"Thou Ligurian mule!"
"Thy skin is itching, evidently, but I don't advise thee to ask me to scratch it."
"Scratch thyself. If thou scratch thy own pimple, thou wilt destroy what is best in thee."
And in this manner they attacked him. He defended himself venomously, amid universal laughter. Caesar, clapping his hands, repeated, "Macte!" and urged them on. After a while Petronius approached, and, touching the Greek's shoulder with his carved ivory cane, said coldly,—