As Beric was alike eager to study and to exercise in arms, he
gained the approval of both his teachers. Julia, the wife of Caius,
a kindly lady, took a great fancy to the boy. "He will make a fine
man, Caius," she said one day when the boy was fourteen years old.
"See how handsome and strong he is; why, Scipio, the son of the
centurion Metellus, is older by two years, and yet he is less strong
than this young Briton."

"They are a fine race, Julia, though in disposition as fierce as
wild cats, and not to be trusted. But the lad is, as you say, strong
and nimble. I marked him practising with the sword the other day
against Lucinus, who is a stout soldier, and the man had as much
as he could do to hold his own against him. I was surprised myself
to see how well he wielded a sword of full weight, and how active
he was. The contest reminded me of a dog and a wild cat, so nimble
were the boy's springs, and so fierce his attacks. Lucinus fairly
lost his temper at last, and I stopped the fight, for although
they fought with blunted weapons, he might well have injured the
lad badly with a downright cut, and that would have meant trouble
with the Iceni again."

"He is intelligent, too," Julia replied. "Sometimes I have him in
while I am working with the two slave girls, and he will stand for
hours asking me questions about Rome, and about our manners and
customs."

"One is never sure of these tamed wolves," Caius said; "sometimes
they turn out valuable allies and assistants, at other times they
grow into formidable foes, all the more dangerous for what they