"But this Jewish teacher came fresh from a solemn, silent people, full of veneration, possessed of sublime ideas of God, and convinced of his love for them. He was a true child of such a people. He was solemn, impressive, earnest, like themselves. He spoke positively as they did. He never hinted at truth, but proclaimed it aloud. In short, he was a Jewish Socrates, if such a term be not contradictory; or he was what Socrates might have been had he been born a Jew. "There are many things which I cannot understand, especially his miracles, and the character of them. plainly stated that he was sent by God, as did the Jewish teacher, but he never pretended to perform miracles. The only sign of supernatural power which he presented was his 'attendant spirit,' - his dæmon. But, perhaps, among the sceptical Athenians it was better not to have the power of performing miracles. It might have put an end to his career at an early period.

Socrates

"Such are my present impressions, my dearest, but I have many difficulties before me. These feelings of mine may change. But you know how cautious I am, what a true Athenian I am, and how I look on every possible side before I receive any new proposition. Believe me, however, what I have read in that book will not soon be forgotten. I feel even now that it exerts a strange influence over me."

Such was the effect of this book on Cineas. Helena said but little, knowing that an attempt at argument would only confirm him in the views which he might defend, but rather left him to himself.

years.

XIV.

THE COURT OF NERO.

HE court of Nero presented to the world an unequalled spectacle of folly and vice. The emperor had always entertained a passionate fondness for everything Greek, whether in art, or literature, or gymnastics. In his self-conceit he was not content to stand in the attitude of a patron towards these things, but sought to be a competitor in all. He instituted trials of skill in music, wrestling, and horsemanship, called Neronia, which were to be performed every five Not satisfied with this, he determined to descend into the arena, and win some of those honors which the strains of Pindar once made so glorious. He aspired to the fame of a charioteer, and besides this, he loved to sing his own verses to the accompaniment of the harp. He used to say "that in ancient times this had been the practice of heroes and of kings." He celebrated the names of illustrious men who had distinguished themselves in this way, and said that Apollo had less glory from his gift of prophecy than from his office as patron of the muses. In his statues the god was thus represented.

Seneca and Burrhus tried to prevent the emperor of the world from debasing himself in the eyes of the people, and at first restrained him partially. A wide space at the foot of the Vatican was enclosed for his use, and there he practised his beloved arts, at first in comparative seclusion. But his love of fame made him dissatisfied with these contracted bounds; he invited the people to see him, and their applause,

given without stint or measure, served to lead him on to new

excesses.

Thereupon he determined to make his own follies excusable by associating others with himself. He found poor descendants of illustrious families, and paid them for their cooperation. He produced these on the public stage. His success made him go still further, and by heavy bribes he induced several Roman knights to perform in the arena.

Then he established a kind of amusement called “Juvenile Sports." Men of high rank enrolled themselves in this association, and all classes soon sought membership. Its object was to promote the theatrical art. Women of rank followed the prevailing fashion. One woman, of eighty years of age, named Elia Catella, forgot herself so far as to dance on the stage. Luxury and corruption reigned supreme here, and the sports served to pamper the worst inclinations.

All these things seemed to impel onward Nero to fresh extravagances. The corruption of the time encouraged him to throw off all restraint. At length he went upon the public stage, in the sight of the people, as a performer. He entered the scene with a harp in his hand, and affected the arts of professional musicians. A circle of his friends was near, tribunes and centurions were at hand, and a prætorian cohort was on guard to protect him. All applauded the master of the world.

In connection with this, Nero instituted a company of Roman knights under the name of The Augustan Society, all of whom were young men of profligate tendencies. They seconded Nero in his wildest extravagances, whether of musical performances or horse-racing. The leaders of the society had salaries of forty thousand sesterces each. They became the most eager supporters of their patron; praised all his acts, and offered to him the most extravagant compliments and the grossest of flatteries, for each one hoped, by this, for personal advancement.

One of Nero's highest desires was to excel in poetry. All

who loved the art were invited to join a society for this purpose. The members of this society met on far liar terms of intimacy, and brought their productions to these meetings. Sometimes they brought fragments of poetical composition, and then endeavored to unite them all into a regular poem, always, however, giving chief prominence to the productions of the emperor.

Thus Nero, amid his cruelties, wasted his time in frivolities as well as vices, and the world followed the example which the ruler set them, only too readily.

All this time Nero had a restraint upon him in the persons of Burrhus and Seneca ; but the time now came when these restraints were removed.

Burrhus died suddenly from a disease in his throat. Men whispered to each other that poison had been administered by some one of Nero's emissaries, and that when the emperor visited his dying friend, the latter turned his face away from him.

After his death Tigellinus rose. The situation was given to him, and to another named Rufus, but Tigellinus was the real actor. This man had risen through a long career of unscrupulous vice to be the chief favorite of the emperor. Burrhus always hated him, and kept him under some control, but now there remained no obstacle between him and his desires. The same arts which had made him influential with Nero for so long a time, perpetuated that influence and increased his ascendency every day.

Seneca felt the effects of the death of his friend. There was no longer any possibility of making headway against the corruptions of the court, and he soon learned the change which had taken place in his position. Secret enemies began to undermine him. His vast wealth, and the means which he used to increase that wealth, had made his name disliked even among the virtuous, while his general character made him hateful to the vicious. The creatures of Tigellinus, and the more abandoned courtiers, never ceased to fill the mind of

Nero with their slanders, until at length Seneca found it impossible to live at the court in comfort or safety.

He besought Nero to allow him to go into retirement, enumerated the many favors which he had received, praised the generosity of the emperor, and pleaded his age and infirmities as an excuse for his wishes.

Nero answered him in words which were of the most flattering and complimentary character. He assured Seneca that he owed to him all that he knew, and declared that he had never given back anything like an equivalent return for the benefits which he had received. He refused to let him go, and said that he still needed his wise counsel.

To this Seneca had to yield, and, though doubting the sincerity of Nero, he was forced to continue in connection with him. But in order to disarm envy and suspicion, he lived in a most retired manner, avoided display, and appeared abroad but seldom. He preserved his life for a time, but his influence was gone, and Nero now, having lost his last restraint, set no bounds to his cruelty. All who excited his suspicions were removed by death. Among the most eminent of his victims was the noble Plautus, whose death filled the world with terror. Yet so slavish was the public mind, that the Roman senate, when informed of this murder, decreed public vows and supplications to the gods. This action of the senate taught Nero that no possible obstacle lay before him in the accomplishment of any of his desires.

He now determined to carry out an intention which he had cherished for some time, and that was, to get rid of his wife Octavia. The pure life of Octavia was a perpetual reproach to him, and her own character made her hateful to a man like him. Above all he was desperately in love with Poppæa, and had determined to make her his wife. False witnesses were easily found who swore foul crimes against Octavia. Her servants were seized and put to the torture, and, though many were constant, yet some, overcome by agony, confessed whatever was asked them. Octavia was