His freedmen, persons of experience, whom he commanded to search independently, turned out a hundred times less expert than Chilo.

Meanwhile there rose in him, besides his love for Lygia, the stubbornness of a player resolved to win.

Vinicius had been always a person of this kind.

From earliest youth he had accomplished what he desired with the passionateness of one who does not understand failure, or the need of yielding something.

For a time military discipline had put his self-will within bounds, but also it had engrafted into him the conviction that every command of his to subordinates must be fulfilled; his prolonged stay in the Orient, among people pliant and inured to slavish obedience, confirmed in him the faith that for his "I wish" there were no limits.