登陆注册
5371300000011

第11章

Fastly we fleet, then seize our wings, And plunge us deep in the sparkling springs;And aye, as we rise with a dripping plume, We'll scatter the spray round the garland's bloom;We glow--we glow, Behold, as the girls of the Eastern wave Bore once with a shout to the crystal cave The prize of the Mysian Hylas, Even so--even so, We have caught the young god in our warm embrace We hurry him on in our laughing race;We hurry him on, with a whoop and song, The cloudy rivers of night along--Ho, ho!--we have caught thee, Psilas!

The guests applauded loudly. When the poet is your host, his verses are sure to charm.

'Thoroughly Greek,' said Lepidus: 'the wildness, force, and energy of that tongue, it is impossible to imitate in the Roman poetry.'

'It is, indeed, a great contrast,' said Clodius, ironically at heart, though not in appearance, 'to the old-fashioned and tame simplicity of that ode of Horace which we heard before. The air is beautifully Ionic: the word puts me in mind of a toast--Companions, I give you the beautiful Ione.'

'Ione!--the name is Greek,' said Glaucus, in a soft voice. 'I drink the health with delight. But who is Ione?'

'Ah! you have but just come to Pompeii, or you would deserve ostracism for your ignorance,' said Lepidus, conceitedly; 'not to know Ione, is not to know the chief charm of our city.'

'She is of the most rare beauty,' said Pansa; 'and what a voice!'

'She can feed only on nightingales' tongues,' said Clodius.

'Nightingales' tongues!--beautiful thought!' sighed the umbra.

'Enlighten me, I beseech you,' said Glaucus.

'Know then...' began Lepidus.

'Let me speak,' cried Clodius; 'you drawl out your words as if you spoke tortoises.'

'And you speak stones,' muttered the coxcomb to himself, as he fell back disdainfully on his couch.

'Know then, my Glaucus,' said Clodius, 'that Ione is a stranger who has but lately come to Pompeii. She sings like Sappho, and her songs are her own composing; and as for the tibia, and the cithara, and the lyre, I know not in which she most outdoes the Muses. Her beauty is most dazzling. Her house is perfect; such taste--such gems--such bronzes! She is rich, and generous as she is rich.'

'Her lovers, of course,' said Glaucus, 'take care that she does not starve;and money lightly won is always lavishly spent.'

'Her lovers--ah, there is the enigma!--Ione has but one vice--she is chaste.

She has all Pompeii at her feet, and she has no lovers: she will not even marry.'

'No lovers!' echoed Glaucus.

'No; she has the soul of Vestal with the girdle of Venus.'

'What refined expressions!' said the umbra.

'A miracle!' cried Glaucus. 'Can we not see her?'

'I will take you there this evening, said Clodius; 'meanwhile...' added he, once more rattling the dice.

'I am yours!' said the complaisant Glaucus. 'Pansa, turn your face!'

Lepidus and Sallust played at odd and even, and the umbra looked on, while Glaucus and Clodius became gradually absorbed in the chances of the dice.

'By Pollux!' cried Glaucus, 'this is the second time I have thrown the caniculae' (the lowest throw).

'Now Venus befriend me!' said Clodius, rattling the box for several moments.

'O Alma Venus--it is Venus herself!' as he threw the highest cast, named from that goddess--whom he who wins money, indeed, usually propitiates!

'Venus is ungrateful to me,' said Glaucus, gaily; 'I have always sacrificed on her altar.'

'He who plays with Clodius,' whispered Lepidus, 'will soon, like Plautus's Curculio, put his pallium for the stakes.'

'Poor Glaucus!--he is as blind as Fortune herself,' replied Sallust, in the same tone.

'I will play no more,' said Glaucus; 'I have lost thirty sestertia.'

'I am sorry...' began Clodius.

'Amiable man!' groaned the umbra.

'Not at all!' exclaimed Glaucus; 'the pleasure I take in your gain compensates the pain of my loss.'

The conversation now grew general and animated; the wine circulated more freely; and Ione once more became the subject of eulogy to the guests of Glaucus.

'Instead of outwatching the stars, let us visit one at whose beauty the stars grow pale,' said Lepidus.

Clodius, who saw no chance of renewing the dice, seconded the proposal; and Glaucus, though he civilly pressed his guests to continue the banquet, could not but let them see that his curiosity had been excited by the praises of Ione: they therefore resolved to adjourn (all, at least, but Pansa and the umbra) to the house of the fair Greek. They drank, therefore, to the health of Glaucus and of Titus--they performed their last libation--they resumed their slippers--they descended the stairs--passed the illumined atrium--and walking unbitten over the fierce dog painted on the threshold, found themselves beneath the light of the moon just risen, in the lively and still crowded streets of Pompeii.

They passed the jewellers' quarter, sparkling with lights, caught and reflected by the gems displayed in the shops, and arrived at last at the door of Ione. The vestibule blazed with rows of lamps; curtains of embroidered purple hung on either aperture of the tablinum, whose walls and mosaic pavement glowed with the richest colors of the artist; and under the portico which surrounded the odorous viridarium they found Ione, already surrounded by adoring and applauding guests!

'Did you say she was Athenian?' whispered Glaucus, ere he passed into the peristyle.

'No, she is from Neapolis.'

'Neapolis!' echoed Glaucus; and at that moment the group, dividing on either side of Ione, gave to his view that bright, that nymph-like beauty, which for months had shone down upon the waters of his memory.

同类推荐
  • 月涧禅师语录

    月涧禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 十诵羯磨比丘要用一卷

    十诵羯磨比丘要用一卷

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Catherine

    Catherine

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Dickory Cronke

    Dickory Cronke

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 发史

    发史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 真实之理

    真实之理

    星空之上,大地之下究竟藏着多少神秘?当历史成为史诗,史诗变成传说,传说化为神话。当曾经的历史成为寓言,那么所有的荣耀便归为乌有。真相可以掩埋吗?没有人知道。但我们唯一知道的是:那双眼睛被第一缕阳光照亮的那一刻,世界有点不一样了。书友群:320550939
  • 盛唐烟云4:天净沙

    盛唐烟云4:天净沙

    当发现自己已经无路可退之后,王洵决定放手一搏,带领麾下六百多名弟兄和商队请来的保镖、刚刚收编的两伙马匪,直扑昔日的大宛国的都城柘折。并以大唐天使的身份,命令药刹水沿岸众诸侯,速速领兵前来助战。药刹水沿岸诸侯既不敢招惹大唐,又不相信王洵凭着不到两千乌合之众能攻破号称西域第一坚城的柘折。表面上带兵到城外“襄助王师”,实际却打起了坐收渔利的主意。却不料王洵一战破城,彻底震慑了西域各国的军心民心。
  • 萌妃妈咪猛如虎

    萌妃妈咪猛如虎

    要不是体内的药-物作祟,她发誓她绝对不会那么没有情操的找个男人打野战,还是霸王硬上弓,强上了那个美的不像人的男人的!可是,她只不过是强了一个男人,她不是说过会负责的么?为什么老天爷会闪劈她?还无比悲催的把她劈成了一只萌兽!诡异来袭,所有动物竟听她召唤,还对她俯首称臣?!!※颜封绝,穿云国随手一挥就可置人于死地的嗜血阴冷的王爷,没想到有一天竟会碰到一个女人,胆子大的敢强上他!!!还信誓旦旦的对他说,她会负责?她所谓的负责,就是吃完就跑?该死的女人!好!真的很好!瞥了一眼地下跪了一地,铠甲银盔的属下,眼中寒光四射,扬起了一抹阴邪的笑:“掘地三尺,将昨晚出现在这儿的女子给我带回来!”“------”※精彩片段:“王爷,不好了,狸儿又带领着两千只老鼠把架尘国公主的府邸给搅了!”颜封绝看着手上的书,连头也没抬的道,“搅了就搅了,不就是个破公主府,那个女人我早就看不顺眼了!”“可是,王爷,那是我们未来的皇后娘娘,您的皇嫂!”“飞鸽传书给皇兄,让他取消这次的联姻。他要的,我给他打回来。”“------”※精彩片段:“狸儿怎么样了?”颜封绝望着床上病怏怏的白狐,万年不变的脸上暴怒异常,眼中满是疼惜。御医跪在地上瑟瑟发抖,“启,启禀王爷,灵、灵、狐,有、有喜了。”“你说什么!!有喜?”颜封绝阴冷的盯着地上的人,哪只畜生敢碰他的狸儿,竟敢说他家的狸儿有喜了?“来人,把这庸医给我拖下去砍了!”十月后,王府内华丽丽的诞生了--------一个胖娃娃和一只胖嘟嘟的小狐狸!!!震惊朝野——————当今太后抱着那冷着脸,模样拽拽的胖娃娃,慈祥的道,“绝儿,你瞧这孩子,多机灵。你瞧这可爱的模样,长得和你小时候可真是一模一样呢。”“------”
  • 奔涌的呼兰河

    奔涌的呼兰河

    在以往有些关于萧红的记述里,都把她离家出走的原因说成是逃婚。真是这样的吗?随着实事求是精神的深入,历史的真实情况越来越明晰了。老天之所以塑造出一个萧红,除了她的天赋,还有她的命运走向,使她在坠到命运的深渊之际,幸运地结识了萧军、舒群等一批仗义执言的人,把她从厄运里拯救出来。而造成她悲剧大于喜剧的命运,与她的早慧和倔强的个性是分不开的。萧红原名张乃莹,1911年6月1日(农历五月初五),生于呼兰县城张氏人家。祖父张维祯,有房产和地产,是呼兰县城一位很有名气的乡绅。其一生对书情有独钟,除了书籍,再没其他嗜好。
  • 总裁太腹黑,宝贝别闹了

    总裁太腹黑,宝贝别闹了

    “告诉我,他到底哪里好!值得让你红了眼眶,却还笑着原谅?!”昏暗的卧室内,他冷沉着俊颜,怒视着面前被他牢牢桎梏着的女人。“他是我的未婚夫,你什么都不是!请问顾总是以什么立场来问我这个问题?”顾衍深伸手紧捏她的下颚,冷笑勾唇,“韩梨洛,在你和集团之间,你猜他的选择是什么?”她乍见那隐藏在他假意笑颜之下的诡谲神情,她脸色苍白……“顾衍深,我讨厌你,更讨厌这样爱你的自己!”他将她紧紧搂在怀里,唇角扬起似有若无的笑:“讨厌?昨晚不是还很喜欢?”
  • 上清诸真章奏

    上清诸真章奏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 老干部工作实录

    老干部工作实录

    干部是党和国家的宝贵财富,挖掘利用好这一群体的丰富资源,是做好新形势下老干部工作和关心下一代工作的重要内容,是推动科学发展,促进社会和谐的内在要求,《老干部工作实录》全书主要积累了服务老干部的一些工作方法。
  • 岁月有张凶手的脸

    岁月有张凶手的脸

    一次初中老同学聚会,引出四起汽车连环爆炸案;七名可能的犯罪嫌疑人,五个似是而非的真相;慢吞吞的女警携手颜值爆表的中学英语老师联合破案——他们是希望破解迷局,还是另有所图?一手遮天的高官、貌合神离的夫妇、游走爱欲边缘的职业二奶、濒临破产的小企业主、甚至于行走于世俗的僧人……每一个人都在说谎,每一个人都在试图掩饰他们所知的“真相”。十五天的推理追踪,倒计时48小时的最后通牒……当枪声在最后一秒响起——也许,人人都是凶手。当美德在某些时刻表现为软弱,而恶行却在沉默中彰显着力量时,是这个世界在崩坏,还是我们早已不是最初的自己?
  • 皇上后面站,本宫罩着你

    皇上后面站,本宫罩着你

    她是浴火重生的凤凰,他是翻云覆雨的苍龙,强强联手平青山派、闹皇宫、闯逍遥城、护灵族、平天下。本文一男配一女,也有纯爱官配。感人微虐,微喜。已完结~放心看~番外在新书里面~《我觉得,咱们可以发展一下》~爷爷和大伯的爱恨纠葛~纯爱,不喜慎入,本人不好虐,基本就是轻松愉快,剧情需要会小虐一下~本书属于慢热型~
  • 观念

    观念

    全球最畅销图书《致加西亚的信》的作者继《自动自发》之后的又一颠峰力作。一本改变人生和命运的必读书。 《观念》一书是从阿尔伯特·哈伯德众多著作中浓缩出来的商业思想的精华,书中洋溢着勤奋、敬业、忠诚、主动的“罗文精神”,强调转变观念才能改变一生,是继《致加西亚的信》、《自动自发》之后所有公务员和公司职员的又一必读之书。