n for him; between admiration of his
own wife and contempt for her; between the subtleties of auguries and
common sense; between trust and mistrust of us all, including Marcia
and you and me; between the easy dignity of being governor of Rome and
the uneasy palace--slavery of being Caesar; between doubt of his own
ability to rule and the will to restore the republic."

"We all know Pertinax," said Sextus. "He is diffident, that is all. He
is modest. Once he has made his decision--"

Galen interrupted him

"Then let us pray the gods to make the rest of us immodest! The
decision that he makes is this: If Commodus has heard of the
conspiracy; if Commodus intends to kill him, he will then allow
somebody else to kill Commodus! He will permit me, who am a killer only
by professional mistake and not by intention, to be made to kill my
former pupil with a poisoned drink! You understand, not even then will
Pertinax take resolution by the throat and do his own work."

"So Pertinax shall drink this?"

"It is meant that Commodus shall drink it. That is, unless Commodus
emerges from his sulks too soon and butchers all of us--as we deserve!"

"Have done with riddles, Galen! How will that affect Pertinax, except
to make him emperor?"

"Nothing will make him emperor unless he makes himself," said Galen.
"You will know tonight. We lack a hero, Sextus. All conspirators
resemble rats that gnaw and run, until one rat at last discovers himself
Caesar of the herd by accident. Caius Julius Caesar was a hero. He was
one mind bold and above and aloof. He saw. He considered. He took.
His murderers were all conspirators, who ran like rats and turned on one
another. So are we! Can you imagine Caius Julius Caesar threatening an
old philosopher like me with death unless he mixed the poison for a
woman to take to his enemy's bedside? Can you imagine the great Julius
hesitating to destroy a friend or spare an enemy?"

"Do you mean, they strike tonight, and haven't warned me?"

"I have warned you."

"Marcia has been prepared these many days to kill me if I meant to
strike," said Sextus. "I can understand that; it is no more than a
woman's method to protect her bully. She accuses and defends him, fears
and loves him, hates him and hates more the man who sets her free. But
Pertinax--did he not bid you warn me?"

"No," said Galen. "Are you looking for nobility? I tell you there is
nothing noble in conspiracies.