The wind
blew hard; the waves dashed high; the lightning flashed; the thunder
rolled.
It seemed every minute as though the boat would sink. The captain was
in great fright. He had crossed the sea many times, but never in such
a storm as this. He trembled with fear; he could not guide the boat;
he fell down upon his knees; he moaned, "All is lost! all is lost!"
But Caesar was not afraid. He bade the man get up and take his oars
again.
"Why should you be afraid?" he said. "The boat will not be lost; for
you have Caesar on board."
THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES.
There was once a king whose name was Di-o-nys'i-us. He was so unjust
and cruel that he won for himself the name of tyrant. He knew that
almost everybody hated him, and so he was always in dread lest some
one should take his life.
But he was very rich, and he lived in a fine palace where there were
many beautiful and costly things, and he was waited upon by a host of
servants who were always ready to do his bidding. One day a friend of
his, whose name was Dam'o-cles, said to him,--
"How happy you must be! You have here everything that any man could
wish."
"Perhaps you would like to change places with me," said the tyrant.
"No, not that, O king!" said Dam-o-cles; "but I think, that, if I
could only have your riches and your pleas-ures for one day, I should
not want any greater hap-pi-ness.
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