assassin. And your learning? You have heard my opinion of the Museum.
And the astrologers of this renowned observatory? The very opposite of
all they promised me has come to pass.

"Religion? The people, of whom you know as little from the musty
volumes of the Museum as of 'Ultima Thule'--the people indeed practice
it. The old gods are necessary to them. They are the bread of life to
them. But instead of those you have offered them sour, unripe fruit,
with a glittering rind-from your own garden, of your own growing. The
fruit of trees is a gift from Nature, and all that she brings forth has
some good in it; but what you offer to the world is hollow and poisonous.
Your rhetoric gives it an attractive exterior, and that, too, comes from
the Museum. There they are shrewd enough to create new gods, which start
up out of the earth like mushrooms. If it should only occur to them,
they would raise murder to the dignity of god of gods, and you to be his
high-priest."

"That would be your office," interposed the philosopher.

"You shall see," returned the emperor, laughing shrilly, "and the witlings
of the Museum with you! You use the knife; but hear the words of the
master: The teeth of wild beasts and their claws are weapons not to be
despised. Your father and brother, and she who taught me what to think
of the virtue and faith of Alexandrian women, shall tell you this in
Hades. Soon shall every one of those follow you thither who forgot,
even by a glance of the eye, that I was Caesar and a guest of this city!
After the next performance in the Circus the offenders shall tell you in
the other world how I administer justice. No later than the day after
to-morrow, I imagine, you may meet there with several companions from
the Museum. There will be enough to clap applause at the disputations!"