If this be true, if he at the request of Pomponia will occupy himself with thee, nothing threatens thee; and who knows if Nero may not send thee back to Aulus at his persuasion?
I know not whether Nero loves him over much, but I know that rarely has he the courage to be of an opinion opposite to his." "Ah, Acte!" answered Lygia; "Petronius was with us before they took me, and my mother was convinced that Nero demanded my surrender at his instigation." "That would be bad," said Acte.

But she stopped for a while, and then said,--"Perhaps Petronius only said, in Nero's presence at some supper, that he saw a hostage of the Lygians at Aulus's, and Nero, who is jealous of his own power, demanded thee only because hostages belong to Caesar.

But he does not like Aulus and Pomponia.

No! it does not seem to me that if Petronius wished to take thee from Aulus he would use such a method.

I do not know whether Petronius is better than others of Caesar's court, but he is different.