"Not so, by Hercules," said Marcus Coelius; "the girl is fairly
our common prize: we will fling dice for her. The Venus (Venus
was the Roman term for the highest throw of the dice.) throw, as
it ought to do, shall decide."

"Let me go--let me go, for Heaven's sake," cried Zoe, struggling
with Clodius.

"What a charming Greek accent she has! Come into the house, my
little Athenian nightingale."

"Oh! what will become of me? If you have mothers--if you have
sisters"--

"Clodius has a sister," muttered Ligarius, "or he is much
belied."

"By Heaven, she is weeping," said Clodius.

"If she were not evidently a Greek," said Coelius, "I should take
her for a vestal virgin."

"And if she were a vestal virgin," cried Clodius fiercely, "it
should not deter me. This way;--no struggling--no screaming."

"Struggling! screaming!" exclaimed a gay and commanding voice;
"You are making very ungentle love, Clodius."

The whole party started. Caesar had mingled with them