"We have within reach, at this moment, twelve," said Sejanus, "besides my prætorians."
"Half the present forces of the whole empire," replied the other. "Germanicus is to drive back the barbarians. He will become more popular than ever with the troops generally. But the prætorians do not care for him, I suppose?"
"Even the prætorians revere him," answered Sejanus.
"Why, how so? They have so little to do with him."
"They know a soldier—" began Sejanus.
"And am not I a soldier?" interrupted his master.
"They love you too, my Cæsar, and dearly."
"Peace! Tell me exactly; what think the prætorians of Germanicus?"
"They foolishly think that, since the day when Caius Julius was murdered, no such soldier—"
"Enough! Foolishly, say you? Remember my instructions. Vale!" And Tiberius galloped north, his face ablaze with a brick-red flush deeper than ordinary.