Vinicius was the son of his oldest sister, who years before had married Marcus Vinicius, a man of consular dignity from the time of Tiberius.

The young man was serving then under Corbulo against the Parthians, and at the close of the war had returned to the city.
Petronius had for him a certain weakness bordering on attachment, for Marcus was beautiful and athletic, a young man who knew how to preserve a certain aesthetic measure in his profligacy; this, Petronius prized above everything.
"A greeting to Petronius," said the young man, entering the tepidarium with a springy step.

"May all the gods grant thee success, but especially Asklepios and Kypris, for under their double protection nothing evil can meet one." "I greet thee in Rome, and may thy rest be sweet after war," replied Petronius, extending his hand from between the folds of soft karbas stuff in which he was wrapped.

"What's to be heard in Armenia; or since thou wert in Asia, didst thou not stumble into Bithynia ?" Petronius on a time had been proconsul in Bithynia, and, what is more, he had governed with energy and justice.

This was a marvellous contrast in the character of a man noted for effeminacy and love of luxury; hence he was fond of mentioning those times, as they were a proof of what he had been, and of what he might have become had it pleased him.
"I happened to visit Heraklea," answered Vinicius.