He derided me, maligned me and had often thwarted me from, apparently, mere spitefulness.
As I knew his evil gaze on me I now, in my weakened condition, somehow felt unable to bear it.
Yet I was somewhat buoyed up, as I stood there, by a recurrence of thoughts which I had often had before under similar circumstances.

Most men of my rank seemed to take their wealth and position as matters of course.

I never could.

I have, all my life, at times meditated on my good fortune in being a Roman and a Roman of equestrian rank.

While waiting in the great Audience Hall of the Palace, especially, the emotions aroused by these meditations often became so poignant as almost to overcome me, on this day in particular.