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Heliogabalus. I dare say you would like to take a peep at the divinity
of the temple. You need not look up at the heavens; his Sunship is not
there--at least not the Sunship adored by the Syrians. That deity will
be found in the interior of yonder building. He is worshipped under the
figure of a large stone pillar terminating at the summit in a cone or
pyramid, whereby is denoted Fire.
"
Hark--behold!--who can those ridiculous beings be, half naked, with
their faces painted, shouting and gesticulating to the rabble?"
Some few are mountebanks. Others more particularly belong to the race
of philosophers. The greatest portion, however--those especially who
belabor the populace with clubs--are the principal courtiers of the
palace, executing as in duty bound, some laudable comicality of the
king's.
"But what have we here? Heavens! the town is swarming with wild beasts!
How terrible a spectacle!--how dangerous a peculiarity!"
Terrible, if you please; but not in the least degree dangerous. Each
animal if you will take the pains to observe, is following, very
quietly, in the wake of its master. Some few, to be sure, are led with a
rope about the neck, but these are chiefly the lesser or timid species.
The lion, the tiger, and the leopard are entirely without restraint.
They have been trained without difficulty to their present
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