t
Caesar had a senator to guide his chariot because he had long since
succeeded in turning the senate-house into a stable.

To all this, however, Melissa turned a deaf ear, for the thought of the
great Roman leech possessed her mind entirely. She listened earnestly
to the mosaic-worker, who had come close up to her, and officiously
mentioned the names of the most important personages as they went past.
Caesar's train seemed endless. It included not merely horse and
foot soldiers, but numberless baggage-wagons, cars, elephants--which
Caracalla especially affected, because Alexander the Great had been
fond of these huge beasts--horses, mules, and asses, loaded with bales,
cases, tents, and camp and kitchen furniture. Mingling with these
came sutlers, attendants, pages, heralds, musicians, and slaves of the
imperial household, in knots and parties, looking boldly about them at
the bystanders. When they caught sight of a young and pretty woman on
the edge of the path, they would wave a greeting; and many expressed
their admiration of Melissa in a very insolent manner. Woolly-headed
negroes and swarthy natives of north Africa mixed with the fairer
dwellers on the Mediterranean and the yellow or red haired sons of
northern Europe. Roman lictors, and Scythian, Thracian, or Keltic
men-at-arms kept every one out of the way who did not belong to the
imperial train, with relentless determination. Only the Magians,
wonder-workers, and street wenches were suffered to push their way in
among the horses, asses, elephants, dogs, vehicles, and mounted troops.

Each time that one of the unwieldy traveling-carriages, drawn by several
horses, came in sight, in which the wealthy Roman was wont to take his
ease on a long journey, or whenever a particularly splendid litter was
borne past, Melissa asked the mosaic-worker for information. In some
few instances Andreas could satisfy her curiosity, for he had spent some
months at Antioch on a matter of business, and had there come to know by
sight some of Caesar's most illustrious companions.

So far the great Galenus was not of the number; for Caracalla, who was
ailing, had but lately commanded his presence. The famous physician had
sailed for Pelusium, in spite of his advanced age, and had only just
joined the sovereign's suite. The old man's chariot had been pointed
out to the mosaic-worker at the Kanopic Gate, and he was certain that
he could not mistake it for any other; it was one of the