Page:The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter (1922), vol. 1.djvu/291

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PETRONIUS ARBITER
 

to the capitol, and that no one may question the propriety of praying for money, it even decorates Jupiter himself with spoils! Do not hesitate, therefore, at expressing your surprise at the deterioration of painting, since, by all the gods and men alike, a lump of gold is held to be more beautiful than anything ever created by those crazy little Greek fellows, Apelles and Phydias!


CHAPTER THE EIGHTY-NINTH. “But I see that your whole attention is held by that picture which portrays the destruction of Troy, so I will attempt to unfold the story in verse:


And now the tenth harvest beheld the beleaguered of Troia
Worn out with anxiety, fearing: the honor of Calchas
The prophet, hung wavering deep in the blackest despair.
Apollo commanded! The forested peaks of Mount Ida
Were felled and dragged down; the hewn timbers were fitted to fashion
A war-horse. Unfilled is a cavity left, and this cavern,

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