Indubitably Rome belonged to Severus, he was
our master.
Falco, hopeful, yet awed, said little. Once inside his housewalls he fled
to his beloved gems and solaced himself with them till it was time for his
bath, which he took in his private bathrooms. He and I dined alone and
talked chiefly of our hopes of the new Emperor. Falco particularly
remarked his appearance of hard commonsense, ruthless decision and flinty
resolve.
Next day, soon after dawn, we heard many rumors of disorders by the
Illyrian troops, of their having used temples for barracks that night, of
cook-shops forced to feed them without payment, of shops plundered and
pedestrians robbed. Naturally the entire household kept indoors, except
such slaves as went out for fresh vegetables, fruits and fish. I solaced
myself by reading the Tragedies of Ennius. I read parts of his Hector,
Achilles, Neoptolemus, Ajax and Andromache, with much emotion, and
especially the Bellerophon, forgetting everything else. Then I slept until
late in the afternoon.
Waking I bathed unhurriedly and then went to call Falco, who liked to
bathe at the last possible moment before dinner. I walked round the rear
gallery of the peristyle, sure of finding him among his jewels.
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