Caesar took his friends to the games, and watched with all apparent interest the rather sanguinary contests between the gladiators.

Drusus noticed the effusive loyalty of the Ravenna citizens, who shouted a tumultuous welcome to the illustrious _editor_, but Caesar acted precisely as though the presidency of the sports were his most important office.

Only his young admirer observed that as often as a gladiator brought his opponent down and appealed to the _editor_ for a decision on the life or death of the vanquished, Caesar invariably waved his handkerchief, a sign of mercy, rather than brutally turned down his thumb, the sentence of death.

After the games, the proconsul interchanged personal greetings with the more prominent townspeople.

Drusus began to wonder whether the whole day and evening were to pass in this manner; and indeed so it seemed, for that night the Imperator dispensed his usual open-handed hospitality.
His great banqueting hall contained indeed no army officers, but there were an abundance of the provincial gentry.