mouthpiece, whilst the Demarch acted as spokesman for the Faction concerned. At the outset one Calopodius was named as the object of complaint, doubtless the executive officer of the Praefect of the City, whose brutality in preserving order had awakened the resentment of the masses: D. "I am oppressed; I can bear it no longer, God knows." M. "Who is in fault? we know of no one." D. "Thrice August, I fear to name him." M. "Of whom do you complain? We have no idea of the person meant." D. "Master of us all, it is Calopodius the centurion." M. "Calopodius is not in authority." D. "May the lot of Judas be his! God will pay him out." M. "You have come here to insult the magistrates, not to look on at the games." D. "I say, may he suffer like Judas!" M. "Hold your tongue, Jews, Manichaeans, Samaritans!" D. "Oh, you call us Jews and Samaritans! Holy Virgin, be with us!" M. "I do, and bid you all to get baptized in the name of the One."[1] D. "Oh, bring the water; let us be baptized as you say." M. "I will have your heads cut off." D. "Oh, we must not speak the truth for fear of losing our heads. Take no offence, Emperor, I have some right to liberty." M. "Rascals, will you risk your lives?" D. "Would that Sabbatius had never been born! Then a son of his would not have been a murderer. Who killed the wood-seller at the Zeugma?" M. "You killed him." D. "Who killed the son of Epagathus?" M. "You killed him also, and you say the Blues did it." So far the Blues had maintained a sullen silence, but at this suggestion some of them were roused to taunt the Greens. Presently the latter all trooped out of the Circus, exclaiming, "Good-*bye to justice! We will turn Jews; better to be a Pagan than
- ↑ This taunt evidently means, "You are not fit to be Christians; abandon the Trinity and join the infidel monotheists."
