"Be greeted, O ruler of the earth, guardian of the chosen people, and Caesar, lion among men, whose reign is like sunlight, like the cedar of Lebanon, like a spring, like a palm, like the balsam of Jericho."
"Do ye refuse to call me god?" inquired Nero.
The priests grew still paler. The chief one spoke again,—
"Thy words, O lord, are as sweet as a cluster of grapes, as a ripe fig,—for Jehovah filled thy heart with goodness! Thy father's predecessor, Caesar Caius, was stern; still our envoys did not call him god, preferring death itself to violation of the law."