rth. And
there being no other vent or breathing-place than that through which the
Caecias rushed in upon them, it quickly blinded their eyes, and filled
their lungs, and all but choked them, whilst they strove to draw in the
rough air mingled with dust and powdered earth. Nor were they able, with
all they could do, to hold out more than two days, but surrendered
on the third, adding, by their defeat, not so much to the power of
Sertorius, as to his renown, in proving that he was able to conquer
places by art, which were impregnable by the force of arms.

THE SCROLL-FROM THE LIFE OF LYSANDER

The scroll is made up thus: when the Ephors send an admiral or general
on his way, they take two round pieces of wood, both exactly of a length
and thickness, and cut even to one another; they keep one themselves,
and the other the give to the person they send forth; and these pieces
of wood they call Scytales. When, therefore, they have occasion to
communicate any secret or important matter, making a scroll of parchment
long and narrow like a leathern thong, they roll it about their own
staff of wood, leaving no space void between, but covering the surface
of the staff with the scroll all over. When they have done this, they
write what they please on the scroll, as it is wrapped about the staff;
and when they have written, they take off the scroll, and send it to the
general without the wood. He, when he has received it, can read nothing
of the writing, because the words and letters are not connected, but
all broken up; but taking his own staff, he winds the slip of the scroll
about it, so that this folding, restoring all the parts into the same
order that they were in before, and putting what comes first into
connection with what follows, brings the whole consecutive contents to
view round the outside. And this scroll is called a _staff_, after the
name of the wood, as a thing measured is by the name of the measure.

THE CHARACTER OF MARCUS CATO

Marcus Cato grew so powerful by his eloquence that he was commonly
called the Roman Demosthenes; but his manner of life was yet more famous
and talked of. For oratorical skill was, as an accomplishment, commonly
studied and sought after by all young men; but he was a rare man who
would cultivate the old habits of bodily labor, or prefer a light
supper, and a breakfast which never saw the fire; or be in love with
poor clothes and a homely lodging, or could set his ambition r