That evening Vergilius went to feast with the young Herodian prince, Antipater of Judea.

The son of Herod was then a tall, swarthy, robust young man, who had come to see life in Rome and to finish his education.

He would inherit the crown--so said they who knew anything of Herodian politics; but he was a Jew, and deep in the red intrigue of his father's house.

So, therefore, he was regarded in Rome with more curiosity than respect.

Augustus himself had said that he would rather be the swine of Herod than Herod's son, and he might have added that he would rather be the swine of Antipater than his father.