noon
Alexander then felt sorry he had been so foolishly turbulent , and after Melissa had told him in a few words what she had gone through in the last few hours he informed her of what had brought him to visit the emperor so late . Johannes the lawyer , Berenike 's Christian freedman , he began , had visited their father in prison and had heard the order given to place Heron and Philip as state prisoners and oarsmen on board a galley . This had taken place in the afternoon , and the Christian had further learned that the prisoners would be led to the harbor two hours before sunset . This was the truth , and yet the infamous Zminis had assured the emperor , at noon , that their father and Philip were already far on their way to Sardinia . The worthless Egyptian had , then , lied to the emperor ; and it would most likely cost the scoundrel his neck . But for this , there would have been time enough next day . What had brought him there at so late an hour was the desire to prevent the departure of the galley ; for John had heard , from the Christian harbor-watch that the anchor was not yet weighed .