on silver columns; under it were gleaming,
like suns, tables prepared for the guests, loaded with Alexandrian
glass, crystal, and vessels simply beyond price,--the plunder of Italy,
Greece, and Asia Minor. The raft, which because of plants accumulated on
it had the appearance of an island and a garden, was joined by cords of
gold and purple to boats shaped like fish, swans, mews, and flamingoes,
in which sat at painted oars naked rowers of both sexes, with forms and
features of marvellous beauty, their hair dressed in Oriental fashion,
or gathered in golden nets. When Nero arrived at the main raft with
Poppaea and the Augustians, and sat beneath the purple tent-roof, the
oars struck the water, the boats moved, the golden cords stretched,
and the raft with the feast and the guests began to move and describe
circles on the pond. Other boats surrounded it, and other smaller rafts,
filled with women playing on citharae and harps, women whose rosy bodies
on the blue background of the sky and the water and in the reflections
from golden instruments seemed to absorb that blue and those
reflections, and to change and bloom like flowers.

From the groves at the banks, from fantastic buildings reared for
that day and hidden among thickets, were heard music and song. The
neighborhood resounded, the groves resounded; echoes bore around the
voices of horns and trumpets. Caesar himself, with Poppaea on one side of
him, and Pythagoras on the other, was amazed; and more especially when
among the boats young slave maidens appeared as sirens, and were covered
with green network in imitation of scales, he did not spare praises on
Tigellinus. But he looked at Petronius from habit, wishing to learn the
opinion of the "arbiter," who seemed indifferent for a long time, and
only when questioned outright, answered,--"I judge, lord, that ten
thousand naked maidens make less impression than one."

But the "floating feast" pleased Caesar, for it was something new.
Besides, such exquisite dishes were served that the imagination of
Apicius would have failed at sight of them, and wines of so many kinds
that Otho, who used to serve eighty, would have hidden under water with
shame, could he have witnessed the luxury of that feast. Besides women,
the Augustians sat down at the table, among whom Vinicius excelled all
with his beauty. Formerly his figure and face indicated too clearly
the soldier by profession; now mental suffering and the physical pain