All walked past in mourning robes, even the choir of singing boys and men.  Cilo explained to me who had made the statues of the Romans who had served their country, who the artists and scholars were, whose statues and busts were carried by.  Then came bronze groups of the people of every nation in the empire, in their costumes.  Cilo told me what they were called, and where they lived; he then added that one day they would all belong to me; that I must learn the art of fighting, in case they resisted me, and should require suppressing.  Also, when they carried the flags of the guilds past, when the horse and foot soldiers, the race-horses from the circus and several other things came by, he continued to explain them.  I only remember it now because it made me so happy.  The old man spoke to me alone; he regarded me alone as the future sovereign.  He left Geta to eat the sweets which his aunts had given him, and when I too wanted some my brother refused to let me have any.  Then Cilo stroked my hair, and said:  ’leave him his toys.  When you are a man you shall have the whole Roman Empire for your own, and all the nations I told you of.’  Geta meanwhile had thought better of it, and pushed some of the sweetmeats toward me.  I would not have them, and, when he tried to make me take them, I threw them into the road.”

“And you remember all that?” said Melissa.

“More things than these are indelibly stamped on my mind from that day,” said Caesar.  “I can see before me now the pile on which Pertinax was to be burned.  It was splendidly decorated, and on the top stood the gilt chariot in which he had loved to ride.  Before the consuls fired the logs of Indian wood, my father led us to the image of Pertinax, that we might kiss it.  He held me by the hand.  Wherever we went, the senate and people hailed us with acclamations.  My mother carried Geta in her arms.  This delighted the populace.  They shouted for her and my brother as enthusiastically as for us, and I recollect to this day how that went to my heart.  He might have the sweets and welcome, but what the people had to offer was due only to my father and me, not to my brother.  At that moment I first fully understood that Severus was the present and I the future Caesar.  Geta had only to obey, like every one else.

“After kissing the image, I stood, still holding my father’s hand, to watch the flames.  I can see them now, crackling and writhing as they gained on the wood, licking it and fawning, as it were, till it caught and sent up a rush of sparks and fire.  At last the whole pile was one huge blaze.  Then, suddenly, out of the heart of the flames an eagle rose.  The creature flapped its broad wings in the air, which was golden with sunshine and quivering with heat, soaring above the smoke and fire, this way and that.  But it soon took flight, away from the furnace beneath.  I shouted with delight, and cried to my father:  ’Look at the bird!  Where is he flying?’ And he eagerly answered:  ’Well done!  If you desire to preserve the power I have conquered for you always undiminished, you must keep your eyes open.  Let no sign pass unnoticed, no opportunity neglected.’