Misc Writings and Speeches, vol 1 | Page 7

turned into the Forum, which was thronged with
the gay and elegant youth of Rome. "I can tell you more," continued
Flaminius; "somebody was remarking to the Consul yesterday how
loosely a certain acquaintance of ours tied his girdle. 'Let him look to
himself;' said Cicero, 'or the state may find a tighter girdle for his
neck.'"
"Good Gods! who is it? You cannot surely mean"--
"There he is."
Flaminius pointed to a man who was pacing up and down the Forum at
a little distance from them. He was in the prime of manhood. His
personal advantages were extremely striking, and were displayed with

an extravagant but not ungraceful foppery. His gown waved in loose
folds; his long dark curls were dressed with exquisite art, and shone
and steamed with odours; his step and gesture exhibited an elegant and
commanding figure in every posture of polite languor. But his
countenance formed a singular contrast to the general appearance of his
person. The high and imperial brow, the keen aquiline features, the
compressed mouth; the penetrating eye, indicated the highest degree of
ability and decision. He seemed absorbed in intense meditation. With
eyes fixed on the ground, and lips working in thought, he sauntered
round the area, apparently unconscious how many of the young gallants
of Rome were envying the taste of his dress, and the ease of his
fashionable stagger.
"Good Heaven!" said Ligarius, "Caius Caesar is as unlikely to be in a
plot as I am."
"Not at all."
"He does nothing but game; feast, intrigue, read Greek, and write
verses."
"You know nothing of Caesar. Though he rarely addresses the Senate,
he is considered as the finest speaker there, after the Consul. His
influence with the multitude is immense. He will serve his rivals in
public life as he served me last night at Catiline's. We were playing at
the twelve lines. (Duodecim scripta, a game of mixed chance and skill,
which seems to have been very fashionable in the higher circles of
Rome. The famous lawyer Mucius was renowned for his skill in
it.--("Cic. Orat." i. 50.)--Immense stakes. He laughed all the time,
chatted with Valeria over his shoulder, kissed her hand between every
two moves, and scarcely looked at the board. I thought that I had him.
All at once I found my counters driven into the corner. Not a piece to
move, by Hercules. It cost me two millions of sesterces. All the Gods
and Goddesses confound him for it!"
"As to Valeria," said Ligarius, "I forgot to ask whether you have heard
the news."
"Not a word. What?"
"I was told at the baths to-day that Caesar escorted the lady home.
Unfortunately old Quintus Lutatius had come back from his villa in
Campania, in a whim of jealousy. He was not expected for three days.
There was a fine tumult. The old fool called for his sword and his

slaves, cursed his wife, and swore that he would cut Caesar's throat."
"And Caesar?"
"He laughed, quoted Anacreon, trussed his gown round his left arm,
closed with Quintus, flung him down, twisted his sword out of his hand,
burst through the attendants, ran a freed-man through the shoulder, and
was in the street in an instant."
"Well done! Here he comes. Good-day, Caius."
Caesar lifted his head at the salutation. His air of deep abstraction
vanished; and he extended a hand to each of the friends.
"How are you after your last night's exploit?"
"As well as possible," said Caesar, laughing.
"In truth we should rather ask how Quintus Lutatius is."
"He, I understand, is as well as can be expected of a man with a
faithless spouse and a broken head. His freed-man is most seriously
hurt. Poor fellow! he shall have half of whatever I win to-night.
Flaminius, you shall have your revenge at Catiline's."
"You are very kind. I do not intend to be at Catiline's till I wish to part
with my town-house. My villa is gone already."
"Not at Catiline's, base spirit! You are not of his mind, my gallant
Ligarius. Dice, Chian, and the loveliest Greek singing girl that was ever
seen. Think of that, Ligarius. By Venus, she almost made me adore her,
by telling me that I talked Greek with the most Attic accent that she had
heard in Italy."
"I doubt she will not say the same of me," replied Ligarius. "I am just
as able to decipher an obelisk as to read a line of Homer."
"You barbarous Scythian, who had the care of your education?"
"An old fool,--a Greek pedant,--a Stoic. He told me that pain was no
evil, and flogged me as if he thought so. At last one day, in the middle
of a lecture, I set fire to his enormous filthy beard,