Page:Juvenal and Persius by G. G. Ramsay.djvu/483

 not caring to enquire whether the cinnamon has lost its fragrance or the casia lias been adulterated with cherry. "What?" he will say, "are you to squander your property, and not suffer for it?" And then Bestius has his fling at the Greek philosophers; "It's always so; ever since this emasculated wisdom of ours entered the city along with dates and pepper, our haymakers have spoilt their porridge with thick oils!"—What? are you to be afraid of taunts like these on the other side of the grave? And as for you, my heir, whoever you may be, come away from the crowd for one moment and listen:—

Have you not heard the news, my good fellow? A laurelled despatch has arrived from Caesar because of a splendid victory over the Germans; the cold ashes are being raked out from the altars; Caesonia is contracting for arms to put up over the gates, with regal mantles, and yellow perukes for the prisoners, and chariots, and life-sized effigies of the Rhine. So in honour of the Gods and the Genius of our General, I am putting on a hundred pairs of gladiators to celebrate these grand doings. Who dares to say me nay? Woe to you if you don't fall in with my humour! I am giving the mob a largess of oil and bread and meat. Do you forbid? Speak out plainly. "No, no," you say, "that field there close by 397