her through what seemed like miles of corridors, she found herself
alone with the Empress.

The Empress she had so far seen infrequently and spoken with only
seldom. It was impossible to be a Vestal, in the heyday of Rome's
Imperial times, and not meet and know the Empress of Rome.
Brinnaria had seen her whenever they were both present at the
Circus or the Amphitheatre; had been close to her at all important
state functions; had occasionally dined with her at formal Palace
banquets, when the curved sofa about the Empress' table was
always occupied by the Empress, the wives of the chief Flamens
and the Vestals; but had hardly ever exchanged a word with her.

Faustina was endowed with the general healthiness with which
Roman noblewomen were blessed. But she had had the bad luck
to suffer from many and severe illnesses. These and her slow
recoveries from them had kept her away from very many official
functions and public festivals. Numerous had been the occasions
on which Aurelius had appeared without her. When she was well,
indeed, they were always together, if possible. A great proportion
of his time, however, was occupied with official duties of such a
nature that, according to Roman etiquette, no woman could
participate in them. During such enforced separations Faustina
sought amusement. And with the overflowing energy and abounding
vigor which she displayed between her illness, she threw herself
into the whirl of her pleasures with such impetuosity, there was
so much rollicking and roistering about her favorite diversions
that she attracted to herself and kept around her just those
elements of Roman society with which the Vestals were least
likely to mingle, professional idlers, and what we moderns would