“Never fear,” replied the other, picking up his burden carefully.  “Who would not delight to bear Aphrodite to the arms of Artemis!”

And so for a while sight, sound, and feeling were at an end for Cornelia, but for Agias the adventures of the evening were but just begun.  The pirates had broken loose in the villa, and Demetrius made not the slightest effort to restrain them.  On into the deserted bedroom, ahead of the others, for reasons of his own, rushed Agias.  As he came in, some one cried out his name, and a second vision in white confronted him.

“Ai! ai! Agias, I knew you would come!” and then and there, with the sword-blades glinting, and the armed men all around, Artemisia tossed her plump arms around his neck.

“The nymph, attendant on Aphrodite!” cried Demetrius, laughing.  And then, when Artemisia saw the strange throng and the torches, and heard the din over the villa, she hung down her head in mingled fear and mortification.  But Agias whispered something in her ear, that made her lift her face, laughing, and then he in turn caught her up in his arms to hasten down to the landing—­for the scene was becoming one of little profit for a maid.  Groans and entreaties checked him.  Two powerful Phoenician seamen were dragging forward Phaon, half clothed, trembling at every joint.  “Mercy!  Mercy!  Oh!  Master Agias, oh!  Your excellency, clarissime,[165] despotes![166]” whined the wretched man, now in Latin, now in Greek, “ask them to spare me; don’t let them murder me in cold blood!”

  [165] Very distinguished sir.

  [166] Master.

“Ai!” cried Demetrius.  “What fool have we here?  Do you know him, Agias?”

“He is the freedman of Lucius Ahenobarbus.  I can vouch for his character, after its way.”

“O-op!"[167] thundered the chief, “drag him down to the boats!  I’ll speak with him later!”

  [167] O-op—­avast there.

And Agias carried his precious burden down to the landing-place, while the seamen followed with their captive.

Once Artemisia safe on her way to the trireme, which was a little off shore, Agias ran back to the villa; the pirates were ransacking it thoroughly.  Everything that could be of the slightest value was ruthlessly seized upon, everything else recklessly destroyed.  The pirates had not confined their attack to the Lentulan residence alone.  Rushing down upon the no less elaborate neighbouring villas, they forced in the gates, overcame what slight opposition the trembling slaves might make, and gave full sway to their passion for plunder and rapine.  The noble ladies and fine gentlemen who had dared the political situation and lingered late in the season to enjoy the pleasures of Baiae, now found themselves roughly dragged away into captivity to enrich the freebooters by their ransoms.  From pillage the pirates turned to arson, Demetrius in fact making no effort to control his