Even better than Fabia he understood how reckless a profligate Publius Gabinius might be, and how opportune was the night for carrying out any deed of darkness.
[159] Wine-mixing bowl.
"Brave girl!" he said, commending Erigone for persevering on her errand.

"But how long ago did you leave your mistress ?" "It was the second hour of the night[160] when I started," she replied.
[160] The Romans divided the night into 12 hours (from sunrise to sunset); thus the length of the hour varied with the seasons: but at the time here mentioned the "second hour" was about 8 P.M.

The water-clocks could show only regular, not solar, time.
Agias glanced at the water-clock.
"By Zeus!" he cried, "it is now the fourth hour! You have been two hours on the way! Immortal gods! What's to be done?
Look here, Demetrius!" And he thrust the letter before his cousin, and explained its meaning as rapidly as he could.
Demetrius puffed hard through his nostrils.
"_Mu! mu!_ This is bad business.

If there were time I could have twenty as stout men as ever swung sword up from the yacht and on guard to die for any relative or friend of Sextus Drusus.

But there's not a moment to lose.