"I," answered Vinicius.
"Oh, thou 'stern Mars'! Why wert thou not in Beneventum? They told me that thou wert ill, and indeed thy face is changed. But I heard that Croton wished to kill thee? Is that true?"
"It is, and he broke my arm; but I defended myself."
"With a broken arm?"
"A certain barbarian helped me; he was stronger than Croton."
Nero looked at him with astonishment. "Stronger than Croton? Art thou jesting? Croton was the strongest of men, but now here is Syphax from Ethiopia."