midnight
Very pale , and clasping her hand to her heaving bosom , she desired to be told all ; but for some time Dido was quite unable to speak intelligibly . And before she could make up her mind to it , she looked anxiously for Argutis , whom she held to be the wisest of mankind , and who , she knew , would reveal the dreadful thing that must be told more judiciously than she could . But the Gaul was not to be seen ; so Dido , interrupted by sobs , began the melancholy tale . Heron had come home between midnight and sunrise and had gone to bed . Next morning , while he was feeding the birds , Zminis , the captain of the night-watch , had come in with some men-at-arms , and had tried to take the artist prisoner in Caesar 's name . On this , Heron had raved like a bull , had appealed to his Macedonian birth , his rights as a Roman citizen , and much besides , and demanded to know of what he was accused . He was then informed that he was to be held in captivity by the special orders of the head of the police , till his son Alexander , who was guilty of high-treason , should surrender to the authorities .