d the Thracians seized the old man, and placed him on the
bench; then, fastening him with ropes to it, they began to squeeze his
thin shanks with pincers. But when they were tying him he kissed their
hands with humility; then he closed his eyes, and seemed dead.

He was alive, though; for when Tigellinus bent over him and inquired
once again, "Wilt thou retract?" his white lips moved slightly, and from
them came the barely audible whisper,--

"I cannot."

Tigellinus gave command to stop the torture, and began to walk up and
down in the atrium with a face distorted by anger, but helpless. At last
a new idea came to his head, for he turned to the Thracians and said,--

"Tear out his tongue!"

Chapter LXII

THE drama "Aureolus" was given usually in theatres or amphitheatres,
so arranged that they could open and present as it were two separate
stages. But after the spectacle in the gardens of Caesar the usual method
was omitted; for in this case the problem was to let the greatest number
of people look at a slave who, in the drama, is devoured by a bear. In
the theatres the role of the bear is played by an actor sewed up in a
skin, but this time the representation was to be real. This was a new
idea of Tigellinus. At first Caesar refused to come, but changed his mind
at persuasion of the favorite. Tigellinus explained that after what had
happened in the gardens it was all the more his duty to appear before
the people, and he guaranteed that the crucified slave would not
insult him as had Crispus. The people were somewhat sated and tired of
blood-spilling; hence a new distribution of lottery tickets and gifts
was promised, as well as a feast, for the spectacle was to be in the
evening, in a brilliantly lighted amphitheatre.

About dusk the whole amphitheatre was packed; the Augustians, with
Tigellinus at the head of them, came to a man,--not only for the
spectacle itself, but to show their devotion to Caesar and their opinion
of Chilo, of whom all Rome was then talking.

They whispered to one another that Caesar, when returning from the
gardens, had fallen into a frenzy and could not sleep, that terrors and
wonderful visions had attacked him; therefore he had announced on the
following morning his early journey to Achaea. But others denied this,
declaring that he would be all the more pitiless to the Christians.
Cowards, however, were not lacking, who foresaw that the accusation
which Chilo had thrown into C