to the new proposal; any moment even
now--a chance word spoken, a trifling incident, an incipient quarrel
might sway these men and bring them back to their allegiance to himself.
He had been so sure of their support; the banquet this night had been
destined to set the seal to their fealty and to cement their friendship:
it was more than exasperating that the suggestion of a young fool should
have caused them to swerve from their promised adherence.

For the moment however, he could not help but acquiesce outwardly in the
wish of the majority. After an imperceptible moment of hesitation, he
called to one of his deaf-mute slaves and made him understand by signs
that he wanted forty wax tablets prepared and brought hither with forty
stylets wherewith to write. Then he cheerily bade his guests once more
to eat and drink and to make merry.

And it was characteristic of these strange products of a decadent age,
that in the midst of grave discussions wherein their own lives and their
future aggrandisement were at stake, these men were quite ready to
respond to their host's invitation and momentarily to forget their own
ambitious schemes in the enjoyment of epicurean delights.

Wine and fruit were once more handed round; both were excellent, and
during a brief interval mighty issues were set aside and conversation
became more general and more free. The pageant of games and combats
which was to last for over thirty days in honour of the deification of
Caligula and his safe return from Germany became the subject of eager
talk. There had been rumours of a remarkable load of African lions
arrived in the Tiber a day or two ago, which were to make a gorgeous
spectacle in the arena pitted against some tigers from Numidia. There
was also talk of a novelty in the shape of crocodiles who were said to
fight with great cunning and power against a pack of hyenas from the
desert.

Then there would be the chariot races and gladiatorial combats; heavy
betting on these events had been in progress for some time all over the
city among the wealthy patricians as well as among the impoverished
plebs; the respective merits of the blues, the greens, the reds, and the
yellows were the subject of heated discussions, and Caius Nepos was glad
to note that more than a suspicion of antagonism was aroused between his
guests in the defence of their respective choice.

He only took a very cursory part in the discussion, putting in a word
here and there