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541 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1896
Qu艒 v膩dis?
Nero, however, inquired in a honeyed voice, in which more or less deeply wounded vanity was quivering,鈥� 鈥淲hat defect dost thou find in them?鈥� 鈥淒o not believe them,鈥� said Petronius, attacking him, and pointing to those present; 鈥渢hey understand nothing. Thou hast asked what defect there is in thy verses. If thou desire truth, I will tell thee. Thy verses would be worthy of Virgil, of Ovid, even of Homer, but they are not worthy of thee. Thou art not free to write such. The conflagration described by thee does not blaze enough; thy fire is not hot enough. Listen not to Lucan鈥檚 flatteries. Had he written those verses, I should acknowledge him a genius, but thy case is different. And know thou why? Thou art greater than they. From him who is gifted of the gods as thou art, more is demanded. But thou art slothful,鈥攖hou wouldst rather sleep after dinner than sit to wrinkles. Thou canst create a work such as the world has not heard of to this day; hence I tell thee to thy eyes, write better!鈥� And he said this carelessly, as if bantering and also chiding; but C忙sar鈥檚 eyes were mist-covered from delight.鈥�For all that I enjoyed Petronius, Chilo was still the most interesting character study. He is thoroughly despicable in the beginning鈥攊n every way imaginable. His weaselly, groveling lies are despicably admirable; even more to see him caught in them. Then as the story progresses, and he seems to reach new levels of depravity something of the evil miasma all around him begins to have its affect, or was it the remembered kindness the Christians showed him? Chilo is worth watching.