e of Lygia."

"Pardon me, Caius, my hastiness. I judged that thou hadst given command
to take her for thyself or for Caesar."

"I can forgive thy hastiness; but it is more difficult to forgive rude
gestures, vulgar shouts, and a voice reminding one of players at mora. I
do not like that style, Marcus, and do thou guard against it. Know that
Tigellinus is Caesar's pander; but know also that if I wanted the
girl for myself now, looking thee straight in the eyes, I would say,
'Vinicius! I take Lygia from thee and I will keep her till I am tired of
her."

Thus speaking, he began to look with his hazel eyes straight into the
eyes of Vinicius with a cold and insolent stare. The young man lost
himself completely.

"The fault is mine," said he. "Thou art kind and worthy. I thank thee
from my whole soul. Permit me only to put one more question: Why didst
thou not have Lygia sent directly to my house?"

"Because Caesar wishes to preserve appearances. People in Rome will talk
about this,--that we removed Lygia as a hostage. While they are talking,
she will remain in Caesar's palace. Afterward she will be removed quietly
to thy house, and that will be the end. Bronzebeard is a cowardly
cur. He knows that his power is unlimited, and still he tries to give
specious appearances to every act. Hast thou recovered to the degree of
being able to philosophize a little? More than once have I thought, Why
does crime, even when as powerful as Caesar, and assured of being beyond
punishment, strive always for the appearances of truth, justice, and
virtue? Why does it take the trouble? I consider that to murder a
brother, a mother, a wife, is a thing worthy of some petty Asiatic king,
not a Roman Caesar; but if that position were mine, I should not write
justifying letters to the Senate. But Nero writes. Nero is looking for
appearances, for Nero is a coward. But Tiberius was not a coward;
still he justified every step he took. Why is this? What a marvellous,
involuntary homage paid to virtue by evil! And knowest thou what strikes
me? This, that it is done because transgression is ugly and virtue
is beautiful. Therefore a man of genuine aesthetic feeling is also a
virtuous man. Hence I am virtuous. To-day I must pour out a little
wine to the shades of Protagoras, Prodicus, and Gorgias. It seems that
sophists too can be of service. Listen, for I am speaking yet. I took
Lygia from Aulus to give her to thee. Well. But Lysippus would have made