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ated　letters；　telling　of　the　departure　of　the　day　when　the　simple　chaplet　of　pine　or　laurel　was　fully　enough　for　the　victor；　hungering　for　glory　as　something　better　than　riches；　and　content　with　it。

Over　these　parts　of　the　programme　Ben…Hur　sped　with　rapid　eyes。　At　last　he　came　to　the　announcement　of　the　race。　He　read　it　slowly。　Attending　lovers　of　the　heroic　sports　were　assured　they　would　certainly　be　gratified　by　an　Orestean　struggle　unparalleled　in　Antioch。　The　city　offered　the　spectacle　in　honor　of　the　consul。　One　hundred　thousand　sestertii　and　a　crown　of　laurel　were　the　prizes。　Then　followed　the　particulars。　The　entries　were　six　in　allfours　only　permitted；　and；　to　further　interest　in　the　performance；　the　competitors　would　be　turned　into　the　course　together。　Each　four　then　received　description。

〃I。　A　four　of　Lysippus　the　Corinthiantwo　grays；　a　bay；　and　a　black；　entered　at　Alexandria　last　year；　and　again　at　Corinth；　where　they　were　winners。　Lysippus；　driver。　Color；　yellow。

〃II。　A　four　of　Messala　of　Rometwo　white；　two　black；　victors　of　the　Circensian　as　exhibited　in　the　Circus　Maximus　last　year。　Messala；　driver。　Colors；　scarlet　and　gold。

〃III。　A　four　of　Cleanthes　the　Athenianthree　gray；　one　bay；　winners　at　the　Isthmian　last　year。　Cleanthes；　driver。　Color；　green。

〃IV。　A　four　of　Dicaeus　the　Byzantinetwo　black；　one　gray；　one　bay；　winners　this　year　at　Byzantium。　Dicaeus；　driver。　Color；　black。

〃V。　A　four　of　Admetus　the　Sidonianall　grays。　Thrice　entered　at　Caesarea；　and　thrice　victors。　Admetus；　driver。　Color；　blue。

〃VI。　A　four　of　Ilderim；　sheik　of　the　Desert。　All　bays；　first　race。　Ben…Hur；　a　Jew；　driver。　Color；　white。〃

BEN…HUR；　A　JEW；　DRIVER！

Why　that　name　instead　of　Arrius？

Ben…Hur　raised　his　eyes　to　Ilderim。　He　had　found　the　cause　of　the　Arab's　outcry。　Both　rushed　to　the　same　conclusion。

The　hand　was　the　hand　of　Messala！




CHAPTER　XI



Evening　was　hardly　come　upon　Antioch；　when　the　Omphalus；　nearly　in　the　centre　of　the　city；　became　a　troubled　fountain　from　which　in　every　direction；　but　chiefly　down　to　the　Nymphaeum　and　east　and　west　along　the　Colonnade　of　Herod；　flowed　currents　of　people；　for　the　time　given　up　to　Bacchus　and　Apollo。

For　such　indulgence　anything　more　fitting　cannot　be　imagined　than　the　great　roofed　streets；　which　were　literally　miles　on　miles　of　porticos　wrought　of　marble；　polished　to　the　last　degree　of　finish；　and　all　gifts　to　the　voluptuous　city　by　princes　careless　of　expenditure　where；　as　in　this　instance；　they　thought　they　were　eternizing　themselves。　Darkness　was　not　permitted　anywhere；　and　the　singing；　the　laughter；　the　shouting；　were　incessant；　and　in　compound　like　the　roar　of　waters　dashing　through　hollow　grots；　confused　by　a　multitude　of　echoes。

The　many　nationalities　represented；　though　they　might　have　amazed　a　stranger；　were　not　peculiar　to　Antioch。　Of　the　various　missions　of　the　great　empire；　one　seems　to　have　been　the　fusion　of　men　and　the　introduction　of　strangers　to　each　other；　accordingly；　whole　peoples　rose　up　and　went　at　pleasure；　taking　with　them　their　costumes；　customs；　speech；　and　gods；　and　where　they　chose；　they　stopped；　engaged　in　business；　built　houses；　erected　altars；　and　were　what　they　had　been　at　home。

There　was　a　peculiarity；　however；　which　could　not　have　failed　the　notice　of　a　looker…on　this　night　in　Antioch。　Nearly　everybody　wore　the　colors　of　one　or　other　of　the　charioteers　announced　for　the　morrow's　race。　Sometimes　it　was　in　form　of　a　scarf；　sometimes　a　badge；　often　a　ribbon　or　a　feather。　Whatever　the　form；　it　signified　merely　the　wearer's　partiality；　thus；　green　published　a　friend　of　Cleanthes　the　Athenian；　and　black　an　adherent　of　the　Byzantine。　This　was　according　to　a　custom；　old　probably　as　the　day　of　the　race　of　Orestesa　custom；　by　the　way；　worthy　of　study　as　a　marvel　of　history；　illustrative　of　the　absurd　yet　appalling　extremities　to　which　men　frequently　suffer　their　follies　to　drag　them。

The　observer　abroad　on　this　occasion；　once　attracted　to　the　wearing　of　colors；　would　have　very　shortly　decided　that　there　were　three　in　predominancegreen；　white；　and　the　mixed　scarlet　and　gold。

But　let　us　from　the　streets　to　the　palace　on　the　island。

The　five　great　chandeliers　in　the　saloon　are　freshly　lighted。　The　assemblage　is　much　the　same　as　that　already　noticed　in　connection　with　the　place。　The　divan　has　its　corps　of　sleepers　and　burden　of　garments；　and　the　tables　yet　resound　with　the　rattle　and　clash　of　dice。　Yet　the　greater　part　of　the　company　are　not　doing　anything。　They　walk　about；　or　yawn　tremendously；　or　pause　as　they　pass　each　other　to　exchange　idle　nothings。　Will　the　weather　be　fair　to…morrow？　Are　the　preparations　for　the　games　complete？　Do　the　laws　of　the　Circus　in　Antioch　differ　from　the　laws　of　the　Circus　in　Rome？　Truth　is；　the　young　fellows　are　suffering　from　ennui。　Their　heavy　work　is　done；　that　is；　we　would　find　their　tablets；　could　we　look　at　them；　covered　with　memoranda　of　wagerswagers　on　every　contest；　on　the　running；　the　wrestling；　the　boxing；　on　everything　but　the　chariot…race。

And　why　not　on　that？

Good　reader；　they　cannot　find　anybody　who　will　hazard　so　much　as　a　denarius　with　them　against　Messala。

There　are　no　colors　in　the　saloon　but　his。

No　one　thinks　of　his　defeat。

Why；　they　say；　is　he　not　perfect　in　his　training？　Did　he　not　graduate　from　an　imperial　lanista？　Were　not　his　horses　winners　at　the　Circensian　in　the　Circus　Maximus？　And　thenah；　yes！　he　is　a　Roman！

In　a　corner；　at　ease　on　the　divan；　Messala　himself　may　be　seen。　Around　him；　sitting　or　standing；　are　his　courtierly　admirers；　plying　him　with　questions。　There　is；　of　course；　but　one　topic。

Enter　Drusus　and　Cecilius。

〃Ah！〃　cries　the　young　prince；　throwing　himself　on　the　divan　at　Messala's　feet；　〃Ah；　by　Bacchus；　I　am　tired！〃

〃Whither　away？〃　asks　Messala。

〃Up　the　street；　up　to　the　Omphalus；　and　beyondwho　shall　say　how　far？　Rivers　of　people；　never　so　many　in　the　city　before。　They　say　we　will　see　the　whole　world　at　the　Circus　to…morrow。〃

Messala　laughed　scornfully。

〃The　idiots！　Perpol！　They　never　beheld　a　Circensian　with　Caesar　for　editor。　But；　my　Drusus；　what　found　you？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Oah！　You　forget；〃　said　Cecilius。

〃What？〃　asked　Drusus。

〃The　procession　of　whites。〃

〃Mirabile！〃　cried　Drusus；　half　rising。　〃We　met　a　faction　of　whites；　and　they　had　a　banner。　Butha；　ha；　ha！〃

He　fell　back　indolently。

〃Cruel　Drususnot　to　go　on；〃　said　Messala。

〃Scum　of　the　desert　were　they；　my　Messala；　and　garbage…eaters　from　the　Jacob's　Temple　in　Jerusalem。　What　had　I　to　do　with　them！〃

〃Nay；〃　said　Cecilius；　〃Drusus　is　afraid　of　a　laugh；　but　I　am　not；　my　Messala。〃

〃Speak　thou；　then。〃

〃Well；　we　stopped　the　faction；　and〃

〃Offered　them　a　wager；〃　said　Drusus；　relenting；　and　taking　the　word　from　the　shadow's　mouth。　〃Andha；　ha；　ha！one　fellow　with　not　enough　skin　on　his　face　to　make　a　worm　for　a　carp　stepped　forth；　andha；　ha；　ha！said　yes。　I　drew　my　tablets。　'Who　is　your　man？'　I　asked。　'Ben…Hur；　the　Jew；'　said　he。　Then　I：　'What　shall　it　be？　How　much？'　He　answered；　'Aa'　Excuse　me；　Messala。　By　Jove's　thunder；　I　cannot　go　on　for　laughter！　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃

The　listeners　leaned　forward。

Messala　looked　to　Cecilius。

〃A　shekel；〃　said　the　latter。

〃A　shekel！　A　shekel！〃

A　burst　of　scornful　laughter　ran　fast　upon　the　repetition。

〃And　what　did　Drusus？〃　asked　Messala。

An　outcry　over　about　the　door　just　then　occasioned　a　rush　to　that　quarter；　and；　as　the　noise　there　continued；　and　grew　louder；　even　Cecilius　betook　himself　off；　pausing　only　to　say；　〃The　noble　Drusus；　my　Messala；　put　up　his　tablets　andlost　the　shekel。〃

〃A　white！　A　white！〃

〃Let　him　come！〃

〃This　way；　this　way！〃

These　and　like　exclamations　filled　the　saloon；　to　the　stoppage　of　other　speech。　The　dice…players　quit　their　games；　the　sleepers　awoke；　rubbed　their　eyes；　drew　their　tablets；　and　hurried　to　the　common　centre。

〃I　offer　you〃

〃And　I〃

〃I〃

The　person　so　warmly　received　was　the　respectable　Jew；　Ben…Hur's　fellow…voyager　from　Cyprus。　He　entered　grave；　quiet；　observant。　His　robe　was　spotlessly　white；　so　was　the　cloth　of　his　turban。　Bowing　and　smiling　at　the　welcome；　he　moved　slowly　towards　the　central　table。　Arrived　there；　he　drew　his　robe　about　him　in　a　stately　manner；　took　seat；　and　waved　his　hand。　The　gleam　of　a　jewel　on　a　finger　helped　him　not　a　little　to　the　silence　which　ensued。

〃Romansmost　noble　RomansI　salute　you！〃　he　said。

〃Easy；　by　Jupiter！　Who　is　he？〃　asked　Drusus。

〃A　dog　of　IsraelSanballat　by　namepurveyor　for　the　army；　residence；　Rome；　vastly　rich；　grown　so　as　a　contractor　of　furnishments　which　he　never　furnishes。　He　spins　mischiefs；　nevertheless；　finer　than　spiders　spin　their　webs。　Comeby　the　girdle　of　Venus！　let　us　catch　him！〃

Messala　arose　as　he　spoke；　and；　with　Drusus；　joined　the　mass　crowded　about　the　purveyor。

〃It　came　to　me　on　the　street；〃　said　that　person；　producing　his　tablets；　and　opening　them　on　the　table　with　an　impressive　air　of　business；　〃that　there　was　great　discomfort　in　the　palace　because　offers　on　Messala　were　going　without　takers。　The　gods；　you　know；　must　have　sacrifices；　and　here　am　I。　You　see　my　color；　let　us　to　the　matter。　Odds　first；　amounts　next。　What　will　you　give　me？〃

The　audacity　seeme