our or so, our praeco
speaks again, and this time to the oracle. 'Bottomless man,' he says, 'I
have to represent to you that no one of the present company finds himself
equal to answer the question, which your condescension has proposed to our
consideration!' On this there is a fresh silence, and at length a fresh
_effatum_ from the hierophant: 'Which comes first, the egg or the chick?
The egg comes first in relation to the causativity of the chick, and the
chick comes first in relation to the causativity of the egg,' on which
there is a burst of applause; the ring of adorers is broken through, and
the shrinking professor is carried in the arms or on the shoulders of the
literary crowd to his chair in the lecture-room."

Much as there was in Arnobius's description which gratified Jucundus's
prejudices, he had suspicions of his young acquaintance, and was not in
the humour to be pleased unreservedly with those who satirized anything
whatever that was established, or was appointed by government, even
affectation and pretence. He said something about the wisdom of ages, the
reverence due to authority, the institutions of Rome, and the magistrates
of Sicca. "Do not go after novelties," he said to Arnobius; "make a daily
libation to Jove, the preserver, and to the genius of the emperor, and
then let other things take their course."

"But you don't mean I must believe all this man says, because the
decurions have put him here?" cried Arnobius. "Here is this Polemo saying
that Proteus is matter, and that minerals and vegetables are his flock;
that Proserpine is the vital influence, and Ceres the efficacy of the
heavenly bodies; that there are mundane spirits, and supramundane; and
then his doctrine about triads, monads, and progressions of the celestial
gods?"

"Hm!" said Jucundus; "they did not say so when I went to school; but keep
to my rule, my boy, and swear by the genius of Rome and the emperor."

"I don't believe in god or goddess, emperor or Rome, or in any philosophy,
or in any religion at all," said Arnobius.

"What!" cried Jucundus, "you're not going to desert the gods of your
ancestors?"

"Ancestors?" said Arnobius; "I've no ancestors. I'm not African certainly,
not Punic, not Libophoenician, not Canaanite, not Numidian, not Gaetulian.
I'm half Greek, but what the other half is I don't know. My good old
gaffer, you're one of the old world. I believe nothing. Who can? There is
such a racket and whirl of religi