Here she was interrupted by the entrance of Philostratus.  He was not alone; an imperial slave accompanied him, bringing a graceful basket with gifts from the emperor to Melissa.

First came a wreath of roses and lotos-flowers, looking as if they had been plucked just before sunrise, for among the blossoms and leaves there flashed and sparkled a glittering dew of diamonds, lightly fastened on delicate silver wires.  Next came a bunch of flowers, round whose stems a supple golden snake was twined, covered with rubies and diamonds and destined to coil itself round a woman’s arm.  The third was a necklace of extremely costly Persian pearls, which had once belonged—­so the merchant had declared—­to great Cleopatra’s treasure.

Melissa loved flowers; and the costly gifts that accompanied them could not fail to rejoice a woman’s heart.  And yet she only gave them a passing glance, reddening painfully as she did so.

What the bearer had to say to her was of more importance to her than the gifts he brought, and in fact the troubled manner of the usually composed philosopher betrayed that he had something more serious to deliver than the gifts of his love-sick lord.

The lady Euryale, perceiving that he meant to try once more to persuade Melissa to yield, hastened to declare that she had found ways and means to help the maiden to escape; but he shook his head with a sigh, and said, thoughtfully: 

“Well—­well—­I shall go on board the ship while the wild beasts are doing their part in the Circus.  May we meet again happily, either here or else where!  My way leads me first to Caesar’s mother, to inform her of his choice of a wife.  Not that he needs her consent:  whose consent or disapproval does Caracalla care for?  But I am to win Julia’s heart for you.  Possibly I may succeed; but you—­you scorn it, and fly from her son.  And yet—­believe me, child—­the heart of that woman is a treasure that has no equal, and, if she should open her arms to you, there would be little that you could not endure.  When I left you, just now, I put myself in your place, and approved of your resolve; but it would be wrong not to remind you once more of what you must expect if you follow your own will, and if Caesar considers himself scorned, ill-treated, and deceived by you.”

“In the name of all the gods, what has happened?” broke in Melissa, pallid with fear.  Philostratus pressed his hand to his brow, and his voice was hoarse with suppressed emotion as he continued:  “Nothing new-only things are taking their old course.  You know that Caracalla threatened old Claudius Vindex and his nephew with death because of their opposition to his union with you.  We all hoped, however, that he would be moved to exercise mercy.  He is in love—­he was so gracious at the feast!  I myself was foremost among those who did their utmost to dispose Caesar to clemency..  But he would not be moved, and, before the sun goes down upon this day, the old man and the young one—­the chiefest among the nobles of Rome—­will be no more.  And it is Caracalla’s love for you, child, that sheds this blood.  Ask yourself after this how many lives will be sacrificed when your flight causes hatred and fury to reign supreme in the soul of the cheated monarch!”