“Where in the world did you acquire all this information as to his merits?—Whenever I looked across at you, you were chatting with Caius Afranius.”
“I thought it was Caius. Considering it was your first meeting, your conversation with this Afranius was somewhat eager.”
“Oh! I had met him before—a week or more ago; do you not remember? The day you had a headache. He is intimate with Cornelius. He has been in Rome since the beginning of March, and is already beginning to play an important part in the Forum.”[239]
“Is he a jurist?” asked Claudia.
“A defender of the oppressed and accuser of the criminal!” answered Lucilia warmly. “He has even gained a cause, quite lately, against Clodianus, Caesar’s adjutant. His eloquence and powerful argument won him the victory, in spite of all his adversary’s art, and the impression he made was so tremendous, that for the moment every one forgot how dangerous it is to have Clodianus for an enemy. The whole Basilica[240] shook with the applause.”
“Did he himself tell you this?”
“Certainly not! I heard it from Ulpius Trajanus.”
“And that no doubt is what makes you think Trajan so amiable?”
“Silly child! Do you suppose...? You know, my dear, that when folks are in love, they see the whole world from one point of view.”