ordered;
for, as to myself, I remained at court, with the name and pay of a
general, without the labor or the danger.

"As nothing could be more gay, i. e., debauched, than Zeno's
court, so the ladies of gay disposition had great sway in it;
particularly one, whose name was Fausta, who, though not extremely
handsome, was by her wit and sprightliness very agreeable to the
emperor. With her I lived in good correspondence, and we together
disposed of all kinds of commissions in the army, not to those who had
most merit, but who would purchase at the highest rate. My levee was now
prodigiously thronged by officers who returned from the campaigns, who,
though they might have been convinced by daily example how ineffectual
a recommendation their services were, still continued indefatigable in
attendance, and behaved to me with as much observance and respect as I
should have been entitled to for making their fortunes, while I suffered
them and their families to starve.

"Several poets, likewise, addressed verses to me, in which they
celebrated my achievements; and what, perhaps, may seem strange to us
at present, I received all this incense with most greedy vanity, without
once reflecting that, as I did not deserve these compliments, they
should rather put me in mind of my defects.

"My father was now dead, and I became so absolute in the emperor's grace
that one unacquainted with courts would scarce believe the servility
with which all kinds of persons who entered the walls of the palace
behaved towards me. A bow, a smile, a nod from me, as I passed through
cringing crowds, were esteemed as signal favors; but a gracious word
made any one happy; and, indeed, had this real benefit attending it,
that it drew on the person on whom it was bestowed a very great degree
of respect from all others; for these are of current value in courts,
and, like notes in trading communities, are assignable from one to the
other. The smile of a court favorite immediately raises the person
who receives it, and gives a value to his smile when conferred on an
inferior: thus the smile is transferred from one to the other, and the
great man at last is the person to discount it. For instance, a very
low fellow hath a desire for a place. To whom is he to apply? Not to the
great man; for to him he hath no access. He therefore applies to A, who
is the creature of B, who is the tool of C, who is the flatterer of D,
who is the catamite of E, who is the p