placed　one　on　either　side　of　the　pavilion；　reclined　Vitellius；　his　son
  Aulus；　and　Antipas；　the　proconsul　being　near　the　door；　at　the　left；
  Aulus　on　the　right；　the　tetrarch　occupying　the　middle　couch。
  Antipas　wore　a　heavy　black　mantle；　the　texture　of　which　was　almost
  hidden　by　coloured　embroideries　and　glittering　decorations；　his　beard
  was　spread　out　like　a　fan；　blue　powder　had　been　scattered　over　his
  hair；　and　on　his　head　rested　a　diadem　covered　with　precious　stones。
  Vitellius　still　wore　the　purple　band；　the　emblem　of　his　rank；　crossed
  diagonally　over　a　linen　toga。
  Aulus　had　tied　behind　his　back　the　sleeves　of　his　violet　robe；
  embroidered　with　silver。　His　clustering　curls　were　laid　in　carefully
  arranged　rows；　a　necklace　of　sapphires　gleamed　against　his　throat；
  plump　and　white　as　that　of　a　woman。　Crouched　upon　a　rug　near　him；　with
  legs　crossed　was　a　pretty　white　boy；　upon　whose　face　shone　a　perpetual
  smile。　Aulus　had　found　him　somewhere　among　the　kitchens　and　had　taken
  a　violent　fancy　to　him。　He　had　made　the　child　one　of　his　suite；　but　as
  he　never　could　remember　his　protege's　Chaldean　name；　called　him　simply
  〃the　Asiatic。〃　From　time　to　time　the　little　fellow　sprang　up　and
  played　about　the　dining…table；　and　his　antics　appeared　to　amuse　the
  guests。
  At　one　side　of　the　tetrarch's　pavilion　were　the　tables　at　which　were
  seated　his　priests　and　officers；　also　a　number　of　persons　from
  Jerusalem；　and　the　more　important　men　from　the　Grecian　cities。　At　the
  table　on　the　left　of　the　proconsul　sat　Marcellus　with　the　publicans；
  several　friends　of　the　tetrarch；　and　various　representatives　from
  Cana；　Ptolemais；　and　Jericho。　Seated　at　other　tables　were　mountaineers
  from　Liban　and　many　of　the　old　soldiers　of　Herod's　army；　a　dozen
  Thracians；　a　Greek　and　two　Germans；　besides　huntsmen　and　herdsmen；　the
  Sultan　of　Palmyra；　and　sailors　from　Eziongaber。　Before　each　guest　was
  placed　a　roll　of　soft　bread；　upon　which　to　wipe　the　fingers。　As　soon
  as　they　were　seated；　hands　were　stretched　out　with　the　eagerness　of　a
  vulture's　claws；　seizing　upon　olives；　pistachios；　and　almonds。　Every
  face　was　joyous；　every　head　was　crowned　with　flowers；　except　those　of
  the　Pharisees；　who　refused　to　wear　the　wreaths；　regarding　them　as　a
  symbol　of　Roman　voluptuousness　and　vice。　They　shuddered　when　the
  attendants　sprinkled　them　with　galburnum　and　incense；　the　use　of　which
  the　Pharisees　reserved　strictly　for　services　in　the　Temple。
  Antipas　observed　that　Aulus　rubbed　himself　under　the　arms；　as　if
  annoyed　by　heat　or　chafing；　and　promised　to　give　him　three　flasks　of
  the　same　kind　of　precious　balm　that　had　been　used　by　Cleopatra。
  A　captain　from　the　garrison　of　Tiberias　who　had　just　arrived；　placed
  himself　behind　the　tetrarch　as　protection　in　case　any　unexpected
  trouble　should　arise。　But　his　attention　was　divided　between　observing
  the　movements　of　the　proconsul　and　listening　to　the　conversation　of
  his　neighbours。
  There　was；　naturally；　much　talk　of　Iaokanann；　and　other　men　of　his
  stamp。
  〃It　is　said；〃　remarked　one　of　the　guests；　〃that　Simon　of　Gitta　washed
  away　his　sins　in　fire。　And　a　certain　man　called　Jesus〃
  〃He　is　the　worst　of　them　all！〃　interrupted　Eleazar。　〃A　miserable
  imposter！〃
  At　this　a　man　sprang　up　from　a　table　near　the　tetrarch's　pavilion；　and
  made　his　way　towards　the　place　where　Eleazar　sat。　His　face　was　almost
  as　pale　as　his　linen　robe；　but　he　addressed　the　Pharisees　boldly；
  saying：　〃That　is　a　lie！　Jesus　has　performed　miracles！〃
  Antipas　expressed　a　long…cherished　desire　to　see　the　man　Jesus　perform
  some　of　his　so…called　miracles。　〃You　should　have　brought　him　with
  you；〃　he　said　to　the　last　speaker；　who　was　still　standing。　〃Tell　us
  what　you　know　about　him；〃　he　commanded。
  Then　the　stranger　said　that　he　himself；　whose　name　was　Jacob；　having　a
  daughter　who　was　very　ill；　had　gone　to　Capernaum　to　implore　the　Master
  to　heal　his　child。　The　Master　had　answered　him；　saying：　〃Return　to　thy
  home：　she　is　healed！〃　And　he　had　found　his　daughter　standing　at　the
  threshold　of　his　house；　having　risen　from　her　couch　when　the　gnomon
  had　marked　the　third　hour；　the　same　moment　when　he　had　made　his
  supplication　to　Jesus。
  The　Pharisees　admitted　that　certain　mysterious　arts　and　powerful　herbs
  existed　that　would　heal　the　sick。　It　was　said　that　the　marvellous
  plant　known　as　〃baaras〃　grew　even　in　Machaerus；　the　power　of　which
  rendered　its　consumer　invulnerable　against　all　attacks；　but　to　cure
  disease　without　seeing　or　touching　the　afflicted　person　was　clearly
  impossible；　unless；　indeed；　the　man　Jesus　called　in　the　assistance　of
  evil　spirits。
  The　friends　of　Antipas　and　the　men　from　Galilee　nodded　wisely；　saying：
  〃It　is　evident　that　he　is　aided　by　demons　of　some　sort！〃
  Jacob；　standing　between　their　table　and　that　of　the　priests；
  maintained　a　silence　at　once　lofty　and　respectful。
  Several　voices　exclaimed：　〃Prove　his　power　to　us！〃
  Jacob　leaned　over　the　priests'　table；　and　said　slowly；　in　a　half…
  suppressed　tone；　as　if　awe…struck　by　his　own　words：
  〃Know　ye　not；　then；　that　He　is　the　Messiah？〃
  The　priests　stared　at　one　another；　and　Vitellius　demanded　the　meaning
  of　the　word。　His　interpreter　paused　a　moment　before　translating　it。
  Then　he　said　that　Messiah　was　the　name　to　be　given　to　one　who　was　to
  come；　bringing　the　enjoyment　of　all　blessings；　and　giving　them
  domination　over　all　the　peoples　of　the　earth。　Certain　persons　believed
  that　there　were　to　be　two　Messiahs；　one　would　be　vanquished　by　Gog　and
  Magog；　the　demons　of　the　North；　but　the　other　would　exterminate　the
  Prince　of　Evil；　and　for　centuries　the　coming　of　this　Saviour　of
  mankind　had　been　expected　at　any　moment。
  At　this；　the　priests　began　to　talk　in　low　tones　among　themselves。
  Eleazar　addressed　Jacob；　saying　that　it　had　always　been　understood
  that　the　Messiah　would　be　a　son　of　David；　not　of　a　carpenter；　and　that
  he　would　confirm　the　law；　whereas　this　Nazarene　attacked　it。
  Furthermore；　as　a　still　stronger　argument　against　the　pretender；　it
  had　been　promised　that　the　Messiah　should　be　preceded　by　Elias。
  〃But　Elias　has　come！〃　Jacob　answered。
  〃Elias！　Elias！〃　was　repeated　from　one　end　of　the　banqueting…hall　to
  the　other。
  In　imagination；　all　fancied　that　they　could　see　an　old　man；　a　flight
  of　ravens　above　his　head；　standing　before　an　altar；　which　a　flash　of
  lightning　illumined；　revealing　the　idolatrous　priests　that　were　thrown
  into　the　torrent；　and　the　women；　sitting　in　the　galleries；　thought　of
  the　widow　of　Sarepta。
  Jacob　then　declared　that　he　knew　Elias；　that　he　had　seen　him；　and　that
  many　of　the　guests　there　assembled　had　seen　him！
  〃His　name！〃　was　the　cry　from　all　lips。
  〃Iaokanann！〃
  Antipas　fell　back　in　his　chair　as　if　a　heavy　blow　had　struck　him　on
  the　breast。　The　Sadducees　rose　from　their　seats　and　rushed　towards
  Jacob。　Eleazar　raised　his　voice　to　a　shout　in　order　to　make　himself
  heard。　When　order　was　finally　restored；　he　draped　his　mantle　about　his
  shoulders；　and；　with　the　air　of　a　judge；　proceeded　to　put　questions　to
  Jacob。
  〃Since　the　prophet　is　dead〃　he　began。
  Murmurs　interrupted　him。　Many　persons　believed　that　Elias　was　not
  dead；　but　had　only　disappeared。
  Eleazar　rebuked　those　who　had　interrupted　him；　and　continuing；　asked：
  〃And　dost　thou　believe　that　he　has　indeed　come　to　life　again？〃
  〃Why　should　I　not　believe　it？〃　Jacob　replied。
  The　Sadducees　shrugged　their　shoulders。　Jonathas；　opening　wide　his
  little　eyes；　gave　a　forced；　buffoon…like　laugh。　Nothing　could　be　more
  absurd；　said　he；　than　the　idea　that　a　human　body　could　have　eternal
  life；　and　he　declaimed；　for　the　benefit　of　the　proconsul；　this　line
  from　a　contemporaneous　poet：
  Nec　crescit；　nec　post　mortem　durare　videtur。
  By　this　time　Aulus　was　leaning　over　the　side　of　the　pavilion；　with
  pale　face；　a　perspiring　brow；　and　both　hands　outspread　on　his　stomach。
  The　Sadducees　pretended　to　be　deeply　moved　at　the　sight　of　his
  suffering；　thinking　that　perhaps　the　next　day　the　offices　of
  sacrificers　would　be　theirs。　Antipas　appeared　to　be　in　despair　at　his
  guest's　agony。　Vitellius　preserved　a　calm　demeanour；　although　he　felt
  some　anxiety；　for　the　loss　of　his　son　would　mean　the　loss　of　his
  fortune。
  But　Aulus；　quickly　recovering　after　he　had　relieved　his　over…burdened
  stomach；　was　as　eager　to　eat　as　before。
  〃Let　some　one　bring　me　marble…dust；〃　he　commanded；　〃or　clay　of　Naxos；
  sea…wateranything！　Perhaps　it　would　do　me　good　to　bathe。〃
  He　swallowed　a　quantity　of　snow；　then　hesitated　between　a　ragout　and　a
  dish　of　blackbirds；　and　finally　decided　in　favour　of　gourds　served　in
  honey。　The　little　Asiatic　gazed　at　his　master　in　astonishment　and
  admiration；　to　him　this　exhibition　of　gluttony　denoted　a　wonderful
  being　belonging　to　a　superior　race。
  The　feast　went　on。　Slaves　served　the　guests　with　kidneys；　dormice；
  nightingales；　mince…meat　dressed　with　vine…