n in time the forging of a weapon with which to oppose
effectively Arisia's--Civilization's--Galactic Patrol, so soon to come
into being.

If either of the two had been less suspicious, less jealous, less
arrogant and domineering--in other words, had not been Eddorians--this
History of Civilization might never have been written; or written very
differently and by another hand.

Both were, however, Eddorians.

2. ARISIA

In the brief interval between the fall of Atlantis and the rise of Rome
to the summit of her power, Eukonidor of Arisia had aged scarcely at
all. He was still a youth. He was, and would be for many centuries to
come, a Watchman. Although his mind was powerful enough to understand
the Elders' visualization of the course of Civilization--in fact, he had
already made significant progress in his own visualization of the Cosmic
All--he was not sufficiently mature to contemplate unmoved the events
which, according to all Arisian visualizations, were bound to occur.

"Your feeling is but natural, Eukonidor." Drounli, the Moulder
principally concerned with the planet Tellus, meshed his mind smoothly
with that of the young Watchman. "We do not enjoy it ourselves, as you
know. It is, however, _necessary_. In no other way can the ultimate
triumph of Civilization be assured."

"But can nothing be done to alleviate...?" Eukonidor paused.

Drounli waited. "Have you any suggestions to offer?"

"None," the younger Arisian confessed. "But I thought ... you, or the
Elders, so much older and stronger ... could...."

"We can not. Rome will fall. It must be allowed to fall."

"It will be Nero, then? And we can do nothing?"

"Nero. We can do little enough. Our forms of flesh--Petronius, Acte, and
the others--will do whatever they can; but their powers will be exactly
the same as those of other human beings of their time. They must be and
will be constrained, since any show of unusual powers, either mental or
physical, would be detected instantly and would be far too revealing. On
the other hand, Nero--that is, Gharlane of Eddore--will be operating
much more freely."

"Very much so. Practically unhampered, except in purely physical
matters. But, if nothing can be done to stop it.... If Nero must be
allowed to sow his seeds of ruin...."

And upon that cheerless note the conference ended.

3. ROME

"But what have you, Livius, or any of us, for that matter, got to live
for?" demanded Patroclus the gladiator