can think of, when you talk of love, and piety, and such things."

"Oh, if you only knew him, and could think of him as I do," said Marcus, "then you would love him, and you would know that anything that I have done is nothing to all that he has done! If I came to you when you were so wounded and suffering, be sure that it was because he sent me there to you. He was there, but you did not see him. He has done far more than this, too; he has died for you, to make you love him, and bring you to heaven at last." "That is the way you always talk," said Galdus, “but I cannot see how it is. I don't understand it."

So they spake, and still, as Marcus told his childish faith, Galdus could only say that he did not understand. To all this Cineas listened, and marvelled much, and wondered where the boy had obtained that deep conviction which he expressed, speaking of it always as he would speak of some self-evident truth, something which he had always known, and supposed all other men knew as well as he.

XIX.

AT COURT.

HE fortunes of Labeo had been advancing in the meanwhile. Some time before Nero had given him a tribuneship, an office once powerful, but now with very little authority. However, it was a step onward in that path in which Labeo wished to advance, and the manner in which it was given was a

mark of great and unusual distinction, for he was not required to hold the office of quæstor, which generally preceded it. During the year of his tribuneship, he acted with great moderation and reserve, understanding well the character of the times, and knowing that in Nero's reign the want of exertion was the truest distinction. After this was over he was made prætor, and conducted himself with the same judgment and silent dignity. He had no occasion, as it fortunately happened, to sit in judgment, for that branch of the magistrate's business did not fall to his share. The prefect of the city had charge of the public offences, and nothing remained for him but the exhibition of public spectacles and the amusement of the populace. He conducted these at once with magnificence and economy, so that while there was no profuse expenditure, he yet was secure of popularity.

He found himself as welcome as ever at court, and Nero still with extraordinary constancy jested at his "Cato." Had it been the affections of the emperor that were concerned, or the public interest, or the wishes of the people, his favor to Labeo would soon have ceased; but this was a matter of

mere taste, and it was chiefly an idea of the ancient republican character of the office of tribune which induced him to give it to Labeo in such a way.

Labeo, however, without caring particularly for the cause, rejoiced in his advancement, and looked forward hopefully to a prosperous career. The excesses of Nero, which rather increased than diminished, troubled him very little, and did not interfere in the slightest degree with the gratitude which he really felt toward the emperor.

Tigellinus had at first shown himself quite indifferent to the progress of Labeo, and the position of Cineas. He had so much confidence in his own power to influence Nero, by working on his baser passions, that he never thought it possible that any other things could have any influence over him. With much astonishment he saw the ascendency which Cineas had gradually gained at court, where he stood as one of the prominent men, and yet with not a stain on his character, too rich to wish office, and too content, or perhaps too proud to seek for honors. Tigellinus had expected for a long time that his master would grow weary of both these men; but when he found that Nero did not grow weary he began to feel alarm. He did not altogether understand the force which art and literature could exert over the mind of Nero. For the emperor prided himself upon his fine taste and his delicate sentiment. He thought that a great poet was lost to the world when he had to become emperor. This was one of the very strongest convictions in his singular and contradictory nature. Tigellinus did not lay sufficient stress on this, for he did not understand the feeling. With Nero, everything connected with art, literature, or philosophy, amounted to a hobby. He had a profound belief in his own genius for all these, and in his excellence in these departHis tendency toward these feelings began in his earliest years, when he was innocent, and continued till that hour when he died, laden with guilt, and manifested itself, even in death, as the strong ruling passion. Seneca pos

ments.

sessed an ascendency over him for years, solely from this cause, and lost it chiefly from his own lack of resources. He grew old, and no longer had that enthusiasm in these pursuits which was needed.

Cineas more than filled the place of Seneca. After all, even though he half despised the pretensions of Nero, he respected them because they were sincere. For himself, he had an unfeigned love for the beautiful, wherever found, and an enthusiastic devotion to all that was elevated in art, or literature, or philosophy. That enthusiasm grew stronger as years passed on, and as he was yet young, it never seemed forced or unnatural. He was always fresh and original. His criticisms were always sound and just. Above all, he was Greek, and had to an extraordinary degree the exquisite taste, the subtle intellect, and the venerable genius of his race. He had a wider view of life, and a broader intelligence than Tigellinus, and from the first understood perfectly that twofold character of Nero, which was also such a mystery to the other. He knew that it was possible for a man to love vice and literature at the same time, and to be at once an ardent lover of philosophy, or art, and a monster of cruelty. He knew that intellectual refinement could exist side by side with moral impurity, and only saw in Nero what he had already seen, to a less degree, in other men. So he had this advantage all along, that he understood the man with whom he had to deal, and thus was always able to act in such a way as to preserve his influence.

Tigellinus therefore became exceedingly jealous of this Athenian, who occupied a position to which it would be ridiculous for him to set up a rivalry, even if he had any desire to do so. He tried in vain to weaken Nero's love for these pursuits of taste. He exhausted all his ingenuity in devising new pleasures, but the only result was, that after his master had obtained what enjoyment he could, a reaction came, and he was sure to return with fresh ardor to his literary employments. At one time Tigellinus began to fear

that the emperor might give himself up to these, to the exclusion of all other things, and then what would he do? His occupation would be gone, and he must sink at once into his original obscurity.

The envy of Tigellinus was so manifest that Nero himself noticed it, and used to laugh about it to Cineas.

"This man," said he, "is a beast, an unmitigated beast, and thinks all other men are beasts. He has no idea of the charm which intellectual pursuits can exert. He would stare if I told him that I enjoy making poetry as much as eating at one of his most exquisite banquets. He is very good in his way, and perhaps in that way indispensable, but it is a low way after all, and an entirely brutish way. Thank the gods, the cares of state have never shaken my old love for literature. If I had to live this life over, I should choose to be born in Athens, and live a calm, philosophic life.

"He doesn't understand you," continued Nero, “any more than me. He thinks you a rival. How ridiculous! That would be as though a god should wish to rival a dog; for you, my dear philosopher, live in thought the life of a god, such a life as seems best of all lives, in my judgment; but he lives as beasts live, without any higher thought than the gratification of his appetite. To pass from him to you, is like rising into a higher plane of life."

Cineas acknowledged with his usual graceful modesty the kindness of the emperor in passing upon him so unmerited a compliment, but had too much dignity to utter a word about his enemy good or bad. He feared nothing from him, for he felt that he could find means to attract Nero for some years longer if he chose.

One day, however, Cineas, on his way to the palace, saw something which excited some uneasiness. He saw Tigellinus in earnest conversation with one whose face was well known to the Athenian. It was Hegio.

It was not at all strange that the Syrian should have found his way to Tigellinus, and, indeed, it was quite probable, as