"Caesar!" she exclaimed, bounding toward Commodus and standing in his
way. Not even she dared lay a hand on him when he was in that volcanic
mood. "As you love me, will you wear this?"

"For love of you, what have I not done?" he retorted, smiling at her.
"What now?"

She advanced another half-step, but no nearer. There was laughter on
his lips, but in his eye cold cruelty.

"My Caesar, wear it! It protects against conspiracy."

He showed her a new sword that he had girded on along with the short
tunic of a gladiator.

"Against the bellyache, use Galen's pills; but this is the right
medicine against conspiracy!" he answered. Then he took the little
golden charm into his left hand, tossing it on his palm and looked at
her, still smiling.

"Where did you get this bauble?"

"Not I. One of those magicians who frequent that Forum sold it to
Narcissus."

"Bah!" He flung it through the window. "Who is the magician? Name him!
I will have him thrown into the carceres. We'll see whether the charms
he sells so cheap are any good! Or is he a Christian?" he asked,
sneering.