Part 11 (1/2)
A hundred years! The playful emperor knew not how quickly a man pa.s.ses and how slowly, how exceeding slowly, moves the great procession of mankind. But so it befell; the very right hand of Jupiter had helped in the sowing of that seed which, as it grew, was to lift the foundations of his power.
Vergilius left the scene with Augustus. They rode away in the royal litter.
”In all the great cities men are speaking to-day of the value of peace and honor,” said the subtle emperor--a sceptic in religion, a cynic in philosophy, a rake in private life, and a conqueror who commanded ”peace” with a trained army of four hundred and fifty thousand men.
”It is a great thing to do,” said the young knight.
”Give me men enough to say it, and if they grow not weary I will bring the world to believe that the sun is only the breast-plate of Jupiter,”
said Augustus. ”Honor and peace are good things--do not forget that, my young friend. Give the words to your tongue, not flippantly, but with a sober eye, and often, my brave knight--often. You leave to-morrow--have you made ready?”
”Ready but for the leave-taking;” this with a sigh.
”It ill becomes you to be cast down. Shake your heart with laughter--it will roll away the stone of regret. Buy a fool, my young friend. For five thousand denarii you may obtain a most excellent fool.”
He knew the price of all, from the hewer of wood to the crowned king, but only he could afford a slave like that.
”I should prefer a wise man,” said the young knight.
”Philosophers are more expensive,” the father continued, craftily--”twenty thousand denarii, and dear at that. They will teach you little but discontent. I recommend a grammarian.”
The old emperor turned his cunning eyes upon the face of Vergilius.
”Forty thousand, at least, for a good one,” he added; ”but a youth of your talent should remember the value of immortal fame.” Word and look were a hint to the young man that he should prepare himself with all diligence for an active career in the senate. The youth understood their meaning and was a trifle comforted. There was no promise nor the least warrant for a claim--it was only the emperor's way of guiding.
They were now pa.s.sing a row of shops on the Via Claudia. The emperor, putting his hand out of the door, motioned to his lecticarii and they halted.
”Come with me,” said the great man. They left the litter and entered a large shop. There Augustus bought many gifts for the young man--new arms, a beautiful corselet, a girdle of the look of knitted gold--for the Roman wore a girdle in Judea--articles of apparel suited to the climate of the Far East. The shop had filled with people, who tried to cover their curiosity by the purchase of trifles.
”This cloth would make a fine toga,” said the shopkeeper.
The emperor surveyed it closely.
”Let me hold it up to the light and then you will see its texture,” the other continued.
”You are a hard master,” said Augustus.
”You would have us walk on the house-tops to show the fineness of our togas? It is enough. Let us pa.s.s, good people.”
A cheer, starting at the shop door, went to the far sides of the city.
It signified that the emperor was out among the people and in his best mood.
Their nomenclator cleared a way for them to the litter and they sat down again, facing each other, the emperor and the boy.
”If I had your riches,” the great man remarked, as they went on, ”I wonder what I should do with them.”
”You jest with me, good father,” said Vergilius.
”Nay, but I envy you; for have you not youth and love and the beauty of Apollo?”