"And there are the Cæsar's sisters, Drusilla and Livilla. Drusilla is very beautiful."
"And there is Julia, the daughter of Drusus. She had been willing to step into Cæsonia's shoes."
"But Dea Flavia, daughter of Claudius Octavius, is the most beautiful amongst them all!"
"Hail to Dea Flavia Augusta!" came from more than one enthusiastic throat.
She was clad all in white, with strings of pearls round her neck and a fillet of diamonds in her golden hair. Her face was very pale and her lips never smiled. In her hands she held three tall sprays of lilies scarce whiter than the smooth surface of her brow.
Everyone noticed that the Cæsar specially commanded her to sit on his left, Cæsonia being on his right, and that the Augustas all frowned with dissatisfaction at this signal honour paid to Dea Flavia.
Anon Caius Nepos, the praetorian praefect, came to the front of the tribune, and in stentorian voice commanded everyone to kneel. All those in the tribune did kneel immediately, the guard holding the standards, the senators and the knights. The Augustas all knelt too, and the patricians in the tribunes to right and left. Some of the people knelt, but not by any means all, and Caius Nepos had to repeat his command three or four times, and to threaten the immediate dispersal of the audience and the clearing of the Amphitheatre before everyone at last obeyed.
Caligula alone remained standing, and not far from him the praefect of Rome leaning against the partition wall.
The Cæsar then blessed his people, and at the word of Caius Nepos—the praetorian praefect—cries of "Hail Cæsar! Hail, O God! Hail the Father of the Armies! the greatest and best of Cæsars!" broke out on every side.