A carriage and a litter waiting here
showed that Heliodora had visitors. This caused Basil to hesitate
for a moment but he decided to enter none the less. At his knock he
was at once admitted, and a slave was sent to look after his horse.
Few houses in Rome contained so many fine works of ancient sculpture
as this, for its master had been distinguished by his love of such
things in a time when few cared for them. Some he had purchased at a
great price; more than one masterpiece he had saved from oblivion
amid ruins, or from the common fate of destruction in a lime-kiln.
Well for him had he been content to pass his latter years with the
cold creations of the sculptor; but he turned his eyes upon
consummate beauty in flesh and blood, and this, the last of his
purchases, proved the costliest of all.
The atrium was richly adorned. A colossal bust of Berenice faced the
great head of an Amazon, whilst numerous statues, busts, and vases
stood between the pillars; mosaics on the floor represented hunting
scenes, the excellence of the work no less than its worn condition
showing it to be of a time long gone by.
Pages:
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301