Parker, John Henry: The archaeology of Rome (4): The Egyptian obelisks to which is added a supplement to the first three parts, which form the fist volume (Oxford, 1876)

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Houses of Maecenas and Lamia.

we do but be silent ? And being silent is a kind of defence, especially where
nothing can be said, that would have been pleasing to him, and the fear of his
violence upon our laws had shut up our mouths.
“ When he had given direction about his buildings, he demanded seriously and
with great gravity of us, ‘ Why we were so scrupulous in eating of hog’s flesh?’
Upon which our adversaries (to cajole him with their flatteries) fell out into so
immoderate and undecent a laughter, that some of the prince’s officers, which
were about him, could scarce brook so great a disrespect; and it was so much the
greater, by how much his humor was such, there was not any but his privado’s
and intimates, that could without danger take the liberty upon them of but
smiling in his presence.
“We replyed most humbly to the Emperour, ‘ That the customs of people were
different, and that as among us there were some things forbidden, so there were
others prohibited to other nations.’ And one of our company instancing in those
who eat no lamb, the Emperour laught and reply’d, ‘ They have no reason, for
the flesh is not good. ’ These raileries augmented our trouble very much ; but at
length, in some kind of heat he asked us, upon what grounds we founded our
freedom? We began to lay before him our grounds, and he foreseeing well that
they would be reasonable, and that we had many more to corroborate them, he
rose up on a suddain, and ran into a great chamber, causing his servants to shut
the windows, whose glass was contrived so as to let in the light, but keep out the
wind; and was as clear as crystal. We followed, and he came to us again, and
demanded of us very moderately, what we had more to say? We would have
gone on with our reasons, but in stead of hearing them, he ran again in great
speed into another hall, where he had commanded several ancient pictures to be
brought for him io see ; so that finding our selves so often interrupted in our
affairs, and in such different manner, supposing we were to expect nothing but
death, we addressed our selves in our extremity to the true, for protection against
the counterfeit God : and it pleas’d Him to have compassion on us, and by His
infinite goodness to moderate the fury of Caius, who commanded us to withdraw,
and went away himself, only saying to those who were next him, ‘ These people
are not so bad, as unfortunate and besotted not to believe me to be of divine
nature. ’
“In this manner we departed not only from his judgment, but from his theater,
and prison, for what was it but a theater, where we were laughed at and derided ?
And the rigors of a prison are they comparable to the torments we endured from
so many blasphemies against God, and so many menaces from an enraged tyrant
against us? Because ours (forsooth) was the only nation, that obstructed his
being owned for a god.
“ Upon this we desisted, and respited for a while, not out of love to our lives,
for could our death have been serviceable to the conservation of our laws, we
would have embrac’d it with joy, as conducting us to a happy eternity. But be-
cause besides this it would have been destructive to our laws, and offensive to
those who sent us, for as much as the management of such things are usually
judged by their success, we comforted our selves in some measure, that we had
escaped such a danger, yet not without continuing in great apprehensions, what
judgment the Emperour would give. For how could he be informed of the equity
of our cause, when he vouchsafed not so much as to hear us ? And what could
be more cruel, than to see the safety of our whole nation depend upon the
manner, after which we five (who were Embassadors) should be treated? For if