ished above Petronius; grasping hands were
stretched toward his horse's reins and toward him, but he rode farther;
cool, indifferent, contemptuous. At moments he struck the most insolent
heads with his cane, as if clearing a road for himself in an ordinary
crowd; and that confidence of his, that calmness, amazed the raging
rabble. They recognized him at length, and numerous voices began to
shout,--

"Petronius! Arbiter Elegantiarum! Petronius! Petronius!" was heard on
all sides. And as that name was repeated, the faces about became less
terrible, the uproar less savage: for that exquisite patrician, though
he had never striven for the favor of the populace, was still their
favorite. He passed for a humane and magnanimous man; and his popularity
had increased, especially since the affair of Pedanius Secundus, when
he spoke in favor of mitigating the cruel sentence condemning all the
slaves of that prefect to death. The slaves more especially loved
him thenceforward with that unbounded love which the oppressed or
unfortunate are accustomed to give those who show them even small
sympathy. Besides, in that moment was added curiosity as to what Caesar's
envoy would say, for no one doubted that Caesar had sent him.

He removed his white toga, bordered with scarlet, raised it in the air,
and waved it above his head, in sign that he wished to speak.

"Silence! Silence!" cried the people on all sides.

After a while there was silence. Then he straightened himself on the
horse and said in a clear, firm voice,--

"Citizens, let those who hear me repeat my words to those who are more
distant, and bear yourselves, all of you, like men, not like beasts in
the arena."

"We will, we will!"

"Then listen. The city will be rebuilt. The gardens of Lucullus,
Maecenas, Caesar, and Agrippina will be opened to you. To-morrow will
begin the distribution of wheat, wine, and olives, so that every man may
be full to the throat. Then Caesar will have games for you, such as the
world has not seen yet; during these games banquets and gifts will be
given you. Ye will be richer after the fire than before it."

A murmur answered him which spread from the centre in every direction,
as a wave rises on water in which a stone has been cast. Those nearer
repeated his words to those more distant. Afterward were heard here
and there shouts of anger or applause, which turned at length into one
universal call of "Panem et circenses!!!"

Petronius wra