’Yetistheresometasteintheceiling，’saidGlaucus，whowasinamoodtobepleasedwitheverything；pointingtothestarswhichstuddedtheroof。
Lepidusshruggedhisshoulders，butwastoolanguidtoreply。
Theynowenteredasomewhatspaciouschamber，whichservedforthepurposesoftheapodyterium（thatis，aplacewherethebatherspreparedthemselvesfortheirluxuriousablutions）。Thevaultedceilingwasraisedfromacornice，glowinglycoloredwithmotleyandgrotesquepaintings；theceilingitselfwaspaneledinwhitecompartmentsborderedwithrichcrimson；theunsulliedandshiningfloorwaspavedwithwhitemosaics，andalongthewallswererangedbenchesfortheaccommodationoftheloiterers。ThischamberdidnotpossessthenumerousandspaciouswindowswhichVitruviusattributestohismoremagnificentfrigidarium。ThePompeians，asallthesouthernItalians，werefondofbanishingthelightoftheirsultryskies，andcombinedintheirvoluptuousassociationstheideaofluxurywithdarkness。Twowindowsofglassaloneadmittedthesoftandshadedray；andthecompartmentinwhichoneofthesecasementswasplacedwasadornedwithalargereliefofthedestructionoftheTitans。
InthisapartmentFulviusseatedhimselfwithamagisterialair，andhisaudiencegatheringroundhim，encouragedhimtocommencehisrecital。
Thepoetdidnotrequiremuchpressing。Hedrewforthfromhisvestarollofpapyrus，andafterhemmingthreetimes，asmuchtocommandsilenceastoclearhisvoice，hebeganthatwonderfulode，ofwhich，tothegreatmortificationoftheauthorofthishistory，nosingleversecanbediscovered。