The Nemesis: A Tale Of The Days Of Trajan.

charms , for ifc ivas currently reported in the Suburra , that thou hadst married her , and become her father ' s assistant . " " I can afford to smile at thy spleen . " " My spleen thou botcher of trochees , I verily

believe the report Avas true , that the old hangman refused his consent to the Avedding , because thou arfc so squint-eyed , thy sivord AVOUICI have chopped off the wrong head . And as for Laelia , was she not the hunchback cripple , that the very dogs

barked at ?" " Dost thou know Cenna , that thy mouth is very like the Cloaca Maxima , only the filth of the city runs through ifc , ha , ha , ha !" "Why , thou gaping ninny , had I thee in the Cloaca Maxima , I Avould souse thee in fche mud . "

" And had I , thee , " beg * an the poet angrily , but Balbus who had been enjoying the scene UOAV thought fit to interpose , and become the peacemaker . " Be silent both and resume your seats . Tou

have draAvn the gaze of all the bathers upon you . Sit down , for you are both a set of pig-headed asses . " The pamphleteer and the poet Avere perforce thrust back into their several seats by Balbus ,

where they sat glaring at each other like enraged rnonkies . " What brings you tAVO here at all , disturbingsober thinking men with your unseemly quarrels . Is it a good thing to have the plebs knoiv thafc

Ave the literary men of Rome , instead of being on amicable and loving terms , fight Avith each other like the Avild brutes in the amphitheatre . I am ashamed of you . " " Are you , " replied Cenna , with a sneer , " pray who may be the literary men of Rome ? Are you one ?"

, Balbus turned his eyes haughtily upon him and said : " Inquire of Marcus , the bibliopole , hoAv many copies of my ' Gentes Romae' have been ordered . " " By Bacchus , I forgot that excellent Avork . I

have not seen it , but I hear thou hast chronicled all fche scandal of Rome since the days of the Great Julius , shoAvn up all the little private stories , which were carefully stowed away in the urns of the dead , and chronicled the conversations which

thou bast heard at the table . " "In fact , friend Balbus , " thou hast done for society , what Cenna has done for the sewers ,

painted its dirtiest patches , and shoivn up its ugliest sores . " "My friend , " said Balbus , " you are mistaken . My work was written for a pious purpose , to shoiv up the vice and degradation of fallen Rome , ancl

to incite us to resuscitate the ancient glories of the first Brutus' clays . " "A laudable scheme kadsfc thou kept ; to facts , but it is currently reported that the Bibliopole refused to Avrite one part , Avhere the language Avas

so gross as even to have disgusted easy Sibiris , besides being entirely mendacious . " "A future generation may do me more justice . I cast my Avork upon the tide of time , Avilling fco leave it to the verdict of posterity . "

" Posterity , I fear- me , will pay little attention to it or its author . Is it true that the young Adrian , thrashed thee in the Forum for some libel upon his sire ?" . " Thrashed me ? I never saw the man in my

life . " " Rumour is a liar ; but can you find no dirt spots in the togas of Romulus , and onr earlier heroes . "

"I have abandoned prose for ever . I have drunk of the inspiring AA'aters of Castalia , and haA r e resolved to fashion me out a throne upon Parnassus . " " Gods , Chaos has come again , since every

scraAvler Avho has read the odes of Horace , sets up as a rival . " "My friend , Cenna , thou hast a bad tongue in thy head . It may Avork thee clanger some day . "

" Ah , sayst thou so , perhaps . I can use the cestus Avell , there will be little chance ot my brooking a scourging Avithout returning ifc Avifch interest . "

" Thou consortesfc ivith bullies , friend Cenna , improve thy company , and thy manners will refine . " " Aye , Avorship Avith thee at the shrine of the Grecian Lais , recline at the same table with the

fair Phryne , and get drunk Avith the learned Murtius . " " Thou art a scurvy knave , the Cloaca mud is honey to the outrageous slime of thy mind . " " Thou arfc a fair judge , doubtless , but let me

tell thee , Balbus , when thou advisest me to frequent good company , I am equal Avith thee . We both frequent the Suburra , and far on in the night , too . "