Chapter 18 Chapter 17 Artorix the Wandering Entertainer

Fourteen days before New Year's Day in 682 AD (December 19, 681 AD), the descendants of the god Quilin held a lively carnival and celebration.Joyful crowds flocked to and fro in the streets.They filled great councils, temples, trade halls, high streets, taverns, inns, taverns, and taverns, and gave themselves over to the wildest and wildest orgies. The three-day Valley God Festival began on that day.It is a festival in honor of Sadurnas, the god of valleys.According to some, and according to its ancient customs, this festival was born before the ruler of the Aboligins, King Janus; that is to say, long before the founding of Rome.But according to another group of people, it was born in the time of Hercules' companions, the Bilasgis.Or according to the thinking of the third kind of person, it was in Dulius.Born in the time of King Hostilius.It was the festival instituted by the king after he successfully conquered the Albans and the Sabinas.During the Ceres festival, slaves were granted certain liberty-like rights.They may mingle with free citizens, be they senators, knights, or plebeians, male or female, old or young, and sit openly with other classes. at a table.Therefore, during these three days, the slaves always had fun.

However, more accurate historical facts should be admitted, because although the Ceres Festival originated in untraceable ancient times, all the rules of this festival were determined by the two consuls, Oromus.Symplanius.Atrazinos and Marcus.Minozius.Ordained by Agulio, they adjoined each other in the year 257, or the thirteenth year after the expulsion of the Roman king, in the street leading from the Great Council to the Capitol. At the foot of Mount Capitol, a temple of Sadurnas was built. According to all possibilities, the first regular Gushen Festival should be counted from this period.In this festival, the priests who held the sacrificial ceremony did everything with their heads exposed, but when worshiping other gods at that time, the priests wore sacrificial crowns.

The festival dedicated to Sadurnas, the god of valleys, was originally a festival of farmers and shepherds; but the freedom gained by the slaves for three days in a row to revel in a feast that often turned into licentiousness reminded them of Sadurnas. The Golden Age of Adams: According to legend, it was a happy age without slavery; an age in which all men were free and equal. Ask the reader to imagine the gigantic city of Rome.Its walls were more than eight miles long in ancient times, with twenty-three gates.The city is dotted with majestic temples, rich palaces, elegant arcades and ornate trade halls.Just imagine the number of citizens of the capital of this republic, according to Lucius .Cornelius.Chinna was in power for the third time, Babilius.In the year of Carpo's first reign, there are records of 463,000 people. In addition, more than 2 million slaves lived here.Please imagine that during the Ceres Festival, in addition to the countless residents and slaves in the city, the residents of the nearby fertile villages and the residents of the neighboring cities also flocked to the city in thousands to participate in this carnival. Ceres Festival.Imagine for yourselves these three million or so people, soaked in the spirit of carnival, thronging the streets, shouting as if possessed by demons: Io, bona saturnalia! Io, bona saturnalia! (Happy Ceres-day! Happy Ceres-day!) But even after all this imagination, the reader gets the faintest idea that December 19, 681, Roman A.D. Nothing can compare with the extraordinary and thrilling grandeur that unfolds before the eyes of a traveling entertainer on his way to town.

The juggler is with a dog, and on his left shoulder sits a little monkey.On his back are a small stepladder, several strings of rope and several iron hoops of different sizes.In this way he came to Rome along the Consul's road to Pleneste, and entered the city through the Esquevellin Gate. The man who did the trick was a handsome blond boy.His body appears strong, flexible and agile.His face was rather thin, but the pair of light blue clever eyes were shining brightly.In a word, he has an attractive and amiable appearance.He was wearing a gray woolen jacket, a fur burqa over it, and a felt hat on his head.

The trickster was Artorix. When he walked into the city, he found that the streets near the city gate were deserted, quiet, and there was no one.But even on the outskirts of Rome he could hear indistinct noises, like the humming of a swarm in a great hive: this was the noise that hung over the center of the great city. Echoes of carnival.The further Artorix went, the deeper he penetrated into the center of the Eskwerin, a labyrinth of winding streets.Here the distant rumble became clearer and louder.He had just reached the first few alleys of the Subra district when he heard a loud shout: Io, bona saturnalia! Io, bona saturnalia! (Happy Ceres' Day! Happy Ceres' Day!)

When he came to the Rue de Calenas, there was a motley crowd ahead of him.In front of the procession was a troop of singers and lyre players.They danced as if possessed, and sang in unison a hymn in praise of Sadurnas, the god of valleys.Many people in the crowd danced and sang in the same way. Artorix, who was familiar with the customs and customs of the Romans, quickly distinguished characters of all classes in the colorful crowd: beside the knights in purple fringe jackets, he saw the gray jackets of disenfranchised poor people. and beside the dame in her snow-white gown was seen the unfortunate slave in a red tunic.

The juggler stepped aside and pressed himself against the wall, letting the frantic yelling procession go by.He made every effort not to draw attention to himself.He hid monkeys, stepladders, and iron hoops that would give him away: he was not at all willing to show his art to these crazy people and hinder his way. However, his wish did not come true.Several in the crowd saw him and immediately recognized him as a juggler.They uttered a loud cry for those in front to stop, and those who shouted stopped themselves.In this way, the people behind the line were also forced to stop. Io, Circulator! Io, Circulator (Long live the juggler! Long live the juggler!) All the people responded with a roar.

Bring out your tricks!one screamed. You have to respect the valley god Sadurnas!cried another. Ha, let's see what tricks your little monkey can pull off!cried a third. Let that dog dance for a while! No, monkey!monkey! dog, dog! Expand your circle, expand your circle quickly! Make room for him! Go around in a circle! Step aside!Step aside! People around shouted loudly, asking everyone to step back to make room for the jugglers; but instead there was crowding and crowding.Everyone wants to get to the front.Artorix was completely pushed against the wall, and instead of being able to perform tricks, he was immobilized.

Those who approached him began to persuade and flatter him, and enthusiastically asked him to show everyone his tricks. Have no fear, poor man! You will make a lot of money! We'll throw you a hat full of Terenzius! We are going to treat you with the best wines of Massigus! What a clever monkey! What about the flower dog!What a beautiful Epirus breed dog! Some people are petting the flower dog, others are petting the monkey, and some people are touching the little ladder, the rope and the iron hoop, and they all send out the strangest conjectures and suggestions.At last Artorix, weary of all the noise and crowding, said:

Well, well, let me do a show for you!My two entertainers and I must try our best to respect the valley god Sadurnas and at the same time meet everyone's requirements.But in order to do this, venerable Son of Quirin, give me a clearing. yes! He was right! Yes, yes! Please make the circle bigger! Everyone, please step back! back! However, those people just shouted there, in fact no one moved. Suddenly a person said loudly: Let him go with us to the square in front of the shrine of Kalinas! Yes, yes, to the shrine of Kalinas!At first, the voices of a dozen people, then twenty people, and finally more than a hundred people shouted.

Go to the front of the shrine of Kalinas!Go to the front of the shrine of Kalinas! However, although everyone expressed their eagerness to go to the square in front of the shrine of Kalinas, no one moved.It wasn't until at last that part of the spectators standing around the juggler managed to move their elbows toward the shrine of Kalinas without looking back, which caused the rest of the audience to follow them along. Because of this change, the people who were at the end are now at the front of the line, while the singer and luthier who were at the front are now behind everyone.But this change in no way affected their enthusiasm for singing and playing songs in praise of the valley god Sadurnas.Thousands of chants erupted after each verse: Io, bona saturnalia! (Long live Happy Ceres' Day!) The momentum of the team is getting bigger and bigger.Everyone I met along the way joined the ranks.The team soon came to an open square, where stood the ancestral hall of the Kalinas, the third largest clan among the thirty major clans that divided the city's residents.Crowds poured into the square from all directions, like so many turbulent torrents.This cannot but cause a great deal of uneasiness to those who had come to the square, for they had already occupied all the seats at the hastily erected three-table tables: they were going to eat and drink all kinds of delicious food there. Food and full bodied wine, constant banter, manic shouts and laughs at various amusing sights. At first there was a commotion in the square, a turmoil of curses, threats, and reprimands.At the same time, these scolding voices are also mixed with many voices of persuasion and requests for others to be quiet.At last word came that a juggler was going to perform in this square.This made everyone very happy, and the crowding started again.Everyone wanted to squeeze into the front row of the circle of people in the center of the square.Curious spectators stood on tiptoe.Some climbed onto stools, tables and steps, and some even climbed onto the bars protecting the windows on the ground floor of nearby houses.After a while, the whole square became silent, and everyone waited nervously.All their eyes were on Artorix who was about to perform. The juggler considered for a few minutes, and arranged his props one by one on the floor.Then he went up to one of the spectators, handed him a little white ivory ball, and said: Let it go round for a week. Then he handed a red ivory ball to the slightly drunk slave standing in the front.The slave's face flushed and smiled, and he had the air of a lucky man waiting for greater joy.The juggler said to him: Pass the red balls one by one. Then the young Gaul stepped into the middle of the wide circle which had been left for him, and called out to his dog.The Epirus dog with black hair and white spots sat down and stared at the master with its pair of intelligent eyes. Endymio! The big dog jumped up, wagging its tail, and looked at the trickster, as if to say that it was ready to carry out all his orders. Go, get the white ball now! The big dog immediately ran to the side of the circle where white balls were being passed to each other. No, get the red ball quickly, Artorix said. Endymio turned quickly, and ran in the direction where the slave who had held the red ball stood.The red ball has been passed to more than thirty people.The big flower dog was about to get under the crotch of the audience and run up to the person holding the red ball, when Artorix suddenly shouted, as if giving an order to a squadron of soldiers: stop! The big flowered dog immediately stopped moving.Then Artorix said to his audience: Now, two guests who have the ball of ivory, hold it in your hands and pass it no further: my Endymio will come to you at once to collect it. A murmur, perhaps curious, perhaps suspicious, passed through the crowd, and then there was silence again.Thousands of pairs of eyes stared at the big flower dog carefully. Artorix folded his hands on his chest and ordered: Go find the white ball and bring it back to me. Endymio stood for a moment with his beak raised, and then ran resolutely to a certain place.It quickly passed under the crotch of the audience and came to the person hiding the white ball.So it put its front paws on the man's chest, and looked at him with its bright expressive eyes.As if asking him to hand over the little white ball to it. The spectator had to take out the white ball hidden under the toga.The spectator was evidently a nobleman, for his clothes were fringed with purple.He took the ball and held it out to the big dog, and Endymio took it carefully, and ran quickly to its owner. There was a burst of applause in the square.Then, when the big flower dog found the spectator hiding the little red ball equally quickly, there was another burst of more enthusiastic cheers and applause. Therefore, Artorix propped up the small herringbone ladder that was connected at the top and branched at the bottom that he brought with him, and nailed it to the ground.Then he tied one end of a rope bound with three iron hoops to the highest rung of the stepladder, and pulled up the other end to retreat some distance.He tightened the rope so that it was about four feet off the ground.Finally, he put the monkey sitting on his shoulder on the rope and said to it: Parsi Ai, show off all your agile skills and the most amazing skills, and let these lovely descendants of Quilin God appreciate it! So the monkey walked quickly on the rope with his two feet.At that time, Artorix stared at the big dog again, and called to it: And you, Endymio, show your skill on ladders to these famous inhabitants of the city of Mars, god of war! When the monkey was performing the walking rope, the big flower dog climbed up one rung after another nervously and with difficulty amid the applause of the audience.The audience's applause was sparse at first, but when the monkey walked to the first hoop, got into the hoop and turned around a few times, then climbed onto the rope and quickly got into the second hoop, and went inside one after another. After several somersaults, there was another burst of stormy applause in the square. At the same time, the big flower dog also climbed to the top of the small folding ladder.But Artorix shook his head and said pitifully: Poor Endymio, what will you do now?How can you come down from above? The big flowered dog wagged its tail and looked at its owner. You managed to climb up to the top of the ladder with great effort, but I don't know how you got down!Artorix yelled to him, while Pasiai the Monkey was already somersaulting in the last third hoop. The big flowered dog is still the same as before, wagging its tail and looking at his master. How can you solve this difficulty now?Artorix asked Endymio again. Suddenly, the big flowered dog jumped to the ground, sat on the ground with its hind feet, and looked at the audience with a triumphant expression. The spectators applauded with unanimous and prolonged applause the leap of the understanding Endymio, who had conceived such a clever solution to the problem posed to him by his master.By then the monkey had climbed from the end of the rope to the top of the step ladder and sat down, which also drew applause from the audience. Give me your hat, a spectator of the knightly class, came out from the crowd and said to Artorix.I'll collect the bounty for you, and if it's not for you, it's worth the trouble for those two fine brutes of yours. Artorix took off his felt hat and gave it to the knight.The guest himself first put several sestares in the hat, and then began to collect money in a circle; countless asses, semises, and telenziuses flew in disorder into the juggler's felt hat coming. At that moment Artorix took out from under his tunic two small ivory dice and a cup, and said to his four-legged entertainers: Now, Patsy and Endymio, roll the dice.Let these noble and generous spectators see which of you has the better luck and which of you has the better hand. Amidst the laughter of the audience around, the big flower dog and the monkey sat down face to face and started to roll the dice.Endymio started first, and with his fore paw, he knocked the small dice-holding cup placed in front of him by his paw, and the two dice in the cup flew out and rolled far away.They rolled to the feet of some spectators before stopping.All took great interest in this unusual gamble.Several people bent down, trying to see the numbers of Endymio's dice.They clapped their hands together and shouted: Venus!Venus!Handy Endymio! The big dog wagged its tail triumphantly, as if it knew that it had hit a good point. Artorix picked up the two dice, put them in the little cup, and gave them to the monkey. Passi held the small cup with its two front paws, made funny faces and put on all kinds of strange appearances, which aroused bursts of carnival and laughter from the audience. Finally, it shook the small cup vigorously, and the dice flew to the ground coming. Venus!Venus!Parsiai also threw Venus!several in the crowd shouted.Long live Miss Passy Love!Miss Patsy Love is very nice! The monkey stood up solemnly and began to throw kisses to the audience to express his thanks.This action caused bursts of stormy applause and laughter among the audience. The Roman knight, who collected the rewards for the jugglers, approached the Gaul boy and handed him the felt hat full of coins.Artorix thanked him gratefully for his kind attention, and put the money into the little leather pouch that hung on his belt. The Gallic lad was about to ask his two gamblers to roll the dice again, when the audience's attention was suddenly drawn to the noise from the long street at the other end of the square.The long street starts from Gabin Street near the Colosseum, goes around the Palatine Hill, passes in front of the two shrines (Sarius and Celer), and continues to the area in front of the Kalinas Shrine. Artorix is ​​playing tricks on the square. The attention of the spectators, admiring the juggling dogs and monkeys, was drawn by loud shouts and uproar: in the square appeared mummers and clowns in grotesque make-up or in very hideous masks; They danced to the accompaniment of the lyre, and behind them was a large group of people, all of whom rushed towards the Kalinas Shrine. The people around Artorix, who were watching the trick with their mouths open, immediately greeted the novelty.The band of musicians whom Artorix had met in the street of Kalinas resumed their instruments, and uttered deafening chants in praise of Sadurnas, the god of valleys.For a while Artorix was alone.He built up the little stepladder and collected all the props for the trick.He then put the monkey on his shoulders and entered a hotel not far from the shrine to escape the stalking spectators.He ordered a glass of Zegub in the hotel and drank it down in one gulp.What he had foreseen came true: the square was filled with people again for a while, and the two streams of people that had joined together returned again.The wandering actors began to mount the steps of the shrine of Kalinas, and performed their plays: ludicrous, but obscene pantomimes and farces of the lowest kind.This caused bursts of shameless laughter and cheers from the audience flooding the square. Artorix took advantage of this opportunity and walked along the wall in an attempt to leave the square stealthily.It took him a quarter of an hour to achieve his goal with great difficulty, and finally, he walked to the long street leading to the arena. In the joyous mood of the festival, people continued to make cheerful noises.But let us tell the reader briefly, while Artorix is ​​walking through this crowded street, how and why Artorix, the gladiator who pretended to be a juggler and wandering artist, came to Rome. The day after the assassination of the unfortunate Lutilius, a troop of gladiatorial cavalry arrived near Bari to buy fodder.There they had heard the news of the mysterious murder that had taken place the night before on the main road not far from Gnazia: there were found the bodies of two strangers not far from each other and whom no one knew.According to the appearance of the deceased, one of them was a well-to-do peasant in the area, and the other was a freedman serving in the service of a wealthy noble family. The captain of the cavalry decided to take advantage of this opportunity to visit his lover, a pretty peasant woman who lived near Kajisi, whom he had met two months before when the rebel army was encamped in Venusia.He now leads the cavalry thither, nominally to investigate this murder in the Via des Consuls; The local residents are very respectful, but since they have become the masters of this area, the murder is likely to be blamed on them.But in fact, the cavalry captain naturally took this opportunity to meet his lovely lover. But, to his surprise, the cavalry recognized: one of the two slain bodies was Lutilius, the brave commander of their Eighth Legion.He disguised himself as an Apulian (the reason for which they did not know, of course). This is how Spartacus got the sad news.Although he occasionally suspected that some traitor might have decided to prevent his plan from being carried out and to destroy his plan, and this traitor was probably hiding inside the gladiator's camp.But he still could not determine whether Lutilius fell into a trap set by others and died purely as a result of unforeseen accidents, because it may also be Lutilius and his opponent. The result of a quarrel on the road. At any rate, after the honorable funeral of Lutilius another envoy was bound to be sent to Catirina in Rome.Because the Commander's Council has decided to send an envoy to Catiline, Spartacus thinks that he can no longer discuss this complicated and important task with anyone, so he directly selects his closest friend, The most reliable comrade in arms Artorix, and this is not known to anyone in the camp but the two of them. Artorix, in order to remove all obstacles and avoid dangers that might threaten him, decided to learn all the arts from a certain professional juggler, and set out for Rome disguised as such a juggler.When he had lived in the gladiatorial school he had taken to juggling in his spare time, which had been his favorite pastime since boyhood. So Artorix ordered a juggler to be found nearby.In strict secrecy he began to study the artisan's art in his tent. The results of his hard study were displayed in the square in front of the shrine of Calenas in Rome.He bought his big flower dog and monkey from the artist.From August to November, he practiced those tricks non-stop.Trying to learn the necessary dexterity, he quietly left the gladiator's camp.On the third day after leaving the camp, he cast off his armor, put on the costume of a juggler, and set off on his way, mile after mile.He stopped in almost every city and country, and in this way he reached Rome, where he was to go on a mission.The reader has seen how he was compelled, against his own will, to perform his show to the benevolent children of Quirin.Now, let us move on with this brave and young gladiator.Artorix followed the street that went around the Palatine Hill to the Colosseum, and soon arrived near the Shrine of Salius.There, at many tables in the front of a hotel, people of all classes and social positions sat.Joyful cries, noises, and uproars, all came from there. The most popular food in the Valley God Festival is pork, and people make various foods from pork. Ah, long live Sadurnas, God of Ceres!cried a burly Cappadocian slave sitting at the table next to Artorix.Long live the Ceres Sadurnas and the special sausages made by our famous innkeeper Gurio!Cooking food with pork, no one can compare with our Gurio boss! May God free me from vanity!Hotel owner Gurio replied.He was a fat, bloated, almost spherical figure, and he was approaching with a plate of hot sausages ordered by a neighbor at the table.But I can say without exaggeration that you can't taste sausages, small enemas and viscera like the ones in my shop anywhere.I swear by the black braid of Juno, my family's patron saint, even before Luculus and Marcus.Crassus's home can't taste such delicious food! Io, bona saturnalia (Long live Ceres)!cried a drunken slave.He stood up, as if in fulfillment of his duties as master of banquets; he raised a glass full of wine. Io, io, bonasaturnalia (long live Ceres, long live)!All the slaves who participated in this banquet stood up from their seats, and then drank the wine in their glasses in one breath. May the great God bless us!When the cries of Ceres died down and everyone sat down again, the Cappadocian slave stood still and cried out suddenly.May the golden age of Sadurnas still reign and all traces of slavery be wiped away! But at that time, you will neither eat the sausage of Guriou nor drink the rich and fragrant Zagub wine. What's the matter!cried the Cappadocian slave angrily.Is Tsecube and Farelon so necessary to our lives?Shall not the springs of our native hills quench the thirst of the free man? Wonderful spring water is good for washing face and bathing, replied another slave who spoke to Cappadocia.But I prefer to pick a Guber wine. And the jailer's whip!The Cappadocian slave added.O Cynetius, O son of Athena!How long a life of slavery has humbled thee! Artorix, who was about to buy a glass of Dusgul wine, stopped and listened to the conversation between the Cappadocians and the Greeks. aha!A free citizen to a Cappadocian slave.You, dear Ediogus, under the aegis of the Ceres Festival, are among these slaves the demagogues of Spartacus! May the damned gladiator go to hell!exclaimed a nobleman in exasperation at hearing the dreadful name. May King Minos in hell punish him for company with all the Furies!cried another citizen. Ah, fortitude and brave heroes!The Cappadocia slave taunted coldly.Is such a lowly gladiator worthy of your hurl?He is still far away from you! I swear to all the great gods who protect Rome, how dare you insult us Roman citizens, you lowly slave!How dare you defend the lowly savage! Please be quiet over there!Eddie Augustus said.I did not insult anyone, at least not you honorable citizens and nobles, especially since one of you is my master.I don't want to follow Spartacus, and I haven't gone so far because I don't believe his career can be successful, because his opponent is Rome, which is always loved by God and accompanied by happiness.But though I do not follow him, I do not consider it my duty to hate and curse him as you do.Because Spartacus wanted freedom for himself and for all his oppressed brethren.He took up arms and fought heroically against the Roman legions.I have the right to say what I want to say, because the sacred custom of Ceres Festival allows us to have full freedom of action and speech during these three days! A discontented and tumultuous uproar answered the Cappadocian slave, especially his master, who cried out angrily to him: Ah, I swear by the turban of Chastity, I have heard such nonsense!If you insult me ​​and your mistress, and insult my family's reputation, I will be insulted less than if you say such words!Now pray to your own gods that after the Ceres Festival they will make me forget all the nonsense you have said today! He defended the gladiator!What a gladiator was that! He's extolling his sordid career! He extols the vile robber! I swear to Castor and Pollux! I swear to Hercules!This is simply outrageous! And just today, just today, we have never felt the consequences of this bandit riot like we do today!cried the master of Ediogus.Just now, thanks to the kindness of this Spartacus, Rome cannot find a hundred, or even ten gladiators.Now we have to kill a man in the arena to celebrate the festival of Saturnas, the god of valleys! Really?Seven or eight people at the same table exclaimed in surprise. I swear to my ruler, the patron saint of our Fabius, Venus of Mount Ericus, that I will have to stop watching gladiators this year during Ceres Festival! How bad!Artorix yelled secretly mockingly, sipping the Dusper wine in small sips. But at the same time, according to the ancient custom, which has always been strictly observed, the nobleman continued.Saturn, the god of valleys, must be sacrificed with a living person: you have to understand that Sadurnas is not a god in heaven but a god in hell, and only human blood can gain his favor. May Sadurnas reduce this lowly gladiator to ashes!Spartacus is the only sinner who made us suffer!exclaimed a free woman citizen sitting beside the nobleman.Her face was flushed from the swig of the Zergub. No, I swear to all the gods, we will not tolerate such shame!cried the nobleman, jumping up from his seat.We all worship Sadurnas, the god of valleys.Since he deserved the sacrifice of the living, it should be given to him.I was the first to set an example, and lead a slave to the priests, and let them kill him before the altar.I think that Rome is by no means known as a holy city for nothing, and there must be many godly people following my example, so that Sadurnas can receive human sacrifices as before. Yes, but who is going to entertain us and make our beloved gladiators fight? Who, who can entertain us?exclaimed a Roman lady with great regret.Then, stifling her sighs, she comforted herself with a hastily drank a dozen glasses of Zergub. Who, who else can make us see this beloved show?The eight people at the same table cried out in pain. Everyone was silent for a while.Artorix covered his face with his hands, and he couldn't help feeling extremely ashamed when he thought that he belonged to the same human race as these people. This is what our brave soldier Lucius.Helius.Pubrikola and Gnaeus.Cornelius.Lendurus.Clodionus would care, they've already been elected consuls for next year.As soon as spring comes, they will set out to conquer the gladiators.Said the nobleman, his eyes gleamed with joy and cruelty.They shall lead two armies, each of thirty thousand men, and then, let us see, I swear to Hercules victorious, let us see: the barbarian, the thief of the cattle , Can you resist the Consul's regular legion, auxiliary soldiers and allied forces! Think of it this way, the Cappadocian slave whispered sarcastically.The legion that the gladiators broke near Fenty was not the Legion of the Archons. ah ah!在將軍的軍隊和兩位執政官的軍隊之間有很大的差別。你這野蠻人絕不會懂得這一點！我對戰神馬爾斯的利劍起誓，角鬥士的隊伍很快就會被打垮，而且將會全部被俘送到我們這兒關進監獄，然後再成千地把他們送到鬥技場去參加角鬥，整批地消滅掉。 一個也不饒恕！ 對這批強盜是用不著憐惜的！ 到了那時候，我們就可以好好地犒賞一下自己了！否則這成什麼體統呢！我們不能老是沒有角鬥看！這叫我們怎麼能忍受下去啊！ 是啊，我對戰無不勝的赫里克斯起誓，那時候，我們就可以好好犒賞自己了！ 我們要安排從來沒有見過的大規模角鬥要使我們整年都能看到！ 我要欣賞那三萬個強盜痛苦的、垂死的掙扎和快要斷氣時的喘息！ 那才是真正的節日！那才是狂歡呢！ 我們可以大大地高興一番！好好地娛樂一番！ 那還得等著瞧呢，阿爾托利克斯透過齒縫恨恨地說，他氣得渾身發抖，臉色也白了。 接著，當那些人形的野獸沉醉在欣賞未來的流血角鬥的幻想中時，阿爾托利克斯很快地付清了酒賬，收拾起自己賣藝的道具，帶著兩位四腳藝人離開了那兒。他向帕拉丁山的方向走去，折入了上神聖街。狂呼高叫的人群正慢慢地在這條街上向前移動。他努力劃動兩肘，花了極大的力氣才從人群中擠過去。 這一大群人在穿過上神聖街以後，接著就湧到圍繞帕拉丁山周圍的所有街道上去。但是這個耍把戲的藝人卻必須沿著山腳走過去，以便爬到矗立在帕拉丁山北坡頂部的卡提林納的府邸中去。 阿爾托利克斯對這種擁擠和傾軋，已經感到討厭了。那瘋狂的喧嘩聲和哄叫聲，幾乎把他的耳朵也震聾了。他終於來到了那座裝飾卡提林納府邸前部的拱廊下面。拱廊裡擁滿了好多謝爾蓋烏斯家族的門客、釋放奴隸和奴隸。他們亂糟糟地舉行著酒宴，正在那兒東一堆西一堆地大吃大喝。這位驕傲的、野心勃勃的貴族的整座府邸，大概已擠滿了客人，這只要聽聽從裡面傳出來的呼喊聲和歌唱聲就可以知道了。 耍把戲的人一出現，拱廊裡的人就瘋狂地拍起手來歡迎他了。一會兒，他不得不在這批醉漢前面，重複搬演他三小時前在卡陵納斯廣場上對那批偶然碰上的觀眾表演過的節目。 跟上次一樣，恩狄米奧和帕西愛極其出色地完成了牠們的表演節目。這些節目激起了不絕的掌聲、狂笑聲和對耍把戲的藝人的讚歎聲。 當卡提林納的一個客人替耍把戲的人收集賞錢時，阿爾托利克斯一面娛樂觀眾一面不斷地用心觀察周圍所發生的一切。他終於在拱廊裡看到了卡提林納的管家。他根據他的裝束和他對那些在廚房中的奴隸們發號施令的威嚴的聲調認出了他。阿爾托利克斯走到他的跟前，要求他進去報告主人，說是有人給卡提林納帶來了重要消息。 那個管家把阿爾托利克斯從頭到腳打量了一下，接著就大模大樣而且幾乎是輕蔑地答道： The owner is not at home. 接著，他轉過身子，背朝著耍把戲的人，準備走了。 那麼如果我是從杜斯古爾山那邊來的、而且是奉著阿芙萊麗雅．奧萊斯季拉的命令來的呢？阿爾托利克斯放低了聲音說。 管家停下來了，他轉過身子低聲說： 啊哈原來你來了！ 接著，他露出狡猾的笑容說： 我明白耍把戲的職業並不妨礙你擔任生翅膀的眾神的使者啊啊啊！I see. 您老真是好眼力！阿爾托利克斯暗暗諷刺地說。 但阿爾托利克斯接著又和善地加上一句說。 what else can we do!我只是盡我的能力罷了。 那有什麼，我毫無責備他的意見，管家說，過了一會兒又添上一句：如果你想看到卡提林納老爺，你得下山到大議場裡你大概可以在那兒找到他。 管家說完就走了。 阿爾托利克斯好不容易才擺脫了一群新的、不斷奉承和讚美他的觀眾，下了帕拉丁山。他在那幾條擠滿了人的街道上盡一切可能迅速地前進，一直走到大議場上。但是這兒，可想而知，擠軋和喧鬧的程度比城中任何一個區域都厲害。 大議場上約莫有三千以上性別、年齡和階級各不相同的人，循著兩個完全相反的方向，像兩條大河一般緩緩地移動著：一條流到薩杜爾納斯神廟中去，另一條從那兒流出來。 大議場周圍的所有拱廊和平女神廟、卡斯托爾和波魯克斯神廟、維斯達神廟、荷斯提里烏斯祠堂、葛列科斯塔西斯迎賓館、波爾齊烏斯貿易堂、薛帕朗尼烏斯貿易堂、傅里維烏斯貿易堂、艾米里烏斯貿易堂以及其他建築物的拱廊統統擠滿了貴族、騎士和平民，特別是各階級最美貌的女人。因為在拱廊中擠軋的程度比較差一些，站在那兒的人可以欣賞那幅在這全城最大的廣場上展開的、像潮水一股的歡慶佳節的人群的圖畫。 希望去參拜這一佳節的主神薩杜爾納斯的善男信女，和已經從廟中出來的求過神、許過願的人們不斷地碰撞著。不論是進去和出來的隊伍，前面都有小丑、歌手、笛師、琴師作為先導；大家都高唱那些讚揚偉大聖父薩杜爾納斯的頌歌，瘋狂地喊著他的名字。 無法形容的震耳欲聾的喧鬧聲，由於加上了無數走江湖的賣藝人、賣玩具和食物的小販以及賣雜貨的攤販的種種喊聲，顯得更加厲害了。 阿爾托利克斯一擠到人群中，就不由自主地被這緩慢然而並沒停頓下來的人潮吸住了。他不得不隨著它的趨勢，向這一節日主神的廟宇前進。 人群前進幾步，停一下，接著又前進。因此，夾在緊密的行列中的阿爾托利克斯就開始向左右探望，希望能看到卡提林納。 大花狗跟在主人的身邊跑，阿爾托利克斯不時地聽到牠發出哀叫。雖然可憐的畜生靈活而又小心地從人家胯下鑽過去，但在這樣可怕的擠軋中，還是免不了一會兒被人家踏痛一隻腳爪，一會兒又被人家踏痛了另一隻腳爪。 在阿爾托利克斯前面幾步遠的地方，有一個老頭子和兩個年輕的小夥子走著。那個老頭子的裝束相當闊氣，甚至可以說非常華麗，但阿爾托利克斯立刻看出他是一個下等戲子。他的年齡無疑已經五十歲開外了：厚厚的白粉和紅紅的胭脂已經不能掩蓋他臉上深陷的皺紋，他那沒有鬍鬚的、皮肉鬆弛的、婦人也似的臉，反映著最卑鄙齷齪的欲念。和他並肩走在一起的兩個小夥子都是貴族，這可以根據他們披在雪白上衣外面的鑲紫邊的寬袍看出來。小夥子中的一個大約二十二、三歲光景，生就一副中等以上的身材，身體的各部分顯得很勻稱；濃密的黑色鬈髮，強烈地襯托出他那充滿了寧靜悲哀的白皙的臉。富有表情的黑眼睛，迸射著智慧的光芒。另一個小夥子只有十七歲，個子不高，身體也顯得文弱；但他那英俊的臉卻極其引人注目，他臉上的端正和諧的線條，映出了他的純潔的靈魂、深摯的感情、剛毅的意志和果決的性格。老頭子就是梅特羅比烏斯，而兩個小夥子則是季杜斯．Lucretius.卡魯斯和蓋烏斯．Cassius.Longkinus. 我對我的不朽的好友盧齊烏斯．Cornelius.蘇拉的榮譽起誓！老戲子對他的同伴說，看來他正把他剛才說過的話繼續說下去。我敢說，我從來沒有看見過比克洛狄雅更美的女人！ 老色鬼，也許你在荒淫的一生中曾經碰到過同樣美麗的女人，不過你從來不知道有像這個淫婦那麼放浪的女人罷了，是不是，老騙子？ 詩人，詩人，不要取笑我，戲子被盧克列梯烏斯奉承得昏頭昏腦地說。我對海克力斯起誓，我們也知道你的一些風流韻事呢。 啊，我對記憶女神麥妮瑪西娜起誓。克洛狄雅快要使我發瘋了！卡西烏斯叫道。他的兩眼注視著維斯達神廟前面這會兒已擠滿了人群的拱廊。克洛狄雅恰好站在那兒。她正和她的弟弟（那還是一個孩子）站在一起。卡西烏斯目不轉睛地望著那位美人叫道：她多美啊！和女神一般美麗！ 征服克洛狄雅並不是一件難事，卡西烏斯，盧克列梯烏斯微笑說。只要你真的下決心想獲得她的熱吻。 啊，她絕不會要你長久請求的，我敢向你保證，梅特羅比烏斯附和道。 你看，她是不是很像她的弟弟？ 姐弟倆就像一個杏核中的兩半瓣杏仁如果克洛狄雅穿上男人的衣服，人家就無論如何也不能分辨他們了。 那時候，人群幾乎每走十步就停頓一下，因此阿爾托利克斯可以在很近的距離內，仔細觀察那個卡西烏斯不斷向她投去愛戀目光的姑娘。她正站在拱廊的一根圓柱旁，顯得高大、豐腴而又年輕她大概還不到二十歲；她穿著一件最細的羊毛織成的白色短衣。衣服上鑲著紫色的花邊，腰間用帶子緊緊束住，顯出了她柔軟婀娜的姿態和她那使人心神搖蕩的豐滿肉體的曲線。她的手臂和肩膀雖然已經白得令人炫目，但她的臉似乎更加白嫩；只有浮在她頰上的可愛的紅暈，才說明這臉、這肩膀和這胸脯都不是屬於一座由不朽的菲狄烏斯用晶瑩的巴羅斯島大理石刻成的女神雕像，而是屬於一個活生生的女人。她的臉被一綹綹濃密而又柔軟的紅色鬈髮襯托著。她那淡藍色的閃閃發光的兩眼，蘊含著大膽的甚至是厚顏無恥的表情。跟這個已經被第一個丈夫離棄的美人並肩站在一起的少年，是跟她極其相像的克洛提烏斯。他剛滿十四歲，光看看他那天真無邪的孩子臉，誰也猜想不到他將來會變成一個反叛的保民官和一個極其殘忍的人。他命中註定要在未來替羅馬招來紛爭、分裂和暗殺的混亂局面。 那些迷信的人想像出來的狄愛娜或者維納斯怕都沒有像她那麼美！卡西烏斯在默默地心神搖蕩地注視了一會兒以後叫道。 維納斯，她自然是維納斯，季杜斯．Lucretius.卡魯斯微笑著說。不要牽涉到狄愛娜的頭上去吧；她太聖潔了，似乎不能把她拿來與這個賣淫女人夸脫倫達里雅相比。 誰替克洛狄雅起下這麼可恥的綽號的？誰敢這樣侮辱他？狂怒的卡西烏斯叫道。 那批嫉妒的貴婦人，她們淫蕩的程度雖不在她之下，但是無恥和美麗的程度卻不如她。她們忍受不了她，因此就把她當作她們無情的譏笑和不可遏制的憎恨的靶子。 就是她，你們看呀！梅特羅比烏斯叫道。第一個送這綽號給克洛狄雅的人就是她！ 於是，老戲子指著一個高個子的女人。那個女人，按照她的裝束看來，顯然是一個貴族太太。她的身材很苗條，但她的臉卻流露出嚴肅甚至是冷酷的表情。她站在離開克洛狄雅和她的弟弟所在的那些圓柱不遠的地方。在她的身旁，站著一位神情和氣派極其尊嚴的三十幾歲的高個子貴族。他有非常寬廣的前額，毛毿毿的濃眉，一對沒有神氣的近視眼和一個鷹鉤鼻。他的臉是非常特出的，給人以一種精神極其凝聚集中的印象。 Who is that woman?台倫齊雅嗎？西塞祿的老婆？ 對啊，正是她她不是和她那位可敬的丈夫站在一起嗎？ 啊，她真是一位最有資格斥責別人罪惡和淫蕩的女人！盧克列梯烏斯微笑著諷刺道。可是知道她的親妹妹貞女法琵雅和卡提林納之間的瀆神關係的人實在太多了！我對海克力斯起誓，如果監察官要去檢查克洛狄雅的不道德行為，那他應該先去檢查法琵雅的更不道德的行為。 well!梅特羅比烏斯顯出一副懷疑的神情搖搖頭說。我們現在已經墮落到這樣可恥的地步，如果嚴厲的毫不受賄的老卡圖還在人世（他是我們所有監察官中最嚴正剛直的一位），如果他直到現在還在羅馬；他真不知道怎麼下手整頓這放浪腐化的風氣呢。我對卡斯托爾和波魯克斯起誓，如果他必須驅逐一切沒有權利住在這兒的女人，羅馬就一定會變成一座只有男人的城市，好像幸福的羅繆拉斯時代一樣；而且，為了繁衍奎林族的子孫，我們不得不再度去劫奪大批薩賓納族的女人了。但是，我懷疑，目前的薩賓納族女人是否值得我們去劫奪呢？ 好啊，好啊，我明白了，我對聖人伊比鳩魯起誓！盧克列梯烏斯叫道。梅特羅比烏斯居然發表激烈言論攻擊放浪腐化的風氣了！下次大選我一定投你一票，而且要為你大肆宣傳，一定要讓你當選監察官！ 那時候人群又開始移動，卡西烏斯和他的兩個朋友來到維斯達神廟拱廊的台階前。他們已經站在克洛狄雅附近了。卡西烏斯開始招呼她。他用右手在嘴唇上面按了一下，然後叫道： 你好，克洛狄雅。啊，你真是我們羅馬所有美女中最美麗的一個！ 克洛狄雅向他看了一眼，對卡西烏斯的鞠躬微微點頭作答，然後露出溫柔的微笑，用烈火一般的眼光對年輕的卡西烏斯注視了好久。 這一陣注視可包含著不少柔情密意呢，盧克列梯烏斯對卡西烏斯微笑著說。 你付出去的熱情完全可以得到報償，漂亮的卡西烏斯，梅特羅比烏斯說。真的，我從來沒有看見過比她更美的女人，只有一個人除外，她也跟克洛狄雅一樣美，那就是希臘妓女愛芙姬琵達！ 盧克列梯烏斯一聽到這名字不禁哆嗦了一下。他沉默了一會，接著輕輕地嘆了一口氣問道。 美人愛芙姬琵達！現在她在什麼地方？ 如果你看見她，一定不會相信自己的眼睛，她在角鬥士的營壘裡吶！ 剛巧相反，我覺得這是極其自然的事情，盧克列梯烏斯答道。那是最適合她的地方！ 可是你得知道，愛芙姬琵達上那些強盜的營壘中去只是為了奪取他們中間一個人的愛情：她瘋狂地愛上了斯巴達克斯 OK!I swear to Hercules!現在她終於找到了適當的配偶！ 你錯了，我對禁止兵士後退的朱庇特發誓！斯巴達克斯已經輕蔑地拒絕了她！ 一剎時三個人都沉默了。 你一定不知道，過了一會兒梅特羅比烏斯繼續對盧克列梯烏斯說。美人愛芙姬琵達曾經好幾次邀請過我，請我到角鬥士的營壘中去。 要你到那兒去幹什麼呢？盧克列梯烏斯詫異地問。 大概是去痛飲葡萄酒吧？卡西烏斯說。 但是這項工作你在羅馬也幹得非常出色呀 你們老是嘲笑我，跟我開玩笑可是我倒很願意到那兒去呢 where to go 到角鬥士的營壘中去呀。我可以改姓換名假扮一個什麼人到那兒，逐漸取得斯巴達克斯的信任和好感，同時把他所有的計劃和企圖以及他在那兒準備的一切統統探聽明白，然後把有關的一切都祕密報告執政官。 兩個貴族都縱聲大笑。梅特羅比烏斯生氣了，他憤怒地說： 唉，你們嘲笑什麼？兩年以前角鬥士陰謀造反難道不是我梅特羅比烏斯去警告執政官的嗎？難道不是我梅特羅比烏斯在復仇女神傅林娜的聖林中發現他們陰謀的嗎？ 啊啊，我們會牢牢記住的！阿爾托利克斯想。他的臉頓時漲得通紅，同時用陰沉的眼光向離他不遠的梅特羅比烏斯瞥了一下。 那時候，人群已經湧到卡庇托爾山的山腳下，來到薩杜爾納斯神廟前面了。穀神廟是一幢非常宏偉而又堅固的建築物。裡面除了薩杜爾納斯的神壇外，還保藏著已經批准的法規和國庫的錢財。因為這兒聚集了極多的人，所以阿爾托利克斯那一群人的前進速度就更緩慢了。 我對羅馬所有的保護神起誓，卡西烏斯叫道。這兒會擠死人的！ 是啊，這是極有可能的，盧克列梯烏斯說。 我對巴珂斯．狄奧尼西斯的常春藤花冠起誓，一定要擠死人的！梅特羅比烏斯也叫道。 我不明白，為什麼我們竟會鑽到這樣擁擠的人群中來啊！盧克列梯烏斯說。 人群愈來愈擠了，推撞與傾軋也愈來愈使人不能忍受了。後來梅特羅比烏斯、盧克列梯烏斯、卡西烏斯像烏龜爬一般地走了一刻鐘，幾乎連氣都喘不過來，這才進了薩杜爾納斯神廟，阿爾托利克斯也同他們一樣地進入了神廟。他們在那兒看到了青銅的穀神雕像。神像手中拿著一把不大的鐮刀，彷彿準備去收割莊稼似的。神像周圍放著好些農具，壁上畫著好幾幅有關農作和牧人生活的圖畫。薩杜爾納斯的青銅雕像是中空的，裡面滿盛著橄欖油，那是豐裕的象徵。 瞧啊，瞧啊，神聖的大祭司凱撒！梅特羅比烏斯說。他剛剛向薩杜爾納斯神獻過犧牲，現在脫下祭袍出來了。 美麗而又聰明的薛帕朗妮雅，快看她那副凝視凱撒的神氣！ 你還不如說她是放浪不羈的薛帕朗妮雅更妥當些！ 黑眼睛的美人！我對十二位和平女神發誓，那是羅馬成熟的美女中最完美的典型 瞧啊，她那黑眼睛裡迸射出來的欲焰真像閃電一般！她向美男子凱撒送去了什麼樣的微笑啊！ 不知道還有多少貴婦人和小姐對凱撒送去含情脈脈的微笑哩！ 瞧那紅頭髮的法芙斯達。 那是我的不朽的朋友，幸福的獨裁者盧齊烏斯．Cornelius.蘇拉的女兒。 我們早已知道你是這個怪物的朋友，而且是骯髒無恥的朋友，你用不著每走一步就重複一次。 這陣喧鬧的聲音是什麼？ 這叫喊是怎麼一回事？ 大家都轉過頭來向神廟的門口看，那兒傳來了一陣鬧哄哄的對薩杜爾納斯神的頌讚聲。 一會兒，原來在神廟中擠軋的人群，又被一大群新來的參拜薩杜爾納斯的信徒擠到成列的圓柱旁和牆邊去了。那群新來的人包括五十個臉色陰沉、形容枯槁的信徒。他們正抬著本城的大法官，好像凱旋的行列一般；他們每一個人的手上卻繫著一副鐵鏈。 哦，對了，我明白了！這批人是瑪梅金納斯監獄中等待判決的囚犯，他們現在已被當局按照穀神節的慣例赦免了。盧克列梯烏斯說。 而且，按照香神節的規矩，他們得把自己的鐐銬帶到這兒，把它們懸掛在偉大的薩杜爾納斯神的祭壇上。梅特羅比烏斯接著說。 瞧啊，瞧啊，可怕的卡提林納在那兒呢，他是整個羅馬城的災星！卡西烏斯指著神壇旁的一個人叫道。那個驕傲、好色的貴族，正站在那兒全神貫注地欣賞著那群貞女，而且用一種好像要把對方一口吞下去的眼光，注視著其中一個年輕的大祭司。卡西烏斯又說：那是無可否認的這個人即使在戀愛的時候也是殘忍的。你們瞧，他注視台倫齊雅妹妹的那副神氣，真像是一頭貪婪的猛獸！ 正當盧克列梯烏斯和梅特羅比烏斯跟年輕的卡西烏斯．龍金努斯談論卡提林納和法琵雅的瀆神的愛情的時候，阿爾托利克斯也看到了那個貴族。釋放角鬥士的眼睛迸出了喜悅的光輝。他開始小心翼翼地從人群中擠過去，竭力想走到卡提林納的身邊。 但是，想望是一回事，實現它又是一回事，阿爾托利克斯足足經過半小時的努力，而且那完全是因為他緊緊跟著向廟門口湧去的人潮，才走近了盧齊烏斯．Sergeus.卡穆林納。這個貴族仍舊和以前一樣正對著貞女出神。阿爾托利克斯在他的耳畔低聲說： 光明和自由。 卡提林納猛地哆嗦了一下。他迅速轉過身子，皺起眉毛，用他灰色的眼睛瞪著這個耍把戲的藝人，接著用嚴厲的幾乎帶著威脅的口氣問道： What does it mean? 我從斯巴達克斯那兒來，阿爾托利克斯低聲回答。我就是用這樣的裝束從阿普里亞省來到這兒。大名鼎鼎的卡提林納，我必須跟你談一樁極其重大的事情。 卡提林納又對這個耍把戲的小夥子注視了一分鐘，接著答道： 很好你得緊靠著我直到離開穀神廟然後，你遠遠地跟著我，一直等到我們走到一個荒僻的地方再碰頭。 他顯出那種強橫、粗魯、擅作威福的人所特有的輕蔑神情這在卡提林納已經發展到完全不把別人放在眼中的蠻不講理的地步開始用他強有力的臂膀推開人群，一面用洪亮的喊聲命令周圍的人讓開。就這樣，卡提林納比別的人先到達廟門口。阿爾托利克斯寸步不離地緊緊跟隨著他，兩個人簡直是縫在一塊兒了。 他們就這樣穿過拱廊來到街上。過了半小時，他們才脫離了人潮，向牲畜市場走去。市場上聚集了成群結隊的牛販子和買牛的客人。但是在這片寬廣的買賣牲畜的場地上，究竟不像街上那麼擁擠，因此卡提林納和阿爾托利克斯沒有遭到多大困難就來到了凱旋神遊克里斯的圓頂神廟旁。耍把戲的小夥子，隔著相當遠的距離跟著那位貴族。 卡提林納經過海克力斯神廟以後，走近了一座小小的、由羅馬貴婦人們建立的貞節女神廟。他在那兒停了下來，等待著耍把戲的小夥子。阿爾托利克斯走近了他。 阿爾托利克斯按照斯巴達克斯的囑咐，把他們的建議詳細地告訴了卡提林納。他生動、真實而且令人信服地形容了角鬥士大軍的威力。他指出：如果盧齊烏斯．Sergeus.卡提林納能夠擔任他們的首領，這六萬名久經戰鬥考驗的角鬥士將會大大增加勇氣，而且起義大軍的人數也會在很短時期內增加一倍。以這一切為基礎，可以毫不誇大地說，他們有極大的把握取得一連串巨大的勝利，而且在一年之內卡提林納就可以率領一支不可戰勝的大軍來到羅馬的城門口。 卡提林納一聽到這番話兩眼就充滿了血。在他那富有表情的殘忍的臉上，一條條的肌肉頓時牽動起來了。他不時可怕地握起強有力的拳頭，一陣陣滿意的嘆息，從他的胸中迸發出來，活像一頭猛獸在咆哮。 當阿爾托利克斯的話結束以後，卡提林納激動地斷斷續續地說： 你可打動了我的心啊，小夥子我，真的，我不知道我不願向你隱瞞，對我這個羅馬貴族來說一想到我擔任奴隸軍隊的統帥，我就感到厭惡就算你們都很剛毅、勇敢究竟都是造反的奴隸。但是，我一想到如果我能統率這樣強大的軍隊，我就一定能夠領導它走向勝利因為我是為了幹大事業而降生到世上的，但我從來沒有可能得到某一省總督的職位，因此我沒有機會完成偉大的事業，我覺得這想法 不要讓自己陶醉於這樣的想法。不要讓你的理智受到絲毫麻痹，使你忘記你是一個羅馬人，而且生下來就是貴族。統治我們的豪門貴族必須用自由人的手和羅馬的武器加以消滅，絕不能仰賴野蠻人和奴隸的罪惡的援助！ 這番話是一個身材魁梧的三十來歲的人說的。那是一個氣派尊貴、神情驕傲的人。他早已跟在卡提林納後面，當阿爾托利克斯和卡提林納談話的時候，他躲在貞節女神廟的牆角後，直到這緊要關頭方才挺身出來說話。 Lendurus.蘇勒！卡提林納驚詫地叫道。你怎麼在這兒？ 我是跟著你來的，因為我發現這個可疑的人彷彿在跟蹤你。我曾經不止一次地對你預言過，命運之神指定三個考爾涅里烏斯統治羅馬。Cornelius.欽納和考爾涅里烏斯．蘇拉是其中的兩個，你就是第三個統治羅馬的人。因此我要阻止你犯錯誤：任何似是而非的步驟，不但不會使你接近這一目標，反而會使你離它更遠。 但是，倫杜魯斯．蘇勒，你是不是認為以後我們還能獲得像斯巴達克斯所建議的那樣有利的機會？這就是說，你是不是認為，我們將來也能夠聚集一支像角鬥士軍隊一般的大軍，用來實現我們的計劃呢？ 我認為，如果你接受了斯巴達克斯的建議，我們不僅會招來我們拉丁族人民的厭惡和全體義大利人的詛咒，同時也不能為羅馬和我們這批被剝奪了財富和權利的負債貴族造福；這只是對這些野蠻人、對這些羅馬人民的敵人有利。如果他們在我們和我們朋友的影響和幫助之下統治了羅馬，難道你認為他們還會服從任何法律，我們還能有什麼辦法控制他們？難道你認為他們會把管理和統治國家的大權交給我們？每一個羅馬公民在他們的眼中都是他們的敵人，他們會使我們陷入屠戮和暗殺的混亂局面。但是，你得明白，按照我們這批心地純潔的人的計劃，我們本來只準備消滅一小撮豪門貴族啊！ Lendurus.蘇勒說話的態度堅決而又鎮靜，極其激動的卡提林納終於漸漸地平靜了。他的每一個反應都顯出了他的熱情在迅速地消退。所以當蘇勒說完了他的話時，這位暗殺葛拉季齊昂的凶手便垂下了頭，長嘆了一聲，說： 你的邏輯太厲害了，好像一把磨得極其鋒利的西班牙短劍。 阿爾托利克斯正想對倫杜魯斯．蘇勒說話，蘇勒卻做了一個命令式的手勢；堅決地說： 走吧，回到斯巴達克斯那兒去吧。你可以告訴他，我們對你們的勇敢精神非常欽佩，但我們首先應該盡到羅馬公民的責任。當我們的祖國遭到重大危險的威脅時，第伯爾河畔的一切紛爭就會平息的。告訴他，叫他利用這一於他有利的時機，率領你們越過阿爾卑斯山，讓你們回到各自的故鄉去吧：繼續在義大利境內進行戰爭那會使你們遭到致命打擊的。走吧，願神保佑你一路平安。 Lendurus.蘇勒說完了話就一把挾住了還站在那兒沉思、陰鬱而又沉默的卡提林納的臂膀，拉著他向牲畜市場那面走去。 阿爾托利克斯繼續站了好一會兒，他用驚惶失措的眼光望著逐漸遠去的兩個人的背影。但是恩狄米奧使他從沉思中驚醒過來，原來牠已經跳起來撲在他的身上，開始舐他的手了。於是這個喬裝的耍把戲的藝人決定離開羅馬，他開始慢慢地向蓋爾瑪里烏斯祠堂走去，想從那兒取道到古老的摩吉奧門去。 當阿爾托利克斯走近了同樣地擠滿了歡樂人群的蓋爾瑪里烏斯祠堂的時候，太陽快要下山了。蘇勒那番話使年輕的高盧角鬥士陷入悲哀的沉思之中，他甚至沒有發覺梅特羅比烏斯已經在他後面跟蹤了很久。那個老戲子一會兒落到後面，一會兒跑到前面，仔細地觀察著這個喬裝耍把戲藝人的角鬥士。直到他們來到蓋爾瑪里烏斯祠堂前面的廣場上，阿爾托利克斯這才一下子認出了梅特羅比烏斯；因為高盧小夥子曾經在蘇拉的庫瑪別墅中住了很久，他認得這個常常到蘇拉處作客的老戲子。阿爾托利克斯一看到梅特羅比烏斯就感到非常激動，他恐怕他會認出他是蘇拉別墅中的角鬥士。 阿爾托利克斯考慮了一會兒，決定設法脫離這一困窘的局面。他加緊腳步向前走去，希望梅特羅比烏斯在他附近出現只不過是偶然的事，希望這個老戲子不認得他；萬一發生最壞的情況，他也可以一下子鑽進入群溜走，不讓這個追蹤他的老傢伙再看到他。 命運之神似乎在庇護阿爾托利克斯。在某一個貴族宅邸的大門口聚集了一大群門客，每個人的手中都拿著一支蠟燭：他們按照穀神節的風俗一把蠟燭送給他們的保護人那是一位元老也是這幢房子的主人。 不消一分鐘，阿爾托利克斯就跑到這一大群門客那兒，他揮動兩肘擠進了人群，和他們一起走進了這幢貴族的住宅。看門的奴隸問他為什麼在裡面走，阿爾托利克斯就回答他，說是想替主人耍幾套把戲，使他能用他的表演來酬謝這批送禮品的門客的盛情。 看門人把他主人的門客和耍把戲的人一起放了進去，他們就從門房裡來到前廳。阿爾托利克斯對羅馬富家住宅千篇一律的格局是很熟識的。他立刻從前廳跑進內院，院子中央砌著一座附有香案的祭祀宅神拉爾的神壇，他開始在那兒找尋有沒有經過花園出去的道路；這樣的通路果然找到了。他利用府邸中慶賀穀神節的喧鬧和混亂混亂的程度由於大批門客的到來變得更加顯著了，偷偷穿過柱廊走進正廳，循著狹長的走廊來到花園裡，接著又穿過花園來到開在府邸另一邊的小門旁邊。他一告訴那兒的第二個看門人，說是他已經在他主人前面耍過把戲，現在他急於去趕生意；他的