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."
Are such signs common?"