“Acquaintances, oh yes! But no one I care about. There sits that most ridiculous creature--do you know her, the silly Gaditanian, Melinno?--I think I wrote to you about her. A Hispanian knight--she is his freedman’s wife--brought her here a few weeks since, and now the simpleton tries to ape me and my way of living, thinking to put me out of fashion. Why, she even attempted to get up a recitation; Statius was to do her the honor.--Oh! she is exquisitely funny with her affectation of culture; and all the time she cannot even read.” Leaina colored, for she was conscious of being equally ignorant, and to change the subject she hastily enquired as to the order of the games and fights. Lycoris could not give her much information on the subject. She only knew, that the master of the festival had paid particular attention to the variety and due alternation of the different entertainments, so that, on each of the three days, every kind of fight should be represented, and in typical completeness. “You may be sure of good entertainment, ladies,” said a well-dressed young man with an ingratiating smile; he was sitting a row above them, and had heard their last words. “Women even are to fight with knives--indeed the condemned Nazarenes are more than half of them women.” “And are they supposed to be able to defend themselves?” asked Lycoris. “Against lions and tigers?” “As well as they may,” said the lad, shrugging his shoulders. “Some of the men are to have swords. I do not know whether the women are to be so armed.” “What can it matter?” said Leaina. “They are bound to die as criminals.” “Very true; and a few inches of steel cannot make much difference. Even Quintus Claudius, who is one of the strongest and best fighters in Rome, will find out the difference between a fight with a lion, and a wrestling-match in the ring at the baths.” “I fancy the people will demand a pardon for him,” said Lycoris. “Then Caesar will refuse it. If ever all means and ways were tried to save a man, they have been in his case. All he would concede was, that the criminal should be let off after conquering three beasts, and what that means no Roman needs be told.” “True indeed!” sighed Lycoris. “A Gaetulian lion, and a little, short knife! It is as if I were to try to pull these walls down with my own hands.” "A very good simile.--How often have we seen it from this very spot. The cleverest stroke--the knife to the hilt in the brute's breast--never saves the man from being torn to pieces at last. And even if what seems impossible should happen once, how can we hope that the impossible should happen twice?"