My old ears just now were listening to no purpose." But Caracalla was so far from forgetting Melissa that although he had attended to the communication brought to him by the ambassadors, and the various dispatches from the senate, he asked for her even at the door of the tablinum.

He had seen her from the balcony looking out on the square; so she had witnessed the reception his soldiers had given him.
The magnificent spectacle must have impressed her and filled her with joy.

He was anxious to hear all this from her own lips, before he settled down to work.
Adverntus whispered to him where he had taken her, to avoid the persecuting glances of the numerous strangers, and Caracalla nodded to him approvingly and went into the next room.
She sat there with the zithern, letting her fingers glide gently over the strings.
On his entering, she drew back hastily; but he cried to her brightly: "Do not disturb yourself.

I love that instrument.

I am having a statue erected to Mesomedes, the great zithern-player--you perhaps know his songs.