gic spell had
carried him back to the golden age of Greece and the days of the Olympian
games in the Altis.

What could be keeping Melissa? This sight would assuredly please her, and
for once he would be able to say something flattering about her people.
One might easily overlook a good deal from such splendid youths.

Carried away by his admiration he waved his scarf to them, which being
remarked by the gymnasiarch, who with his two assistants-herculean
athletes--walked in front, was answered by him with a loud "Hail,
Caesar!"

The youths who followed him imitated his example, and the troop that came
after them returned his greeting loud and heartily. The young voices
could be heard from afar, and the news soon spread to the last ranks of
the first division to whom these greetings were addressed. But, among the
men who already were masters of households of their own, there were many
who deemed it shameful and unworthy to raise their voices in greeting to
the tyrant whose heavy hand had oppressed them more than once; and a
group of young men belonging to the party of the "Greens," who ran their
own horses, had the fatal audacity to agree among themselves that they
would leave Caesar's greeting unanswered. A many-headed crowd is like a
row of strings which sound together as soon as the note is struck to
which they are all attuned; and so each one now felt sure that his
acclamation would only increase the insolence of this fratricide, this
bloodstained monster, this oppressor and enemy of the citizens. The
succeeding ranks of "Greens" followed the example, and from the midst of
a troop of young married men, members in the gymnasium of the society of
the Dioscuri, one foolhardy spirit had the reckless temerity to blow a
shrill, far-sounding whistle between his fingers.

He found no imitators, but the insulting sound reached the emperor's ear,
and seemed to him like the signal-call of Fate; for, before it had died
away, the clouds broke, and a stream of brilliant sunshine spread over
the race-course and the assembled multitude. The cloudy day that was to
have brought happiness to Caesar had been suddenly transformed by the sun
of Africa into a bright one; and the radiant light which cheered the
hearts of others seemed to him to be a message from above to warn him
that, instead of the highest bliss, this day would bring him
disappointment and misfortune. He said nothing of this, for there was no
one there in whom it woul