He was posing as a Niobe, and giving an exhibition of parental sorrow, as an actor would give it on the stage. He had not the power even then to endure in his silent and as it were petrified sorrow, for at moments he made a gesture as if to cast the dust of the earth on his head, and at moments he groaned deeply; but seeing Petronius, he sprang up and cried in a tragic voice, so that all present could hear him,--
De így sem tudta megállni, hogy megtartsa a hallgatag, szinte megkövült fájdalom kifejezését, mert időnként olyan mozdulatokat tett, mintha homokot szórna a fejére, máskor meg tompán nyöszörgött, mikor pedig megpillantotta Petroniust, felugrott, s tragikus hangon kiáltozta, hogy mindenki meghallja: