All rights reserved
Published April, 1905
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
TO
MY DEAR PARENTS
WHO, HAVING GATHERED IN THE MIDDAY OF THEIR LIVES
BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS OF PEACE, WEAR THEM
STILL FRESH AND LOVELY
AT EVENTIDE
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
| “The lovers seated themselves on the marble bench and watched the playing fountain” | [ Frontispiece] |
| “She exultantly raised him, and placing her face near his, murmured some inarticulate words that Gannon did not understand” | Page [21] |
| “He staggered ... and the cup dropped from his hand and bounded upon the floor” | “ [130] |
| “Refreshed by the salt breezes, Agrippina and Psyche sat upon the deck of the vessel and watched the smooth sea reflecting the setting sun” | “ [247] |
PSYCHE
Chapter I
IN the year 23 A. D. there lived in Rome a youth named Gannon. He was a comely lad, seventeen years old, with a bright and happy face covered with a light down. His profile was Greek. His head was poised gracefully on his vigorous young shoulders. His dark eyebrows were slightly curved, and two bright black eyes sparkled under them. His black hair was short and brushed forward. He was neither tall nor stout. He wore a tunic which came down to above his knees, leaving bare his well-shaped neck, arms, and legs. On his small feet were leather sandals, held on by a string of the same material, interlaced and tied above his ankles. His whole air betokened a frank, ingenuous nature; and a cheery influence seemed to surround him, invisible yet perceptible to every one with whom he came in contact.
He was sitting in a room of the Praetorian Camp, translating a letter from Greek into Latin. The task was not a difficult one; for his parents were Greek, and he had been taught by his father to speak and write both languages with fluency and exactness. His duties consisted in copying despatches, writing and translating letters, and taking care of some of the private correspondence of Sejanus, the commander of the Praetorians. The situation, although a responsible one for so young a lad, had been easily secured. Through a friend of his father he had obtained a position as secretary to Macro, an officer in the camp. One day, noticing his intelligent and handsome face, Sejanus took him to his office and tested his ability. The result was so favorable that he made Gannon one of his own secretaries.
Gannon’s father, Alcmaeon, taught Greek in one of the schools of the city. He earned barely enough to support his family of three,—wife, son, and daughter. It was, therefore, with joy that he welcomed the day when Gannon was able to earn his own livelihood. He looked upon his son’s advancement with pride and yet with foreboding. While in the employ of Macro, Gannon had always spent his nights at home; now he was permitted to go home only one night each week. Under Macro he had done only clerical work; now his duties were such that he might learn some important and dangerous secrets. With Macro he worked alone; now he was thrown into the company of unprincipled companions. At first, when Gannon heard the rough stories that circulated around the camp, he modestly retired; but now he could hear the coarsest ones with little show of shame.