with the crown of victory. If only fitting leaders are to be
found at the centres of the movement, these standards will at once be
sent out, and with them arms for the country-folk. A place of meeting
has already been selected in each province, the pass-word will be given,
and a day fixed for a general rising."

"And they will flock round you!" interrupted Karnis, "and--I, my son,
will not be absent. Oh glorious, happy, and triumphant day! Gladly will
I die if only I may first live to see the smoking offerings sending up
their fragrance to the gods before the open doors of every temple in
Greece; see the young men and maidens dancing in rapt enthusiasm to the
sound of lutes and pipes, and joining their voices in the chorus! Then
light will shine once more on the world, then life will once more mean
joy, and death a departure from a scene of bliss."

"Aye, and thus shall it be!" cried Olympius, fired by this eager
exposition of his own excitement, and he wrung the musician's hand.
"We will restore life to the Greeks and teach them to scorn death as of
yore. Let the Christians, the Barbarians, make life miserable and seek
joy in death, if they list! But the girls have ceased singing. There
is still much to be done to-day, and first of all I must confute the
objections of your recalcitrant pupil."

"You will not find it an easy task," said Karnis. "Reason is a feeble
weapon in contending with a woman."

"Not always," replied the philosopher. "But you must know how to use it.
Leave me to deal with the child. There are really no singing-women left
here; we have tried three, but they were all vulgar and ill taught. This
girl, when she sings with Gorgo, has a voice that will go to the heart
of the audience. What we want is to fire the crowd with enthusiasm, and
she will help us to do it."

"Well, well. But you, Olympius, you who are the very soul of the
revulsion we hope for, you must not be present at the festival. Indeed,
sheltered as you are under Porphyrius' roof, there is a price on your
head, and this house swarms with slaves, who all know you; if one of
them, tempted by filthy lucre..."

"They will not betray me," smiled the philosopher. "They know that their
aged mistress, Damia, and I myself command the daemons of the upper
and lower spheres, and that at a sign from her or from me they would
instantly perish; and even if there were an Ephialtes among them, a
spring through that loop-hole would save me. Be easy,