dressing her； she cried
〃What will they say when they see that I have a monk of the Thebaid
for my lover？〃
THE BANQUET
When； followed by Paphnutius； Thais entered the banqueting…room； the
guests were already； for the most part； assembled； and reclining on
their couches before the horseshoe table； which was covered with
glittering vessels。 In the centre of the table stood a silver basin；
surmounted by four figures of satyrs； who poured out from wine…skins
on the boiled fish a kind of pickle in which they floated。 When Thais
appeared； acclamations arose from all sides。
Greetings to the sister of the Graces！
To the silent Melpomene； who can express all things with her looks！
Salutation to the well…beloved of gods and men！
To the much desired！
To her who gives suffering and its cure！
To the pearl of Racotis！
To the rose of Alexandria！
She waited impatiently till this torrent of praise had passed； and
then said to Cotta； the host
〃Lucius； I have brought you a monk of the desert； Paphnutius； the
Abbot of Antinoe。 He is a great saint； whose words burn like fire。〃
Lucius Aurelius Cotta； the Prefect of the Fleet； rose； and replied
〃You are welcome； Paphnutius； you who profess the Christian faith。 I
myself have some respect of a religion that has now become imperial。
The divine Constantine has placed your co…religionists in the front
rank of the friends of the empire。 Latin wisdom ought； in fact； to
admit your Christ into our pantheon。 It was a maxim of our forefathers
that there was something divine in every god。 But no more of that。 Let
us drink and enjoy ourselves while there is yet time。〃
Old Cotta spoke tranquilly。 He had just studied a new model for a
galley； and had finished the sixth book of his history of the
Carthaginians。 He felt sure he had not lost his day； and was satisfied
with himself and the gods。
〃Paphnutius；〃 he added； 〃you see here several men who are worthy to be
lovedHermodorus； the High Priest of Serapis； the philosophers
Dorion； Nicias； and Zenothemis； the poet Callicrates； young Chereas
and young Aristobulus； both sons of dear old comrades； and near them
Philina and Drosea； who deserve to be praised for their beauty。〃
Nicias embraced Paphnutius； and whispered in his ear
〃I warned you； brother； that Venus was powerful。 It is her gentle
force that has brought you here in spite of yourself。 Listen： you are
a man full of piety； but if you do not confess that she is the mother
of the gods； your ruin is certain。 Do you know that the old
mathematician； Melanthes； used to say； 'I cannot demonstrate the
properties of a triangle without the aid of Venus'？〃
Dorion； who had for some seconds been looking at the new…comer；
suddenly clapped his hands and uttered a cry of surprise。
〃It is he； friends！ His look； his beard； his tunicit is he himself！
I met him at the theatre whilst our Thais was acting。 He was furiously
excited； and spoke with violence； as I can testify。 He is an honest
man； but he will abuse us all； his eloquence is terrible。 If Marcus is
the Plato of the Christians； Paphnutius is the Demosthenes。 Epicurus；
in his little garden； never heard the like。〃
Philina and Drosea； however； devoured Thais with their eyes。 She wore
on her fair hair a wreath of pale violets； each flower of which
recalled； in a paler hue； the colour of her eyes； so that the flowers
looked like softened glances； and the eyes like sparkling flowers。 It
was the peculiar gift of this woman； on her everything lived； and was
soul and harmony。 Her robe； which was of mauve spangled with silver；
trailed in long folds with a grace that was almost melancholy and was
not relieved by either bracelets or necklaces。 The chief charm of her
appearance was her beautiful bare arms。 The two friends were obliged
to admire； in spite of themselves the robe and head…dress of Thais；
though they said nothing to her on the subject。
〃How beautiful you are！〃 said Philina。 〃You could not have been more
so when you came to Alexandria。 Yet my mother； who remembers seeing
you then； says there were few women who were worthy to be compared
with you。〃
〃Who is the new lover you have brought？〃 asked Drosea。 〃He has a
strange； wild appearance。 If there are shepherds of elephants；
assuredly he must resemble one。 Where did you find such a wild…looking
friend； Thais？ Was it amongst the troglodytes who live under the
earth； and are grimy with the smoke of Hades？〃
But Philina put her finger on Drosea's lips。
〃Hush！ the mysteries of love must remain secret； and it is forbidden
to know them。 For my own part； certainly； I would rather be kissed by
the mouth of smoking Etna than by the lips of that man。 But our dear
Thais； who is beautiful and adorable as the goddesses； should； like
the goddesses； grant all requests； and not； like us； only those of
nice young men。〃
〃Take care； both of you！〃 replied Thais。 〃He is a mage and an
enchanter。 He hears words that are whispered； and even thoughts。 He
will tear out your heart while you are asleep； and put a sponge in its
place； and the next day； when you drink water； you will be choked to
death。〃
She watched them grow pale； then she turned away from them； and sat on
a couch by the side of Paphnutius。 The voice of Cotta； kind but
imperious； was suddenly heard above the murmur of conversation。
〃Friends； let each take his place！ Slaves； pour out the honeyed wine！〃
Then； the host raising his cup
〃Let us first drink to the divine Constantine and the genius of the
empire。 The country should be put first of all； even above the gods；
for it contains them all。〃
All the guests raised their full cups to their lips。 Paphnutius alone
did not drink； because Constantine had persecuted the Nicaean faith；
and because the country of the Christian is not of this world。
Dorion； having drunk； murmured
〃What is one's country？ A flowing river。 The shores change； and the
waves are incessantly renewed。〃
〃I know； Dorion；〃 replied the Prefect of the Fleet； 〃that you care
little for the civic virtues； and you think that the sage ought to
hold himself aloof from all affairs。 I think； on the contrary； that an
honest man should desire nothing better than to fill a responsible
post in the State。 The State is a noble thing。〃
Hermodorus； the High Priest of Serapis； spoke next
〃Dorion has asked； 'What is one's country？' I will reply that the
altars of the gods and the tombs of ancestors make one's country。 A
man is a fellow…citizen by association of memories and hopes。〃
Young Aristobulus interrupted Hermodorus。
〃By Castor！ I saw a splendid horse to…day。 It belonged to Demophoon。
It has a fine head； small jaw； and strong forelegs。 It carries its
neck high and proud； like a cock。〃
But young Chereas shook his head。
〃It is not such a good horse as you say； Aristobulus。 Its hoofs are
thin； and the pasterns are too low； the animal will soon go lame。〃
They were continuing their dispute； when Drosea uttered a piercing
shriek。
〃Oh！ I nearly swallowed a fish…bone； as long and much sharper than a
style。 Luckily； I was able to get it out of my throat in time！ The
gods love me！〃
〃Did you say； Drosea； that the gods loved you？〃 asked Nicias； smiling。
〃Then they must share the same infirmities as men。 Love presupposes
unhappiness on the part of whoever suffers from it； and is a proof of
weakness。 The affection they feel for Drosea is a great proof of the
imperfection of the gods。〃
At these words Drosea flew into a great rage。
〃Nicias； your remarks are foolish and not to the point。 But that is
your characteryou never understand what is said； and reply in words
devoid of sense。〃
Nicias smiled again。
〃Talk away； talk away； Drosea。 Whatever you say； we are glad every
time you open your mouth。 Your teeth are so pretty！〃
At that moment； a grave…looking old man； negligently dressed； walking
slowly； with his head high； entered the room； and gazed at the guests
quietly。 Cotta made a sign to him to take a place by his side； on the
same couch。
〃Eucrites；〃 he said； 〃you are welcome。 Have you composed a new
treatise on philosophy this month？ That would make； if I calculate
correctly； the ninety…second that has proceeded from the Nile reed you
direct with an Attic hand。〃
Eucrites replied； stroking his silver beard
〃The nightingale was created to sing； and I was created to praise the
immortal gods。〃
DORION。 Let us respectfully salute； in Eucrites； the last of the
stoics。 Grave and white； he stands in the midst of us like the image
of an ancestor。 He is solitary amidst a crowd of men； and the words he
utters are not heard。
EUCRITES。 You deceive yourself； Dorion。 The philosophy of virtue is
not dead。 I have numerous disciples in Alexandria； Rome； and
Constantinople。 Many of the slaves； and some of the nephews of Caesar；
now know how to govern themselves； to live independently； and being
unconcerned with all affairs； they enjoy boundless happiness。 Many of
them have revived； in their own person； Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius。
But if it were true that virtue were for ever extinguished upon the
earth； in what way would the loss of it affect my happiness； since it
did not depend on me whether it existed or perished？ Only fools；
Dorion； place their happiness out of their own power。 I desire nothing
that the gods do not wish； and I desire all that they do wish。 By that
means I render myself like unto them； and share their infallible
content。 If virtue perishes； I consent that it should perish； and that
consent fills me with joy； as the supreme effort of my reason or my
courage。 In all things my wisdom will copy the divine wisdom； and the
copy will be more valuable than the model； it will have cost greater
care and more work。
NICIAS。 I understand。 You put yourself on the same level as divine
providence。 But if virtue consists only in effort； Eucrites； and in
that intense application by which the disciples of Zeno pretend to
render themselves equal to the gods； the frog； which swelled itself
out to try and become as big as the ox； accomplished a masterpiece of
stoicism。
EUCRITES。 You jest； Nicias； and； as usual； you excel in ridicule。 But
if the ox of which