But he, as much inured to the constitutional exercises as an English bull-dog is to a contest with a more gentle antagonist, had already recovered himself.  The purple hues receded from the crimson surface of his cheek, the veins of the forehead retired into their wonted size.  He shook himself with a complacent grunt, satisfied that he was still alive, and then looking at his foe from head to foot with an air of more approbation than he had ever bestowed upon him before: 

‘By Castor!’ said he, ’thou art a stronger fellow than I took thee for!  I see thou art a man of merit and virtue; give me thy hand, my hero!’

‘Jolly old Burbo!’ cried the gladiators, applauding, ’staunch to the backbone.  Give him thy hand, Lydon.’

‘Oh, to be sure,’ said the gladiator:  ’but now I have tasted his blood, I long to lap the whole.’

‘By Hercules!’ returned the host, quite unmoved, ’that is the true gladiator feeling.  Pollux! to think what good training may make a man; why, a beast could not be fiercer!’

‘A beast!  O dullard! we beat the beasts hollow!’ cried Tetraides.

’Well, well said Stratonice, who was now employed in smoothing her hair and adjusting her dress, ’if ye are all good friends again, I recommend you to be quiet and orderly; for some young noblemen, your patrons and backers, have sent to say they will come here to pay you a visit:  they wish to see you more at their ease than at the schools, before they make up their bets on the great fight at the amphitheatre.  So they always come to my house for that purpose:  they know we only receive the best gladiators in Pompeii—­our society is very select—­praised be the gods!’

‘Yes,’ continued Burbo, drinking off a bowl, or rather a pail of wine, ’a man who has won my laurels can only encourage the brave.  Lydon, drink, my boy; may you have an honorable old age like mine!’

‘Come here,’ said Stratonice, drawing her husband to her affectionately by the ears, in that caress which Tibullus has so prettily described—­’Come here!’

‘Not so hard, she-wolf! thou art worse than the gladiator,’ murmured the huge jaws of Burbo.

‘Hist!’ said she, whispering him; ’Calenus has just stole in, disguised, by the back way.  I hope he has brought the sesterces.’

’Ho! ho!  I will join him, said Burbo; ’meanwhile, I say, keep a sharp eye on the cups—­attend to the score.  Let them not cheat thee, wife; they are heroes, to be sure, but then they are arrant rogues:  Cacus was nothing to them.’

‘Never fear me, fool!’ was the conjugal reply; and Burbo, satisfied with the dear assurance, strode through the apartment, and sought the penetralia of his house.

‘So those soft patrons are coming to look at our muscles,’ said Niger.  ‘Who sent to previse thee of it, my mistress?’

’Lepidus.  He brings with him Clodius, the surest better in Pompeii, and the young Greek, Glaucus.’