He begged haste, however, fearing lest he might be suspected of want of zeal in carrying out orders.
The moment of parting came.

The eyes of Pomponia and Lygia were filled with fresh tears; Aulus placed his hand on her head again, and after a while the soldiers, followed by the cry of little Aulus, who in defence of his sister threatened the centurion with his small fists, conducted Lygia to Caesar's house.
The old general gave command to prepare his litter at once; meanwhile, shutting himself up with Pomponia in the pinacotheca adjoining the oecus, he said to her,--"Listen to me, Pomponia.

I will go to Caesar, though I judge that my visit will be useless; and though Seneca's word means nothing with Nero now, I will go also to Seneca.

To-day Sophonius, Tigellinus, Petronius, or Vatinius have more influence.

As to Caesar, perhaps he has never even heard of the Lygian people; and if he has demanded the delivery of Lygia, the hostage, he has done so because some one persuaded him to it,--it is easy to guess who could do that." She raised her eyes to him quickly.
"Is it Petronius ?" "It is." A moment of silence followed; then the general continued,--"See what it is to admit over the threshold any of those people without conscience or honor.