thou wouldst consent. If
she were beautiful, like Eunice, for instance, thou thyself wouldst grow
young near her, and at the same time wouldst have from her a good and
certain income. I sold to that poor Eunice two threads from my old
mantle. She is dull; but if Petronius were to give her to me, I would
take her. Yes, yes, Chilo Chilonides, thou hast lost father and mother,
thou art an orphan; therefore buy to console thee even a female slave.
She must indeed live somewhere, therefore Vinicius will hire her a
dwelling, in which thou too mayest find shelter; she must dress, hence
Vinicius will pay for the dress; and must eat, hence he will support
her. Och! what a hard life! Where are the times in which for an obolus a
man could buy as much pork and beans as he could hold in both hands, or
a piece of goat's entrails as long as the arm of a boy twelve years old,
and filled with blood? But here is that villain Sporus! In the wine-shop
it will be easier to learn something."

Thus conversing, he entered the wine-shop and ordered a pitcher of
"dark" for himself. Seeing the sceptical look of the shopkeeper, he
took a gold coin from his purse, and, putting it on the table,
said,--"Sporus, I toiled to-day with Seneca from dawn till midday, and
this is what my friend gave me at parting."

The plump eyes of Sporus became plumper still at this sight, and the
wine was soon before Chilo. Moistening his fingers in it, he drew a fish
on the table, and said,--"Knowest what that means?"

"A fish? Well, a fish,--yes, that's a fish."

"Thou art dull; though thou dost add so much water to the wine that thou
mightst find a fish in it. This is a symbol which, in the language of
philosophers, means 'the smile of fortune.' If thou hadst divined it,
thou too mightst have made a fortune. Honor philosophy, I tell thee,
or I shall change my wine-shop,--an act to which Petronius, my personal
friend, has been urging me this long time."

Chapter XIV

FOR a number of days after the interview, Chilo did not show himself
anywhere. Vinicius, since he had learned from Acte that Lygia loved him,
was a hundred times more eager to find her, and began himself to search.
He was unwilling, and also unable, to ask aid of Caesar, who was in great
fear because of the illness of the infant Augusta.

Sacrifices in the temples did not help, neither did prayers and
offerings, nor the art of physicians, nor all the means of enchantment
to which they turn