Page:The Moral Sayings of Publius Syrus, A Roman Slave.djvu/14

 of his success finally reached Rome, and an occasion offered for his appearance there with honor to himself. When Cæsar was elected dictator a second time, he resolved to give the enslave Romans such shows and amusements as should surpass in splendor and duration every thing they had before seen. Many days were to be devoted to games, to contests of all kinds, to theatrical representations in all quarters of the city, and in all languages of the then known world; conquered kings were to take part in them. To add to the success and splendor othe performances, Cæsar had solicited the presence of the most celebrated writers and actors, and among them, called Syrus to Rome. The news of the exhibitions attracted such multitudes from the neighboring provinces, that, as the houses were full, it was necessary to pitch tents for them in the streets and open fields; and many citizens, among the rest two senators, were crushed to death by the crowd.

Quite proud of his provincial success, when Syrus arrived in Rome, he had the courage to challenge to a trial of wits all the poets who adorned the stage. Every one accepted the challenge, and they were every one beaten. The caprice of Cæsar brough out against him, however, a formidable competitor. The dictator had command Laberius, then sixty years of age, to perform in one of his own mimes, which was a disgrace for a freeman, and above all for a knight. Laberius submitted, but his vengeance was at hand. The day and hour of the content came. Cæsar was the judge, and all the senators and magistrates were its spectators, together with the whole order of knights, all the generals of the victorious army, all the strangers whom conquest or curiosity had made the guests of Rome, and last of all the people, that people whose highest desires were no comprised in bread and public shows - panem et circenses.

Laberius appeared on the stage, and began, in an admirable prologue, with deploring his compulsory appearance, as an actor, so little in keeping with his age and rank. "Behold me, then, who after having spent a life of sixty years without a stain on my honor, have