Loudly he cursed his wife's temper, that would have wasted a slave worth a "hundred thousand sesterces" to gratify a mere burst of passion.
"Yes, he was willing to sell the boy to accommodate his excellency, Quintus Drusus," said Calatinus, "although he was a valuable slave.
Still, in honesty he had to admit that Agias had some mischievous points.

Calatinus had boxed his ears only the day before for licking the pastry.

But, since his wife disliked the fellow, he would be constrained to sell him, if a purchaser would take him." The result of the conference was that Drusus, who had inherited that keen eye for business which went with most of his race, purchased Agias for thirty thousand sesterces, considerably less than the boy would have brought in the market.
While Drusus was handing over a money order payable with Flaccus, Lucius Ahenobarbus again came forward, with all seeming friendliness.
"My dear Quintus," said he, "Marcus Laeca has commissioned me to find a ninth guest to fill his _triclinium_[54] this evening.

We should be delighted if you would join us.

I don't know what the good Marcus will offer us to-night, but you can be sure of a slice of peacock[55] and a few other nice bits." [54] Dining room with couch seats for nine, the regular size.
[55] The _ne plus ultra_ of Roman gastronomy at the time.
"I am very grateful," replied Drusus, who felt all the while that Lucius Ahenobarbus was the last man in the world with whom he cared to spend an evening's carousing; "but," and here he concocted a white lie, "an old friend I met in Athens has already invited me to spend the night, and I cannot well refuse him.