The Emperor Agis XIV had no real right to the name. He had adopted it upon succeeding to the throne with the deliberate purpose of connecting himself with the Agises who had ruled two thousand years ago, most of them quite ably-particularly Agis VI, who had ruled for forty-two years and who had kept order in a prosperous Empire with a firm but nontyrannical hand.
    Agis XIV did not look like any of the old Agises-if the holographic records had any value. But, then again, truth be told, Agis XIV did not look much like the official holograph that was distributed to the public.
    As a matter of fact, Hari Seldon thought, with a twinge of nostalgia¹, that Emperor Cleon, for all his flaws and weaknesses, had certainly looked Imperial.
    Agis XIV did not. Seldon had never seen him at close quarters and the few holographs he had seen were outrageously² inaccurate³. The Imperial holographer knew his job and did it well, thought Seldon wryly⁴.
    Agis XIV was short, with an unattractive face and slightly bulging⁵ eyes that did not seem alight with intelligence. His only qualification for the throne was that he was a collateral⁶ relative of Cleon.
    To do him credit, however, he did not try to play the role of the mighty⁷ Emperor. It was understood that he rather liked to be called the "Citizen Emperor" and that only Imperial protocol⁸ and the outraged⁹ outcry of the Imperial Guard prevented him from exiting the dome¹⁰ and wandering the walkways of Trantor.

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