a buzz and rustle pass along the tiers of seats, and whisper pass on whisper, “There come the Caesarians!” “What treason is in that letter!” “We must have an end of their impudence!” And Drusus ran his eye over the whole company, and sought for one friendly look; but he met with only stony glances or dark frowns.  There was justice neither in the people nor in the Senate.  Their hearts were drunk with a sense of revenge and self-willed passion; and Justice literally weighed out her bounty with blinded eyes.

  [137] Subsellium.

There was another hum and rustle.  And into the hall swept Lentulus Crus, in robes of office, with Scipio, the father-in-law of Pompeius, at his side.  Before him strode his twelve lictors bearing their fasces erect.  Not a word was spoken while Lentulus Crus seated himself in the ivory curule chair of office.  No sign marked the extreme gravity of the occasion.

“Let the sacred chickens be brought,” said Lentulus.

Never a lip twitched or curled in all that august multitude while several public attendants brought in a wooden cage containing three or four rather skinny specimens of poultry.  Not even Drusus saw anything really ridiculous when Lentulus arose, took grain from an attendant, and scattered a quantity of it before the coop.  Close at his elbow stood the augur, to interpret the omen,—­a weazened, bald-headed old senator, who wore a purple-striped tunic,[138] and carried in his hand a long stick,[139] curved at its head into a spiral.  Drusus knew perfectly well that the fowls had been kept without food all that day; but it would have seemed treason to all the traditions of his native land to cry out against this pompous farce.  The hungry chickens pecked up the grain.  The augur muttered formula after formula, and Lentulus took pains to repeat the meaningless jargon after him.  Presently the augur ceased his chatter and nodded to the consul.  Lentulus turned toward the Senate.

  [138] Trabea.

  [139] Lituus.

“There is no evil sight or sound!"[140] was his announcement, meaning that business could be transacted.

  [140] Silentium esse videtur.

Whereupon up from his seat sprang Marcus Antonius, flourishing in his hand a packet.  Loudly Lentulus bade him hold his peace; loudly the tribunes who sided with the Senate party forbade him to read.  But a rustle and stir of eager curiosity ran along all the benches, and first one voice, then many, cried out that the letter must be made public.  With very ill grace the consul declared that Antonius should be allowed to read the communication from Caesar.

Antonius read, and all were astonished at the moderation of the much-maligned proconsul.  Caesar made it clear that he would stand on his rights as to the second consulship; but to withdraw possibilities of seeming to issue a threat, he would disband his entire army if Pompeius would only do the same, or, if preferred, he would retain simply Cisalpine Gaul and Illyria with two legions, until the consular elections were over.  In either event it would be out of his power to menace the constitution, and the public tranquillity would remain quite undisturbed.