in the famous words, "Le roi est mort, vive le roi," so a crowd instantly thronged round Caius with their congratulations, as he went out of the palace to assume his imperial authority.

Suddenly a message reached him that Tiberius had recovered voice and sight.

Seneca says, that feeling his last hour to be near, he had taken off his ring, and, holding it in his shut left hand, had long lain motionless; then calling his servants, since no one answered his call, he rose from his couch, and, his strength failing him, after a few tottering steps fell prostrate on the ground.
The news produced the same consternation as that which was produced among the conspirators at Adonijah's banquet, when they heard of the measures taken by the dying David.

There was a panic-stricken dispersion, and every one pretended to be grieved, or ignorant of what was going on.

Caius, in stupified silence, expected death instead of empire.