praetor, "you do not even owe me thanks. I only made your acquaintance
after I had rescued you, and I opposed the mob, not for the sake of any
particular man, but for that of law and order."

"You were benevolent enough to protect us," cried Ben Jochai, "so do not
be so stern as to disdain our gratitude."

"It does me honor, my learned friend; by all the gods it does me honor,"
replied Verus. "And in fact it is possible, it might very will be--Will
you do me the favor to come with me to that bust of Hipparchus? By the
aid of that science which owes so much to him you may be able to render
me an important service."

When the two men were standing apart from the others, in front of the
white marble portrait of the great astronomer, Verus asked:

"Do you know by what method Caesar is wont to presage the fates of men
from the stars?"

"Perfectly."

"From whom?"

"From Aquila, my father's disciple."

"Can you calculate what he will learn from the stars in the night
preceding the thirtieth of December, as to the destinies of a man who
was born in that night, and whose horoscope I possess?"

"I can only answer a conditional yes to that question."