‘And nobody wears the hair like yon Neapolitan, in the Greek way.’

’What, parted in front, with the knot behind?  Oh, no; how ridiculous it is! it reminds one of the statue of Diana!  Yet this Ione is handsome, eh?’

’So the men say; but then she is rich:  she is to marry the Athenian—­I wish her joy.  He will not be long faithful, I suspect; those foreigners are very faithless.’

‘Oh, Julia!’ said Fulvia, as the merchant’s daughter joined them; ’have you seen the tiger yet?’

‘No!’

‘Why, all the ladies have been to see him.  He is so handsome!’

‘I hope we shall find some criminal or other for him and the lion,’ replied Julia.  ’Your husband (turning to Pansa’s wife) is not so active as he should be in this matter.’

‘Why, really, the laws are too mild,’ replied the dame of the helmet.  ’There are so few offences to which the punishment of the arena can be awarded; and then, too, the gladiators are growing effeminate!  The stoutest bestiarii declare they are willing enough to fight a boar or a bull; but as for a lion or a tiger, they think the game too much in earnest.’

‘They are worthy of a mitre,’ replied Julia, in disdain.

‘Oh! have you seen the new house of Fulvius, the dear poet?’ said Pansa’s wife.

‘No:  is it handsome?’

’Very!—­such good taste.  But they say, my dear, that he has such improper pictures!  He won’t show them to the women:  how ill-bred!’

‘Those poets are always odd,’ said the widow.  ’But he is an interesting man; what pretty verses he writes!  We improve very much in poetry:  it is impossible to read the old stuff now.’

’I declare I am of your opinion, returned the lady of the helmet.  ‘There is so much more force and energy in the modern school.’

The warrior sauntered up to the ladies.

‘It reconciles me to peace,’ said he, ‘when I see such faces.’

‘Oh! you heroes are ever flatterers,’ returned Fulvia, hastening to appropriate the compliment specially to herself.

‘By this chain, which I received from the emperor’s own hand,’ replied the warrior, playing with a short chain which hung round the neck like a collar, instead of descending to the breast, according to the fashion of the peaceful—­’By this chain, you wrong me!  I am a blunt man—­a soldier should be so.’

‘How do you find the ladies of Pompeii generally?’ said Julia.

’By Venus, most beautiful!  They favor me a little, it is true, and that inclines my eyes to double their charms.’

‘We love a warrior,’ said the wife of Pansa.

’I see it:  by Hercules! it is even disagreeable to be too celebrated in these cities.  At Herculaneum they climb the roof of my atrium to catch a glimpse of me through the compluvium; the admiration of one’s citizens is pleasant at first, but burthensome afterwards.’

‘True, true, O Vespius!’ cried the poet, joining the group:  ’I find it so myself.’