e men's egregious vanity; vaguely every one of
them hoped that all the others would believe in his unselfish aims, even
whilst everyone meant to work solely for his own ends. Hortensius
Martius' proposal pleased because it opened out such magnificent
possibilities: the imperium itself, which had seemed infinitely remote
from so many, now appeared within reach of all.

Anyone who was young, well-favoured, and of patrician birth might aspire
to the hand of the Augusta, and not one of those who possessed at least
two of those qualifications doubted his own ability to win.

Raising himself to a more upright position, Marcus Ancyrus the elder,
goblet in hand, looked round for approval on all the guests.

The murmur of acquiescence was well-nigh general, and many there were
who held their goblets to the waiting-maids in order to have them filled
and then drained them to the last dregs. But there were a few
dissentient voices, chiefly among the less-favoured who, like Philario,
could hardly dare approach a beautiful woman with thoughts of wooing
her.

Caius Nepos had not taken up the pledge, nor had he taken any part in
the discussion since Dea Flavia's name first passed the lips of young
Hortensius. Indeed, as the latter seemed to lose his ill-humour and
become flushed and excited with the approval of his friends, so did the
host gradually become more and more morose and silent.

Clearly the proposal to leave the matter of the choice of a Caesar in the
hands of a woman was not to his liking. Though good-looking and still in
the prime of life he had never found favour with women, and Dea Flavia
had often shown open contempt for him, and for the selfish ambition
which moved his every action, and which he was at no pains to conceal.

It was easy to see, by the glowering look on his face, that the meeting
this night had not turned out as he had wished.

"We cannot decide this matter otherwise than by vote," said one of the
guests when the murmurs of approval and those of dissent had equally
died down.

"Thou art right, O friend," assented Ancyrus, "and I pray thee, Caius
Nepos, order thy slaves to bring us the tablets, and let each man record
his vote according to his will."

Caius Nepos could find no objection to this, even though the question of
voting was in no way to his liking. He had a vague hope, mayhap, that by
gaining time he might succeed in sowing seeds of discord amongst those
who had been so ready to accede