serve him as a support, while the other
slave lay down on the ground at a sign from the patrician, lifted his
feet, which were encased in rich sandals, and wrapping them in a fold of
his own robe, held them to his breast to warm them.[32]

Thus supported with his back and feet on the bodies of his slaves, the
old man spoke some words to the merchant. The latter first pointed
toward the three half-naked women. At sight of them, Trymalcion turned
half way round and spat at them, as if to evince the most sovereign
disdain.

At this indignity, the old man's slaves and the Romans, assembled in the
vicinity of the stall, broke into coarse laughter. Then the merchant
pointed out to lord Trymalcion the two children playing on the straw.
The senile debauchee shrugged his shoulders, while he uttered some
horrible words. His words must have been horrible, because the laughter
redoubled.

The merchant, hoping at last to please so fastidious a customer, went up
to the cage, opened it, and brought out three children, draped in long
white veils which hid their faces. Two of the children corresponded in
height to my son and daughter; the other was smaller. The smallest one
was the first to be unveiled to the eyes of the old man. I recognized
her as the daughter of one of my relatives, whose husband was killed in
the defense of the chariot; the mother had killed herself with the other
women of the family, forgetting in that supreme moment, to kill the
little one. The girl was sickly and without beauty. Patrician Trymalcion
looked her over rapidly and made an impatient gesture with his hand, as
if annoyed that they should dare to offer to his sight so unattractive
an object. She was, accordingly, taken back to the cage by a keeper. The
other two children remained, still