helping ourselves is out of the question now, I wish we could say to that cistern
"You know the story, Taressus, of the short man who fell off a tall mare, of his own self he could not mount her, so falling on his knees he called on great Jove to assist him, then he sprang, but came no higher than the stirrups, whereupon he cried to the Earth Shaker, and leaped as high as the girth; he called upon arrow-shaking Apollo with no better success; he prayed to yellow Ceres, to Castor, to Mars, but for all that could not get into the saddle, then he fell to praying that all the gods together might assist him, and stepping back to make a great leap he sprang over the horse."
"For my part," said Taressus, laughing, "I am not sure but that this is a mark of their fury for the number of Nazarenes in the place."
"The Christians to the dogs!" exclaimed Claudius, "I could believe them to be the cause of it by their enchantments, only that they suffer as much as others in the drought."
"You heard how the oracles are put to silence by them," said Taressus, "there is always some trouble they are causing us."
" And the sect is gaining ground fast; their new Bishop, may Mars confound him! is making proselytes very fast, they say that he is most active in persuading them."
"They will not get many converts now," said
