The affair came, it was said, of an attempt to assassinate Gratus, who had been knocked from his horse by a tile thrown from a roof.

I found him sitting where you now sit, O tribune, his head swathed in bandages.

He told me of my selection, and gave me these keys, numbered to correspond with the numbers of the cells; they were the badges of my office, he said, and not to be parted with.

There was a roll of parchment on the table.

Calling me to him, he opened the roll.