Jack and Annie hid behind a fruit stall. They waitedfor a moment, then peered around the corner.
"I don't see her," said Jack.
"Who was she?" asked Annie.
"I don't know. But she looked nuts to me," said Jack.
"What's the book say about her?" said Annie.
"She won't be in there," said Jack.
"Just look," said Annie.
Jack sighed and pulled out the book again. To hissurprise he found a picture of the old woman. He readaloud:
In Roman times, there were people who could seeinto the future and warn others about what they saw.
These people were called soothsayers.
"See? She wasn't nuts," said Annie. "She was givingus a warning. Just like my night-mare.""Don't pay attention to that stuff," said Jack.
"Soothsayers are from olden times. People from ourtime don't believe in them.""Well, I do," said Annie. "I'm sure some-thing bad isabout to happen."Jack sighed. "Come on, we have to keep going. Wehave to find the lost library. Then we'll leave at once.""We'd better," said Annie.
They left the fruit stand and kept walking throughthe forum. Soon they came to a large building.
Crowds were streaming in and out of it.
"Is that a library?" said Annie.
"Let's look," said Jack. He looked in the Romanbook. He found a picture of the building and readaloud:
Most people in Pompeii did not have a bathtub athome, so they went daily to the Public Baths. Notonly did people wash at the baths, but they alsoswam, played sports, and visited with their friends.
"That sounds like going to the pool," said Annie.
"But it's not a library. Let's keep walking."They kept walking, until soon they came to a fancybuilding with large columns.
"Is that a library?" said Annie. Jack found a pictureof the building and read aloud:
The people of Pompeii believed that many gods andgoddesses ruled the world. This is the Temple ofJupiter, their chief god. h this temple, they prayed toJupiter and offered him gifts. Today, we call thestories about Jupiter and other gods and goddesses"myths.""My teacher read myths to us," said Jack. "Iremember stories about Hercules and Apollo.""Yeah, my teacher read them, too," said Annie. "Ilike stories about Venus and Medusa.""Hey, maybe the story we're looking for is a myth,"said Jack.
"Right," said Annie. "Come on, hurry. Let's keeplooking."They left the forum and turned onto a wide street.
Jack gasped. In front of them was an incredible sight.
Tall warriors with huge muscles were walking in aline. They wore fancy helmets ( and carried heavyshields.
Soldiers, thought Jack.
Then he saw that the warriors' feet were chainedtogether, and guards walked with them.
"Gladiators!" he whispered. |