nd Byzantines
would stretch their greedy hands over the Alps and across the sea to
seize the Italian booty. Two great kingdoms against a single man! For,
truly, he stood alone amid his people. How well he knew, how utterly he
despised his countrymen, the unworthy descendants of great ancestors!
How he laughed at the enthusiasm of a Licinius or a Scaevola, who
thought to renew the days of the Republic with these degenerate Romans!

He stood alone.

But the feeling only excited his ambition, and, at that moment, when
the conspirators had left him, when his superiority had been more
plainly proved than ever before, the thoughts which had been a
flattering amusement of his moody hours, suddenly ripened and formed
themselves into a clear resolve.

Folding his arms across his mighty chest, and measuring the apartment
with heavy steps, like a lion in his cage, he spoke to himself in
abrupt sentences:

"To drive out the Goths and prevent Franks and Greeks from entering,
would not be difficult, with a brave host at one's back; any other man
could do it. But alone, quite alone, more hindered than helped by these
knaves without marrow in their bones; to accomplish the impossible; to
make these cowards heroes; these slaves, Romans; these servants of the
priests and barbarians, masters of the world; that, _that_ is worth the
trouble. To create a new people, a new time, a new world, with the
power of his single will and the might of his intellect, is what no
mortal has yet accomplished--that would be greater than Caesar!--_he_
led legions of heroes! and yet, it can be done, for it can be imagined.
And I, who can imagine it, can do it. Yes, Cethegus, that is an aim for
which it is easy to think, to live, to die! Up, and to work! and
henceforward, no thought, no feeling, except for this one thing!"

He stood still at last before a colossal statue of Caesar, sculptured in
Parian marble, which--a masterpiece of Arkesilaus, and, according to
family tradition, given by Julius Caesar himself to his son--stood
before the writing-divan, the most sacred treasure of the house.

"Hear me, divine Caesar! great ancestor!" exclaimed Cethegus, "thy
descendant dares to rival thee! There is still something higher than
anything which thou hast reached; even to soar at a higher quarry than
thou, is immortal; and to fall--to fall from such a height--is the most
glorious death. Hail! Once again I know why I live!"

He passed the statue, and threw