ANNALS OF EOGEE DE HOVEDEN. as though she had been his own mother, and lay upon her breast until the morning. When the morning came, and he wished to arise and depart, she caught hold of him, and said, " It was to try me, that you did this ;" on which he made answer, " By no means, madam, my mother ; but it would not have been a proper thing for me to defile the vessel from which I came forth." On this she enquired who he was ; when he made answer, " I am your son Secundus." Accordingly, on considering within herself, not being able to bear her alarm, she died from fright. Secundus, now feeling sensible that it was through his words that his mother's death had happened, exacted it as a punishment upon himself for, the future not to speak again; he, accordingly, preserved silence until the day of his death It so happened, that about the same time the emperor Adrian, coming to Athens, heard of him, and, sending for him, in the first place saluted him ; the other, however, remained silent. On this, Adrian said, " Speak, philosopher, that we may hear something of thee." He, however, still persevered in his determined silence ; on which Tyrpon called to a headsman, and said, "A s this person does not choose to speak to the emperor, we do not choose that he shall live. Take him away, and put him to the torture." At the last moment, Adrian secretly took the headsman aside, and said to him, " Speak to him on the road, and persuade him to speak ; and if at your persuasion he makes answer, then behead him ; but if he makes no answer, then bring him back to me." Accordingly, Secundus was led by the headsman to the place of torture ; and the headsman said to him, " Ο Secundus, why dost thou die in silence ? Speak, and thou shalt live." However, caring but little for life, in silence he awaited death ; and the headsman, leading him to the appointed place, said to him, " Stretch forth thy neck, and receive the sword thereon : " on which, he extended his neck, and preferred silence to life. On this, the headsman took him, and led him to Adrian, telling him how that Secundus had persisted in his silence even unto death. Adrian, admiring the firmness of the philosopher, said to him, " Since this law of silence which thou hast determined upon can in no way be broken, take that tablet and write, and at least speak with thy hand." Secundus, then taking up the tablet, wrote to the following effect : "A s for me, 0 Adrian, I fear thee not, because thou seemest to be the