The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-15

: | remained behind, but considerably ont OF hear
J, ing-the >prsetorisn guards, the three littsrs
= and the travelling kiga began to move towar'
o FormD, leaving the road to silence, and the
: evening landscape to peace.
CHAPTER III.
Tiberius, when all had disappeared alonl
the road, suddenly stopped in his walk.
His companion toward whom he had turned
did the same, and looked at him with an air o
expectation.
81 leave all details to you," said the Caesar
but what has to be done is this-that youth
who calls himself Paulus Lepidus Emiliu
must be produced a gladiator either in the
Circus Maximus or the Statilian Amphitheatre
as the number of victims may dictate. Men OF
noble birth have been seen ere now upon the
sand We Will then mako him show against
the best swordsmen in the world-against
Gauls, Britons and appadocans-what that
Greek fence is worth of which he seems to be
a master. The girl, his sister, must be carried
off, either beforehand or afterward, as your
skill may dictate, and softly and safely lodged
| at Rome in that two storied brick house of
Cneis Piso and his precious wife, Plancina
which is not known to be mine Il believe and
| hope, and am given to understand, that it is
not known to be theirs neither)"
| Tiberius paused, and Sejanus, with an intent
| look, slightly inclined his head. He was a keen
| man, q subtle man, but not a very profound
| man. He observed:
81 have heard something of this Greek
widow and of her son and daughter. They
have it seems to me as if had heard this)
friends near the person of Augustus, or, at
least, in the court. ! can easily cause the girl
N an rio1 %ho%
place of her residence will evermore sound
among men. But the very mystery of it will
sound, and that loudly and her mother and
orother Will never cease to pierce the ears of
Augustus with their cries. But, before I say
q word more, wish to know two thngs-first,
whether this youth Paulus, is to be included
in one of those great shows of gladiaters
which are rendering you, my Cesar 80 beloved
by the Roman people,"
Am beloved, think you 7" asked Tiberius
The master-passion of the people ia for the
shows, and, above al, the fights of the ampbi-
theatre" answered Sejanus. "Whoever hos,
Ter q hundred years and more, obtained the
mastery of the world, has thus won the Ro-
mans; each succeeding dictator of the globe
from Caius Marius, and Sylla, and Pompev and
the invincible Caius julius and Mark Aptony,
to our present happy Emperor Augustus, has
surpassed his predecessors in the magnifcence
of these entertainments given to people, pop
ulace, common DICTIONARIES and Pr.etorians;
and in exact proportion also, it is remarkable.
has each surpassed his forerunners in perma.
nent power, until that power has at last be-
come nearly absolute, nearly unlimited"
" You say true" replied Tiberius "and
excel all former examples in the extent. spJen
dor, and novelty of my shows. Augustus has
abandoned that Department.; but even when
be was counting the Romans, he never edited
like me. People would now smile at the old
fashioned meanness of the spectacles which he
formerly made acceptable to Them He ia |
breaking fast in health, too, I fear, my Sc |
janus"
" He is, fear, drawing toward his end" re-
piled the commander of the Pretorians.
"As to your question, concerning this youth"
resumed Tiberius Z" my object is partly to add
q novel and curious feature to the fight-this
strange sword-play. Yet, why should he not
afterward be included in some great slaughter |
match, three or four hundred side, care being |
taken that he should be finished We might
first pit him fairly against six O dozen sim
gle antagonists in succession. If he conquer
them all, it will be unprecedently amusing
the people will be in ecstasies, and then the
victor can be made to disappear in the general
conflict. I shall thus have the undisturbed
management of his sisters education"
Grave as a statue, Sejanus replied:
" he Is proud youth, equestrian, a pa
trlcian, son of an eminent warrior, nephew of
one who once shared in the government of the
whole globe. Well, not being q slave, if he
found himself in the arena by virtue of HAVING
been violently seized and trepanned, 1 firmly |
believe that, either before or after fighting. he
would make speech, appealing to the Justice |
OF the emperor and the sympathy of the peo-
ple not to say anything about the soldiers, |
ut IS well known that Trajan exhibited shows
in which ten thousand gladiators fought. but
this monstrous development of cruelty came
long after our date.) The plan you propose,
my Caesar, seems like furnishing him with an
immense audience and gigantic tribnna,
before which to tell that pathetic story about
MS rather and the battle of Philippi, and those
family eat afaaS vbi cb