"It does me honor, my learned friend; by all the gods it does me honor," replied Verus. "And in fact it is possible, it might very will be—Will you do me the favor to come with me to that bust of Hipparchus? By the aid of that science which owes so much to him you may be able to render me an important service."
When the two men were standing apart from the others, in front of the white marble portrait of the great astronomer, Verus asked:
"Do you know by what method Caesar is wont to presage the fates of men from the stars?"
"Perfectly."
"From whom?"
"From Aquila, my father's disciple."
"Can you calculate what he will learn from the stars in the night preceding the thirtieth of December, as to the destinies of a man who was born in that night, and whose horoscope I possess?"
"I can only answer a conditional yes to that question."
"What should prevent your answering positively?"
"Unforeseen appearances in the heavens."