"Once when I was lecturing at Rome, Rusticus ... was one of my hearers; and while I was going on, a soldier came in and brought him a letter from the Emperor. And when every one was silent, and I stopped in order to let him read the letter, he declined to do so, and put it aside until I had finished and the audience withdrew; an example of serious and dignified behavior which excited much admiration."
There was, unfortunately, a down-side to "exciting admiration," as Plutarch tell us that sometime later the Emperor, "out of jealousy of his reputation", had the Noble Roman put to death.
Which reminded me of this passage from Plutarch:
ReplyDelete"Once when I was lecturing at Rome, Rusticus ... was one of my hearers; and while I was going on, a soldier came in and brought him a letter from the Emperor. And when every one was silent, and I stopped in order to let him read the letter, he declined to do so, and put it aside until I had finished and the audience withdrew; an example of serious and dignified behavior which excited much admiration."
There was, unfortunately, a down-side to "exciting admiration," as Plutarch tell us that sometime later the Emperor, "out of jealousy of his reputation", had the Noble Roman put to death.