Page:Henryk Sienkiewicz - Quo Vadis (1897 Curtin translation).djvu/82

66 wiped their tearful eyes; the whole hall was seething as in a bee-hive. Poppaea, bending her golden-haired head, raised Nero's hand to her lips, and held it long in silence. Pythagoras, a young Greek of marvellous beauty, the same to whom later the half-insane Nero commanded the flamens to marry him, with the observance of all rites, knelt now at his feet.

But Nero looked carefully at Petronius, whose praises were desired by him always before every other, and who said,—

"If it is a question of music, Orpheus must at the moment be as yellow from envy as Lucan, who is here present; and as to the verses, I am sorry that they are not worse, for I might find proper words to praise them."

Lucan did not take the mention of envy evil of him; on the contrary he looked at him with gratitude, and, affecting ill-humor, began to murmur, "Cursed fate, which commanded me to live contemporary with such a poet. One might have a place in the memory of man, and on Parnassus; but now one will quench, as a candle in sunlight."

Petronius, who had an amazing memory, began to repeat extracts from the hymn and cite single verses, exalt, and analyze the more beautiful expressions. Lucan, forgetting as it were his envy before the charm of the poetry, joined his ecstasy to Petronius's words. On Nero's face were reflected delight and fathomless vanity, not only nearing stupidity, but equal to it perfectly. He indicated to them verses which he considered the most beautiful; and finally he began to comfort Lucan, and tell him not to lose heart, for though whatever a man is born that he is, the honor which people give Jove does not exclude respect for other gods.

Then he rose to conduct Poppaea, who, being really in ill health, wished to withdraw. But he commanded the guests who remained to occupy their places anew, and promised to return. In fact he returned a little later, to stupefy himself with the smoke of incense, and gaze at further spectacles which he himself, Petronius, or Tigellinus had prepared for the feast.

Again verses were read or dialogues listened to in which extravagance took the place of wit. After that Paris, the celebrated mime, represented the adventures of Io, the daughter of Inachus. To the guests, and especially to Lygia,