“If wisdom were all that is needed,” said Sextus, “we should put good Galen on the throne!”

“He is too old and wise to let you try to do it!” Galen answered.  “But you spoke about the head of a Medusa, Pertinax, and mentioned Lucius Septimius Severus.  He commands three legions at Caruntum in Pannonia.  (Roughly speaking, the S.W. portion of modern Hungary whose frontiers were then occupied by very warlike tribes.) If there is one man living who can freeze men’s blood by scowling at them, it is he!  And he is not as old as you are.”

“I have thought of him only to hate him,” said Pertinax.  “He would not follow me, nor I him.  He is one of three men who would fight for the throne if somebody slew Commodus, although he would not run the risk of slaying him himself, and he would betray us if we should take him into confidence.  I know him well.  He is a lawyer and a Carthaginian.  He would never ask for the nomination; he is too crafty.  He would say his legions nominated him against his will and that to have disobeyed them would have laid him open to the punishment for treason. (This is what Severus actually did, later on, after Pertinax’s death.) The other two are Pescennius Niger, who commands the legions in Syria, and Clodius Albinus who commands in Britain.  We must find a man who can forestall all three of them by winning, first, the praetorian guard, and then the senate and the Romans by dint of sound reforms and justice.”

“You are he!  Rome trusts you.  So does the senate,” said Cornificia.  “Marcia trusts me.  The praetorian guard trusts her.  If I can persuade Marcia that her life is in danger from Commodus—­”

“But how?” Daedalus interrupted.

“We can take the praetorian guard by surprise,” Cornificia went on, ignoring him.  “They can be tricked into declaring for the man whom Marcia’s friends nominate.  Having once declared for him they will be too proud of having made an emperor, and too unwilling to seem vacillating, to reverse themselves in any man’s favor, even though he should command six legions.  The senate will gladly accept one who has governed Rome as frugally as Pertinax has done.  If the senate confirms the nominee of the praetorian guard, the Roman populace will do the rest by acclamation.  Then, three months of upright government—­deification by the senate—­”

Pertinax laughed explosively—­an honest, chesty laugh, unqualified by any subtleties, suggesting a trace of the peasantry from which he sprang.  It made Cornificia wince.

“Can you imagine me a god?” he asked.

“I can imagine you an emperor,” said Sextus.  “It is true; you have no following among the legions just at present.  But I make one, and there are plenty of energetic men who think as I do.  My friend Norbanus here will follow me.  My father—­”

Noises near the open window interrupted him.  An argument seemed to be going on between the slaves whom Pertinax had set to keep the roisterers away and some one who demanded admission.  Near at hand was a woman’s voice, shrilling and scolding.  Then another voice—­Scylax, the slave who had ridden the red mare.  Pertinax strode to the window again and leaned out.  Cornificia whispered to Galen: