Page:The Satire of Seneca on the Apotheosis of Claudius.djvu/164

 of the procedure. They said the thing never happened before. To Claudius it seemed more unjust than new. Over the nature of the penalty there was a long discussion, as to what would be an appropriate sentence for him. Various ones said that if they made Tantalus’ suffering too long he would perish of thirst unless somebody came to his rescue; and that poor Ixion’s wheel ought at last to be stopped. But it was decided that no release should be given to any of the old ones, lest Claudius should sometime hope for the same in his turn. It was decided that a new punishment ought to be arranged, that for him must be devised some vain task and the hope of gratifying some desire, without end or consummation. Then Aeacus commanded him to gamble with a bottomless dice-box. And already he had begun to search for his constantly escaping dice and to accomplish nothing; for

Every time when he wanted to throw from his clattering dice-box, Both of the dice escaped him by way of the hole in the bottom. Then when he gathered them up and once more ventured to play them, Over again they gave him the slip, and kept him pursuing, Constantly baffling his hopes by skipping away through his fingers,