ipt; you may still see a copy of the
picture at my house, it hangs in the studio where my men draw. Nealkes,
the rich hanging-maker, has had a tapestry woven from it which Pontius
proposes to use as a hanging for a wall of the work-room, but I have
made a fine frame on purpose for it."

"Say rather for its designer."

"Or yet rather," added the most loquacious of the painters, "for the
visit he may possibly pay your workshops."

"I only wish the Emperor may come to ours too! I should like to sell him
my picture of Alexander saluted by the priests in the temple of Jupiter
Ammon."

"I hope that when you agree about the price you will remember we are
partners," said his fellow-artist smugly.

"I will follow your example strictly," replied the other.

"Then you will certainly not be a loser," cried Papias, "for Eustorgius
is fully aware of the worth of his works. And if Hadrian is to order
works from every master whose art he dabbles in, he will require a fleet
on purpose to carry his purchases to Rome."

"It is said," continued Eustorgius, laughing, "that he is a painter
among poets, a sculptor among painters, an astronomer among musicians,
and a sophist among artists--that is to say, that he pursues every art
and science with some success as his secondary occupation."

As he spoke the last words Pontius returned to the table where the
artists were standing round the winejar; he had heard the painter's last
remark and interrupted him by saying:

"But my friend you forget that he is a monarch among monarchs--and not
merely among those of today--in the fullest meaning of the word. Each of
us separately can produce something better and more perfect in his own
line; but how great is the man who by earnestness and skill can even
apprehend everything that the mind has ever been able to conceive of, or
the creative spirit of the artist to embody! I know him, and I know
that he loves a really thorough master, and tries to encourage him
with princely liberality. But his ears are everywhere, and he promptly
becomes the implacable enemy of those who provoke his resentment. So
bridle your restive Alexandrian tongues, and let me tell you that my
colleague from Rome is in the closest intimacy with Hadrian. He is of
the same age, resembles him greatly, and repeats to him everything
that he hears said about him. So cease talking about Caesar and pass
no severer judgments on dilettanti in the purple than on your wealthy
pupils,