The stern and haughty
Cassius, who had so often tightened the cords of discipline until they
threatened to snap asunder, now found, experimentally, the bitterness of
these obvious truths. The trembling sentinel now looked insolently in his
face; the cowering legionary, with whom "to hear was to obey," now mused
or even bandied words upon his orders; the great lieutenants of his
office, who stood next to his own person in authority, were preparing for
revolt, open or secret, as circumstances should prescribe; not the accuser
only, but the very avenger, was upon his steps; Nemesis, that Nemesis who
once so closely adhered to the name and fortunes of the lawful Caesar,
turning against every one of his assassins the edge of his own
assassinating sword, was already at his heels; and in the midst of a
sudden prosperity, and its accompanying shouts of gratulation, he heard
the sullen knells of approaching death. Antioch, it was true, the great
Roman capital of the Orient, bore him, for certain motives of self-
interest, peculiar good-will. But there was no city of the world in which
the Roman Caesar did not reckon many liege-men and partisans.
Pages:
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236