rent the roar of acclamations.

Diodoros, meanwhile, had turned to look at the main entrance, and,
carried away by the universal desire to see, had perched himself on an
unopened case of dried figs. His tall figure now towered far above the
throng, and he set his teeth as he heard the old woman, almost speechless
with delight, gasp out:

"Lovely! wonderful! He would never have found the like in Rome. Here,
among us--"

But the cheers of the multitude now drowned every other sound. Fathers
or mothers who had children with them lifted them up as high as they
could; where a small man stood behind a tall one, way was willingly made,
for it would have been a shame to hinder his view of such a spectacle.
Many had already seen the great monarch in his shining, golden chariot,
drawn by four splendid horses; but such an array of torch-bearers as now
preceded Caracalla was a thing never seen within the memory of the oldest
or most traveled man. Three elephants marched before him and three came
behind, and all six carried in their trunks blazing torches, which they
held now low and now aloft to light his road. To think that beasts could
be trained to such a service! And that here, in Alexandria, such a
display could be made before the haughty and pampered Romans!

The chariot stood still, and the black Ethiopians who guided the huge
four-footed torch-bearers took the three leaders to join their fellows
behind the chariot. This really was a fine sight; this could not but
fill the heart of every one who loved his native town with pride and
delight. For what should a man ever shout himself hoarse, if not for
such a splendid and unique show? Diodoros himself could not take his