"I will accept it," replied the Athenian, blushing; "I will accept the ordeal with fear. Daring is contrasted with trembling; but, although my daring trembles, yet my trepidation dares."
"Oh! how enchanting!" cried the august Julia; "we shall hear the eloquent Athenian." And she clasped her hands and sent an unutterable glance toward Dion, who saw it not.
"It will be very interesting indeed," added the aged empress.
"Better for once than even the mighty comedy of the palace," said Lucius Varius.
"Better than the gladiators," added Velleius Paterculus.
"An idea worthy of the time of Virgil and Mæcenas," said Titus Livy.
"Worthy of Augustus's time," subjoined Tiberius, who was leaning against one of the pillars which supported the gallery of the impluvium.
"Worthy of his dotage," muttered Cneius Piso to Tiberius, with a scowl.
"Worthy," said a handsome man, with wavy, crisp, brown locks, in the early prime of life, whose military tunic was crossed with the broad purple stripe, "worthy of Athens in the days of Plato; and as Demosthenes addressed the people after listening to the reporter of Socrates, so Haterius shall tell this company what he thinks, after listening to Dion."
"Haterius is getting old," said Haterius.