od-night."

And, removing his wreath, he, with Eunice, prepared for home. When they
had gone, Vinicius went to his library and wrote to Lygia as follows:--

"When thou openest thy beautiful eyes, I wish this letter to say
Good-day! to thee. Hence I write now, though I shall see thee tomorrow.
Caesar will go to Antium after to-morrow,--and I, eheu! must go with him.
I have told thee already that not to obey would be to risk life--and at
present I could not find courage to die. But if thou wish me not to go,
write one word, and I will stay. Petronius will turn away danger from me
with a speech. To-day, in the hour of my delight, I gave rewards to all
my slaves; those who have served in the house twenty years I shall take
to the pretor to-morrow and free. Thou, my dear, shouldst praise me,
since this act as I think will be in accord with that mild religion
of thine; secondly, I do this for thy sake. They are to thank thee
for their freedom. I shall tell them so to-morrow, so that they may
be grateful to thee and praise thy name. I give myself in bondage to
happiness and thee. God grant that I never see liberation. May Antium be
cursed, and the journey of Ahenobarbus! Thrice and four times happy am
I in not being so wise as Petronius; if I were, I should be forced to
go to Greece perhaps. Meanwhile the moment of separation will sweeten my
memory of thee. Whenever I can tear myself away, I shall sit on a horse,
and rush back to Rome, to gladden my eyes with sight of thee, and my
ears with thy voice. When I cannot come I shall send a slave with
a letter, and an inquiry about thee. I salute thee, divine one, and
embrace thy feet. Be not angry that I call thee divine. If thou forbid,
I shall obey, but to-day I cannot call thee otherwise. I congratulate
thee on thy future house with my whole soul."

Chapter XXVI

IT was known in Rome that Caesar wished to see Ostia on the journey, or
rather the largest ship in the world, which had brought wheat recently
from Alexandria, and from Ostia to go by the Via Littoralis to Antium.
Orders had been given a number of days earlier; hence at the Porta
Ostiensis, from early morning, crowds made up of the local rabble and
of all nations of the earth had collected to feast their eyes with the
sight of Caesar's retinue, on which the Roman population could never gaze
sufficiently. The road to Antium was neither difficult nor long. In
the place itself, which was composed of palaces and