The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-12

show himself to be the ether day before yes
| terday to q stranger and 8 slave. But hear
me out. No sooner did tell Augustus that
had favor to ask of him, than he placed his
hand on my mouth and said, I like to hear
You talk but mine has been too busy life to
permit me to draw forth by properly opposing
you the full force of your own opinions-or the
| the truth. The truth in these matters (not your
affair, Paulus, but philosophy is the only
| truth which can interest man about to die
You must state these views in the presence of
young, vigorous, and not preoccupied intel
lects. If you hold your own as we'll against
what they can allege as against my object ions,
| submit to me afterward your petition. One
| thing at time This and the like, with the
| indomitablc within and obstinate way wardness
OF age, he has continued to fling a. me when
ever have removed the attempt to state your
case and I have done so five or six times.
Titus Livy and Quintus Haterius, whom b ave
consulted, advise me to take literally and in
the spirit of downright business this curions
caprice. Now do You know tonight is APP
pointed for a sort of arena fghts ALI the
gladiatorial intelleets of the west are to be
| arrayed to crush the fantastic theories and
pretty delusions of a Greek, an Athenan. All
motives chain me, oil pledges prevent me;
moreover, honor and truth, to say nothing,
my friend, of your own personal future, inter
dict me from flight"
"Fightw cried Paulns "you fys"
{" All !" said Dionysius, you know not all
that mean. You and have been differently
| reared, yet in the same spirit. However, as
you said, when at the risk of your own life
you stood between oppression and an innocent
young couple, the great Being whom we both
| expect will be pleased with q willing effort
| after what is right.
"But here we are at the gates of Formia.
How the palace of the Mamurras glitters.
How these narrow streets flare with torches
We must 60 at walk. Charioteer, let the
| filters pass first Yes. my friend, in the pain
full position in which shall be forced to stand
tonight (and blush beforehand, knowing my
incompetence, my ignorance and the intrinsic
difficulty of what am expected to do), your
future fortunes and the rights of your family
are by strange caprice made dependent upon
the success with which l may be able to de-
fend ideas of general and Interchangeable value,
beauty and truth; ideas which it debases q
man not to have, and exalts him to entertain;
ideas which were always dear to the greatest
minds that have preceded us, and which are
|
stars in fair, sweet lakes, although the putrid,
Shiny pool, and the waters tossed with storms,
and an atmosphere darkened with clouds, may
forbid the image, by ntercepting the heavenly
light or defacing the earthly mirror"
While Dionysus thus informed Paulus of the
singular and close connection which had arisen
between the future prospects of his mother,
his sister and himself, as well as the establish
meat of their rights, and the SUCCESS with
which Dionysius might this night be able to
make good his philosophical doctrines against
the wits, the orators and the sophists of the
Augustan court, at the same moment Tiberius
was conversing upon the same subject with
Domitius Afer aud Antistius Labio in room
| of the Mamurran Palace.
Just" said he in con tiuuation of CONVEX
sation previously commenced, " as if o persons
claim to an estate could be rendered either
better or worse by the style of his horseman-
shipw
Here Domitius Afer laughed heartily, and
showed his admiration of Casar's wit. Labio,
O saturnine laborious man, son of one of the
assassins of julius Cesar, and author Of num-
berless works, preserved grim, uasniIiag air
as he observed:
"a man may ride over al estate aud over
all its hedges and bitches bat ne must be 10
bad rider if he can jump his horse into title
to become its proprietor"
/ Nevertheless, the infatuation of Augustus
for the Greek friend of the claimant is such
that if the Athenian acquits himself success
fully tonight in the Mescenas-lize CRITICS IN
and Piato-like discussions which are, 1 sus-
. pect, to vary our entertainments, he will next
| suffer the golden-tongued youth to state the
l case of Paulus Lepidus Emilius. The effect
at which you must aim is to make fool of the
Athenian; and you the men to do it, Re
flute every thing he says, ridicule him, cover
him with confusion make him the gibe of the
! whole court, the derison CT the brilliant
r circle assembling hero tonight. Put an enc
to his influence. We want no more mind bat
, ties in Italy. set dogs upon dog. ARGUS,
, all your attention. Bend all your energies
l Let the stranger retire from amongst us il
{ disgrace"
That night, the most brilliant COMPANY
Iwh he al of he