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diff --git a/old/quvds10.txt b/old/quvds10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..350040f --- /dev/null +++ b/old/quvds10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,23705 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Quo Vadis, A Narrative of the Time of Nero + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + +*It must legally be the first thing seen when opening the book.* +In fact, our legal advisors said we can't even change margins. + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. We need your donations. + + +Title: Quo Vadis A Narrative of the Time of Nero + +Author: Henryk Sienkiewicz + +Translator: Jeremiah Curtin + +October, 2001 [Etext #2853] + + +Project Gutenberg's Quo Vadis, A Narrative of the Time of Nero +*****This file should be named quvds10.txt or quvds10.zip***** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, quvds11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, quvdsa.txt + + +Prepared by David Reed haradda@aol.com or davidr@inconnect.com + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Prepared by David Reed haradda@aol.com or davidr@inconnect.com + + + + + +Quo Vadis +A Narrative of the Time of Nero + +by Henryk Sienkiewicz + + + + +Translated from the Polish by Jeremiah Cuurtin + + + + +TO AUGUSTE COMTE, + +Of San Francisco, Cal., + +MY DEAR FRIEND AND CLASSMATE, I BEG TO DEDICATE +THIS VOLUME. + +JEREMIAH CURTIN + +INTRODUCTORY + +IN the trilogy "With Fire and Sword," "The Deluge," and "Pan +Michael," Sienkiewicz has given pictures of a great and decisive +epoch in modern history. The results of the struggle begun under +Bogdan Hmelnitski have been felt for more than two centuries, and +they are growing daily in importance. The Russia which rose out +of that struggle has become a power not only of European but of +world-wide significance, and, to all human seeming, she is yet in +an early stage of her career. + +In "Quo Vadis" the author gives us pictures of opening scenes in +the conflict of moral ideas with the Roman Empire, -- a conflict +from which Christianity issued as the leading force in history. + +The Slays are not so well known to Western Europe or to us as +they are sure to be in the near future; hence the trilogy, with all its +popularity and merit, is not appreciated yet as it will be. + +The conflict described in "Quo Vadis" is of supreme interest to a +vast number of persons reading English; and this book will rouse, I +think, more attention at first than anything written by Sienkiewicz +hitherto. + +JEREMIAH CURTIN + +ILOM, NORTHERN GUATEMALA, + +June, 1896 + +QUO VADIS + +PETRONIUS woke only about midday, and as usual greatly +wearied. The evening before he had been at one of Nero's feasts, +which was prolonged till late at night. For some time his health +had been failing. He said himself that he woke up benumbed, as it +were, and without power of collecting his thoughts. But the +morning bath and careful kneading of the body by trained slaves +hastened gradually the course of his slothful blood, roused him, +quickened him, restored his strength, so that he issued from the +elaeothesium, that is, the last division of the bath, as if he had risen +from the dead, with eyes gleaming from wit and gladness, +rejuvenated, filled with life, exquisite, so unapproachable that +Otho himself could not compare with him, and was really that +which he had been called, -- arbiter elegantiarum. + +He visited the public baths rarely, only when some rhetor +happened there who roused admiration and who was spoken of in +the city, or when in the ephebias there were combats of +exceptional interest. Moreover, he had in his own "insula" private +baths which Celer, the famous contemporary of Severus, had +extended for him, reconstructed and arranged with such +uncommon taste that Nero himself acknowledged their excellence +over those of the Emperor, though the imperial baths were more +extensive and finished with incomparably greater luxury. + +After that feast, at which he was bored by the jesting of Vatinius +with Nero, Lucan, and Seneca, he took part in a diatribe as to +whether woman has a soul. Rising late, he used, as was his custom, +the baths. Two enormous balneatores laid him on a cypress table +covered with snow-white Egyptian byssus, and with hands dipped +in perfumed olive oil began to rub his shapely body; and he waited +with closed eyes till the heat of the laconicum and the heat of their +hands passed through him and expelled weariness. + +But after a certain time he spoke, and opened his eyes; he inquired +about the weather, and then about gems which the jeweller +Idomeneus had promised to send him for examination that day. It +appeared that the weather was beautiful, with a light breeze from +the Alban hills, and that the gems had not been brought. Petronius +closed his eyes again, and had given command to bear him to the +tepidarium, when from behind the curtain the nomenclator looked +in, announcing that young Marcus Vinicius, recently returned from +Asia Minor, had come to visit him. + +Petronius ordered to admit the guest to the tepidarium, to which he +was borne himself. Vinicius was the son of his oldest sister, who +years before had married Marcus Vinicius, a man of consular +dignity from the time of Tiberius. The young man was serving then +under Corbulo against the Parthians, and at the close of the war +had returned to the city. Petronius had for him a certain weakness +bordering on attachment, for Marcus was beautiful and athletic, +a young man who knew how to preserve a certain aesthetic +measure in his profligacy; this, Petronius prized above everything. + +"A greeting to Petronius," said the young man, entering the +tepidarium with a springy step. "May all the gods grant thee +success, but especially Asklcpios and Kypris, for under their +double protection nothing evil can meet one." + +"I greet thee in Rome, and may thy rest be sweet after war," replied +Petronius, extending his hand from between the folds of soft +karbas stuff in which he was wrapped. "What's to be heard in +Armenia; or since thou wert in Asia, didst thou not stumble into +Bithynia?" + +Petronius on a time had been proconsul in Bithynia, and, what is +more, he had governed with energy and justice. This was a +marvellous contrast in the character of a man noted for effeminacy +and love of luxury; hence he was fond of mentioning those times, +as they were a proof of what he had been, and of what he might +have become had it pleased him. + +"I happened to visit Heraklea," answered Vinicius. "Corbulo sent +me there with an order to assemble reinforcements." + +"Ah, Heraklea! I knew at Heraklea a certain maiden from Colchis, +for whom I would have given alI the divorced women of this city, +not excluding Poppaa. But these are old stories. Tell me now, +rather, what is to be heard from the Parthian boundary. It is true +that they weary me every Vologeses of them, and Tiridates and +Tigranes, -- those barbarians who, as young Arulenus insists, walk +on all fours at home, and pretend to be human only when in our +presence. But now people in Rome speak much of them, if only for +the reason that it is dangerous to speak of aught else." + +"The war is going badly, and but for Corbulo might be turned to +defeat." + +"Corbulo! by Bacchus! a real god of war, a genuine Mars, a great +leader, at the same time quick-tempered, honest, and dull. I love +him, even for this,-- that Nero is afraid of him." + +"Corbulo is not a dull man." + +"Perhaps thou art right, but for that matter it is all one. Dulness, as +Pyrrho says, is in no way worse than wisdom, and differs from it in +nothing." + +Vinicius began to talk of the war; but when Petronius closed his +eyes again, the young man, seeing his uncle's tired and somewhat +emaciated face, changed the conversation, and inquired with a +certain interest about his health. + +Petronius opened his eyes again. + +Health! -- No. He did not feel well. He had not gone so far yet, it is +true, as young Sissena, who had lost sensation to such a degree that +when he was brought to the bath in the morning he inquired, "Am I +sitting?" But he was not well. Vinicius had just committed him to +the care of Askiepios and Kypris. But he, Petronius, did not +believe in Askiepios. It was not known even whose son that +Askiepios was, the son of Arsinoe or Koronis; and if the mother +was doubtful, what was to be said of the father? Who, in that time, +could be sure who his own father was? + +Hereupon Petronius began to laugh; then he continued, -- "Two +years ago, it is true, I sent to Epidaurus three dozen live blackbirds +and a goblet of gold; but dost thou know why? I said to myself, +'Whether this helps or not, it will do me no harm.' Though people +make offerings to the gods yet, I believe that all think as I do, -- +all, with the exception, perhaps, of muledrivers hired at the Porta +Capena by travellers. Besides Askiepios, I have had dealings with +sons of Askiepios. When I was troubled a little last year in the +bladder, they performed an incubation for me. I saw that they were +tricksters, but I said to myself: 'What harm! The world stands on +deceit, and life is an illusion. The soul is an illusion too. But one +must have reason enough to distinguish pleasant from painful +illusions.' I shall give command to burn in my hypocaustum, +cedar-wood sprinkled with ambergris, for during life I prefer +perfumes to stenches. As to Kypris, to whom thou hast also +confided me, I have known her guardianship to the extent that 1 +have twinges in my right foot. But as to the rest she is a good +goddess! I suppose that thou wilt bear sooner or later white doves +to her altar." + +"True," answered Vinicius. "The arrows of the Parthians have not +reached my body, but a dart of Amor has struck me -- +unexpectedly, a few stadia from a gate of this city." + +"By the white knees of the Graces! thou wilt tell me of this at a +leisure hour." + +"I have come purposely to get thy advice," answered Marcus. + +But at that moment the epilatores came, and occupied themselves +with Petronius. Marcus, throwing aside his tunic, entered a bath of +tepid water, for Petronius invited him to a plunge bath. + +"Ah, I have not even asked whether thy feeling is reciprocated," +said Pctronius, looking at the youthful body of Marcus, which was +as if cut out of marble. "Had Lysippos seen thee, thou wouldst be +ornamenting now the gate leading to the Palatine, as a statue of +Hercules in youth." + +The young man smiled with satisfaction, and began to sink in the +bath, splashing warm water abundantly on the mosaic which +represented Hera at the moment when she was imploring Sleep to +lull Zeus to rest. Petronius looked at him with the satisfied eye of +an artist. + +When Vinicius had finished and yielded himself in turn to the +epilatores, a lector came in with a bronze tube at his breast and +rolls of paper in the tube. + +"Dost wish to listen?" asked Petronius. + +"If it is thy creation, gladly!" answered the young tribune; "if not, I +prefer conversation. Poets seize people at present on every street +corner." + +"Of course they do. Thou wilt not pass any basilica, bath, library, +or book-shop without seeing a poet gesticulating like a monkey. +Agrippa, on coming here from the East, mistook them for +madmen. And it is just such a time now. Caesar writes verses; +hence all follow in his steps. Only it is not permitted to write better +verses than Caesar, and for that reason I fear a little for Lucan. But +I write prose, with which, however, I do not honor myself or +others. What the lector has to read are codicilli of that poor +Fabricius Veiento." + +"Why 'poor'?" + +"Because it has been communicated to him that he must dwell in +Odyssa and not return to his domestic hearth till he receives a new +command. That Odyssey will be easier for him than for Ulysses, +since his wife is no Penelope. I need not tell thee, for that matter, +that he acted stupidly. But here no one takes things otherwise than +superficially. His is rather a wretched and dull little book, which +people have begun to read passionately only when the author is +banished. Now one hears on every side, 'Scandala! scandala!' and it +may be that Veiento invented some things; but I, who know the +city, know our patres and our women, assure thee that it is all paler +than reality. Meanwhile every man is searching in the book, -- for +himself with alarm, for his acquaintances with delight. At the +book-shop of Avirnus a hundred copyists are writing at dictation, +and its success is assured." + +"Are not thy affairs in it?" + +"They are; but the author is mistaken, for I am at once worse and +less flat than he represents me. Seest thou we have lost long since +the feeling of what is worthy or unworthy, -- and to me even it +seems that in real truth there is no difference between them, +though Seneca, Musonius, and Trasca pretend that they see it. To +me it is all one! By Hercules, I say what I think! I have preserved +loftiness, however, because I know what is deformed and what is +beautiful; but our poet, Bronzebeard, for example, the charioteer, +the singer, the actor, does not understand this." + +"I am sorry, however, for Fabricius! He is a good companion." + +"Vanity ruined the man. Every one suspected him, no one knew +certainly; but he could not contain himself, and told the secret on +all sides in confidence. Hast heard the history of Rufinus?" + +"Then come to the frigidarium to cool; there I will tell thee." + +They passed to the frigidarium, in the middle of which played a +fountain of bright rose-color, emitting the odor of violets. There +they sat in niches which were covered with velvet, and began to +cool themselves. Silence reigned for a time. Vinicius looked +awhile thoughtfully at a bronze faun which, bending over the arm +of a nymph, was seeking her lips eagerly with his lips. + +"He is right," said the young man. "That is what is best in life." + +"More or less! But besides this thou lovest war, for which I have +no liking, since under tents one's finger-nails break and cease to be +rosy. For that matter, every man has his preferences. Bronzebcard +loves song, especially his own; and old Scaurus his Corinthian +vase, which stands near his bed at night, and which he kisses when +he cannot sleep. He has kissed the edge off already. Tell me, dost +thou not write verses?" + +"No; I have never composed a single hexameter." + +"And dost thou not play on the lute and sing?" + +"No." + +"And dost thou drive a chariot?" + +"I tried once in Antioch, but unsuccessfully." + +"Then I am at rest concerning thee. And to what party in the +hippodrome dost thou belong?" + +"To the Greens." + +"Now I am perfectly at rest, especially since thou hast a large +property indeed, though thou art not so rich as Pallas or Seneca. +For seest thou, with us at present it is well to write verses, to sing +to a lute, to declaim, and to compete in the Circus; but better, and +especially safer, not to write verses, not to play, not to sing, and +not to compete in the Circus. Best of all, is it to know how to +admire when Bronzebeard admires. Thou art a comely young man; +hence Poppxa may fall in love with thee. This is thy only peril. But +no, she is too experienced; she cares for something else. She has +had enough of love with her two husbands; with the third she has +other views. Dost thou know that that stupid Otho loves her yet to +distraction? He walks on the cliffs of Spain, and sighs; he has so +lost his former habits, and so ceased to care for his person, that +three hours each day suffice him to dress his hair. \Vho could have +expected this of Otho?" + +"I understand him," answered Vinicius; "but in his place I should +have done something else." + +"What, namely?" + +"I should have enrolled faithful legions of mountaineers of that +country. They are good soldiers, -- those Iberians." + +"Vinicius! Vinicius! I almost wish to tell thee that thou wouldst not +have been capable of that. And knowest why? Such things are +done, but they are not mentioned even conditionally. As to me, in +his place, I should have laughed at Popp~ra, laughed at +Bronzebeard, and formed for myself legions, not of Iberian men, +however, but Iberian women. And what is more, I should have +written epigrams which I should not have read to any one, -- not +like that poor Rufinus." + +"Thou wert to tell me his history." + +"I will tell it in the unctorium." + +But in the unctorium the attention of Vinicius was turned to other +objects; namely, to wonderful slave women who were waiting for +the bathers. Two of them, Africans, resembling noble statues of +ebony, began to anoint their bodies with delicate perfumes from +Arabia; others, Phrygians, skilled in hairdressing, held in their +hands, which were bending and flexible as serpents, combs and +mirrors of polished steel; two Grecian maidens from Kos, who +were simply like deities, waited as vestiplic~, till the moment +should come to put statuesque folds in the togas of the lords. + +"By the cloud-scattering Zeus!" said Marcus Vinicius, "what a +choice thou hast!" + +"I prefer choice to numbers," answered Petronius. "My whole +'familia' 1 in Rome does not exceed four hundred, and I judge that +for personal attendance only upstarts need a greater number of +people." + +"More beautiful bodies even Bronzebeard does not possess," said +Vinicius, distending his nostrils. + +"Thou art my relative," answered Petronius, with a certain friendly +indifference, "and I am neither so misanthropic as Barsus nor such +a pedant as Aulus Plautius." + +When Vinicius heard this last name, he forgot the maidens from +Kos for a moment, and, raising his head vivaciously, inquired, -- +"Whence did Aulus Plautius come to thy mind? Dost thou know +that after I had disjointed my arm outside the city, I passed a +number of days in his house? It happened that Plautius came up at +the moment when the accident happened, and, seeing that I was +suffering greatly, he took me to his house; there a slave of his, the +physician Merion, restored me to health. I wished to speak with +thee touching this very matter." + +"Why? Is it because thou hast fallen in love with Pomponia +perchance? In that case I pity thee; she is not young, and she is +virtuous! I cannot imagine a worse combination. Brr!" + +"Not with Pomponia -- eheu!" answered Vinicius. + +"With whom, then?" + +"If I knew myself with whom? But I do not know to a certainty her +name even, -- Lygia or Calhina? They call her Lygia in the house, +for she comes of the Lygian nation; but she has her own barbarian +name, Callina. It is a wonderful house, -- that of those Plautiuses. +There are many people in it; but it is quiet there as in the groves of +Subiacum. For a number of days I did not know that a divinity +dwelt in the house. Once about daybreak I saw her bathing in the +garden fountain; and I swear to thee by that foam from which +Aphrodite rose, that the rays of the dawn passed right through her +body. I thought that when the sun rose she would vanish before me +in the light, as the twilight of morning does. Since then, I have +seen her twice; and since then, too, I know not what rest is, I know +not what other desires are, I have no wish to know what the city +can give me. I want neither women, nor gold, nor Corinthian +bronze, nor amber, nor pearls, nor wine, nor feasts; I want only +Lygia. I am yearning for her, in sincerity I tell thee, Petronius, as +that Dream who is imaged on the Mosaic of thy tepidarium +yearned for Paisythea, -- whole days and night do I yearn." + +"If she is a slave, then purchase her." + +"She is not a slave." + +"What is she? A freed woman of Plautius?" + +"Never having been a slave, she could not be a freed woman." + +"Who is she?" + +"I know not, -- a king's daughter, or something of that sort." + +"Thou dost rouse my curiosity, Vinicius." + +"But if thou wish to listen, I will satisfy thy curiosity straightway. +Her story is not a long one. Thou art acquainted, perhaps +personally, with Vannius, king of the Suevi, who, expelled from +his country, spent a long time here in Rome, and became even +famous for his skilful play with dice, and his good driving of +chariots. Drusus put him on the throne again. Vannius, who was +really a strong man, ruled well at first, and warred with success; +afterward, however, he began to skin not only his neighbors, but +his own Suevi, too much. Thereupon Vanglo and Sido, two sister's +sons of his, and the sons of Vibilius, king of the Hermunduri, +determined to force him to Rome again -- to try his luck there at +dice." + +"I remember; that is of recent Glaudian times." + +"Yes! War broke out. Vannius summoned to his aid the Yazygi; his +dear nephews called in the Lygians, who, hearing of the riches of +Vannius, and enticed by the hope of booty, came in such numbers +that Caesar himself, Claudius, began to fear for the safety of the +boundary. Claudius did not wish to interfere in a war among +barbarians, but he wrote to Atelius Hister, who commanded the +legions of the Danube, to turn a watchful eye on the course of the +war, and not permit them to disturb our peace. Hister required, +thcn, of the Lygians a promise not to cross the boundary; to this +they not only agreed, but gave hostages, among whom were the +wife and daughter of their leader. It is known to thee that +barbarians take their wives and children to war with them. My +Lygia is the daughter of that leader." + +"Whence dost thou know all this?" + +"Aulus Plautius told it himself. The Lygians did not cross the +boundary, indeed; but barbarians come and go like a tempest. So +did the Lygians vanish with their wild-ox horns on their heads. +They killed Vannius's Suevi and Yazygi; but their own king fell. +They disappeared with their booty then, and the hostages remained +in Hister's hands. The mother died soon after, and Hister, not +knowing what to do with the daughter, sent her to Pornponius, the +governor of all Germany. He, at the close of the war with the Catti, +returned to Rome, where Claudius, as is known to thee, permitted +him to have a triumph. The maiden on that occasion walked after +the car of the conqueror; but, at the end of the solemnity, -- since +hostages cannot be considered captives, and since Pomponius did +not know what to do with her definitely -- he gave her to his sister +Pomponia Grsrcina, the wife of Plautius. In that house where all -- +beginning with the masters and ending with the poultry in the +hen-house -- are virtuous, that maiden grew up as virtuous, alas! as +Grxcina herself, and so beautiful that even Poppae, if near her, +would seem like an autumn fig near an apple of the Hesperides." + +"And what?" + +"And I repeat to thee that from the moment when I saw how the +sun-rays at that fountain passed through her body, I fell in love to +distraction." + +"She is as transparent as a lamprey eel, then, or a youthful +sardine?" + +"Jest not, Petronius; but if the freedom with which I speak of my +desire misleads thee, know this, -- that bright garments frequently +cover deep wounds. I must tell thee, too, that, while returning from +Asia, I slept one night in the temple of Mopsus to have a prophetic +dream. Well, Mopsus appeared in a dream to me, and declared +that, through love, a great change in my life would take place." + +"Pliny declares, as I hear, that he does not believe in the gods, but +he believes in dreams; and perhaps he is right. My jests do not +prevent me from thinking at times that in truth there is only one +deity, eternal, creative, all. powerful, Venus Genetrix. She brings +souls together; she unites bodies and things. Eros called the world +out of chaos. Whether he did well is another question; but, since +he did so, we should recognize his might, though we are free not to +bless it." + +"Alas! Petronius, it is easier to find philosophy in the world than +wise counsel." + +"Tell me, what is thy wish specially?" + +"I wish to have Lygia. I wish that these arms of mine, which now +embrace only air, might embrace Lygia and press her to my bosom. +I wish to breathe with her breath. Were she a slave, I would give +Aulus for her one hundred maidens with feet whitened with lime +as a sign that they were exhibited on sale for the first time. I wish +to have her in my house till my head is as white as the top of +Soracte in winter." + +"She is not a slave, but she belongs to the 'family' of Plautius; and +since she is a deserted maiden, she may be considered an 'alumna.' +Plautius might yield her to thee if he wished." + +"Then it seems that thou knowest not Pomponia Graecina. Both +have become as much attached to her as if she were their own +daughter." + +"Pomponia I know, -- a real cypress. If she were not the wife of +Aulus, she might be engaged as a mourner. Since the death of +Julius she has not thrown aside dark robes; and in general she +looks as if, while still alive, she were walking on the asphodel +meadow. She is, moreover, a 'one-man woman'; hence, among our +ladies of four and five divorces, she is straighrway a phoenix. But! +hast thou heard that in Upper Egypt the phoenix has just been +hatched out, as 'tis said? -- an event which happens not oftener +than once in five centuries." + +"Petronius! Petronius! Let us talk of the phoenix some other time." + +"What shall I tell thee, my Marcus? I know Aulus Plautius, who, +though he blames my mode of life, has for me a certain weakness, +and even respects me, perhaps, more than others, for he knows that +I have never been an informer like Domitius Afer, Tigellinus, and +a whole rabble of Ahenobarbus's intimates.1 Without pretending to +be a stoic, I have been offended more than once at acts of Nero, +which Seneca and Burrus looked at through their fingers. If it is +thy thought that I might do something for thee with Aulus, I am at +thy command." + +"I judge that thou hast the power. Thou hast influence over him; +and, besides, thy mind possesses inexhaustible resources. If thou +wert to survey the position and speak with Plautius." + +"Thou hast too great an idea of my influence and wit; but if that is +the only question, I will talk with Plautius as soon as they return to +the city." + +"They returned two days since." + +"In that case let us go to the triclinium, where a meal is now ready, +and when we have refreshed ourselves, let us give command to +bear us to Plautius." + +"Thou hart ever been kind to me," answered Vinicius, with +vivacity; "but now I shall give command to rear thy statue among +my lares, -- just such a beauty as this one, -- and I will place +offerings before it." + +Then he turned toward the statues which ornamented one entire +wall of the perfumed chamber, and pointing to the one which +represented Petronius as Hermes with a staff in his hand, he added, +-- "By the light of Helios! if the 'godlike' Alexander resembled +thee, I do not wonder at Helen." + +And in that exclamation there was as much sincerity as flattery; for +Pc.tronius, though older and less athletic, was more beautiful than +even Vinicius. The women of Rome admired not only his pliant +mind and his taste, which gained for him the title Arbiter +cleganti~e, but also his body. This admiration was evident even on +the faces of those maidens from Kos who were arranging the folds +of his toga; and one of whom, whose name was Eunice, loving him +in secret, looked him in the eyes with submission and rapture. But +he did not even notice this; and, smiling at Vinicius, he quoted in +answer an expression of Seneca about woman, -- Animal impud +ens, etc. And then, placing an arm on the shoulders of his nephew, +he conducted him to the triclinium. + +In the unctorium the two Grecian maidens, the Phrygians, and the +two Ethiopians began to put away the vessels with perfumes. But +at that moment, and beyond the curtain of the frigidarium, +appeared the heads of the halneatores, and a low "Psst!" was heard. +At that call one of the Grecians, the Phrygians, and the Ethiopians +sprang up quickly, and vanished in a twinkle behind the curtain. In +the baths began a moment of license which the inspector did not +prevent, for he took frequent part in such frolics himself. Petronius +suspected that they took place; but, as a prudent man, and one who +did not like to punish, he looked at them through his fingers. + +In the unctorium only Eunice remained. She listened for a short +time to the voices and laughter which retreated in the direction of +the laconicum. At last she took the stool inlaid with amber and +ivory, on which Petronius had been sitting a short time before, and +put it carefully at his statue. The unctorium was full of sunlight +and the hues which came from the manycolored marbles with +which the wall was faced. Eunice stood on the stool, and, finding +herself at the level of the statue, cast her arms suddenly around its +neck; then, throwing back her golden hair, and pressing her rosy +body to the white marble, she pressed her lips with ecstasy to the +cold lips of Petronius. + +1 Nero's name was originally I. Domitius Ahenobarbus. + +Chapter II + +Avrza a refreshment, which was called the morning meal and to +which the two friends sat down at an hour when common mortals +were abeady long past their midday prandium, Petronius proposed +a light doze. According to him, it was too early for visits yet. +"There are, it is true," said he, "people who begin to visit their +acquaintances about sunrise, thinking that custom an old Roman +one, but I look on this as barbarous. The afternoon hours are most +proper, -- not earlier, however, than that one when the sun passes +to the side of Jove's temple on the Capitol and begins to look +slantwise on the Forum. In autumn it is still hot, and people arc +glad to sleep after eating. At the same time it is pleasant to hear +the noise of the fountain in the atrium, and, after the obligatory +thousand steps, to doze in the red light which filters in through the +purple half-drawn velarium." + +Vinicius recognized the justice of these words; and the two men +began to walk, speaking in a careless manner of what was to be +heard on the Palatine and in the city, and philosophizing a little +upon life. Petronius withdrew then to the cubiculum, but did not +sleep long. In half an hour he came out, and, having given +command to bring verbena, he inhaled the perfume and rubbed his +hands and temples with it. + +"Thou wilt not believe," said he, "how it enlivens and freshens one. +Now I am ready." + +The litter was waiting long since; hence they took their places, and +Petronius gave command to bear them to the Vicus Patricius, to +the house of Aulus. Petronius's "insula" lay on the southern slope +of the Palatine, near the so-called Carinse; their nearest way, +therefore, was below the Forum; but since Petronius wished to step +in on the way to see the jeweller Idomeneus, he gave the direction +to carry them along the Vicus Apollinis and the Forum in the +direction of the Vicus Sceleratus, on the corner of which were +many tabernae of every kind. + +Gigantic Africans bore the litter and moved on, preceded by slaves +called pedisequii. Petronius, after some time, raised to his nostrils +in silence his palm odorous with verbena, and seemed to be +meditating on something. + +"It occurs to me," said he after a while, "that if thy forest goddess +is not a slave she might leave the house of Plautius, and transfer +herself to thine. Thou wouldst surround her with love and cover +her with wealth, as I do my adored Chrysothemis, of whom, +speaking between us, I have quite as nearly enough as she has of +me." + +Marcus shook his head. + +"No?" inquired Petronius. "In the worst event, the case would be +left with Caesar, and thou mayst be certain that, thanks even to my +influence, our Bronzebeard would be on thy side." + +"Thou knowest not Lygia," replied Vinicius. + +"Then permit me to ask if thou know her otherwise than by sight? +Mast spoken with her? hast confessed thy love to her?" + +"I saw her first at the fountain; since then I have met her twice. +Remember that during my stay in the house of Aulus, I dwelt in a +separate villa, intended for guests, and, having a disjointed arm, I +could not sit at the common table. Only on the eve of the day for +which I announced my departure did I meet Lygia at supper, but I +could not say a word to her. I had to listen to Aulus and his +account of victories gained by him in Britain, and then of the fall +of small states in Italy, which Licinius Stolo strove to prevent. In +general I do not know whether Aulus will be able to speak of aught +else, and do not think that we shall escape this history unless it be +thy wish to hear about the effeminacy of these days. They have +pheasants in their preserves, but they do not eat them, setting out +from the principle that every pheasant eaten brings nearer the end +of Roman power. I met her a second time at the garden cistern, +with a freshly plucked reed in her hand, the top of which she +dipped in the water and sprinkled the irises growing around. Look +at my knees. By the shield of Hercules, I tell thee that they did not +tremble when clouds of Parthians advanced on our maniples with +howls, but they trembled before the cistern. And, confused as a +youth who still wears a bulla on his neck, I merely begged pity +with my eyes, not being able to utter a word for a long time." + +Petronius looked at him, as if with a certain envy. "Happy man," +said he, "though the world and life were the worst possible, one +thing in them will remain eternally good, -- youth!" + +After a while he inquired: "And hast thou not spoken to her?" + +"When I had recovered somewhat, I told her that I was returning +from Asia, that I had disjointed my arm near the city, and had +suffered severely, but at the moment of leaving that hospitable +house I saw that suffering in it was more to be wished for than +delight in another place, that sickness there was better than health +somewhere else. Confused too on her part, she listened to my +words with bent head while drawing something with the reed on +the saffron-colored sand. Afterward she raised her eyes, then +looked down at the marks drawn already; once more she looked at +me, as if to ask about something, and then fled on a sudden like a +hamadryad before a dull faun." + +"She must have beautiful eyes." + +"As the sea -- and I was drowned in them, as in the sea. Believe me +that the archipelago is less blue. After a while a little son of +Plautius ran up with a question. But I did not understand what he +wanted." + +"O Athene!" exclaimed Petronius, "remove from the eyes of this +youth the bandage with which Eros has bound them; if not, he will +break his head against the columns of Venus's temple. + +"O thou spring bud on the tree of life," said he, turning to Vinicius, +"thou first green shoot of the vine! Instead of taking thee to the +Plautiuses, I ought to give command to bear thee to the house of +Gelocius, where there is a school for youths unacquainted with +life." + +"What dost thou wish in particular?" + +"But what did she write on the sand? Was it not the name of Amor, +or a heart pierced with his dart, or something of such sort, that one +might know from it that the satyrs had whispered to the ear of that +nymph various secrets of life? How couldst thou help looking on +those marks?" + +"It is longer since I have put on the toga than seems to thee," said +Vinicius, "and before little Aulus ran up, I looked carefully at +those marks, for I know that frequently maidens in Greece and in +Rome draw on the sand a confession which their lips will not utter. +But guess what she drew!" + +"If it is other than I supposed, I shall not guess." + +"A fish." + +"What dost thou say?" + +"I say, a fish. What did that mean, -- that cold blood is flowing in +her veins? So far I do not know; but thou, who hast called me a +spring bud on the tree of life, wilt be able to understand the sign +certainly." + +"Carissime! ask such a thing of Pliny. He knows fish. If old +Apicius were alive, he could tell thee something, for in the course +of his life he ate more fish than could find place at one time in the +bay of Naples." + +Further conversation was interrupted, since they were borne into +crowded streets where the noise of people hindered them. + +From the Vicus Apollinis they turned to the Boarium, and then +entered the Forum Rornanurn, where on clear days, before sunset, +crowds of idle people assembled to stroll among the columns, to +tell and hear news, to see noted people borne past in litters, and +finally to look in at the jewellery-shops, the book-shops, the arches +where coin was changed, shops for silk, bronze, and all other +articles with which the buildings covering that part of the market +placed opposite the Capitol were filled. + +One-half of the Forum, immediately under the rock of the Capitol, +was buried already in shade; but the columns of the temples, +placed higher, seemed golden in the sunshine and the blue. Those +lying lower cast lengthened shadows on marble slabs. The place +was so filled with columns everywhere that the eye was lost in +them as in a forest. + +Those buildings and columns seemed huddled together. They +towered some above others, they stretched toward the right and the +left, they climbed toward the height, and they clung to the wall of +the Capitol, or some of them clung to others, like greater and +smaller, thicker and thinner, white or gold colored tree-trunks, now +blooming under architraves, flowers of the acanthus, now +surrounded with Ionic corners, now finished with a simple Done +quadrangle. Above that forest gleamed colored triglyphs; from +tympans stood forth the sculptured forms of gods; from the +Summits winged golden quadrig~ seemed ready to fly away +through space into the blue dome, fixed serenely above that +crowded place of temples. Through the middle of the market and +along the edges of it flowed a river of people; crowds passed under +the arches of the basilica of Julius C~zsar; crowds were sitting on +the steps of Castor and Pollux, or walking around the temple of +Vesta, resembling on that great marble background many-colored +swarms of butterflies or beetles. Down immense steps, from the +side of the temple on the Capitol dedicated to Jupiter Optimus +Maximus, came new waves; at the rostra people listened to chance +orators; in one place and another rose the shouts of hawkers selling +fruit, wine, or water mixed with fig_juice; of tricksters; of venders +of marvellous medicines; of soothsayers; of discoverers of hidden +treasures; of interpreters of dreams. Here and there, in the tumult +of conversations and cries, were mingled sounds of the Egyptian +sistra, of tile sambuk‚, or of Grecian flutes. Here and there the +sick, the pious, or the afflicted were bearing offerings to the +temples. In the midst of the people, on the stone flags, gathered +flocks of doves, eager for the grain given them, and like movable +many-colored and dark spots, now rising for a moment with a loud +sound of wings, now dropping down again to places left vacant by +people. From time to time the crowds opened before litters in +which were visible the affected faces of women, or the heads of +senators and knights, with features, as it were, rigid and exhausted +from living. The many-tongued population repeated aloud their +names, with the addition of some term of praise or ridicule. +Among the unordered groups pushed from time to time, advancing +with measured tread, parties of soldiers, or watchers, preserving +order on the streets. Around about, the Greek language was heard +as often as Latin. + +Vinicius, who had not been in the city for a long time, looked with +a certain curiosity on that swarm of people and on that Forum +Romanum, which both dominated the sea of the world and was +flooded by it, so that Petronius, who divined the thoughts of his +companion, called it "the nest of the Quirites -- without the +Quiites." In truth, the local element was well-nigh lost in that +crowd, composed of all races and nations. There appeared +Ethiopians, gigantic light-haired people from the distant north, +Britons, Gauls, Germans, sloping-eyed dwellers of Lericum; +people from the Euphrates and from the Indus, with beards dyed +brick color; Syrians from the banks of the Orontes, with black and +mild eyes; dwellers in the deserts of Arabia, dried up as a bone; +Jews, with their flat breasts; Egyptians, with the eternal, +indifferent smile on their faces; Numidians and Africans; Greeks +from Hellas, who equally with the Romans commanjied the city, +but commanded through science, art, wisdom, and deceit; Greeks +from the islands, from Asia Minor, from Egypt, from Italy, from +Narbonic Gaul. In the throng of slaves, with pierced ears, were not +lacking also freemen, -- an idle population, which Caesar amused, +supported, even clothed, -- and free visitors, whom the ease of life +and the prospects of fortune enticed to the gigantic city; there was +no lack of venal persons. There were priests of Serapis, with palm +branches in their hands; priests of Isis, to whose altar more +offerings were brought than to the temple of the Capitoline Jove; +priests of Cybele, bearing in their hands golden ears of rice; and +priests of nomad divinities; and dancers of the East with bright +head-dresses, and dealers in amulets, and snake-tamers, and +Chaldean seers; and, finally, people without any occupation +whatever, who applied for grain every week at the storehouses on +the Tiber, who fought for lottery-tickets to the Circus, who spent +their nights in rickety houses of districts beyond the Tiber, and +sunny and warm days under covered porticos, and in foul +eating-houses of the Subura, on the Milvian bridge, or before the +"insuhr" of the great, where from time to time remnants from the +tables of slaves were thrown out to them. + +Petronius was well known to those crowds. Vinicius's ears were +struck continually by "Hic est!" (Here he is). They loved him for +his munificence; and his peculiar popularity increased from the +time when they learned that he had spoken before Caesar in +opposition to the sentence of death issued against the whole +"familia," that is, against all the slaves of the prefect Pedanius +Secundus, without distinction of sex or age, because one of them +had killed that monster in a moment of despair. Petronius repeated +in public, it is true, that it was all one to him, and that he had +spoken to Caesar only privately, as the arbiter elegantiarum whose +aesthetic taste was offended by a barbarous slaughter befitting +Scythians and not Romans. Nevertheless, people who were +indignant because of the slaughter loved Petronius from that +moment forth. But he did not care for their love. He remembered +that that crowd of people had loved also Britannicus, poisoned by +Nero; and Agrippina, killed at his command; and Octavia, +smothered in hot steam at the Pandataria, after her veins had been +opened previously; and Rubelius Plautus, who had been banished; +and Thrasea, to whom any morning might bring a death sentence. +The love of the mob might be considered rather of ill omen; and +the sceptical Pctronius was superstitious also. He had a twofold +contempt for the multitude, -- as an aristocrat and an aesthetic +person. Men with the odor of roast beans, which they carried in +their bosoms, and who besides were eternally hoarse and sweating +from playing mora on the street-corners and peristyles, did not in +his eyes deserve the term "human." Hence he gave no answer +whatever to the applause, or the kisses sent from lips here and +there to him. He was relating to Marcus the case of Pedanius, +reviling meanwhile the fickleness of that rabble which, next +morning after the terrible butchery, applauded Nero on his way to +the temple of Jupiter Stator. But he gave conimand to halt before +the book-shop of Avirnus, and, descending from tile litter, +purchased an ornamented manuscript, which he gave to Vinicius. + +"Here is a gift for thee," said he. + +"Thanks!" answered Vinicius. Then, looking at the title, he +inquired, "'Satyricon'? Is this something new? Whose is it?" + +"Mine. But I do not wish to go in the road of Rufinus, whose +history I was to tell thee, nor of Fabricius Veiento; hence no one +knows of this, and do thou mention it to no man." + +"Thou hast said that thou art no writer of verses," said Vinicius, +looking at the middle of tile manuscript; "but here I see prose +thickly interwoven with them." + +"When thou art reading, turn attention to Trimalchion's feast. As to +verses, they have disgusted me, since Nero is writing an epic. +Vitelius, when he wishes to relieve himself, uses ivory fingers to +thrust down his throat; others serve themselves with flamingo +feathers steeped in olive oil or in a decoction of wild thyme. I read +Nero's poetry, and the result is immediate. Straight-way I am able +to praise it, if not with a clear conscience, at least with a clear +stomach." + +When he had said this, he stopped the litter again before the shop +of Idomeneus the goldsmith, and, having settled the affair of the +gems, gave command to bear the litter directly to Aulus's mansion. + +"On the road I will tell thee the story of Rufinus," said he, "as +proof of what vanity in an author may be." + +But before he had begun, they turned in to the Vicus Patricius, and +soon found themselves before the dwelling of Aulus. A young and +sturdy "janitor" opened the door leading to the ostium, over which +a magpie confined in a cage greeted them noisily with the word, +"Salve!" + +On the way from the second antechamber, called the ostium, to the +atrium itself, Vinicius said, -- "Flast noticed diat tile doorkeepers +are without chains!" "This is a wonderful house," answered +Petronius, in an undertone. "Of course it is known to thee that +Pomponia Griecina is suspected of entertaining that Eastern +superstition which consists in honoring a certain Chrestos. It seems +that Crispinilla rendered her this service, -- she who cannot forgive +Pomponia because one husband has sufficed her for a lifetime. A +one-man Woman! To-day, in Rome, it is easier to get a half-plate +of fresh mushrooms from Noricum than to find such. They tried +her before a domestic court --" + +"To thy judgment this is a wonderful house. Later on I will tell +thee what I heard and saw in it." + +Meanwhile they had entered the atrium. The slave appointed to it, +called atricnsis, sent a nomenclator to announce the guests; and +Petronius, who, imagining that eternal sadness reigned in this +severe house, had never been in it, looked around with +astonishment, and as it were with a feeling of disappointment, for +the atrium produced rather an impression of cheerfulness. A sheaf +of bright light falling from above through a large opening broke +into a thousand sparks on a fountain in a quadrangular little basin, +called the impluvium, which was in the middle to receive rain +falling through the opening during bad weather; this was +surrounded by anemones and lilies. In that house a special love for +lilies was evident, for there were whole clumps of them, both +white and red; and, finally, sapphire irises, whose delicate leaves +were as if silvered from the spray of the fountain. Among the +moist mosses, in which lily-pots were hidden, and among the +bunches of lilies were little bronze statues representing children +and water-birds. In one corner a bronze fawn, as if wishing to +drink, was inclining its greenish head, grizzled, too, by dampness. +The floor of the atrium was of mosaic; the walls, faced partly with +red marble and partly with wood, on which were painted fish, +birds, and griffins, attracted the eye by the play of colors. From the +door to the side chamber they were ornamented with tortoise-shell +or even ivory; at the walls between the doors were statues of +Aulus's ancestors. Everywhere calm plenty was evident, remote +from excess, but noble and self-trusting. + +Petronius, who lived with incomparably greater show and +elegance, could find nothing which offended his taste; and had just +turned to Vinicius with that remark, when a slave, the velarius, +pushed aside the curtain separating the atrium from the tablinum, +and in the depth of the building appeared Aulus Plautius +approaching hurriedly. + +He was a man nearing the evening of life, with a head whitened by +hoar frost, but fresh, with an energetic face, a trifle too short, but +still somewhat eagle-like. This time there was expressed on it a +certain astonishment, and even alarm, because of the unexpected +arrival of Nero's friend, companion, and suggester. + +Petronius was too much a man of the world and too quick not to +notice this; hence, after the first greetings, he announced with all +the eloquence and ease at his command that he had come to give +thanks for the care which his sister's son had found in that house, +and that gratitude alone was the cause of the visit, to which, +moreover, he was emboldened by his old acquaintance with Aulus. + +Aulus assured him that he was a welcome guest; and as to +gratitude, he declared that he had that feeling himself, though +surely Petronius did not divine the cause of it. + +In fact, Petronius did not divine it. In vain did he raise his hazel +eyes, endeavoring to remember the least service rendered to Aulus +or to any one. He recalled none, unless it might be that which he +intended to show Vinicius. Some such thing, it is true, might have +happened involuntarily, but only involuntarily. + +"I have great love and esteem for Vespasian, whose life thou didst +save," said Aulus, "when he had the misfortune to doze while +listening to Nero's verses." + +"He was fortunate," replied Petronius, "for he did not hear them; +but I will not deny that the matter might have ended with +misfortune. Bronzebeard wished absolutely to send a centurion to +him with the friendly advice to open his veins." + +"But thou, Petronius, laughed him out of it." + +"That is true, or rather it is not true. I told Nero that if Orpheus put +wild beasts to sleep with song, his triumph was equal, since he had +put Vespasian to sleep. Ahenobarbus may be blamed on condition +that to a small criticism a great flattery be added. Our gracious +Augusta, Poppae, understands this to perfection." + +"Alas! such are the times," answered Aulus. "I lack two front teeth, +knocked out by a stone from the hand of a Briton, I speak with a +hiss; still my happiest days were passed in Britain." + +"Because they were days of victory," added Vinicius. + +But Petronius, alarmed lest the old general might begin a narrative +of his former wars, changed the conversation. + +"See," said he, "in the neighborhood of Prirneste country people +found a dead wolf whelp with two heads; and during a storm about +that time lightning struck off an angle of the temple of Luna, -- a +thing unparalleled, because of the late autumn. A certain Cotta, +too, who had told this, added, while telling it, that the priests of +that temple prophesied the fall of the city or, at least, the ruin of a +great house, -- ruin to be averted only by uncommon sacrifices." + +Aulus, when he had heard the narrative, expressed the opinion that +such signs should not be neglected; that the gods might be angered +by an over-measure of wickedness. In this there was nothing +wonderful; arid in such an event expiatory sacrifices were +perfectly in order. + +"Thy house, Plautius, is not too large," answered Petronius, +"though a great man lives in it. Mine is indeed too large for such a +wretched owner, though equally small. But if it is a question of the +ruin of something as great, for example, as the doinus transitoria, +would it be worth while for us to bring offerings to avert that +ruin?" + +Plautius did not answer that question, -- a carefulness which +touched even Petronius somewhat, for, with all his inability to feel +the difference between good and evil, he had never been an +informer; and it was possible to talk with him in perfect safety. He +changed the conversation again, therefore, and began to praise +Plautius's dwelling and the good taste which reigned in the house. + +"It is an ancient seat," said Plautius, "in which nothing has been +changed since I inherited it." + +After the curtain was pushed aside which divided the atrium from +the tablinum, the house was open from end to end, so that through +the tabhinum and the following peristyle and the hail lying beyond +it which was called the aecus, the glance extended to the garden, +which seemed from a distance like a bright image set in a dark +frame. Joyous, childlike laughter came from it tmm the atrium. + +"Oh, general!" said Petronius, "permit us to listen from near by to +that glad laughter which is of a kind heard so rarely in these days." + +"Willingly," answered Plautius, rising; "that is my little Aulus and +Lygia, playing ball. But as to laughter, I think, Petronius, that our +whole life is spent in it." + +"Life deserves laughter, hence people laugh at it," answered +Petronius, "but laughter here has another sound." + +"Petronius does not laugh for days in succession," said Vinicius; +"but then he laughs entire nights." + +Thus conversing, they passed through the length of the house and +reached the garden, where Lygia and little Aulus were playing with +balls, which slaves, appointed to that game exclusively and called +spherist~, picked up and placed in their hands. Petronius cast a +quick passing glance at Lygia; little Aulus, seeing Vinicius, ran to +greet him; but the young tribune, going forward, bent his head +before the beautiful maiden, who stood with a bali in her hand, her +hair blown apart a little. She was somewhat out of breath, and +flushed. + +In the garden trichinium, shaded by ivy, grapes, and woodbine, sat +Pornponia Graecina; hence they went to salute her. She was +known to Petronius, though he did not visit Plautius, for he had +seen her at the house of Antistia, the daughter of Rubehius Plautus, +and besides at the house of Seneca and Polion. He could not resist +a certain admiration with which he was filled by her face, pensive +but mild, by the dignity of her bearing, by her movements, by her +words. Pomponia disturbed his understanding of women to such a +degree that that man, corrupted to the marrow of his bones, and +self-confident as no one in Rome, not only felt for her a kind of +esteem, but even lost his previous self-confidence. And now, +thanking her for her care of Vinicius, he thrust in, as it were +involuntarily, "domina," which never occurred to him when +speaking, for example, to Calvia Crispinilla, Scribonia, Veleria, +Solina, and other women of high society. After he had greeted her +and returned thanks, he began to complain that he saw her so +rarely, that it was not possible to meet her either in the Circus or +the Amphitheatre; to which she answered calmly, laying her hand +on the hand of her husband: + +"We are growing old, and love our domestic quiet more and more, +both of us." + +Petronius wished to oppose; but Aulus Plautius added in his +hissing voice, -- "And we feel stranger and stranger among people +who give Greek names to our Roman divinities." + +"The gods have become for some time mere figures of rhetoric," +replied Petronius, carelessly. "But since Greek rhetoricians taught +us, it is easier for me even to say Hera than Juno." + +He turned his eyes then to Pomponia, as if to signify that in +presence of her no other divinity could come to his mind: and then +he began to contradict what she had said touching old age. + +"People grow old quickly, it is true; but there are some who live +another life entirely, and there are faces moreover which Saturn +seems to forget." + +Pctronius said this with a certain sincerity even, for Pomponia +Graecina, though descending from the midday of life, had +preserved an uncommon freshness of face; and since she had a +small head and delicate features, she produced at times, despite +her dark robes, despite her solemnity and sadness, the impression +of a woman quite young. + +Meanwhile little Aulus, who had become uncommonly friendly +with Vinicius during his former stay in the house, approached the +young man and entreated him to play ball. Lygia herself entered +the triclinium after the little boy. Under the climbing ivy, with the +light quivering on her face, she seemed to Petronius more beautiful +than at the first glance, and really like some nymph. As he had not +spoken to her thus far, he rose, inclined his head, and, instead of +the usual expressions of greeting, quoted the words with which +Ulysses greeted Nausikaa, -- "I supplicate thee, O queen, whether +thou art some goddess or a mortal! If thou art one of the daughters +of men who dwell on earth, thrice blessed are thy father and thy +lady mother, and thrice blessed thy brethren." + +The exquisite politeness of this man of the world pleased even +Pomponia. As to Lygia, she listened, confused and flushed, +without boldness to raise her eyes. But a wayward smile began to +quiver at the corners of her lips, and on her face a struggle was +evident between the timidity of a maiden and the wish to answer; +but clearly the wish was victorious, for, looking quickly at +Petronius, she answered him all at once with the words of that +same Nausikaa, quoting them at one breath, and a little like a +lesson learned, -- + +"Stranger, thou seemest no evil man nor foolish." + +Then she turned and ran out as a frightened bird runs. + +This time the turn for astonishment came to Petronius, for he had +not expected to hear verses of I lomer from the lips of a maiden of +whose barbarian extraction he had heard previously from Vinicius. +Hence he looked with an inquiring glance at Pomponia; but she +could not give him an answer, for she was looking at that moment, +with a smile, at the pride reflected on the face of her husband. + +He was not able to conceal that pride. First, he had become +attached to Lygia as to his own daughter; and second, in spite of +his old Roman prejudices, which commanded him to thunder +against Greek and the spread of the language, he considered it as +the summit of social polish. He himself had never been able to +learn it well; over this he suffered in secret. He was glad, +therefore, that an answer was given in the language and poetry of +Homer to this exquisite man both of fashion and letters, who was +ready to consider Plautius's house as barbarian. + +"We have in the house a pedagogue, a Greek," said he, turning to +Petronius, "who teaches our boy, and the maiden overhears the +lessons. She is a wagrail yet, but a dear one, to which we have both +grown attached." + +Petronius looked through the branches of woodbine into the +garden, and at the three persons who were playing there. Vinicius +had thrown aside his toga, and, wearing only his tunic, was striking +the ball, which Lygia, standing opposite, with raised arms was +trying to catch. The maiden did not make a great impression on +Petronius at the first glance; she secirmed to hhrm too slender. But +from the moment when he saw her more nearly in the triclinium he +thought to himself that Aurora might look like her; and as a judge +he understood that in her there was something uncommon. He +considered everything and estimated everything; hence her face, +rosy and clear, her fresh lips, as if set for a kiss, her eyes blue as +the azure of the sea, the alabaster whiteness of her forehead, the +wealth of her dark hair, with the reflection of amber or Corinthian +bronze gleaming in its folds, her slender neck, the divine slope of +her shoulders, the whole posture, flexible, slender, young with the +youth of May and of freshly opened flowers. The artist was roused +in him, and the worshipper of beauty, who felt that beneath a +statue of that maiden one might write "Spring." All at once he +remembered Chrysothemis, and pure laughter seized him. +Chrysothemis seemed to him, with golden powder on her hair and +darkened brows, to be fabulously faded, -- something in the nature +of a yellowed rose-tree shedding its leaves. But still Rome envied +him that Chrysothemis. Then he recalled Poppza; and that most +famous Poppae also seemed to him soulless, a waxen mask. In that +maiden with Tanagrian outlines there was not only spring, but a +radiant soul, which shone through her rosy body as a flame through +a lamp. + +"Vinicius is right," thought he, "and my Chrysothemis is old, old! +-- as Troy!" + +Then he turned to Pomponia Graecina, and, pointing to the garden, +said, -- "I understand now, domina, why thou and thy husband +prefer this house to the Circus and to feasts on the Palatine." + +"Yes," answered she, turning her eyes in the direction of little +Aulus and Lygia. + +But the old general began to relate the history of the maiden, and +what he had heard years before from Atelius Hister about the +Lygian people who lived in the gloom of the North. + +The three outside had finished playing ball, and for some time had +been walking along the sand of the garden, appearing against the +dark background of myrtles and cypresses like three white statues. +Lygia held little Aulus by the hand. After they had walked a while +they sat on a bench near the fishpond, which occupied the middle +of the garden. After a time Aulus sprang up to frighten the fish in +the transparent water, but Vinicius continued the conversation +begun during the walk. + +"Yes," said he, in a low, quivering voice, scarcely audible; "barely +had I cast aside the pretexta, when I was sent to the legions in +Asia. I had not become acquainted with the city, nor with life, nor +with love. I know a small bit of Anacreon by heart, and Horace; +but I cannot like Petronius quote verses, when reason is dumb +from admiration and unable to find its own words. While a youth I +went to school to Musonius, who told me that happiness consists +in wishing what the gods wish, and therefore depends on our will. I +think, however, that it is something else, -- something greater and +more precious, which depends not on the will, for love only can +give it. The gods themselves seek that happiness; hence I too, O +Lygia, who have not known love thus far, follow in their footsteps. +I also seek her who would give me happiness --" + +He was silent -- and for a time there was nothing to be heard save +the light plash of the water into which little Aulus was throwing +pebbles to frighten the fish; but after a while Vinicius began again +in a voice still softer amid lower, -- "But thou knowest of +Vespasian's son Titus? They say that he had scarcely ceased to be a +youth when he so loved Berenice that grief almost drew the life +out of him. So could I too love, O Lygia! Riches, glory, power are +mere smoke, vanity! The rich man will find a richer than himself; +the greater glory of another will eclipse a man who is famous; a +strong man will be conquered by a stronger. But can Caesar +himself, can any god even, experience greater delight or be happier +than a simple mortal at the moment when at his breast there is +breathing another dear breast, or when he kisses beloved lips? +Hence love makes us equal to the gods, O Lygia." + +And she listened with alarm, with astonishment, and at the same +time as if she were listening to the sound of a Grecian flute or a +cithara. It seemed to her at moments that Vinicius was singing a +kind of wonderful song, which was instilling itself into her ears, +moving the blood in her, and penetrating her heart with a faintness, +a fear, and a kind of uncomprehended delight. It seemed to her +also that he was telling something which was in her before, but of +which she could not give account to herself. She felt that he was +rousing in her something which had been sleeping hitherto, and +that in that moment a hazy dream was changing into a form more +and more definite, more pleasing, more beautiful. + +Meanwhile the sun had passed the Tiber long since, and had sunk +low over the Janiculum. On the motionless cypresses ruddy light +was falling, and the whole atmosphere was filled with it. Lygia +raised on Vinicius her blue eyes as if roused from sleep; and he, +bending over her with a prayer quivering in his eyes, seemed on a +sudden, in the reflections of evening, more beautiful than all men, +than all Greek and Roman gods whose statues she had seen on the +fa‡ades of temples. And with his fingers he clasped her arm lightly +just above the wrist and asked, -- "Dost thou not divine what I say +to thee, Lygia?" + +"No," whispered she as answer, in a voice so low that Virsicius +barely heard it. + +But he did not believe her, and, drawing her hand toward him +more vigorously, he would have drawn it to his heart, which, under +the influence of desire roused by the marvellous maiden, was +beating like a hammer, and would have addressed burning words +to her directly had not old Aulus appeared on a path set in a frame +of myrtles, who said, while approaching them, -- "The sun is +setting; so beware of the evening coolness, and do not trifle + +with Libitina." + +"No," answered Vinicius; "I have not put on my toga yet, and I do +not feel the cold." + +"But see, barely half the sun's shield is looking from behind the +hill. That is a sweet climate of Sicily, where people gather on the +square before sunset and take farewell of disappearing Phothus +with a choral song." + +And, forgetting that a moment earlier he had warned them against +Libitina, he began to tell about Sicily, where he had estates and +large cultivated fields which he loved. He stated also that it had +come to his mind more than once to remove to Sicily, and live out +his life there in quietness. "He whose head winters have whitened +has bad enough of hoar frost. Leaves are not falling from the trees +yet, and the sky smiles on the city lovingly; but when the +grapevines grow yellow-leaved, when snow falls on the Alban +hills, and the gods visit the Campania with piercing wind, who +knows but I may remove with my entire household to my quiet +country-seat?" + +"Wouldst thou leave Rome?" inquired Vinicius, with sudden +alarm. "I have wished to do so this long time, for it is quieter in +Sicily and safer." And again he fell to praising his gardens, his +herds, his house hidden in green, and the hills grown over with +thyme and savory, among which were swarms of buzzing bees. But +Vinicius paid no heed to that bucolic note; and from thinking only +of this, that he might lose Lygia, he looked toward Petronius as if +expecting salvation from him alone. + +Meanwhile Petronius, sitting near Pomponia, was admiring the +view of the setting sun, the garden, and the people standing near +the fish-pond. Their white garments on the dark background of the +myrtles gleamed like gold from the evening rays. On the sky the +evening light had begun to assume purple and violet hues, and to +change like an opal. A strip of the sky became lily-colored. The +dark silhouettes of the cypresses grew still more pronounced than +during bright daylight. In the people, in the trees, in the whole +garden there reigned an evening calm. + +That calm struck Petronius, and it struck him especially in the +people. In the faces of Pomponia, old Aulus, their son, and Lygia +there was something such as he did not see in the faces which +surrounded him every day, or rather every night. There was a +certain light, a certain repose, a certain serenity, flowing directly +from the life which all lived there. And with a species of +astonishment he thought that a beauty and sweetness might exist +which he, who chased after beauty and sweetness continually, had +not known. He could not hide the thought in himself, and said, +turning to Pomponia, -- "I am considering in my soul how different +this world of yours is from the world which our Nero rules." + +She raised her delicate face toward the evening light, and said with +simplicity, -- "Not Nero, but God, rules the world." + +A moment of silence followed. Near the triclinium were heard in +the alley, the steps of the old general, Vinicius, Lygia, and little +Aulus; but before they arrived, Petronius had put another question, +-- "But believest thou in the gods, then, Pomponia?" + +"I believe in God, who is one, just, and all-powerful," answered the +wife of Aulus Plautius. + +Chapter III + +"SHE believes in God who is one, all-powerful, and just," said +Petronius, when he found himself again in the litter with Vinicius. +"If her God is all-powerful, He controls life and death; and if He is +just, He sends death justly. Why, then, does Pomponia wear +mourning for Julius? In mourning for Julius she blames her God. I +must repeat this reasoning to our Bronzebeard, the monkey, since I +consider that in dialectics I am the equal of Socrates. As to +women, I agree that each has three or four souls, but none of them +a reasoning one. Let Pomponia meditate with Seneca or Cornurus +over the question of what their great Logos is. Let them summon at +once the shades of Xenophanes, Parmenides, Zeno, and Plato, who +are as much wearied there in Cimmerian regions as a finch in a +cage. I wished to talk with her and with Plautius about something +else. By the holy stomach of the Egyptian Isis! If I had told them +right out directly why we came, I suppose that their virtue would +have made as much noise as a bronze shield under the blow of a +club. And I did not dare to tell! Wilt thou believe, Vinicius, I did +not dare! Peacocks are beautiful birds, but they have too shrill a +cry. I feared an outburst. + +But I must praise thy choice. A real 'rosy-fingered Aurora.' And +knowest thou what she reminded me of too? -- Spring! not our +spring in Italy, where an apple-tree merely puts forth a blossom +here and there, and olive groves grow gray, just as they were gray +before, but the spring which I saw once in Helvetia, -- young, +fresh, bright green. By that pale moon, I do not wonder at thee, +Marcus; but know that thou art loving Diana, because Auhis and +Pomponia are ready to tear thee to pieces, as the dogs once tore +Actaeon." + +Vinicius was silent a time without raising his head; then he began +to speak with a voice broken by passion, -- "I desired her before, +but now I desire her still more. When I caught her arm, flame +embraced me. I must have her. Were I Zeus, I would surround her +with a cloud, as he surrounded lo, or I would f all on her in rain, as +he fell on Dana‰; I would kiss her lips till it pained! I would hear +her scream in my arms. I would kill Aulus and Pomponia, and bear +her home in my arms. I will not sleep to-night. I will give +command to flog one of my slaves, and listen to his groans --" + +"Calm thyself," said Petronius. "Thou hast the longing of a +carpenter from the Subura." + +"All one to me what thou sayst. I must have her. I have turned to +thee for aid; but if thou wilt not find it, I shall find it myself. Aulus +considers Lygia as a daughter; why should I look on her as a slave? +And since there is no other way, let her ornament the door of my +house, let her anoint it with wolf's fat, and let her sit at my hearth +as wife." + +"Calm thyself, mad descendant of consuls. We do not lead in +barbarians bound behind our cars, to make wives of their +daughters. Beware of extremes. Exhaust simple, honorable +methods, and give thyself and me time for meditation. +Chrysothemis seemed to me too a daughter of Jove, and still I did +not marry her, just as Nero did not marry Acte, though they called +her a daughter of King Attalus. Calm thyself! Think that if she +wishes to leave Aulus for thee, he will have no right to detain her. +Know also that thou art not burning alone, for Eros has roused in +her the flame too. I saw that, and it is well to believe me. Have +patience. There is a way to do everything, but to-day I have +thought too much already, and it tires me. But I promise that +to-morrow I will think of thy love, and unless Petronius is not +Petronius, he will discover some method." + +They were both silent again. + +"I thank thee," said Vinicius at last. "May Fortune be bountiful to +thee." + +"Be patient." + +"Whither hast thou given command to bear us?" + +"To Chrysothemis." + +"Thou art happy in possessing her whom thou lovest." + +"I? Dost thou know what amuses me yet in Chrysothemis? This, +that she is false to me with my freedman Theokles, and thinks that +I do not notice it. Once I loved her, but now she amuses me with +her lying and stupidity. Come with me to her. Should she begin to +flirt with thee, and write letters on the table with her fingers +steeped in wine, know that I shall not be jealous." + +And he gave command to bear them both to Chrysothemis. + +But in the entrance Petronius put his hand on Vinicius's shoulder, +and said,-- "Wait; it seems to me that I have discovered a plan." +"May all the gods reward thee!" "I have it! I judge that this plan is +infallible. Knowest what, Marcus?" "I listen to thee, my wisdom." +"Well, in a few days the divine Lygia will partake of Demeter's +grain in thy house." + +"Thou art greater than Caesar!" exclaimed Vinicius with +enthusiasm. + +CHAPTER IV + +IN fact, Petronius kept his promise. He slept all the day following +his visit to Chrysothemis, it is true; but in the evening he gave +command to bear him to the Palatine, where he had a confidential +conversation with Nero; in consequence of this, on the third day a +centurion, at the head of some tens of pretorian soldiers, appeared +before the house of Plautius. + +The period was uncertain and terrible. Messengers of this kind +were more frequently heralds of death. So when the centurion +struck the hammer at Aulus's door, and when the guard of the +atrium announced that there were soldiers in the anteroom, terror +rose through the whole house. The family surrounded the old +general at once, for no one doubted that danger hung over him +above all. Pomponia, embracing his neck with her arms, clung to +him with all her strength, and her blue lips moved quickly while +uttering some whispered phrase. Lygia, with a face pale as linen, +kissed his hand; little Aulus clung to his toga. From the corridor, +from chambers in the lower story intended for servant-women and +attendants, from the bath, from the arches of lower dwellings, from +the whole house, crowds of slaves began to hurry out, and the cries +of "Heu! heu, me miserum!" were heard. The women broke into +great weeping; some scratched their cheeks, or covered their heads +with kerchiefs. + +Only the old general himself, accustomed for years to look death +straight in the eye, remained calm, and his short eagle face became +as rigid as if chiselled from stone. After a while, when he had +silenced the uproar, and commanded the attendants to disappear, +he said, -- "Let me go, Pomponia. If my end has come, we shall +have time to take leave." + +And he pushed her aside gently; but she said, -- "God grant thy fate +and mine to be one, O Aulus!" + +Then, failing on her knees, she began to pray with that force which +fear for some dear one alone can give. + +Aulus passed out to the atrium, where the centurion was waiting +for him. It was old Caius Hasta, his former subordinate and +companion in British wars. + +"I greet thee, general," said he. "I bring a command, and the +greeting of Caesar; here are the tablets and the signet to show that +I come in his name." + +"I am thankful to Caesar for the greeting, and I shall obey the +command," answered Aulus. "Be welcome, Hasta, and say what +command thou hast brought." + +"Aulus Plautius," began Hasta, "Caesar has learned that in thy +house is dwelling the daughter of the king of the Lygians, whom +that king during the life of the divine Claudius gave into the hands +of the Romans as a pledge that the boundaries of the empire would +never be violated by the Lygians. The divine Nero is grateful to +thee, O general, because thou hast given her hospitality in thy +house for so many years; but, not wishing to burden thee longer, +and considering also that the maiden as a hostage should be under +the guardianship of Cirsar and the senate, he commands thee to +give her into my hands." + +Aulus was too much a soldier and too much a veteran to permit +himself regret in view of an order, or vain words, or complaint. A +slight wrinkle of sudden anger and pain, however, appeared on his +forehead. Before that frown legions in Britain had trembled on a +time, and even at that moment fear was evident on the face of +Hasta. But in view of the order, Aulus Plautius felt defenceless. He +looked for some time at the tablets and the signet; then raising his +eyes to the old centurion, he said calmly, -- "Wait, Hasta, in the +atrium till the hostage is delivered to thee." + +After these words he passed to the other end of the house, to the +hall called cecus, where Pomponia Graecina, Lygia, and little +Aulus +were waiting for him in fear and alarm. + +"Death threatens no one, nor banishment to distant islands," said +he; "still Caesar's messenger is a herald of misfortune. It is a +question of thee, Lygia." + +"Of Lygia?" exclaimed Pomponia, with astonishment. + +"Yes," answered Aulus. + +And turning to the maiden, he began: "Lygia, thou wert reared in +our house as our own child; I and Pomponia love thee as our +daughter. But know this, that thou art not our daughter. Thou art a +hostage, given by thy people to Rome, and guardianship over thee +belongs to Caesar. Now Caesar takes thee from our house." + +The general spoke calmly, but with a certain strange, unusual +voice. Lygia listened to his words, blinking, as if not understanding +what the question was. Pomponia's cheeks became pallid. In the +doors leading from the corridor to the cecus, terrified faces of +slaves began to show themselves a second time. + +"The will of Caesar must be accomplished," said Aulus. + +"Aulus!" exclaimed Pomponia, embracing the maiden with her +arms, as if wishing to defend her, "it would be better for her to +die." + +Lygia, nestling up to her breast, repeated, "Mother, mother!" +unable in her sobbing to find other words. + +On Aulus's face anger and pain were reflected again. "If I were +alone in the world," said he, gloomily, "I would not surrender her +alive, and my relatives might give offerings this day to 'Jupiter +Liberator.' But I have not the right to kill thee and our child, who +may live to happier times. I will go to Caesar this day, and implore +him to change his command. Whether he will hear me, I know not. +Meanwhile, farewell, Lygia, and know that I and Pornponia ever +bless the day in which thou didst take thy seat at our hearth." + +Thus speaking, he placed his hand on her head; but though he +strove to preserve his calmness, when Lygia turned to him eyes +filled with tears, and seizing his hand pressed it to her lips, his +voice was filled with deep fatherly sorrow. + +"Farewell, our joy, and the light of our eyes," said he. + +And he went to the atrium quickly, so as not to let himself be +conquered by emotion unworthy of a Roman and a general. + +Meanwhile Pomponia, when she had conducted Lygia to the +cubiculum, began to comfort, console, and encourage her, uttering +words meanwhile which sounded strangely in that house, where +near them in an adjoining chamber the lararium remained yet, and +where the hearth was on which Aulus Plautius, faithful to ancient +usage, made offerings to the household divinities. Now the hour of +trial had come. On a time Virginius had pierced the bosom of his +own daughter to save her from the hands of Appius; still earlier +Lucretia had redeemed her shame with her life. The house of +Caesar is a den of infamy, of evil, of crime. But we, Lygia, know +why we have not the right to raise hands on ourselves! Yes! The +law under which we both live is another, a greater, a holier, but it +gives permission to defend oneself from evil and shame even +should it happen to pay for that defence with life and torment. +Whoso goes forth pure from the dwelling of corruption has the +greater merit thereby. The earth is that dwelling; but fortunately +life is one twinkle of the eye, and resurrection is only from the +grave; beyond that not Nero, but Mercy bears rule, and there +instead of pain is delight, there instead of tears is rejoicing. + +Next she began to speak of herself. Yes! she was calm; but in her +breast there was no lack of painful wounds. For example, Aulus +was a cataract on her eye; the fountain of light had not flowed to +him yet. Neither was it permitted her to rear her son in Truth. +When she thought, therefore, that it might be thus to the end of her +life, and that for them a moment of separation might come which +would be a hundred times more grievous and terrible than that +temporary one over which they were both suffering then, she could +not so much as understand how she might be happy even in heaven +without them. And she had wept many nights through already, she +had passed many nights in prayer, imploring grace and mercy. But +she offered her suffering to God, and waited and trusted. And now, +when a new blow struck her, when the tyrant's command took from +her a dear one, -- the one whom Aulus had called the light of their +eyes, -- she trusted yet, believing that there was a power greater +than Nero's and a mercy mightier than his anger. + +And she pressed the maiden's head to her bosom still more firmly. +Lygia dropped to her knees after a while, and, covering her eyes in +the folds of Pomponia's peplus, she remained thus a long time in +silence; but when she stood up again, some calmness was evident +on her face. + +"I grieve for thee, mother, and for father and for my brother; but I +know that resistance is useless, and would destroy all of us. I +promise thee that in the house of Caesar I will never forget thy +words." + +Once more she threw her arms around Pomponia's neck; then both +went out to the cecus, and she took farewell of little Aulus, of the +old Greek their teacher, of the dressing-maid who had been her +nurse, and of all the slaves. One of these, a tall and +broad-shouldered Lygian, called Ursus in the house, who with +other servants had in his time gone with Lygia's mother and her to +the camp of the Romans, fell now at her feet, and then bent down +to the knees of Pomponia, saying, -- "O domina! permit me to go +with my lady, to serve her and watch over her in the house of +Caesar." + +"Thou art not our servant, but Lygia's," answered Pomponia; "but if +they admit thee through Caesar's doors, in what way wilt thou be +able to watch over her?" + +"I know not, domina; I know only that iron breaks in my hands just +as wood does." + +When Aulus, who came up at that moment, had heard what the +question was, not only did he not oppose the wishes of Ursus, but +he declared that he had not even the right to detain him. They were +sending away Lygia as a hostage whom Ciesar had claimed, and +they were obliged in the same way to send her retinue, which +passed with her to the control of Caesar. Here he whispered to +Pomponia that under the form of an escort she could add as many +slaves as she thought proper, for the centurion could not refuse to +receive them. + +There was a certain comfort for Lygia in this. Pomponia also was +glad that she could surround her with servants of her own choice. +Therefore, besides Ursus, she appointed to her the old tire-woman, +two maidens from Cyprus well skilled in hair-dressing, and two +German maidens for the bath. Her choice fell exclusively on +adherents of the new faith; Ursus, too, had professed it for a +number of years. Pomponia could count on the faithfulness of +those servants, and at the same time consoled herself with the +thought that soon grains of truth would be in Caesar's house. + +She wrote a few words also, committing care over Lygia to Nero's +freedwoman, Acte. Pomponia had not seen her, it is true, at +meetings of confessors of the new faith; but she had heard from +them that Acte had never refused them a service, and that she read +the letters of Paul of Tarsus eagerly. It was known to her also that +the young freedwoman lived in melancholy, that she was a person +different from all other women of Nero's house, and that in general +she was the good spirit of the palace. + +Hasta engaged to deliver the letter himself to Acte. Considering it +natural that the daughter of a king should have a retinue of her +own servants, he did not raise the least difficulty in taking them to +the palace, but wondered rather that there should be so few. He +begged haste, however, fearing lest he might be suspected of want +of zeal in carrying out orders. + +The moment of parting came. The eyes of Pomponia and Lygia +were filled with fresh tears; Aulus placed his hand on her head +again, and after a while the soldiers, followed by the cry of little +Aulus, who in defence of his sister threatened the centurion with +his small fists, conducted Lygia to Caesar's house. + +The old general gave command to prepare his litter at once; +meanwhile, shutting himself up with Pomponia in the pinacotheca +adjoining the cecus, he said to her, -- "Listen to me, Pomponia. I +will go to Caesar, though I judge that my visit will be useless; and +though Seneca's word means nothing with Nero now, I will go also +to Seneca. To-day Sophonius, Tigellinus, Petronius, or Vatinius +has more influence. As to Caesar, perhaps he has never even heard +of the Lygian people; and if he has demanded the delivery of +Lygia, the hostage, he has done so because some one persuaded +him to it, -- it is easy to guess who could do that." + +She raised her eyes to him quickly. + +"Is it Petronius?" + +"It is." + +A moment of silence followed; then the general continued, -- "See +what it is to admit over the threshold any of those people without +conscience or honor. Cursed be the moment in which Vinicius +entered our house, for he brought Petronius. Woe to Lygia, since +those men are not seeking a hostage, but a concubine." + +And his speech became more hissing than usual, because of +helpless rage and of sorrow for his adopted daughter. He struggled +with himself some time, and only his clenched fists showed how +severe was the struggle within him. + +"I have revered the gods so far," said he; "but at this moment I +think that not they are over the world, but one mad, malicious +monster named Nero." + +"Aulus," said Pomponia. "Nero is only a handful of rotten dust +before God." + +But Aulus began to walk with long steps over the mosaic of the +pinacotheca. In his life there had been great deeds, but no great +misfortunes; hence he was unused to them. The old soldier had +grown more attached to Lygia than he himself had been aware of, +and now he could not be reconciled to the thought that he had lost +her. Besides, he felt humiliated. A hand was weighing on him +which he despised, and at the same time he felt that before its +power his power was as nothing. + +But when at last he stifled in himself the anger which disturbed his +thoughts, he said,-- "I judge that Petronius has not taken her from +us for Caesar, since he would not offend Poppan. Therefore he +took +her either for himself or Vinicius. Today I will discover this." + +And after a while the litter bore him in the direction of the +Palatine. Pornponia, when left alone, went to little Aulus, who did +not cease crying for his sister, or threatening Caesar. + +Chapter V + +AULUS had judged rightly that he would not be admitted to +Nero's presence. They told him that Caesar was occupied in +singing with the lute-player, Terpnos, and that in general he did +not receive those whom he himself had not summoned. In other +words, that Aulus must not attempt in future to see him. + +Seneca, though ill with a fever, received the old general with due +honor; but when he had heard what the question was, he laughed +bitterly, and said, -- "I can render thee only one service, noble +Plautius, not to show Caesar at any time that my heart feels thy +pain, or that I should like to aid thee; for should Caesar have the +least suspicion on this head, know that he would not give thee +back Lygia, though for no other reason than to spite me." + +He did not advise him, either, to go to Tigellinus or Vatinius or +Vitelius. It might be possible to do something with them through +money; perhaps, also, they would like to do evil to Petronius, +whose influence they were trying to undermine, but most likely +they would disclose before Nero how dear Lygia was to Plautius, +and then Nero would all the more resolve not to yield her to him. +Here the old sage began to speak with a biting irony, which he +turned against himself: "Thou hast been silent, Plautius, thou hast +been silent for whole years, and Caesar does not like those who are +silent. How couldst thou help being carried away by his beauty, his +virtue, his singing, his declamation, his chariot-driving, and his +verses? Why didst thou not glorify the death of Britannicus, and +repeat panegyrics in honor of the mother-slayer, and not offer +congratulations after the stifling of Octavia? Thou art lacking in +foresight, Aulus, which we who live happily at the court possess in +proper measure. + +Thus speaking, he raised a goblet which he carried at his belt, took +water from a fountain at the impluvium, freshened his burning +lips, and continued, -- "Ah, Nero has a grateful heart. He loves thee +because thou hast served Rome and glorified its name at the ends +of the earth; he loves me because I was his master in youth. +Therefore, seest thou, I know that this water is not poisoned, and I +drink it in peace. Wine in my own house would be less reliable. If +thou art thirsty, drink boldly of this water. The aqueducts bring it +from beyond the Alban hills, and any one wishing to poison it +would have to poison every fountain in Rome. As thou seest, it is +possible yet to be safe in this world and to have a quiet old age. I +am sick, it is true, but rather in soul than in body." + +This was true. Seneca lacked the strength of soul which Cornutus +possessed, for example, or Thrasea; hence his life was a series of +concessions to crime. He felt this himself; he understood that an +adherent of the principles of Zeno, of Citium, should go by another +road, and he suffered more from that cause than from the fear of +death itself. + +But the general interrupted these reflections full of grief. + +"Noble Annaeus," said he, "I know how Caesar rewarded thee for +the care with which thou didst surround his years of youth. But the +author of the removal of Lygia is Petronius. Indicate to me a +method against him, indicate the influences to which he yields, +and use besides with him all the eloquence with which friendship +for me of long standing can inspire thee." + +"Petronius and I," answered Seneca, "are men of two opposite +camps; I know of no method against him, he yields to no man's +influence. Perhaps with all his corruption he is worthier than those +scoundrels with whom Nero surrounds himself at present. But to +show him that he has done an evil deed is to lose time simply. +Petronius has lost long since that faculty which distinguishes good +from evil. Show him that his act is ugly, he will be ashamed of it. +When I see him, I will say, 'Thy act is worthy of a freedman.' If +that will not help thee, nothing can." + +"Thanks for that, even," answered the general. + +Then he gave command to carry him to the house of Vinicius, +whom he found at sword practice with his domestic trainer. Aulus +was borne away by terrible anger at sight of the young man +occupied calmly with fencing during the attack on Lygia; and +barely had the curtain dropped behind the trainer when this anger +burst forth in a torrent of bitter reproaches and injuries. But +Vinicius, when he learned that Lygia had been carried away, grew +so terribly pale that Aulus could not for even an instant suspect +him of sharing in the deed. The young man's forehead was covered +with sweat; the blood, which had rushed to his heart for a moment, +returned to his face in a burning wave; his eyes began to shoot +sparks, his mouth to hurl disconnected questions. Jealousy and +rage tossed him in turn, like a tempest. It seemed to him that +Lygia, once she had crossed the threshold of Caesar's house, was +lost to him absolutely. When Aulus pronounced the name of +Petronius, suspicion flew like a lightning flash through the young +soldier's mind, that Petronius had made sport of him, and either +wanted to win new favor from Nero by the gift of Lygia, or keep +her for himself. That any one who had seen Lygia would not desire +her at once, did not find a place in his head. Impetuousness, +inherited in his family, carried him away like a wild horse, and +took from him presence of mind. + +"General," said he, with a broken voice, "return home and wait for +me. Know that if Petronius were my own father, I would avenge on +him the wrong done to Lygia. Return home and wait for me. +Neither Petronius nor Caesar will have her." + +Then he went with clinched fists to the waxed masks standing +clothed in the atrium, and burst out, -- "By those mortal masks! I +would rather kill her and myself." When he had said this, he sent +another "Wait for me" after Aulus, then ran forth like a madman +from the atrium, and flew to Petronius's house, thrusting +pedestrians aside on the way. + +Aulus returned home with a certain encouragement. He judged that +if Petronius had persuaded Caesar to take Lygia to give her to +Vinicius, Vinicius would bring her to their house. Finally, the +thought was no little consolation to him, that should Lygia not be +rescued she would be avenged and protected by death from +disgrace. He believed that Vinicius would do everything that he +had promised. He had seen his rage, and he knew the excitability +innate in the whole family. He himself, though he loved Lygia as +her own father, would rather kill her than give her to Caesar; and +had he not regarded his son, the last descendant of his stock, he +would doubtless have done so. Aulus was a soldier; he had hardly +heard of the Stoics, but in character he was not far from their +ideas, -- death was more acceptable to his pride than disgrace. + +When he returned home, he pacified Pomponia, gave her the +consolation that he had, and both began to await news from +Vinicius. At moments when the steps of some of the slaves were +heard in the atrium, they thought that perhaps Vinicius was +bringing their beloved child to them, and they were ready in the +depth of their souls to bless both. Time passed, however, and no +news came. Only in the evening was the hammer heard on the +gate. + +After a while a slave entered and handed Aulus a letter. The old +general, though he liked to show command over himself, took it +with a somewhat trembling hand, and began to read as hastily as if +it were a question of his whole house. + +All at once his face darkened, as if a shadow from a passing cloud +had fallen on it. + +"Read," said he, turning to Pomponia. + +Pomponia took the letter and read as follows: -- + +"Marcus Vinicius to Aulus Plautius greeting. What has happened, +has happened by the will of Caesar, before which incline your +heads, as I and Petronius incline ours." + +Chapter VI + +PETRONIUS was at home. The doorkeeper did not dare to stop +Vinicius, who burst into the atrium like a storm, and, learning that +the master of the house was in the library, he rushed into the +library with the same impetus. Finding Petronius writing, he +snatched the reed from his hand, broke it, trampled the reed on the +floor, then fixed his fingers into his shoulder, and, approaching his +face to that of his uncle, asked, with a hoarse voice, -- "What hast +thou done with her? Where is she?" + +Suddenly an amazing thing happened. That slender and effeminate +Petronius seized the hand of the youthful athlete, which was +grasping his shoulder, then seized the other, and, holding them +both in his one hand with the grip of an iron vice, he said, -- "I am +incapable only in the morning; in the evening I regain my former +strength. Try to escape. A weaver must have taught thee +gymnastics, and a blacksmith thy manners." + +On his face not even anger was evident, but in his eyes there was a +certain pale reflection of energy and daring. After a while he let +the hands of Vinicius drop. Vinicius stood before him shamefaced +and enraged. + +"Thou hast a steel hand," said he; "but if thou hast betrayed me, I +swear, by all the infernal gods, that I will thrust a knife into thy +body, though thou be in the chambers of Caesar." + +"Let us talk calmly," said Petronius. "Steel is stronger, as thou +seest, than iron; hence, though out of one of thy arms two as large +as mine might be made, I have no need to fear thee. On the +contrary, I grieve over thy rudeness, and if the ingratitude of men +could astonish me yet, I should be astonished at thy ingratitude." + +"Where is Lygia?" + +"In a brothel, -- that is, in the house of Caesar." + +"Petronius!" + +"Calm thyself, and be seated. I asked Cirsar for two things, which +he promised me, -- first, to take Lygia from the house of Aulus, +and second to give her to thee. Hast thou not a knife there under +the folds of thy toga? Perhaps thou wilt stab me! But I advise thee +to wait a couple of days, for thou wouldst be taken to prison, and +meanwhile Lygia would be wearied in thy house." + +Silence followed. Vinicius looked for some time with astonished +eyes on Petronius; then he said, -- "Pardon me; I love her, and love +is disturbing my faculties." "Look at me, Marcus. The day before +yesterday I spoke to Caesar as follows: 'My sister's son, Vinicius, +has so fallen in love with a lean little girl who is being reared with +the Auluses that his house is turned into a stealnbath from sighs. +Neither thou, O Caesar, nor I -- we who know, each of us, what +true beauty is -- would give a thousand's sterces for her; but that +lad has ever been as dull as a tripod, and now he has lost all the wit +that was in him.'" + +"Petronius!" + +"If thou understand not that I said this to insure Lygia's safety, I am +ready to believe that I told the truth. I persuaded Bronzebeard that +a man of his aesthetic nature could not consider such a girl +beautiful; and Nero, who so far has not dared to look otherwise +than through my eyes, will not find in her beauty, and, not finding +it, will not desire her. it was necessary to insure ourselves against +the monkey and take him on a rope. Not he, but Poppaea, will +value Lygia now; and Poppaea will strive, of course, to send the +girl out of the palace at the earliest. I said further to Bronzebeard, +in passing: 'Take Lygia and give her to Vinicius! Thou hast the +right to do so, for she is a hostage; and if thou take her, thou wilt +inflict pain on Aulus.' He agreed; he had not the least reason not to +agree, all the more since I gave him a chance to annoy decent +people. They will make thee official guardian of the hostage, and +give into thy hands that Lygian treasure; thou, as a friend of the +valiant Lygians, and also a faithful servant of CTsar, wilt not waste +any of the treasure, but wilt strive to increase it. Caesar, to +preserve appearances, will keep her a few days in his house, and +then send her to thy insula. Lucky man!" + +"Is this true? Does nothing threaten her there in Caesar's house?" + +"If she had to live there permanently, Poppaea would talk about +her to Locusta, but for a few days there is no danger. Ten thousand +people live in it. Nero will not see her, perhaps, all the more since +he left everything to me, to the degree that just now the centurion +was here with information that he had conducted the maiden to the +palace and committed her to Acte. She is a good soul, that Acte; +hence I gave command to deliver Lygia to her. Clearly Pomponia +Gnecina is of that opinion too, for she wrote to Acte. To-morrow +there is a feast at Nero's. I have requested a place for thee at the +side of Lygia." + +"Pardon me, Caius, my hastiness. I judged that thou hadst given +command to take her for thyself or for Caesar." + +"I can forgive thy hastiness; but it is more difficult to forgive rude +gestures, vulgar shouts, and a voice reminding one of players at +mora. I do not like that style, Marcus, and do thou guard against it. +Know that Tigellinus is Caesar's pander; but know also that if I +wanted the girl for myself now, looking thee straight in the eyes, +I would say, 'Vinicius! I take Lygia from thee. and I will keep her +till I am tired of her." + +Thus speaking, he began to look with his hazel eyes straight into +the eyes of Vinicius with a cold and insolent stare. The young man +lost himself completely. + +"The fault is mine," said he. "Thou art kind and worthy. I thank +thee from my whole soul. Permit me only to put one more +question: Why didst thou not have Lvgia sent directly to my +house?" + +"Because Caesar wishes to preserve appearances. People in Rome +will talk about this, -- that we removed Lygia as a hostage. While +they are talking, she will remain in Caesar's palace. Afterward she +will be removed quietly to thy house, and that will be the end. +Bronzebeard is a cowardly cur. He knows that his power is +unlimited, and still he tries to give specious appearances to every +act. Hast thou recovered to the degree of being able to +philosophize a little? More than once have I thought, Why does +crime, even when as powerful as Caesar, and assured of being +beyond punishment, strive always for the appearances of truth, +justice, and virtue? Why does it take the trouble? I consider that to +murder a brother, a mother, a wife, is a thing worthy of some petty +Asiatic king, not a Roman Caesar; but if that position were mine, I +should not write justifying letters to the Senate. But Nero writes. +Nero is looking for appearances, for Nero is a coward. But +Tiberius was not a coward; still he justified every step he took. +Why is this? What a marvellous, involuntary homage paid to virtue +by evil! And knowest thou what strikes me? This, that it is done +because transgression is ugly and virtue is beautiful. Therefore a +man of genuine aesthetic feeling is also a virtuous man. Hence I +am virtuous. To-day I must pour out a little wine to the shades of +Protagoras, Prodicus, and Gorgias. It seems that sophists too can +be of service. Listen, for I am speaking yet. I took Lygia from +Aulus to give her to thee. Well. But Lysippus would have made +wonderful groups of her and thee. Ye are both beautiful; therefore +my act is beautiful, and being beautiful it cannot be bad. Marcus, +here sitting before thee is virtue incarnate in Caius Petronius! If +Aristides were living, it would be his duty to come to me and offer +a hundred minae for a short treatise on virtue." + +But Vinicius, as a man more concerned with reality than with +treatises on virtue, replied, -- "To-morrow I shall see Lygia, and +then have her in my house daily, always, and till death." + +"Thou wilt have Lygia, and I shall have Aulus on my head. He will +summon the vengeance of all the infernal gods against me. And if +the beast would take at least a preliminary lesson in good +declamation! He will blame me, however, as my former +doorkeeper blamed my clients but him I sent to prison in the +country." + +"Aulus has been at my house. I promised to give him news of +Lygia." + +"Write to him that the will of the 'divine' Caesar is the highest law, +and that thy first son will bear the name Aulus. It is necessary that +the old man should have some consolation. I am ready to pray +Bronzebeard to invite him to-morrow to the feast. Let him see thee +in the triclinium next to Lygia." + +"Do not do that. I am sorry for them, especially for Pomponia." + +And he sat down to write that letter which took from the old +general the remnant of his hope. + +Chapter VII + + +ONCE the highest heads in Rome inclined before Acre, the former +favorite of Nero. But even at that period she showed no desire to +interfere in public questions, and if on any occasion she used her +influence over the young ruler, it was only to implore mercy for +some one. Quiet and unassuming, she won the gratitude of many, +and made no one her enemy. Even Octavia was unable to hate her. +To those who envied her she seemed exceedingly harmless. It was +known that she continued to love Nero with a sad and pained love, +which lived not in hope, but only in memories of the time in which +that Nero was not only younger and loving, but better. It was +known that she could not tear her thoughts and soul from those +memories, but expected nothing; since there was no real fear that +Nero would return to her, she was looked upon as a person wholly +inoffensive, and hence was left in peace. Poppaea considered her +merely as a quiet servant, so harmless that she did not even try to +drive her from the palace. + +But since Caesar had loved her once and dropped her without +offence in a quiet and to some extent friendly manner, a certain +respect was retained for her. Nero, when he had freed her, let her +live in the palace, and gave her special apartments with a few +servants. And as in their time Pallas and Narcissus, though +freedmen of Claudius, not only sat at feasts with Claudius, but also +held places of honor as powerful ministers, so she too was invited +at times to Caesar's table. This was done perhaps because her +beautiful form was a real ornament to a feast. Caesar for that +matter had long since ceased to count with any appearances in his +choice of company. At his table the most varied medley of people +of every position and calling found places. Among them were +senators, but mainly those who were content to be jesters as well. +There were patricians, old and young, eager for luxury, excess, and +enjoyment. There were women with great names, who did not +hesitate to put on a yellow wig of an evening and seek adventures +on dark streets for amusement's sake. There were also high +officials, and priests who at full goblets were willing to jeer at +their own gods. At the side of these was a rabble of every sort: +singers, mimes, musicians, dancers of both sexes; poets who, +while declaiming, were thinking of the sesterces which might fall +to them for praise of Caesar's verses; hungry philosophers +following the dishes with eager eyes; finally, noted charioteers, +tricksters, miracle-wrights, tale-tellers, jesters, and the most varied +adventurers brought through fashion or folly to a few days' +notoriety. Among these were not lacking even men who covered +with long hair their ears pierced in sign of slavery. + +The most noted sat directly at the tables; the lesser served to +amuse in time of eating, and waited for the moment in which the +servants would permit them to rush at the remnants of food and +drink. Guests of this sort were furnished by Tigellinus, Vatinius, +and Vitelius; for these guests they were forced more than once to +find clothing befitting the chambers of Caesar, who, however, +liked their society, through feeling most free in it. The luxury of +the court gilded everything, and covered all things with glitter. +High and low, the descendants of great families, and the needy +from the pavements of the city, great artists, and vile scrapings of +talent, thronged to the palace to sate their dazzled eyes with a +splendor almost surpassing human estimate, and to approach the +giver of every favor, wealth, and property, -- whose single glance +might abase, it is true, but might also exalt beyond measure. + +That day Lygia too had to take part in such a feast. Fear, +uncertainty, and a dazed feeling, not to be wondered at after the +sudden change, were struggling in her with a wish to resist. She +feared Nero; she feared the people and the palace whose uproar +deprived her of presence of mind; she feared the feasts of whose +shamelessness she had heard from Aulus, Pomponia Graecina, and +their friends. Though young, she was not without knowledge, for +knowledge of evil in those times reached even children's ears +early. She knew, therefore, that ruin was threatening her in the +palace. Pomponia, moreover, had warned her of this at the moment +of parting. But having a youthful spirit, unacquainted with +corruption, and confessing a lofty faith, implanted in her by her +foster mother, she had promised to defend herself against that ruin; +she had promised her mother, herself and also that Divine Teacher +in whom she not only believed, but whom she had come to love +with her half-childlike heart for the sweetness of his doctrine, the +bitterness of his death, and the glory of his resurrection. + +She was confident too that now neither Aulus nor Pomponia would +be answerable for her actions; she was thinking therefore whether +it would not be better to resist and not go to the feast. On the one +hand fear and alarm spoke audibly in her soul; on the other the +wish rose in her to show courage in suffering, in exposure to +torture and death. The Divine Teacher had cormmanded to act +thus. He had given the example himself. Pomponia had told her +that the most earnest among the adherents desire with all their +souls such a test, and pray for it. And Lygia, when still in the house +of Aulus, had been mastered at moments by a similar desire. She +had seen herself as a martyr, with wounds on her feet and hands, +white as snow, beautiful with a beauty not of earth, and borne by +equally white angels into the azure sky; and her imagination +admired such a vision. There was in it much childish brooding, but +there was in it also something of delight in herself, which +Pomponia had reprimanded. But now, when opposition to Caesar's +will might draw after it some terrible punishment, and the +martyrdom scene of imagination become a reality, there was added +to the beautiful visions and to the delight a kind of curiosity +mingled with dread, as to how they would punish her, and what +kind of torments they would provide. And her soul, half childish +yet, was hesitating on two sides. But Acte, hearing of these +hesitations, looked at her with astonishment as if the maiden were +talking in a fever. To oppose Caesar's will, expose oneself from +the first moment to his anger? To act thus one would need to be a +child that knows not what it says. From Lygia's own words it +appears that she is, properly speaking, not really a hostage, but a +maiden forgotten by her own people. No law of nations protects +her; and even if it did, Caesar is powerful enough to trample on it +in a moment of anger. It has pleased Caesar to take her, and he +will dispose of her. Thenceforth she is at his will, above which +there is not another on earth. + +"So it is," continued Acte. "I too have read the letters of Paul of +Tarsus, and I know that above the earth is God, and the Son of +God, who rose from the dead; but on the earth there is only Caesar. +Think of this, Lygia. I know too that thy doctrine does not permit +thee to be what I was, and that to you as to the Stoics, -- of whom +Epictetus has told me, -- when it comes to a choice between shame +and death, it is permitted to choose only death. But canst thou say +that death awaits thee and not shame too? Hast thou heard of the +daughter of Sej anus, a young maiden, who at command of +Tiberius had to pass through shame before her death, so as to +respect a law which prohibits the punishment of virgins with +death? Lygia, Lygia, do not irritate Caesar. If the decisive moment +comes when thou must choose between disgrace and death, thou +wilt act as thy faith commands; but seek not destruction thyself, +and do not irritate for a trivial cause an earthly and at the same +time a cruel divinity." + +Acte spoke with great compassion, and even with enthusiasm; and +being a little short-sighted, she pushed her sweet face up to Lygia's +as if wishing to see surely the effect of her words. + +But Lygia threw her arms around Acte's neck with childish +trustfulness and said, -- "Thou art kind, Acte." + +Acte, pleased by the praise and confidence, pressed her to her +heart; and then disengaging herself from the arms of the maiden, +answered, -- "My happiness has passed and my joy is gone, but I +am not wicked." Then she began to walk with quick steps through +the room and to speak to herself, as if in despair. + +"No! And he was not wicked. He thought himself good at that +time, and he wished to be good. I know that best. All his change +came later, when he ceased to love. Others made him what he is -- +yes, others -- and Poppae." + +Here her eyelids filled with tears. Lygia followed her for some +time with her blue eyes, and asked at last, -- "Art thou sorry for +him, Acre?" "I am sorry for him!" answered the Grecian, with a +low voice. And again she began to walk, her hands clinched as if +in pain, and her face without hope. + +"Dost thou love him yet, Acte?" asked Lygia, timidly. + +"I love him." + +And after a while she added, -- "No one loves him but me." + +Silence followed, during which Acte strove to recover her +calmness, disturbed by memories; and when at length her face +resumed its usual look of calm sorrow, she said, -- + +"Let us speak of thee, Lygia. Do not even think of opposing +Caesar; that would be madness. And be calm. I know this house +well, and I judge that on Caesar's part nothing threatens thee. If +Nero had given command to take thee away for himself, he would +not have brought thee to the Palatine. Here Poppaea rules; and +Nero, since she bore him a daughter, is more than ever under her +influence. No, Nero gave command, it is true, that thou shouldst be +at the feast, but he has not seen thee yet; he has not inquired about +thee, hence he does not care about thee. Maybe he took thee from +Aulus and Pomponia only through anger at them. Petronius wrote +me to have care of thee; and since Pomponia too wrote, as thou +knowest, maybe they had an understanding. Maybe he did that at +her request. If this be true, if he at the request of Pomponia will +occupy himself with thee, nothing threatens thee; and who knows +if Nero may not send thee back to Aulus at his persuasion? I know +not whether Nero loves him over much, but I know that rarely has +he the courage to be of an opinion opposite to his." + +"Ah, Acte!" answered Lygia; "Petronius was with us before they +took me, and my mother was convinced that Nero demanded my +surrender at his instigation." + +"That would be bad," said Acte. But she stopped for a while, and +then said, -- "Perhaps Petronius only said, in Nero's presence at +some supper, that he saw a hostage of the Lygians at Aulus's, and +Nero, who is jealous of his own power, demanded thee only +because hostages belong to Caesar. But he does not like Aulus and +Pomponia. No! it does not seem to me that if Petronius wished to +take thee from Aulus he would use such a method. I do not know +whether Petronius is better than others of Caesar's court, but he is +different. Maybe too thou wilt find some one else who would be +willing to intercede for thee. Hast thou not seen at Aulus's some +one who is near Caesar?" + +"I have seen Vespasian and Titus." + +"Caesar does not like them." + +"And Seneca." + +"If Seneca advised something, that would be enough to make Nero +act otherwise." + +The bright face of Lygia was covered with a blush. "And +Vinicius--" + +"I do not know him." + +"He is a relative of Petronius, and returned not long since from +Armenia." + +"Dost thou think that Nero likes him?" + +"All like Vinicius." + +"And would he intercede for thee?" + +"He would." + +Acte smiled tenderly, and said, "Then thou wilt see him surely at +the feast. Thou must be there, first, because thou must, -- only such +a child as thou could think otherwise. Second, if thou wish to +return to the house of Aulus, thou wilt find means of beseeching +Petronius and Vinicius to gain for thee by their influence the right +to return. If they were here, both would tell thee as I do, that it +would be madness and ruin to try resistance. Caesar might not +notice thy absence, it is true; but if he noticed it and thought that +thou hadst the daring to oppose his will, here would be no +salvation for thee. Go, Lygia! Dost thou hear the noise in the +palace? The sun is near setting; guests will begin to arrive soon." + +"Thou art right," answered Lygia, "and I will follow thy advice." + +How much desire to see Vinicius and Petronius there was in this +resolve, how much of woman's curiosity there was to see such a +feast once in life, and to see at it Caesar, the court, the renowned +Poppaea and other beauties, and all that unheard-of splendor, of +which wonders were narrated in Rome, Lygia could not give +account to herself of a certainty. But Acte was right, and Lygia felt +this distinctly. There was need to go; therefore, when necessity and +simple reason supported the hidden temptation, she ceased to +hesitate. + +Acre conducted her to her own unctorium to anoint and dress her; +and though there was no lack of slave women in Caesar's house, +and Acte had enough of them for her personal service, still, +through sympathy for the maiden whose beauty and innocence had +caught her heart, she resolved to dress her herself. It became clear +at once that in the young Grecian, in spite of her sadness and her +perusal of the letters of Paul of Tarsus, there was yet much of the +ancient Hellenic spirit, to which physical beauty spoke with more +eloquence than aught else on earth. When she had undressed +Lygia, she could not restrain an exclamation of wonder at sight of +her form, at once slender and full, created, as it were, from pearl +and roses; and stepping back a few paces, she looked with delight +on that matchless, spring-like form. + +"Lygia," exclaimed she at last, "thou art a hundred times more +beautiful than Poppaea!" + +But, reared in the strict house of Pomponia, where modesty was +observed, even when women were by themselves, the maiden, +wonderful as a wonderful dream, harmonious as a work of +Praxiteles or as a song, stood alarmed, blushing from modesty, +with knees pressed together, with her hands on her bosom, and +downcast eyes. At last, raising her arms with sudden movement, +she removed the pins which held her hair, and in one moment, +with one shake of her head, she covered herself with it as with a +mantle. + +Acte, approaching her and touching her dark tresses, said, -- + +"Oh, what hair thou hast! I will not sprinkle golden powder on it; it +gleams of itself in one place and another with gold, where it +waves. I will add, perhaps, barely a sprinkle here and there; but +lightly, lightly, as if a sun ray had freshened it. Wonderful must thy +Lygian country be where such maidens are born! + +"I do not remember it," answered Lygia; "but Ursus has told me +that with us it is forests, forests, and forests." + +"But flowers bloom in those forests," said Acte, dipping her hand +in a vase filled with verbena, and moistening Lygia's hair with it. +When she had finished this work, Acre anointed her body lightly +with odoriferous oils from Arabia, and then dressed her in a soft +gold-colored tunic without sleeves, over which was to be put a +snow-white peplus. But since she had to dress Lygia's hair first, she +put on her meanwhile a kind of roomy dress called synthesis, and, +seating her in an armchair, gave her for a time into the hands of +slave women, so as to stand at a distance herself and follow the +hairdressing. Two other slave women put on Lygia's feet white +sandals, embroidered with purple, fastening them to her alabaster +ankles with golden lacings drawn crosswise. When at last the +hair-dressing was finished, they put a peplus on her in very +beautiful, light folds; then Acte fastened pearls to her neck, and +touching her hair at the folds with gold dust, gave command to the +women to dress her, following Lygia with delighted eyes +meanwhile. + +But she was ready soon; and when the first litters began to appear +before the main gate, both entered the side portico from which +were visible the chief entrance, the interior galleries, and the +courtyard surrounded by a colonnade of Numidian marble. + +Gradually people passed in greater and greater numbers under the +lofty arch of the entrance, over which the splendid quadrig~ of +Lysias seemed to bear Apollo and Diana into space. Lygia's eyes +were struck by that magnificence, of which the modest house of +Aulus could not have given her the slightest idea. It was sunset; the +last rays were falling on the yellow Numidian marble of the +columns, which shone like gold in those gleams and changed into +rose color also. Among the columns, at the side of white statues of +the Danaides and others, representing gods or heroes, crowds of +people flowed past, -- men and women; resembling statues also, +for they were draped in togas, pepluses, and robes, falling with +grace and beauty toward the earth in soft folds, on which the rays +of the setting sun were expiring. A gigantic Hercules, with head in +the light yet, from the breast down sunk in shadow cast by the +columns, looked from above on that throng. Acte showed Lygia +senators in wide-bordered togas, in colored tunics, in sandals with +crescents on them, and knights, and famed artists; she showed her +Roman ladies, in Roman, in Grecian, in fantastic Oriental +costume, with hair dressed in towers or pyramids, or dressed like +that of the statues of goddesses, low on the head, and adorned with +flowers. Many men and women did Acte call by name, adding to +their names histories, brief and sometimes terrible, which pierced +Lygia with fear, amazement, and wonder. For her this was a +strange world, whose beauty intoxicated her eyes, but whose +contrasts her girlish understanding could not grasp. In those +twilights of the sky, in those rows of motionless columns vanishing +in the distance, and in those statuesque people, there was a certain +lofty repose. It seemed that in the midst of those marbles of simple +lines demigods might live free of care, at peace and in happiness. +Meanwhile the low voice of Acte disclosed, time after time, a new +and dreadful secret of that palace and those people. See, there at a +distance is the covered portico on whose columns and floor are +still visible red stains from the blood with which Caligula +sprinkled the white marble when he fell beneath the knife of +Cassius Chaerea; there his wife was slain; there his child was +dashed against a stone; under that wing is the dungeon in which +the younger Drusus gnawed his hands from hunger; there the elder +Drusus was poisoned; there Gemellus quivered in terror, and +Claudius in convulsions; there Germanicus suffered, -- everywhere +those walls had heard the groans and death-rattle of the dying; and +those people~ hurrying now to the feast in togas, in colored tunics, +in flowers, and in jewels, may be the condemned of to-morrow; on +more than one face, perhaps, a smile conceals terror, alarm, the +uncertainty of the next day; perhaps feverishness, greed, envy are +gnawing at this moment into the hearts of those crowned +demigods, who in appearance are free of care. Lygia's frightened +thoughts could not keep pace with Acte's words; and when that +wonderful world attracted her eyes with increasing force, her heart +contracted within her from fear, and in her soul she struggled with +an immense, inexpressible yearning for the beloved Pomponia +Graecina, and the calm house of Aulus, in which love, and not +crime, was the ruling power. + +Meanwhile new waves of guests were flowing in from the Vicus +Apollinis. From beyond the gates came the uproar and shouts of +clients, escorting their patrons. The courtyard and the colonnades +were swarming with the multitude of Caesar's slaves, of both +sexes, small boys, and pretorian soldiers, who kept guard in the +palace. Here and there among dark or swarthy visages was the +black face of a Numidian, in a feathered helmet, and with large +gold rings in his ears. Some were bearing lutes and citharas, hand +lamps of gold, silver, and bronze, and bunches of flowers, reared +artificially despite the late autumn season. Louder and louder the +sound of conversation was mingled with the plashing of the +fountain, the rosy streams of which fell from above on the marble +and were broken, as if in sobs. + +Acte had stopped her narration; but Lygia gazed at the throng, as if +searching for some one. All at once her face was covered with a +blush, and from among the columns came forth Vinicius with +Petronius. They went to the great triclinium, beautiful, calm, like +white gods, in their togas. It seemed to Lygia, when she saw those +two known and friendly faces among strange people, and +especially when she saw Vinicius, that a great weight had fallen +from her heart. She felt less alone. That measureless yearning for +Pomponia and the house of Aulus, which had broken out in her a +little while before, ceased at once to be painful. The desire to see +Vinicius and to talk with him drowned in her other voices. In vain +did she remember all the evil which she had heard of the house of +Caesar, the words of Acte, the warnings of Pornponia; in spite of +those words and warnings, she felt all at once that not only must +she be at that feast, but that she wished to be there. At the thought +that soon she would hear that dear and pleasant voice, which had +spoken of love to her and of happiness worthy of the gods, and +which was sounding like a song in her ears yet, delight seized her +straightway. + +But the next moment she feared that delight. It seemed to her that +she would be false to the pure teaching in which she had been +reared, false to Pomponia, and false to herself. It is one thing to go +by constraint, and another to delight in such a necessity. She felt +guilty, unworthy, and ruined. + +Despair swept her away, and she wanted to weep. Had she been +alone, she would have knelt down and beaten her breast, saying, +"Mea culpa! mea culpa!" Acte, taking her hand at that moment, led +her through the interior apartments to the grand triclinium, where +the feast was to be. Darkness was in her eyes, and a roaring in her +ears from internal emotion; the beating of her heart stopped her +breath. As in a dream, she saw thousands of lamps gleaming on the +tables and on the walls; as in a dream, she heard the shout with +which the guests greeted Caesar; as through a mist, she saw Caesar +himself. The shout deafened her, the glitter dazzled, the odors +intoxicated; and, losing the remnant of her consciousness, she was +barely able to recognize Acte, who seated her at the table and took +a place at her side. + +But after a while a low and known voice was heard at the other +side, -- "A greeting, most beautiful of maidens on earth and of stars +in heaven. + +A greeting to thee, divine Callina!" + +Lygia, having recovered somewhat, looked up; at her side was +Vinicius. He was without a toga, for convenience and custom had +enjoined to cast aside the toga at feasts. His body was covered with +only a sleeveless scarlet tunic embroidered in silver palms. His +bare arms were ornamented in Eastern fashion with two broad +golden bands fastened above the elbow; below they were carefully +stripped of hair. They were smooth, but too muscular, -- real arms +of a soldier, they were made for the sword and the shield. On his +head was a garland of roses. With brows joining above the nose, +with splendid eyes and a dark complexion, he was the +impersonation of youth and strength, as it were. To Lygia he +seemed so beautiful that though her first amazement had passed, +she was barely able to answer, -- "A greeting, Marcus." + +"Happy," said he, "are my eyes, which see thee; happy my ears, +which hear thy voice, dearer to me than the sound of lutes or +citharas. Were it commanded me to choose who was to rest here +by my side at this feast, thou, Lygia, or Venus, I would choose +thee, divine one!" + +And he looked at the maiden as if he wished to sate himself with +the sight of her, to burn her eyes with his eyes. His glance slipped +from her face to her neck and bare arms, fondled her shapely +outlines, admired her, embraced her, devoured her; but besides +desire, there was gleaming in him happiness, admiration, and +ecstasy beyond limit. + +"I knew that I should see thee in Caesar's house," continued he; +"but still, when I saw thee, such delight shook my whole soul, as if +a happiness entirely unexpected had met me." + +Lygia, having recovered herself and feeling that in that throng and +in that house he was the only being who was near to her, began to +converse with him, and ask about everything which she did not +understand and which filled her with fear. Whence did he know +that he would find her in Caesar's house? Why is she there? Why +did Ciesar take her from Pomponia? She is full of fear where she +is, and wishes to return to Pomponia. She would die from alarm +and grief were it not for the hope that Petronius and he will +intercede for her before Caesar. + +Vinicius explained that he learned from Aulus himself that she had +been taken. Why she is there, he knows not. Caesar gives account +to no one of his orders and commands But let her not fear. He, +Vinicius, is near her and will stay near her. He would rather lose +his eyes than not see her; he would rather lose his life than desert +her. She is his soul, and hence he will guard her as his soul. In his +house he will build to her, as to a divinity, an altar on which he +will offer myrrh and aloes, and in spring saffron and +apple-blossoms; and since she has a dread of Caesar's house, he +promises that she shall not stay in it. + +And though he spoke evasively and at times invented, truth was to +be felt in his voice, because his feelings were real. Genuine pity +possessed him, too, and her words went to his soul so thoroughly +that when she began to thank him and assure him that Pomponia +would love him for his goodness, and that she herself would be +grateful to him all her life, he could not master his emotion, and it +seemed to him that he would never be able in life to resist her +prayer. The heart began to melt in him. Her beauty intoxicated his +senses, and he desired her; but at the same time he felt that she +was very dear to him, and that in truth he might do homage to her, +as to a divinity; he felt also irresistible need of speaking of her +beauty and of his own homage. As the noise at the feast increased, +he drew nearer to her, whispered kind, sweet words flowing from +the depth of his soul, words as resonant as music and intoxicating +as wine. + +And he intoxicated her. Amid those strange people he seemed to +her ever nearer, ever dearer, altogether true, and devoted with his +whole soul. He pacified her; he promised to rescue her from the +house of Caesar; he promised not to desert her, and said that he +would serve her. Besides, he had spoken before at Aulus's only in +general about love and the happiness which it can give; but now he +said directly that he loved her, and that she was dear and most +precious to him. Lygia heard such words from a man's lips for the +first time; and as she heard them it seemed to her that something +was wakening in her as from a sleep, that some species of +happiness was embracing her in which immense delight was +mingled with immense alarm. Her cheeks began to burn, her heart +to beat, her mouth opened as in wonder. She was seized with fear +because she was listening to such things, still she did not wish for +any cause on earth to lose one word. At moments she dropped her +eyes; then again she raised her clear glance to Vinicius, timid and +also inquiring, as if she wished to say to him, "Speak on!" The +sound of the music, the odor of flowers and of Arabian perfumes, +began to daze her. In Rome it was the custom to recline at +banquets, but at home Lygia occupied a place between Pomponia +and little Aulus. Now Vinicius was reclining near her, youthful, +immense, in love, burning; and she, feeling the heat that issued +from him, felt both delight and shame. A kind of sweet weakness, +a kind of faintness and forgetfulness seized her; it was as if +drowsiness tortured her. + +But her nearness to him began to act on Vinicius also. His nostrils +dilated, like those of an Eastern steed. The beating of his heart +with unusual throb was evident under his scarlet tunic; his +breathing grew short, and the expressions that fell from his lips +were broken. For the first time, too, he was so near her. His +thoughts grew disturbed; he felt a flame in his veins which he tried +in vain to quench with wine. Not wine, but her marvellous face, +her bare arms, her maiden breast heaving under the golden tunic, +and her form hidden in the white folds of the peplus, intoxicated +him more and more. Finally, he seized her arm above the wrist, as +he had done once at Aulus's, and drawing her toward him +whispered, with trembling lips, -- "I love thee, Callina, -- divine +one." + +"Let me go, Marcus," said Lygia. + +But he continued, his eyes mist-covered, "Love me, my goddess!" + +But at that moment was heard the voice of Acte, who was reclining +on the other side of Lygia. + +"Caesar is looking at you both." + +Vinicius was carried away by sudden anger at Caesar and at Acre. +Her words had broken the charm of his intoxication. To the young +man even a friendly voice would have seemed repulsive at such a +moment, but he judged that Acte wished purposely to interrupt his +conversation with Lygia. So, raising his head and looking over the +shoulder of Lygia at the young freed-woman, he said with malice: + +"The hour has passed, Acte, when thou didst recline near Caesar's +side at banquets, and they say that blindness is threatening thee; +how then canst thou see him?" + +But she answered as if in sadness: "Still I see him. He, too, has +short sight, and is looking at thee through an emerald." + +Everything that Nero did roused attention, even in those nearest +him; hence Vinicius was alarmed. He regained self-control, and +began imperceptibly to look toward Caesar. Lygia, who, +embarrassed at the beginning of the banquet, had seen Nero as in a +mist, and afterward, occupied by the presence and conversation of +Vinicius, had not looked at him at all, turned to him eyes at once +curious and terrified. + +Acte spoke truly. Caesar had bent over the table, half-closed one +eye, and holding before the other a round polished emerald, which +he used, was looking at them. For a moment his glance met Lygia's +eyes, and the heart of the maiden was straitened with terror. When +still a child on Aulus's Sicilian estate, an old Egyptian slave had +told her of dragons which occupied dens in the mountains, and it +seemed to her now that all at once the greenish eye of such a +monster was gazing at her. She caught at Vinicius's hand as a +frightened child would, and disconnected, quick impressions +pressed into her head: + +Was not that he, the terrible, the all-powerful? She had not seen +him hitherto, and she thought that he looked differently. She had +imagined some kind of ghastly face, with malignity petrified in its +features; now she saw a great head, fixed on a thick neck, terrible, +it is true, but almost ridiculous, for from a distance it resembled +the head of a child. A tunic of amethyst color, f orbidden to +ordinary mortals, cast a bluish tinge on his broad and short face. +He had dark hair, dressed, in the fashion introduced by Otho, in +four curls. + +He had no beard, because he had sacrified it recently to Jove, -- for +which all Rome gave him thanks, though people whispered to each +other that he had sacrificed it because his beard, like that of his +whole family, was red. In his forehead, projecting strongly above +his brows, there remained something Olympian. In his contracted +brows the consciousness of supreme power was evident; but under +that forehead of a demigod was the face of a monkey, a drunkard, +and a comedian, -- vain, full of changing desires, swollen with fat, +notwithstanding his youth; besides, it was sickly and foul. To +Lygia he seemed ominous, but above all repulsive. + +After a while he laid down the emerald and ceased to look at her. +Then she saw his prominent blue eyes, blinking before the excess +of light, glassy, without thought, resembling the eyes of the dead. + +"Is that the hostage with whom Vinicius is in love?" asked he, +turning to Petronius. + +"That is she," answered Petronius. + +"What are her people called?" + +"The Lygians." + +"Does Vinicius think her beautiful?" + +"Array a rotten olive trunk in the peplus of a woman, and Vinicius +will declare it beautiful. But on thy countenance, incomparable +judge, I read her sentence already. Thou hast no need to pronounce +it! The sentence is true: she is too dry, thin, a mere blossom on a +slender stalk; and thou, O divine aesthete, esteemest the stalk in a +woman. Thrice and four times art thou right! The face alone does +not signify. I have learned much in thy company, but even now I +have not a perfect cast of the eye. But I am ready to lay a wager +with Tullius Senecio concerning his mistress, that, although at a +feast, when all are reclining, it is difficult to judge the whole form, +thou hast said in thy mind already, 'Too narrow in the hips.'" + +"Too narrow in the hips," answered Nero, blinking. + +On Petronius's lips appeared a scarcely perceptible smile; but +Tullius Senecio, who till that moment was occupied in conversing +with Vestinius, or rather in reviling dreams, while Vestinius +believed in them, turned to Petronius, and though he had not the +least idea touching that of which they were talking, he said, -- +"Thou art mistaken! I hold with Casar." + +"Very well," answered Petronius. "I have just maintained that thou +hast a glimmer of understanding, but Caesar insists that thou art an +ass pure and simple." + +"Habet!" said Caesar, laughing, and turning down the thumb, as +was done in the Circus, in sign that the gladiator had received a +blow and was to be finished. + +But Vestinius, thinking that the question was of dreams, +exclaimed, -- "But I believe in dreams, and Seneca told me on a +time that he believes too." "Last night I dreamt that I had become a +vestal virgin," said Calvia Crispinilla, bending over the table. + +At this Nero clapped his hands, other followed, and in a moment +clapping of hands was heard all around, -- for Crispinilla had been +divorced a number of times, and was known throughout Rome for +her fabulous debauchery. + +But she, not disconcerted in the least, said, -- "Well! They are all +old and ugly. Rubria alone has a human semblance, and so there +would be two of us, though Rubria gets freckles in summer." "But +admit, purest Calvia," said Petronius, "that thou couldst become a +vestal only in dreams." "But if Caesar commanded?" + +"I should believe that even the most impossible dreams might +come true." + +"But they do come true," said Vestinius. "I understand those who +do not believe in the gods, but how is it possible not to believe in +dreams?" + +"But predictions?" inquired Nero. "It was predicted once to me, +that Rome would cease to exist, and that I should rule the whole +Orient." + +"Predictions and dreams are connected," said Vestinius. "Once a +certain proconsul, a great disbeliever, sent a slave to the temple of +Mopsus with a sealed letter which he would not let any one open; +he did this to try if the god could answer the question contained in +the letter. The slave slept a night in the temple to have a prophetic +dream; he returned then and said: 'I saw a youth in my dreams; he +was as bright as the sun, and spoke only one word, "Black."' The +proconsul, when he heard this, grew pale, and turning to his guests, +disbelievers like himself, said: 'Do ye know what was in the +letter?'" Here Vestinius stopped, and, raising his goblet with wine, +began to drink. + +"What was in the letter?" asked Senecio. + +"In the letter was the question: 'What is the color of the bull which +I am to sacrifice: white or black?'" + +But the interest roused by the narrative was interrupted by Vitelius, +who, drunk when he came to the feast, burst forth on a sudden and +without cause in senseless laughter. + +"What is that keg of tallow laughing at?" asked Nero. + +"Laughter distinguishes men from animals," said Petronius, "and +he has no other proof that he is not a wild boar." + +Vitelius stopped half-way in his laughter, and smacking his lips, +shining from fat and sauces, looked at those present with as much +astonishment as if he had never seen them before; then he raised +his two hands, which were like cushions, and said in a hoarse +voice, -- "The ring of a knight has fallen from my finger, and it was +inherited from my father." + +"Who was a tailor," added Nero. + +But Vitelius burst forth again in unexpected laughter, and began to +search for his ring in the peplus of Calvia Crispinilla. + +Hereupon Vestinius fell to imitating the cries of a frightened +woman. Nigidia, a friend of Calvia, -- a young widow with the face +of a child and the eyes of a wanton, -- said aloud, -- "He is seeking +what he has not lost." + +"And which will be useless to him if he finds it," finished the poet +Lucan. The feast grew more animated. Crowds of slaves bore +around successive courses; from great vases filled with snow and +garlanded with ivy, smaller vessels with various kinds of wine +were brought forth unceasingly. All drank freely. On the guests, +roses fell from the ceiling at intervals. + +Petronius entreated Nero to dignify the feast with his song before +the guests drank too deeply. A chorus of voices supported his +words, but Nero refused at first. It was not a question of courage +alone, he said, though that failed him always. The gods knew what +efforts every success cost him. He did not avoid them, however, +for it was needful to do sonlething for art; and besides, if Apollo +had gifted him with a certain voice, it was not proper to let divine +gifts be wasted. He understood, even, that it was his duty to the +State not to let them be wasted. But that day he was really hoarse. +In the night he had placed leaden weights on his chest, but that had +not helped in any way. He was thinking even to go to Antium, to +breathe the sea air. + +Lucan implored him in the name of art and humanity. All knew +that the divine poet and singer had composed a new hymn to +Venus, compared with which Lucretius's hymn was as the howl of +a yearling wolf. Let that feast be a genuine feast. So kind a ruler +should not cause such tortures to his subjects. "Be not cruel, O +Caesar!" + +"Be not cruel!" repeated all who were sitting near. + +Nero spread his hands in sign that he had to yield. All faces +assumed then an expression of gratitude, and all eyes were turned +to him; but he gave command first to announce to Poppan that he +would sing; he informed those present that she had not come to the +feast, because she did not feel in good health; but since no +medicine gave her such relief as his singing, he would be sorry to +deprive her of this opportunity. + +In fact, Poppae came soon. Hitherto she had ruled Nero as if he +had been her subject, but she knew that when his vanity as a +singer, a charioteer, or a poet was involved, there was danger in +provoking it. She came in therefore, beautiful as a divinity, +arrayed, like Nero, in robes of amethyst color, and wearing a +necklace of immense pearls, stolen on a time from Massinissa; she +was golden-haired, sweet, and though divorced from two husbands +she had the face and the look of a virgin. + +She was greeted with shouts, and the appellation "Divine +Augusta." Lygia had never seen any one so beautiful, and she +could not believe her own eyes, for she knew that Popp~ra Sabina +was one of the vilest women on earth. She knew from Pomponia +that she had brought Caesar to murder his mother and his wife; she +knew her from accounts given by Aulus's guests and the servants; +she had heard that statues to her had been thrown down at night in +the city; she had heard of inscriptions, the writers of which had +been condemned to severest punishment, but which still appeared +on the city walls every morning. Yet at sight of the notorious +Poppxa, considered by the confessors of Christ as crime and evil +incarnate, it seemed to her that angels or spirits of heaven might +look like her. She was unable simply to take her eyes from +Poppae; and from her lips was wrested involuntarily the question, +-- "Ah, Marcus, can it be possible?" + +But he, roused by wine, and as it were impatient that so many +things had scattered her attention, and taken her from him and his +words, said, -- "Yes, she is beautiful, but thou art a hundred times +more beautiful. Thou dost not know thyself, or thou wouldst be in +love with thyself, as Narcissus was; she bathes in asses' milk, but +Venus bathed thee in her own milk. Thou dost not know thyself, +Ocelle mi! Look not at her. Turn thy eyes to me, Ocelle mi! Touch +this goblet of wine with thy lips, and I will put mine on the same +place." + +And he pushed up nearer and nearer, and she began to withdraw +toward Acte. But at that moment silence was enjoined because +Caesar had risen. The singer Diodorus had given him a lute of the +kind called delta; another singer named Terpnos, who had to +accompany him in playing, approached with an instrument called +the nablium. Nero, resting the delta on the table, raised his eyes; +and for a moment silence reigned in the triclinium, broken only by +a rustle, as roses fell from the ceiling. + +Then he began to chant, or rather to declaim, singingly and +rhythmically, to the accompaniment of the two lutes, his own +hymn to Venus. Neither the voice, though somewhat injured, nor +the verses were bad, so that reproaches of conscience took +possession of Lygia again; for the hymn, though glorifying the +impure pagan Venus, seemed to her more than beautiful, and +Caesar himself, with a laurel crown on his head and uplifted eyes, +nobler, much less terrible, and less repulsive than at the beginning +of the feast. + +The guests answered with a thunder of applause. Cries of, "Oh, +heavenly voice!" were heard round about; some of the women +raised their hands, and held them thus, as a sign of delight, even +after the end of the hymn; others wiped their tearful eyes; the +whole hall was seething as in a beehive. Poppae, bending her +golden-haired head, raised Nero's hand to her lips, and held it long +in silence. Pythagoras, a young Greek of marvellous beauty, -- the +same to whom later the half-insane Nero commanded the flamens +to marry him, with the observance of all rites, -- knelt now at his +feet. + +But Nero looked carefully at Petronius, whose praises were desired +by him always before every other, and who said, -- "If it is a +question of music, Orpheus must at this moment be as yellow from +envy as Lucan, who is here present; and as to the verses, I am sorry +that they are not worse; if they were I might find proper words to +praise them." + +Lucan did not take the mention of envy evil of him; on the +contrary, he looked at Petronius with gratitude, and, affecting +ill-humor, began to murmur, -- "Cursed fate, which commanded +me to live contemporary with such a poet. One might have a place +in the memory of man, and on Parnassus; but now one will +quench, as a candle in sunlight." + +Petronius, who had an amazing memory, began to repeat extracts +from the hymn and cite single verses, exalt, and analyze the more +beautiful expressions. Lucan, forgetting as it were his envy before +the charm of the poetry, joined his ecstasy to Petronius's words. On +Nero's face were reflected delight and fathomless vanity, not only +nearing stupidity, but reaching it perfectly. He indicated to them +verses which he considered the most beautiful; and finally he +began to comfort Lucan, and tell him not to lose heart, for though +whatever a man is born that he is, the honor which people give +Jove does not exclude respect for other divinities. + +Then he rose to conduct Poppae, who, being really in ill health, +wished to withdraw. But he commanded the guests who remained +to occupy their places anew, and promised to return, In fact, he +returned a little later, to stupefy himself with the smoke of incense, +and gaze at further spectacles which he himself, Petronius, or +Tigellinus had prepared for the feast. + +Again verses were read or dialogues listened to in which +extravagance took the place of wit. After that Paris, the celebrated +mime, represented the adventures of Io, the daughter of Inachus. +To the guests, and especially to Lygia, unaccustomed to such +scenes, it seemed that they were gazing at miracles and +enchantment. Paris, with motions of his hands and body, was able +to express things apparently impossible in a dance. His hands +dimmed the air, creating a cloud, bright, living, quivering, +voluptuous, surrounding the half-fainting form of a maiden shaken +by a spasm of delight. That was a picture, nor a dance; an +expressive picture, disclosing the secrets of love, bewitching and +shameless; and when at the end of it Corybantes rushed in and +began a bacchic dance with girls of Syria to the sounds of cithara, +lutes, drums, and cymbals, -- a dance filled with wild shouts and +still wilder license,-- it seemed to Lygia that living fire was +burning her, and that a thunderbolt ought to strike that house, or +the ceiling fall on the heads of those feasting there. + +But from the golden net fastened to the ceiling only roses fell, and +the now half-drunken Vinicius said to her, -- "I saw thee in the +house of Aulus, at the fountain. It was daylight, and thou didst +think that no one saw thee; but I saw thee. And I see thee thus yet, +though that peplus hides thee. Cast aside the peplus, like +Crispinilla. See, gods and men seek love. There is nothing in the +world but love. Lay thy head on my breast and close thy eyes." + +The pulse beat oppressively in Lygia's hands and temples. A +feeling seized her that she was flying into some abyss, and that +Vinicius, who before had seemed so near and so trustworthy, +instead of saving was drawing her toward it. And she felt sorry for +him. She began again to dread the feast and him and herself. Some +voice, like that of Pomponia, was calling yet in her soul, "O Lygia, +save thyself!" But something told her also that it was too late; that +the one whom such a flame had embraced as that which had +embraced her, the one who had seen what was done at that feast +and whose heart had beaten as hers had on hearing the words of +Vinicius, the one through whom such a shiver had passed as had +passed through her when he approached, was lost beyond recovery. +She grew weak. It seemed at moments to her that she would faint, +and then something terrible would happen. She knew that, under +penalty of Caesar's anger, it was not permitted any one to rise till +Caesar rose; but even were that not the case, she had not strength +now to rise. + +Meanwhile it was far to the end of the feast yet. Slaves brought +new courses, and filled the goblets unceasingly with wine; before +the table, on a platform open at one side, appeared two athletes to +give the guests a spectacle of wrestling. + +They began the struggle at once, and the powerful bodies, shining +from olive oil, formed one mass; bones cracked in their iron arms, +and from their set jaws came an ominous gritting of teeth. At +moments was heard the quick, dull thump of their feet on the +platform strewn with saffron; again they were motionless, silent, +and it seemed to the spectators that they had before them a group +chiselled out of stone. Roman eyes followed with delight the +movement of tremendously exerted backs, thighs, and arms. But +the struggle was not too prolonged; for Croton, a master, and the +founder of a school of gladiators, did not pass in vain for the +strongest man in the empire. His opponent began to breathe more +and more quickly: next a rattle was heard in his throat; then his +face grew blue; finally he threw blood from his mouth and fell. + +A thunder of applause greeted the end of the struggle, and Croton, +resting his foot on the breast of his opponent, crossed his gigantic +arms on his breast, and cast the eyes of a victor around the hail. + +Next appeared men who mimicked beasts and their voices, +ball-players and buffoons. Only a few persons looked at them, +however, since wine had darkened the eyes of the audience. The +feast passed by degrees into a drunken revel and a dissolute orgy. +The Syrian damsels, who appeared at first in the bacchic dance, +mingled now with the guests. The music changed into a disordered +and wild outburst of citharas, lutes, Armenian cymbals, Egyptian +sistra, trumpets, and horns. As some of the guests wished to talk, +they shouted at the musicians to disappear. The air, filled with the +odor of flowers and the perfume of oils with which beautiful boys +had sprinkled the feet of the guests during the feast, permeated +with saffron and the exhalations of people, became stilling; lamps +burned with a dim flame; the wreaths dropped side-wise on the +heads of guests; faces grew pale and were covered with sweat. +Vitelius rolled under the table. Nigidia, stripping herself to the +waist, dropped her drunken childlike head on the breast of Lucan, +who, drunk in like degree, fell to blowing the golden powder from +her hair, and raising his eyes with immense delight. Vestinius, with +the stubbornness of intoxication, repeated for the tenth time the +answer of Mopsus to the sealed letter of the proconsul. Tullius, +who reviled the gods, said, with a drawling voice broken by +hiccoughs, -- "If the spheros of Xenophanes is round, then +consider, such a god might be pushed along before one with the +foot, like a barrel." + +But Domitius Afer, a hardened criminal and informer, was +indignant at the discourse, and through indignation spilled +Falernian over his whole tunic. He had always believed in the +gods. People say that Rome will perish, and there are some even +who contend that it is perishing already. And surely! But if that +should come, it is because the youth are without faith, and without +faith there can be no virtue. People have abandoned also the strict +habits of former days, and it never occurs to them that Epicureans +will not stand against barbarians. As for him, he -- As for him, he +was sorry that he had lived to such times, and that he must seek in +pleasures a refuge against griefs which, if not met, would soon kill +him. + +When he had said this, he drew toward him a Syrian dancer, and +kissed her neck and shoulders with his toothless mouth. Seeing +this, the consul Meminius Regulus laughed, and, raising his bald +head with wreath awry, exclaimed, -- "Who says that Rome is +perishing? What folly! I, a consul, know better. Videant consules! +Thirty legions are guarding our pax romana!" + +Here he put his fists to his temples and shouted, in a voice heard +throughout the triclinium, -- "Thirty legions! thirty legions! from +Britain to the Parthian boundaries!" But he stopped on a sudden, +and, putting a finger to his forehead, said, -- "As I live, I think +there are thirty-two." He rolled under the table, and began soon to +send forth flamingo tongues, roast and chilled mushrooms, locusts +in honey, fish, meat, and everything which he had eaten or drunk. + +But the number of the legions guarding Roman peace did not +pacify Domitius. + +No, no! Rome must perish; for faith in the gods was lost, and so +were strict habits! Rome must perish; and it was a pity, for still life +was pleasant there. Caesar was gracious, wine was good! Oh, what +a pity! + +And hiding his head on the arm of a Syrian bacchanal, he burst +into tears. "What is a future life! Achilles was right, -- better be a +slave in the world beneath the sun than a king in Cimmerian +regions. And still the question whether there are any gods -- since +it is unbelief -- is destroying the youth." + +Lucan meanwhile had blown all the gold powder from Nigidia's +hair, and she being drunk had fallen asleep. Next he took wreaths +of ivy from the vase before him, put them on the sleeping woman, +and when he had finished looked at those present with a delighted +and inquiring glance. He arrayed himself in ivy too, repeating, in a +voice of deep conviction, "I am not a man at all, but a faun." + +Petronius was not drunk; but Nero, who drank little at first, out of +regard for his "heavenly" voice, emptied goblet after goblet toward +the end, and was drunk. He wanted even to sing more of his verses, +-- this time in Greek,-- but he had forgotten them, and by mistake +sang an ode of Anacreon. Pythagoras, Diodorus, and Terpnos +accompanied him; but failing to keep time, they stopped. Nero as a +judge and an aesthete was enchanted with the beauty of +Pythagoras, and fell to kissing his hands in ecstasy. "Such beautiful +hands I have seen only once, and whose were they?" Then placing +his palm on his moist forehead, he tried to remember. After a +while terror was reflected on his face. + +Ah! His mother's -- Agrippina's! + +And a gloomy vision seized him forthwith. + +"They say," said he, "that she wanders by moonlight on the sea +around Baiae and Bauli. She merely walks, -- walks as if seeking +for something. When she comes near a boat, she looks at it and +goes away; but the fisherman on whom she has fixed her eye dies." + +"Not a bad theme," said Petronius. + +But Vestinius, stretching his neck like a stork, whispered +mysteriously, -- "I do not believe in the gods; but I believe in +spirits -- Oi!" + +Nero paid no attention to their words, and continued, -- "I +celebrated the Lemuria, and have no wish to see her. This is the +fifth year -- I had to condemn her, for she sent assassins against +me; and, had I not been quicker than she, ye would not be listening +to-night to my song." + +"Thanks be to Caesar, in the name of the city and the world!" cried +Domitius Afer. + +"Wine! and let them strike the tympans!" + +The uproar began anew. Lucan, all in ivy, wishing to outshout him, +rose and cried, -- "I am not a man, but a faun; and I dwell in the +forest. Eho-o-o-oo!" Caesar drank himself drunk at last; men were +drunk, and women were drunk. Vinicius was not less drunk than +others; and in addition there was roused in him, besides desire, a +wish to quarrel, which happened always when he passed the +measure. His dark face became paler, and his tongue stuttered +when he spoke, in a voice now loud and commanding, -- "Give me +thy lips! To-day, to-morrow, it is all one! Enough of this! + +Caesar took thee from Auius to give thee to me, dost understand? +To-morrow, about dusk, I will send for thee, dost understand? +Caesar promised thee to me before he took thee. Thou must be +mine! Give me thy lips! I will not wait for to-morrow, -- give thy +lips quickly." + +And he moved to embrace her; but Acte began to defend her, and +she defended herself with the remnant of her strength, for she felt +that she was perishing. But in vain did she struggle with both +hands to remove his hairless arm; in vain, with a voice in which +terror and grief were quivering, did she implore him not to be what +he was, and to have pity on her. Sated with wine, his breath blew +around her nearer and nearer, and his face was there near her face. +He was no longer the former kind Vinicius, almost dear to her +soul; he was a drunken, wicked satyr, who filled her with repulsion +and terror. But her strength deserted her more and more. In vain +did she bend and turn away her face to escape his kisses. He rose +to his feet, caught her in both arms, and drawing her head to his +breast, began, panting, to press her pale lips with his. + +But at this instant a tremendous power removed his arms from her +neck with as much ease as if they had been the arms of a child, and +pushed him aside, like a dried limb or a withered leaf. What had +happened? Vinicius rubbed his astonished eyes, and saw before +him the gigantic figure of the Lygian, called Ursus, whom he had +seen at the house of Aulus. + +Ursus stood calmly, but looked at Vinicius So strangely with his +blue eyes that the blood stiffened in the veins of the young man; +then the giant took his queen on his arm, and walked out of the +triclinium with an even, quiet step. + +Acte in that moment went after him. + +Vinicius sat for the twinkle of an eye as if petrified; then he sprang +up and ran toward the entrance crying, -- "Lygia! Lygia!" + +But desire, astonishment, rage, and wine cut the legs from under +him. He staggered once and a second time, seized the naked arm of +one of the bacchanals, and began to inquire, with blinking eyes, +what had happened. She, taking a goblet of wine, gave it to him +with a smile in her mist-covered eyes. + +"Drink!" said she. + +Vinicius drank, and fell to the floor. + +Thegreater number of the guests were lying under the table; others +were walking with tottering tread through the triclinium, while +others were sleeping on couches at the table, snoring, or giving +forth the excess of wine. Meanwhile, from the golden network, +roses were dropping and dropping on those drunken consuls and +senators, on those drunken knights, philosophers, and poets, on +those drunken dancing damsels and patrician ladies, on that society +all dominant as yet but with the soul gone from it, on that society +garlanded and ungirdled but perishing. + +Dawn had begun out of doors. + +Chapter VIII + +No one stopped Ursus, no one inquired even what he was doing. +Those guests who were not under the table had not kept their own +places; hence the servants, seeing a giant carrying a guest on his +arm, thought him some slave bearing out his intoxicated mistress. +Moreover, Acte was with them, and her presence removed all +suspicion. + +In this way they went from the triclinium to the adjoining +chamber, and thence to the gallery leading to Acte's apartments. +To such a degree had her strength deserted Lygia, that she hung as +if dead on the arm of Ursus. But when the cool, pure breeze of +morning beat around her, she opened her eyes. It was growing +clearer and clearer in the open air. After they had passed along the +colonnade awhile, they turned to a side portico, coming out, not in +the courtyard, but the palace gardens, where the tops of the pines +and cypresses were growing ruddy from the light of morning. That +part of the building was empty, so that echoes of music and sounds +of the feast came with decreasing distinctness. It seemed to Lygia +that she had been rescued from hell, and borne into God's bright +world outside. There was something, then, besides that disgusting +tricliium. There was the sky, the dawn, light, and peace. Sudden +weeping seized the maiden, and, taking shelter on the arm of the +giant, she repeated, with sobbing, -- "Let us go home, Ursus! home, +to the house of Aulus." + +"Let us go!" answered Ursus. + +They found themselves now in the small atrium of Acte's +apartments. Ursus placed Lygia on a marble bench at a distance +from the fountain. Acte strove to pacify her; she urged her to sleep, +and declared that for the moment there was no danger, -- after the +feast the drunken guests would sleep till evening. For a long time +Lygia could not calm herself, and, pressing her temples with both +hands, she repeated like a child, -- "Let us go home, to the house of +Aulus!" + +Ursus was ready. At the gates stood pretorians, it is true, but he +would pass them. The soldiers would not stop out-going people. +The space before the arch was crowded with litters. Guests were +beginning to go forth in throngs. No one would detain them. They +would pass with the crowd and go home directly. For that matter, +what does he care? As the queen commands, so must it be. He is +there to carry out her orders. + +"Yes, Ursus," said Lygia, "let us go." + +Acte was forced to find reason for both. They would pass out, true; +no one would stop them. But it is not permitted to flee from the +house of Caesar; whoso does that offends Caesar's majesty. They +may go; but in the evening a centurion at the head of soldiers will +take a death sentence to Aulus and Pomponia Graecina; they will +bring Lygia to the palace again, and then there will be no rescue +for her. Should Aulus and his wife receive her under their roof, +death awaits them to a certainty. + +Lygia's arms dropped. There was no other outcome. She must +choose her own ruin or that of Plautius. In going to the feast, she +had hoped that Vinicius and Petronius would win her from Caesar, +and return her to Pornponia; now she knew that it was they who +had brought Caesar to remove her from the house of Aulus. There +was no help. Only a miracle could save her from the abyss, -- a +miracle and the might of God. + +"Acte," said she, in despair, "didst thou hear Vinicius say that +Caesar had given me to him, and that he will send slaves here this +evening to take me to his house?" + +"I did," answered Acte; and, raising her arms from her side, she +was silent. The despair with which Lygia spoke found in her no +echo. She herself had been Nero's favorite. Her heart, though good, +could not feel clearly the shame of such a relation. A former slave, +she had grown too much inured to the law of slavery; and, besides, +she loved Nero yet. If he returned to her, she would stretch her +arms to him, as to happiness. Comprehending clearly that Lygia +must become the mistress of the youthful and stately Vinicius, or +expose Aulus and Pomponia to ruin, she failed to understand how +the girl could hesitate. + +"In Caesar's house," said she, after a while, "it would not be safer +for thee than in that of Vinicius." + +And it did not occur to her that, though she told the truth, her +words meant, "Be resigned to fate and become the concubine of +Vinicius." + +As to Lygia, who felt on her lips yet his kisses, burning as coals +and full of beastly desire, the blood rushed to her face with shame +at the mere thought of them. + +"Never," cried she, with an outburst, "will I remain here, or at the +house of Vinicius, -- never!" + +"But," inquired Acte, "is Vinicius hateful to thee?" + +Lygia was unable to answer, for weeping seized her anew. Acte +gathered the maiden to her bosom, and strove to calm her +excitement. Ursus breathed heavily, and balled his giant fists; for, +loving his queen with the devotion of a dog, he could not bear the +sight of her tears. In his half-wild Lygian heart was the wish to +return to the tridinium, choke Vinicius, and, should the need come, +Caesar himself; but he feared to sacrifice thereby his mistress, and +was not certain that such an act, which to him seemed very simple, +would befit a confessor of the Crucified Lamb. + +But Acte, while caressing Lygia, asked again, "Is he so hateful to +thee?" + +"No," said Lygia; "it is not permitted me to hate, for I am a +Christian." + +"I know, Lygia. I know also from the letters of Paul of Tarsus, that +it is not permitted to defile one's self, nor to fear death more than +sin; but tell me if thy teaching permits one person to cause the +death of others?" + +"Then how canst thou bring Caesar's vengeance on the house of +Aulus?" A moment of silence followed. A bottomless abyss +yawned before Lygia again. + +"I ask," continued the young freedwoman, "for I have compassion +on thee -- and I have compassion on the good Pomponia and +Aulus, and on their child. It is long since I began to live in this +house, and I know what Caesar's anger is. No! thou art not at +liberty to flee from here. One way remains to thee: implore +Vinicius to return thee to Pomponia." + +But Lygia dropped on her knees to implore some one else. Ursus +knelt down after a while, too, and both began to pray in Caesar's +house at the morning dawn. + +Acte witnessed such a prayer for the first time, and could not take +her eyes from Lygia, who, seen by her in profile, with raised hands, +and face turned heavenward, seemed to implore rescue. The dawn, +casting light on her dark hair and white peplus, was reflected in +her eyes. Entirely in the light, she seemed herself like light. In that +pale face, in those parted lips, in those raised hands and eyes, a +kind of superhuman exaltation was evident. Acte understood then +why Lygia could not become the concubine of any man. Before the +face of Nero's former favorite was drawn aside, as it were, a corner +of that veil which hides a world altogether different from that to +which she was accustomed. She was astonished by prayer in that +abode of crime and infamy. A moment earlier it had seemed to her +that there was no rescue for Lygia; now she began to think that +something uncommon would happen, that some aid would come, +-- aid so mighty that Caesar himself would be powerless to resist +it; that some winged army would descend from the sky to help that +maiden, or that the sun would spread its rays beneath her feet and +draw her up to itself. She had heard of many miracles among +Christians, and she thought now that everything said of them was +true, since Lygia was praying. + +Lygia rose at last, with a face serene with hope. Ursus rose too, +and, holding to the bench, looked at his mistress, waiting for her +words. + +But it grew dark in her eyes, and after a time two great tears rolled +down her checks slowly. + +"May God bless Pomponia and Aulus," said she. "It is not +permitted me to bring ruin on them; therefore I shall never see +them again." + +Then turning to Ursus she said that he alone remained to her in the +world; that he must be to her as a protector and a father. They +could not seek refuge in the house of Aulus, for they would bring +on it the anger of Caesar. But neither could she remain in the +house of Caesar or that of Vinicius. Let Ursus take her then; let +him conduct her out of the city; let him conceal her in some place +where neither Vinicius nor his servants could find her. She would +follow Ursus anywhere, even beyond the sea, even beyond the +mountains, to the barbarians, where the Roman name was not +heard, and whither the power of Caesar did not reach. Let him take +her and save her, for he alone had remained to her. + +The Lygian was ready, and in sign of obedience he bent to her feet +and embraced them. But on the face of Acte, who had been +expecting a miracle, disappointment was evident. Had the prayer +effected only that much? To flee from the house of Caesar is to +commit an offence against majesty which must be avenged; and +even if Lygia succeeded in hiding, Caesar would avenge himself +on Aulus and Pomponia. If she wishes to escape, let her escape +from the house of Vinicius. Then Caesar, who does not like to +occupy himself with the affairs of others, may not wish even to aid +Vinicius in the pursuit; in every case it will not be a crime against +majesty. + +But Lygia's thoughts were just the following: Aulus would not even +know where she was; Pomponia herself would not know. She +would escape not from the house of Vinicius, however, but while +on the way to it. When drunk, Vinicius had said that he would send +his slaves for her in the evening. Beyond doubt he had told the +truth, which he would not have done had he been sober. Evidently +he himself, or perhaps he and Petronius, had seen Caesar before +the feast, and won from him the promise to give her on the +following evening. And if they forgot that day, they would send for +her on the morrow. But Ursus will save her. He will come; he will +bear her out of the litter as he bore her out of the triclinium, and +they will go into the world. No one could resist Ursus, not even +that terrible athlete who wrestled at the feast yesterday. But as +Vinicius might send a great number of slaves, Ursus would go at +once to Bishop Linus for aid and counsel. The bishop will take +compassion on her, will not leave her in the hands of Vinicius; he +will command Christians to go with Ursus to rescue her. They will +seize her and bear her away; then Ursus can take her out of the city +and hide her from the power of Rome. + +And her face began to flush and smile. Consolation entered her +anew, as if the hope of rescue had turned to reality. She threw +herself on Acte's neck suddenly, and, putting her beautiful lips to +Acte's cheek, she whispered: + +"Thou wilt not betray, Acte, wilt thou?" + +"By the shade of my mother," answered the freedwoman, "I will +not; but pray to thy God that Ursus be able to bear thee away." + +The blue, childlike eyes of the giant were gleaming with +happiness. He had not been able to frame any plan, though he had +been breaking his poor head; but a thing like this he could do, -- +and whether in the day or in the night it was all one to him! He +would go to the bishop, for the bishop can read in the sky what is +needed and what is not. Besides, he could assemble Christians +himself. Are his acquaintances few among slaves, gladiators, and +free people, both in the Subura and beyond the bridges? He can +collect a couple of thousand of them. He will rescue his lady, and +take her outside the city, and he can go with her. They will go to +the end of the world, even to that place from which they had come, +where no one has heard of Rome. + +Here he began to look forward, as if to see things in the future and +very distant. + +"To the forest? Al, what a forest, what a forest!" + +But after a while he shook himself out of his visions. Well, he will +go to the bishop at once, and in the evening will wait with +something like a hundred men for the litter. And let not slaves, hut +even pretorians, take her from him! Better for any man not to come +under his fist, even though in iron armor, -- for is iron so strong? +When he strikes iron earnestly, the head underneath will not +survive. + +But Lygia raised her finger with great and also childlike +seriousness. + +"Ursus, do not kill," said she. + +Ursus put his fist, which was like a maul, to the back of his head, +and, rubbing his neck with great seriousness, began to mutter. But +he must rescue "his light." She herself had said that his turn had +come. He will try all he can. But if something happens in spite of +him? In every case he must save her. But should anything happen, +he will repent, and so entreat the Innocent Lamb that the Crucified +Lamb will have mercy on him, poor fellow. He has no wish to +offend the Lamb; but then his hands are so heavy. + +Great tenderness was expressed on his face; but wishing to +hide it, he bowed and said, -- "Now I will go to the holy bishop." + +Acte put her arms around Lygia's neck, and began to weep. Once +more the freedwoman understood that there was a world in which +greater happiness existed, even in suffering, than in all the +excesses and luxury of Caesar's house. Once more a kind of door +to the light was opened a little before her, but she felt at once that +she was unworthy to pass through it. + +Chapter IX + +LYGIA was grieved to lose Pomponia Graecina, whom she loved +with her whole soul, and she grieved for the household of Aulus; +still her despair passed away. She felt a certain delight even in the +thought that she was sacrificing plenty and comfort for her Truth, +and was entering on an unknown and wandering existence. +Perhaps there was in this a little also of childish curiosity as to +what that life would be, off somewhere in remote regions, among +wild beasts and barbarians. But there was still more a deep and +trusting faith, that by acting thus she was doing as the Divine +Master had commanded, and that henceforth He Himself would +watch over her, as over an obedient and faithful child. In such a +case what harm could meet her? If sufferings come, she will +endure them in His name. If sudden death comes, He will take her; +and some time, when Pomponia dies, they will be together for all +eternity. More than once when she was in the house of Aulus, she +tortured her childish head because she, a Christian, could do +nothing for that Crucified, of whom Ursus spoke with such +tenderness. But now the moment had come. Lygia felt almost +happy, and began to speak of her happiness to Acte, who could not +understand her, however. To leave everything, -- to leave house, +wealth, the city, gardens, temples, porticos, everything that is +beautiful; leave a sunny land and people near to one -- and for +what purpose? To hide from the love of a young and stately knight. +In Acte's head these things could not find place. At times she felt +that Lygia's action was right, that there must be some immense +mysterious happiness in it; but she could not give a clear account +to herself of the matter, especially since an adventure was before +Lygia which might have an evil ending, -- an adventure in which +she might lose her life simply. Acte was timid by nature, and she +thought with dread of what the coming evening might bring. But +she was loath to mention her fears to Lygia; meanwhile, as the day +was clear and the sun looked into the atrium, she began to +persuade her to take the rest needed after a night without sleep. +Lygia did not refuse; and both went to the cubiculum, which was +spacious and furnished with luxury because of Acte's former +relations with Caesar. There they lay down side by side, but in +spite of her weariness Acte could not sleep. For a long time she +had been sad and unhappy, but now she was seized by a certain +uneasiness which she had never felt before. So far life had seemed +to her simply grievous and deprived of a morrow; now all at once +it seemed to her dishonorable. + +Increasing chaos rose in her head. Again the door to light began to +open and close. But in the moment when it opened, that light so +dazzled her that she could see nothing distinctly. She divined, +merely, that in that light there was happiness of some kind, +happiness beyond measure, in presence of which every other was +nothing, to such a degree that if Caesar, for example, were to set +aside Poppae, and love her, Acte, again, it would be vanity. +Suddenly the thought came to her that that Caesar whom she +loved, whom she held involuntarily as a kind of demigod, was as +pitiful as any slave, and that palace, with columns of Numidian +marble, no better than a heap of stones. At last, however, those +feelings which she had not power to define began to torment her; +she wanted to sleep, but being tortured by alarm she could not. +Thinking that Lygia, threatened by so many perils and +uncertainties, was not sleeping either, she turned to her to speak of +her flight in the evening. But Lygia was sleeping calmly. Into the +dark cubiculum, past the curtain which was not closely drawn, +came a few bright rays, in which golden dust-motes were playing. +By the light of these rays Acte saw her delicate face, resting on her +bare arm, her closed eyes, and her mouth slightly open. She was +breathing regularly, but as people breathe while asleep. + +"She sleeps, -- she is able to sleep," thought Acte. "She is a child +yet." Still, after a while it came to her mind that that child chose to +flee rather than remain the beloved of Vinicius; she preferred want +to shame, wandering to a lordly house, to robes, jewels, and feasts, +to the sound of lutes and citharas. + +"Why?" + +And she gazed at Lygia, as if to find an answer in her sleeping +face. She looked at her clear forehead, at the calm arch of her +brows, at her dark tresses, at her parted lips, at her virgin bosom +moved by calm breathing; then she thought again, -- "How +different from me!" + +Lygia seemed to her a miracle, a sort of divine vision, something +beloved of the gods, a hundred times more beautiful than all the +flowers in Caesar's garden, than all the statues in his palace. But ih +the Greek woman's heart there was no envy. On the contrary, at +thought of the dangers which threatened the girl, great pity seized +her. A certain motherly feeling rose in the woman. Lygia seemed +to her not only as beautiful as a beautiful vision, but also very dear, +and, putting her lips to her dark hair, she kissed it. + +But Lygia slept on calmly, as if at home, under the care of +Pomponia Graecina. And she slept rather long. Midday had passed +when she opened her blue eyes and looked around the cubiculum +in astonishment. Evidently she wondered that she was not in the +house of Aulus. + +"That is thou, Acte?" said she at last, seeing in the darkness the +face of the Greek. + +"I, Lygia." + +"Is it evening?" + +"No, child; but midday has passed." + +"And has Ursus not returned?" + +"Ursus did not say that he would return; he said that he would +watch in the evening, with Christians, for the litter." + +"True." + +Then they left the cubiculum and went to the bath, where Acte +bathed Lygia; then she took her to breakfast and afterward to the +gardens of the palace, in which no dangerous meeting might be +feared, since Caesar and his principal courtiers were sleeping yet. +For the first time in her life Lygia saw those magnificent gardens, +full of pines, cypresses, oaks, olives, and myrtles, among which +appeared white here and there a whole population of statues. The +mirror of ponds gleamed quietly; groves of roses were blooming, +watered with the spray of fountains; entrances to charming grottos +were encircled with a growth of ivy or woodbine; silver-colored +swans were sailing on the water; amidst statues and trees wandered +tame gazelles from the deserts of Africa, and rich-colored birds +from all known countries on earth. + +The gardens were empty; but here and there slaves were working, +spade in hand, singing in an undertone; others, to whom was +granted a moment of rest, were sitting by ponds or in the shade of +groves, in trembling light produced by sun-rays breaking in +between leaves; others were watering roses or the pale lily-colored +blossoms of the saffron. Acte and Lygia walked rather long, +looking at all the wonders of the gardens; and though Lygia's mind +was not at rest, she was too much a child yet to resist pleasure, +curiosity, and wonder. It occurred to her, even, that if Caesar were +good, he might be very happy in such a palace, in such gardens. + +But at last, tired somewhat, the two women sat down on a bench +hidden almost entirely by dense cypresses and began to talk of that +which weighed on their hearts most, -- that is, of Lygia's escape in +the evening. Acte was far less at rest than Lygia touching its +success. At times it seemed to her even a mad project, which could +not succeed. She felt a growing pity for Lygia. It seemed to her that +it would be a hundred times safer to try to act on Vinicius. After a +while she inquired of Lygia how long she had known him, and +whether she did not think that he would let himself be persuaded +to return her to Pomponia. + +But Lygia shook her dark head in sadness. "No. In Aulus's house, +Vinicius had been different, he had been very kind, but since +yesterday's feast she feared him, and would rather flee to the +Lygians." + +"But in Aulus's house," inquired Acte, "he was dear to thee, was he +not?" + +"He was," answered Lygia, inclining her head. + +"And thou wert not a slave, as I was," said Acte, after a moment's +thought. "Vinicius might marry thee. Thou art a hostage, and a +daughter of the Lygian king. Aulus and Pomponia love thee as +their own child; I am sure that they arc ready to adopt thee. +Vinicius might marry thee, Lygia." + +But Lygia answered calmly, and with still greater sadness, "I would +rather flee to the Lygians." + +"Lygia, dost thou wish me to go directly to Vinicius, rouse him, if +he is sleepmg, and tell him what I have told thee? Yes, my +precious one, I will go to him and say, 'Vinicius, this is a king's +daughter, and a dear child of the famous Aulus; if thou love her, +return her to Aulus and Pomponia, and take her as wife from their +house.'" + +But the maiden answered with a voice so low that Acte could +barely hear it, -- + +"1 would rather flee to the Lygians." And two tears were hanging +on her drooping lids. + +Further conversation was stopped by the rustle of approaching +steps, and bef ore Acte had time to see who was coming, Poppae +Sabina appeared in front of the bench with a small retinue of slave +women. Two of them held over her head bunches of ostrich +feathers fixed to golden wires; with these they fanned her lightly, +and at the same time protected her from the autumn sun, which +was hot yet. Before her a woman from Egypt, black as ebony, and +with bosom swollen as if from milk, bore in her arms an infant +wrapped in purple fringed with gold. Acte and Lygia rose, thinking +that Popp~ra would pass the bench without turning attention to +either; but she halted before them and said, -- "Acte, the bells sent +by thee for the doll were badly fastened; the child tore off one and +put it to her mouth; luckily Lilith saw it in season." + +"Pardon, divinity," answered Acte, crossing her arms on her breast +and bending her head. + +But Poppaea began to gaze at Lygia. + +"What slave is this?" asked she, after a pause. + +"She is not a slave, divine Augusta, but a foster child of Pomponia +Graecina, and a daughter of the Lygian king given by him as +hostage to Rome." + +"And has she come to visit thee?" + +"No, Augusta. She is dwelling in the palace since the day before +yesterday." + +"Was she at the feast last night?" + +"She was, Augusta." + +"At whose command?" + +"At Caesar's command." + +Poppae looked still more attentively at Lygia, who stood with +bowed head, now raising her bright eyes to her with curiosity, now +covering them with their lids. Suddenly a frown appeared between +the brows of the Augusta. Jealous of her own beauty and power, +she lived in continual alarm lest at some time a fortunate rival +might ruin her, as she had ruined Octavia. Hence every beautiful +face in the palace roused her suspicion. With the eye of a critic she +took in at once every part of Lygia's form, estimated every detail of +her face, and was frightened. "That is simply a nymph," thought +she, "and 'twas Venus who gave birth to her." On a sudden this +came to her mind which had never come before at sight of any +beauty, -- that she herself had grown notably older! Wounded +vanity quivered in Poppaea, alarm seized her, and various fears +shot through her head. "Perhaps Nero has not seen the girl, or, +seeing her through the emerald, has not appreciated her. But what +would happen should he meet such a marvel in the daytime, in +sunlight? Moreover she is not a slave, she is the daughter of a king, +-- a king of barbarians, it is true, but a king. Immortal gods! she is +as beautiful as I am, but younger!" The wrinkle between her brows +increased, and her eyes began to shine under their golden lashes +with a cold gleam. + +"Hast thou spoken with Caesar?" + +"No, Augusta." + +"Why dost thou choose to be here rather than in the house of +Aulus?" + +"I do not choose, lady. Petronius persuaded Caesar to take me from +Pomponia. I am here against my will." + +"And wouldst thou return to Pomponia?" + +This last question Poppae gave with a softer and milder voice; +hence a sudden hope rose in Lygia's heart. + +"Lady," said she, extending her hand to her, "Caesar promised to +give me as a slave to Vinicius, but do thou intercede and return me +to Pomponia." + +"Then Petronius persuaded Caesar to take thee from Aulus, and +give thee to Vinicius?" + +"True, lady. Vinicius is to send for me to-day, but thou art good, +have compassion on me." When she had said this, she inclined, +and, seizing the border of Poppae's robe, waited for her word with +beating heart. Poppaa looked at her for a while, with a face lighted +by an evil smile, and said, -- "Then I promise that thou wilt +become the slave of Vinicius this day." And she went on, beautiful +as a vision, but evil. To the ears of Lygia and Acte came only the +wail of the infant, which began to cry, it was unknown for what +reason. + +Lygia's eyes too were filled with tears; but after a while she took +Acte's hand and said, -- "Let us return. Help is to be looked for +only whence it can come." And they returned to the atrium, which +they did not leave till evening. + +When darkness had come and slaves brought in tapers with great +flames, both women were very pale. Their conversation failed +every moment. Both were listening to hear if some one were +coming. Lygia repeated again and again that, though grieved to +leave Acte, she preferred that all should take place that day, as +Ursus must be waiting in the dark for her then. But her breathing +grew quicker from emotion, and louder. Acte collected feverishly +such jewels as she could, and, fastening them in a corner of Lygia's +peplus, implored her not to reject that gift and means of escape. At +moments came a deep silence full of deceptions for the ear. It +seemed to both that they heard at one time a whisper beyond the +curtain, at another the distant weeping of a child, at another the +barking of dogs. + +Suddenly the curtain of the entrance moved without noise, and a +tall, dark man, his face marked with small-pox, appeared like a +spirit in the atrium. In one moment Lygia recognized Atacinus, a +freedman of Vinicius, who had visited the house of Aulus. + +Acte screamed; but Atacinus bent low and said, -- "A greeting, +divine Lygia, from Marcus Vinicius, who awaits thee with a feast +in his house which is decked in green." + +The lips of the maiden grew pale. + +"I go," said she. + +Then she threw her arms around Acte's neck in farewell. + +Chapter X + +THE house of Vinicius was indeed decked in the green of myrtle +and ivy, which had been hung on the walls and over the doors. The +columns were wreathed with grape vine. In the atrium, which was +closed above by a purple woollen cloth as protection from the +night cold, it was as clear as in daylight. Eight and twelve flamed +lamps were burning; these were like vessels, trees, animals, birds, +or statues, holding cups filled with perfumed olive oil, lamps of +alabaster, marble, or gilded Corinthian bronze, not so wonderful as +that famed candlestick used by Nero and taken from the temple of +Apollo, but beautiful and made by famous masters. Some of the +lights were shaded by Alexandrian glass, or transparent stuffs from +the Indus, of red, blue, yellow, or violet color, so that the whole +atrium was filled with many colored rays. Everywhere was given +out the odor of nard, to which Vinicius had grown used, and which +he had learned to love in the Orient. The depths of the house, in +which the forms of male and female slaves were movmg, gleamed +also with light. In the triclinium a table was laid for four persons. +At the feast were to sit, besides Vinicius and Lygia, Petronius and +Chrysothemis. Vimcius had followed in everything the words of +Petronius, who advised him not to go for Lygia, but to send +Atacinus with the permission obtained from Caesar, to receive her +himself in the house, receive her with friendliness and even with +marks of honor. + +"Thou wert drunk yesterday," said he; "I saw thee. Thou didst act +with her like a quarryman from the Alban Hills. Be not +over-insistent, and remember that one should drink good wine +slowly. Know too that it is sweet to desire, but sweeter to be +desired." + +Chrysothemis had her own and a somewhat different opinion on +this point; but Petronius, calling her his vestal and his dove, began +to explain the difference which must exist between a trained +charioteer of the Circus and the youth who sits on the quadriga for +the first time. Then, turning to Vinicius, he continued, -- "Win her +confidence, make her joyful, be magnanimous. I have no wish to +see a gloomy feast. Swear to her, by Hades even, that thou wilt +return her to Pomponia, and it will be thy affair that to-morrow she +prefers to stay with thee." + +Then pointing to Chrysothemis, he added, -- "For five years I have +acted thus more or less with this timid dove, and I cannot complain +of her harshness." + +Chrysothemis struck him with her fan of peacock feathers, and +said, -- "But I did not resist, thou satyr!" + +"Out of consideration for my predecessor --" + +"But wert thou not at my feet?" + +"Yes; to put rings on thy toes." + +Chrysothemis looked involuntarily at her feet, on the toes of which +diamonds were really glittering; and she and Petronius began to +laugh. But Vinicius did not give ear to their bantering. His heart +was beating unquietly under the robes of a Syrian priest, in which +he had arrayed himself to receive Lygia. + +"They must have left the palace," said he, as if in a monologue. + +"They must," answered Petronius. "Meanwhile I may mention the +predictions of Apollonius of Tyana, or that history of Rufinus +which I have not finished, I do not remember why." + +But Vinicius cared no more for Apollonius of Tyana than for the +history of Rufinus. His mind was with Lygia; and though he felt +that it was more appropriate to receive her at home than to go in +the role of a myrmidon to the palace, he was sorry at moments that +he had not gone, for the single reason that he might have seen her +sooner, and sat near her in the dark, in the double litter. + +Meanwhile slaves brought in a tripod ornamented with rams' +heads, bronze dishes with coals, on which they sprinkled bits of +myrrh and nard. + +"Now they are turning toward the Carinx," said Vinicius, again. + +"He cannot wait; he will run to meet the litter, and is likely to miss +them!" exclaimed Chrysothemis. + +Vinicius smiled without thinking, and said, -- "On the contrary, I +will wait." + +But he distended his nostrils and panted; seeing which, Petronius +shrugged his shoulders, and said, -- "There is not in him a +philosopher to the value of one sestertium, and I shall never make +a man of that son of Mars." + +"They are now in the Carinaae." + +In fact, they were turning toward the Carimr. The slaves called +lampadarii were in front; others called pedisequii, were on both +sides of the litter. Atacinus was right behind, overseeing the +advance. But they moved slowly, for lamps showed the way badly +in a place not lighted at all. The streets near the palace were +empty; here and there only some man moved forward with a +lantern, but farther on the place was uncommonly crowded. From +almost every alley people were pushing out in threes and fours, all +without lamps, all in dark mantles. Some walked on with the +procession, mingling with the slaves; others in greater numbers +came from the opposite direction. Some staggered as if drunk. At +moments the advance grew so difficult that the lampadarii cried, -- +"Give way to the noble tribune, Marcus Vinicius!" + +Lygia saw those dark crowds through the curtains which were +pushed aside, and trembled with emotion. She was carried away at +one moment by hope, at another by fear. + +"That is he! --that is Ursus and the Christians! Now it will happen +quickly," said she, with trembling lips. "O Christ, aid! O Christ, +save!" + +Atacinus himself, who at first did not notice the uncommon +animation of the street, began at last to be alarmed. There was +something strange in this. The lampadaril had to cry oftener and +oftener, "Give way to the litter of the noble tribune!" From the +sides unknown people crowded up to the litter so much that +Atacinus commanded the slaves to repulse them with clubs. + +Suddenly a cry was heard in front of the procession. In one instant +all the lights were extinguished. Around the litter came a rush, an +uproar, a struggle. + +Atacinus saw that this was simply an attack; and when he saw it he +was frightened. It was known to all that Caesar with a crowd of +attendants made attacks frequently for amusement in the Subura +and in other parts of the city. It was known that even at times he +brought out of these night adventures black and blue spots; but +whoso defended himself went to his death, even if a senator. The +house of the guards, whose duty it was to watch over the city, was +not very far; but during such attacks the guards feigned to be deaf +and blind. + +Meanwhile there was an uproar around the litter; people struck, +struggled, threw, and trampled one another. The thought flashed +on Atacinus to save Lygia and himself, above all, and leave the rest +to their fate. So, drawing her out of the litter, he took her in his +arms and strove to escape in the darkness. + +But Lygia called, "Ursus! Ursus!" + +She was dressed in white; hence it was easy to see her. Atacinus, +with his other arm, which was free, was throwing his own mantle +over her hastily, when terrible claws seized his neck, and on his +head a gigantic, crushing mass fell like a stone. + +He dropped in one instant, as an ox felled by the back of an axe +before the altar of Jove. + +The slaves for the greater part were either lying on the ground, or +had saved themselves by scattering in the thick darkness, around +the turns of the walls. On the spot remained only the litter, broken +in the onset. Ursus bore away Lygia to the Subura; his comrades +followed him, dispersing gradually along the way. + +The slaves assembled before the house of Vinicius, and took +counsel. They had not courage to enter. After a short deliberation +they returned to the place of conflict, where they found a few +corpses, and among them Atacinus. He was quivering yet; but, +after a moment of more violent convulsion, he stretched and was +motionless. + +They took him then, and, returning, stopped before the gate a +second time But they must declare to their lord what had +happened. + +"Let Cub declare it," whispered some voices; "blood is flowing +from his face as from ours; and the master loves him; it is safer for +Gulo than for others." + +Gulo, a German, an old slave, who had nursed Vinicius, and was +inherited by him from his mother, the sister of Petronius, said, -- + +"I will tell him; but do ye all come. Do not let his anger fall on my +head alone." + +Vinicius was growing thoroughly impatient. Petronius and +Chrysothemis were laughing; but he walked with quick step up and +down the atrium. + +"They ought to be here! They ought to be here!" + +He wished to go out to meet the litter, but Petronius and +Chrysothemis detained him. + +Steps were heard suddenly in the entrance; the slaves rushed into +the atrium in a crowd, and, halting quickly at the wall, raised their +hands, and began to repeat with groaning, -- "Aaaa! --aa!" + +Vinicius sprang toward them. + +"Where is Lygia?" cried he, with a terrible and changed voice. +"Aaaa!" + +Then Gulo pushed forward with his bloody face, and exclaimed, in +haste and pitifully, + +"See our blood, lord! We fought! See our blood! See our blood!" +But he had not finished when Vinicius seized a bronze lamp, and +with one blow shattered the skull of the slave; then, seizing his +own head with both hands, he drove his fingers into his hair, +repeating hoarsely, -- "Me miserum! me miserum!" + +His face became blue, his eyes turned in his head, foam came out +on his lips. + +"Whips!" roared he at last, with an unearthly voice. "Lord! Aaaa! +Take pity!" groaned the slaves. + +Petronius stood up with an expression of disgust on his face. +"Come, Chry.. sothemis!" said he. "if 'tis thy wish to look on raw +flesh, I will give command to open a butcher's stall on the +Carina~!" + +And he walked out of the atrium. But through the whole house, +ornamented in the green of ivy and prepared for a feast, were +heard, from moment to moment, groans and the whistling of +whips, which lasted almost till morning. + +Chapter XI + +VINICIUS did not lie down that night. Some time after the +departure of Petronius, when the groans of his flogged slaves +could allay neither his rage nor his pain, he collected a crowd of +other servants, and, though the night was far advanced, rushed +forth at the head of these to look for Lygia. He visited the district +of the Esquiline, then the Subura, Vicus Sceleratus, and all the +adjoining alleys. Passing next around the Capitol, he went to the +island over the bridge of Fabricius; after that he passed through a +part of the TransTiber. But that was a pursuit without object, for +he himself had no hope of finding Lygia, and if he sought her it +was mainly to fill out with something a terrible night. In fact he +returned home about daybreak, when the carts and mules of +dealers in vegetables began to appear in the city, and when bakers +were opening their shops. + +On returning he gave command to put away Gubo's corpse, which +no one had ventured to touch. The slaves from whom Lygia had +been taken he sent to rural prisons, -- a punishment almost more +dreadful than death. Throwing himself at last on a couch in the +atrium, he began to think confusedly of how he was to find and +seize Lygia. + +To resign her, to lose her, not to see her again, seemed to him +impossible; and at this thought alone frenzy took hold of him. For +the first time in life the imperious nature of the youthful soldier +met resistance, met another unbending will, and he could not +understand simply how any one could have the daring to thwart his +wishes. Vinicius would have chosen to see the world and the city +sink in ruins rather than fail of his purpose. The cup of delight had +been snatched from before his lips almost; hence it seemed to him +that something unheard of had happened, something crying to +divine and human laws for vengeance. + +But, first of all, he was unwilling and unable to be reconciled with +fate, for never in life had he so desired anything as Lygia. It +seemed to him that he could not exist without her. He could not +tell himself what he was to do without her on the morrow, how he +was to survive the days following. At moments he was transported +by a rage against her, which approached madness. He wanted to +have her, to beat her, to drag her by the hair to the cubiculum, and +gloat over her; then, again, he was carried away by a terrible +yearning for her voice, her form, her eyes, and he felt that he +would be ready to lie at her feet. He called to her, gnawed his +fingers, clasped his head with his hands. He strove with all his +might to think calmly about searching for her, -- and was unable. A +thousand methods and means flew through his head, but one +wilder than another. At last the thought flashed on him that no one +else had intercepted her but Aulus, that in every case Aulus must +know where she was hiding. And he sprang up to run to the house +of Aulus. + +If they will not yield her to him, if they have no fear of his threats, +he will go to Caesar, accuse the old general of disobedience, and +obtain a sentence of death against him; but before that, he will +gain from them a confession of where Lygia is. If they give her, +even willingly, he will be revenged. They received him, it is true, +in their house and nursed him, -- but that is nothing! With this one +injustice they have freed him from every debt of gratitude. Here +his vengeful and stubborn soul began to take pleasure at the +despair of Pomponia Gr~ecina, when the centurion would bring +the death sentence to old Aulus. He was almost certain that he +would get it. Petronius would assist him. Moreover, Caesar never +denies anything to his intimates, the Augustians, unless personal +dislike or desire enjoins a refusal. + +Suddenly his heart almost died within him, under the influence of +this terrible supposition, -- "But if Caesar himself has taken +Lygia?" + +All knew that Nero from tedium sought recreation in night attacks. +Even Petronius took part in these amusements. Their main object +was to seize women and toss each on a soldier's mantle till she +fainted. Even Nero himself on occasions called these expeditions +"pearl hunts," for it happened that in the depth of districts occupied +by a numerous and needy population they caught a real pearl of +youth and beauty sometimes. Then the "sagatio," as they termed +the tossing, was changed into a genuine carrying away, and the +pearl was sent either to the Palatine or to one of Caesar's +numberless villas, or finally Caesar yielded itto one of his +intimates. So might it happen also with Lygia. Caesar had seen her +during the feast; and Vinicius doubted not for an instant that she +must have seemed to him the most beautiful woman he had seen +yet. How could it be otherwise? It is true that Lygia had been in +Nero's own house on the Palatine, and he might have kept her +openly. But, as Petronius said truly, Caesar had no courage in +crime, and, with power to act openly, he chose to act always in +secret. This time fear of Poppaera might incline him also to +secrecy. It occurred now to the young soldier that Aulus would not +have dared, perhaps, to carry off forcibly a girl given him, +Vinicius, by Caesar. Besides, who would dare? Would that +gigantic blue-eyed Lygian, who had the courage to enter the +triclinium and carry her from the feast on his arm? But where +could he hide with her; whither could he take her? No! a slave +would not have ventured that far. Hence no one had done the deed +except Caesar. + +At this thought it grew dark in his eyes, and drops of sweat covered +his forehead. In that case Lygia was lost to him forever. It was +possible to wrest her from the hands of any one else, but not from +the hands of Caesar. Now, with greater truth than ever, could he +exclaim, "Vaqe misere mihi!" His imagination represented Lygia +in Nero's arms, and, for the first time in life, he understood that +there are thoughts which are simply beyond man's endurance. He +knew then, for the first time, how he loved her. As his whole life +flashes through the memory of a drowning man, so Lygia began to +pass through his. Fle saw her, heard every word of hers, -- saw her +at the fountain, saw her at the house of Aulus, and at the feast; felt +her near him, felt the odor of her hair, the warmth of her body, the +delight of the kisses which at the feast he had pressed on her +innocent lips. She seemed to him a hundred times sweeter, more +beautiful, more desired than ever, -- a hundred times more the only +one, the one chosen from among all mortals and divinities. And +when he thought that all this which had become so fixed in his +heart, which had become his blood and life, might be possessed by +Nero, a pain seized him, which was purely physical, and so +piercing that he wanted to beat his head against the wall of the +atrium, until he should break it. He felt that he might go mad; and +he would have gone mad beyond doubt, had not vengealice +remained to him. But as hitherto he had thought that he could not +live unless he got Lygia, he thought now that he would not die till +he had avenged her. This gave him a certain kind of comfort. '~I +will be thy Cassius Chaerea!"' said he to himself in thinking of +Nero. After a while, seizing earth in his hands from the flower +vases surrounding the impluvium, he made a dreadful vow to +Erebus, Hecate, and his own household lares, that he would have +vengeance. + +And he received a sort of consolation. He had at least something to +live for and something with which to fill his nights and days. Then, +dropping his idea of visiting Aulus, he gave command to bear him +to the Palatine. Along the way he concluded that if they would not +admit him to Caesar, or if they should try to find weapons on his +person, it would be a proof that Caesar had taken Lygia. He had no +weapons with him. He had lost presence of mind in general; but as +is usual with persons possessed by a single idea, he preserved it in +that which concerned his revenge. He did not wish his desire of +revenge to fall away prematurely. He wished above all to see Acte, +for he expected to learn the truth from her. At moments the hope +flashed on him that he might see Lygia also, and at that thought he +began to tremble. For if Caesar had carried her away without +knowledge of whom he was taking, he might return her that day. +But after a while he cast aside this supposition. Had there been a +wish to return her to him, she would have been sent yesterday. +Acte was the only person who could explain everything, and there +was need to see her before others. + +Convinced of this, he commanded the slaves to hasten; and along +the road he thought without order, now of Lygia, now of revenge. +He had heard that Egyptian priests of the goddess Pasht could +bring disease on whomever they wished, and he determined to +learn the means of doing this. In the Orient they had told him, too, +that Jews have certain invocations by which they cover their +enemies' bodies with ulcers. He had a number of Jews among his +domestic slaves; hence he promised himself to torture them on his +return till they divulged the secret. He found most delight, +however, in thinking of the short Roman sword which lets out a +stream of blood such as had gushed from Caius Caligula and made +ineffaceable stains on the columns of the portico. He was ready to +exterminate all Rome; and had vengeful gods promised that all +people should die except him and Lygia, he would have accepted +the promise. + +In front of the arch he regained presence of mind, and thought +when he saw the pretorian guard, "If they make the least difficulty +in admitting me, they will prove that Lygia is in the palace by the +will of Caesar." + +But the chief centurion smiled at him in a friendly manner, then +advanced a number of steps, and said, -- "A greeting, noble +tribune. If thou desire to give an obeisance to Caesar, thou hast +found an unfortunate moment. I do not think that thou wilt be able +to see him." + +"What has happened?" inquired Vinicius. + +"The infant Augusta fell ill yesterday on a sudden. Caesar and the +august Poppsea are attending her, with physicians whom they have +summoned from the whole city." + +This was an important event. When that daughter was born to him, +Caesar was simply wild from delight, and received her with extra +humanism gaudium. Previously the senate had committed the +womb of Poppae to the gods with the utmost solemnity. A votive +offering was made at Antium, where the delivery took place; +splendid games were celebrated, and besides a temple was erected +to the two Fortunes. Nero, unable to be moderate in anything, +loved the infant beyond measure; to Poppae the child was dear +also, even for this, that it strengthened her position and made her +influence irresistible. + +The fate of the whole empire might depend on the health and life +of the infant Augusta; but Vinicius was so occupied with himself, +his own case and his love, that without paying attention to the +news of the centurion he answered, "I only wish to see Acte." And +he passed in. + +But Acte was occupied also near the child, and he had to wait a +long time to see her. She came only about midday, with a face pale +and wearied, which grew paler still at sight of Vinicius. + +"Acre!" cried Vinicius, seizing her hand and drawing her to the +middle of the atrium, "where is Lygia?" + +"I wanted to ask thee touching that," answered she, looking him in +the eyes with reproach. + +But though he had promised himself to inquire of her calmly, he +pressed his head with his hands again, and said, with a face +distorted by pain and anger, -- "She is gone. She was taken from +me on the way!" + +After a while, however, he recovered, and thrusting his face up to +Acte's, said through his set teeth, -- "Acte! If life be dear to thee, if +thou wish not to cause misfortunes which + +thou are unable even to imagine, answer me truly. Did Caesar take +her?" "Caesar did not leave the palace yesterday." + +"By the shade of thy mother, by all the gods, is she not in the +palace?" + +"By the shade of my mother, Marcus, she is not in the palace, and +Caesar did not intercept her. The infant Augusta is ill since +yesterday, and Nero has not left her cradle." + +Vinicius drew breath. That which had seemed the most terrible +ceased to threaten him. + +"Ah, then," said he, sitting on the bench and clinching his fists, +"Aulus intercepted her, and in that case woe to him!" + +"Aulus Plautius was here this morning. He could not see me, for I +was occupied with the child; but he inquired of Epaphroditus, and +others of Caesar's servants, touching Lygia, and told them that he +would come again to see me." + +"He wished to turn suspicion from himself. If he knew not what +happened, he would have come to seek Lygia in my house." + +"He left a few words on a tablet, from which thou wilt see that, +knowing Lygia to have been taken from his house by Caesar, at thy +request and that of Petronius, he expected that she would be sent to +thee, and this morning early he was at thy house, where they told +him what had happened." + +When she had said this, she went to the cubiculum and returned +soon with the tablet which Aulus had left. + +Vinicius read the tablet, and was silent; Acte seemed to read the +thoughts on his gloomy face, for she said after a while, -- "No, +Marcus. That has happened which Lygia herself wished." "It was +known to thee that she wished to flee!" burst out Vinicius. "I knew +that she would not become thy concubine." And she looked at him +with her misty eyes almost sternly. "And thou, -- what hast thou +been all thy life?" "I was a slave, first of all." + +But Vinicius did not cease to be enraged. Caesar had given him +Lygia; hence he had no need to inquire what she had been before. +He would find her, even under the earth, and he would do what he +liked with her. He would indeed! She should be his concubine. He +would give command to flog her as often as he pleased. If she +grew distasteful to him, he would give her to the lowest of his +slaves, or he would command her to turn a handmill on his lands in +Africa. He would seek her out now, and find her only to bend her, +to trample on her, and conquer her. + +And, growing more and more excited, he lost every sense of +measure, to the degree that even Acte saw that he was promising +more than he could execute; that he was talking because of pain +and anger. She might have had even compassion on him, but his +extravagance exhausted her patience, and at last she inquired why +he had come to her. + +Vinieius did not find an answer immediately. He had come to her +because he wished to come, because he judged that she would give +him information; but really he had come to Caesar, and, not being +able to see him, he came to her. Lygia, by fleeing, opposed the will +of Caesar; hence he would implore him to give an order to search +for her throughout the city and the empire, even if it came to using +for that purpose all the legions, and to ransacking in turn every +house within Roman dominion. Petronius would support his +prayer, and the search would begin from that day. + +"Have a care," answered Acte, "lest thou lose her forever the +moment she is found, at command of Ciesar." + +Vinicius wrinkled his brows. "What does that mean?" inquired he. + +"Listen to me, Marcus. Yesterday Lygia and I were in the gardens +here, and we met Popp~ra, with the infant Augusta, borne by an +African woman, Liith. In the evening the child fell ill, and Liith +insists that she was bewitched; that that foreign woman whom they +met in the garden bewitched her. Should the child recover, they +will forget this, but in the opposite case Poppae will be the first to +accuse Lygia of witchcraft, and wherever she is found there will be +no rescue for her." + +A moment of silence followed; then Vinicius said, -- "But perhaps +she did bewitch her, and has bewitched me." + +"Lilith repeats that the child began to cry the moment she carried +her past us. And really the child did begin to cry. It is certain that +she was sick when they took her out of the garden. Marcus, seek +for Lygia whenever it may please thee, but till the infant Augusta +recovers, speak not of her to Caesar, or thou wilt bring on her +Poppaea's vengeance. Her eyes have wept enough because of thee +already, and may all the gods guard her poor head." + +"Dost thou love her, Acte?" inquired Vinicius, gloomily. + +"Yes, I love her." And tears glittered in the eyes of the +freedwoman. + +"Thou lovest her because she has not repaid thee with hatred, as +she has me." Acre looked at him for a time as if hesitating, or as if +wishing to learn if he spoke sincerely; then she said, -- "O blind +and passionate man -- she loved thee." Vinicius sprang up under +the influence of those words, as if possessed. "It is not true." + +She hated him. How could Acte know? Would Lygia make a +confession to her after one day's acquaintance? What love is that +which prefers wandering, the disgrace of poverty, the uncertainty +of to-morrow, or a shameful death even, to a wreath-bedecked +house, in which a lover is waiting with a feast? It is better for him +not to hear such things, for he is ready to go mad. He would not +have given that girl for all Caesar's treasures, and she fled. What +kind of love is that which dreads delight and gives pain? Who can +understand it? Who can fathom it? Were it not for the hope that he +should find her, he would sink a sword in himself. Love +surrenders; it does not take away. There were moments at the +house of Aulus when he himself believed in near happiness, but +now he knows that she hated him, that she hates him, and will die +with hatred in her heart. + +But Acte, usually mild and timid, burst forth in her turn with +indignation. How had he tried to win Lygia? Instead of bowing +before Aulus and Pomponia to get her, he took the child away +from her parents by stratagem. He wanted to make, not a wife, but +a concubine of her, the foster daughter of an honorable house, and +the daughter of a king. He had her brought to this abode of crime +and infamy; he defiled her innocent eyes with the sight of a +shameful feast; he acted with her as with a wanton. Had he +forgotten the house of Aulus and Pomponia Graecina, who had +reared Lygia? Had he not sense enough to understand that there are +women different from Nigidia or Calvia Crispinilla or Poppae, and +from all those whom he meets in Caesar's house? Did he not +understand at once on seeing Lygia that she is an honest maiden, +who prefers death to infamy? Whence does he know what kind of +gods she worships, and whether they are not purer and better than +the wanton Venus, or than Isis, worshipped by the profligate +women of Rome? No! Lygia had made no confession to her, but +she had said that she looked for rescue to him, to Vinicius: she had +hoped that he would obtain for her permission from Caesar to +return home, that he would restore her to Pomponia. And while +speaking of this, Lygia blushed like a maiden who loves and trusts. +Lygia's heart beat for him; but he, Vinicius, had terrified and +offended her; had made her indignant; let him seek her now with +the aid of Caesar's soldiers, but let him know that should Poppaea's +child die, suspicion will fall on Lygia, whose destruction will then +be inevitable. + +Emotion began to force its way through the anger and pain of +Vinicius. The information that he was loved by Lygia shook him to +the depth of his soul. He remembered her in Aulus's garden, when +she was listening to his words with blushes on her face and her +eyes full of light. It seemed to him ~hen that she had begun to love +him; and all at once, at that thought, a feeling of certain happiness +embraced him, a hundred times greater than that which he desired. +He thought that he might have won her gradually, and besides as +one loving him. She would have wreathed his door, rubbed it with +wolf's fat, and then sat as his wife by his hearth on the sheepskin. +He would have heard from her mouth the sacramental: "Where +thou art, Caius, there am I, Caia." And she would have been his +forever. Why did he not act thus? True, he had been ready so to +act. But now she is gone, and it may be impossible to find her; and +should he find her, perhaps he will cause her death, and should he +not cause her death, neither she nor Aulus nor Pomponia Graecina +will favor him. Here anger raised the hair on his head again; but +his anger turned now, not against the house of Aulus, or Lygia, but +against Petronius. Petronius was to blame for everything. Had it +not been for him Lygia would not have been forced to wander; she +would be his betrothed, and no danger would be hanging over her +dear head. But now all is past, and it is too late to correct the evil +which will not yield to correction. + +"Too late!" And it seemed to him that a gulf had opened before his +feet. He did not know what to begin, how to proceed, whither to +betake himself. Acte repeated as an echo the words, "Too late," +which from another's mouth sounded like a death sentence. He +understood one thing, however, that he must find Lygia, or +something evil would happen to him. + +And wrapping himself mechanically in his toga, he was about to +depart without taking farewell even of Acte, when suddenly the +curtain separating the entrance from the atrium was pushed aside, +and he saw before him the pensive figure of Pomponia Gnecina. + +Evidently she too had heard of the disappearance of Lygia, and, +judging that she could see Acte more easily than Aulus, had conic +for news to her. + +But, seeing Vinicius, she turned her pale, delicate face to him, and +said, after a pause, -- "May God forgive thee the wrong, Marcus, +which thou hast done to us and to Lygia." + +He stood with drooping head, with a feeling of misfortune and +guilt, not understanding what God was to forgive him or could +forgive him. Pomponia had no cause to mention forgiveness; she +ought to have spoken of revenge. + +At last he went out with a head devoid of counsel, full of grievous +thoughts, immense care, and amazement. + +In the court and under the gallery were crowds of anxious people. +Among slaves of the palace were knights and senators who had +come to inquire about the health of the infant, and at the same time +to show themselves in the palace, and exhibit a proof of their +anxiety, even in presence of Nero's slaves. News of the illness of +the "divine" had spread quickly it was evident, for new forms +appeared in the gateway every moment, and through the opening +of the arcade whole crowds were visible. Some of the newly +arrived, seeing that Vinicius was coming from the palace, attacked +him for news; but he hurried on without answering their questions, +till Petronius, who had come for news too, almost struck his breast +and stopped him. + +Beyond doubt Vinicius would have become enraged at sight of +Petronius, and let himself do some lawless act in Caesar's palace, +had it not been that when he had left Acte he was so crushed, so +weighed down and exhausted, that for the moment even his innate +irascibility had left him. He pushed Petronius aside and wished to +pass; but the other detained him, by force almost. + +"How is the divine infant?" asked he. + +But this constraint angered Vinicius a second time, and roused his +indignation in an instant. + +"May Hades swallow her and all this house!" said he, gritting his +teeth. + +"Silence, hapless man!" said Petronius, and looking around he +added hurriedly, -- "If thou wish to know something of Lygia, +come with me; I will tell nothing here! Come with me; I will tell +my thoughts in the litter." + +And putting his arm around the young tribune, he conducted him +from the palace as quickly as possible. That was his main concern, +for he had no news whatever; but being a man of resources, and +having, in spite of his indignation of yesterday, much sympathy for +Vinicius, and finally feeling responsible for all that had happened, +he had undertaken something already, and when they entered the +litter he said, -- "I have commanded my slaves to watch at every +gate. I gave them an accurate description of the girl, and that giant +who bore her from the feast at Caesar's, -- for he is the man, +beyond doubt, who intercepted her. Listen to me: Perhaps Aulus +and Pomponia wish to secrete her in some estate of theirs; in that +case we shall learn the direction in which they took her. If my +slaves do not see her at some gate, we shall know that she is in the +city yet, and shall begin this very day to search in Rome for her." + +"Aulus does not know where she is," answered Vinicius. "Art thou +sure of that?" + +"I saw Pomponia. She too is looking for her." + +"She could not leave the city yesterday, for the gates are closed at +night. + +Two of my people are watching at each gate. One is to follow +Lygia and the giant, the other to return at once and inform me. If +she is in the city, we shall find her, for that Lygian is easily +recognized, even by his stature and his shoulders. Thou art lucky +that it was not C~zsar who took her, and I can assure thee that he +did not, for there are no secrets from me on the Palatine." + +But Vinicius burst forth in sorrow still more than in anger, and in a +voice broken by emotion told Petronius what he had heard from +Acte, and what new dangers were threatening Lygia, -- dangers so +dreadful that because of them there would be need to hide her +from Poppaea most carefully, in case they discovered her. Then he +reproached Petroruus bitterly for his counsel. Had it not been for +him, everything would have gone differently. Lygia would have +been at the house of Aulus, and he, Vinicius, might have seen her +every day, and he would have been happier at that moment than +Caesar. And carried away as he went on with his narrative, he +yielded more and more to emotion, till at last tears of sorrow and +rage began to fall from his eyes. + +Petronius, who had not even thought that the young man could +love and desire to such a degree, when he saw the tears of despair +said to himself, with a certain astonishment, -- "O mighty Lady of +Cyprus, thou alone art ruler of gods and men!" + +Chapter XII + +WHEN they alighted in front of the arbiter's house, the chief of the +atrium answered them that of slaves sent to the gates none had +returned yet. The atriensis had given orders to take food to them, +and a new command, that under penalty of rods they were to watch +carefully all who left the city. + +"Thou seest," said Petronius, "that they are in Rome, beyond doubt, +and in that case we shall find them. But command thy people also +to watch at the gates, -- those, namely, who were sent for Lygia, as +they will recognize her easily." + +"I have given orders to send them to rural prisons," said Vinicius, +"but I will recall the orders at once, and let them go to the gates." + +And writing a few words on a wax-covered tablet, he handed it to +Petronius, who gave directions to send it at once to the house of +Vinicius. Then they passed into the interior portico, and, sitting on +a marble bench, began to talk. The golden-haired Eunice and has +pushed bronze footstools under their feet, and poured wine for +them into goblets, out of wonderful narrow-necked pitchers from +Volaterr~ and Qecina. + +"Hast thou among thy people any one who knows that giant +Lygian?" asked Petronius. + +"Atacinus and Gulo knew him; but Atacinus fell yesterday at the +litter, and Gulo I killed." + +"I am sorry for him," said Petronius. "He carried not only thee, but +me, in his arms." + +"I intended to free him," answered Vinicius; "but do not mention +him. Let us speak of Lygia. Rome is a sea--" + +"A sea is just the place where men fish for pearls. Of course we +shall not find her to-day, or to-morrow, but we shall find her +surely. Thou hast accused me just now of giving thee this method; +but the method was good in itself, and became bad only when +turned to bad. Thou hast heard from Aulus himself, that he intends +to go to Sicily with his whole family. In that case the girl would be +far from thee." + +"I should follow them," said Vinicius, "and in every case she +would be out of danger; but now, if that child dies, Poppae will +believe, and will persuade Caesar, that she died because of Lygia." + +"True; that alarmed me, too. But that little doll may recover. +Should she die, we shall find some way of escape." + +Here Petronius meditated a while and added, -- "Poppae, it is said, +follows the religion of the Jews, and believes in evil spirits. Caesar +is superstitious. If we spread the report that evil spirits carried +off Lygia, the news will find belief, especially as neither Caesar +nor Aulus Plautius intercepted her; her escape was really +mysterious. The Lygian could not have effected it alone; he must +have had help. And where could a slave find so many people in the +course of one day?" + +"Slaves help one another in Rome." + +"Some person pays for that with blood at times. True, they support +one another, but not some against others. In this case it was known +that responsibility and punishment would fall on thy people. If +thou give thy people the idea of evil spirits, they will say at once +that they saw such with their own eyes, because that will justify +them in thy sight. Ask one of them, as a test, if he did not see +spirits carrying off Lygia through the air, he will swear at once by +the Aegis of Zeus that he saw them." + +Vinicius, who was superstitious also, looked at Petronius with +sudden and great fear. + +"If Ursus could not have men to help him, and was not able to take +her alone, who could take her?" + +Petronius began to laugh. + +"See," said he, "they will believe, since thou art half a believer +thyself. Such is our society, which ridicules the gods. They, too, +will believe, and they will not look for her. Meanwhile we shall +put her away somewhere far off from the city, in some villa of +mine or thine." + +"But who could help her?" + +"Her co-religionists," answered Petronius. + +"Who are they? What deity does she worship? I ought to know that +better than thou." + +"Nearly every woman in Rome honors a different one. It is almost +beyond doubt that Pomponia reared her in the religion of that deity +which she herself worships; what one she worships 1 know not. +One thing is certain, that no person has seen her make an offering +to our gods in any temple. They have accused her even of being a +Christian; but that is not possible; a domestic tribunal cleared her +of the charge. They say that Christians not only worship an ass's +head, but are enemies of the human race, and permit the foulest +crimes. Pomponia cannot be a Christian, as her virtue is known, +and an enemy of the human race could not treat slaves as she +does." + +"In no house are they treated as at Aulus's," interrupted Vinicius. + +"Ah! Pomponia mentioned to me sonie god, who must be one +powerful and merciful. Where she has put away all the others is +her affair; it is enough that that Logos of hers cannot be very +mighty, or rather he must be a very weak god, since he has had +only two adherents, -- Pomponia and Lygia, -- and Ursus in +addition. It must be that there are more of those adherents, and that +they assisted Lygia." + +"That faith commands forgiveness," said Vinicius. "At Acte's I met +Pomponia, who said to me: 'May God forgive thee the evil which +thou hast done to us and to Lygia.'" + +"Evidently their God is some curator who is very mild. Ha! let him +forgive thee, and in sign of forgiveness return thee the maiden." + +"I would offer him a hecatomb to-morrow! I have no wish for +food, or the bath, or sleep. I will take a dark lantern and wander +through the city. Perhaps I shall find her in disguise. I am sick." + +Petronius looked at him with commiseration. In fact, there was +blue under his eyes, his pupils were gleaming with fever, his +unshaven beard indicated a dark strip on his firmly outlined jaws, +his hair was in disorder, and he wa~ really like a sick man. Iras and +the golden-haired Eunice looked at him also with sympathy; but he +seemed not to see them, and he and Petronius took no notice +whatever of the slave women, just as they would not have noticed +dogs moving around them. + +"Fever is tormenting thee," said Petronius. + +"It is." + +"Then listen to me. I know not what the doctor has prescribed to +thee, but I know how I should act in thy place. Till this lost one is +found I should seek in another that which for the moment has gone +from me with her. I saw splendid forms at thy villa. Do not +contradict me. I know what love is; and I know that when one is +desired another cannot take her place. But in a beautiful slave it is +possible to find even momentary distraction." + +"I do not need it," said Vinicius. + +But Petronius, who had for him a real weakness, and who wished +to soften his pain, began to meditate how he might do so. + +"Perhaps thine have not for thee the charm of novelty," said he, +after a while (and here he began to look in turn at Iras and Eunice, +and finally he placed his palm on the hip of the golden-haired +Eunice). "Look at this grace! for whom some days since Fonteius +Capiton the younger offered three wonderful boys from +Clazomene. A more beautiful figure than hers even Skopas himself +has not chiselled. I myself cannot tell why I have remained +indifferent to her thus far, since thoughts of Chrysothemis have not +restrained me. Well, I give her to thee; take her for thyself!" + +When the golden-haired Eunice heard this, she grew pale in one +moment, and, looking with frightened eyes on Vinicius, seemed to +wait for his answer without breath in her breast. + +But he sprang up suddenly, and, pressing his temples with his +hands, said quickly, like a man who is tortured by disease, and will +not hear anything, -- "No, no! I care not for her! I care not for +others! I thank thee, but I do not want her. I will seek that one +through the city. Give command to bring me a Gallic cloak with a +hood. I will go beyond the Tiber -- if I could see even Ursus." + +And he hurried away. Petronius, seeing that he could not remain in +one place, did not try to detain him. Taking, however, his refusal +as a temporary dislike for all women save Lygia, and not wishing +his own magnanimity to go for naught, he said, turning to the +slave, -- "Eunice, thou wilt bathe and anoint thyself, then dress: +after that thou wilt go to the house of Vinicius." + +But she dropped before him on her knees, and with joined palms +implored him not to remove her from the house. She would not go +to Vinicius, she said. She would rather carry fuel to the +hypocaustum in his house than be chief servant in that of Vinicius. +She would not, she could not go; and she begged him to have pity +on her. Let him give command to flog her daily, only not send her +away. + +And trembling like a leaf with fear and excitement, she stretched +her hands to him, while he listened with amazement. A slave who +ventured to beg relief from the fulfilment of a command, who said +"I will not and I cannot," was something so unheard-of in Rome +that Petronius could not believe his own ears at first. Finally he +frowned. He was too refined to be cruel. His slaves, especially in +the department of pleasure, were freer than others, on condition of +performing their service in an exemplary manner, and honoring the +will of their master, like that of a god. In case they failed in these +two respects, he was able not to spare punishment, to which, +according to general custom, they were subject. Since, besides this, +he could not endure opposition, nor anything which ruffled his +calmness, he looked for a while at the kneeling girl, and then said, +-- "Call Tiresias, and return with him." + +Eunice rose, trembling, with tears in her eyes, and went out; after a +time she returned with the chief of the atrium, Tiresias, a Cretan. + +"Thou wilt take Eunice," said Petronius, "and give her +five-and-twenty lashes, in such fashion, however, as not to harm +her skin." + +When he had said this, he passed into the library, and, sitting down +at a table of rose-colored marble, began to work on his "Feast of +Trimaichion." But the flight of Lygia and the illness of the infant +Augusta had disturbed his mind so much that he could not work +long. That illness, above all, was important. It occurred to +Petronius that were Caesar to believe that Lygia had cast spells on +the infant, the responsibility might fall on him also, for the girl had +been brought at his request to the palace. But he could reckon on +this, that at the first interview with Caesar he would be able in +some way to show the utter absurdity of such an idea; he counted a +little, too, on a certain weakness which Poppaea had for him, -- a +weakness hidden carefully, it is true, but not so carefully that he +could not divine it. After a while he shrugged his shoulders at +these fears, and decided to go to the trielinium to strengthen +himself, and then order the litter to bear him once more to the +palace, after that to the Campus Martins, and then to +Chrysothemis. + +But on the way to the trielinium at the entrance to the corridor +assigned to servants, he saw unexpectedly the slender form of +Eunice standing, among other slaves, at the wall; and forgetting +that he had given Tiresias no order beyond flogging her, he +wrinkled his brow again, and looked around for the atriensis. Not +seeing him among the servants, he turned to Eunice. + +"Hast thou received the lashes?" + +She cast herself at his feet a second time, pressed the border of his +toga to her lips, and said, -- "Oh, yes, lord, I have received them! +Oh, yes, lord!" In her voice were heard, as it were, joy and +gratitude. It was clear that she looked on the lashes as a substitute +for her removal from the house, and that now she might stay there. +Petronius, who understood this, wondered at the passionate +resistance of the girl; but he was too deeply versed in human +nature not to know that love alone could call forth such resistance. + +"Dost thou love some one in this house?" asked he. + +She raised her blue, tearful eyes to him, and answered, in a voice +so low that it was hardly possible to hear her, -- "Yes, lord." + +And with those eyes, with that golden hair thrown back, with fear +and hope in her face, she was so beautiful, she looked at him so +entreatingly, that Petronius, who, as a philosopher, had proclaimed +the might of love, and who, as a man of aesthetic nature, had given +homage to all beauty, felt for her a certain species of compassion. + +"Whom of those dost thou love?" inquired he, indicating the +servants with his head. + +There was no answer to that question. Eunice inclined her head to +his feet and remained motionless. + +Petronius looked at the slaves, among whom were beautiful and +stately youths. He could read nothing on any face; on the contrary, +all had certain strange smiles. He looked then for a while on +Eunice lying at his feet, and went in silence to the trielinium. + +After he had eaten, he gave command to bear him to the palace, +and then to Chrysothemis, with whom he remained till late at +night. But when he returned, he gave command to call Tiresias. + +"Did Eunice receive the flogging?" inquired he. + +"She did, lord. Thou didst not let the skin be cut, however." + +"Did I give no other command touching her?" + +"No, lord," answered the atriensis with alarm. + +"That is well. Whom of the slaves does she love?" + +"No one, lord." + +"What dost thou know of her?" + +Tiresias began to speak in a somewhat uncertain voice: + +"At night Eunice never leaves the cuhiculum in which she lives +with old Acrisiona and Ifida; after thou art dressed she never goes +to the bath-rooms. Other slaves ridicule her, and call her Diana." + +"Enough," said Petronius. "My relative, Vinicius, to whom I +offered her to-day, did not accept her; hence she may stay in the +house. Thou art free to go." + +"Is it permitted me to speak more of Eunice, lord?" + +"I have commanded thee to say all thou knowest." + +"The whole familia are speaking of the flight of the maiden who +was to dwell in the house of the noble Vinicius. After thy +departure, Eunice came to me and said that she knew a man who +could find her." + +"Ah! What kind of man is he?" + +"I know not, lord; but I thought that I ought to inform thee of this +matter." + +"That is well. Let that man wait to-morrow in my house for the +arrival of the tribune, whom thou wilt request in my name to meet +me here." + +The atriensis bowed and went out. But Petronius began to think of +Eunice. At first it seemed clear to him that the young slave wished +Vinicius to find Lygia for this reason only, that she would not be +forced from his house. Afterward, however, it occurred to him that +the man whom Eunice was pushing forward might be her lover, +and all at once that thought seemed to him disagreeable. There +was, it is true, a simple way of learning the truth, for it was enough +to summon Eunice; but the hour was late, Petronius felt tired after +his long visit with Chrysothemis, and was in a hurry to sleep. But +on the way to the cubiculum he remembered -- it is unknown why +-- that he had noticed wrinkles, that day, in the corners of +Chrysothemis's eyes. He thought, also, that her beauty was more +celebrated in Rome than it deserved; and that Fonteius Capiton, +who had offered him three boys from Clazomenc for Eunice, +wanted to buy her too cheaply. + +Chapter XIII + +NEXT morning, Petronius had barely finished dressing in the +unctorium when Vinicius came, called by Tiresias. He knew that +no news had come from the gates. This information, instead of +comforting him, as a proof that Lygia was still in Rome, weighed +him down still more, for he began to think that Ursus might have +conducted her out of the city immediately after her seizure, and +hence before Petronius's slaves had begun to keep watch at the +gates. It is true that in autumn, when the days become shorter, the +gates are closed rather early; but it is true, also, that they are +opened for persons going out, and the number of these is +considerable. It was possible, also, to pass the walls by other ways, +well known, for instance, to slaves who wish to escape from the +city. Vinicius had sent out his people to all roads leading to the +provinces, to watchmen in the smaller towns, proclaiming a pair of +fugitive slaves, with a detailed description of Ursus and Lygia, +coupled with the offer of a reward for seizing them. But it was +doubtful whether that pursuit would reach the fugitives; and even +should it reach them, whether the local authorities would feel +justified in making the arrest at the private instance of Vinicius, +without the support of a pretor. Indeed, there had not been time to +obtain such support. Vinicius himself, disguised as a slave, had +sought Lygia the whole day before, through every corner of the +city, but had been unable to find the least indication or trace of +her. He had seen Aulus's servants, it is true; but they seemed to be +seeking something also, and that confirmed him in the belief that it +was not Aulus who had intercepted the maiden, and that the old +general did not know what had happened to her. + +When Tiresias announced to him, then, that there was a man who +would undertake to find Lygia, he hurried with all speed to the +house of Petronius; and barely had he finished saluting his uncle, +when he inquired for the man. + +"We shall see him at once, Eunice knows him," said Petronius. +"She will come this moment to arrange the folds of my toga, and +will give nearer information concerning him." + +"Oh! she whom thou hadst the wish to bestow on me yesterday?" + +"The one whom thou didst reject; for which I am grateful, for she +is the best vestiplica in the whole city." + +In fact, the vestiplica came in before he had finished speaking, and +taking the toga, laid on a chair inlaid with pearl, she opened the +garment to throw it on Petronius's shoulder. Her face was clear and +calm; joy was in her eyes. + +Petronius looked at her. She seemed to him very beautiful. After a +while, when she had covered him with the toga, she began to +arrange it, bending at times to lengthen the folds. 1-Je noticed that +her arms had a marvellous pale rose--color, and her bosom and +shoulders the transparent reflections of pearl or alabaster. + +"Eunice," said he, "has the man come to Tiresias whom thou didst +mention yesterday?" + +"He has, lord." + +"What is his name?" + +"Chilo Chilonides." + +"Who is he?" + +"A physician, a sage, a soothsayer, who knows how to read +people's fates and predict the future." + +"Has he predicted the future to thee?" + +Eunice was covered with a blush which gave a rosy color to her +ears and her neck even. + +"Yes, lord." + +"What has he predicted?" + +"That pain and happiness would meet me." + +"Pain met thee yesterday at the hands of Tiresias; hence happiness +also should come." + +"It has come, lord, already." + +"What?" + +"I remain," said she in a whisper. + +Petronius put his hand on her golden head. + +"Thou hast arranged the folds well to-day, and I am satisfied with +thee, Eunice." + +Under that touch her eyes were mist-covered in one instant from +happiness, and her bosom began to heave quickly. + +Petronius and Vinicius passed into the atrium, where Chio +Chilonides was waiting. When he saw them, he made a low bow. +A smile came to the lips of Petronius at thought of his suspicion of +yesterday, that this man might be Eunice's lover. The man who was +standing before him could not be any one's lover. In that +marvellous figure there was something both foul and ridiculous. +He was not old; in his dirty beard and curly locks a gray hair shone +here and there. He had a lank stomach and stooping shoulders, so +that at the first cast of the eye he appeared to be hunchbacked; +above that hump rose a large head, with the face of a monkey and +also of a fox; the eye was penetrating. His yellowish complexion +was varied with pimples; and his nose, covered with them +completely, might indicate too great a love for the bottle. His +neglected apparel, composed of a dark tunic of goat's wool and a +mantle of similar material with holes in it, showed real or +simulated poverty. At sight of him, Homer's Thersites came to the +mind of Petronius. Hence, answering with a wave of the hand to +his bow, he said, -- "A greeting, divine Thersites! How are the +lumps which Ulysses gave thee at Troy, and what is he doing +himself in the Elysian Fields?" + +"Noble lord," answered Chilo Chionides, "Ulysses, the wisest of +the dead, sends a greeting through me to Petronius, the wisest of +the living, and the request to cover my lumps with a new mantle." + +"By Hecate Triformis!" exclaimed Petronius, "the answer deserves +a new mantle." + +But further conversation was interrupted by the impatient Vinicius, +who inquired directly, -- "Dost thou know clearly what thou art +undertaking?" "When two households in two lordly mansions +speak of naught else, and when half Rome is repeating the news, it +is not difficult to know," answered Chio. "The night before last a +maiden named Lygia, but specially Callina, and reared in the house +of Aulus Plautius, was intercepted. Thy slaves were conducting +her, O lord, from Caesar's palace to thy 'insula,' and I undertake to +find her in the city, or, if she has left the city -- which is little +likely -- to indicate to thee, noble tribune, whither she has fled and +where she has hidden." + +"That is well," said Vinicius, who was pleased with the precision +of the answer. "What means hast thou to do this?" + +Chilo smiled cunningly. "Thou hast the means, lord; I have the wit +only." + +Petronius smiled also, for he was perfectly satisfied with his guest. + +"That man can find the maiden," thought he. Meanwhile Vinicius +wrinkled his joined brows, and said, -- "Wretch, in case thou +deceive me for gain, I will give command to beat thee with clubs." + +"I am a philosopher, lord, and a philosopher cannot be greedy of +gain, especially of such as thou hast just offered magnanimously." + +"Oh, art thou a philosopher?" inquired Petronius. "Eunice told me +that thou art a physician and a soothsayer. Whence knowest thou +Eunice?" + +"She came to me for aid, for my fame struck her ears." + +"What aid did she want?" + +"Aid in love, lord. She wanted to be cured of unrequited love." + +"Didst thou cure her?" + +"I did more, lord. I gave her an amulet which secures mutuality. In +Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, is a temple, O lord, in which is +preserved a zone of Venus. I gave her two threads from that zone, +enclosed in an almond shell." + +"And didst thou make her pay well for them?" + +"One can never pay enough for mutuality, and I, who lack two +fingers on my right hand, am collecting money to buy a slave +copyist to write down my thoughts, and preserve my wisdom f or +mankind." + +"Of what school art thou, divine sage?" + +"I am a Cynic, lord, because I wear a tattered mantle; I am a Stoic, +because I bear poverty patiently; I am a Peripatetic, for, not +owning a litter, I go on foot from one wine-shop to another, and on +the way teach those who promise to pay for a pitcher of wine." + +"And at the pitcher thou dost become a rhetor?" + +"Heraclitus declares that 'all is fluid,' and canst thou deny, lord, +that wine is fluid?" + +"And he declared that fire is a divinity; divinity, therefore, is +blushing in thy nose." + +"But the divine Diogenes from Apollonia declared that air is the +essence of things, and the warmer the air the more perfect the +beings it makes, and from the warmest come the souls of sages. +And since the autumns are cold,a genuine sage should warm his +soul with wine; and wouldst thou hinder, + +O lord, a pitcher of even the stuff produced in Capua or Telesia +from bearing heat to all the bones of a perishable human body?" + +"Chilo Chionides, where is thy birthplace?" + +"On the Euxine Pontus. I come from Mesembria." + +"Oh, Chio, thou art great!" + +"And unrecognized," said the sage, pensively. + +But Vinicius was impatient again. In view of the hope which had +gleamed before him, he wished Chilo to set out at once on his +work; hence the whole conversation seemed to him simply a vain +loss of time, and he was angry at Petronius. + +"When wilt thou begin the search?" asked he, turning to the Greek. + +"I have begun it already," answered Chio. "And since I am here, +and answering thy affable question, I am searching yet. Only have +confidence, honored tribune, and know that if thou wert to lose the +string of thy sandal I should find it, or him who picked it up on the +street." + +"Hast thou been employed in similar services?" asked Petronius. + +The Greek raised his eyes. "To-day men esteem virtue and wisdom +too low, for a philosopher not to be forced to seek other means of +living." + +"What are thy means?" + +"To know everything, and to serve those with news who are in +need of it." + +"And who pay for it?" + +"Ah, lord, I need to buy a copyist. Otherwise my wisdom will +perish with me." + +"If thou hast not collected enough yet to buy a sound mantle, thy +services cannot be very famous." + +"Modesty hinders me. But remember, lord, that to-day there are +not such benefactors as were numerous formerly; and for whom it +was as pleasant to cover service with gold as to swallow an oyster +from Puteoli. No; my services are not small, but the gratitude of +mankind is small. At times, when a valued slave escapes, who will +find him, if not the only son of my father? When on the walls there +are inscriptions against the divine Poppae, who will indicate those +who composed them? Who will discover at the book-stalls verses +against Caesar? Who will declare what is said in the houses of +knights and senators? Who will carry letters which the writers will +not intrust to slaves? Who will listen to news at the doors of +barbers? For whom have wine-shops and bake-shops no secret? In +whom do slaves trust? Who can see through every house, from the +atrium to the garden? Who knows every street, every alley and +hiding-place? Who knows what they say in the baths, in the Circus, +in the markets, in the fencing-schools, in slave-dealers' sheds, and +even in the arenas?" + +"By the gods! enough, noble sage!" cried Petronius; "we are +drowning in thy services, thy virtue, thy wisdom, and thy +eloquence. Enough! We wanted to know who thou art, and we +know!" + +But Vinicius was glad, for he thought that this man, like a hound, +once put on the trail, would not stop till he had found out the +hiding-place. + +"Well," said he, "dost thou need indications?" + +"I need arms." + +"Of what kind?" asked Vinicius, with astonishment. + +The Greek stretched out one hand; with the other he made the +gesture of counting money. + +"Such are the times, lord," said he, with a sigh. + +"Thou wilt be the ass, then," said Petronius, "to win the fortress +with bags of gold?" + +"I am only a poor philosopher," answered Chilo, with humility; "ye +have the gold." + +Vinicius tossed him a purse, which the Greek caught in the air, +though two fingers were lacking on his right hand. + +He raised his head then, and said: "I know more than thou thinkest. +I have not come empty-handed. I know that Aulus did not intercept +the maiden, for I have spoken with his slaves. I know that she is +not on the Palatine, for all are occupied with the infant Augusta; +and perhaps I may even divine why ye prefer to search for the +maiden with my help rather than that of the city guards and +Caesar's soldiers. I know that her escape was effected by a servant, +-- a slave coming from the same country as she. He could not find +assistance among slaves, for slaves all stand together, and would +not act against thy slaves. Only a co-religionist would help him." + +"Dost hear, Vinicius?" broke in Petronius. "Have I not said the +same, word for word, to thee?" + +"That is an honor for me," said Chio. "The maiden, lord," +continued he, turning again to Vinicius, "worships beyond a doubt +the same divinity as that most virtuous of Roman ladies, that +genuine matron, Pomponia. I have heard this, too, that Pomponia +was tried in her own house for worshipping some kind of foreign +god, but I could not learn from her slaves what god that is, or what +his worshippers are called. If I could learn that, I should go to +them, become the most devoted among them, and gain their +confidence. But thou, lord, who hast passed, as I know too, a +number of days in the house of the noble Aulus, canst thou not +give me some information thereon?" + +"I cannot," said Vinicius. + +"Ye have asked me long about various things, noble lords, and I +have answered the questions; permit me now to give one. Hast +thou not seen, honored tribune, some statuette, some offering, +some token, some amulet on Pomponia or thy divine Lygia? Hast +thou not seen them making signs to each other, intelligible to them +alone?" + +"Signs? Wait! Yes; I saw once that Lygia made a fish on the sand." + +"A fish? A-a! O-o-o! Did she do that once, or a number of times?" + +"Only once." + +"And art thou certain, lord, that she outlined a fish? O-o?" + +"Yes," answered Vinicius, with roused curiosity. "Dost thou divine +what that means?" + +"Do I divine!" exclaimed Chio. And bowing in sign of farewell, he +added: + +"May Fortune scatter on you both equally all gifts, worthy lords!" + +"Give command to bring thee a mantle," said Petronius to him at +parting. "Ulysses gives thee thanks for Thersites," said the Greek; +and bowing a second time, he walked out. + +"What wilt thou say of that noble sage?" inquired Petronius. + +"This, that he will find Lygia," answered Vinicius, with delight; +"but I will say, too, that were there a kingdom of rogues he might +be the king of it." + +"Most certainly. I shall make a nearer acquaintance with this stoic; +meanwhile I must give command to perfume the atrium." + +But Chilo Chionides, wrapping his new mantle about him, threw +up on his palm, under its folds, the purse received from Vinicius, +and admired both its weight and its jingle. Walking on slowly, and +looking around to see if they were not looking at him from the +house, he passed the portico of Livia, and, reaching the corner of +the Clivus Virbius, turned toward the Subura. + +"I must go to Sporus," said he to himself, "and pour out a little +wine to Fortuna. I have found at last what I have been seeking this +long time. He is young, irascible, bounteous as mines in Cyprus, +and ready to give half his fortune for that Lygian linnet. Just such a +man have I been seeking this long time. It is needful, however, to +be on one's guard with him, for the wrinkling of his brow +forebodes no good. Ah! the woif-whelps lord it over the world +to-day! I should fear that Petronius less. O gods! but the trade of +procurer pays better at present than virtue. Ah! she drew a fish on +the sand! If I know what that means, may I choke myself with a +piece of goat's cheese! But I shall know. Fish live under water, and +searching under water is more difficult than on land, ergo he will +pay me separately for this fish. Another such purse and I might +cast aside the beggar's wallet and buy myself a slave. But what +wouldst thou say, Chilo, were I to advise thee to buy not a male +but a female slave? I know thee; I know that thou wouldst consent. +If she were beautiful, like Eunice, for instance, thou thyself +wouldst grow young near her, and at the same time wouldst have +from her a good and certain income. I sold to that poor Eunice two +threads from my old mantle. She is dull; but if Petronius were to +give her to me, I would take her. Yes, yes, Chilo Chilonides, thou +hast lost father and mother, thou art an orphan; therefore buy to +console thee even a female slave. She must indeed live +somewhere, therefore Vinicius will hire her a dwelling, in which +thou too mayest find shelter; she must dress, hence Vinicius will +pay for the dress; and must eat, hence he will support her. Och! +what a hard life! Where are the times in which for an obolus a man +could buy as much pork and beans as he could hold in both hands, +or a piece of goat's entrails as long as the arm of a boy twelve years +old, and filled with blood? But here is that villain Sporus! In the +wine-shop it will be easier to learn something." + +Thus conversing, he entered the wine-shop and ordered a pitcher +of "dark" for himself. Seeing the sceptical look of the shopkeeper, +he took a gold coin from his purse, and, putting it on the table, +said, -- "Sporus, I toiled to-day with Seneca from dawn till midday, +and this is what my friend gave me at parting." + +The plump eyes of Sporus became plumper still at this sight, and +the wine was soon before Chilo. Moistening his fingers in it, he +drew a fish on the table, and said, -- "Knowest what that means?" +"A fish? Well, a fish, -- yes, that's a fish." "Thou art dull; though +thou dost add so much water to the wine that thou mightst find a +fish in it. This is a symbol which, in the language of philosophers, +means 'the smile of fortune.' If thou hadst divined it, thou too +mightst have made a fortune. Honor philosophy, I tell thee, or I +shall change my wineshop, -- an act to which Petronius, my +personal friend, has been urging me this long time." + +Chapter XIV + +FOR a number of days after the interview, Chilo did not show +himself anywhere. Vinicius, since he had learned from Acte that +Lygia loved him, was a hundred times more eager to find her, and +began himself to search. He was unwilling, and also unable, to ask +aid of Caesar, who was in great fear because of the illness of the +infant Augusta. + +Sacrifices in the temples did not help, neither did prayers and +offerings, nor the art of physicians, nor all the means of +enchantment to which they turned finally. In a week the child died. +Mourning fell upon the court and Rome. Caesar, who at the birth +of the infant was wild with delight, was wild now from despair, +and, confining himself in his apartments, refused food for two +days; and though the palace was swarming with senators and +Augustians, who hastened with marks of sorrow and sympathy, he +denied audience to every one. The senate assembled in an +extraordinary session, at which the dead child was pronounced +divine. It was decided to rear to her a temple and appoint a special +priest to her service. New sacrifices were offered in other temples +in honor of the deceased; statues of her were cast from precious +metals; and her funeral was one immense solemnity, during which +the people wondered at the unrestrained marks of grief which +Caesar exhibited; they wept with him, stretched out their hands for +gifts, and above all amused themselves with the unparalleled +spectacle. + +That death alarmed Petronius. All knew in Rome that Poppae +ascribed it to enchantment. The physicians, who were thus enabled +to explain the vanity of their efforts, supported her; the priests, +whose sacrifices proved powerless, did the same, as well as the +sorcerers, who were trembling for their lives, and also the people. +Petronius was glad now that Lygia had fled; for he wished no evil +to Aulus and Pomponia, and he wished good to himself and +Vinicius; therefore when the cypress, set out before the Palatine as +a sign of mourning, was removed, he went to the reception +appointed for the senators and Augustians to learn how far Nero +had lent ear to reports of spells, and to neutralize results which +might come from his belief. + +Knowing Nero, he thought, too, that though he did not believe in +charms, he would feign belief, so as to magnify his own suffering, +and take vengeance on some one, finally, to escape the suspicion +that the gods had begun to punish him for crimes. Petronius did +not think that Caesar could love really and deeply even his own +child; though he loved her passionately, he felt certain, however, +that he would exaggerate his suffering. He was not mistaken. Nero +listened, with stony face and fixed eyes, to the consolation offered +by knights and senators. It was evident that, even if he suffered, he +was thinking of this: What impression would his suffering make +upon others? 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, -- "Eheu! And thou art guilty of her +death! At thy advice the evil spirit entered these walls, -- the evil +spirit which, with one look, drew the life from her breast! Woe is +me! Would that my eyes had not seen the light of Helios! Woe is +me! Eheu! eheu!" + +And raising his voice still more, he passed into a despairing shout; +but Petronius resolved at that moment to put everything on one +cast of the dice; hence, stretching out his hand, he seized the silk +kerchief which Nero wore around his neck always, and, placing it +on the mouth of the Imperator, said solemnly, -- "Lord, Rome and +the world are benumbed with pain; but do thou preserve thy voice +for us!" + +Those present were amazed; Nero himself was amazed for a +moment. Petronius alone was unmoved; he knew too well what he +was doing. He remembered, besides, that Terpnos and Diodorus +had a direct order to close Caesar's mouth whenever he raised his +voice too much and exposed it to danger. + +"O Caesar!" continued he, with the same seriousness and sorrow, +"we have suffered an immeasurable loss; let even this treasure of +consolation remain to us!" + +Nero's face quivered, and after a while tears came from his eyes. +All at once he rested his hands on Petronius's shoulders, and, +dropping his head on his breast, began to repeat, amid sobs,-- +"Thou alone of all thought of this, -- thou alone, O Petronius! thou +alone!" Tigellinus grew yellow from envy; but Petronius +continued, -- "Go to Antium! there she came to the world, there joy +flowed in on thee, there solace will come to thee. Let the sea air +freshen thy divine throat; let thy breast breathe the salt dampness. +We, thy devoted ones, will follow thee everywhere; and when we +assuage thy pain with friendship, thou wilt comfort us with song. + +"True!" answered Nero, sadly, "I will write a hymn in her honor, +and compose music for it." + +"And then thou wilt find the warm sun in Bai~." + +"And afterward -- forgetfulness in Greece." + +"In the birthplace of poetry and song." + +And his stony, gloomy state of mind passed away gradually, as +clouds pass that are covering the sun; and then a conversation +began which, though full of sadness, yet was full of plans for the +future, -- touching a journey, artistic exhibitions, and even the +receptions required at the promised coming of Tiridates, King of +Armenia. Tigellinus tried, it is true, to bring forward again the +enchantment; but Petronius, sure now of victory, took up the +challenge directly. + +"Tigellinus," said he, "dost thou think that enchantments can injure +the gods?" + +"Caesar himself has mentioned them," answered the courtier. + +"Pain was speaking, not Caesar; but thou -- what is thy opinion of +the matter?" + +"The gods are too mighty to be subject to charms." + +"Then wouldst thou deny divinity to Caesar and his family?" + +"Peractum est!" muttered Eprius Marcellus, standing near, +repeating that shout which the people gave always when a +gladiator in the arena received such a blow that he needed no +other. + +Tigellinus gnawed his own anger. Between him and Petronius +there had long existed a rivalry touching Nero. Tigellinus had this +superiority, that Nero acted with less ceremony, or rather with +none whatever in his presence; while thus far Petronius overcame +Tigellinus at every encounter with wit and intellect. + +So it happened now. Tigellinus was silent, and simply recorded in +his memory those senators and knights who, when Petronius +withdrew to the depth of the chamber, surrounded him +straightway, supposing that after this incident he would surely be +Casar's first favorite. + +Petronius, on leaving the palace, betook himself to Vinicius, and +described his encounter with Caesar and Tigellinus. + +"Not only have I turned away danger," said he, "from Aulus +Plautius, Pomponia, and us, but even from Lygia, whom they will +not seek, even for this reason, that I have persuaded Bronzebeard, +the monkey, to go to Antium, and thence to Naples or Bai~ and he +will go. I know that he has not ventured yet to appear in the theatre +publicly; I have known this long time that he intends to do so at +Naples. He is dreaming, moreover, of Greece, where he wants to +sing in all the more prominent cities, and then make a triumphal +entry into Rome, with all the crowns which the 'Gruculi' will +bestow on him. During that time we shall be able to seek Lygia +unhindered and secrete her in safety. But has not our noble +philosopher been here yet?" + +"Thy noble philosopher is a cheat. No; he has not shown himself, +and he will not show himself again!" + +"But I have a better understanding, if not of his honesty, of his wit. +He rn has drawn blood once from thy purse, and will come even +for this, to draw it a second time." + +"Let him beware lest I draw his own blood." + +"Draw it not; have patience till thou art convinced surely of his +deceit. Do not give him more money, but promise a liberal reward +if he brings thee certain information. Wilt thou thyself undertake +something?" + +"My two freedmen, Nymphidius and Demas, are searching for her +with sixty men. Freedom is promised the slave who finds her. +Besides I have sent out special persons by all roads leading from +Rome to inquire at every inn for the Lygian and the maiden. I +course through the city myself day and night, counting on a chance +meeting." + +"Whenever thou hast tidings let me know, for I must go to +Antium." + +"I will do so." + +"And if thou wake up some morning and say, 'It is not worth while +to torment myself for one girl, and take so much trouble because +of her,' come to Antium. There will be no lack of women there, or +amusement." + +Vinicius began to walk with quick steps. Petronius looked f or +some time at him, and said at last, -- "Tell me sincerely, not as a +mad head, who talks something into his brain and excites himself, +but as a man of ~udgmcnt who is answering a friend: Art thou +concerned as much as ever about this Lygia?" + +Vinicius stopped a moment, and looked at Petronius as if he had +not seen him before; then he began to walk again. It was evident +that he was restraining an outburst. At last, from a feeling of +helplessness, sorrow, anger, and invincible yearning, two tears +gathered in his eyes, which spoke with greater power to Petronius +than the most eloquent words. + +Then, meditating for a moment, he said, -- "It is not Atlas who +carries the world on his shoulders, but woman; and sometimes she +plays with it as with a bail." + +"True," said Vinicius. + +And they began to take farewell of each other. But at that moment +a slave announced that Chilo Chilonides was waiting in the +antechamber, and begged to be admitted to the presence of the +lord. + +Vinicius gave command to admit him immediately, and Petronius +said, -- "Ha! have I not told thee? By Hercules! keep thy calmness; +or he will command thee, not thou him." + +"A greeting and honor to the noble tribune of the army, and to +thee, lord," said Chio, entering. "May your happiness be equal to +your fame, and may your fame course through the world from the +pillars of Hercules to the boundaries of the Arsacid~e." + +"A greeting, O lawgiver of virtue and wisdom," answered +Petronius. But Vinicius inquired with affected calmness, "What +dost thou bring?" "The first time 1 came I brought thee hope, O +lord; at present, I bring certainty that the maiden will be found." + +"That means that thou hast not found her yet?" + +"Yes, lord; but I have found what that sign means which she made. +I know who the people are who rescued her, and I know the God +among whose worshippers to seek her." + +Vinicius wished to spring from the chair in which he was sitting; +but Petronius placed his hand on his shoulder, and turning to Chio +said, -- "Speak on!" + +"Art thou perfectly certain, lord, that she drew a fish on the sand?" +"Yes," burst out Vinicius. + +"Then she is a Christian and Christians carried her away." A +moment of silence followed. + +"Listen, Chilo," said Petronius. "My relative has predestined to +thee a considerable sum of money for finding the girl, but a no less +considerable number of rods if thou deceive him. In the first case +thou wilt purchase not one, but three scribes; in the second, the +philosophy of all the seven sages, with the addition of thy own, +will not suffice to get thee ointment." + +"The maiden is a Christian, lord," cried the Greek. + +"Stop, Chilo. Thou art not a dull man. We know that Junia and +Calvia Crispinilla accused Pomponia Graecina of confessing the +Christian superstition; but we know too, that a domestic court +acquitted her. Wouldst thou raise this again? Wouldst thou +persuade us that Pomponia, and with her Lygia, could belong to +the enemies of the human race, to the poisoners of ~ ells and +fountains, to the worshippers of an ass's head, to people who +murder infants and give themselves up to the foulest license? +Think, Chilo, if that thesis which thou art announcing to us will +not rebound as an antithesis on thy own back." + +Chilo spread out his arms in sign that that was not his fault, and +then said,-- "Lord, utter in Greek the following sentence: Jesus +Christ, Son of God, + +Saviour." 1 + +"Well, I have uttered it. What comes of that?" + +"Now take the first letters of each of those words and put them into +one word." + +"Fish!" said Petronius with astonishment.2 + +"There, that is why fish has become the watchword of the +Christians," answered Chio, proudly. + +A moment of silence followed. But there was something so +striking in the conclusions of the Greek that the two friends could +not guard them.. selves from amazement. + +"Vinicius, art thou not mistaken?" asked Petronius. "Did Lygia +really draw a fish for thee?" + +"By all the infernal gods, one might go mad!" cried the young man, +with excitement. "If she had drawn a bird for me, I should have +said a bird." + +"Therefore she is a Christian," repeated Chio. + +"This signifies," said Petronius, "that Pomponia and Lygia poison +wells, murder children caught on the street, and give themselves +up to dissoluteness! Folly! Thou, Vinicius, wert at their house for a +time, I was there a little while; but I know Pomponia and Aulus +enough, I know even Lygia enough, to say monstrous and foolish! +If a fish is the symbol of the Christians, which it is difficult really +to deny, and if those women are Christians, then, by Proserpina! +evidently Christians are not what we hold them to be." + +"Thou speakest like Socrates, lord," answered Chilo. "Who has +ever examined a Christian? Who has learned their religion? When +I was travelling three years ago from Naples hither to Rome (oh, +why did I not stay in Naples!), a man joined me, whose name was +Glaucus, of whom people said that he was a Christian; but in spite +of that I convinced myself that he was a good and virtuous man." + +"Was it not from that virtuous man that thou hast learned now +what the fish means?" + +"Unfortunately, lord, on the way, at an inn, some one thrust a knife +into that honorable old man; and his wife and child were carried +away by slave-dealers. I lost in their defence these two fingers; +since, as people say, there is no lack among Christians of miracles, +I hope that the fingers will grow out on my hand again." + +"How is that? Hast thou become a Christian?" + +"Since yesterday, lord, since yesterday! The fish made me a +Christian. But see what a power there is in it. For some days I shall +be the most zealous of the zealous, SO that they may admit me to +all their secrets; and when they admit me to their secrets, I shall +know where the maiden is hiding. Perhaps then my Christianity +will pay me better than my philosophy. I have made a vow also to +Mercury, that if he helps me to find the maiden, I will sacrifice to +him two heifers of the same size and color and will gild their +horns." + +"Then thy Christianity of yesterday and thy philosophy of long +standing permit thee to believe in Mercury?" + +"1 believe always in that in which I need to believe; that is my +philosophy, which ought to please Mercury. Unfortunately (ye +know, worthy lords, what a suspicious god he is), he does not trust +the promises even of blameless philosophers, and prefers the +heifers in advance; meanwhile this outlay is immense. Not every +one is a Seneca, and I cannot afford the sacrifice; should the noble +Vinicius, however, wish to give something, on account of that sum +which he promised --" + +"Not an obolus, Chilo!" said Petronius, "not an obolus. The bounty +of Vinicius will surpass thy expectations, but only when Lygia is +found, -- that is, when thou shalt indicate to us her hiding-place. +Mercury must trust thee for the two heifers, though I am not +astonished at him for not wishing to do so; in this I recognize his +acuteness." + +"Listen to me, worthy lords. The discovery which I have made is +great; for though I have not found the maiden yet, I have found the +way in which I must seek her. Ye have sent freedmen and slaves +throughout the city and into the country; has any one given you a +clew? No! I alone have given one. I tell you more. Among your +slaves there may be Christians, of whom ye have no knowledge, +for this superstition has spread everywhere; and they, instead of +aiding, will betray you. It is unfortunate that they see me here; do +thou therefore, noble Petronius, enjoin silence on Eunice; and thou +too, noble Vinicius, spread a report that I sell thee an ointment +which insures victory in the Circus to horses rubbed with it. I alone +will search for her, and single-handed I will find the fugitives; and +do ye trust in me, and know that whatever I receive in advance will +be for me simply an encouragement, for I shall hope always for +more, and shall feel the greater certainty that the promised reward +will not fail me. Ah, it is true! As a philosopher I despise money, +though neither Seneca, nor even Musonius, nor Cornutus despises +it, though they have not lost fingers in any one's defence, and are +able themselves to write and leave their names to posterity. But, +aside from the slave, whom I intend to buy, and besides Mercury, +to whom I have promised the heifers, -- and ye know how dear +cattle have become in these times, -- the searching itself involves +much outlay. Only listen to me patiently. Well, for the last few +days my feet are wounded from continual walking. I have gone to +wine-shops to talk with people, to bakeries, to butcher-shops, to +dealers in olive oil, and to fishermen. I have run through every +street and alley; I have been in the hiding-places of fugitive slaves; +I have lost money, nearly a hundred ases, in playing mora; I have +been in laundries, in drying-sheds, in cheap kitchens; I have seen +mule-drivers and carvers; I have seen people who cure bladder +complaints and pull teeth; I have talked with dealers in dried figs; I +have been at cemeteries; and do ye know why? This is why; so as +to outline a fish everywhere, look people in the eyes, and hear +what they would say of that sign. For a long time I was unable to +learn anything, till at last I saw an old slave at a fountain. He was +drawing water with a bucket, and weeping. Approaching him, I +asked the cause of his tears. When we had sat down on the steps of +the fountain, he answered that all his life he had been collecting +sestertium after sestertium, to redeem his beloved son; but his +master, a certain Pansa, when the money was +delivered to him, took it, but kept the son in slavery. 'And so I am +weeping,' said the old man, 'for though I repeat, Let the will of God +be done, I, poor sinner, am not able to keep down my tears.' Then, +as if penetrated by a forewarning, I moistened my finger in the +water and drew a fish for him. To this he answered, 'My hope, too, +is in Christ.' I asked him then, 'Hast thou confessed to me by that +sign?' 'I have,' said he; 'and peace be with thee.' I began then to +draw him out, and the honest old man told me everything. His +master, that Pansa, is himself a freedman of the great Pansa; and +he brings stones by the Tiber to Rome, where slaves and hired +persons unload them from the boats, and carry them to buildings in +the night time, so as not to obstruct movement in the streets during +daylight. Among these people many Christians work, and also his +son; as the work is beyond his son's strength, he wished to redeem +him. But Pansa preferred to keep both the money and the slave. +While telling me this, he began again to weep; and I mingled my +tears with his, -- tears came to me easily because of my kind heart, +and the pain in my feet, which I got from walking excessively. I +began also to lament that as I had come from Naples only a few +days since, I knew no one of the brotherhood, and did not know +where they assembled for prayer. He wondered that Christians in +Naples had not given me letters to their brethren in Rome; but I +explained to him that the letters were stolen from me on the road. +Then he told me to come to the river at night, and he would +acquaint me with brethren who would conduct me to houses of +prayer and to elders who govern the Christian cornmunity. When I +heard this, I was so delighted that I gave him the sum needed to +redeem his son, in the hope that the lordly Vinicius would return it +to me twofold." + +"Chilo," interrupted Petronius, "in thy narrative falsehood appears +on the surface of truth, as oil does on water. Thou hart brought +important information; I do not deny that. I assert, even, that a +great step is made toward finding Lygia; but do not cover thy news +with falsehood. What is the name of that old man from whom thou +hart learned that the Christians recognize each other through the +sign of a fish?" + +"Euricius. A poor, unfortunate old man! He reminded me of +Glaucus, whom I defended from murderers, and he touched me +mainly by this." + +"I believe that thou didst discover him, and wilt be able to make +use of the acquaintance; but thou hast given him no money. Thou +hast not given him an as; dost understand me? Thou hast not given +anything." + +"But I helped him to lift the bucket, and I spoke of his son with the +greatest sympathy. Yes, lord, what can hide before the penetration +of Petronius? Well, I did not give him money, or rather, I gave it to +him, but only in spirit, in intention, which, had he been a real +philosopher, should have sufficed him. I gave it to him because I +saw that such an act was indispensable and useful; for think, lord, +how this act has won all the Christians at once to me, what access +to them it has opened, and what confidence it has roused in them." + +"True," said Petronius, "and it was thy duty to do it." + +"For this very reason I have come to get the means to do it." +Petronius turned to Vinicius, -- "Give command to count out to +him five thousand sestertia, but in spirit, in intention." + +"I will give thee a young man," said Vinicius, "who will take the +sum necessary; thou wilt say to Euricius that the youth is thy slave, +and thou wilt count out to the old man, in the youth's presence, this +money. Since thou hast brought important tidings, thou wilt +rece.ive the same amount for thyself. Come for the youth and the +money this evening." + +"Thou art a real Caesar!" said Chilo. "Permit i-ne, lord, to dedicate +my work to thee; but permit also that this evening I come only for +the money, since Euricius told me that all the boats had been +unloaded, and that new ones would come from Ostia only after +some days. Peace be with you! Thus do Christians take farewell of +one another. I will buy myself a slave woman, -- that is, I wanted +to say a slave man. Fish are caught with a bait, and Christians with +fish. Fax vobiscum! pax! pax! pax!" + +1 (Greek Phrase) Iesous Christos, Theou Uios, Soter. +2 (Greek) Ichthus, the Greek word for "fish." + +Chapter XV + +PETRONIUS to VINICIUS: + +"I send to thee from Antium, by a trusty slave, this letter, to which, +though thy hand is more accustomed to the sword and the javelin +than the pen, I think that thou wilt answer through the same +messenger without needless delay. I left thee on a good trail, and +full of hope; hence I trust that thou hast either satisfied thy +pleasant desires in the embraces of Lygia, or wilt satisfy them +before the real wintry wind from the summits of Soracte shall +blow on the Campania. Oh, my Vinicius! may thy preceptress be +the golden goddess of Cyprus; be thou, on thy part, the preceptor +of that Lygian Aurora, who is fleeing before the sun of love. And +remember always that marble, though most precious, is nothing of +itself, and acquires real value only when the sculptor's hand turns it +into a masterpiece. Be thou such a sculptor, carissime! To love is +not sufficient; one must know how to love; one must know how to +teach love. Though the plebs, too, and even animals, experience +pleasure, a genuine man differs from them in this especially, that +he makes love in some way a noble art, and, admiring it, knows all +its divine value, makes it present in his mind, thus satisfying not +his body~ merely, but his soul. More than once, when I think here +of the emptiness, the uncertainty, the dreariness of life, it occurs to +me that perhaps thou hast chosen better, and that not Caesar's +court, but war and love, are the only objects for which it is worth +while to be born and to live. + +"Thou wert fortunate in war, be fortunate also in love; and if thou +art curious as to what men are doing at the court of Caesar, I will +inform thee from time to time. We are living here at Antium, and +nursing our heavenly voice; we continue to cherish the same +hatred of Rome, and think of betaking ourselves to Bai~ for the +winter, to appear in public at Naples, whose inhabitants, being +Greeks, will appreciate us better than that wolf brood on the banks +of the Tiber. People will hasten thither from Bait, from Pompeii, +Puteoli, Cumae, and Stabia; neither applause nor crowns will be +lacking, and that will be an encouragement for the proposed +expedition to Achaea. + +"But the memory of the infant Augusta? Yes! we are bewailing her +yet. We are singing hymns of our own composition, so wonderful +that the sirens have been hiding from envy in Amphitrite's deepest +caves. But the dolphins would listen to us, were they not prevented +by the sound of the sea. Our suffering is not allayed yet; hence we +will exhibit it to the world in every form which sculpture can +employ, and observe carefully if we are beautiful in our suffering +and if people recognize this beauty. Oh, my dear! we shall die +buffoons and comedians! + +"All the Augustians are here, male and female, not counting ten +thousand servants, and five hundred she asses, in whose milk +Poppae bathes. At times even it is cheerful here. Calvia Crispinilla +is growing old. It is said that she has begged Poppza to let her take +the bath immediately after herself. Lucan slapped Nigidia on the +face, because he suspected her of relations with a gladiator. Sporus +lost his wife at dice to Senecio. Torquatus Silanus has offered me +for Eunice four chestnut horses, which this year will win the prize +beyond doubt. I would not accept! Thanks to thee, also, that thou +d~dst not take her. As to Torquarus Silanus, the poor man does not +even suspect that he is already more a shade than a man. His death +is decided. And knowest what his crime is? He is the +great-grandson of the deified Augustus. There is no rescue for him. +Such is our world. + +"As is known to thee, we have been expecting Tiridates here; +meanwhile Vologeses has written an offensive letter. Because he +has conquered Armenia, he asks that it be left to him for Tiridates; +if not, he will not yield it in any case. Pure comedy! So we have +decided on war. Corbulo will receive power such as Pompeius +Magnus received in the war with pirates. There was a moment, +however, when Nero hesitated. He seems afraid of the glory which +Corbulo will win in case of victory. It was even thought to offer +the chief command to our Aulus. This was opposed by Poppae, for +whom evidently Pomponia's virtue is as salt in the eye. + +"Vatinius described to us a remarkable fight of gladiators, which is +to take place in Beneventum. See to what cobblers rise in our time, +in spite of the saying, 'Ne sutor ultra crepidam!' Vitelius is the +descendant of a cobbler; but Vatinius is the son of one! Perhaps he +drew thread himself! The actor Aliturus represented Oedipus +yesterday wonderfully. I asked him, by the way, as a Jew, if +Christians and Jews were the same. He answered that the Jews +have an eternal religion, but that Christians are a new sect risen +recently in Judea; that in the time of Tiberius the Jews crucified a +certain man, whose adherents increase daily, and that the +Christians consider him as God. They refuse, it seems, to +recognize other gods, ours especially. I cannot understand what +harm it would do them to recognize these gods. + +"Tigellinus shows me open enmity now. So far he is unequal to +me; but he is, superior in this, that he cares more for life, and is at +the same time a greater scoundrel, which brings him nearer +Ahenobarbus. These two will understand each other earlier or +later, and then my turn will come. I know not when it will come; +but I know this, that as things are it must come; hence let time +pass. Meanwhile we must amuse ourselves. Life of itself would not +be bad were it not for Bronzebeard. Thanks to him, a man at times +is disgusted with himself. It is not correct to consider the struggle +for his favor as a kind of rivalry in a circus, -- as a kind of game, as +a struggle, in which victory flatters vanity. True, I explain it to +myself in that way frequently; but still it seems to me sometimes +that I am like Chio, and better in nothing than he. When he ceases +to be needful to thee, send him to me. I have taken a fancy to his +edifying conversation. A greeting from me to thy divine Christian, +or rather beg her in my name not to be a fish to thee. Inform me +of thy health, inform me of thy love, know how to love, teach how +to love, and farewell." + +Vinscius to Pemonsus: + +"Lygia is not found yet! Were it not for the hope that I shall find +her soon, thou wouldst not receive an answer; for when a man is +disgusted with life, he has no wish to write letters. I wanted to +learn whether Chilo was not deceiving me; and at night when he +came to get the money for Euricius, I threw on a military mantle, +and unobserved followed him and the slave whom I sent with him. +When they reached the place, I watched from a distance, hidden +behind a portico pillar, and convinced myself that Euricius was not +invented. Below, a number of tens of people were unloading +stones from a spacious barge, and piling them up on the bank. I +saw Chilo approach them, and begin to talk with some old man, +who after a while fell at his feet. Others surrounded them with +shouts of admiration. Before my eyes the boy gave a purse to +Euricius, who on seizing it began to pray with upraised hands, +while at his side some second person was kneeling, evidently his +son. Chilo said something which I could not hear, and blessed the +two who were kneeling, as well as others, making in the air signs +in the form of a cross, which they honor apparently, f or all bent +their knees. The desire seized me to go among them, and promise +three such purses to him who would deliver to me Lygia; but I +feared to spoil Chio's work, and after hesitating a moment went +home. + +"This happened at least twelve days after thy departure. Since then +Chilo has been a number of times with me. He says that he has +gained great significance among the Christians; that if he has not +found Lygia so far, it is because the Christians in Rome are +innumerable, hence all are not acquainted with each person in their +community, and cannot know everything that is done in it. They +are cautious, too, and in general reticent. He gives assurance, +however, that when he reaches the elders, who are called +presbyters, he will learn every secret. He has made the +acquaintance of a number of these already, and has begun to +inquire of them, though carefully, so as not to rouse suspicion by +haste, and not to make the work still more difficult. Though it is +hard to wait, though patience fails, I feel that he is right, and I +wait. + +"He learned, too, that they have places of meeting for prayer, +frequently outside the city, in empty houses and even in sandpits. +There they worship Christ, sing hymns, and have feasts. There are +many such places. Chilo supposes that Lygia goes purposely to +different ones from Pomponia, so that the latter, in case of legal +proceedings or an examination, might swear boldly that she knew +nothing of Lygia's hiding-place. It may be that the presbyters have +advised caution. When Chilo discovers those places, I will go with +him; and if the gods let me see Lygia, I swear to thee by Jupiter +that she will not escape my hands this time. + +"I am thinking continually of those places of prayer. Chilo is +unwilling that I should go with him; he is afraid. But I cannot stay +at home. I should know her at once, even in disguise or if veiled. +They assemble in the night, but I should recognize her in the night +even. I should know her voice and motions anywhere. I will go +myself in disguise, and look at every person who goes in or out. I +am thinking of her always, and shall recognize her. Chilo is to +come to-morrow, and we shall go. I will take arms. Some of my +slaves sent to the provinces have returned empty-handed. But I am +certain now that she is in the city, perhaps not far away even. I +myself have visited many houses under pretext of renting them. +She will fare better with me a hundred times; where she is, whole +legions of poor people dwell. Besides, I shall spare nothing for her +sake. Thou writest that I have chosen well. I have chosen suffering +and sorrow. We shall go first to those houses which are in the city, +then beyond the gates. Hope looks for something every morning, +otherwise life would be impossible. Thou sayest that one should +know how to love. I knew how to talk of love to Lygia. But now I +only yearn; I do nothing but wait for Chilo. Life to me is +unendurable in my own house. Farewell!" + +Chapter XVI + +BUT Chilo did not appear for some time, and Vinicius knew not at +last what to think of his absence. In vain he repeated to himself +that searching, if continued to a certain and successful issue, must +be gradual. His blood and impulsive nature rebelled against the +voice of judgment. To do nothing, to wait, to sit with folded arms, +was so repulsive to him that he could not be reconciled to it in any +way. To search the alleys of the city in the dark garb of a slave, +through this alone, that it was useless, seemed to him merely a +mask for his own inefficiency, and could give no satisfaction. His +freedmen, persons of experience, whom he commanded to search +independently, turned out a hundred times less expert than Chio. +Meanwhile there rose in him, besides his love for Lygla, the +stubbornness of a player resolved to win. Vinicius had been always +a person of this kind. From earliest youth he had accomplished +what he desired with the passionateness of one who does not +understand failure, or the need of yielding something. For a time +military discipline had put his self-will within bounds, but also it +had engrafted into him the conviction that every command of his +to subordinates must be fulfilled; his prolonged stay in the Orient, +among people pliant and inured to slavish obedience, confirmed in +him the faith that for his "I wish" there were no limits. At present +his vanity, too, was wounded painfully. There was, besides, in +Lygia's opposition and resistance, and in her flight itself, which +was to him incomprehensible, a kind of riddle. In trying to solve +this riddle he racked his head terribly. He felt that Acte had told +the truth, and that Lygia was not indifferent. But if this were true, +why had she preferred wandering and misery to his love, his +tenderness, and a residence in his splendid mansion? To this +question he found no answer, and arrived only at a kind of dim +understanding that between him and Lygia, between their ideas, +between the world which belonged to him and Petronius, and the +world of Lygia and Pomponia, there existed some sort of +difference, some kind of misunderstanding as deep as an abyss, +which nothing could fill up or make even. It seemed to him, then, +that he must lose Lygia; and at this thought he lost the remnant of +balance which Petronius wished to preserve in him. There were +moments in which he did not know whether he loved Lygia or +hated her; he understood only that he must find her, and he would +rather that the earth swallowed her than that he should not see and +possess her. By the power of imagination he saw her as clearly at +times as if she had been before his face. He recalled every word +which he had spoken to her; every word which he had heard from +her. He felt her near; felt her on his bosom, in his arms; and then +desire embraced him like a flame. He loved her and called to her. + +And when he thought that he was loved, that she might do with +willingness all that he wished of her, sore and endless sorrow +seized him, and a kind of deep tenderness flooded his heart, like a +mighty wave. But there were moments, too, in which he grew pale +from rage, and delighted in thoughts of the humiliation and +tortures which he would inflict on Lygia when he found her. He +wanted not only to have her, but to have her as a trampled slave. +At the same time he felt that if the choice were left him, to be her +slave or not to see her in life again, he would rather be her slave. +There were days in which he thought of the marks which the lash +would leave on her rosy body, and at the same time he wanted to +kiss those marks. It came to his head also that he would be happy +if he could kill her. + +In this torture, torment, uncertainty, and suffering, he lost health, +and even beauty. He became a cruel and incomprehensible master. +His slaves, and even his freedmen, approached him with +trembling; and when punishments fell on them causelessly, -- +punishments as merciless as undeserved, -- they began to hate him +in secret; while he, feeling this, and feeling his own isolation, took +revenge all the more on them. He restrained himself with Chilo +alone, fearing lest he might cease his searches; the Greek, noting +this, began to gain control of him, and grew more and more +exacting. At first he assured Vinicius at each visit that the affair +would proceed easily and quickly; now he began to discover +difficulties, and without ceasing, it is true, to guarantee the +undoubted success of the searches, he did not hide the fact that +they must continue yet for a good while. + +At last he came, after long days of waiting, with a face so gloomy +that the young man grew pale at sight of him, and springing up had +barely strength to ask,-- "Is she not among the Christians?" "She is, +lord," answered Chilo; "but I found Glaucus among them." "Of +what art thou speaking, and who is Glaucus?" "Thou hast +forgotten, lord, it seems, that old man with whom I journeyed from +Naples to Rome, and in whose defence I lost these two fingers, -- +a loss which prevents me from writing. Robbers, who bore away +his wife and child, stabbed him with a knife. I left him dying at an +inn in Minturna, and bewailed him long. Alas! I have convinced +myself that he is alive yet, and belongs in Rome to the Christian +community." + +Vinicius, who could not understand what the question was, +understood only that Glaucus was becoming a hindrance to the +discovery of Lygia; hence he suppressed his rising anger, and said, +-- "If thou didst defend him, he should be thankful and help thee." +"Ah! worthy tribune, even gods are not always grateful, and what +must the case be with men? True, he should be thankful. But, +unhappily, he is an old man, of a mind weak and darkened by age +and disappointment; for which reason, not only is he not grateful, +but, as I learned from his co-religionists, he accuses me of having +conspired with the robbers, and says that I am the cause of his +misfortunes. That is the recompense for my fingers!" + +"Scoundrel! I am certain that it was as he says," replied Vinicius. + +"Then thou knowest more than he does, lord, for he only surmises +that it was so; which, however, would not prevent him from +summoning the Christians, and from revenging himself on me +cruelly. He would have done that undoubtedly, and others, with +equal certainty, would have helped him; but fortunately he does +not know my name, and in the house of prayer where we met, he +did not notice me. I, however, knew him at once, and at the first +moment wished to throw myself on his neck. Wisdom, however, +and the habit of thinking before every step which I intend to take, +restrained me. Therefore, on issuing from the house of prayer, I +inquired concerning him, and those who knew him declared that +he was the man who had been betrayed by his comrade on the +journey from Naples. Otherwise I should not have known that he +gives out such a story." + +"How does this concern me? Tell what thou sawest in the house of +prayer." + +"It does not concern thee, lord, but it concerns me just as much as +my life. Since I wish that my wisdom should survive me, I would +rather renounce the reward which thou hast offered, than expose +my life for empty lucre; without which, I as a true philosopher +shall be able to live and seek divine wisdom." + +But Vinicius approached him with an ominous countenance, and +began in a suppressed voice, -- "Who told thee that death would +meet thee sooner at the hands of Glaucus than at mine? Whence +knowest thou, dog, that I will not have thee buried right away in +my garden?" + +Chio, who was a coward, looked at Vinicius, and in the twinkle of +an eye understood that one more unguarded word and he was lost +beyond redemption. + +"I will search for her, lord, and I will find her!" cried he, hurriedly. + +Silence followed, during which were heard the quick breathing of +Vinicius, and the distant song of slaves at work in the garden. + +Only after a while did the Greek resume his speech, when he +noticed that the young patrician was somewhat pacified. + +"Death passed me, but I looked on it with the calmness of +Socrates. No, lord, I have not said that I refuse to search for the +maiden; I desired merely to tell thee that search for her is +connected now with great peril to me. On a time thou didst doubt +that there was a certain Euricius in the world, and though thou +wert convinced by thine own eyes that the son of my father told the +truth to thee, thou hast suspicions now that I have invented +Glaucus. Ah! would that he were only a fiction, that I might go +among the Christians with perfect safety, as I went some time +since; I would give up for that the poor old slave woman whom I +bought, three days since, to care for my advanced age and maimed +condition. But Glaucus is living, lord; and if he had seen me once, +thou wouldst not have seen me again, and in that case who would +find the maiden?" + +Here he was silent again, and began to dry his tears. + +"But while Glaucus lives," continued he, "how can I search for +her? -- for I may meet him at any step; and if I meet him I shall +perish, and with me will cease all my searching." + +"What art thou aiming at? What help is there? What dost thou wish +to undertake?" inquired Vinicius. + +"Aristotle teaches us, lord, that less things should be sacrificed for +greater, and King Priam said frequently that old age was a grievous +burden. Indeed, the burden of old age and misfortune weighs upon +Glaucus this long time, and so heavily that death would be to him +a benefit. For what is death, according to Seneca, but liberation?" + +"Play the fool with Petronius, not with me! Tell what thy desire is." + +"If virtue is folly, may the gods permit me to be a fool all my life. I +desire, lord, to set aside Glaucus, for while he is living my life and +searches are in continual peril." + +"Hire men to beat him to death with clubs; I will pay them." + +"They will rob thee, lord, and afterward make profit of the secret. +There are as many ruffians in Rome as grains of sand in the arena, +but thou wilt not believe how dear they are when an honest man +needs to employ their villainy. No, worthy tribune! But if +watchmen catch the murderers in the act? They would tell, beyond +doubt, who hired them, and then thou wouldst have trouble. They +will not point to me, for I shall not give my name. Thou art doing +ill not to trust in me, for, setting aside my keenness, remember that +there is a question of two other things, -- of my life, and the reward +which thou has promised me." + +"How much dost thou need?" + +"A thousand sestertia, for turn attention to this, that I must find +honest ruffians, men who when they have received earnest money, +will not take it off without a trace. For good work there must be +good pay! Something might be added, too, for my sake, to wipe +away the tears which I shall shed out of pity for Glaucus. I take the +gods to witness how I love him. If I receive a thousand scstcrtia +to-day, two days hence his soul will be in Hades; and then, if souls +preserve memory and the gift of thought, he will know for the first +time how I loved him. I will find people this very day, and tell +them that for each day of the life of Glaucus I will withhold one +hundred sestertia. I have, besides, a certain idea, which seems to +me infallible." + +Vinicius promised him once more the desired sum, forbidding him +to mention Glaucus again; but asked what other news he brought, +where he had been all the time, what he had seen, and what he had +discovered. But Chilo was not able to tell much. He had been in +two more houses of prayer,-- had observed each person carefully, +especially the women, -- but had seen no one who resembled +Lygia: the Christians, however, looked on him as one of their own +sect, and, since he redeemed the son of Euricius, they honored him +as a man following in the steps of "Christ." He had learned from +them, also, that a great lawgiver of theirs, a certain Paul of Tarsus, +was in Rome, imprisoned because of charges preferred by the +Jews, and with this man he had resolved to become acquainted. +But most of all was he pleased by this, -- that the supreme priest of +the whole sect, who had been Christ's disciple, and to whom Christ +had confided government over the whole world of Christians, +might arrive in Rome any moment. All the Christians desired +evidently to see him, and hear his teachings. Some great meetings +would follow, at which he, Chio, would be present; and what is +more, since it is easy to hide in the crowd, he would take Vinicius +to those meetings. Then they would find Lygia certainly. If +Glaucus were once set aside, it would not be connected even with +great danger. As to revenge, the Christians, too, would revenge but +in general they were peaceful people. + +Here Chilo began to relate, with a certain surprise, that he had +never seen that they gave themselves up to debauchery, that they +poisoned wells or fountains, that they were enemies of the human +race, worshipped an ass, or ate the flesh of children. No; he had +seen nothing of that sort. Certainly he would find among them +even people who would hide away Glaucus for money; but their +religion, as far as he knew, did not incite to crime, -- on the +contrary, it enloined forgiveness of offences. + +Vinicius remembered what Pomponia had said to him at Acte's, +and in general he listened to Chio's words with pleasure. Though +his feeling for Lygia assumed at times the seeming of hatred, he +felt a relief when he heard that the religion which she and +Pomponia confessed was neither criminal nor repulsive. But a +species of undefined feeling rose in him that it was just that +reverence for Christ, unknown and mysterious, which created the +difference between himself and Lygia; hence he began at once to +fear that religion and to hate it. + +Chapter XVII + +FOR Chio, it was really important to set aside Glaucus, who, +though advanced in years, was by no means decrepit. There was +considerable truth in what Chilo had narrated to Vinicius. He had +known Glaucus on a time, he had betrayed him, sold him to +robbers, deprived him of family, of property, and delivered him to +murder. But he bore the memory of these events easily, for he had +thrown the man aside dying, not at an inn, but in a field near +Minturna. This one thing he had not foreseen, that Glaucus would +be cured of his wounds and come to Rome. When he saw him, +therefore, in the house of prayer, he was in truth terrified, and at +the first moment wished to discontinue the search for Lygia. But +on the other hand, Vinicius terrified him still more. He understood +that he must choose between the fear of Glaucus, and the pursuit +and vengeance of a powerful patrician, to whose aid would come, +beyond doubt, another and still greater, Petronius. In view of this, +Chilo ceased to hesitate. He thought it better to have small +enemies than great ones, and, though his cowardly nature trembled +somewhat at bloody methods, he saw the need of killing Glaucus +through the aid of other hands. + +At present the only question with him was the choice of people, +and to this he was turning that thought of which he had made +mention to Vinicius. Spending his nights in wine-shops most +frequently, and lodging in them, among men without a roof, +without faith or honor, he could find persons easily to undertake +any task, and still more easily others who, if they sniffed coin on +his person, would begin, but when they had received earnest +money, would extort the whole sum by threatening to deliver him +to justice. Besides, for a certain time past Chilo had felt a +repulsion for nakedness, for those disgusting and terrible figures +lurking about suspected houses in the Subura or in the +Trans--Tiber. Measuring everything with his own measure, and not +having fathomed sufficiently the Christians or their religion, he +judged that among them, too, he could find willing tools. Since +they seemed more reliable than others, he resolved to turn to them +and present the affair in such fashion that they would undertake it, +not for money's sake merely, but through devotion. + +In view of this, he went in the evening to Euricius, whom he knew +as devoted with whole soul to his person, and who, he was sure, +would do all in his power to assist him. Naturally cautious, Chilo +did not even dream of revealing his real intentions, which would +be in clear opposition, moreover, to the faith which the old man +had in his piety and virtue. He wished to find people who were +ready for anything, and to talk with them of the affair only in such +a way that, out of regard to themselves, they would guard it as an +eternal secret. + +The old man Euricius, after the redemption of his son, hired one of +those little shops so numerous near the Circus Maximus, in which +were sold olives, beans, unleavened paste, and water sweetened +with honey, to spectators coming to the Circus. Chilo found him at +home arranging his shop; and when he had greeted him in Christ's +name, he began to speak of the affair which had brought him. +Since he had rendered them a service, he considered that they +would pay him with gratitude. He needed two or three strong and +courageous men, to ward off danger threatening not only him, but +all Christians. He was poor, it was true,'since he had given to +Euricius almost all that he owned; still he would pay such men for +their services if they would trust him and perform faithfully what +he commanded. + +Euricius and his son Quartus listened to him as their benefactor +almost on their knees. Both declared that they were ready +themselves to do all that he asked of them, believing that a man so +holy could not ask for deeds inconsistent with the teaching of +Christ. + +Chilo assured them that that was true, and, raising his eyes to +heaven, he seemed to be praying; in fact, he was thinking whether +it would not be well to accept their proposal, which might save +him a thousand sestertia. But after a moment of thought he +rejected it. Euricius was an old man, perhaps not so much +weighted by years as weakened by care and disease. Quartus was +sixteen years of age. Chilo needed dexterous, and, above all, +stalwart men. As to the thousand sestertia, he considered that -- +thanks to the plan which he had invented -- he would be able in +every case to spare a large part of it. + +They insisted for some time, but when he refused decisively they +yielded. + +"I know the baker Demas," said Quarrus, "in whose mills slaves +and hired men are employed. One of those hired men is so strong +that he would take the place, not of two, but of four. I myself have +seen him lift stones from the ground which four men could not +stir." + +"If that is a God-fearing man, who can sacrifice himself for the +brotherhood, make me acquainted with him," said Chilo. + +"He is a Christian, lord," answered Quartus; "nearly all who work +for Demas are Christians. He has night as well as day laborers; this +man is of the night laborers. Were we to go flow to the mill, we +should find them at supper, and thou mightest speak to him freely. +Demas lives near the Emporium." + +Chilo consented most willingly. The Emporium was at the foot of +the Aventine, hence not very far from the Circus Maximus. It was +possible, without going around the hill, to pass along the river +through the Porticus Aemilia, which would shorten the road +considerably. + +"I am old," said Chilo, when they went under the Colonnade; "at +times I suffer effacement of memory. Yes, though our Christ was +betrayed by one of his disciples, the name of the traitor I cannot +recall at this moment --" + +"Judas, lord, who hanged himself," answered Quartus, wondering a +little in his soul how it was possible to forget that name. + +"Oh, yes -- Judas! I thank thee," said Chilo. + +And they went on some time in silence. When they came to the +Emporium, which was closed, they passed it, and going around the +storehouse, from which grain was distributed to the populace, they +turned toward the left, to houses which stretched along the Via +Ostiensis, up to the Mom Tesraceus and the Forum Pistorium. +There they halted before a wooden building, from the interior of +which came' the noise of millstones. Quartus went in; but Chio, +who did not like to show himself to large numbers of people, and +was in continual dread that some fate might bring him to meet +Glaucus, remained outside. + +"I am curious about that Hercules who serves in a mill," said he to +himself, looking at the brightly shining moon. "If he is a scoundrel +and a wise man, he will cost me something; if a virtuous Christian +and dull, he will do what 1 want without money." + +Further meditation was interrupted by the return of Quartus, who +issued from the building with a second man, wearing only a tunic +called "exomis," cut in such fashion that the right arm and right +breast were exposed. Such garments, since they left perfect +freedom of movement, were used especially by laborers. Chio, +when he saw the man coming, drew a breath of satisfaction, for he +had not seen in his life such an arm and such a breast. + +"Here, lord," said Quartus, "is the brother whom it was thy wish to +see." + +"May the peace of Christ be with thee!" answered Chio. "Do thou, +Quartus, tell this brother whether I deserve faith and trust, and then +return in the name of God; for there is no need that thy gray-haired +father should be left in loneliness." + +"This is a holy man," said Quartus, "who gave all his property to +redeem me from slavery, -- me, a man unknown to him. May our +Lord the Saviour prepare him a heavenly reward therefor!" + +The gigantic laborer, hearing this, bent down and kissed Chilo's +hand. + +"What is thy name, brother?" inquired the Greek. + +"At holy baptism, father, the name Urban was given me." + +"Urban, my brother, hast thou time to talk with me freely?" + +"Our work begins at midnight, and only now are they preparing our +supper.' + +'Then there is time sufficient. Let us go to the river; there thou wilt +hear my words." + +They went, and sat on the embankment, in a silence broken only +by the distant sound of the millstones and the plash of the +onflowing river. Chilo looked into the face of the laborer, which, +notwithstanding a somewhat severe and sad expression, such as +was usual on faces of barbarians living in Rome, seemed to him +kind and honest. + +"This is a good-natured, dull man who will kill Glaucus for +nothing," thought Chilo. + +"Urban," inquired he then, "dost thou love Christ?" + +"I love him from the soul of my heart," said the laborer. + +"And thy brethren and sisters, and those who taught thee truth and +faith in Christ?" + +"I love them, too, father." + +"Then may peace be with thee!" + +"And with thee, father!" + +Again silence set in, but in the distance the millstones were +roaring, and the river was plashing below the two men. + +Chilo looked with fixed gaze into the clear moonlight, and with a +slow, restrained voice began to speak of Christ's death. He seemed +not as speaking to Urban, but as if recalling to himself that death, +or some secret which he was confiding to the drowsy city. There +was in this, too, something touching as well as impressive. The +laborer wept; and when Chilo began to groan and complain that in +the moment of the Saviour's passion there was no one to defend +him, if not from crucifixion, at least from the insults of Jews and +soldiers, the gigantic fists of the barbarian began to squeeze from +pity and suppressed rage. The death only moved him; but at +thought of that rabble reviling the Lamb nailed to the cross, the +simple soul in him was indignant, and a wild desire of vengeance +seized the man. + +"Urban, dost thou know who Judas was?" asked Chilo, suddenly. + +"I know, I know! -- but he hanged himself!" exclaimed the laborer. + +And in his voice there was a kind of sorrow that the traitor had +meted out punishment to himself, and that Judas could not fall into +his hands. + +"But if he had not hanged himself," continued Chilo, "and if some +Christian were to meet him on land or on sea, would it not be the +duty of that Christian to take revenge for the torment, the blood, +and the death of the Saviour?" + +"Who is there who would not take revenge, father?" + +"Peace be with thee, faithful servant of the Lamb! True, it is +permitted to forgive wrongs done ourselves; but who has the right +to forgive a wrong done to God? But as a serpent engenders a +serpent, as malice breeds malice, and treason breeds treason, so +from the poison of Judas another traitor has come; and as that one +delivered to Jews and Roman soldiers the Saviour, so this man +who lives among us intends to give Christ's sheep to the wolves; +and if no one will anticipate the treason, if no one will crush the +head of the serpent in time, destruction is waiting for us all, and +with us will perish the honor of the Lamb." + +The laborer looked at Chilo with immense alarm, as if not +understanding what he had heard. But the Greek, covering his head +with a corner of his mantle, began to repeat, with a voice coming +as if from beneath the earth, -- "Woe to you, servants of the true +God! woe to you, Christian men and Christian women!" + +And again came silence, again were heard only the roar of the +millstones, the deep song of the millers, and the sound of the river. + +"Father," asked the laborer at last, "what kind of traitor is that?" + +Chilo dropped his head. "What kind of traitor? A son of Judas, a +son of his poison, a man who pretends to be a Christian, and goes +to houses of prayer only to complain of the brotherhood to Caesar, +-- declaring that they will not recognize Caesar as a god; that they +poison fountains, murder children, and wish to destroy the city, so +that one stone may not remain on another. Behold! in a few days a +command will be given to the pretorians to cast old men, women, +and children into prison, and lead them to death, just as they led to +death the slaves of Pedanius Secundus. All this has been done by +that second Judas. But if no one punished the first Judas, if no one +took vengeance on him, if rio one defended Christ in the hour of +torment, who will punish this one, who will destroy the serpent +before Caesar hears him, who will destroy him, who will defend +from destruction our brothers in the faith of Christ?" + +Urban, who had been sitting thus far on a stone, stood up on a +sudden, and said,-- "I will, father." + +Chilo rose also; he looked for a while on the face of the laborer, +lighted up by the shining of the moon, then, stretching his arm, he +put his hand slowly on his head. + +"Go among Christians," said he, with solemnity; "go to the houses +of prayer, and ask the brethren about Glaucus; and when they show +him to thee, slay him at once in Christ's name!" + +"About Glaucus?" repeated the laborer, as if wishing to fix that +name in his memory. + +"Dost thou know him?" + +"No, I do not. There are thousands of Christians in Rome, and they +are not all known to one another. But to-morrow, in Ostrianum, +brethren and sisters will assemble in the night to the last soul, +because a great apostle of Christ has come, who will teach them, +and the brethren will point out to me Glaucus." + +"In Ostrianum?" inquired Chilo. "But that is outside the city gates! +The brethren and all the sisters, -- at night? Outside the city gates, +in Ostrianum?" + +"Yes, father; that is our cemetery, between the Vi~ Salaria and +Nomentana. Is it not known to thee that the Great Apostle will +teach there?" + +"I have been two days from home, hence I did not receive his +epistle; and I do not know where Ostrianum is, for I came here not +long since from Corinth, where I govern a Christian community. +But it is as thou sayest, -- there thou wilt find Glaucus among the +brethren, and thou wilt slay him on the way home to the city. For +this all thy sins will be forgiven. And now peace be with thee --" + +"Father --" + +"I listen to thee, servant of the Lamb." + +On the laborer's face perplexity was evident. Not long before he +had killed a man, and perhaps two, but the teaching of Christ +forbids killing. He had not killed them in his own defence, for +even that is not permitted. He had not killed them, Christ preserve! +for profit. The bishop himself had given him brethren to assist, but +had not permitted him to kill; he had killed inadvertently, for God +had punished him with too much strength. And now he was doing +grievous penance. Others sing when the millstones are grinding; +but he, hapless man, is thinking of his sin, of his offence against +the Lamb. How much has he prayed already and wept? How much +has he implored the Lamb? And he feels that he has not done +penance enough yet! But now he has promised again to kill a +traitor, -- and done well! He is permitted to pardon only offences +against himself; hence he will kill Glaucus, even before the eyes of +all the brethren and sisters, in Ostrianum to-morrow. But let + +Glaucus be condemned previously by the elders among the +brethren, by the bishop, or by the Apostle. To kill is not a great +thing; to kill a traitor is even as pleasant as to kill a bear or a wolf. +But suppose Glaucus to perish innocently? How take on his +conscience a new murder, a new sin, a new offence against the +Lamb? + +"There is no time for a trial, my son," said Chio. "The traitor will +hurry from Ostrianum straightway to Caesar in Antium, or hide in +the house of a certain patrician whom he is serving. I will give thee +a sign; if thou show it after the death of Glaucus, the bishop and +the Great Apostle will bless thy deed." + +Saying this, he took out a small coin, and began to search for a +knife at his belt; having found it, he scratched with the point on the +sestertium the sign of the cross; this coin he gave to the laborer. + +"Here is the sentence of Glaucus, and a sign for thee. If thou show +this to the bishop after the death of Glaucus, he will forgive thee +the killing which thou hast done without wishing it." + +The laborer stretched out his hand involuntarily for the coin; but +having the first murder too freshly in his memory just then, he +experienced a feeling of terror. + +"Father," said he with a voice almost of entreaty, "dost thou take +this deed on thy conscience, and hast thou thyself heard Glaucus +betraying his brethren?" + +Chilo understood that he must give proofs, mention names, +otherwise doubt might creep into the heart of the giant. All at once +a happy thought flashed through his head. + +"Listen, Urban," said he, "I dwell in Corinth, but I came from Kos; +and here in Rome I instruct in the religion of Christ a certain +serving maiden named Eunice. She serves as vestiplica in the +house of a friend of Caesar, a certain Petronius. In that house I +have heard how Glaucus has undertaken to betray all the +Christians; and, besides, he has promised another informer of +Caesar's, Vinicius, to find a certain maiden for him among the +Christians." + +Here he stopped and looked with amazement at the laborer, whose +eyes blazed suddenly like the eyes of a wild beast, and his face +took on an expression of mad rage and threat. + +"What is the matter with thee?" asked Chio, almost in fear. + +"Nothing, father; to-morrow I will kill Glaucus." + +The Greek was silent. After a while he took the arm of the laborer, +turned him so that the light of the moon struck his face squarely, +and examined him with care. It was evident that he was wavering +in spirit whether to inquire further and bring everything out with +clearness, or for that time to stop with what he had learned or +surmised. + +At last, however, his innate caution prevailed. He breathed deeply +once and a second time; then, placing his hand on the laborer's +head again, he asked, in an emphatic and solemn voice, -- "But in +holy baptism the name Urban was given thee?" "It was, father." + +"Then peace be with thee, Urban!" + +Chapter XVIII + +PETRONIUS to VINICIUS: + +"Thy case is a bad one, carissime. It is clear that Venus has +disturbed thy mind, deprived thee of reason and memory, as well +as the power to think of aught else except love. Read some time +thy answer to my letter, and thou wilt see how indifferent thy mind +is to all except Lygia; how exclusively it is occupied with her, how +it returns to her always, and circles above her, as a falcon above +chosen prey. By Pollux! find her quickly, or that of thee which fire +has not turned into ashes will become an Egyptian sphinx, which, +enamored, as 'tis said, of pale isis, grew deaf and indifferent to all +things, waiting only for night, so as to gaze with stony eyes at the +loved one. + +"Run disguised through the city in the evening, even honor +Christian houses of prayer in thy philosopher's company. Whatever +excites hope and kills time is praiseworthy. But for my friendship's +sake do this one thing: + +Ursus, Lygia's slave, is a man of uncommon strength very likely; +hire Croton, and go out three together; that will be safer and wiser. +The Christians, since Pomponia and Lygia belong to them, are +surely not such scoundrels as most people imagine. But when a +lamb of their flock is in question they are no triflers, as they have +shown by carrying away Lygia. When thou seest Lygia thou wilt +not restrain thyself, I am sure, and wilt try to bear her away on the +spot. But how wilt thou and Chilonides do it? Croton would take +care of himself, even though ten like Ursus defended the maiden. +Be not plundered by Chio, but be not sparing of money on Croton. +Of all counsels which I can give this is the best one. + +"Here they have ceased to speak of the infant Augusta, or to say +that she perished through witchcraft. Poppaea mentions her at +times yet; but Caesar's mind is stuffed with something else. +Moreover, if it be true that the divine Augusta is in a changed state +again, the memory of that child will be blown away without trace. +We have been in Naples for some days, or rather in Baile. If thou +art capable of any thought, echoes of our life must strike thy ear, +for surely Rome talks of naught else. We went directly to Bai~, +where at first memories of the mother attacked us, and reproaches +of conscience. But dost thou know to what Ahenobarbus has gone +already? To this, that for him even the murder of his mother is a +mere theme for verses, and a reason for buffoonish tragic scenes. +Formerly he felt real reproaches only in so far as he was a coward; +now, when he is convinced that the earth is under his feet as +before, and that no god is taking vengeance, he feigns them only to +move people by his fate. He springs up at night sometimes +declaring that the Furies are hunting him; he rouses us, looks +around, assumes the posture of an actor playing the role of Orestes, +and the posture of a bad actor too; he declaims Greek verses, and +looks to see if we are admiring him. We admire him apparently; +and instead of saying to him, Go to sleep, thou buffoon! we bring +ourselves also to the tone of tragedy, and protect the great artist +from the Furies. By Castor! this news at least must have reached +thee, that he has appeared in public at Naples. They drove in from +the city and the surrounding towns all the Greek ruffians, who +filled the arena with such a vile odor of sweat and garlic that I +thank the gods that, instead of sitting in the first rows with the +Augustians, I was behind the scenes with Ahenobarbus. And wilt +thou believe it, he was afraid really! He took my hand and put itto +his heart, which was beating with increased pulsation; his breath +was short; and at the moment when he had to appear he grew as +pale as a parchment, and his forehead was covered with drops of +sweat. Still he saw that in every row of seats were pretorians, +armed with clubs, to rouse enthusiasm if the need came. But there +was no need. No herd of monkeys from the environs of Carthage +could howl as did this rabble. I tell thee that the smell of garlic +came to the stage; but Nero bowed, pressed his hand to his heart, +sent kisses from his lips, and shed tears. Then he rushed in among +us, who were waiting behind the scenes, like a drunken man, +crying, 'What were the triumphs of Julius compared with this +triumph of mine?' But the rabble was howling yet and applauding, +knowing that it would applaud to itself favors, gifts, banquets, +lottery tickets, and a fresh exhibition by the Imperial buffoon. I do +not wonder that they applauded, for such a sight had not been seen +till that evening. And every moment he repeated: 'See what the +Greeks are! see what the Greeks are!' From that evening it has +seemed to me that his hatred for Rome is increasing. Meanwhile +special couriers were hurried to Rome announcing the triumph, +and we expect thanks from the Senate one of these days. +Immediately after Nero's first exhibition, a strange event happened +here. The theatre fell in on a sudden, but just after the audience +had gone. I was there, and did not see even one corpse taken from +the ruins. Many, even among the Greeks, see in this event the +anger of the gods, because the dignity of Caesar was disgraced; he, +on the Šontrary, finds in it favor of the gods, who have his song, +and those who listen to it, under their evident protection. Hence +there are offerings in all the temples, and great thanks. For Nero it +is a great encouragement to make the journey to Ach~a. A few +days since he told me, however, that he had doubts as to what the +Roman people might say; that they might revolt out of love for +him, and fear touching the distribution of grain and touching the +games, which might fail them in case of his prolonged absence. + +"We are going, however, to Beneventum to look at the cobbler +magnificence which Vatinius will exhibit, and thence to Greece, +under the protection of the divine brothers of Helen. As to me, I +have noted one thing, that when a man is amdng the mad he grows +mad himself, and, what is more, finds a certain charm in mad +pranks. Greece and the journey in a thousand ships; a kind of +triumphal advance of Bacchus among nymphs and bacchantes +crowned with myrtle, vine, and honeysuckle; there will be women +in tiger skins harnessed to chariots; flowers, thyrses, garlands, +shouts of 'Evoe!' music, poetry, and applauding Hellas. All this is +well; but we cherish besides more daring projects. We wish to +create a species of Oriental Imperium, -- an empire of palm-trees, +sunshine, poetry, and reality turned into a dream, reality turned +into the delight of life only. We want to forget Rome; to fix the +balancing point of the world somewhere between Greece, Asia, +and Egypt; to live the life not of men but of gods; not to know +what commonness is; to wander in golden galleys under the +shadow of purple sails along the Archipelago; to be Apollo, Osiis, +and Baal in one person; to be rosy with the dawn, golden with the +sun, silver with the moon; to command, to sing, to dream. And wilt +thou believe that I, who have still sound judgment to the value of a +sestertium, and sense to the value of an as, let myself be borne +away by these fantasies, and I do this for the reason that, if they are +not possible, they are at least grandiose and uncommon? Such a +fabulous empire would be a thing which, some time or other, after +long ages, would seem a dream to mankind. Except when Venus +takes the form of Lygia, or even of a slave Eunice, or when art +beautifies it, life itself is empty, and many a time it has the face of +a monkey. But Bronzebeard will not realize his plans, even for this +cause, that in his fabulous kingdom of poetry and the Orient no +place is given to treason, meanness, and death; and that in him +with the poses of a poet sits a wretched comedian, a dull +charioteer, and a frivolous tyrant. Meanwhile we are killing people +whenever they displease us in any way. Poor Torquatus Silanus is +now a shade; he opened his veins a few days since. Lecanius and +Licinus will enter on the consulate with teror. Old Thrasea will not +escape death, for he dares to be honest. Tigellinus is not able yet to +frame a command for me to open my veins. I am still needed not +only as elegantiae arbiter, but as a man without whose counsel and +taste the expedition to Achaea might fail. More than once, +however, I think that sooner or later it must end in opening my +veins; and knowest thou what the question will be then with me? -- +that Bronzebeard should not get my goblet, which thou knowest +and admirest. Shouldst thou be near at the moment of my death, I +will give it to thee; shouldst thou be at a distance, I will break it. +But meanwhile I have before me yet Beneventum of the cobblers +and Olympian Greece; I have Fate too, which, unknown and +unforeseen, points out the road to every one. + +"Be well, and engage Croton; otherwise they will snatch Lygia +from thee a second time. When Chionides ceases to be needful, +send him to me wherever I may be. Perhaps I shall make him a +second Vatinius, and consuls and senators may tremble before him +yet, as they trembled before that knight Dratevka. It would be +worth while to live to see such a spectacle. When thou hast found +Lygia, let me know, so that I may offer for you both a pair of +swans and a pair of doves in the round temple of Venus here. Once +I saw Lygia in a dream, sitting on thy knee, seeking thy kisses. Try +to make that dream prophetic. May there be no clouds on thy sky; +or if there be, let them have the color and the odor of roses! Be in +good health; and farewell!" + + +Chapter XIX + +BARELY had Vinicius finished reading when Chilo pushed +quietly into his library, unannounced by any one, for the servants +had the order to admit him at every hour of the day or night. + +"May the divine mother of thy magnanimous ancestor Aeneas be +full of favor to thee, as the son of Maia was kind to me." + +"What dost thou mean?" asked Vinicius, springing from the table +at which he was sitting. + +Chilo raised his head and said, "Eureka!" + +The young patrician was so excited that for a long time he could +not utter a word. + +"Hast thou seen her?" asked he, at last. + +"I have seen Ursus, lord, and have spoken with him." + +"Dost thou know where they are secreted?" + +"No, lord. Another, through boastfulness, would have let the +Lygian know that he divined who he was; another would have tried +to extort from him the knowledge of where he lived, and would +have received either a stroke of the fist, -- after which all earthly +affairs would have become indifferent to him, -- or he would have +roused the suspicion of the giant and caused this, -- that a new +hiding-place would be found for the girl, this very night perhaps. I +did not act thus. It suffices me to know that Ursus works near the +Emporium, for a miller named Demas, the same name as that +borne by thy freedman; now any trusted slave of rhine may go in +the morning on his track, and discover their hiding place. I bring +thee merely the assurance that, since Ursus is here, the divine +Lygia also is in Rome, and a second news that she will be in +Ostrianum to-night, almost certainly --" + +"In Ostrianum? Where is that?" interrupted Vinicius, wishing +evidently to run to the place indicated. + +"An old hypogeum between the Viae Salaria and Nomentana. That +pontifex maximus of the Christians, of whom I spoke to thee, and +whom they expected somewhat later, has come, and to-night he +will teach and baptize in that cemetery. They hide their religion, +for, though there are no edicts to prohibit it as yet, the people hate +them, so they must be careful. Ursus himself told me that all, to +the last soul, would be in Ostrianum to-night, for every one wishes +to see and hear him who was the foremost disciple of Christ, and +whom they call Apostle. Since among them women hear +instruction as well as men, Pomponia alone perhaps of women will +not be there; she could not explain to Aulus, a worshipper of the +ancient gods, her absence from home at night. But Lygia, lord, +who is under the care of Ursus and the Christian elders, will go +undoubtedly with other women." + +Vinicius, who had lived hitherto in a fever, and upheld as it were, +by hope alone, now that his hope seemed fulfilled felt all at once +the weakness that a man feels after a journey which has proved +beyond his strength. Chilo noticed this, and resolved to make use +of +it. + +"The gates are watched, it is true, by thy people, and the Christians +must know that. But they do not need gates. The Tiber, too, does +not need them; and though it is far from the river to those roads, it +is worth while to walk one road more to see the 'Great Apostle.' +Moreover they may have a thousand ways of going beyond the +walls, and I know that they have. In Ostrianum thou wilt find +Lygia; and even should she not be there, which I will not admit, +Ursus will be there, for he has promised to kill Glaucus. He told +me himself that he would be there, and that he would kill him. +Dost hear, noble tribune? Either thou wilt follow Ursus and learn +where Lygia dwells, or thou wilt command thy people to seize him +as a murderer, and, having him in thy hand, thou wilt make him +confess where he has hidden Lygia. I have done my best! Another +would have told thee that he had drunk ten cantars of the best wine +with Ursus before he wormed the secret out of him; another would +have told thee that he had lost a thousand sestertia to him in +script.e duodecim, or that he had bought the intelligence for two +thousand; I know that thou wouldst repay me doubly, but in spite +of that, once in my life -- I mean, as always in my life -- I shall be +honest, for I think, as the magnanimous Petronius says, that thy +bounty exceeds all my hopes and expectations." + +Vinicius, who was a soldier and accustomed not only to take +counsel of himself in all cases, but to act, was overcome by a +momentary weakness and said,-- "Thou wilt not deceive thyself as +to my liberality, but first thou wilt go with me to Ostrianum." + +"I, to Ostrianum?" inquired Chio, who had not the least wish to go +there. "I, noble tribune, promised thee to point out Lygia, but I did +not promise to take her away for thee. Think, lord, what would +happen to me if that Lygian bear, when he had torn Glaucus to +pieces, should convince himself straight-way that he had torn him +not altogether justly? Would he not look on me (of course without +reason) as the cause of the accomplished murder? Remember, lord, +that the greater philosopher a man is, the more difficult it is for +him to answer the foolish questions of common people; what +should I answer him were he to ask me why I calumniated +Glaucus? But if thou suspect that I deceive thee, I say, pay me only +when I point out the house in which Lygia lives, show me to-day +only a part of thy liberality, so that if thou, lord (which may all the +gods ward from thee), succumb to some accident, I shall not be +entirely without recompense. Thy heart could not endure that." + +Vinicius went to a casket called "area," standing on a marble +pedestal, and, taking out a purse, threw it to Chilo. + +"There are scrupula," said he; "when Lygia shall be in my house, +thou wilt get the same full of aurei." + +"Thou art Jove!" exclaimed Chio. + +But Vinicius frowned. + +"Thou wilt receive food here," said he; "then thou mayest rest. +Thou wilt not leave this house till evening, and when night falls +thou wilt go with me to Ostrianuin." + +Fear and hesitation were reflected on the Greek's face for a time; +but afterward he grew calm, and said, -- "Who can oppose thee, +lord! Receive these my words as of good omen, just as our great +hero received words like them in the temple of Ammon. As to me, +these 'scruples'" (here he shook the purse) "have outweighed mine, +not to mention thy society, which for me is delight and happiness." + +Vinicius interrupted him impatiently, and asked for details of his +conversation with Ursus. From them it seemed clear that either +Lygia's hiding-place would be discovered that night, or he would +be able to seize her on the road back from Ostrianum. At thought +of this, Vinicius was borne away by wild delight. Now, when he +felt clearly sure of finding Lygia, his anger against her, and his +feeling of offence almost vanished. In return for that delight he +forgave her every fault. He thought of her only as dear and desired, +and he had the same impression as if she were returning after a +long journey. He wished to summon his slaves and command them +to deck the house with garlands. In that hour he had not a +complaint against Ursus, even. He was ready to forgive all people +everything. Chio, for whom, in spite of his services, he had felt +hitherto a certain repulsion, seemed to him for the first time an +amusing and also an uncommon person. His house grew radiant; +his eyes and his face became bright. He began again to feel youth +and the pleasure of life. His former gloomy suffering had not given +him yet a sufficient measure of how he loved Lygia. He understood +this now for the first time, when he hoped to possess her. His +desires woke in him, as the earth, warmed by the sun, wakes in +spring; but his desires this time were less blind and wild, as it +were, and more joyous and tender. He felt also within himself +energy without bounds, and was convinced that should he but see +Lygia with his own eyes, all the Christians on earth could not take +her from him, nor could Caesar himself. + +Chilo, emboldened by the young tribune's delight, regained power +of speech and began to give advice. According to him, it behooved +Vinicius not to look on the affair as won, and to observe the +greatest caution, without which all their work might end in +nothing. He implored Vinicius not to carry off Lygia from +Ostrianum. They ought to go there with hoods on their heads, with +their faces hidden, and restrict themselves to looking at all who +were present from some dark corner. When they saw Lygia, it +would be safest to follow her at a distance, see what house she +entered, surround it next morning at daybreak, and take her away +in open daylight. Since she was a hostage and belonged specially +to Caesar, they might do that without fear of law. In the event of +not finding her in Ostrianum they could follow Ursus, and the +result would be the same. To go to the cemetery with a crowd of +attendants was impracticable, -- that might draw attention to them +easily; then the Christians need only put out the lights, as they did +when she was intercepted, and scatter in the darkness, or betake +themselves to places known to them only. But Vinicius and he +should arm, and, still better, take a couple of strong, trusty men to +defend them in case of need. + +Vinicius saw the perfect truth of what he said, and, recalling +Petronius's counsel, commanded his slaves to bring Croton. Chio, +who knew every one in Rome, was set at rest notably when he +heard the name of the famous athlete, whose superhuman strength +in the arena he had wondered at more than once, and he declared +that he would go to Ostrianum. The purse filled with great aurei +seemed to him much easier of acquisition through the aid of +Croton. + +Hence he sat down in good spirits at the table to which, after a +time, he was called by the chief of the atrium. + +While eating, he told the slaves that he had obtained for their +master a miraculous ointment. The worst horse, if rubbed on the +hoofs with it, would leave every other far behind. A certain +Christian had taught him how to prepare that ointment, for the +Christian elders were far more skilled in enchantment and miracles +than even the Thessalians, though Thessaly was renowned for its +witches. The Christians had immense confidence in him -- why, +any one easily understands who knows what a fish means. While +speaking he looked sharply at the eyes of the slaves, in the hope of +discovering a Christian among them and informing Vinicius. But +when the hope failed him, he fell to eating and drinking +uncommon quantities, not sparing praises on the cook, and +declaring that he would endeavor to buy him of Vinicius. His +joyfulness was dimmed only by the thought that at night he must +go to Ostrianum. He comforted himself, however, as he would go +in disguise, in darkness, and in the company of two men, one of +whom was so strong that he was the idol of Rome; the other a +patrician, a man of high dignity in the army. "Even should they +discover Vinicius," said he to himself, "they will not dare to raise a +hand on him; as to me, they will be wise if they see the tip of my +nose even. + +He fell then to recalling his conversation with the laborer; and the +recollection of that filled him again with delight. He had not the +least doubt that that laborer was Ursus. He knew of the uncommon +strength of the man, from the narratives of Vinicius, and those who +had brought Lygia from Caesar's palace. When he inquired of +Euricius touching men of exceptional strength, there was nothing +remarkable in this, that they pointed out Ursus. Then the confusion +and rage of the laborer at mention of Vinicius and Lygia left him +no doubt that those persons concerned him particularly; the laborer +had mentioned also his penance for killing a man, -- Ursus had +killed Atacinus; finally, the appearance of the laborer answered +perfectly to the account which Vinicius had given of the Lygian. +The change of name was all that could provoke doubt, but Chio +knew that frequently Christians took new names at baptism. + +"Should Ursus kill Glaucus," said Chilo to himself, "that will be +better still; but should he not kill him, that will be a good sign, for +it will show how difficult it is for Christians to murder. I described +Glaucus as a real son of Judas, and a traitor to all Christians; I was +so eloquent that a stone would have been moved, and would have +promised to fall on the head of Glaucus. Still I hardly moved that +Lygian bear to put his paw on him. He hesitated, was unwilling, +spoke of his penance and compunction. Evidently murder is not +common among them. Offences against one's self must be +forgiven, and there is not much freedom in taking revenge for +others. Ergo, stop! think, Chio, what can threaten thee? Glaucus is +not free to avenge himself on thee. If Ursus will not kill Glaucus +for such a great crime as the betrayal of all Christians, so much the +more will he not kill thee for the small offence of betraying one +Christian. Moreover, when I have once pointed out to this ardent +wood-pigeon the nest of that turtle-dove, I will wash my hands of +everything, and transfer myself to Naples. The Christians talk, +also, of a kind of washing of the hands; that is evidently a method +by which, if a man has an affair with them, he may finish it +decisively. What good people these Christians are, and how ill +men speak of them! O God! such is the justice of this world. But I +love that religion, since it does not permit killing; but if it does not +permit killing, it certainly does not permit stealing, deceit, or false +testimony; hence I will not say that it is easy. It teaches, evidently, +not only to die honestly, as the Stoics teach, but to live honestly +also. if ever I have property and a house, like this, and slaves in +such numbers as Vinicius, perhaps I shall be a Christian as long as +may be convenient. For a rich man can permit himL self +everything, even virtue. This is a religion for the rich; hence I do +not understand how there are so many poor among its adherents. +What good is it for them, and why do they let virtue tie their +hands? I must think over this sometime. Meanwhile praise to thee, +Hermes! for helping me discover this badger. But if thou hast done +so for the two white yearling heifers with gilded horns, I know thee +not. Be ashamed, O slayer of Argos! such a wise god as thou, and +not foresee that thou wilt get nothing! I will offer thee my +gratitude; and if thou prefer two beasts to it, thou art the third beast +thyself, and in the best event thou shouldst be a shepherd, not a +god. Have a care, too, lest I, as a philosopher, prove to men that +thou art non-existent, and then all will cease to bring thee +offerings. It is safer to be on good terms with philosophers." + +Speaking thus to himself and to Hermes, he stretched on the sofa, +put his mantle under his head, and was sleeping when the slave +removed the dishes. He woke, -- or rather they roused him, -- only +at the coming of Croton. He went to the atrium, then, and began to +examine with pleasure the form of the trainer, an ex-gladiator, who +seemed to fill the whole place with his immensity. Croton had +stipulated as to the price of the trip, and was just speaking to +Vinicius. + +"By Hercules! it is well, lord," said he, "that thou hast sent to-day +for me, since I shall start to-morrow for Beneventum, whither the +noble Vatinius has summoned me to make a trial, in presence of +Caesar, of a certain Syphax, the most powerful negro that Africa +has ever produced. Dost thou imagine, lord, how his spinal column +will crack in my arms, or how besides I shall break his black jaw +with my fist?" + +"By Pollux! Croton, I am sure that thou wilt do that," answered +Vinicius. + +"And thou wilt act excellently," added Chio. "Yes, to break his +jaw, besides! That's a good idea, and a deed which befits thee. But +rub thy limbs with olive oil to-day, my Hercules, and gird thyself, +for know this, you mayst meet a real Cacus. The man who is +guarding that girl in whom the worthy Vinicius takes interest, has +exceptional strength very likely." + +Chilo spoke thus only to rouse Croton's ambition. + +"That is true," said Yinicius; "I have not seen him, but they tell me +that he can take a bull by the horns and drag him wherever he +pleases." + +"Oi!" exclaimed Chilo, who had not imagined that Ursus was so +strong. But Croton laughed, from contempt. "I undertake, worthy +lord," said he, "to bear away with this hand whomever thou shalt +point out to me, and with this other defend myself against seven +such Lygians, and bring the maiden to thy dwelling though all the +Christians in Rome were pursuing me like Calabrian wolves. If +not, I will let myself be beaten with clubs in this impluvium." + +"Do not permit that, lord," cried Chilo. "They will hurl stones at +us, and what could his strength effect? Is it not better to take the +girl from the house, -- not expose thyself or her to destruction?" + +"This is true, Croton," said Vinicius. + +"I receive thy money, I do thy will! But remember, lord, that +to-morrow I go to Beneventum." + +"I have five hundred slaves in the city," answered Vinicius. + +He gave them a sign to withdraw, went to the library himself, and +sitting down wrote the following words to Petronius, -- "The +Lygian has been found by Chio. I go this evening with him and + +Croton to Ostrianum, and shall carry her off from the house +to-night or to-morrow. May the gods pour down on thee everything +favorable. Be well, O carissime! for joy will not let me write +further." + +Laying aside the reed then, he began to walk with quick step; for +besides delight, which was overflowing his soul, he was tormented +with fever. He said to himself that to-morrow Lygia would be in +that house. He did not know how to act with her, but felt that if she +would love him he would be her servant. He recalled Acte's +assurance that he had been loved, and that moved him to the +uttermost. Hence it would be merely a question of conquering a +certain maiden modesty, and a question of certain ceremonies +which Christian teaching evidently commanded. But if that were +true, Lygia, when once in his house, would yield to persuasion of +superior force; she would have to say to herself, "It has happened!" +and then she would be amiable and loving. + +But Chilo appeared and interrupted the course of these pleasant +thoughts. "Lord," said the Greek, "this is what has come to my +head. Have not the Christians signs, 'passwords,' without which no +one will be admitted to Ostrianum? I know that it is so in houses of +prayer, and I have received those passwords from Euricius; permit +me then to go to him, lord, to ask precisely, and receive the +needful signs." + +"Well, noble sage," answered Vinicius, gladly; "thou speakest as a +man of forethought, and for that praise belongs to thee. Thou wit +go, then, to Euricius, or whithersoever it may please thee; but as +security thou wilt leave on this table here that purse which thou +hast received from me." + +Chilo, who always parted with money unwillingly, squirmed; still +he obeyed the command and went out. From the Carin~ to the +Circus, near which was the little shop of Euricius, it was not very +far; hence he returned considerably before evening. + +"Here are the signs, lord. Without them they would not admit us. I +have inquired carefully about the road. I told Euricius that I needed +the signs only for my friends; that I would not go myself, since it +was too far for my advanced age; that, moreover, I should see the +Great Apostle myself to-morrow, and he would repeat to me the +choicest parts of his sermon." + +"How! Thou wilt not be there? Thou must go!" said Vinicius. + +"I know that I must; but I will go well hooded, and I advise thee to +go in like manner, or we may frighten the birds." + +In fact they began soon to prepare, for darkness had come on the +world. They put on Gallic cloaks with hoods, and took lanterns; +Vinicius, besides, armed himself and his companions with short, +curved knives; Chilo put on a wig, which he obtained on the way +from the old man's shop, and they went out, hurrying so as to reach +the distant Nomentan Gate before it was closed. + +Chapter XX + +THEY went through the Vicus Patricius, along the Viminal to the +former Visninal gate, near the plain on which Diocletian afterward +built splendid baths. They passed the remains of the wall of +Servius Tullius, and through places more and more deserted they +reached the Via Nomentana; there, turning to the left, towards the +Via Salaria, they found themselves among hills full of sand-pits, +and here and there they found graveyards. + +Meanwhile it had grown dark completely, and since the moon had +not risen yet, it would have been rather difficult for them to find +the road were it not that the Christians themselves indicated it, as +Chilo foresaw. + +In fact, on the right, on the left, and in front., dark forms were +evident, making their way carefully toward sandy hollows. Some +of these people carried lanterns, -- covering them, however, as far +as possible with mantles; others, knowing the road better, went in +the dark. The trained military eye of Vinicius distinguished, by +their movements, younger men from old ones, who walked with +canes, and from women, wrapped carefully in long mantles. The +highway police, and villagers leaving the city, took those night +wanderers, evidently, for laborers, going to sand-pits; or +grave-diggers, who at times celebrated ceremonies of their own in +the night-time. In proportion, however, as the young patrician and +his attendants pushed forward, more and more lanterns gleamed, +and the number of persons grew greater. Some of them sang songs +in low voices, which to Vinicius seemed filled with sad-- ness. At +moments a separate word or a phrase of the song struck his ear, as, +for instance, "Awake, thou that sleepest," or "Rise from the dead"; +at times, again, the name of Christ was repeated by men and +women. + +But Vinicius turned slight attention to the words, for it came to his +head that one of those dark forms might be Lygia. Some, passing +near, said, "Peace be with thee!" or "Glory be to Christ!" but +disquiet seized him, and his heart began to beat with more life, for +it seemed to him that he heard Lygia's voice. Forms or movements +like hers deceived him in the darkness every moment, and only +when he had corrected mistakes made repeatedly did he begin to +distrust his own eyes. + +The way seemed long to him. He knew the neighborhood exactly, +but could not fix places in the darkness. Every moment they came +to some narrow passage, or piece of wall, or booths, which he did +not remember as being in the vicinity of the city. Finally the edge +of the moon appeared from behind a mass of clouds, and lighted +the place better than dim lanterns. Something from afar began at +last to glimmer like a ftre, or the flame of a torch. Vinicius turned +to Chilo. + +"Is that Ostrianum?" asked he. + +Chio, on whom night, distance from the city, and those ghostlike +forms made a deep impression, replied in a voice somewhat +uncertain, -- "I know not, lord; I have never been in Ostrianum. +But they might praise God in some spot nearer the city." + +After a while, feeling the need of conversation, and of +strengthening his courage, he added, -- "They come together like +murderers; still they are not permitted to murder, unless that +Lygian has deceived me shamefully." + +Vinicius, who was thinking of Lygia, was astonished also by the +caution and mysteriousness with which her co-religionists +assembled to hear their highest priest; hence he said, -- "Like all +religions, this has its adherents in the midst of us; but the +Christians are a Jewish sect. Why do they assemble here, when in +the Trans-Tiber there are temples to which the Jews take their +offerings in daylight?" + +"The Jews, lord, are their bitterest enemies. I have heard that, +before the present Caesar's time, it came to war, almost, between +Jews and Christians. Those outbreaks forced Claudius Caesar to +expell all the Jews, but at present that edict is abolished. The +Christians, however, hide themselves from Jews, and from the +populace, who, as is known to thee, accuse them of crimes and +hate them." + +They walked on some time in silence, till Chio, whose fear +increased as he receded from the gates, said, -- "When returning +from the shop of Euricius, I borrowed a wig from a barber, and +have put two beans in my nostrils. They must not recognize me; +but if they do, they will not kill me. They are not malignant! They +are even very honest. I esteem and love them." + +"Do not win them to thyself by premature praises," retorted +Vinicius. + +They went now into a narrow depression, closed, as it were, by two +ditches on the side, over which an aqueduct was thrown in one +place. The moon came out from behind clouds, and at the end of +the depression they saw a wall, covered thickly with ivy, which +looked silvery in the moonlight. That was Ostrianum. + +Vinicius's heart began to beat now with more vigor. At the gate +two quarryrnen took the signs from thtm. In a moment Vinicius +and his attendants were in a rather spacious place enclosed on all +sides by a wall. Here and there were separate monuments, and in +the centre was the entrance to the hypogeum itself, or crypt. In the +lower part of the crypt, beneath the earth, were graves; before the +entrance a fountain was playing. But it was evident that no very +large number of persons could find room in the hypogeum; hence +Vinicius divined without difficulty that the ceremony would take +place outside, in the space where a very numerous throng was soon +gathered. + +As far as the eye could reach, lantern gleamed near lantern, but +many of those who came had no light whatever. With the +exception of a few uncovered heads, all were hooded, from fear of +treason or the cold; and the young patrician thought with alarm +that, should they remain thus, he would not be able to recognize +Lygia in that crowd and in the dim light. + +But all at once, near the crypt, some pitch torches were ignited and +put into a little pile. There was more light. After a while the crowd +began to sing a certain strange hymn, at first in a low voice, and +then louder. Vinicius had never heard such a hymn before. The +same yearning which had struck him in the hymns murmured by +separate persons on the way to the cemetery, was heard now in +that, but with far more distinctness and power; and at last it +became as penetrating and immense as if together with the people, +the whole cemetery, the hills, the pits, and the region about, had +begun to yearn. It might seem, also, that there was in it a certain +calling in the night, a certain humble prayer for rescue in +wandering and darkness. + +Eyes turned upward seemed to see some one far above, there on +high, and outstretched hands seemed to implore him to descend. +When the hymn ceased, there followed a moment as it were of +suspense, -- so impressive that Vinicius and his companions +looked unwittingly toward the stars, as if in dread that something +uncommon would happen, and that some one would really descend +to them. + +Vinicius had seen a multitude of temples of most various structure +in Asia Minor, in Egypt, and in Rome itself; he had become +acquainted with a multitude of religions, most varied in character, +and had heard many hymns; but here, for the first time, he saw +people calling on a divinity with hymns, -- not to carry out a fixed +ritual, but calling from the bottom of the heart, with the genuine +yearning which children might feel for a father or a mother. One +had to be blind not to see that those people not merely honored +their God, but loved him with the whole soul. Vinicius had not +seen the like, so far, in any land, during any ceremony, in any +sanctuary; for in Rome and in Greece those who still rendered +honor to the gods did so to gain aid for themselves or through fear; +but it had not even entered any one's head to love those divinities. + +Though his mind was occupied with Lygia, and his attention with +seeking her in the crowd, he could not avoid seeing those +uncommon and wonderful things which were happening around +him. Meanwhile a few more torches were thrown on the fire, +which filled the cemetery with ruddy light and darkened the gleam +of the lanterns. That moment an old man, wearing a hooded +mantle but with a bare head, issued from the hypogeum. This man +mounted a stone which lay near the fire. + +The crowd swayed before him. \Toices near Vinicius whispered, +"Peter! Peter!" Some knelt, others extended their hands toward +him. There followed a silence so deep that one heard every charred +particle that dropped from the torches, the distant rattle of wheels +on the Via Nomentana, and the sound of wind through the few +pines which grew close to the cemetery. + +Chilo bent toward Vinicius and whispered, -- "This is he! The +foremost disciple of Christ--a fisherman!" + +The old man raised his hand, and with the sign of the cross blessed +those present, who fell on their knees simultaneously. Vinicius and +his attendants, not wishing to betray themselves, followed the +example of others. The young man could not seize his impressions +immediately, for it seemed to him that the form which he saw +there before him was both simple and uncommon, and, what was +more, the uncommonness flowed just from the simplicity. The old +man had no mitre on his head, no garland of oak-leaves on his +temples, no palm in his hand, no golden tablet on his breast, he +wore no white robe embroidered with stars; in a word, he bore no +insignia of the kind worn by priests -- Oriental, Egyptian, or Greek +-- or by Roman flamens. And Vinicius was struck by that same +difference again which he felt when listening to the Christian +hymns; for that "fisherman," too, seemed to him, not like some +high priest skilled in ceremonial, but as it were a witness, simple, +aged, and immensely venerable, who had journeyed from afar to +relate a truth which he had seen, which he had touched, which he +believed as he believed in existence, and he had come to love this +truth precisely because he believed it. There was in his face, +therefore, such a power of convincing as truth itself has. And +Vinicius, who had been a sceptic, who did not wish to yield to the +charm of the old man, yielded, however, to a certain feverish +curiosity to know what would flow from the lips of that companion +of the mysterious "Christus," and what that teaching was of which +Lygia and Pomponia Gzecina were followers. + +Meanwhile Peter began to speak, and he spoke from the beginning +like a father instructing his children and teaching them how to live. +He enjoined on them to renounce excess and luxury, to love +poverty, purity of life, and truth, to endure wrongs and +persecutions patiently, to obey the government and those placed +above them, to guard against treason, deceit, and calumny; finally, +to give an example in their own society to each other, and even to +pagans. + +Vinicius, for whom good was only that which could bring back to +him Lygia, and evil everything which stood as a barrier between +them, was touched and angered by certain of those counsels. It +seemed to him that by enjoining purity and a struggle with desires +the old man dared, not only to condemn his love, but to rouse +Lygia against him and confirm her in opposition. He understood +that if she were in the assembly listening to those words, and if she +took them to heart, she must think of him as an enemy of that +teaching and an outcast. + +Anger seized him at this thought. "What have I heard that is new?" +thought he. "Is this the new religion? Every one knows this, every +one has heard it. The Cynics enjoined poverty and a restriction of +necessities; Socrates enjoined virtue as an old thing and a good +one; the first Stoic one meets, even such a one as Seneca, who has +five hundred tables of lemon-wood, praises moderation, enjoins +truth, patience in adversity, endurance in misfortune,-- and all that +is like stale, mouse-eaten grain; but people do not wish to eat it +because it smells of age." + +And besides anger, he had a feeling of disappointment, for he +expected the discovery of unknown, magic secrets of some kind, +and thought that at least he would hear a rhetor astonishing by his +eloquence; meanwhile he heard only words which were immensely +simple, devoid of every ornament. He was astonished only by the +mute attention with which the crowd listened. + +But the old man spoke on to those people sunk in listening, -- told +them to be kind, poor, peaceful, just, and pure; not that they might +have peace during life, but that they might live eternally with +Christ after death, in such joy and such glory, in such health and +delight, as no one on earth had attained at any time. And here +Vinicius, though predisposed unfavorably, could not but notice +that still there was a difference between the teaching of the old +man and that of the Cynics, Stoics, and other philosophers; for +they enjoin good and virtue as reasonable, and the only thing +practical in life, while he promised immortality, and that not some +kind of hapless immortality beneath the earth, in wretchednes, +emptiness, and want, but a magnificent life, equal to that of the +gods almost. He spoke meanwhile of it as of a thing perfectly +certain; hence, in view of such a faith, virtue acquired a value +simply measureless, and the misfortunes of this life became +incomparably trivial. To suffer temporally for inexhaustible +happiness is a thing absolutely different from suffering because +such is the order of nature. But the old man said further that virtue +and truth should be loved for themselves, since the highest eternal +good and the virtue existing before ages is God; whoso therefore +loves them loves God, and by that same becomes a cherished child +of His. + +Vinicius did not understand this well, but he knew previously, +from words spoken by Pomponia Graecina to Petronius, that, +according to the belief of Christians, God was one and almighty; +when, therefore, he heard now again that He is all good and all +just, he thought involuntarily that, in presence of such a demiurge, +Jupiter, Saturn, Apollo, Juno, Vesta, and Venus would seem like +some vain and noisy rabble, in which all were interfering at once, +and each on his or her own account. + +But the greatest astonishment seized him when the old man +declared that God was universal love also; hence he who loves +man fulfils God's supreme command. But it is not enough to love +men of one's own nation, for the God-man shed his blood for all, +and found among pagans such elect of his as Cornelius the +Centurion; it is not enough either to love those who do good to us, +for Christ forgave the Jews who delivered him to death, and the +Roman soldiers who nailed him to the cross, we should not only +forgive but love those who injure us, and return them good for +evil; it is not enough to love the good, we must love the wicked +also, since by love alone is it possible to expel from them evil. + +Chilo at these words thought to himself that his work had gone for +nothing, that never in the world would Ursus dare to kill Glaucus, +either that night or any other night. But he comforted himself at +once by another inference from the teaching of the old man; +namely, that neither would Glaucus kill him, though he should +discover and recognize him. + +Vinicius did not think now that there was nothing new in the +words of the old man, but with amazement he asked himself: +"What kind of God is this, what kind of religion is this, and what +kind of people are these?" All that he had just heard could not find +place in his head simply. For him all was an unheard-of medley of +ideas. He felt that if he wished, for example, to follow that +teaching, he would have to place on a burning pile all his thoughts, +habits, and character, his whole nature up to that moment, burn +them into ashes, and then fill himself with a life altogether +different, and an entirely new soul. To him the science or the +religion which commanded a Roman to love Parthians, Syrians, +Greeks, Egyptians, Gauls, and Britons, to forgive enemies, to +return them good for evil, and to love them, seemed madness. At +the same time he had a feeling that in that madness itself there was +something mightier than all philosophies so far. He thought that +because of its madness it was impracticable, but because of its +impracticability it was divine. In his soul he rejected it; but he felt +that he was parting as if from a field full of spikenard, a kind of +intoxicating incense; when a man has once breathed of this he +must, as in the land of the lotus-eaters, forget all things else ever +after, and yearn for it only. + +It seemed to him that there was nothing real in that religion, but +that reality in presence of it was so paltry that it deserved not the +time for thought. Expanses of some kind, of which hitherto he had +not had a suspicion, surrounded him, -- certain immensities, +certain clouds. That cemetery began to produce on him the +impression of a meeting-place for madmen, but also of a place +mysterious and awful, in which, as on a mystic bed, something was +in progress of birth the like of which had not been in the world so +far. He brought before his mind all that, which from the first +moment of his speech, the old man had said touching life, truth, +love, God; and his thoughts were dazed from the brightness, as the +eyes are blinded from lightning flashes which follow each other +unceasingly. + +As is usual with people for whom life has been turned into one +single passion, Vinicius thought of all this through the medium of +his love for Lygia; and in the light of those flashes he saw one +thing distinctly, that if Lygia was in the cemetery, if she confessed +that religion, obeyed and felt it, she never could and never would +be his mistress. + +For the first time, then, since he had made her acquaintance at +Aulus's, Vinicius felt that though now he had found her he would +not get her. Nothing similar had come to his head so far, and he +could not explain it to himself then, for that was not so much an +express understanding as a dim feeling of irreparable loss and +misfortune. There rose in him an alarm, which was turned soon +into a storm of anger against the Christians in general, and against +the old man in particular. That fisherman, whom at the first cast of +the eye he considered a peasant, now filled him with fear almost, +and seemed some mysterious power deciding his fate inexorably +and therefore tragically. + +The quarrymen again, unobserved, added torches to the fire; the +wind ceased to sound in the pines; the flame rose evenly, with a +slender point toward the stars, which were twinkling in a clear sky. +Having mentioned the death of Christ, the old man talked now of +Him only. All held the breath in their breasts, and a silence set in +which was deeper than the preceding one, so that it was possible +almost to hear the beating of hearts. That man had seen! and he +narrated as one in whose memory every moment had been fixed in +such a way that were he to close his eyes he would see yet. He +told, therefore, how on their return from the Cross he and John had +sat two days and nights in the supper-chamber, neither sleeping +nor eating, in suffering, in sorrow, in doubt, in alarm, holding their +heads in their hands, and thinking that He had died. Oh, how +grievous, how grievous that was! The third day had dawned and +the light whitened the walls, but he and John were sitting in the +chamber, without hope or comfort. How desire for sleep tortured +them (for they had spent the night before the Passion without +sleep)! They roused themselves then, and began again to lament. +But barely had the sun risen when Mary of Magdala, panting, her +hair dishevelled, rushed in with the cry, "Ihey have taken away the +Lord!" When they heard this, he and J olin sprang up and ran +toward the sepulchre. But John, being younger, arrived first; he +saw the place empty, and dared not enter. Only when there were +three at the entrance did he, the person now speaking to them, +enter, and find on the stone a shirt with a winding sheet; but the +body he found not. + +Fear fell on them then, because they thought that the priests had +borne away Christ, and both returned home in greater grief still. +Other disciples came later and raised a lament, now in company, +so that the Lord of Hosts might hear them more easily, and now +separately and in turn. The spirit died within them, for they had +hoped that the Master would redeem Israel, and it was now the +third day since his death; hence they did not understand why the +Father had deserted the Son, and they preferred not to look at the +daylight, but to die, so grievous was the burden. + +The remembrance of those terrible moments pressed even then +from the eyes of the old man two tears, which were visible by the +light of the fire, coursing down his gray beard. His hairless and +aged head was shaking, and the voice died in his breast. + +"That man is speaking the truth and is weeping over it," said +Vinicius in his soul. Sorrow seized by the throat the simple-hearted +listeners also. They had heard more than once of Christ's +sufferings, and it was known to them that joy succeeded sorrow; +but since an apostle who had seen it told this, they wrung their +hands under the impression, and sobbed or beat their breasts. + +But they calmed themselves gradually, for the wish to hear more +gained the mastery. The old man closed his eyes, as if to see +distant things more distinctly in his soul, and continued, -- "When +the disciples had lamented in this way, Mary of Magdala rushed in +a second time, crying that she had seen the Lord. Unable to +recognize him, she thought him the gardener: but He said, 'Mary!' +She cried 'Rabboni!' and fell at his feet. He commanded her to go +to the disciples, and vanished. But they, the disciples, did not +believe her; and when she wept for joy, some upbraided her, some +thought that sorrow had disturbed her mind, for she said, too, that +she had seen angels at the grave, but they, running thither a second +time, saw the grave empty. Later in the evening appeared Cleopas, +who had come with another from Emmaus, and they returned +quickly, saying: + +'The Lord has indeed risen!' And they discussed with closed doors, +out of fear of the Jews. Meanwhile He stood among them, though +the doors had made no sound, and when they feared, He said, +'Peace be with you!' + +"And I saw Him, as did all, and He was like light, and like the +happiness of our hearts, for we believed that He had risen from the +dead, and that the seas will dry and the mountains turn to dust, but +His glory will not pass. + +"After eight days Thomas Didymus put his finger in the Lord's +wounds and touched His side; Thomas fell at His feet then, and +cried, 'My Lord and my God!' 'Because thou hast seen me thou hast +believed; blessed are they who have not seen and have believed!' +said the Lord. And we heard those words, and our eyes looked at +Him, for He was among us." + +Vinicius listened, and something wonderful took place in him. He +forgot for a moment where he was; he began to lose the feeling of +reality, of incasure, of judgment. He stood in the presence of two +impossibilities. He could not believe what the old man said; and he +felt that it would be necessary either to be blind or renounce one's +own reason, to admit that that man who said "I saw" was lying. +There was something in his movements, in his tears, in his whole +figure, and in the details of the events which he narrated, which +made every suspicion impossible. To Vinicius it seemed at +moments that he was dreaming. But round about he saw the silent +throng; the odor of lanterns came to his nostrils; at a distance the +torches were blazing; and before him on the stone stood an aged +man near the grave, with a head trembling somewhat, who, while +bearing witness, repeated, "I saw!" + +And he narrated to them everything up to the Ascension into +heaven. At moments he rested, for he spoke very circumstantially; +but it could be felt that each minute detail had fixed itself in his +memory, as a thing is fixed in a stone into which it has been +engraved. Those who listened to him were seized by ecstasy. They +threw back their hoods to hear him better, and not lose a word of +those which for them were priceless. It seemed to them that some +superhuman power had borne them to Galilee; that they were +walking with the disciples through those groves and on those +waters; that the cemetery was turned into the lake of Tiberius; that +on the bank, in the mist of morning, stood Christ, as he stood when +John, looking from the boat, said, "It is the Lord," and Peter cast +himself in to swim, so as to fall the more quickly at the beloved +feet. In the faces of those present were evident enthusiasm beyond +bounds, oblivion of life, happiness, and love immeasurable. It was +clear that during Peter's long narrative some of them had visions. +When he began to tell how, at the moment of Ascension, the +clouds closed in under the feet of the Saviour, covered Him, and +hid Him from the eyes of the Apostles, all heads were raised +toward the sky unconsciously, and a moment followed as it were +of expectation, as if those people hoped to see Him or as if they +hoped that He would descend again from the fields of heaven, and +see how the old Apostle was feeding the sheep confided to him, +and bless both the flock and him. + +Rome did not exist for those people, nor did the man Caesar; there +were no temples of pagan gods; there was only Christ, who filled +the land, the sea, the heavens, and the world. + +At the houses scattered here and there along the Via Nomentana, +the cocks began to crow, announcing midnight. At that moment +Chilo pulled the corner of Vinicius's mantle and whispered, -- +"Lord, I see Urban over there, not far from the old man, and with +him is a maiden." + +Vinicius shook himself, as if out of a dream, and, turning in the +direction indicated by the Greek, he saw Lygia. + +Chapter XXI + +EVERY drop of blood quivered in the young patrician at sight of +her. He forgot the crowd, the old man, his own astonishment at the +incomprehensible things which he had heard, -- he saw only her. +At last, after all his efforts, after long days of alarm, trouble, and +suffering, he had found her! For the first time he realized that joy +might rush at the heart, like a wild beast, and squeeze it till breath +was lost. He, who had supposed hitherto that on "Fortuna" had +been imposed a kind of duty to accomplish all his wishes, hardly +beJieved his own eyes now and his own happiness. Were it not for +that disbelief, his passionate nature might have urged him to some +unconsidered step; but he wished to convince himself first that that +was not the continuation of those miracles with which his head +was filled, and that he was not dreaming. But there was no doubt, +-- he saw Lygia, and an interval of barely a few steps divided them. +She stood in perfect light, so that he could rejoice in the sight of +her as much as he liked. The hood had fallen from her head and +dishevelled her hair; her mouth was open slightly, her eyes raised +toward the Apostle, her face fixed in listening and delighted. She +was dressed in a dark woollen mantle, like a daughter of the +people, but never had Vinicius seen her more beautiful; and +notwithstanding all the disorder which had risen in him, he was +struck by the nobility of that wonderful patrician head in +distinction to the dress, almost that of a slave. Love flew over him +like a flame, immense, mixed with a marvellous feeling of +yearning, homage, honor, and desire. He felt the delight which the +sight of her caused him; he drank of her as of life-giving water +after long thirst. Standing near the gigantic Lygian, she seemed to +him smaller than before, almost a child; he noticed, too, that she +had grown more slender. Her complexion had become almost +transparent; she made on him the impression of a flower, and a +spirit. But all the more did he desire to possess that woman, so +different from all women whom he had seen or possessed in Rome +or the Orient. He felt that for her he would have given them all, +and with them Rome and the world in addition. + +He would have lost himself in gazing, and forgotten himself +altogether, had it not been for Chilo, who pulled the corner of his +mantle, out of fear that he might do something to expose them to +danger. Meanwhile the Christians began to pray and sing. After a +while Maranatha thundered forth, and then the Great Apostle +baptized with water from the fountain those whom the presbyters +presented as ready for baptism. It seemed to Vinicius that that +night would never end. He wished now to follow Lygia as soon as +possible, and seize her on the road or at her house. + +At last some began to leave the cemetery, and Chilo whispered, -- +"Let us go out before the gate, lord, we have not removed our +hoods, and people look at us." + +Such was the case, for during the discourse of the Apostle all had +cast aside their hoods so as to hear better, and they had not +followed the general example. Chilo's advice seemed wise, +therefore. Standing before the gate, they could look at all who +passed; Ursus it was easy to recognize by his form and size. + +"Let us follow them," said Chio; "we shall see to what house they +go. To-morrow, or rather to-day, thou wilt surround the entrances +with slaves and take her." + +"No!" said Vinicius. + +"What dost thou wish to do, lord?" + +"We will follow her to the house and take her now, if thou wilt +undertake that task, Croton?" + +"I will," replied Croton, "and I will give myself to thee as a slave if +I do not break the back of that bison who is guarding her." + +But Chilo fell to dissuading and entrcating them by all the gods not +to do so. Croton was taken only f or clef ence against attack in +case they were recognized, not to carry off the girl. To take her +when there were only two of them was to expose themselves to +death, and, what was worse, they might let her out of their hands, +and then she would hide in another place or leave Rome. And what +could they do? Why not act with certainty? Why expose +themselves to destruction and the whole undertaking to failure? + +Though Vinicius restrained himself with the greatest effort from +seizing Lygia in his arms at once, right there in the cemetery, he +felt that the Greek was right, and would have lent ear, perhaps, to +his counsels, had it not been for Croton, to whom reward was the +question. + +"Lord, command that old goat to be silent," said he, "or let me drop +my fist on his head. Once in Buxentum, whither Lucius Saturnius +took me to a play, seven drunken gladiators fell on me at an inn, +and none of them escaped with sound ribs. I do not say to take the +girl now from the crowd, for they might throw stones before our +feet, but once she is at home I will seize her, carry her away, and +take her whithersoever thou shalt indicate." + +Vinicius was pleased to hear those words, and answered, -- "Thus +let it be, by Hercules! To-morrow we may not find her at home; if +we surprise them they will remove, the girl surely." + +"This Lygian seems tremendously strong!" groaned Chio. + +"No one will ask thee to hold his hands," answered Croton. + +But they had to wait long yet, and the cocks had begun to crow +before dawn when they saw Ursus coming through the gate, and +with him Lygia. They were accompanied by a number of other +persons. It seemed to Chilo that he recognized among them the +Great Apostle; next to him walked another old man, considerably +lower in stature, two women who were not young, and a boy, who +lighted the way with a lantern. After that handful followed a +crowd, about two hundred in number; Vinicius, Chio, and Croton +walked with these people. + +"Yes, lord," said Chio, "thy maiden is under powerful protection. +That is the Great Apostle with her, for see how passing people +kneel to him." + +People did in fact kneel before him, but Vinicius did not look at +them. He did not lose Lygia from his eyes for a moment; he +thought only of bearing her away and, accustomed as he had been +in wars to stratagems of all sorts, he arranged in his head the whole +plan of seizure with soldierly precision. He felt that the step on +which he had decided was bold, but he knew well that bold attacks +give success generally. + +The way was long; hence at moments he thought too of the gulf +which that wonderful religion had dug between him and Lygia. +Now he understood everything that had happened in the past, and +why it had happened. He was sufficiently penetrating for that. +Lygia he had not known hitherto. He had seen in her a maiden +wonderful beyond others, a maiden toward whom his feelings were +inflamed: he knew now that her religion made her different from +other women, and his hope that feeling, desire, wealth, luxury, +would attract her he knew now to be a vain illusion. Finally he +understood this, which he and Petronius had not understood, that +the new religion ingrafted into the soul something unknown to that +world in which he lived, and that Lygia, even if she loved him, +would not sacrifice any of her Christian truths for his sake, and +that, if pleasure existed for her, it was a pleasure different +altogether from that which he and Petronius and Caesar's court and +all Rome were pursuing. Every other woman whom he knew might +become his mistress, but that Christian would become only his +victim. And when he thought of this, he felt anger and burning +pain, for he felt that his anger was powerless. To carry off Lygia +seemed to him possible; he was almost sure that he could take her, +but he was equally sure that, in view of her religion, he himself +with his bravery was nothing, that his power was nothing, and that +through it he could effect nothing. That Roman military tribune, +convinced that the power of the sword and the fist which had +conquered the world, would command it forever, saw for the first +time in life that beyond that power there might be something else; +hence he asked himself with amazement what it was. And he could +not answer distinctly; through his head flew merely pictures of the +cemetery, the assembled crowd, and Lygia, listening with her +whole soul to the words of the old man, as he narrated the passion, +death, and resurrection of the God-man, who had redeemed the +world, and promised it happiness on the other shore of the Styx. + +When he thought of this, chaos rose in his head. But he was +brought out of this chaos by Chilo, who fell to lamenting his own +fate. He had agreed to find Lygia. He had sought for her in peril of +his life, and he had pointed her out. But what more do they want? +Had he offered to carry the maiden away? Who could ask anything +like this of a maimed man deprived of two fingers, an old man, +devoted to meditation, to science, and virtue? What would happen +were a lord of such dignity as Vinicius to meet some mishap while +bearing the maiden away? It is true that the gods are bound to +watch over their chosen ones, -- but have not such things happened +more than once, as if the gods were playing games instead of +watching what was passing in the world? Fortune is blindfold, as is +well known, and does not see even in daylight; what must the case +be at night? Let something happen, -- let that Lygian bear hurl a +millstone at the noble Vinicius, or a keg of wine, or, still worse, +water, -- who will give assurance that instead of a reward blame +will not fall on the hapless Chio? He, the poor sage, has attached +himself to the noble Vinicius as Aristotle to Alexander of +Macedon. If the noble lord should give him at least that purse +which he had thrust into his girdle before leaving home, there +would be something with which to invoke aid in case of need, or to +influence the Christians. Oh, why not listen to the counsels of an +old man, counsels dictated by experience and prudence? + +Vinicius, hearing this, took the purse from his belt, and threw it to +the fingers of Chilo. + +"Thou hast it; be silent!" + +The Greek felt that it was unusually heavy, and gained confidence. + +"My whole hope is in this," said he, "that Hercules or Theseus +performed deeds still more arduous; what is my personal, nearest +friend, Croton, if not Hercules? Thee, worthy lord, I will not call a +demigod, for thou art a full god, and in future thou wilt not forget a +poor, faithful servant, whose needs it will be necessary to provide +for from time to time, for once he is sunk in books, he thinks of +nothing else; sonic few stadia of garden land and a little house, +even with the smallest portico, for coolness in summer, would +befit such a donor. Meanwhile I shall admire thy heroic deeds +from afar, and invoke Jove to befriend thee, and if need be I will +make such an outcry that half Rome will be roused to thy +assistance. What a wretched, rough road! The olive oil is burned +out in the lantern; and if Croton, who is as noble as he is strong, +would bear me to the gate in his arms, he would learn, to begin +with, whether he will carry the maiden easily; second, he would +act like IEneas, and win all the good gods to such a degree that +touching the result of the enterprise I should be thoroughly +satisfied." + +"I should rather carry a sheep which died of mange a month ago," +answered the gladiator; "but give that purse, bestowed by the +worthy tribune, and I will bear thee to the gate." + +"Mayst thou knock the great toe from thy foot," replied the Greek; +"what profit hast thou from the teachings of that worthy old man, +who described poverty and charity as the two foremost virtues? +Has he not commanded thee expressly to love me? Never shall I +make thee, I see, even a poor Christian; it would be easier for the +sun to pierce the walls of the Mamertine prison than for truth to +penetrate thy skull of a hippopotamus." + +"Never fear!" said Croton, who with the strength of a beast had no +human feeling. "I shall not be a Christian! I have no wish to lose +my bread." + +"But if thou knew even the rudiments of philosophy, thou wouldst +know that gold is vanity." + +"Come to me with thy philosophy. I will give thee one blow of my +head in the stomach; we shall see then who wins." + +"An ox might have said the same to Aristotle," retorted Chilo. + +It was growing gray in the world. The dawn covered with pale +light the outlines of the walls. The trees along the wayside, the +buildings, and the gravestones scattered here and there began to +issue from the shade. The road was no longer quite empty. +Marketmen were moving toward the gates, leading asses and +mules laden with vegetables;, here and there moved creaking carts +in which game was conveyed. On the road and along both sides of +it was a light mist at the very earth, which promised good weather. +People at some distance seemed like apparitions in that mist. +Vinicius stared at the slender form of Lygia, which became more +silvery as the light increased. + +"Lord," said Chio, "I should offend thee were I to foresee the end +of thy bounty, but now, when thou hast paid me, I may not be +suspected of speaking for my own interest only. I advise thee once +more to go home for slaves and a litter, when thou hast learned in +what house the divine Lygia dwells; listen not to that elephant +trunk, Croton, who undertakes to carry off the maiden only to +squeeze thy purse as if it were a bag of curds." + +"I have a blow of the fist to be struck between the shoulders, which +means that thou wilt perish," said Croton. + +"I have a cask of Cephalonian wine, which means that I shall be +well," answered Chio. + +Vinicius made no answer, for he approached the gate, at which a +wonderful sight struck his eyes. Two soldiers knelt when the +Apostle was passing; Peter placed his hand on their iron helmets +for a moment, and then made the sign of the cross on them. It had +never occurred to the patrician before that there could be +Christians in the army; with astonishment he thought that as fire in +a burning city takes in more and more houses, so to all +appearances that doctrine embraces new souls every day, and +extends itself over all human understandings. This struck him also +with reference to Lygia, for he was convinced that, had she wished +to flee from the city, there would be guards willing to facilitate her +flight. He thanked the gods then that this had not happened. + +After they had passed vacant places beyond the wall, the +Christians began to scatter. There was need, therefore, to follow +Lygia more from a distance, and more carefully, so as not to rouse +attention. Chilo fell to complaining of wounds, of pains in his legs, +and dropped more and more to the rear. Vinicius did not oppose +this, judging that the cowardly and incompetent Greek would not +be needed. He would even have permitted him to depart, had he +wished; but the worthy sage was detained by circumspection. +Curiosity pressed him evidently, since he continued behind, and at +moments even approached with his previous counsels; he thought +too that the old man accompanying the Apostle might be Glaucus, +were it not for his rather low stature. + +They walked a good while before reaching the Trans-Tiber, and +the sun was near rising when the group surrounding Lygia +dispersed. The Apostle, an old woman, and a boy went up the +river; the old man of lower stature, Ursus, and Lygia entered a +narrow vicus, and, advancing still about a hundred yards, went into +a house in which were two shops, -- one for the sale of olives, the +other for poultry. + +Chilo, who walked about fifty yards behind Vinicius and Croton, +halted all at once, as if fixed to the earth, and, squeezing up to the +wall, began to hiss at them to turn. + +They did so, for they needed to take counsel. + +"Go, Chio," said Vinicius, "and see if this house fronts on another +street." Chio, though he had complained of wounds in his feet, +sprang away as quickly as if he had had the wings of J~Iercury on +his ankles, and returned in a moment. + +"No," said he, "there is but one entrance." + +Then, putting his hands together, he said, "I implore thee, lord, by +Jupiter, Apollo, Vesta, Cybele, Isis. Osiris, Mithra Baal, and all the +gods of the Orient and the Occident to drop this plan. Listen to +me --" + +But he stopped on a sudden, for he saw that Vinicius's face was +pale from emotion, and that his eyes were glittering like the eyes +of a wolf. It was enough to look at him to understand that nothing +in the world would restrain him from the undertaking. Croton +began to draw air into his herculean breast, and to sway his +undeveloped skull from side to side as bears do when confined in a +cage, but on his face nut the least fear was evident. + +"I will go in first," said he. + +"Thou wilt follow me," said Vinicius, in commanding tones. + +And after a while both vanished in the dark entrance. + +Chilo sprang to the corner of the nearest alley and watched from +behind it, waiting for what would happen. + +Chapter XXII + +ONLY inside the entrance did Vinicius comprehend the whole +difficulty of the undertaking. The house was large, of several +stories, one of the kind of which thousands were built in Rome, in +view of profit from rent; hence, as a rule, they were built so +hurriedly and badly that scarcely a year passed in which numbers +of them did not fall on the heads of tenants. Real hives, too high +and too narrow, full of chambers and little dens, in which poor +people fixed themselves too numerously. In a city where many +streets had no names, those houses had no numbers; the owners +committed the collection of rent to slaves, who, not obliged by the +city government to give names of occupants, were ignorant +themselves of them frequently. To find some one by inquiry in +such a house was often very difficult, especially when there was no +gate-keeper. + +Vinicius and Croton came to a narrow, corridor-like passage +walled in on four sides, forming a kind of common atrium for the +whole house, with a fountain in the middle whose stream fell into +a stone basin fixed in the ground. At all the walls were internal +stairways, some of stone, some of wood, leading to galleries from +which there were entrances to lodgings. There were lodgings on +the ground, also; some provided with wooden doors, others +separated from the yard by woollen screens only. These, for the +greater part, were worn, rent, or patched. + +The hour was early, and there was not a living soul in the yard. It +was evident that all were asleep in the house except those who had +returned from Ostrianum. + +"What shall we do, lord?" asked Croton, halting. + +"Let us wait here; some one may appear," replied Vinicius. "We +should not be seen in the yard." + +At this moment, he thought Chio's counsel practical. If there were +some tens of slaves present, it would be easy to occupy the gate, +which seemed the only exit, search all the lodgings +simultaneously, and thus come to Lygia's; otherwise Christians, +who surely were not lacking in that house, might give notice that +people were seeking her. In view of this, there was risk in +inquiring of strangers. Vinicius stopped to think whether it would +not be better to go for his slaves. Just then, from behind a screen +hiding a remoter lodging, came a man with a sieve in his hand, and +approached the fountain. + +At the first glance the young tribune recognized Ursus. + +"That is the Lygian!" whispered Vinicius. + +"Am I to break his bones now?" + +"Wait awhile!" + +Ursus did not notice the two men, as they were in the shadow of +the entrance, and he began quietly to sink in water vegetables +which filled the sieve. It was evident that, after a whole night spent +in the cemetery, he in-tended to prepare a meal. After a while the +washing was finished; he took the wet sieve and disappeared +behind the screen. Croton and Vinicius followed him, thinking that +they would come directly to Lygia's lodgings. Their astonishment +was great when they saw that the screen divided from the court, +not lodgings, but another dark corridor, at the end of which was a +little garden containing a few cypresses, some myrtle bushes, and a +small house fixed to the windowless stone wall of another stone +building. + +Both understood at once that this was for them a favoring +circumstance. In the courtyard all the tenants might assemble; the +seclusion of the little house facilitated the enterprise. They would +set aside defenders, or rather Ursus, quickly, and would reach the +street just as quickly with the captured Lygia; and there they would +help themselves. It was likely that no one would attack them; if +attacked, they would say that a hostage was fleeing from Caesar. +Vinicius would declare himself then to the guards, and summon +their assistance. + +Ursus was almost entering the little house, when the sound of steps +attracted his attention; he halted, and, seeing two persons, put his +sieve on the balustrade and turned to them. + +"What do ye want here?" asked he. + +"Thee!" said Vinicius. + +Then, turning to Croton, he said in a low, hurried voice: + +"Kill!" + +Croton rushed at him like a tiger, and in one moment, before the +Lygian was able to think or to recognize his enemies, Crown had +caught him in his arms of steel. + +Vinicius was too confident in the man's preternatural strength to +wait for the end of the struggle. He passed the two, sprang to the +door of the little house, pushed it open and found himself in a +room a trifle dark, lighted, however, by a fire burning in the +chimney. A gleam of this fire fell on Lygia's face directly. A +second person, sitting at the fire, was that old man who had +accompanied the young girl and Ursus on the road from +Ostrianum. + +Vinicius rushed in so suddenly that before Lygia could recognize +him he had seized her by the waist, and, raising her, rushed toward +the door again. The old man barred the way, it is true; but pressing +the girl with one arm to his breast, Vinicius pushed him aside with +the other, which was free. The hood fell from his head, and at sight +of that face, which was known to her and which at that moment +was terrible, the blood grew cold in Lygia from fright, and the +voice died in her throat. She wished to summon aid, but had not +the power. Equally vain was her wish to grasp the door, to resist. +Her fingers slipped along the stone, and she would have fainted but +for the terrible picture which struck her eyes when Vinicius rushed +into the garden. + +Ursus was holding in his arms some man doubled back +completely, with hanging head and mouth filled with blood. When +he saw them, he struck the head once more with his fist, and in the +twinkle of an eye sprang toward Vinicius like a raging wild beast. + +"Death!" thought the young patrician. + +Then he heard, as through a dream, the scream of Lygia, "Kill +not!" He felt that something, as it were a thunderbolt, opened the +arms with which he held Lygia; then the earth turned round with +him, and the light of day died in his eyes. +. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . + +Chilo, hidden behind the angle of the corner house, was waiting +for what would happen, since curiosity was struggling with fear in +him. He thought that if they succeeded in carrying off Lygia, he +would fare well near Vinicius. He feared Urban no longer, for he +also felt certain that Croton would kill him. And he calculated that +in case a gathering should begin on the streets, which so far were +empty, -- if Christians, or people of any kind, should offer +resistance, -- he, Chio, would speak to them as one representing +authority, as an executor of Caesar's will, and if need came, call +the guards to aid the young patrician against the street rabble -- +thus winning to himself fresh favor. In his soul he judged yet that +the young tribune's method was unwise; considering, however, +Croton's terrible strength, he admitted that it might succeed, and +thought, "If it go hard with him, Vinicius can carry the girl, and +Croton clear the way." Delay grew wearisome, however; the +silence of the entrance which he watched alarmed him. + +"If they do not hit upon her hiding-place, and make an uproar, they +will frighten her." + +But this thought was not disagreeable; for Chilo understood that in +that event he would be necessary again to Vinicius, and could +squeeze afresh a goodly number of sestertia from the tribune. + +"Whatever they do," said he to himself, "they will work for me, +though no one divines that. O gods! O gods! only permit me--" + +And he stopped suddenly, for it seemed to him that some one was +bending forward through the entrance; then, squeezing up to the +wall, he began to look, holding the breath in his breast. + +And he had not deceived himself, for a head thrust itself half out +of the entrance and looked around. After a while, however, it +vanished. + +"That is Vinicius, or Croton," thought Chilo; "but if they have +taken the girl, why does she not scream, and why are they looking +out to the street? They must meet people anyhow, for before they +reach the Carmn~ there will be movement in the city -- What is +that? By the immortal gods!" + +And suddenly the remnant of his hair stood on end. + +In the door appeared Ursus, with the body of Croton hanging on +his arm, and looking around once more, he began to run, bearing it +along the empty street toward the river. + +Chilo made himself as flat against the wall as a bit of mud. + +"I am lost if he sees me!" thought he. + +But Ursus ran past the corner quickly, and disappeared beyond the +neighboring house. Chio, without further waiting, his teeth +chattering from terror, ran along the cross street with a speed +which even in a young man might have roused admiration. + +"If he sees mc from a distance when he is returning, he will catch +and kill me," said he to himself. "Save me, Zeus; save me, Apollo; +save me, Hermes; save me, O God of the Christians! I will leave +Rome, I will return to Mesembria, but save me from the hands of +that demon!" + +And that Lygian who had killed Croton seemed to him at that +moment some superhuman being. While running, he thought that +lie might be some god who had taken the form of a barbarian. At +that moment he believed in all the gods of the world, and in all +myths, at which he jeered usually. It flew through his head, too, +that it might be the God of the Christians who had killed Croton; +and his hair stood on end again at the thought that he was in +conflict with such a power. + +Only when he had run through a number of alleys, and saw some +workmen coming toward him from a distance, was he calmed +somewhat. Breath failed in his breast; so he sat on the threshold of +a house and began to wipe, with a corner of his mantle, his +sweat-covered forehead. + +"I am old, and need calm," said he. + +The people coming toward him turned into some little side street, +and again the place round about was empty. The city was sleeping +yet. In the morning movement began earlier in the wealthier parts +of the city, where the slaves of rich houses were forced to rise +before daylight; in portions inhabited by a free population, +supported at the cost of the State, hence unoccupied, they woke +rather late, especially in winter. Chio, after he had sat some time +on the threshold, felt a piercing cold; so he rose, and, convincing +himself that he had not lost the purse received from Vinicius, +turned toward the river with a step now much slower. + +"I may see Croton's body somewhere," said he to himself. "O gods! +that Lygian, if he is a man, might make millions of sestertia in the +course of one year; for if he choked Croton, like a whelp, who can +resist him? They would give for his every appearance in the arena +as much gold as he himself weighs. He guards that maiden better +than Cerberus does Hades. But may Hades swallow him, for all +that! I will have nothing to do with him. He is too bony. But where +shall I begin in this case? A dreadful thing has happened. If he has +broken the bones of such a man as Croton, beyond a doubt the soul +of Vinicius is puling above that cursed house now, awaiting his +burial. By Castor! but he is a patrician, a friend of Caesar, a +relative of Petronius, a man known in all Rome, a military tribune. +His death cannot pass without punishment. Suppose I were to go to +the pretorian camp, or the guards of the city, for instance?" + +Here he stopped and began to think, but said after a while, -- "Woe +is me! Who took him to that house if not I? His freedmen and his +slaves know that I came to his house, and some of them know with +what object. What will happen if they suspect me of having +pointed out to him purposely the house in which his death met +him? Though it appear afterward, in the court, that I did not wish +his death, they will say that I was the cause of it. Besides, he is a +patrician; hence in no event can I avoid punishment. But if I leave +Rome in silence, and go far away somewhere, I shall place myself +under still greater suspicion." + +It was bad in every case. The only question was to choose the less +evil. Rome was immense; still Chilo felt that it might become too +small for him. Any other man might go directly to the prefect of +the city guards and tell what had happened, and, though some +suspicion might fall on him, await the issue calmly. But Chilo's +whole past was of such character that every closer acquaintance +with the prefect of the city or the prefect of the guard must cause +him very serious trouble, and confirm also every suspicion which +might enter the heads of officials. + +On the other hand, to flee would be to confirm Petronius in the +opinion that Vinicius had been betrayed and murdered through +conspiracy. Petronius was a powerful man, who could command +the police of the whole Empire, and who beyond doubt would try +to find the guilty parties even at the ends of the earth. Still, Chilo +thought to go straight to him, and tell what had happened. Yes; +that was the best plan. Petronius was calm, and Chilo might be +sure of this, at least, that he would hear him to the end. Petronius, +who knew the affair from its inception, would believe in Chio's +innocence more easily than would the prefects. + +But to go to him, it was needful to know with certainty what had +happened to Vinicius. Chilo did not know that. He had seen, it is +true, the Lygian stealing with Crown's body to the river, but +nothing more. Vinicius might be killed; but he might be wounded +or detained. Now it occurred to Chilo for the first time, that surely +the Christians would not dare to kill a man so powerful, -- a friend +of Caesar, and a high military official, -- for that kind of act might +draw on them a general persecution. It was more likely that they +had detained him by superior force, to give Lygia means to hide +herself a second time. + +This thought filled Chilo with hope. + +"If that Lygian dragon has not torn him to pieces at the first attack, +he is alive, and if he is alive he himself will testify that I have not +betrayed him; and then not only does nothing threaten me, but --O +Hermes, count again on two heifers -- a fresh field is opening. I +can inform one of the freedmen where to seek his lord; and +whether he goes to the prefect or not is his affair, the only point +being that I should not go. Also, I can go to Petronius, and count +on a reward. I have found Lygia; now I shall find Vinicius, and +then again Lygia. It is needful to know first whether Vinicius is +dead or living." + +Here it occurred to him that he might go in the night to the baker +Deinas and inquire about Ursus. But he rejected that thought +immediately. He preferred to have nothing to do with Ursus. He +might suppose, justly, that if Ursus had not killed Glaucus he had +been warned, evidently, by the Christian elder to whom he had +confessed his design, -- warned that the affair was an unclean one, +to which some traitor had persuaded him. in every case, at the +mere recollection of Ursus, a shiver ran through Chio's whole +body. But he thought that in the evening he would send Euricius +for news to that house in which the thing had happened. +Meanwhile he needed refreshment, a bath, and rest. The +sleepless night, the journey to Ostrianum, the flight from the +Trans-Tiber, had wearied him exceedingly. + +One thing gave him permanent comfort: he had on his person two +purses, -- that which Vinicius had given him at home, and that +which he had thrown him on the way from the cemetery. In view +of this happy circumstance, and of all the excitement through +which he had passed, he resolved to eat abundantly, and drink +better wine than he drank usually. + +When the hour for opening the wine-shop came at last, he did so in +such a marked measure that he forgot the bath; he wished to sleep, +above all, and drowsiness overcame his strength so that he +returned with tottering step to his dwelling in the Subura, where a +slave woman, purchased with money obtained from Vinicius, was +waiting for him. + +When he had entered a sleeping-room, as dark as the den of a fox, +be threw himself on the bed, and fell asleep in one instant. He +woke only in the evening, or rather he was roused by the slave +woman, who called him to rise, for some one was inquiring, and +wished to see him on urgent business. + +The watchful Chilo came to himself in one moment, threw on his +hooded mantle hastily, and, commanding the slave woman to stand +aside, looked out cautiously. + +And he was benumbed! for he saw before the door of the +sleeping-room the gigantic form of Ursus. + +At that sight he felt his feet and head grow icy-cold, the heart +ceased to beat in his bosom, and shivers were creeping along his +back. For a time he was unable to speak; then with chattering teeth +he said, or rather groaned, -- "Syra -- I am not at home -- I don't +know that -- good man--" + +"I told him that thou wert at home, but asleep, lord," answered the +girl; "he asked to rouse thee." + +"O gods! I will command that thou --" + +But Ursus, as if impatient of delay, approached the door of the +sleeping-room, and, bending, thrust in his head. + +"O Chilo Chilonides!" said he. + +"Pax tecum! pax! pax!" answered Chio. "O best of Christians! Yes, +I am Chilo; but this is a mistake, -- I do not know thee!" + +"Chilo Chilonides," repeated Ursus, "thy lord, Vinicius, summons +thee to go with me to him." + +Chapter XXIII + +A PIERCING pain roused Vinicius. At the first moment he could +not understand where he was, nor what was happening. He felt a +roaring in his head, and his eyes were covered as if with mist. +Gradually, however, his consciousness returned, and at last he +beheld through that mist three persons bending over him. Two he +recognized: one was Ursus, the other the old man whom he had +thrust aside when carrying off Lygia. The third, an utter stranger, +was holding his left arm, and feeling it from the elbow upward as +far as the shoulder-blade. This caused so terrible a pain that +Vinicius, thinking it a kind of revenge which they were taking, +said through his set teeth, "Kill me!" But they paid no apparent +heed to his words, just as though they heard them not, or +considered them the usual groans of suffering. Ursus, with his +anxious and also threatening face of a barbarian, held a bundle of +white cloth torn in long strips. The old man spoke to the person +who was pressing the arm of Vinicius, -- "Glaucus, art thou certain +that the wound in the head is not mortal?" + +"Yes, worthy Crispus," answered Glaucus. "While serving in the +fleet as a slave, and afterward while living at Naples, I cured many +wounds, and with the pay which came to me from that occupation +I freed myself and my relatives at last. The wound in the head is +slight. When this one he pointed to Ursus with his head] took the +girl from the young man, he pushed him against the wall; the +young man while falling put out his arm, evidently to save himself; +he broke and disjointed it, but by so doing saved his head and his +life." + +"Thou hast had more than one of the brotherhood in thy care," +added Crispus, "and hast the repute of a skilful physician; +therefore I sent Ursus to bring thee." + +"Ursus, who on the road confessed that yesterday he was ready to +kill me!" + +"He confessed his intention earlier to me than to thee; but I, who +know thee and thy love for Christ, explained to him that the traitor +is not thou, but the unknown, who tried to persuade him to +murder." + +"That was an evil spirit, but I took him for an angel," said Ursus, +with a sigh. + +"Some other time thou wilt tell me, but now we must think of this +wounded man." Thus speaking, he began to set the arm. Though +Crispus sprinkled water on his face, Vinicius fainted repeatedly +from suffering; that was, however, a fortunate circumstance, since +he did not feel the pain of putting his arm into joint, nor of setting +it. Glaucus fixed the limb between two strips of wood, which he +bound quickly and firmly, so as to keep the arm motionless. When +the operation was over, Vinicius recovered consciousness again +and saw + +Lygia above him. She stood there at the bed holding a brass basin +with water, in which from time to time Glaucus dipped a sponge +and moistened the head of his patient. + +Vinicius gazed and could not believe his eyes. What he saw +seemed a dream, or the pleasant vision brought by fever, and only +after a long time could he whisper, -- "Lygia!" + +The basin trembled in her hand at that sound, but she turned on +him eyes full of sadness. + +"Peace be with thee!" answered she, in a low voice. + +She stood there with extended arms, her face full of pity and +sorrow. But he gazed, as if to fill his sight with her, so that after +his lids were closed the picture might remain under them. He +looked at her face, paler and smaller than it had been, at the tresses +of dark hair, at the poor dress of a laboring woman; he looked so +intently tha: her snowy forehead began to grow rose-colored under +the influence of his look. And first he thought that he would love +her always; and second, that that paleness of hers and that poverty +were his work, -- that it was he who had driven her from a house +where she was loved, and surrounded with plenty and comfort, and +thrust her into that squalid room, and clothed her in that poor robe +of dark wool. + +He would have arrayed her in the costliest brocade, in all the +jewels of the earth; hence astonishment, alarm, and pity seized +him, and sorrow so great that he would have fallen at her feet had +he been able to move. + +"Lygia," said he, "thou didst not permit my death." + +"May God return health to thee," she answered, with sweetness. + +For Vinicius, who had a feeling both of those wrongs which he had +inflicted on her formerly, and those which he had wished to inflict +on her recently, there was a real balsam in Lygia's words. He forgot +at the moment that through her mouth Christian teaching might +speak; he felt only that a beloved woman was speaking, and that in +her answer there was a special tenderness, a goodness simply +prcterhuman, which shook him to the depth of his soul. As just +before he had grown weak from pain, so now he grew weak from +emotion. A certain faintness came on him, at once immense and +agreeable. He felt as if falling into some abyss, but he felt that to +fall was pleasant, and that he was happy. He thought at that +moment of weakness that a divinity was standing above him. + +Meanwhile Glaucus had finished washing the wound in his head, +and had applied a healing ointment. Ursus took the brass basin +from Lygia's hands; she brought a cup of water and wine which +stood ready on the table, and put it to the wounded man's lips. +Vinicius drank eagerly, and felt great relief. After the operation the +pain had almost passed; the wound and contusion began to grow +firm; perfect consciousness returned to him. + +"Give me another drink," said he. + +Lygia took the empty cup to the next room; meanwhile Crispus, +after a few words with Glaucus, approached the bed saying, -- + +"God has not permitted thee, Vinicius, to accomplish an evil deed, +and has preserved thee in life so that thou shouldst come to thy +mind. He, before whom man is but dust, delivered thee defenceless +into our hands; but Christ, in whom we believe, commanded us to +love even our enemies. Therefore we have dressed thy wounds, +and, as Lygia has said, we will implore God to restore thy health, +but we cannot watch over thee longer. Be in peace, then, and think +whether it beseems thee to continue thy pursuit of Lygia. Thou +hast deprived her of guardians, and us of a roof, though we return +thee good for evil." + +"Do ye wish to leave me? inquired Vinicius. + +"We wish to leave this house, in which prosecution by the prefect +of the city may reach us. Thy companion was killed; thou, who art +powerful among thy own people, art wounded. This did not happen +through our fault, but the anger of the law might fall on us." + +"Have no fear of prosecution," replied Vinicius; "I will protect +you." + +Crispus did not like to tell him that with them it was not only a +question of the prefect and the police, but of him; they wished to +secure Lygia from his further pursuit. + +"Lord," said he, "thy right arm is well. Here are tablets and a stilus; +write to thy servants to bring a litter this evening and bear thee to +thy own house, where thou wilt have more comfort than in our +poverty. We dwell here with a poor widow, who will return soon +with her son, and this youth will take thy letter; as to us, we must +all find another hiding-place." + +Vinicius grew pale, for he understood that they wished to separate +him from Lygia, and that if he lost her now he might never see her +in life again. He knew indeed that things of great import had come +between him and her, in virtue of which, if he wished to possess +her, he must seek some new methods which he had not had time +yet to think over. He understood too that whatever he might tell +these people, though he should swear that he would return Lygia to +Pomponia Graecina, they would not believe him, and were +justified in refusing belief. Moreover, he might have done that +before. Instead of hunting for Lygia, he might have gone to +Pomponia and sworn to her that he renounced pursuit, and in that +case Pomponia herself would have found Lygia and brought her +home. No; he felt that such promises would not restrain them, and +no solemn oath would be received, the more since, not being a +Christian, he could swear only by the immortal gods, in whom he +did not himself believe greatly, and whom they considered evil +spirits. + +He desired desperately to influence Lygia and her guardians in +some way, but for that there was need of time. For him it was +all-important to see her, to look at her for a few days even. As +every fragment of a plank or an oar seems salvation to a drowning +man, so to him it seemed that during those few days he might say +something to bring him nearer to her, that he might think out +something, that something favorable might happen. Hence he +collected his thoughts and said, -- + +"Listen to me, Christians. Yesterday I was with you in Ostrianum, +and I heard your teaching; but though I did not know it, your deeds +have convinced me that you are honest and good people. Tell that +widow who occupies this house to stay in it, stay in it yourselves, +and let me stay. Let this man turned to Glaucus], who is a +physician, or at least understands the care of wounds, tell whether +it is possible to carry me from here to-day. I am sick, I have a +broken arm, which must remain immovable for a few days even; +therefore I declare to you that I will not leave this house unless you +bear me hence by force!" + +Here he stopped, for breath failed in his breast, and Crispus said, -- +"We will use no force against thee, lord; we will only take away +our own heads." + +At this the young man, unused to resistance, frowned and said, -- +"Permit me to recover breath"; and after a time he began again to +speak, -- "Of Croton, whom Ursus killed, no one will inquire. He +had to go to-day to Beneventum, whither he was summoned by +Vatinius, therefore all will think that he has gone there. When I +entered this house in company with Croton, no one saw us except a +Greek who was with us in Ostrianum. I will indicate to you his +lodgings; bring that man to me. On him I will enjoin silence; he is +paid by me. I will send a letter to my own house stating that I too +went to Beneventum. If the Greek has informed the prefect +already, I will declare that I myself killed Croton, and that it was +he who broke my arm. I will do this, by my father's shade and by +my mother's! Ye may remain in safety here; not a hair will fall +from the head of one of you. Bring hither, and bring in haste, the +Greek whose name is Chilo Chionides!" + +"Then Glaucus will remain with thee," said Crispus, "and the +widow will nurse thee." + +"Consider, old man, what I say," said Vinicius, who frowned still +more. "I owe thee gratitude, and thou seemest good and honest; but +thou dost not tell me what thou hast in the bottom of thy soul. +Thou art afraid lest I summon my slaves and command them to +take Lygia. Is this true?" + +"It is," said Crispus, with sternness. + +"Then remember this, I shall speak before all to Chilo, and write a +letter home that I have gone to Beneventum. I shall have no +messengers hereafter but you. Remember this, and do not irritate +me longer." + +Here he was indignant, and his face was contorted with anger. +Afterward he began to speak excitedly, -- "Hast thou thought that I +would deny that I wish to stay here to see her? + +A fool would have divined that, even had I denied it. But I will not +try to take her by force any longer. I will tell thee more: if she will +not stay here, + +I will tear the bandages with this sound hand from my arm, will +take neither food nor drink; let my death fall on thee and thy +brethren. Why hast thou nursed me? Why hast thou not +commanded to kifi me?" He grew pale from weakness and anger. + +Lygia, who had heard all from the other room and who was certain +that Vinicius would do what he promised, was terrified. She would +not have him die for anything. Wounded and defenceless, he +roused in her compassion, not fear. Living from the time of her +flight among people in continual religious enthusiasm, thinking +only of sacrifices, offerings, and boundless charity, she had grown +so excited herself through that new inspiration, that for her it took +the place of house, family, lost happiness, and made her one of +those Christian maidens who, later on, changed the former soul of +the world. Vinicius had been too important in her fate, had been +thrust too much on her, to let her forget him. She had thought of +him whole days, and more than once had begged God for the +moment in which, following the inspiration of religion, she might +return good for his evil, mercy for his persecution, break him, win +him to Christ, save him. And now it seemed to her that precisely +that moment had come, and that her prayers had been heard. + +She approached Crispus therefore with a face as if inspired, and +addressed him as though some other voice spoke through her, -- +"Let him stay among us, Crispus, and we will stay with him till +Christ gives him health." + +The old presbyter, accustomed to seek in all things the inspiration +of God, beholding her exaltation, thought at once that perhaps a +higher power was speaking through her, and, fearing in his heart, +he bent his gray head, saymg, -- "Let it be as thou sayest." + +On Vinicius, who the whole time had not taken his eyes from her, +this ready obedience of Crispus produced a wonderful and +pervading impression. it seemed to him that among the Christians +Lygia was a kind of sibyl or priestess whom they surrounded with +obedience and honor; and he yielded himself also to that honor. To +the love which he felt was joined now a certain awe, in presence of +which love itself became something almost insolent. He could not +familiarize himself, however, with the thought that their relations +had changed: that now not she was dependent on his will, but he +on hers; that he was lying there sick and broken; that he had +ceased to be an attacking, a conquering force; that he was like a +defenceless child in her care. For his proud and commanding +nature such relations with any other person would have been +humiliating; now, however, not only did he not feel humiliated, +but he was thankful to her as to his sovereign. In him those were +feelings unheard-of, feelings which he could not have entertained +the day before, and which would have amazed him even on that +day had he been able to analyze them clearly. But he did not +inquire at the moment why it was so, just as if the position had +been perfectly natural; he merely felt happy because he remained +there. + +And he wished to thank her with gratefulness, and still with a kind +of feeling unknown to him in such a degree that he knew not what +to call it, for it was simply submission. His previous excitement +had so exhausted him that he could not speak, and he thanked her +only with his eyes, which were gleaming from delight because he +remained near her, and would be able to see her -- to-morrow, next +day, perhaps a long time. That delight was diminished only by the +dread that he might lose what he had gained. So great was this +dread that when Lygia gave him water a second time, and the wish +seized him to take her hand, he feared to do so. He feared! he, +that Vinicius who at CTsar's feast had kissed her lips in spite of +her! he, that Vinicius who after her flight had promised himself to +drag her by the hair to the cubiculum, or give command to flog +her! + +Chapter XXIV + +BUT he began also to fear that some outside force might disturb +his delight. Chilo might give notice of his disappearance to the +prefect of the city, or to his freedmen at home; and in such an +event an invasion of the house by the city guards was likely. +Through his head flew the thought, it is true, that in that event he +might give command to seize Lygia and shut her up in his house, +but he felt that he ought not to do so, and he was not capable of +acting thus. He was tyrannical, insolent, and corrupt enough, if +need be he was inexorable, but he was not Tigellinus or Nero. +Military life had left in him a certain feeling of justice, and +religion, and a conscience to understand that such a deed would be +monstrously mean. He would have been capable, perhaps, of +committing such a deed during an access of anger and while in +possession of his strength, but at that moment he was filled with +tenderness, and was sick. The only question for Vinicius at that +time was that no one should stand between him and Lygia. + +He noticed, too, with astonishment, that from the moment when +Lygia had taken his part, neither she herself nor Crispus asked +from him any assurances, just as if they felt confident that, in case +of need, some superhuman power would defend them. The young +tribune, in whose head the distinction bctwcen things possible and +impossible had grown involved and faint since the discourse of the +Apostle in Ostrianum, was also not too far from supposing that +that might take place. But considering things more soberly, he +remembered what he had said of the Greek, and asked again that +Chilo be brought to him. + +Crispus agrecd, and they decided to send Ursus. Vinicius, who in +recent days, before his visit to Ostrianum, had sent slaves +frequently to Chilo, though without result, indicated his lodgings +accurately to the Lygian; then writing a few words on the tablet, he +said, turning to Crispus, -- "I give a tablet, for this man is +suspicious and cunning. Frequently when summoned by me, he +gave directions to answer my people that he was not at home; he +did so always when he had no good news for me, and feared my +anger." + +"If I find him, I will bring him, willing or unwilling," said Ursus. +Then, taking his mantle, he went out hurriedly. + +To find any one in Rome was not easy, even with the most +accurate directions; but in those cases the instinct of a hunter aided +Ursus, and also his great knowledge of the city. After a certain +time, therefore, he found himself at Chilo's lodgings. + +He did not recognize Chio, however. He had seen him but once in +his life before, and moreover, in the night. Besides, that lofty and +confident old man who had persuaded him to murder Glaucus was +so unlike the Greek, bent double from terror, that rio one could +suppose the two to be one person. Chio, noticing that Ursus looked +at him as a perfect stranger, recovered from his first fear. The sight +of the tablet, with the writing of Vinicius, calmed him still more. +At least the suspicion that he would take him into an ambush +purposely did not trouble him. He thought, besides, that the +Christians had not killed Vinicius, evidently because they had not +dared to raise hands on so noted a person. + +"And then Vinicius will protect me in case of need," thought he; +"of course he does not send to deliver me to death." + +Summoning some courage, therefore, he said: "My good man, has +not my friend the noble Vinicius sent a litter? My feet are swollen; +I cannot walk so far." + +"He has not," answered Ursus; "we shall go on foot." + +"But if I refuse?" + +"Do not, for thou wilt have to go." + +"And I will go, but of my own will. No one could force me, for I +am a free man, and a friend of the prefect of the city. As a sage, I +have also means to overcome others, and I know how to turn +people into trees and wild beasts. But I will go, I will go! I will +only put on a mantle somewhat warmer, and a hood, lest the slaves +of that quarter might recognize me; they would stop me every +moment to kiss my hands." + +He put on a new mantle then, and let down a broad Gallic hood, +lest Ursus might recognize his features on coming into clearer +light. + +"Where wilt thou take me?" asked he on the road. + +"To the Trans-Tiber." + +"I am not long in Rome, and I have never been there, but there too, +of course, live men who love virtue." + +But Ursus, who was a simple man, and had heard Vinicius say that +the Greek had been with him in Ostrianum, and had seen him with +Croton enter the house in which Lygia lived, stopped for a moment +and said, -- "Speak no untruth, old man, for to-day thou wert with +Vinicius in Ostrianum and under our gate." + +"Ah!" said Chilo, "then is your house in the Trans-Tiber? I have +not been long in Rome, and know not how the different parts are +named. That is true, friend; I was under the gate, and implored +Vinicius in the name of virtue not to enter. I was in Ostrianum, and +dost thou know why? I am working for a certain time over the +conversion of Vinicius, and wished him to hear the chief of the +Apostles. May the light penetrate his soul and thine~ But thou art a +Christian, and wishest truth to overcome falsehood." + +"That is true," answered Ursus, with humility. + +Courage returned to Chilo completely. + +"Vinicius is a powerful lord," said he, "and a friend of Caesar. He +listens often yet to the whisperings of the wil spirit; but if even a +hair should fall from his head, Caesar would take vengeance on all +the Christians." + +"A higher power is protecting us." + +"Surely, surely! But what do ye intend to do with Vinicius?" +inquired Chio, with fresh alarm. + +"I know not. Christ commands mercy." + +"Thou hast answered excellently. Think of this always, or thou wilt +fry in hell like a sausage in a frying-pan." + +Ursus sighed, and Chilo thought that he could always do what he +liked with that man, who was terrible at the moment of his first +outburst. So, wishing to know what happened at the seizing of +Lygia, he asked further, in the voice of a stern judge, -- "How did +ye treat Croton? Speak, and do not prevaricate." Ursus sighed a +second time. "Vinicius will tell thee." "That means that thou didst +stab him with a knife, or kill him with a club." "I was without +arms." + +The Greek could not resist amazement at the superhuman strength +of the barbarian. + +"May Pluto--that is to say, may Christ pardon thee!" + +They went on for some time in silence; then Chilo said: + +"I will not betray thee; but have a care of the watches." + +"I fear Christ, not the watches." + +"And that is proper. There is no more grievous crime than murder. +I will pray for thee; but I know not if even niy prayer can be +effective, unless thou make a vow never to touch any one in life +with a finger." + +"As it is, I have not killed purposely," answered Ursus. + +But Chilo, who desired to secure himself in every case, did not +cease to condemn murder, and urge Ursus to make the vow. He +inquired also about Vinicius; but the Lygian answered his inquiries +unwillingly, repeating that from Vinicius himself he would hear +what he needed. Speaking in this way, they passed at last the long +road which separated the lodgings of the Greek from the +Trans-Tiber, and found themselves before the house. Chio's heart +began to beat again unquietly. From dread it seemed to him that +Ursus was beginning to look at him with a kind of greedy +expression. + +"It is small consolation to me," said he to himself, "if he kills me +unwillingly. I prefer in every case that paralysis should strike him, +and with him all the Lygians, -- which do thou effect, O Zeus, if +thou art able." + +Thus meditating, he wrapped himself more closely in his Gallic +mantle, repeating that he feared the cold. Finally, when they had +passed the entrance and the first court, and found themselves in the +corridor leading to the garden of the little house, he halted +suddenly and said, -- "Let me draw breath, or I shall not be able to +speak with Vinicius and give him saving advice." + +He halted; for though he said to himself that no danger threatened, +still his legs trembled under him at the thought that he was among +those mysterious people whom he had seen in Ostrianum. + +Meanwhile a hymn came to their ears from the little house. + +"What is that?" inquired Chilo. + +"Thou sayest that thou art a Christian, and knowest not that among +us it is the custom after every meal to glorify our Saviour with +singing," answered Ursus. "Miriam and her son must have +returned, and perhaps the Apostle is with them, for he visits the +widow and Crispus every day." + +"Conduct me directly to Vinicius." + +"Vinicius is in the same room with all, for that is the only large +one; the others are very small chambers, to which we go only to +sleep. Come in; thou wilt rest there." + +They entered. It was rather dark in the room; the evening was +cloudy and cold, the flames of a few candles did not dispel the +darkness altogether. Vinicius divined rather than recognized Chilo +in the hooded man. Chio, seeing the bed in the corner of the room, +and on it Vinicius, moved toward him directly, not looking at the +others, as if with the conviction that it would be safest near him. + +"Oh, lord, why didst thou not listen to my counsels?" exclaimed +he, putting his hands together. + +"Silence!" said Vinicius, "and listen!" + +Here he looked sharply into Chio's eyes, and spoke slowly with +emphasis, as if wishing the Greek to understand every word of his +as a command, and to keep it forever in memory. + +"Croton threw himself on me to kill and rob me, dost understand? I +killed him then, and these people dressed the wounds which I +received in the struggle." + +Chilo understood in a moment that if Vinicius spoke in this way it +must be in virtue of some agreement with the Christians, and in +that case he wished people to believe him. He saw this, too, from +his face; hence in one moment, without showing doubt or +astonishment, he raised his eyes and exclaimed, -- "That was a +faith-breaking ruffian! But I warned thee, lord, not to trust him; my +teachings bounded from his head as do peas when thrown against a +wall. In all Hades there are not torments enough for him. He who +cannot be honest must be a rogue; what is more difficult than for a +rogue to become honest? But to fall on his benefactor, a lord so +magnanimous --O gods!" + +Here he remembered that he had represented himself to Ursus on +the way as a Christian, and stopped. + +"Were it not for the 'sica,' which I brought, he would have slain +me," said Vinicius. + +"I bless the moment in which I advised thee to take a knife even." +Vinicius turned an inquiring glance on the Greek, and asked, -- +"What hast thou done to-day?" + +"How? What! have I not told thee, lord, that I made a vow for thy +health?" + +"Nothing more?" + +"I was just preparing to visit thee, when this good man came and +said that thou hadst sent for me." + +"Here is a tablet. Thou wilt go with it to my house; thou wilt find +my freedman and give it to him. It is written on the tablet that I +have gone to Beneventum. Thou wit tell Demas from thyself that I +went this morning, summoned by an urgent letter from Petronius." +Here he repeated with emphasis: "I have gone to Beneventum, dost +understand?" + +"Thou has gone, lord. This morning I took leave of thee at the +Porta Capena, and from the time of thy departure such sadness +possesses me that if thy magnanimity will not soften it, I shall cry +myself to death, like the unhappy wife of Zethos 1 in grief for +Itylos." + +Vinicius, though sick and accustomed to the Greek's suppleness, +could not repress a smile. He was glad, moreover, that Chio +understood in a flash; hence he said,-.-- + +"Therefore I will write that thy tears be wiped away. Give me the +candle." Chilo, now pacified perfectly, rose, and, advancing a few +steps toward the chimney, took one of the candles which was +burning at the wall. But while he was doing this, the hood slipped +from his head, and the light fell directly on his face. Glaucus +sprang from his seat and, coming up quickly, stood before him. + +"Dost thou not recognize me, Cephas?" asked he. In his voice there +was something so terrible that a shiver ran through all present. + +Chilo raised the candle, and dropped it to the earth almost the +same instant; then he bent nearly double and began to groan, -- "I +am not he--I am not he! Mercy!" + +Glaucus turned toward the faithful, and said, -- "This is the man +who betrayed -- who ruined me and my family!" + +That history was known to all the Christians and to Vinicius, who +had not guessed who that Glaucus was, -- for this reason only, that +he fainted repeatedly from pain during the dressing of his wound, +and had not heard his name. But for Ursus that short moment, with +the words of Glaucus, was like a lightning-flash in darkness. +Recognizing Chio, he was at his side with one spring, and, seizing +his arm, bent it back, exclaiming, -- "This is the man who +persuaded me to kill Glaucus!" + +"Mercy!" groaned Chilo. "I will give you -- O lord!" exclaimed he, +turning his head to Vinicius, "save me! I trusted in thee, take my +part. Thy letter -- I will deliver it. O lord, lord!" + +But Vinicius, who looked with more indifference than any one at +what was passing, first because all the affairs of the Greek were +more or less known to him, and second because his heart knew not +what pity was, said, -- "Bury him in the garden; some one else will +take the letter." + +It seemed to Chilo that those words were his final sentence. His +bones were shaking in the terrible hands of Ursus; his eyes were +filled with tears from pain. + +"By your God, pity!" cried he; "I am a Christian! Par vobiscum! I +am a Christian; and if ye do riot believe me, baptize me again, +baptize me twice, ten times! Glaucus, that is a mistake! Let me +speak, make me a slave! Do not kill me! Have mercy!" + +His voice, stifled with pain, was growing weaker and weaker, +when the Apostle Peter rose at the table; for a moment his white +head shook, drooping toward his breast, and his eyes were closed; +but he opened them then, and said amid silence, -- "The Saviour +said this to us: 'If thy brother has sinned against thee, chastise +him; but if he is repentant, forgive him. And if he has offended +seven times in the day against thee, and has turned to thee seven +times, saying, "Have mercy on me!" forgive him.'" + +Then came a still deeper silence. Glaucus remained a long time +with his hands covering his face; at last he removed them and said, +-- "Cephas, may God forgive thy offences, as I forgive them in the +name of Christ." + +Ursus, letting go the arms of the Greek, added at once: + +"May the Saviour be merciful to thee as I forgive thee." + +Chilo dropped to the ground, and, supported on it with his hands, +turned his head like a wild beast caught in a snare, looking around +to see whence death might come. He did not trust his eyes and ears +yet, and dared not hope for forgiveness. Consciousness returned to +him slowly; his blue lips were still trembling from terror. + +"Depart in peace!" said the Apostle, meanwhile. + +Chilo rose, but could not speak. He approached the bed of +Vinicius, +as if seeking protection in it still; for he had not time yet to think +that that man, though he had used his services and was still his +accomplice, condemned him, while those against whom he had +acted forgave. This thought was to come to him later. At present +simply astonishment and incredulity were evident in his look. +Though he had seen that they forgave him, he wished to bear away +his head at the earliest from among these incomprehensible +people, whose kindness terrified him almost as much as their +cruelty would have terrified. It seemed to him that should he +remain longer, something unexpected would happen again; hence, +standing above Vinicius, he said with a broken voice, -- "Give the +letter, lord,--give the letter!" And snatching the tablet which +Vinicius handed him, he made one obeisance to the Christians, +another to the sick man, pushed along sidewise by the very wall, +and hurried out through the door. In the garden, when darkness +surrounded him, fear raised the hair on his head again, for he felt +sure that Ursus would rush out and kill him in the night. He would +have run with all his might, but his legs would not move; next +moment they were perfectly uncontrollable, for Ursus stood near +him really. + +Chilo fell with his face to the earth, and began to groan: "Urban -- +in Christ's name" -- But Urban said: "Fear not. The Apostle +commanded me to lead thee out beyond the gate, lest thou might +go astray in the darkness, and, if strength failed thee, to conduct +thee home." + +"What dost thou say?" asked Chilo, raising his face. "What? Thou +wilt not kill me?" + +"No, I will not; and if I seized thee too roughly and harmed a bone +in thee, pardon me." + +"Help me to rise," said the Greek. "Thou wilt not kill me? Thou +wilt not? Take me to the Street; I will go farther alone." + +Ursus raised him as he might a feather, and placed him on his feet; +then he conducted him through the dark corridor to the second +court. From there was a passage to the entrance and the street. In +the corridor Chilo repeated again in his soul, "It is all over with +me!" Only when he found himself on the street did he recover and +say, "I can go on alone." + +"Peace be with thee." + +"And with thee! and with thee! Let me draw breath." + +And after Ursus had gone, he breathed with a full breast. He felt +his waist and hips, as if to convince himself that he was living, and +then moved forward with hurried step. + +"But why did they not kill me?" And in spite of all his talk with +Euricius about Christian teaching, in spite of his conversation at +the river with Urban, and in spite of all that he had heard in +Ostrianum, he could find no answer to that question. + +1 Aedon turned into a nightingale. + +Chapter XXV + +NEITHER could Vinicius discover the cause of what had +happened; and in the bottom of his soul he was almost as much +astonishe& as Chio. That those people should treat him as they +had, and, instead of avenging his attack, dress his wounds +carefully, he ascribed partly to the doctrine which they confessed, +more to Lygia, and a little, also, to his great significance. But their +conduct with Chilo simply went beyond his understanding of man's +power of forgiveness. And the question thrust itself into his mind: +Why did they not kill the Greek? They might have killed him with +impunity. Ursus would have buried him in the garden, or borne +him in the dark to the Tiber, which during that period of +night-murders, committed by Caesar himself even, cast up human +bodies so frequently in the morning that no one inquired whence +they came. To his thinking, the Christians had not only the power, +but the right to kill Chio. True, pity was not entirely a stranger to +that world to which the young patrician belonged. The Athenians +raised an altar to pity, and opposed for a long time the introduction +of gladiatorial combats into Athens. In Rome itself the conquered +received pardon sometimes, as, for in-stance, Calicratus, king of +the Britons, who, taken prisoner in the time of Claudius, and +provided for by him bountifully, dwelt in the city in freedom. But +vengeance for a personal wrong seemed to Vinicius, as to all, +proper and justified. The neglect of it was entirely opposed to his +spirit. True, he had heard in Ostrianum that one should love even +enemies; that, however, he considered as a kind of theory without +application in life. And now this passed through his head: that +perhaps they had not killed Chilo because the day was among +festivals, or was in some period of the moon during which it was +not proper for Christians to kill a man. He had heard that there are +days among various nations on which it is not permitted to begin +war even. But why, in such a case, did they not deliver the Greek +up to justice? Why did the Apostle say that if a man offended +seven times, it was necessary to forgive him seven times; and why +did Glaucus say to Chio, "May God forgive thee, as I forgive +thee"? + +Chilo had done him the most terrible wrong that one man could do +another. At the very thought of how he would act with a man who +killed Lygia, for instance, the heart of Vinicius seethed up, as does +water in a caldron; there were no torments which he would not +inflict in his vengeance! But Glaucus had forgiven; Ursus, too, had +forgiven, -- Ursus, who might in fact kill whomever he wished in +Rome with perfect impunity, for all he needed was to kill the king +of the grove in Nemi, and take his place. Could the gladiator +holding that office to which he had succeeded only by killing the + +previous "king," resist the man whom Croton could not resist? +There was only one answer to all these questions: that they +refrained from killing him through a goodness so great that the like +of it had not been in the world up to that time, and through an +unbounded love of man, which commands to forget one's self, +one's wrongs, one's happiness and misfortune, and live for others. +What reward those people were to receive for this, Vinicius heard +in Ostrianum, but he could not understand it. He felt, however, that +the earthly life connected with the duty of renouncing everything +good and rich for the benefit of others must be wretched. So in +what he thought of the Christians at that moment, besides the +greatest astonishment, there was pity, and as it were a shade of +contempt. It seemed to him that they were sheep which earlier or +later must be eaten by wolves; his Roman nature could yield no +recognition to people who let themselves be devoured. This one +thing struck him, however, -- that after Chilo's departure the faces +of all were bright with a certain deep joy. The Apostle approached +Glaucus, placed his hand on his head, and said, -- "In thee Christ +has triumphed." + +The other raised his eyes, which were full of hope, and as bright +with joy as if some great unexpected happiness had been poured +on him. Vinicius, who could understand only joy or delight born of +vengeance, looked on him with eyes staring from fever, and +somewhat as he would on a madman. He saw, however, and saw +not without internal indignation, that Lygia pressed her lips of a +queen to the hand of that man, who had the appearance of a slave; +and it seemed to him that the order of the world was inverted +utterly. Next Ursus told how he had conducted Chilo to the street, +and had asked forgiveness for the harm which he might have done +his bones; for this the Apostle blessed him also. Crispus declared +that it was a day of great victory. Hearing of this victory, Vinicius +lost the thread of his thought altogether. + +But when Lygia gave him a cooling draught again, he held her +hand for a moment, and asked, -- "Then must thou also forgive +me?" "We are Christians; it is not permitted us to keep anger in the +heart." "Lygia," said he, "whoever thy God is, I honor Him only +because He is thine." + +"Thou wilt honor Him in thy heart when thou lovest Him." + +"Only because He is thine," repeated Vinicius, in a fainter voice; +and he closed his eyes, for weakness had mastered him again. + +Lygia went out, but returned after a time, and bent over him to +learn if he were sleeping. Vinicius, feeling that she was near, +opened his eyes and smiled. She placed her hand over them lightly, +as if to incline him to slumber. A great sweetness seized him then; +but soon he felt more grievously ill than before, and was very ill in +reality. Night had come, and with it a more violent fever. He could +not sleep, and followed Lygia with his eyes wherever she went. + +At times he fell into a kind of doze, in which he saw and heard +everything which happened around him, but in which reality was +mingled with feverish dreams. It seemed to him that in some old, +deserted cemetery stood a temple, in the form of a tower, in which +Lygia was priestess. He did not take his eyes from her, but saw her +on the summit of the tower, with a lute in her hands, all in the +light, like those priestesses who in the night-time sing hymns in +honor of the moon, and whom he had seen in the Orient. He +himself was climbing up winding steps, with great effort, to bear +her away with him. Behind was creeping up Chio, with teeth +chattering from terror, and repeating, "Do not do that, lord; she is a +priestess, for whom He will take vengeance." Vinicius did not +know who that He was, but he understood that he himself was +going to commit some sacrilege, and he felt a boundless fear also. +But when he went to the balustrade surrounding the summit of the +tower, the Apostle with his silvery beard stood at Lygia's side on a +sudden, and said: + +"Do not raise a hand; she belongs to me." Then he moved forward +with her, on a path formed by rays from the moon, as if on a path +made to heaven. He stretched his hands toward them, and begged +both to take him into their company. + +Here he woke, became conscious, and looked before him. The +lamp on the tall staff shone more dimly, but still cast a light +sufficiently clear. All were sitting in front of the fire warming +themselves, for the night was chilly, and the chamber rather cold. +Vinicius saw the breath coming as steam from their lips. In the +midst of them sat the Apostle; at his knees, on a low footstool, was +Lygia; farther on, Glaucus, Crispus, Miriam, and at the edge, on +one side Ursus, on the other Miriam's son Nazarius, a youth with a +handsome face, and long, dark hair reaching down to his +shoulders. + +Lygia listened with eyes raised to the Apostle, and every head was +turned toward him, while he told something in an undertone. +Vinicius gazed at Peter with a certain superstitious awe, hardly +inferior to that terror which he felt during the fever dream. The +thought passed through his mind that that dream had touched truth; +that the gray-haired man there, freshly come from distant shores, +would take Lygia from him really, and take her somewhere away +by unknown paths. He felt sure also that the old man was speaking +of him, perhaps telling how to separate him from Lygia, for it +seemed to him impossible that any one could speak of aught else. +Hence, collecting all his presence of mind, he listened to Peter's +words. + +But he was mistaken altogether, for the Apostle was speaking of +Christ again. + +"They live only through that name," thought Vinicius. + +The old man was describing the seizure of Christ. "A company +came, and servants of the priest to seize Him. When the Saviour +asked whom they were seeking, they answered, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' +But when He said to them, 'I am He,' they fell on the ground, and +dared not raise a hand on Him. Only after the second inquiry did +they seize Him." + +Here the Apostle stopped, stretched his hands toward the fire and +continued: -- "The night was cold, like this one, but the heart in me +was seething; so, drawing a sword to defend Him, I cut an ear from +the servant of the high-priest. I would have defended Him more +than my own life had He not said to me, 'Put thy sword into the +sheath: the cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink it?' +Then they seized and bound Him." + +When he had spoken thus far, Peter placed his palm on his +forehead, and was silent, wishing before he went further to stop +the crowd of his recollections. But Ursus, unable to restrain +himself, sprang to his feet, trimmed the light on the staff till the +sparks scattered in golden rain and the flame shot up with more +vigor. Then he sat down, and exclaimed: + +"No matter what happened. I --" + +He stopped suddenly, for Lygia had put her finger to her lips. But +he breathed loudly, and it was clear that a storm was in his soul; +and though he was ready at all times to kiss the feet of the Apostle, +that act was one he could not accept; if some one in his presence +had raised hands on the Redeemer, if he had been with Him on +that night -- Oi! splinters would have shot from the soldiers, the +servants of the priest, and the officials. Tears came to his eyes at +the very thought of this, and because of his sorrow and mental +struggle; for on the one hand he thought that he would not only +have defended the Redeemer, but would have called Lygians to his +aid, -- splendid fellows, -- and on the other, if he had acted thus he +would have disobeyed the Redeemer, and hindered the salvation of +man. For this reason he could not keep back his tears. + +After a while Peter took his palm from his forehead, and resumed +the narrative. But Vinicius was overpowered by a new feverish, +waking dream. What he heard now was in his mind mixed up with +what the Apostle had told the night previous in Ostrianum, of that +day in which Christ appeared on the shore of the sea of Tiberius. +He saw a sheet of water broadly spread out; on it the boat of a +fisherman, and in the boat Peter and Lygia. He himself was +moving with all his might after that boat, but pain in his broken +arm prevented him from reaching it. The wind hurled waves in his +eyes, he began to sink, and called with entreating voice for rescue. +Lygia knelt down then before the Apostle, who turned his boat, +and reached an oar, which Vinicius seized: with their assistance he +entered the boat and fell on the bottom of it. + +It seemed to him, then, that he stood up, and saw a multitude of +people sailing after them. Waves covered their heads with foam; in +the whirl only the hands of a few could be seen; but Peter saved +the drowning time after time, and gathered them into his boat, +which grew larger, as if by a miracle. Soon crowds filled it, as +numerous as those which were collected in Ostrianum, and then +still greater crowds. Vinicius wondered how they could find place +there, and he was afraid that they would sink to the bottom. But +Lygia pacified him by showing him a light on the distant shore +toward which they were sailing. These dream pictures of Vinicius +were blended again with descriptions which he had heard in +Ostrianum, from the lips of the Apostle, as to how Christ had +appeared on the lake once. So that he saw now in that light on the +shore a certain form toward which Peter was steering, and as he +approached it the weather grew calmer, the water grew smoother, +the light became greater. The crowd began to sing sweet hymns; +the air was filled with the odor of nard; the play of water formed a +rainbow, as if from the bottom of the lake lilies and roses were +looking, and at last the boat struck its breast safely against the +sand. Lygia took his hand then, and said, "Come, I will lead thee!" +and she led him to the light. + +Vinicius woke again; but his dreaming ceased slowly, and he did +not recover at once the sense of reality. It seemed for a time to +'him that he was still on the lake, and surrounded by crowds, +among which, not knowing the reason himself, he began to look +for Petronius, and was astonished not to find him. The bright light +from the chimney, at which there was no one at that time, brought +him completely to his senses. Olive sticks were burning slowly +under the rosy ashes; but the splinters of pine, which evidently had +been put there some moments before, shot up a bright flame, and +in the light of this, Vinicius saw Lygia, sitting not far from his +bedside. + +The sight of her touched him to the depth of his soul. He +remembered that she had spent the night before in Ostrianum, and +had busied herself the whole day in nursing him, and now when all +had gone to rest, she was the only one watching. It was easy to +divine that she must be wearied, for while sitting motionless her +eyes were closed. Vinicius knew not whether she was sleeping or +sunk in thought. He looked at her profile, at her drooping lashes, at +her hands lying on her knees; and in his pagan head the idea began +to hatch with difficulty that at the side of naked beauty, confident, +and proud of Greek and Roman symmetry, there is another in the +world, new, immensely pure, in which a soul has its dwelling. + +He could not bring himself so far as to call it Christian, but, +thinking of Lygia, he could not separate her from the religion +which she confessed. He understood, even, that if all the others +had gone to rest, and she alone were watching, she whom he had +injured, it was because her religion commanded her to watch. But +that thought, which filled him with wonder for the religion, was +disagreeable to him. He would rather that Lygia acted thus out of +love for him, his face, his eyes, his statuesque form, -- in a word +for reasons because of which more than once snow-white Grecian +and Roman arms had been wound around his neck. + +Still he felt all at once, that, were she like other women, something +would be lacking in her. He was amazed, and knew not what was +happening in him; for he saw that new feelings of some kind were +rising in him, new likings, strange to the world in which he had +lived hitherto. + +She opened her eyes then, and, seeing that Vinicius was gazing at +her, she approached him and said, -- "I am with thee." + +"I saw thy soul in a dream," replied he. + +Chapter XXVI + +NEXT morning he woke up weak, but with a cool head and free of +fever. It seemed to him that a whispered conversation had roused +him; but when he opened his eyes, Lygia was not there. Ursus, +stooping before the chimney, was raking apart the gray ashes, and +seeking live coals beneath them. When he found some, he began to +blow, not with his mouth, but as it were with the bellows of a +blacksmith. Vinicius, remembering how that man had crushed +Croton the day before, examined with attention befitting a lover of +the arena his gigantic back, which resembled the back of a +Cyclops, and his limbs strong as columns. + +"Thanks to Mercury that my neck was not broken by him," thought +Vinicius. "By Pollux! if the other Lygians are like this one, the +Danubian legions will have heavy work some time!" + +But aloud he said, "Hei, slave!" + +Ursus drew his head out of the chimney, and, smiling in a manner +almost friendly, said, -- "God give thee a good day, lord, and good +health; but I am a free man, not a slave." + +On Vinicius. who wished to question Ursus touching Lygia's +birthplace, these words produced a certain pleasant impression; for +discourse with a free though a common man was less disagreeable +to his Roman and patrician pride, than with a slave, in whom +neither law nor custom recognized human nature. + +"Then thou dost not belong to Aulus?" asked he. + +"No, lord, I serve Callina, as I served her mother, of my own will." + +Here he hid his head again in the chimney, to blow the coals, on +which he had placed some wood. When he had finished, he took it +out and said, -- "With us there are no slaves." + +"Where is Lygia?" inquired Vinicius. + +"She has gone out, and I am to cook food for thee. She watched +over thee the whole night." + +"Why didst thou not relieve her?" + +"Because she wished to watch, and it is for me to obey." Here his +eyes grew gloomy, and after a while he added: + +"If I had disobeyed her, thou wouldst not be living." + +"Art thou sorry for not having killed me?" + +"No, lord. Christ has not commanded us to kill." + +"But Atacinus and Croton?" + +"I could not do otherwise," muttered Ursus. And he looked with +regret on his hands, which had remained pagan evidently, though +his soul had accepted the cross. Then be put a pot on the crane, +and fixed his thoughtful eyes on the fire. + +"That was thy fault, lord," said he at last. "Why didst thou raise thy +hand against her, a king's daughter?" + +Pride boiled up, at the first moment, in Vinicius, because a +common man and a barbarian had not merely dared to speak to +him thus familiarly, but to blame him in addition. To those +uncommon and improbable things which had met him since +yesterday, was added another. But being weak and without his +slaves, he restrained himself, especially since a wish to learn some +details of Lygia's life gained the upper hand in him. + +When he had calmed himself, therefore, he inquired about the war +of the Lygians against Vannius and the Suevi. Ursus was glad to +converse, but could not add much that was new to what in his time +Aulus Plautius had told. Ursus had not been in battle, for he had +attended the hostages to the camp of Atelius Hister. He knew only +that the Lygians had beaten the Suevi and the Yazygi, but that their +leader and king had fallen from the arrows of the Yazygi. +Immediately after they received news that the Semnones had set +fire to forests on their boundaries, they returned in haste to avenge +the wrong, and the hostages remained with Atelius, who ordered at +first to give them kingly honors. Afterward Lygia's mother died. +The Roman commander knew not what to do with the child. Ursus +wished to return with her to their own country, but the road was +unsafe because of wild beasts and wild tribes. When news came +that an embassy of Lygians had visited Pomponius, offering him +aid against the Marcomani, Hister sent him with Lygia to +Pomponius. When they came to him they learned, however, that no +ambassadors had been there, and in that way they remained in the +camp; whence Pomponius took them to Rome, and at the +conclusion of his triumph he gave the king's daughter to Pomponia +Graecina. + +Though only certain small details of this narrative had been +unknown to Vinicius, he listened with pleasure, for his enormous +pride of family was pleased that an eye-witness had confirmed +Lygia's royal descent. As a king's daughter she might occupy a +position at Caesar's court equal to the daughters of the very first +families, all the more since the nation whose ruler her father had +been, had not warred with Rome so far, and, though barbarian, it +might become terrible; for, according to Atelius Hister himself, it +possessed an immense force of warriors. Ursus, moreover, +confirmed this completely. + +"We live in the woods," said he, in answer to Vinicius, "but we +have so much land that no man knows where the end is, and there +are many people on it. There are also wooden towns in the forest, +in which there is great plenty; for what the Semnones, the +Marcomani, the Vandals, and the Quadi plunder through the +world, we take from them. They dare not come to us; but when the +wind blows from their side, they burn our forests. We fear neither +them nor the Roman Caesar." + +"The gods gave Rome dominion over the earth," said Vinicius +severely. + +"The gods are evil spirits," replied Ursus, with simplicity, "and +where there are no Romans, there is no supremacy." + +Here he fixed the fire, and said, as if to himself, -- "When Caesar +took Callina to the palace, and I thought that harm might meet her, +I wanted to go to the forest and bring Lygians to help the king's +daughter. And Lygians would have moved toward the Danube, for +they are virtuous people though pagan. There I should have given +them 'good tidings.' But as it is, if ever Callina returns to Pomponia +Gra~cina I will bow down to her for permission to go to them; for +Christus was born far away, and they have not even heard of Him. +He knew better than I where He should be born; but if He had +come to the world with us, in the forests, we would not have +tortured Him to death, that is certain. We would have taken care of +the Child, and guarded Him, so that never should He want for +game, mushrooms, beaver-skins, or amber. And what we +plundered from the Suevi and the Marcomani we would have +given Him, so that He might have comfort and plenty." + +Thus speaking, he put near the fire the vessel with food for +Vinicius, and was silent. His thoughts wandered evidently, for a +time yet, through the Lygian wildernesses, till the liquid began to +boil; then he poured it into a shallow plate, and, cooling it +properly, said, -- "Glaucus advises thee, lord, to move even thy +sound arm as little as possible; Callina has commanded me to give +thee food." + +Lygia commanded! There was no answer to that. It did not even +come to Vinicius's head to oppose her will, just as if she had been +the daughter of Cirsar or a goddess. He uttered not a word, +therefore; and Ursus, sitting near his bed, took out the liquid with a +small cup, and put it to his mouth. He did this so carefully, and +with such a kindly smile, that Vinicius could not believe his own +eyes, could not think him the same terrible Titan who the day +before had crushed Croton, and, rushing on him like a storm, +would have torn him to pieces but for Lygia's pity. The young +patrician, for the first time in life, began to ponder over this: What +can take place in the breast of a simple man, a barbarian, and a +servant? + +But Ursus proved to be a nurse as awkward as painstaking; the cup +was lost among his herculean fingers so completely that there was +no place left for the mouth of the sick man. After a few fruitless +efforts the giant was troubled greatly, and said, -- "Li! it would be +easier to lead an aurochs out of a snare." The anxiety of the Lygian +amused Vinicius, but his remark did not interest + +hit-n less. He had seen in circuses the terrible urus, brought from +wildernesses of the north, against which the most daring bestiarii +went with dread, and which yielded only to elephants in size and +strength. + +"Hast thou tried to take such beasts by the horns?" inquired he, +with astonishment. + +"Till the twentieth winter passed over me, I was afraid," answered +Ursus; "but after that it happened." + +And he began to feed Vinicius still more awkwardly than before. + +"1 must ask Miriam or Nazarius," said he. + +But now Lygia's pale face appeared from behind the curtaiil. + +"I will assist directly," said she. And after a while she came from +the cubiculum, in which she had been preparing to sleep, as it +seemed, for she was in a single close tunic, called by the ancients +capitium, covering the breast completely, and her hair was +unbound. Vinicius, whose heart beat with more quickness at sight +of her, began to upbraid her for not thinking of sleep yet; but she +answered joyously, -- "I was just preparing to sleep, but first I will +take the place of Ursus." + +She took the cup, and, sitting on the edge of the bed, began to give +food to Vinicius, who felt at once overcome and delighted. When +she inclined toward him, the warmth of her body struck him, and +her unbound hair fell on his breast. He grew pale from the +impression; but in the confusion and impulse of desires he felt also +that that was a head dear above all and magnified above all, in +comparison with which the whole world was nothing. At first he +had desired her; now he began to love her with a full breast. +Before that, as generally in life and in feeling, he had been, like all +people of that time, a blind, unconditional egotist, who thought +only of himself; at present he began to think of her. + +After a while, therefore, he refused further nourishment; and +though he found inexhaustible delight in her presence and in +looking at her, he said, -- "Enough! Go to rest, my divine one." + +"Do not address me in that way," answered Lygia; "it is not proper +for me to hear such words." + +She smiled at him, however, and said that sleep had fled from her, +that she felt no toil, that she would not go to rest till Glaucus came. +He listened to her words as to music; his heart rose with increasing +delight, increasing gratitude, and his thought was struggling to +show her that gratitude. + +"Lygia," said he, after a moment of silence, "I did not know thee +hitherto. But I know now that I wished to attain thee by a false +way; hence I say, return to Pomponia Graecina, and be assured that +in future no hand will be raised against thee." + +Her face became sad on a sudden. "I should be happy," answered +she, "could I look at her, even from a distance; but I cannot return +to her now." + +"Why?" inquired Vinicius, with astonishment. + +"We Christians know, through Acte, what is done on the Palatine. +Hast thou not heard that Caesar, soon after my flight and before his +departure for Naples, summoned Aulus and Pomponia, and, +thinking that they had helped me, threatened them with his anger? +Fortunately Aulus was able to say to him, 'Thou knowest, lord, that +a lie has never passed my lips; I swear to thee now that we did not +help her to escape, and we do not know, as thou dost not, what has +happened to her.' Caesar believed, and afterward forgot. By the +advice of the elders I have never written to mother where I am, so +that she might take an oath boldly at all times that she has no +knowledge of me. Thou wilt not understand this, perhaps, O +Vinicius; but it is not permitted us to lie, even in a question +involving life. Such is the religion on which we fashion our hearts; +therefore I have not seen Pomponia from the hour when I left her +house. From time to time distant echoes barely reach her that I am +alive and not in danger." + +Here a longing seized Lygia, and her eyes were moist with tears; +but she calmed herself quickly, and said, -- "I know that Pomponia, +too, yearns for me; but we have consolation which others have +not." + +"Yes," answered Vinicius, "Christ is your consolation, but I do not +understand that." + +"Look at us! For us there are no partings, no pains, no sufferings; +or if they come they are turned into pleasure. And death itself, +which for you is the end of life, is for us merely its beginning, -- +the exchange of a lower for a higher happiness, a happiness less +calm for one calmer and eternal. Consider what must a religion be +which enjoins on us love even for our enemies, forbids falsehood, +purifies our souls from hatred, and promises happiness +inexhaustible after death." + +"I heard those teachings in Ostrianum, and I have seen how ye +acted with me and with Chilo; when I remember your deeds, they +are like a dream, and it seems to me that I ought not to believe my +ears or eyes. But answer me this question: Art thou happy?" + +"I am," answered Lygia. "One who confesses Christ cannot be +unhappy." Vinicius looked at her, as though what she said passed +every measure of human understanding. + +"And hast thou no wish to return to Pomponia?" + +"I should like, from my whole soul, to return to her; and shall +return, if such be God's will." + +"I say to thee, therefore, return; and I swear by my lares that I will +not raise a hand against thee." + +Lygia thought for a moment, and answered, -- "No, I cannot expose +those near me to danger. Caesar does not like the Plautiuses. +Should I return -- thou knowest how every news is spread +throughout Rome by slaves -- my return would be noised about in +the city. Nero would hear of it surely through his slaves, and +punish Aulus and Pomponia, -- at least take me from them a +second time." + +"True," answered Vinicius, frowning, "that would be possible. He +would do so, even to show that his will must be obeyed. It is true +that he only forgot thee, or would remember thee, because the loss +was not his, but mine. Perhaps, if he took thee from Aulus and +Pomponia, he would send thee to mc and I could give thee back to +them." + +"Vinicius, wouldst thou see me again on the Palatine?" inquired +Lygia. He set his teeth, and answered, -- "No. Thou art right. I +spoke like a fool! No!" And all at once he saw before him a +precipice, as it were without bottom. + +He was a patrician, a military tribune, a powerful man; but above +every power of that world to which he belonged was a madman +whose will and malignity it was impossible to foresee. Only such +people as the Christians might cease to reckon with Nero or fear +him, -- people for whom this whole world, with its separations and +sufferings, was as nothing; people for whom death itself was as +nothing. All others had to tremble before him. The terrors of the +time in which they lived showed themselves to Vinicius in all their +monstrous extent. He could not return Lygia to Aulus and +Pomponia, then, through fear that the monster would remember +her, and turn on her his anger; for the very same reason, if he +should take her as wife, he might expose her, himself, and Aulus. +A moment of ill-humor was enough to ruin all. Vinicius felt, for +the first time in life, that either the world must change and be +transformed, or life would become impossible altogether. He +understood also this, which a moment before had been dark to +him, that in such times only Christians could be happy. + +But above all, sorrow seized him, for he understood, too, that it +was he who had so involved his own life and Lygia's that out of the +complication there was scarcely an outcome. And under the +influence of that sorrow he began to speak: + +"Dost thou know that thou art happier than I? Thou art in poverty, +arid in this one chamber, among simple people, thou hast thy +religion and thy Christ; but I have only thee, and when I lacked +thee I was like a beggar without a roof above him and without +bread. Thou art dearer to me than the whole world. I sought thee, +for I could not live without thee. I wished neither feasts nor sleep. +Had it not been for the hope of finding thee, I should have cast +myself on a sword. But I fear death, for if dead I could not see +thee. I speak the pure truth in saying that I shall not be able to live +without thee. I have lived so far only in the hope of finding and +beholding thee. Dost thou remember our conversations at the +house of Aulus? Once thou didst draw a fish for me on the sand, +and I knew not what its meaning was. Dost thou remember how +we played ball? I loved thee then above life, and thou had5t begun +already to divine that I loved thee. Aulus came, frightened us with +Libitina, and interrupted our talk. Pomponia, at parting, told +Petronius that God is one, all-mighty and all-merciful, but it did +not even occur to us that Christ was thy God and hers. Let Him +give thee to me and I will love Him, though He seems to me a god +of slaves, foreigners, and beggars. Thou sittest near me, and +thinkest of Him only. Think of me too, or I shall hate Him. For me +thou alone art a divinity. Blessed be thy father and mother; blessed +the land which produced thee! I should wish to embrace thy feet +and pray to thee, give thee honor, homage, offerings, thou thrice +divine! Thou knowest not, or canst not know, how I love thee." + +Thus speaking, he placed his hand on his pale forehead and closed +his eyes. His nature never knew bounds in love or anger. He spoke +with enthusiasm, like a man who, having lost self-control, has no +wish to observe any measure in words or feelings. But he spoke +from the depth of his soul, and sincerely. It was to be felt that the +pain, ecstasy, desire, and homage accumulated in his breast had +burst forth at last in an irresistible torrent of words. To Lygia his +words appeared blasphemous, but still her heart began to beat as if +it would tear the tunic enclosing her bosom. She could not resist +pity for him and his suffering. She was moved by the homage with +which he spoke to her. She felt beloved and deified without +bounds; she felt that that unbending and dangerous man belonged +to her now, soul and body, like a slave; and that feeling of his +submission and her own power filled her with happiness. Her +recollections revived in one moment. He was for her again that +splendid Vinicius, beautiful as a pagan god; he, who in the house +of Aulus had spoken to her of love, and roused as if from sleep her +heart half childlike at that time; he from whose embraces Ursus +had wrested her on the Palatine, as he might have wrested her from +flames. But at present, with ecstasy, and at the same time with pain +in his eagle face, with pale forehead and imploring eyes, -- +wounded, broken by love, loving, full of homage and submissive, +-- he seemed to her such as she would have wished him, and such +as she would have loved with her whole soul, therefore dearer than +he had ever been before. + +All at once she understood that a moment might come in which his +love would seize her and bear her away, as a whirlwind; and when +she felt this, she had the same impression that he had a moment +before, -- that she was standing on the edge of a precipice. Was it +for this that she had left the house of Aulus? Was it for this that +she had saved herself by flight? Was it for this that she had hidden +so long in wretched parts of the city? Who was that Vinicius? An +Augustian, a soldier, a courtier of Nero! Moreover he took part in +his profligacy and madness, as was shown by that feast, which she +could not forget; and he went with others to the temples, and made +offerings to vile gods, in whom he did not believe, perhaps, but +still he gave them official honor. Still more he had pursued her to +make her his slave and mistress, and at the same time to thrust her +into that terrible world of excess, luxury, crime, and dishonor +which calls for the anger and vengeance of God. He seemed +changed, it is true, but still he had just said to her that if she would +think more of Christ than of him, he was ready to hate Christ. It +seemed to Lygia that the very idea of any other love than the love +of Christ was a sin against Him and against religion. When she +saw then that other feelings and desires might be roused in the +depth of her soul, she was seized by alarm for her own future and +her own heart. + +At this moment of internal struggle appeared Glaucus, who had +come to care for the patient and study his health. In the twinkle of +an eye, anger and impatience were reflected on the face of +Vinicius. He was angry that his conversation with Lygia had been +interrupted; and when Glaucus questioned him, he answered with +contempt almost. It is true that he moderated himself quickly; but +if Lygia had any illusions as to this, -- that what he had heard in +Ostrianum might have acted on his unyielding nature, -- those +illusions must vanish. He had changed only for her; but beyond +that single feeling there remained in his breast the former harsh +and selfish heart, truly Roman and wolfish, incapable not only of +the sweet sentiment of Christian teaching but even of gratitude. + +She went away at last filled with internal care and anxiety. +Formerly in her prayers she had offered to Christ a heart calm, and +really pure as a tear. Now that calmness was disturbed. To the +interior of the flower a poisonous insect had come and began to +buzz. Even sleep, in spite of the two nights passed without sleep, +brought her no relief. She dreamed that at Ostrianum Nero, at the +head of a whole band of Augustians, bacchantes, corybantes, and +gladiators, was trampling crowds of Christians with his chariot +wreathed in roses; and Vinicius seized her by the arm, drew her to +the quadriga, and, pressing her to his bosom, whispered "Come +with us." + +Chapter XXVII + +FROM that moment Lygia showed herself more rarely in the +common chamber, and approached his couch less frequently. But +peace did not return to her. She saw that Vinicius followed her +with imploring glance; that he was waiting for every word of hers, +as for a favor; that he suffered and dared not complain, lest he +might turn her away from him; that she alone was his health and +delight. And then her heart swelled with compassion. Soon she +observed, too, that the more she tried to avoid him, the more +compassion she had for him; and by this itself the more tender +were the feelings which rose in her. Peace left her. At times she +said to herself that it was her special duty to be near him always, +first, because the religion of God commands return of good for +evil; second, that by conversing with him, she might attract him to +the faith. But at the same time conscience told her that she was +tempting herself; that only love for him and the charm which he +exerted were attracting her, nothing else. Thus she lived in a +ceaseless struggle, which was intensified daily. At times it seemed +that a kind of net surrounded her, and that in trying to break +through it she entangled herself more and more. She had also to +confess that for her the sight of him was becoming more needful, +his voice was becoming dearer, and that she had to struggle with +all her might against the wish to sit at his bedside. When she +approached him, and he grew radiant, delight filled her heart. On a +certain day she noticed traces of tears on his eyelids, and for the +first time in life the thought came to her, to dry them with kisses. +Terrified by that thought, and full of self-contempt, she wept all +the night following. + +He was as endurmg as if he had made a vow of patience. When at +moments his eyes flashed with petulance, self-will, and anger, he +restrained those flashes promptly, and looked with alarm at her, as +if to implore pardon. This acted stifi more on her. Never had she +such a feeling of being greatly loved as then; and when she thought +of this, she felt at once guilty and happy. Vinicius, too, had +changed essentially. In his conversations with Glaucus there was +less pride. It occurred to him frequently that even that poor slave +physician and that foreign woman, old Miriam, who surrounded +him with attention, and Crispus, whom he saw absorbed in +continual prayer, were still human. He was astonished at such +thoughts, but he had them. After a time he conceived a liking for +Ursus, with whom he conversed entire days; for with him he could +talk about Lygia. The giant, on his part, was inexhaustible in +narrative, and while performing the most simple services for the +sick man, he began to show him also some attachment. For +Vinicius, Lygia had been at all times a being of another order, +higher a hundred times than those around her: nevertheless, he +began to observe simple and poor people, -- a thing which he had +never done before, -- and he discovered in them various traits the +existence of which he had never suspected. + +Nazarius, however, he could not endure, for it seemed to him that +the Young lad had dared to fall in love with Lygia. He had +restrained his aversion for a long time, it is true; but once when he +brought her two quails, which he had bought in the market with his +own earned money, the descendant of the Quiites spoke out in +Vinicius, for whom one who had wandered in from a strange +people had less worth than the meanest worm. When he heard +Lygia's thanks, he grew terribly pale; and when Nazarius went out +to get water for the birds, he said,-- "Lygia, canst thou endure that +he should give thee gifts? Dost thou not know that the Greeks call +people of his nation Jewish dogs?" + +"I do not know what the Greeks call them; but I know that +Nazarius is a Christian and my brother." + +When she had said this she looked at Vinicius with astonishment +and regret, for he had disaccustomed her to similar outbursts; and +he set his teeth, so as not to tell her that he would have given +command to beat such a brother with sticks, or would have sent +him as a compeditus 1 to dig earth in his Sicilian vineyards. He +restrained himself, however, throttled the anger within him, and +only after a while did he say, -- "Pardon me, Lygia. For me thou art +the daughter of a king and the adopted child of Plautius." And he +subdued himself to that degree that when Nazarius appeared in the +chamber again, he promised him, on returning to his villa, the gift +of a pair of peacocks or flamingoes, of which he had a garden full. + +Lygia understood what such victories over himself must have cost +him; but the oftener he gained them the more her heart turned to +him. His merit with regard to Nazarius was less, however, than she +supposed. Vinicius might be indignant for a moment, but he could +not be jealous of him. In fact the son of Miriam did not, in his +eyes, mean much more than a dog; besides, he was a child yet, +who, if he loved Lygia, loved her unconsciously and servilely. +Greater struggles must the young tribune have with himself to +submit, even in silence, to that honor with which among those +people the name of Christ and His religion was surrounded. In this +regard wonderful things took place in Vinicius. That was in every +case a religion which Lygia believed; hence for that single reason +he was ready to receive it. Afterward, the more he returned to +health, the more he remembered the whole series of events which +had happened since that night at Ostrianum, and the whole series +of thoughts which had come to his head from that time, the more +he was astonished at the superhuman power of that religion which +changed the souls of men to their foundations. He understood that +in it there was something uncommon, something which had not +been on earth before, and he felt that could it embrace the whole +world, could it ingraft on the world its love and charity, an epoch +would come recalling that in which not Jupiter, but Saturn had +ruled. He did not dare either to doubt the supernatural origin of +Christ, or His resurrection, or the other miracles. The +eye-witnesses who spoke of them were too trustworthy and +despised falsehood too much to let him suppose that they were +telling things that had not happened. Finally, Roman scepticism +permitted disbelief in the gods, but believed in miracles. Vinicius, +therefore, stood before a kind of marvellous puzzle which he could +not solve. On the other hand, however, that religion seemed to him +opposed to the existing state of things, impossible of practice, and +mad in a degree beyond all others. According to him, people in +Rome and in the whole world might be bad, but the order of things +was good. Had C~csar, for example, been an honest man, had the +Senate been composed, not of insignificant libertines, but of men +like Thrasea, what more could one wish? Nay, Roman peace and +supremacy were good; distinction among people just and proper. +But that religion, according to the understanding of Vinicius, +would destroy all order, all supremacy, every distinction. What +would happen then to the dominion and lordship of Rome? Could +the Romans cease to rule, or could they recognize a whole herd of +conquered nations as equal to themselves? That was a thought +which could find no place in the head of a patrician. As regarded +him personally, that religion was opposed to all his ideas and +habits, his whole character and understanding of life. He was +simply unable to imagine how he could exist were he to accept it. +He feared and admired it; but as to accepting it, his nature +shuddered at that. He understood, finally, that nothing save that +religion separated him from Lygia; and when he thought of this, he +hated it with all the powers of his soul. + +Still he acknowledged to himself that it had adorned Lygia with +that exceptional, unexplained beauty which in his heart had +produced, besides love, respect, besides desire, homage, and had +made of that same Lygia a being dear to him l~eyond all others in +the world. And then he wished anew to love Christ. And he +understood clearly that he must either love or hate Him; he could +not remain indifferent. Meanwhile two opposing currents were as +if driving him: he hesitated in thoughts, in feelings; he knew not +how to choose, he bowed his head, however, to that God by him +uncomprehended, and paid silent honor for this sole reason, that +He was Lygia's God. + +Lygia saw what was happening in him; she saw how he was +breaking himself, how his nature was rejecting that religion; and +though this mortified her to the death, compassion, pity, and +gratitude for the silent respect which he showed Christ inclined her +heart to him with irresistible force. She recalled Pomponia +Graecina and Aulus. For Pomponia a source of ceaseless sorrOw +and tears that never dried was the thought that beyond the grave +she would not find Aulus. Lygia began now to understand better +that pain, that bitterness. She too had found a being dear to her, +and she was threatened by eternal separation from this dear one. + +At times, it is true, she was self-deceived, thinking that his soul +would open itself to Christ's teaching; but these illusions could not +remain. She knew and understood him too well. Vinicius a +Christian! -- These two ideas could find no place together in her +unenlightened head. If the thoughtful, discreet Aulus had not +become a Christian under the influence of the wise and perfect +Pomponia, how could Vinicius become one? To this there was no +answer, or rather there was only one, -- that for him there was +neither hope nor salvation. + +But Lygia saw with terror that that sentence of condemnation +which hung over him instead of making him repulsive made him +still dearer simply through compassion. At moments the wish +seized her to speak to him of his dark future; but once, when she +had sat near him and told him that outside Christian truth there +was no life, he, having grown stronger at that time, rose on his +sound arm and placed his head on her knees suddenly. "Thou art +life!" said he. And that moment breath failed in her breast, +presence of mind left her, a certain quiver of ecstasy rushed over +her from head to feet. Seizing his temples with her hands, she tried +to raise him, but bent the while so that her lips touched his hair; +and for a moment both were overcome with delight, with +themselves, and with love, which urged them the one to the other. + +Lygia rose at last and rushed away, with a flame in her veins and a +giddiness in her head; but that was the drop which overflowed the +cup filled already to the brim. Vinicius did not divine how dearly +he would have to pay f or that happy moment, but Lygia +understood that now she herself needed rescue. She spent the night +after that evening without sleep, in tears and in prayer, with the +feeling that she was unworthy to pray and could not be heard. Next +morning she went from the cubiculum early, and, calling Crispus +to the garden summer-house, covered with ivy and withered vines, +opened her whole soul to him, imploring him at the same time to +let her leave Miriam's house, since she could not trust herself +longer, and could not overcome her heart's love for Vinicius. + +Crispus, an old man, severe and absorbed in endless enthusiasm, +consented to the plan of leaving Miriam's house, but he had no +words of forgiveness for that love, to his thinking sinful. His heart +swelled with indignation at the very thought that Lygia, whom he +had guarded since the time of her flight, whom he had loved, +whom he had confirmed in the faith, and on whom he looked now +as a white lily grown up on the field of Christian teaching +undefiled by any earthly breath, could have found a place in her +soul for love other than heavenly. He had believed hitherto that +nowhere in the world did there beat a heart more purely devoted to +the glory of Christ. He wanted to offer her to Him as a pearl, a +jewel, the precious work of his own hands; hence the +disappointment which he felt filled him with grief and amazement. + +"Go and beg God to forgive thy fault," said he, gloomily. "Flee +before the evil spirit who involved thee bring thee to utter fall, and +before thou oppose the Saviour. God died on the cross to redeem +thy soul with His blood, but thou hart preferred to love him who +wished to make thee his concubine. God saved thee by a miracle of +His own hands, but thou hart opened thy heart to impure desire, +and hast loved the son of darkness. Who is he? The friend and +servant of Antichrist, his copartner in crime and profligacy. +Whither will he lead thee, if not to that abyss and to that Sodom +in which he himself is living, but which God will destroy with the +flame of His anger? But I say to thee, would thou hadst died, +would the walls of this house had fallen on thy head before that +serpent had crept into thy bosom and beslimed it with the poison +of iniquity." + +And he was borne away more and more, for Lygia's fault filled him +not only with anger but with loathing and contempt for human +nature in general, and in particular for women, whom even +Christian truth could not save from Eve's weakness. To him it +seemed nothing that the maiden had remained pure, that she +wished to flee from that love, that she had confessed it with +compunction and penitence. Crispus had wished to transform her +into an angel, to raise her to heights where love for Christ alone +existed, and she had fallen in love with an Augustian. The very +thought of that filled his heart with horror, strengthened by a +feeling of disillusion and disappointment. No, no, he could not +forgive her. Words of horror burned his lips like glowing coals; he +struggled still with himself not to utter them, but he shook his +emaciated hands over the terrified gil. Lygia felt guilty, but not to +that degree. She had judged even that withdrawal from Miriam's +house would be her victory over temptation, and would lessen her +fault. Crispus rubbed her into the dust; showed her all the misery +and insignificance of her soul, which she had not suspected +hitherto. She had judged even that the old presbyter, who from the +moment of her flight from the Palatine had been to her as a father, +would show some compassion, console her, give her courage, and +strengthen her. + +"I offer my pain and disappointment to God," said he, "but thou +hast deceived the Saviour also, for thou hast gone as it were to a +quagmire which has poisoned thy soul with its miasma. Thou +mightst have offered it to Christ as a costly vessel, and said to +Him, 'Fill it with grace, O Lord!' but thou hart preferred to offer it +to the servant of the evil one. May God forgive thee and have +mercy on thee; for till thou cast out the serpent, I who held thee as +chosen--" + +But he ceased suddenly to speak, for he saw that they were not +alone. Through the withered vines and the ivy, which was green +alike in summer and winter, he saw two men, one of whom was +Peter the Apostle. The other he was unable to recognize at once, +for a mantle of coarse woollen stuff, called cilicium, concealed a +part of his face. It seemed to Crispus for a moment that that was +Chilo. + +They, hearing the loud voice of Crispus, entered the summer-house +and sat on a stone bench. Peter's companion had an emaciated +face; his head, which was growing bald, was covered at the sides +with curly hair; he had reddened eyelids and a crooked nose; in the +face, ugly and at the same time inspired, Crispus recognized the +features of Paul of Tarsus. + +Lygia, casting herself on her knees, embraced Peter's feet, as if +from despair, and, sheltering her tortured head in the fold of his +mantle, remained thus in silence. + +"Peace to your souls!" said Peter. + +And seeing the child at his feet he asked what had happened. +Crispus began then to narrate all that Lygia had confessed to him, +-- her sinful love, her desire to flee from Miriam's house, -- and his +sorrow that a soul which he had thought to offer to Christ pure as a +tear had defiled itself with earthly feelings for a sharer in all those +crimes into which the pagan world had sunk, and which called for +God's vengeance. + +Lygia during his speech embraced with increasing force the feet of +the Apostle, as if wishing to seek refuge near them, and to beg +even a little compassion. + +But the Apostle, when he had listened to the end, bent down and +placed his aged hand on her head; then he raised his eyes to the old +presbyter, and said,-- "Crispus, hast thou not heard that our +beloved Master was in Cana, at a wedding, and blessed love +between man and woman?" + +Crispus's hands dropped, and he looked with astonishment on the +speaker, without power to utter one word. After a moment's silence +Peter asked again,-- "Crispus, dost thou think that Christ, who +permitted Mary of Magdala to lie at his feet, and who forgave the +public sinner, would turn from this maiden, who is as pure as a lily +of the field?" + +Lygia nestled up more urgently to the feet of Peter, with sobbing, +understanding that she had not sought refuge in vain. The Apostle +raised her face, which was covered with tears, and said to her, -- +'While the eyes of him whom thou lovest are not open to the light +of truth, avoid him, lest he bring thee to sin, but pray for him, and +know that there is no sin in thy love. And since it is thy wish to +avoid temptation, this will be accounted to thee as a merit. Do not +suffer, and do not weep; for I tell thee that the grace of the +Redeemer has not deserted thee, and that thy prayers will be heard; +after sorrow will come days of gladness." + +When he had said this, he placed both hands on her head, and, +raising his eyes, blessed her. From his face there shone a goodness +beyond that of earth. + +The penitent Crispus began humbly to explain himself; "I have +sinned against mercy," said he; "but I thought that by admitting to +her heart an earthly love she had denied Christ." + +"I denied Him thrice," answered Peter, "and still He forgave me, +and commanded me to feed His sheep." + +"And because," concluded Crispus, "Vinicius is an Augustian." + +"Christ softened harder hearts than his," replied Peter. + +Then Paul of Tarsus, who had been silent so far, placed his finger +on his breast, pointing to himself, and said, -- "I am he who +persecuted and hurried servants of Christ to their death; I am he +who during the stoning of Stephen kept the garments of those who +stoned him; I am he who wished to root out the truth in every part +of the inhabited earth, and yet the Lord predestined me to declare +it in every land. I have declared it in Judea, in Greece, on the +Islands, and in this godless city, where first I resided as a prisoner. +And now when Peter, my superior, has summoned me, I enter this +house to bend that proud head to the feet of Christ, and cast a grain +of seed in that stony field, which the Lord will fertilize, so that it +may bring forth a bountiful harvest." + +And he rose. To Crispus that diminutive hunchback seemed then +that which he was in reality, -- a giant, who was to stir the world to +its foundations and gather in lands and nations. + +Chapter XXVIII + +PETRONIUS to VINICIUS: -- "Have pity, carissime; imitate not in +thy letters the Lacedemonians or Julius Caesar! Couldst thou, like +Julius, write Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered), I might +understand thy brevity. But thy letter means absolutely Veni, vidi, +fugi (I came, I saw, I fled). Since such a conclusion of the affair is +directly opposed to thy nature, since thou art wounded, and since, +finally, uncommon things are happening to thee, thy letter needs +explanation. I could not believe my eyes when I read that the +Lygian giant killed Croton as easily as a Caledonian dog would kill +a wolf in the defiles of Hibernia. That man is worth as much gold +as he himself weighs, and it depends on him alone to become a +favorite of Caesar. When I return to the city, I must gain a nearer +acquaintance with that Lygian, and have a bronze statue of him +made for myself. Ahenobarbus will burst from curiosity, when I +tell him that it is from nature. Bodies really athletic are becoming +rarer in Italy and in Greece; of the Orient no mention need be +made; the Germans, though large, have muscles covered with fat, +and are greater in bulk than in strength. Learn from the Lygian if +he is an exception, or if in his country there are more men like +him. Should it happen sometime to thee or me to organize games +officially, it would be well to know where to seek for the best +bodies. + +"But praise to the gods of the Orient and the Occident that thou +hast come out of such hands alive. Thou hast escaped, of course, +because thou art a patrician, and the son of a consul; but +everything which has happened astonishes me in the highest +degree, -- that cemetery where thou wert among the Christians, +they, their treatment of thee, the subsequent flight of Lygia; finally, +that peculiar sadness and disquiet which breathes from thy short +letter. Explain, for there are many points which I cannot +understand; and if thou wish the truth, I will tell thee plainly, that I +understand neither the Christians nor thee nor Lygia. Wonder not +that I, who care for few things on earth except my own person, +inquire of thee so eagerly. I have contributed to all this affair of +thine; hence it is my affair so far. Write soon, for I cannot foresee +surely when we may meet. In Bronzebeard's head plans change, as +winds do in autumn. At present, while tarrying in Beneventum, he +has the wish to go straightway to Greece, without returning to +Rome. Tigellinus, however, advises him to visit the city even for a +time, since the people, yearning overmuch for his person (read 'for +games and bread') may revolt. So I cannot tell how it will be. +Should Achaea overbalance, we may want to see Egypt. I should +insist with all my might on thy coming, for I think that in thy state +of mmd travelling and our amusements would be a medicine, but +thou mightst not find us. Consider, then, whether in that case +respose in thy Sicilian estates would not be preferable to +remaining in Rome. Write me minutely of thyself, and farewell. I +add no wish this time, except health; for, by Pollux! +I know not what to wish thee." + +Vinicius, on receiving this letter, felt at first no desire to reply. He +had a kind of feeling that it was not worth while to reply, that an +answer would benefit no one in any way, that it would explain +nothing. Discontent, and a feeling of the vanity of life, possessed +him. He thought, moreover, that Petronius would not comprehend +him in any case, and that something had happened which would +remove them from each other. He could not come to an agreement +with himself, even. When he returned from the Trans-Tiber to his +splendid "insula," he was exhausted, and found for the first days a +certain satisfaction in rest and in the comfort and abundance about +him. That satisfaction lasted but a short time, however. He felt +soon that he was living in vanity; that all which so far had formed +the interest of his life either had ceased to exist for him or had +shrunk to proportions barely perceptible. He had a feeling as if +those ties which hitherto had connected him with life had been cut +in his soul, and that no new ones had been formed. At the thought +that he might go to Beneventum and thence to Acham, to swim in +a life of luxury and wild excess, he had a feeling of emptiness. "To +what end? What shall I gain from it?" These were the first +questions which passed through his head. And for the first time in +life, also, he thought that if he went, the conversation of Petronius, +his wit, his quickness, his exquisite outlining of thought, and his +choice of apt phrases for every idea might annoy him. + +But solitude, too, had begun to annoy him. All his acquaintances +were with Caesar in Beneventum; so he had to stay at home alone, +with a head full of thoughts, and a heart full of feelings which he +could not analyze. He had moments, however, in which he judged +that if he could converse with some one about everything that took +place in him, perhaps he might be able to grasp it all somehow, +bring it to order, and estimate it better. Under the influence of this +hope, and after some days of hesitation, he decided to answer +Petronius; and, though not certain that he would send the answer, +he wrote it in the following words: -- + +"It is thy wish that I write more minutely, agreed then; whether I +shall be able to do it more clearly, I cannot tell, for there are many +knots which I know not myself how to loosen. I described to thee +my stay among the Christians, and their treatment of enemies, +among whom they had a right to count both me and Chilo; finally, +of the kindness with which they nursed me, and of the +disappearance of Lygia. No, my dear friend, I was not spared +because of being the son of a consul. Such considerations do not +exist for them, since they forgave even Chilo, though I urged them +to bury him in the garden. Those are people such as the world has +not seen hitherto, and their teaching is of a kind that the world has +not heard up to this time. I can say nothing else, and he errs who +measures them with our measure. I tell thee that, if I had been +lying with a broken arm in my own house, and if my own peopls, +even my own family, had nursed me, I should have had more +comforts, of course, but I should not have received half the care +which I found among them. + +"Know this, too, that Lygia is like the others. Had she been my +sister or my wife, she could not have nursed me more tenderly. +Delight filled my heart more than once, for I judged that love alone +could inspire the like tenderness. More than once I saw love in her +look, in her face; and, wilt thou believe mc? among those simple +people then in that poor chamber, which was at once a culina +and a triclinium, I felt happier than ever before. No; she was not +indifferent to me -- and to-day even I cannot think that she was. +Still that same Lygia left Miriam's dwelling in secret because of +me. I sir now whole days with my head on my hands, and think, +Why did she do so? Have I written thee that I volunteered to +restore her to Aulus? True, she declared that to he impossible at +present, because Aulus and Pomponia had gone to Sicily, and +because news of her return going from house to house, through +slaves, would reach the Palatine, and Caesar might take her from +Aifins again. But she knew that I would not pursue her longer; that +I had left the way of violence; that, unable to cease loving her or to +live without her, I would bring her into my house through a +wreathed door, and seat her on a sacred skin at my hearth. Still she +fled! Why? Nothing was threatening her. Did she not love me, she +might have rejected me. The day before her flight, I made the +acquaintance of a wonderful man, a certain Paul of Tarsus, who +spoke to me of Christ and His teachings, and spoke with such +power that every word of his, without his willing it, rums nil the +foundations of our society into ashes. That same man visited me +after her flight, and said: 'If God open thy eyes to the light, and +take the beam from them as He took it from mine, thou wilt feel +that she acted properly; and then, perhaps, thou wilt find her.' And +now I am breaking my head over these words, as if I had heard +them from the mouth of the Pythoness at Delphi. I seem to +understand something. Though they love people, the Christians are +enemies of our life, our gods, and our crimes; hence she fled from +mc, as from a man who belongs to our society, and with whom she +would have to share a life counted criminal by Christians. Thou +wilt say that since she might reject me, she had no need to +withdraw. But if she loved me? In that case she desired to flee +from love. At the very thought of this I wish to send slaves into +every alley in Rome, and command them to cry throughout the +houses, 'Return, Lygis!' But I cease to understand why she fled. I +should nor have stopped her from believing in her Christ, and +would myself have reared an altar to Him in the atrium. What +harth eould one more god do me? Why might I not believe in him, +-- I who do not believe overmuch in the old gods? I know with full +certainty that the Christlans do not lie; amd they say that he rose +from the dead. A man cannot rise from the dead. That Paul of +TarIlls, who is a Roman citizen, but who, as a Jew, knows the old +Hebrew writings, told mc that the coming of Christ was promised +by prophets for whole thousands of years. All these are uncommon +things, but does not the uncommon surround us on every side? +People have not ceased talking yet of Apollonius of Tyana. Paul's +statement that there is one God, not a whole assembly of them, +seems sound to rue. Perhaps Seneca is of this opinion, and before +him many others. Christ lived, gave Himself to h‡ crucified for the +salvation of the world, and rose from the dead. All this is perfectly +certain. I do not see, therefore, a reason why I should insist on an +opposite opinion, or why I should not rear to Him an Altir, If I am +ready to rear one to Serapis, for instance. It would not be difficult +for me even to renounce other gods, for no reasoning mind +believes in them at present, But it seems that all this is not enough +yet for the Christians, It is not enough to honor Christ, one must +also live according to His teachings, and here thou err on the shore +of a sea which they command thee to wade through. + +"If I promised to do so, they themselves would feel that the +promise was an empty sound of words. Paul told me so openly. +Thou knowest how I love Lygis, and knowcst that there is nothing +that I would not do for her. Still, even at her wish, I cannot raise +Soraete or Vesuvius on my shoulders, or place Thrasymenc Lake +on the palm of my hand, or from black make my eyes blue, like +those of the Lygians. If she so desited, I could have the wish, but +the change does not lie in my power. I am not a philosopher, but +also I ant not So dull as I have seemed, perhaps, more than once to +thee, 1 will state now the following: I know not how the Christians +order their own lives, but I know that where their religion begins, +Roman rule ends, Rome itself ends, our mode of life ends, the +distinction between conquered and -- conqueror, between rich and +poor, lord and slave, ends, government ends, Caesar ends, law and +all the order of the world ends; and in place of those appear Christ, +with a certain mercy not existent hitherto, and kindness, opposed +to human and our Roman instincts. It is true that Lygia is more to +me than all Rome and its lordship; and I would let society vanish +could 1 have her in my house. But that is another thing. Agreement +in words does nor satisfy the Christians; a man must feel that their +teaching is truth, and not have aught else in his soul. But that, the +gods are my witnesses, is beyond me. Dost understand what that +means? There is something in my nature which shudders at this +religion; and! were my lips to glorify it, were I to conform to its +preceprts, my soul and my reason would say that I do so through +love for Lygia, and that apart from her there is to me nothing on +earth more repulsive. And, a strange thing, Paul of Tarsus +understands this, and so does that old theurgus Peter, who in spite +of all his simplicity and low origin is the highest among them, and +was the disciple of Christ. And dost thou know what they are +doing? They are praying for me, and calling down something +which they call grace; hut nothing descends on me, save disquiet, +and a greater yearning for Lygia. + +"I have written thee that she went away secretly; but when going +she left me a cross which she put together from twigs of boxwood. +When I woke up, 1 found ft near my bed. I have it now in the +lararium, and I approach it yet, I cannot tell why, as if there were +something divine in it, that is, with awe and reverence. I love it +because her hand bound it, and I hate it be-cause it divides us. At +times it seems to me that there are enchantments of some kind in +all this affair, and that the theurgus, Peter, though he declares +himself to be a simple shepherd, is greater than Apollonius, and all +who preceded him, and that he has involved us all -- Lygia, +Pomponia, and me -- with them. + +"Thou hast written that in my previous letter disquiet and sadness +are visible. Sadness there must be, for I have lost her again, and +there is disquiet because something has changed in me. I tell thee +sincerely, that nothing is mote repugnant to my nature than that +religion, and still I cannot recognize myself since I met Lygia. Is it +enchantment, or love? Circe changed people's bodies by touching +them, but my soul has been changed. No one but Lygia could have +done that, or rather Lygia through that wonderful religion which +she professes. When I returned to my house from the Christians, no +one was waiting for me. The slaves thought that I was in +Beneventum, and would not return soon; hence there was disorder +in the house. I found the slaves drunk, and a feast, which they were +giving themselves, in my triclinium. They had more thought of +seeing death than me, and would have been less terrified by it. +Thou knowest with what a firm hand I hold my house; all to the +last one dropped on their knees, and some fainted from terror. But +dost thou know how I acted? At the first moment I wished to call +for rods and hot iron, but immediately a kind of shame seized me, +and, wilt thou lend belief? A species of pity for those wretched +people. Among them are old slaves whom my grandfather, Marcus +Vinicius, brought from the Rhine in the time of Augustus. 1 shut +myself up alone in the library, and there came stranger thoughts +still to my head; namely, that after what I had heard and seen +among the Christians, it did not become me to act with slaves as 1 +had acted hitherto -- that they too were people. For a number of +days they moved about in mortal terror, in the belief that I was +delaying so as to invent punishment the more cruel, but I did not +punish, and did not punish because I was not able. Summoning +them on the third day, I said, 'I forgive you; strive then with earnest +service to correct your fault!' They fell on their knees, covering +their faces with tears, stretching forth their hands with groans, and +called me lord and father; but I -- with shame do I write this -- was +equally moved. It seemed to me that at that moment I was looking +at the sweet face of Lygia, and her eyes filled with tears, thanking +me for that act. And, prob pudor! I felt that my lips too were moist. +Dost know what I will confess to thee? This, -- that I cannot do +without her, that it is ill for me alone, that I am simply unhappy, +and that my sadness is greater than thou wilt admit. But, as to my +slaves, one thing arrested my attention. The forgiveness which they +received not only did not make them insolent, not only did not +weaken discipline, but never had fear roused them to such ready +service as has gratitude. Not only do they serve, but they seem to +vie with one another to divine my wishes. I mention this to thee +because, when, the day before I left the Christians, I told Paul that +society would fall apart because of his religion, as a cask without +hoops, he answered, 'Love is a stronger hoop than fear.' And now I +see that in certain cases his opinion may be right. I have verified it +also with references to clients, who, learning of my return, hurried +to salute me. Thou knowest that I have never been penurious with +them; but my father acted haughtily with clients on principle, and +taught me to treat them in like manner. But when I saw their worn +mantles and hungry faces, I had a feeling something like +compassion. I gave command to bring them food, and conversed +besides with them, -- called some by name, some I asked about +their wives and children, -- and again in the eyes before me I saw +tears; again it seemed to me that Lygia saw what I was doing, that +she praised and was delighted. Is my mind beginning to wander, or +is love confusing my feelings? I cannot tell. But this I do know; I +have a continual feeling that she is looking at me from a distance, +and I am afraid to do aught that might trouble or offend her. + +"So it is, Caius! but they have changed my soul, and sometimes I +feel well for that reason. At times again I am tormented with the +thought, for I fear that my manhood and energy are taken from me; +that, perhaps, I am useless, not only for counsel, for judgment, for +feasts, but for war even. These are undoubted enchantments! And +to such a degree am I changed that I tell thee this, too, which came +to my head when I lay wounded: that if Lygia were like Nigidia, +Poppae, Crispinilla, and our divorced women, if she were as vile, +as pitiless, and as cheap as they, I should not love her as I do at +present. But since I love her for that which divides us, thou wilt +divine what a chaos is rising in my soul, in what darkness I live, +how it is that I cannot see certain roads before me, and how far I +am from knowing what to begin. If life may be compared to a +spring, in my spring disquiet flows instead of water. I live through +the hope that I shall see her, perhaps, and sometimes it seems to +me that I shall see her surely. But what will happen to me in a year +or two years, I know not, and cannot divine. I shall not leave +Rome. I could not endure the society of the Augustians; and +besides, the one solace in my sadness and disquiet is the thought +that I am near Lygia, that through Glaucus the physician, who +promised to visit me, or through Paul of Tarsus, I can learn +something of her at times. No; I would not leave Rome, even were +ye to offer me the government of Egypt. Know also, that I have +ordered the sculptor to make a stone monument for Gulo, whom I +slew in anger. Too late did it come to my mind that he had carried +me in his arms, and was the first to teach me how to put an arrow +on a bow. I know not why it was that a recollection of him rose in +me which was sorrow and reproach. If what I write astonish thee, I +reply that it astonishes me no less, but I write pure truth. -- +Farewell." + +Chapter XXIX + +VINICUS received no answer to this letter. Petronius did not write, +thinking evidently that Caesar might command a return to Rome +any day. In fact, news of it was spread in the city, and roused great +delight in the hearts of the rabble, eager for games with gifts of +grain and olives, great supplies of which had been accumulated in +Ostia. Helius, Nero's freedman, announced at last the return in the +Senate. But Nero, having embarked with his court on ships at +Misenum, returned slowly, disembarking at coast towns for rest, or +exhibitions in theatres. He remained between ten and twenty days +in Minturna, and even thought to return to Naples and wait there +for spring, which was earlier than usual, and warm. During all this +time Vinicius lived shut up in his house, thinking of Lygia, and all +those new things which occupied his soul, and brought to it ideas +and feelings foreign to it thus far. He saw, from time to time, only +Glaucus the physician, every one of whose visits delightcd him, for +he could converse with the man about Lygia. Glaucus knew not, it +is true, where she had found refuge, but he gave assurance that the +elders were protecting her with watchful care. Once too, when +moved by the sadness of Vinicius, he told him that Peter had +blamed Crispus for reproaching Lygia with her love. The young +patrician, hearing this, grew pale from emotion. He had thought +more than once that Lygia was not indifferent to him, but he fell +into frequent doubt and uncertainty. Now for the first time he +heard the confirmation of his desires and hopes from strange lips, +and, besides, those of a Christian. At the first moment of gratitude +he wished to run to Peter. When he learned, however, that he was +not in the city, but teaching in the neighborhood, he implored +Glaucus to accompany him thither, promising to make liberal gifts +to the poor community. It seemed to him, too, that if Lygia loved +him, all obstacles were thereby set aside, as he was ready at any +moment to honor Christ. Glaucus, though he urged him +persistently to receive baptism, would not venture to assure him +that he would gain Lygia at once, and said that it was necessary to +desire the religion for its own sake, through love of Christ, not for +other objects. "One must have a Christian soul, too," said he. And +Vinicius, though every obstacle angered him, had begun to +understand that Glaucus, as a Christian, said what he ought to say. +He had not become clearly conscious that one of the deepest +changes in his nature was this, -- that formerly he had measured +people and things only by his own selfialmess, but now he was +accustoming himself gradually to the thought that other eyes might +see differently, other hearts feel differently, and that justice did not +mean always the same as personal profit. + +He wished often to see Paul of Tarsus, whose discourse made him +curious and disturbed him. He arranged in his mind arguments to +overthrow his teaching, he resisted him in thought; still he wished +to see him and to hear him. Paul, however, had gone to Aricium, +and, since the visits of Glaucus had become rarer, Vinicius was in +perfect solitude. He began again to run through back streets +adjoining the Subura, and narrow lanes of the Trans-Tiber, in the +hope that even from a distance he might see Lygia. When even that +hope failed him, weariness and impatience began to rise in his +heart. At last the time came when his former nature was felt again +mightily, like that onrush of a wave to the shore from which it had +receded. It seemed to him that he had been a fool to no purpose, +that he had stuffed his head with things which brought sadness, +that he ought to accept from life what it gives. He resolved to +forget Lygia, or at least to seek pleasure and the use of things aside +from her. He felt that this trial, however, was the last, and he threw +himself into it with all the blind energy of impulse peculiar to him. +Life itself seemed to urge him to this course. + +The city, torpid and depopulated by winter, began to revive with +hope of the near coming of Caesar. A solemn reception was in +waiting for him. Meanwhile spring was there; the snow on the +Alban Hills had vanished under the breath of winds from Africa. +Grass-plots in the gardens were covered with violets. The Forums +and the Campus Martius were filled with people warmed by a sun +of growing heat. Along the Appian Way, the usual place for drives +outside the city, a movement of richly ornamented chariots had +begun. Excursions were made to the Alban Hills. Youthful women, +under pretext of worshipping Juno in Lanuvium, or Diana in +Aricia, left home to seek adventures, society, meetings, and +pleasure beyond the city. Here Vinicius saw one day among lordly +chariots the splendid car of Chrysothemis, preceded by two +Molossian dogs; it was surrounded by a crowd of young men and +by old senators, whose position detained them in the city. +Chrysothemis, driving four Corsican ponies herself, scattered +smiles round about, and light strokes of a golden whip; but when +she saw Vinicius she reined in her horses, took him into her car, +and then to a feast at her house, which lasted all night. At that feast +Vinicius drank so much that he did not remember when they took +him home; he recollected, however, that when Chrysothemis +mentioned Lygia he was offended, and, being drunk, emptied a +goblet of Falernian on her head. When he thought of this in +soberness, he was angrier still. But a day later Chrysothemis, +forgetting evidently the injury, visited him at his house, and took +him to the Appian Way a second time. Then she supped at his +house, and confessed that not only Petronius, but his lute-player, +had grown tedious to her long since, and that her heart was free +now. They appeared together for a week, but the relation did not +promise permanence. After the Falernian incident, however, +Lygia's name was never mentioned, but Vinicius could not free +himself from thoughts of her. He had the feeling always that her +eyes were looking at his face, and that feeling filled him, as it +were, with fear. He suffered, and could not escape the thought that +he was saddening Lygia, or the regret which that thought roused in +him. After the first scene of jealousy which Chrysothemis made +because of two Syrian damsels whom he purchased, he let her go +in rude fashion. He did not cease at once from pleasure and +license, it is true, but he followed them out of spite, as it were, +toward Lygia. At last he saw that the thought of her did not leave +him for an instant; that she was the one cause of his evil activity as +well as his good; and that really nothing in the world occupied him +except her. Disgust, and then weariness, mastered him. Pleasure +had grown loathsome, and left mere reproaches. It seemed to him +that he was wretched, and this last feeling filled him with +measureless astonishment, for formerly he recognized as good +everything which pleased him. Finally, he lost freedom, +self-confidence, and fell into perfect torpidity, from which even +the news of Caesar's coming could not rouse him. Nothing touched +him, and he did not visit Petronius till the latter sent an invitation +and his litter. + +On seeing his uncle, though greeted with gladness, he replied to +his questions unwillingly; but his feelings and thoughts, repressed +for a long time, burst forth at last, and flowed from his mouth in a +torrent of words. Once more he told in detail the history of his +search for Lygia, his life among the Christians, everything which +he had heard and seen there, everything which had passed through +his head and heart; and finally he complained that he had fallen +into a chaos, in which were lost composure and the gift of +distinguishing and judging. Nothing, he said, attracted him, +nothing was pleasing; he did not know what to hold to, nor how to +act. He was ready both to honor and persecute Christ; he +understood the loftiness of His teaching, but he felt also an +irresistible repugnance to it. He understood that, even should he +possess Lygia, he would not possess her completely, for he would +have to share her with Christ. Finally, he was living as if not living, +-- without hope, without a morrow, without belief in happiness; +around him was darkness in which he was groping for an exit, and +could not find it. + +Petronius, during this narrative, looked at his changed face, at his +hands, which while speaking he stretched forth in a strange +manner, as if actually seeking a road in the darkness, and he fell to +thinking. All at once he rose, and, approaching Vinicius, caught +with his fingers the hair above his ear. + +"Dost know," asked he, "that thou hast gray hairs on thy temple?" + +"Perhaps I have," answered Vinicius; "I should not be astonished +were all my hair to grow white soon." + +Silence followed. Petronius was a man of sense, and more than +once he meditated on the soul of man and on life. In general, life, +in the society in which they both lived, might be happy or unhappy +externally, but internally it was at rest. Just as a thunderbolt or an +earthquake might overturn a temple, so might misfortune crush a +life. In itself, however, it was composed of simple and harmonious +lines, free of complication. But there was something else in the +words of Vinicius, and Petronius stood for the first time before a +series of spiritual snarls which no one had straightened out +hitherto. Hc was sufficiently a man of reason to feel their +importance, but with all his quickness he could not answer the +questions put to him. After a long silence, he said at last, -- + +"These must be enchantments." + +"I too have thought so," answered Vinicius; "more than once it +seemed to me that we were enchanted, both of us." + +"And if thou," said Petronius, "were to go, for example, to the +priests of Serapis? Among them, as among priests in general, there +are many deceivers, no doubt; but there are others who have +reached wonderful secrets." + +He said this, however, without conviction and with an uncertain +voice, for he himself felt how empty and even ridiculous that +counsel must seem on his lips. + +Vinicius rubbed his forehead, and said: "Enchantments! I have +seen sorcerers who employed unknown and subterranean powers +to their personal profit; I have seen those who used them to the +harm of their enemies. But these Christians live in poverty, forgive +their enemies, preach submission, virtue, and mercy; what profit +could they get from enchantments, and why should they use +them?" + +Petronius was angry that his acuteness could find no reply; not +wishing, however, to acknowledge this, he said, so as to offer an +answer of some kind, -- "That is a new sect." After a while he +added: "By the divine dweller in Paphian groves, how all that +injures life! Thou wilt admire the goodness and virtue of those +people; but I tell thee that they are bad, for they are enemies of +life, as are diseases, and death itself. As things are, we have +enough of these enemies; we do not need the Christians in +addition. Just count them: diseases, Caesar, Tigellinus, Grsar's +poetry, cobblers who govern the descendants of ancient Quirites, +freedmen who sit in the Senate. By Castor! there is enough of this. +That is a destructive and disgusting sect. Hast thou tried to shake +thyself out of this sadness, and make some little use of life?" + +"I have tried," answered Vinicins. + +"Ah, traitor!" said Petronius, laughing; "news spreads quickly +through slaves; thou hast seduced from me Chrysothemis!" + +Vinicius waved his hand in disgust. + +"In every case I thank thee," said Petronius. "I will send her a pair +of slippers embroidered with pearls. In my language of a lover that +means, 'Walk away.' I owe thee a double gratitude, -- first, thou +didst not accept Eunice; second, thou hast freed me from +Cbrysothemis. Listen to me! Thou seest before thee a man who has +risen early, bathed, feasted, possessed Chrysothemis, written +satires, and even at times interwoven prose with verses, but who +has been as wearied as Caesar, and often unable to unferter +himself from gloomy thoughts. And dost thou know why that was +so? It was because I sought at a distance that which was near. A +beautiful woman is worth her weight always in gold; but if she +loves in addition, she has simply no price. Such a one thou wilt not +buy with the riches of Verres. I say now to myself as follows: I will +fill my life with happiness, as a goblet with the foremost wine +which the earth has produced, and I will drink till my hand +becomes powerless and my lips grow pale. What will come, I care +not; and this is my latest philosophy." + +"Thou hast proclaimed it always; there is nothing new in it." + +"There is substance, which was lacking." + +When he had said this, he called Eunice, who entered dressed in +white drapery, -- the former slave no longer, but as it were a +goddess of love and happiness. + +Petronius opened his arms to her, and said, -- "Come." + +At this she ran up to him, and, sitting on his knee, surrounded his +neck with her arms, and placed her head on his breast. Vinicius +saw how a reflection of purple began to cover her cheeks, how her +eyes melted gradually in mist. They formed a wonderful group of +love and happiness. Petronius stretched his hand to a flat vase +standing at one side on a table, and, taking a whole handful of +violets, covered with them the head, bosom, and robe of Eunice; +then he pushed the tunic from her arms, and said, -- "Happy he +who, like me, has found love enclosed in such a form! At times it +seems to me that we are a pair of gods. Look thyself! Has +Praxiteles, or Miron, or Skopas, or Lysias even, created more +wonderful lines? Or does there exist in Paros or in Pentelicus such +marble as this, -- warm, rosy, and full of love? There are people +who kiss off the edges of vases, but I prefer to look for pleasure +where it may be found really." + +He began to pass his lips along her shoulders and neck. She was +penetrated with a quivering; her eyes now closed, now opened, +with an expression of unspeakable delight. Petronius after a while +raised her exquisite head, and said, turning to Vinicius, -- "But +think now, what are thy gloomy Christians in comparison with +this? + +And if thou understand not the difference, go thy way to them. But +this sight will cure thee." + +Vinicius distended his nostrils, through which entered the odor of +violets, which filled the whole chamber, and he grew pale; for he +thought that if he could have passed his lips along Lygia's +shoulders in that way, it would have been a kind of sacrilegious +delight so great that let the world vanish afterward! But +accustomed now to a quick perception of that which took place in +him, he noticed that at that moment he was thinking of Lygia, and +of her only. + +"Eunice," said Petronius, "give command, thou divine one, to +prepare garlands for our heads and a meal." + +When she had gone out he turned to Vinicius. + +"I offered to make her free, hut knowest thou what she answered~ +-- 'I would rather be thy slave than Caesar's wife!' And she would +not consent. 1 freed her then without her knowledge. The pretor +favored me by not requiring her presence. But she does not know +that she is free, as also she does not know that this house and all +my jewels, excepting the gems, will belong to her in case of my +death." He rose and walked through the room, and said: + +"Love changes some more, others less, but it has changed even me. +Once I loved the odor of verbenas; but as Eunice prefers violets, I +like them now beyond all other flowers, and since spring came we +breathe only violets." + +Here he stopped before Vinicius and inquired, -- "But as to thee, +dost thou keep always to nard?" "Give me peace!" answered the +young man. + +"I wished thee to see Eunice, and I mentioned her to thee, because +thou, perhaps, art seeking also at a distance that which is near. +Maybe for thee too is beating, somewhere in the chambers of thy +slaves, a true and simple heart. Apply such a balsam to thy +wounds. Thou sayest that Lygia loves thee? Perhaps she does. But +what kind of love is that which abdicates? Is not the meaning this, +-- that there is another force stronger than her love? No, my dear, +Lygia is not Eunice." + +"All is one torment merely," answered Vinicius. "I saw thee +kissing Eunice's shoulders, and I thought then that if Lygia would +lay hers bare to me I should not care if the ground opened under us +next moment. But at the very thought of such an act a certain dread +seized me, as if I had attacked some vestal or wished to defile a +divinity. Lygia is not Eunice, but I understand the difference not in +thy way. Love has changed thy nostrils, and thou preferrest violets +to verbenas; but it has changed my soul: hence, in spite of my +misery and desire, I prefer Lygia to be what she is rather than to be +like others." + +"In that case no injustice is done thee. But I do not understand the +position." + +"True, true!" answered Vinicius, feverishly. "We understand each +other no longer." + +Another moment of silence followed. + +"May Hades swallow thy Christians!" exclaimed Petronius. "They +have filled thee with disquiet, and destroyed thy sense of life. May +Hades devour them! Thou art mistaken in thinking that their +religion is good, for good is what gives people happiness, namely, +beauty, love, power; but these they call vanity. Thou art mistaken +in this, that they are just! for if we pay good for evil, what shall we +pay for good? And besides, if we pay the same for one and the +other, why are people to be good?" + +"No, the pay is not the same; but according to their teaching it +begins in a future life, which is without limit." + +"I do not enter into that question, for we shall see hereafter if it be +possible to see anything without eyes. Meanwhile they are simply +incompetents. Ursus strangled Croton because he has limbs of +bronze; but these are mopes, and the future cannot belong to +mopes." + +"For them life begins with death." + +"Which is as if one were to say, 'Day begins with night.' Hast thou +the intent to carry off Lygia?" + +"No, I cannot pay her evil for good, and I swore that I would not." + +"Dost thou intend to accept the religion of Christ?" + +"I wish to do so, but my nature cannot endure it." + +"But wilt thou be able to forget Lygia?" + +"Then travel." + +At that moment the slaves announced that the repast was ready; +but Petronius, to whom it seemed that he had fallen on a good +thought, said, on the way to the triclinium, -- "Thou has ridden +over a part of the world, but only as a soldier hastening to his place +of destination, and without halting by the way. Go with us to +Achaea. Caesar has not given up the journey. He will stop +everywhere on the way, sing, receive crowns, plunder temples, and +return as a triumphator to Italy. That will resemble somewhat a +journey of Bacchus and Apollo in one person. Augustians, male +and female, a thousand citharz. By Castor! that will be worth +witnessing, for hitherto the world has not seen anything like it!" + +Here he placed himself on the couch before the table, by the side +of Eunice; and when the slaves put a wreath of anemones on his +head, he continued, -- "What hast thou seen in Corbulo's service? +Nothing. I-last thou seen the Grecian temples thoroughly, as I +have, -- I who was passing more than two years from the hands of +one guide to those of another? Hast thou been in Rhodes to +examine the site of the Colossus? Hast thou seen in Panopeus, in +Phocis, the clay from which Prometheus shaped man; or in Sparta +the eggs laid by Leda; or in Athens the famous Sarmatian armor +made of horse-hoofs; or in Eubcea the ship of Agamemnon; or the +cup for whose pattern the left breast of Helen served? Hast thou +seen Alexandria, Memphis, the Pyramids, the hair which Isis tore +from her head in grief for Osiris? Hast thou heard the shout of +Memnon? The world is wide; everything does not end at the +TransTiber! I will accompany Caesar, and when he returns I will +leave him and go to Cyprus; for it is the wish of this golden-haired +goddess of mine that we offer doves together to the divinity in +Paphos, and thou must know that whatever she wishes must +happen." + +"I am thy slave," said Eunice. + +He rested his garlanded head on her bosom, and said with a smile, +-- "Then I am the slave of a slave. I admire thee, divine one, from +feet to head!" + +Then he said to Vinicius: "Come with us to Cyprus. But first +remember that thou must see Caesar. It is bad that thou hast not +been with him yet; Tigellinus is ready to use this to thy +disadvantage. He has no personal hatred for thee, it is true; but he +cannot love thee, even because thou art my sister's son. We shall +say that thou wert sick. We must think over what thou art to +answer should he ask thee about Lygia. It will be best to wave thy +hand and say that she was with thee till she wearied thee. He will +understand that. Tell him also that sickness kept thee at home; that +thy fever was increased by disappointment at not being able to +visit Naples and hear his song; that thou wert assisted to health +only by the hope of hearing him. Fear no exaggeration. Tigellinus +promises to invent, not only something great for Caesar, but +something enormous. I am afraid that he will undermine me; I am +afraid too of thy disposition." + +"Dost thou know," said Vinicius, "that there are people who have +no fear of Caesar, and who live as calmly as if he were +non-existent?" + +"I know whom thou hast in mind -- the Christians." + +"Yes; they alone. But our life, -- what is it if not unbroken terror?" + +"Do not mention thy Christians. They fear not Caesar, because he +has not even heard of them perhaps; and in every case he knows +nothing of them, and they concern him as much as withered leaves. +But I tell thee that they are incompetents. Thou feelest this thyself; +if thy nature is repugnant to their teaching, it is just because thou +feelest their incompetence. Thou art a man of other clay; so +trouble not thyself or me with them. We shall be able to live and +die, and what more they will be able to do is unknown." + +These words struck Vinicius; and when he returned home, he +began to think that in truth, perhaps, the goodness and charity of +Christians was a proof of their incompetience of soul. It seemed to +him that people of strength and temper could not forgive thus. It +came to his head that this must be the real cause of the repulsion +which his Roman soul felt toward their teaching. "We shall be able +to live and die!" said Petrothus. As to them, they know only how to +forgive, and understand neither true love nor true hatred. + +Chapter XXX + +Caesar, on returning to Rome, was angry because he had returned, +and after some days was filled anew with a wish to visit Achaea. +He even issued an edict in which he declared that his absence +would be short, and that public affairs would not be exposed to +detriment because of it. In company with Augustians, among +whom was Vinicius, he repaired to the Capitol to make offerings +to the gods for an auspicious journey. But on the second day, when +he visited the temple of Vesta, an event took place which changed +all his projects. Nero feared the gods, though he did not believe in +them; he feared especially the mysterious Vesta, who filled him +with such awe that at sight of the divinity and the sacred fire his +hair rose on a sudden from terror, his teeth chattered, a shiver ran +through his limbs, and he dropped into the arms of Vinicius, who +happened there behind him. He was borne out of the temple at +once, and conveyed to the Palatine, where he recovered soon, but +did not leave the bed for that day. He declared, moreover, to the +great astonishment of those present, that he deferred his journey, +since the divinity had warned him secretly against haste. An hour +later it was announced throughout Rome that Caesar, seeing the +gloomy faces of the citizens, and moved by love for them, as a +father for his children, would remain to share their lot and their +pleasures. The people, rejoiced at this decision, and certain also +that they would not miss games and a distribution of wheat, +assembled in crowds before the gates of the Palatine, and raised +shouts in honor of the divine Caesar, who interrupted the play at +dice with which he was amusing himself with Augustians, and +said: + +"Yes, there was need to defer the journey. Egypt, and predicted +dominion over the Orient, cannot escape me; hence Ach~a, too, +will not be lost. I will give command to cut through the isthmus of +Corinth; I will rear such monuments in Egypt that the pyramids +will seem childish toys in comparison; I will have a sphinx built +seven times greater than that which is gazing into the desert +outside Memphis; but I will command that it have my face. +Coming ages will speak only of that monument and of me." + +"With thy verses thou hast reared a monument to thyself already, +not seven, but thrice seven, times greater than the pyramid of +Cheops," said Petronius. + +"But with my song?" inquired Nero. + +"Ah! if men could only build for thee a statue, like that of +Memnon, to call with thy voice at sunrise! For all ages to come the +seas adjoining Egypt would swarm with ships in which crowds +from the three parts of the world would be lost in listenmg to thy +song." + +"Alas! who can do that?" said Nero. + +"But thou canst give command to cut out of basalt thyself driving a +quadriga." + +"True! I will do that!" + +"Thou wilt bestow a gift on humanity." + +"In Egypt 1 will marry the Moon, who is now a widow, and I shall +be a god really." + +"And thou wilt give us stars for wives; we will make a new +constellation, which will be called the constellation of Nero. But +do thou marry Vitelius to the Nile, so that he may beget +hippopotamuses. Give the desert to Tigellinus, he will be king of +the jackals." + +"And what dost thou predestine to me?" inquired Vatinius. + +"Apis bless thee! Thou didst arrange such splendid games in +Beneventum that 1 cannot wish thee ill. Make a pair of boots for +the sphinx, whose paws must grow numb during night-dews; after +that thou will make sandals for the Colossi which form the alleys +before the temples. Each one will find there a fitting occupation. +Domitius Afer, for example, will be treasurer, since he is known +for his honesty. I am glad, Caesar, when thou art dreaming of +Egypt, and I am saddened because thou hast deferred thy plan of a +journey." + +"Thy mortal eyes saw nothing, for the deity becomes invisible to +whomever it wishes," said Nero. "Know that when I was in the +temple of Vesta she herself stood near me, and whispered in my +ear, 'Defer the journey.' That happened so unexpectedly that I was +terrified, though for such an evident care of the gods for me I +should be thankful." + +"We were all terrified," said Tigcllinus, "and the vestal Rubria +fainted." + +"Rubria!" said Nero; "what a snowy neck she has!" + +"But she blushed at sight of the divine Caesar --" + +"True! I noticed that myself. That is wonderful. There is something +divine in every vestal, and Rubria is very beautiful. + +"Tell me," said he, after a moment's meditation, "why people fear +Vesta more than other gods. What does this mean? Though I am +the chief priest, fear seized me to-day. I remember only that I was +falling back, and should have dropped to the ground had not some +one supported me. Who was it?" + +"I," answered Vinicius. + +"Oh, thou 'stern Mars'! Why wert thou not in Beneventum? They +told me that thou wert ill, and indeed thy face is changed. But I +heard that Crown wished to kill thee? Is that true?" + +"It is, and he broke my arm; but I defended myself." + +"With a broken arm?" + +"A certain barbarian helped me; he was stronger than Croton." + +Nero looked at him with astonishment. "Stronger than Croton? Art +thou jesting? Croton was the strongest of men, but now here is +Syphax from Ethiopia." + +"I tell thee, Caesar, what I saw with my own eyes." + +"Where is that pearl? Has he not become king of Nemi?" + +"I cannot tell, Caesar. I lost sight of him." + +"Thou knowest not even of what people he is?" + +"I had a broken arm, and could not inquire for him." + +"Seek him, and find him for me." + +"I will occupy myself with that," said Tigellinus. + +But Nero spoke further to Vinicius: "I thank thee for having +supported me; I might have broken my head by a fall. On a time +thou west a good companion, but campaigning and service with +Corbulo have made thee wild in some way; 1 see thee rarely. + +"How is that maiden too narrow in the hips, with whom thou wert +in love," asked he after a while, "and whom I took from Aulus for +thee?" + +Vinicius was confused, but Petronius came to his aid at that +moment. "I will lay a wager, lord," said he, "that he has forgotten. +Dost thou see his confusion? Ask him how many of them there +were since that time, and I will not give assurance of his power to +answer. The Vinicii are good soldiers, but still better gamecocks. +They need whole flocks. Punish him for that, lord, by not inviting +him to the feast which Tigellinus promises to arrange in thy honor +on the pond of Agrippa." + +"I will not do that. I trust, Tigellinus, that flocks of beauty will not +be lacking there." + +"Could the Graces be absent where Amor will be present?" +answered Tigellinus. + +"Weariness tortures me," said Nero. "I have remained in Rome at +the will of the goddess, but I cannot endure the city. I will go to +Annum. I am stifled in these narrow streets, amid these +tumble-down houses, amid these alleys. Foul air flies even here to +my house and my gardens. Oh, if an earthquake would destroy +Rome, if some angry god would level it to the earth! I would show +how a city should be built, which is the head of the world and my +capital." + +"Caesar," answered Tigellinus, "thou sayest, 'If some angry god +would destroy the city,' -- is it so?" + +"It is! What then?" + +"But art thou not a god?" + +Nero waved his hand with an expression of weariness, and said, -- +"We shall see thy work on the pond of Agrippa. Afterward I go to +Antium. Ye are all little, hence do not understand that I need +immense things." + +Then he closed his eyes, giving to understand in that way that he +needed rest. In fact, the Augustians were beginning to depart. +Petronius went out with Vinicius, and said to him, -- "Thou art +invited, then, to share in the amusement. Bronzebeard has +renounced the journey, but he will be madder than ever; he has +fixed himself in the city as in his own house. Try thou, too, to find +in these madnesses amusement and forgetfulness. Well! we have +conquered the world, and have a right to amuse ourselves. Thou, +Marcus, art a very comely fellow, and to that I ascribe in part the +weakness which I have for thee. By the Ephesian Diana! if thou +couldst see thy joined brows, and thy face in which the ancient +blood of the Quirites is evident! Others near thee looked like +freedmen. True! were it not for that mad religion, Lygia would be +in thy house to-day. Attempt once more to prove to me that they +are not enemies of life and mankind. They have acted well toward +thee, hence thou mayst be grateful to them; but in thy place I +should detest that religion, and seek pleasure where I could find it. +Thou art a comely fellow, I repeat, and Rome is swarming with +divorced women." + +"I wonder only that all this does not torture thee yet?" + +"Who has told thee that it does not? It tortures me this long time, +but I am not of thy years. Besides, I have other attachments which +are lacking thee. I love books, thou hast no love for them; I love +poetry, which annoys thee; I love pottery, gems, a multitude of +things, at which thou dost not look; I have a pain in my loins, +which thou hast not; and, finally, I have found Eunice, but thou +hast found nothing similar. For me, it is pleasant in my house, +among masterpieces; of thee I can never make a man of aesthetic +feeling. I know that in life I shall never find anything beyond what +I have found; thou thyself knowest not that thou art hoping yet +continually, and seeking. If death were to visit thee, with all thy +courage and sadness, thou wouldst die with astonishment that it +was necessary to leave the world; but I should accept death as a +necessity, with the conviction that there is no fruit in the world +which I have not tasted. I do not hurry, neither shall I loiter; I shall +try merely to be joyful to the end. There are cheerful sceptics in +the world. For me, the Stoics are fools; but stoicism tempers men, +at least, while thy Christians bring sadness into the world, which in +life is the same as rain in nature. Dost thou know what I have +learned? That during the festivities which Tigellinus will arrange +at the pond of Agrippa, there will be lupanaria, and in them +women from the first houses of Rome. Will there be not even one +sufficiently beautiful to console thee? There will be maidens, too, +appearing in society for the first time -- as nymphs. Such is our +Roman Caesardom! The air is mild already; the midday breeze +will warm the water and not bring pimples on naked bodies. And +thou, Narcissus, know this, that there will not be one to refuse +thee, -- not one, even though she be a vestal virgin." + +Vinicius began to strike his head with his palm, like a man +occupied eternally with one thought. + +"I should need luck to find such a one." + +"And who did this for thee, if not the Christians? But people whose +standard is a cross cannot be different. Listen to me: Greece was +beautiful, and created wisdom; we created power; and what, to thy +thinking, can this teaching create? If thou know, explain; for, by +Pollux! I cannot divine it." + +"Thou art afraid, it seems, lest I become a Christian," said +Vinicius, shrugging his shoulders. + +"I am afraid that thou hast spoiled life for thyself. If thou canst not +be a Grecian, be a Roman; possess and enjoy. Our madnesses have +a certain sense, for there is in them a kind of thought of our own. I +despise Bronzebeard, because he is a Greek buffoon. If he held +himself a Roman, I should recognize that he was right in +permitting himself madness. Promise me that if thou find some +Christian on returning home, thou wilt show thy tongue to him. If +he be Glaucus the physician, he will not wonder. -- Till we meet +on the pond of Agrippa." + +Chapter XXXI + +PRETORIANS surrounded the groves on the banks of the pond of +Agrippa, lest over-numerous throngs of spectators might annoy +Caesar and his guests; though it was said that everything in Rome +distinguished for wealth, beauty, or intellect was present at that +feast, which had no equal in the history of the city. Tigellinus +wished to recompense Caesar for the deferred journey to Achaea, +to surpass all who had ever feasted Nero, and prove that no man +could entertain as he could. With this object in view, while with +Caesar in Naples, and later in Beneventum, he had made +preparations and sent orders to bring from the remotest regions of +the earth beasts, birds, rare fish, and plants, not omitting vessels +and cloths, which were to enhance the splendor of the feast. The +revenues of whole provinces went to satisfy mad projects; but the +powerful favorite had no need to hesitate. His influence grew +daily. Tigellinus was not dearer than others to Nero yet, perhaps, +but he was becoming more and more indispensable. Petronius +surpassed him infinitely in polish, intellect, wit; in conversation he +knew better how to amuse Caesar: but to his misfortune he +surpassed in conversation Caesar himself, hence he roused his +jealousy; moreover he could not be an obedient instrument in +everything, and Caesar feared his opinion when there were +questions in matters of taste. But before Tigellinus, Nero never felt +any restraint. The very title, arbiter elegantiarum, which had been +given to Petronius, annoyed Nero's vanity, for who had the right to +bear that title but himself? Tigellinus had sense enough to know +his own deficiencies; and seeing that he could not compete with +Petronius, Lucan, or others distinguished by birth, talents, or +learning, he resolved to extinguish them by the suppleness of his +services, and above all by such a magnificence that the +imagination of Nero himself would be struck by it. He had +arranged to give the feast on a gigantic raft, framed of gilded +timbers. The borders of this raft were decked with splendid shells +found in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, shells brffliant with +the colors of pearls and the rainbow. The banks of the pond were +covered with groups of palm, with groves of lotus, and blooming +roses. In the midst of these were hidden fountains of perfumed +water, statues of gods and goddesses, and gold or silver cages +filled with birds of various colors. In the centre of the raft rose an +immense tent, or rather, not to hide the feasters, only the roof of a +tent, made of Syrian purple, resting on silver columns; under it +were gleaming, like suns, tables prepared for the guests, loaded +with Alexandrian glass, crystal, and vessels simply beyond price, -- +the plunder of Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor. The raft, which +because of plants accumulated on it had the appearance of an +island and a garden, was joined by cords of gold and purple to +boats shaped like fish, swans, mews, and flamingoes, in which sat +at painted oars naked rowers of both sexes, with forms and +features of marvellous beauty, their hair dressed in Oriental +fashion, or gathered in golden nets. When Nero arrived at the main +raft with Poppae and the Augustians, and sat beneath the purple +tent-roof, the oars struck the water, the boats moved, the golden +cords stretched, and the raft with the feast and the guests began to +move and describe circles on the pond. Other boats surrounded it, +and other smaller rafts, filled with women playing on citharae and +harps, women whose rosy bodies on the blue background of the +sky and the water and in the reflections from golden instruments +seemed to absorb that blue and those reflections, and to change +and bloom like flowers. + +From the groves at the banks, from fantastic buildings reared for +that day and hidden among thickets, were heard music and song. +The neighborhood resounded, the groves resounded; echoes bore +around the voices of horns and trumpets. Caesar himself, with +Poppaea on one side of him, and Pythagoras on the other, was +amazed; and more especially when among the boats young slave +maidens appeared as sirens, and were covered with green network +in imitation of scales, he did not spare praises on Tigellinus. But +he looked at Petronius from habit, wishing to learn the opinion of +the "arbiter," who seemed indifferent for a long time, and only +when questioned outright, answered, -- "I judge, lord, that ten +thousand naked maidens make less impression than one." + +But the "floating feast" pleased Caesar, for it was something new. +Besides, such exquisite dishes were served that the imagination of +Apicius would have failed at sight of them, and wines of so many +kinds that Otho, who used to serve eighty, would have hidden +under water with shame, could he have witnessed the luxury of +that feast. Besides women, the Augustians sat down at the table, +among whom Vinicius excelled all with his beauty. Formerly his +figure and face indicated too clearly the soldier by profession; now +mental suffering and the physical pain through which he had +passed had chiselled his features, as if the delicate hand of a +master had passed over them. His complexion had lost its former +swarthiness, but the yellowish gleam of Numidian marble +remained on it. His eyes had grown larger and more pensive. His +body had retained its former powerful outlines, as if created for +armor; but above the body of a legionary was seen the head of a +Grecian god, or at least of a refined patrician, at once subtle and +splendid. Petronius, in saying that none of the ladies of Caesar's +court would be able or willing to resist Vinicius, spoke like a man +of experience. All gazed at him now, not excepting Poppaea, or the +vestal virgin Rubria, whom Caesar wished to see at the feast. + +Wines, cooled in mountain snow, soon warmed the hearts and +heads of the guests. Boats shaped as grasshoppers or butterflies +shot forth from the bushes at the shore every moment. The blue +surface of the pond seemed occupied by butterflies. Above the +boats ftere and there flew doves, and other birds from India and +Africa, fastened with silver and blue threads or strings. The sun +had passed the greater part of the sky, but the day was warm and +even hot, though in the beginning of May. The pond heaved from +the strokes of oars, which beat the water in time with music; but in +the air there was not the least breath of wind; the groves were +motionless, as if lost in listening and in gazing at that which was +happening on the water. The raft circled continually on the pond, +bearing guests who were increasingly drunk and boisterous. + +The feast had not run half its course yet, when the order in which +all sat at the table was observed no longer. Caesar gave the +example, for, rising himself, he commanded Vinicius, who sat next +to Rubria the vestal, to move. Nero occupied the place, and began +to whisper something in Rubria's ear. Vinicius found himself next +to Poppna, who extended her arm and begged him to fasten her +loosened bracelet. When he did so, with hands trembling +somewhat, she cast at him from beneath her long lashes a glance +as it were of modesty, and shook her golden head as if in +resistance. + +Meanwhile the sun, growing larger, ruddier, sank slowly behind +the tops of the grove; the guests were for the greater part +thoroughly intoxicated. The raft circled now nearer the shore, on +which, among bunches of trees and flowers, were seen groups of +people, disguised as fauna or satyrs, playing on flutes, bagpipes, +and drums, with groups of maidens representing nymphs, dryads, +and hamadryads. Darkness fell at last amid drunken shouts from +the tent, shouts raised in honor of Luna. Meanwhile the groves +were lighted with a thousand lamps. From the lupanaria on the +shores shone swarms of lights; on the terraces appeared new naked +groups, formed of the wives and daughters of the first Roman +houses. These with voice and unrestrained manner began to lure +partners. The raft touched the shore at last. Caesar and the +Augustians vanished in the groves, scattered in lupanaria, in tents +hidden in thickets, in grottos artificially arranged among fountains +and springs. Madness seized all; no one knew whither Caesar had +gone; no one knew who was a senator, who a knight, who a +dancer, who a musician. Satyrs and fauns fell to chasing nymphs +with shouting. They struck lamps with thyrses to quench them. +Darkness covered certain parts of the grove. Everywhere, however, +laughter and shouts were heard, and whispers, and panting breaths. +In fact Rome had not seen anything like that before. + +Vinieius was not drunk, as he had been at the feast in Nero's +palace, when Lygia was present; but he was roused and intoxicated +by the sight of everything done round about, and at last the fever of +pleasure seized him. Rushing into the forest, he ran, with others, +examining who of the dryads seemed most beautiful. New flocks +of these raced around him every moment with shouts and with +songs; these flocks were pursued by fauns, satyrs, senators, +knights, and by sounds of music. Seeing at last a band of maidens +led by one arrayed as Diana, he sprang to it, intending to examine +the goddess more closely. All at once the heart sank in his bosom? +for he thought that in that goddess, with the, moon on her +forehead, he recognized Lygia. + +They encircled him with a mad whirl, and, wishing evidently to +incline him to follow, rushed away the next moment like a herd of +deer. But he stood on the spot with beating heart, breathless; for +though he saw that the Diana was not Lygia, and that at close sight +she was not even like her, the too powerful impression deprived +him of strength. Straightway he was seized by such yearning as he +had never felt before, and love for Lygia rushed to his breast in a +new, immense wave. Never had she seemed so dear, pure, and +beloved as in that forest of madness ana frenzied excess. A +moment before, he himself wished to drink of that cup, and share +in that shameless letting loose of the senses; now disgust and +repugnance possessed him. He felt that infamy was stifling him; +that his breast needed air and the stars which were hidden by the +thickets of that dreadful grove. He determined to flee; but barely +had he moved when before him stood some veiled figure, which +placed its hands on his shoulders and whispered, flooding his face +with burning breath, "I love thee! Come! no one will see us, +hasten!" + +Vinicius was roused, as if from a dream. + +"Who art thou?" + +But she leaned her breast on him and insisted, -- "Hurry! See how +lonely it is here, and I love thee! Come!" "Who art thou?" repeated +Vinicius. + +"Guess!" + +As she said this, she pressed her lips to his through the veil, +drawing toward her his head at the same time, till at last breath +failed the woman and she tore her face from him. + +"Night of love! night of madness!" said she, catching the air +quickly. "Today is free! Thou hast me!" + +But that kiss burned Vinicius; it filled him with disquiet. His soul +and heart were elsewhere; in the whole world nothing existed for +him except Lygia. So, pushing back the veiled figure, he said, -- +"Whoever thou be, I love another, I do not wish thee." "Remove +the veil," said she, lowering her head toward him. At that moment +the leaves of the nearest myrtle began to rustle; the veiled woman +vanished like a dream vision, but from a distance her laugh was +heard, strange in some way, and ominous. + +Petronius stood before Vinicius. + +"I have heard and seen," said he. + +"Let us go from this place," replied Vinicius. + +And they went. They passed the lupanaria gleaming with light, the +grove, the line of mounted pretorians, and found the litters. + +"I will go with thee," said Petronius. + +They sat down together. On the road both were silent, and only in +the atrium of Vinicius's house did Petronius ask, -- "Dost thou +know who that was?" + +"Was it Rubria?" asked Vinicius, repulsed at the very thought that +Rubria was a vestal. + +"Who then?" Petronius lowered his voice. + +"The fire of Vesta was defiled, for Rubria was with Caesar. But +with thee was speaking" -- and he finished in a still lower voice, +"the divine Augusta." + +A moment of silence followed. + +"Caesar," said Petronius, "was unable to hide from Popp~xa his +desire for Rubria; therefore she wished, perhaps, to avenge herself. +But I hindered you both. Hadst thou recognized the Augusta and +refused her, thou wouldst have been ruined beyond rescue, -- thou, +Lygia, and I, perhaps." + +"I have enough of Rome, Caesar, feasts, the Augusta1 Tigellinus, +and all of you!" burst out Vinicius. "I am stifling. I cannot live +thus; I cannot. Dost understand me?" + +"Vinicius, thou art losing sense, judgment, moderation." + +"I love only her in this world." + +"What of that?" + +"This, that I wish no other love. I have no wish for your life, your +feasts, your shamelessness, your crimes!" + +"What is taking place in thee? Art thou a Christian?" + +The young man seized his head with both hands, and repeated, as +if in despair, -- "Not yet! not yet!" + +Chapter XXXII + +PETRONIUS went home shrugging his shoulders and greatly +dissatisfied. It was evident to him that he and Vinicius had ceased +to understand each other, that their souls had separated entirely. +Once Petronius had immense influence over the young soldier. He +had been for him a model in everything, and frequently a few +ironical words of his sufficed to restrain Vinicius or urge him to +something. At present there remained nothing of that; such was the +change that Petronius did not try his former methods, feeling that +his wit and irony would slip without effect along the new +principles which love and contact with the uncomprehended +society of Christians had put in the soul of Vinicius. The veteran +sceptic understood that he had lost the key to that soul. This +knowledge filled him with dissatisfaction and even with fear, +which was heightened by the events of that night. "If on the part +of the Augusta it is not a passing whim but a more enduring +desire," thought Petronius, "one of two things will happen, -- either +Vinicius will not resist her, and he may be ruined by any accident, +or, what is like him to-day, he will resist, and in that event he will +be ruined certainly, and perhaps I with him, even because I am his +relative, and because the Augusta, having included a whole family +in her hatred, will throw the weight of her influence on the side of +Tigellinus. In this way and that it is bad." Petronius was a man of +courage and felt no dread of death; but since he hoped nothing +from it, he had no wish to invite it. After long meditation, he +decided at last that it would be better and safer to send Vinicius +from Rome on a journey. Ah! but if in addition he could give him +Lygia for the road, he would do so with pleasure. But he hoped +that it would not be too difficult to persuade him to the journey +without her. He would spread a report on the Palatine then of +Vinicius's illness, and remove danger as well from his nephew as +himself. The Augusta did not know whether she was recognized by +Vinicius; she might suppose that she was not, hence her vanity had +not suffered much so far. But it might be different in the future, +and it was necessary to avoid peril. Petronius wished to gain time, +above all; for he understood that once Caesar set out for Acbaea, +Tigellinus, who comprehended nothing in the domain of art, would +descend to the second place and lose his influence. In Greece +Petronius was sure of victory over every opponent. + +Meanwhile he determined to watch over Vinicius, and urge him to +the journey. For a number of days he was ever thinking over this, +that if he obtained an edict from Caesar expelling the Christians +from Rome, Lygia would leave it with the other confessors of +Christ, and after her Vinicius too. Then there would be no need to +persuade him. The thing itself was possible. In fact it was not +so long since, when the Jews began disturbances out of hatred to +the Christians, Claudius, unable to distinguish one from the other, +expelled the Jews. Why should not Nero expel the Christians? +There would be more room in Rome without them. After that +"floating feast" Petronius saw Nero daily, both on the Palatine and +in other houses. To suggest such an idea was easy, for Nero never +opposed suggestions which brought harm or ruin to any one. After +mature decision Petronius framed a whole plan for himself. He +would prepare a feast in his own house, and at this feast persuade +Caesar to issue an edict. He had even a hope, which was not +barren, that Caesar would confide the execution of the edict to +him. He would send out Lygia with all the consideration proper to +the mistress of Vinicius to Baiae, for instance, and let them love +and amuse themselves there with Christianity as much as they +liked. + +Meanwhile he visited Vinicius frequently, first, because he could +not, despite all his Roman selfishness, rid himself of attachment to +the young tribune, and second, because he wished to persuade him +to the journey. Vinicius feigned sickness, and did not show himself +on the Palatine, where new plans appeared every day. At last +Petronius heard from Caesar's own lips that three days from then +he would go to Antium without fall. Next morning he went +straightway to inform Vinicius, who showed him a list of persons +invited to Annum, which list one of Caesar's freedmen had brought +him that morning. + +"My name is on it; so is thine," said he. "Thou wilt find the same at +thy house on returning." + +"Were I not among the invited," replied Petronius, "it would mean +that I must die; I do not expect that to happen before the journey to +Ackea. I shall be too useful to Nero. Barely have we come to +Rome," said he, on looking at the list, "when we must leave again, +and drag over the road to Antium. But we must go, for this is not +merely an invitation, it is a command as well." + +"And if some one would not obey?" + +"He would be invited in another style to go on a journey notably +longer, -- one from which people do not return. What a pity that +thou hast not obeyed my counsel and left Rome in season! Now +thou must go to Antium." + +"I must go to Antium. See in what times we live and what vile +slaves we are!" + +"Hast thou noticed that only to-day?" + +"No. but thou hast explained to me that Christian teaching is an +enemy of life, since it shackles it. But can their shackles be +stronger than those which we carry? Thou hast said, 'Greece +created wisdom and beauty, and Rome power.' Where is our +power?" + +"Call Chilo and talk with him. I have no desire to-day to +philosophize. + +By Hercules! I did not create these times, and I do not answer for +them. + +Let us speak of Antium. Know that great danger is awaiting thee, +and it would be better, perhaps, to measure strength with that +Ursus who choked Croton than to go there, but still thou canst not +refuse." + +Vinicius waved his hand carelessly, and said, -- "Danger! We are +all wandering in the shadow of death, and every moment some +head sinks in its darkness." + +"Am I to enumerate all who had a little sense, and therefore, in +spite of the times of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, lived +eighty and ninety years? Let even such a man as Domitius Afer +serve thee as an example. He has grown old quietly, though 21! his +life he has been a criminal and a villain." + +"Perhaps for that very reason!" answered Vinicius. + +Then he began to glance over the list and read: "Tigellinus, +Vatinius, Sextus Africanus, Aquilinus Regulut, Suilius Nerulinus, +Eprius Marcellus, and so on! What an assembly of ruffians and +scoundrels! And to say that they govern the world! Would it not +become them better to exhibit an Egyptian or Syrian divinity +through villages, jingle sistra, and earn their bread by telling +fortunes or dancing?" + +"Or exhibiting learned monkeys, calculating dogs, or a +flute-playing ass," added Petronius. "That is true, but let us speak +of something more important. Summon thy attention and listen. I +have said on the Palatine that thou art ill, unable to leave the +house; still thy name is on the list, which proves that some one +does not credit my stories and has seen to this purposely. Nero +cares nothing for the matter, since for him thou art a soldier, who +has no conception of poetry or music, and with whom at the very +highest he can talk only about races in the Circus. So Poppaea +must have seen to putting down thy name, which means that her +desire for thee was not a passing whim, and that she wants to win +thee." + +"She is a daring Augusta." + +"Indeed she is daring, for she may ruin herself beyond redemption. +May Venus inspire her, however, with another love as soon as +possible; but since she desires thee thou must observe the very +greatest caution. She has begun to weary Bronieheard already; he +prefers Rubria now, or Pythagoras, but, through consideration of +self, he would wreak the most horrible vengeance on us." + +"In the grove I knew not that she was speaking to me; but thou +wert listening. I said that I loved another, and did not wish her. +Thou knowest that." + +"I implore thee, by all the infernal gods, lose not the remnant of +reason which the Christians have left in thee. How is it possible to +hesitate, having a choice between probable and certain +destruction? Have I not said already that if thou hadst wounded the +Augusta's vanity, there would have been no rescue for they? Dy +Hades! if life has grown hateful to thee, better open thy veins at +once, or cast thyself on a sword, for shouldst thou offend Poppae, a +less easy death may meet thee. It was easier once to converse with +thee. What concerns thee specially? Would this affair cause thee +loss, or hinder thee from loving thy Lygia? Remember, besides, +that Poppxa saw her on the Palatine. It will not be difficult for her +to guess why thou art rejecting such lofty favor, and she will get +Lygia even from under the earth. Thou wilt ruin not only thyself, +but Lygia too. Dost understand?" + +Vinicius listened as if thinking of something else, and at last he +said, -- + +"I must see her." + +"Who? Lygia?" + +"Lygia." + +"Dost thou know where she is?" + +"Then thou wilt begin anew to search for her in old cemeteries and +beyond the Tiber?" + +"I know not, but I must see her." + +"Well, though she is a Christian, it may turn out that she has more +judgment than thou; and it will ccrtainly, unless she wishes thy +ruin." + +Vinicius shrugged his shoulders. "She saved me from the hands of +Ursus." + +"Then hurry, for Bronzebeard will not postpone his departure. +Sentences of death may be issued in Antium also." + +But Vinicius did not hear. One thought alone occupied him, an +interview with Lygia; hence he began to think over methods. + +Meanwhile something intervened which might set aside every +difficulty. Chilo came to his house unexpectedly. + +He entered wretched and worn, with signs of hunger on his face +and in rags; but the servants, who had the former command to +admit him at all hours of the day or night, did not dare to detain +him, so he went straight to the atrium, and standing before +Vinicius said, -- "May the gods give thee immortality, and share +with thee dominion over the world." + +Vinicius at the first moment wished to give the order to throw him +out of doors; but the thought came to him that the Greek perhaps +knew something of Lygia, and curiosity overcame his disgust. + +"Is that thou?" asked he. "What has happened to thee?" + +"Evil, O son of Jove," answered Chio. "Real virtue is a ware for +which no one inquires now, and a genuine sage must be glad of +this even, that once in five days he has something with which to +buy from the butcher a sheep's head, to gnaw in a garret, washing it +down with his tears. Ah, lord! What thou didst give me I paid +Atractus for books, and afterward I was robbed and ruined. The +slave who was to write down my wisdom fled, taking the remnant +of what thy generosity bestowed on me. I am in misery, but I +thought to myself: To whom can I go, if not to thee, O Serapis, +whom I love and deify, for whom I have exposed my life?" + +"Why hast thou come, and what dost thou bring?" + +"I come for aid, O Baal, and I bring my misery, my tears, my love, +and finally the information which through love for thee I have +collected. Thou rememberest, lord, I told thee once how I had +given a slave of the divine Petronius one thread from the girdle of +the Paphian Venus? I know now that it helped her, and thou, O +descendant of the Sun, who knowest what is happening in that +house, knowest also what Eunice is there. I have another such +thread. I have preserved it for thee, lord." + +Here he stopped, on noticing the anger which was gathering on the +brows of Vinicius, and said quickly, so as to anticipate the +outburst, -- + +"I know where the divine Lygia is living; I will show thee the street +and the house." + +Vinicius repressed the emotion with which that news filled him, +and said, -- "Where is she?" + +"With Linus, the elder priest of the Christians. She is there with +Ursus, who goes as before to the miller, a namesake of thy +dispensator Demas. Yes, Demas! Ursus works in the night; so if +thou surround the house at night, thou wilt not find him. Linus is +old, and besides him there are only two aged women in the house." + +"Whence dost thou know all this?" + +"Thou rememberest, lord, that the Christians had me in their +hands, and spared me. True, Glaucus was mistaken in thinking that +I was the cause of his misfortunes; but he believed that I was, poor +man, and he believes so yet. Still they spared me. Then be not +astonished, lord, that gratitude filled my heart. I am a man of +former, of better times. This was my thought: + +Am I to desert friends and benefactors? Would 1 not have been +hard-hearted not to inquire about them, not to learn what was +happening to them, how health was serving them, and where they +were living? By the Pessinian Cybele! I am not capable of such +conduct. At first 1 was restrained by fear that they might interpret +my wishes incorrectly. But the love which I bore them proved +greater than my fear, and the ease with which they forgive every +injustice lent me special courage. But above all I was thinking of +thee, lord. Our last attempt ended in defeat; but can such a son of +Fortune be reconciled with defeat? So I prepared victory for thee. +The house stands apart. Thou mayst give command to thy slaves to +surround it so that not a mouse could escape. My lord, on thee +alone it depends to have that magnanimous king's daughter in thy +house this very night. But should that happen, remember that the +cause of it is the very poor and hungry son of my father." + +The blood rushed to Vinicius's head. Temptation shook all his +being again. Yes; that was the method, and this time a certain one. +Once he has Lygia in his house, who can take her? Once he makes +Lygia his mistress, what will be left to her, unless to remain so +forever? And let all religions perish! What will the Christians +mean to him then, with their mercy and forbidding faith? Is it not +time to shake himself free of all that? Is it not time to live as all +live? What will Lygia do later, save to reconcile her fate with the +religion which she professes? That, too, is a question of inferior +significance. Those are matters devoid of importance. First of all, +she will be his, -- and his this very day. And it is a question, too, +whether that religion will hold out in her soul against the world +which is new to her, against luxury, and excitements to which she +must yield. All may happen to-day. He needs only to detain Chio, +and give an order at dark. And then delight without end! "What has +my life been?" thought Vinicius; "suffering, unsatisfied desire, and +an endless propounding of problems without answer." In this way +all will be cut short and ended. He recollected, it is true, that he +had promised not to raise a hand against her. But by what had he +sworn? Not by the gods, for he did not believe in them; not by +Christ, for he did not believe in him yet. Finally, if she feels +injured, he will marry her, and thus repair the wrong. Yes; to +that he feels bound, for to her he is indebted for life. Here he +recalled the day in which with Croton he had attacked her retreat; +he remembered the Lygian's fist raised above him, and all that had +happened later. He saw her again bent over his couch, dressed in +the garb of a slave, beautiful as a divinity, a benefactress kind +and glorified. His eyes passed to the larariuni unconsciously, and +to the little cross which she left him before going. Will he pay +for all that by a new attack? Will he drag her by the hair as a +slave to his cubiculum? And how will he be able to do so, since he +not only desires but loves her, and he loves her specially because +she is as she is? All at once he felt that it was not enough for him +to have her in the house, it was not enough to seize her in his arms +by superior force; he felt that his love needed something more, -- +her consent, her loves and her soul. Blessed that roof, if she come +under it willingly; blessed the moment, blessed the day, blessed his +life. Then the happiness of both will be as inexhaustible as the +ocean, as the sun. But to seize her by violence would be to destroy +that happiness forever, and at the same time to destroy, and defile +that which is most precious and alone beloved in life. Terror +seized him now at the very thought of this. He glanced at Chio, +who, while watching him, pushed his hands under his rags and +scratched himself uneasily. That instant, disgust unspeakable took +possession of Vinicius, and a wish to trample that former assistant +of his, as he would a foul worm or venomous serpent. In an instant +he knew what to do. But knowing no measure in anything, and +following the impulse of his stern Roman nature, he turned toward +Club and said, -- "I will not do what thou advisest, but, lest thou +go without just reward, + +I will command to give thee three hundred stripes in the domestic +prison." Chilo grew pale. There was so much cold resolution in the +beautiful face of Vinicius that he could not deceive himself for a +moment with the hope that the promised reward was no more than +a cruel jest. + +Hence he threw himself on his knees in one instant, and bending +double began to groan in a broken voice, -- "How, O king of +Persia? Why? --O pyramid of kindness! Colossus of mercy! For +what? -- I am old, hungry, unfortunate -- I have served thee -- dost +thou repay in this manner?" + +"As thou didst the Christians," said Vinicius. And he called the +dispensator. But Chilo sprang toward his feet, and, embracing +them convulsively, talked, while his face was covered with deathly +pallor, -- "O lord, O lord! I am old! Fifty, not three hundred stripes. +Fifty are enough! A hundred, not three hundred! Oh, mercy, +mercy!" + +Vinicius thrust him away with his foot, and gave the order. In the +twinkle of an eye two powerful Quadi followed the dispensator, +and, seizing Chilo by the remnant of his hair, tied his own rags +around his neck and dragged him to the prison. + +"In the name of Christ!" called the Greek, at the exit of the +corridor. + +Vmicius was left alone. The order just issued roused and enlivened +him. + +He endeavored to collect his scattered thoughts, and bring them to +order. He felt great relief, and the victory which he had gained +over himself filled him with comfort. He thought that he had made +some great approach toward Lygia, and that some high reward +should be given him. At the first moment it did not even occur to +him that he had done a grievous wrong to Chio, and had him +flogged for the very acts for which he had rewarded him +previously. He was too much of a Roman yet to be pained by +another man's suffering, and to occupy his attention with one +wretched Greek. Had he even thought of Chio's suffering he +would have considered that he had acted properly in giving +command to punish such a villain. But he was thinking of Lygia, +and said to her: I will not pay thee with evil for good; and when +thou shalt learn how I acted with him who strove to persuade me +to raise hands against thee, thou wilt be grateful. But here he +stopped at this thought: + +Would Lygia praise his treatment of Chio? The religion which she +professes commands forgiveness; nay, the Christians forgave the +villain, though they had greater reasons for revenge. Then for the +first time was heard in his soul the cry: "In the name of Christ!" He +remembered then that Chilo had ransomed himself from the hands +of Ursus with such a cry, and he determined to remit the remainder +of the punishment. + +With that object he was going to summon the dispensator, when +that person stood before him, and said,-- "Lord, the old man has +fainted, and perhaps he is dead. Am I to command further +flogging?" + +"Revive him and bring him before me." + +The chief of the atrium vanished behind the curtain, but the revival +could not have been easy, for Vinicius waited a long time and was +growing impatient, when the slaves brought in Chio, and +disappeared at a signal. + +Chilo was as pale as linen, and down his legs threads of blood +were +flowing to the mosaic pavement of the atrium. He was conscious, +however, and, fabling on his knees, began to speak, with extended +hands, -- "Thanks to thee, lord. Thou art great and merciful." + +"Dog," said Vinicius, "know that I forgave thee because of that +Christ to whom I owe my own life." + +"O lord, I will serve Him and thee." + +"Be silent and listen. Rise! Thou wilt go and show mc the house in +which Lygia dwel1s." + +Chilo sprang up; but he was barely on his feet when he grew more +deathly pale yet, and said in a failing voice, -- "Lord, I am really +hungry -- I will go, lord, I will go! but I have not the strength. +Command to give me even remnants from the plate of thy dog, and +I will go." + +Vinicius commanded to give him food, a piece of gold, and a +mantle. But Chio, weakened by stripes and hunger, could not go to +take food, though terror raised the hair on his head, lest Vinicius +might mistake his weakness for stubbornness and command to flog +him anew. + +"Only let wine warm me," repeated he, with chattering teeth, "I +shall be able to go at once, even to Magna Graecia." + +He regained some strength after a time, and they went out. + +The way was long, for, like the majority of Christians, Linus dwelt +in the Trans-Tiber, and not far from Miriam. At last Chibo showed +Vinicius a small house, standing apart, surrounded by a wall +covered entirely with ivy, and said,----- + +"Here it is, lord." + +"Well," said Vinicius, "go thy way now, but listen first to what I +tell thee. Forget that thou hast served me; forget where Miriam, +Peter, and Glaucus dwell; forget also this house, and all Christians. +Thou wilt come every month to my house, where Demas, my +freedman, will pay thee two pieces of gold. But shouldst thou spy +further after Christians, I will have thee flogged, or delivered into +the hands of the prefect of the city." + +Chilo bowed down, and said, -- "I will forget." + +But when Vinicius vanished beyond the corner of the street, he +stretched his hands after him, and, threatening with his fists, +exclaimed, -- "By Ate and the Furies! I will not forget!" + +Then he grew faint again. + +Chapter XXXIII + +VINICIUS went directly to the house in which Miriam lived. +Before the gate he met Nazarius, who was confused at sight of +him; but greeting the lad cordially, he asked to be conducted to his +mother's lodgings. + +Besides Miriam, Vinicius found Peter, Glaucus, Crispus, and Paul +of Tarsus, who had returned recently from Fregellae. At sight of +the young tribune, astonishment was reflected on all faces; but he +said, -- "I greet you in the name of Christ, whom ye honor." "May +His name be glorified forever!" answered they. + +"I have seen your virtue and experienced your kindness, hence I +come as a friend." + +"And we greet thee as a friend," answered Peter. "Sit down, lord, +and partake of our refreshment, as a guest." + +"I will sit down and share your repast; but first listen to me, thou +Peter, and thou Paul of Tarsus, so that ye may know my sincerity. I +know where Lygia is. I have returned from before the house of +Linus, which is near this dwelling. I have a right to her given me +by Caesar. I have at my houses in the city nearly five hundred +slaves. I might surround her hiding-place and seize her; still I have +not done so, and will not." + +"For this reason the blessing of the Lord will be upon thee, and thy +heart will be purified," said Peter. + +"I thank thee. But listen to me further: I have not done so, though I +am living in suffering and sadness. Before I knew you, I should +have taken her undoubtedly, and held her by force; but your virtue +and your religion. though I do not profess it, have changed +something in my soul, so that I do not venture on violence. I know +not myself why this is so, but it is so; hence I come to you, for ye +take the place of Lygia's father and mother, and I say to you: Give +her to me as wife, and I swear that not only will I not forbid her to +confess Christ, but I will begin myself to learn His religion." + +He spoke with head erect and decisively; but still hc was moved, +and his legs trembled beneath his mantle. When silence followed +his words, he continued, as if wishing to anticipate an unfavorable +answer, -- "I know what obstacles exist, but I love her as my own +eyes; and though I am not a Christian yet, I am neither your enemy +nor Christ's. I wish to be sincere, so that you may trust me. At this +moment it is a question of life with me, still I tell you the truth. +Another might say, Baptize me; I say, Enlighten me. I believe that +Christ rose from the dead, for people say so who love the truth, +and who saw Him after death. I believe, for I have seen myself, +that your religion produces virtue, justice, and mercy, -- not +crime, which is laid to your charge. I have not known your religion +much so far. A little from you, a little from your works, a little +from Lygia, a little from conversations with you. Still I repeat that +it has made some change in me. Formerly I held my servants with +an iron hand; I cannot do so now. I knew no pity; I know it now. I +was fond of pleasure; the other night I fled from the pond of +Agrippa, for the breath was taken from m~ through disgust. +Formerly I believed in superior force; now I have abandoned it. +Know ye that I do not recognize myself. I am disgusted by feasts, +wine, singing, cithar~, garlands, the court of Caesar, naked bodies, +and every crime. When I think that Lygia is like snow in the +mountains, I love her the more; and when I think that she is what +she is through your religion, I love and desire that religion. But +since I understand it not, since I know not whether I shall be able +to live according to it, nor whether my nature can endure it, I am in +uncertainty and suffering, as if I were in prison." + +Here his brows met in wrinkle of pain, and a flush appeared on his +cheeks; after that he spoke on with growing haste and greater +emotion, -- "As ye see, I am tortured from love and uncertainty. +Men tell me that in your religion there is no place for life, or +human joy, or happiness, or law, or order, or authority, or Roman +dominion. Is this true? Men tell me that ye are madmen; but tell +me yourselves what ye bring. Is it a sin to love, a sin to feel joy, a +sin to want happiness? Are ye enemies of life? Must a Christian be +wretched? Must I renounce Lygia? What is truth in your view? +Your deeds and words are like transparent water, but what is under +that water? Ye see that I am sincere. Scatter the darkness. Men say +this to me also: Greece created beauty and wisdom, Rome created +power; but they -- what do they bring? Tell, then, what ye bring. If +there is brightness beyond your doors, open them." + +"We bring love," said Peter. + +And Paul of Tarsus added, -- "If I speak with the tongues of men +and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass." + +But the heart of the old Apostle was stirred by that soul in +suffering, which, like a bird in a cage, was struggling toward air +and the sun; hence, stretching his hand to Vinicius, he said, -- +"Whoso knocketh, to him will be opened. The favor and grace of +God is upon thee; for this reason I bless thee, thy soul and thy love, +in the name of the Redeemer of mankind." + +Vinicius, who had spoken with enthusiasm already, sprang toward +Peter on hearing this blessing, and an uncommon thing happened. +That descendant of Quirites, who till recently had not recognized +humanity in a foreigner, seized the hand of the old Gahilean, and +pressed it in gratitude to his lips. + +Peter was pleased; for he understood that his sowing had fallen on +an additional field, that his fishing-net had gathered in a new soul. + +Those present, not less pleased by that evident expression of honor +for the Apostle of God, exclaimed in one voice, -- "Praise to the +Lord in the highest!" + +Vinicius rose with a radiant face, and began, -- "I see that +happiness may dwell among you, for I feel happy, and I think that +ye can convince me of other things in the same way. But I will add +that this cannot happen in Rome. Caesar is goin to Antium and I +must go with him, for I have the order. Ye know that not to obey is +death. But if I have found favor in your eyes, go with me to teach +your truth. It will be safer for you than for roe. Even in that great +throng of people, ye can announce your truth in the very court of +Caesar. They say that Acte is a Christian; and there are Christians +among pretorians even, for I myself have seen soldiers kneeling +before thee, Peter, at the Nomentan gate. In Antium I have a villa +where we shall assemble to hear your teaching, at the side of Nero. +Glaucus told me that ye are ready to go to the end of the earth for +one soul; so do for me what ye have done for those for whose sake +ye have come from Judea, -- do it, arid desert not my soul." + +Hearing this, they began to take counsel, thinking with delight of +the victory of their religion, and of the significance for the pagan +world which the conversion of an Augustian, and a descendant of +one of the oldest Roman families, would have. They were ready, +indeed, to wander to the end of the earth for one human soul, and +since the death of the Master they had, in fact, done nothing else; +hence a negative answer did not even come to their minds. Peter +was at that moment the pastor of a whole multitude, hence he +could not go; but Paul of Tarsus, who had been in Aricium and +Fregellae not long before, and who was preparing for a long +journey to the East to visit churches there and freshen them with a +new spirit of zeal, consented to accompany the young tribune to +Antium. It was easy to find a ship there going to Grecian waters. + +Vinicius, though sad because Peter, to whom he owed so much, +could not visit Antium, thanked him with gratitude, and then +turned to the old Apostle with his last request, -- "Knowing Lygia's +dwelling," said he, "I might have gone to her and asked, as is +proper, whether she would take me as husband should my soul +become Christian, but I prefer to ask thee, O Apostle! Permit me to +see her, or take me thyself to her. I know not how long I shall be in +Antium; and remember that near Caesar no one is sure of +to-morrow. Petronius himself told me that I should not be +altogether safe there. Let me see her before I go; let me delight my +eyes with her; and let me ask her if she will forget my evil and +return good." + +Peter smiled kindly and said, -- "But who could refuse thee a +proper joy, my son?" + +Vinicius stooped again to Peter's hands, for he could not in any +way restrain his overflowing heart. The Apostle took him by the +temples and said,-- "Have no fear of Caesar, for I tell thee that a +hair will not fall from thy head." + +He sent Miriam for Lygia, telling her not to say who was with +them, so as to give the maiden more delight. + +It was not far; so after a short time those in the chamber saw +among the myrtles of the garden Miriam leading Lygia by the +hand. + +Vinicius wished to run forth to meet her; but at sight of that +beloved form happiness took his strength, and he stood with +beating heart, breathless, barely able to keep his feet, a hundred +times more excited than when for the first time in life he heard the +Parthian arrows whizzing round his head. + +She ran in, unsuspecting; but at sight of him she halted as if fixed +to the earth. Her face flushed, and then became very pale; she +looked with astonished and frightened eyes on those present. + +But round about she saw clear glances, full of kindness. The +Apostle Peter approached her and asked, -- "Lygia, dost thou love +him as ever?" + +A moment of silence followed. Her lips began to quiver like those +of a child who is preparing to cry, who feels that it is guilty, but +sees that it must confess the guilt. + +"Answer," said the Apostle. + +Then, with humility, obedience, and fear in her voice, she +whispered, kneeling at the knees of Peter, -- "I do." + +In one moment Vinicius knelt at her side. Peter placed his hands +on their heads, and said, -- "Love each other in the Lord and to His +glory, for there is no sin in your love." + +Chapter XXIV + +WHILE walking with Lygia through the garden, Vinicius described +briefly, in words from the depth of his heart, that which a short +time before he had confessed to the Apostles, -- that is, the alarm +of his soul, the changes which had taken place in him, and, finally, +that immense yearning which had veiled life from him, beginning +with the hour when he left Miriam's dwelling. He confessed to +Lygia that he had tried to forget her, but was not able. He thought +whole days and nights of her. That little cross of boxwood twigs +which she had left reminded him of her, -- that cross, which he had +placed in the lararium and revered involuntarily as something +divine. And he yearned more and more every moment, for love +was stronger than he, and had seized his soul altogether, even +when he was at the house of Aulus. The Parcae weave the thread +of life for others; but love, yearning, and melancholy had woven it +for him. His acts had been evil, but they had their origin in love. +He had loved her when she was in the house of Aulus, when she +was on the Palatine, when he saw her in Ostrianum listening to +Peter's words, when he went with Croton to carry her away, when +she watched at his bedside, and when she deserted him. Then came +Chilo, who discovered her dwelling, and advised him to seize her a +second time; but he chose to punish Chilo, and go to the Apostles +to ask for truth and for her. And blessed be that moment in which +such a thought came to his head, for now he is at her side, and she +will not flee from him, as the last time she fled from the house of +Miriam. + +"I did not flee from thee," said Lygia. "Then why didst thou go?" + +She raised her iris-colored eyes to him, and, bending her blushing +face, said,-- "Thou knowest --" + +Vinicius was silent for a moment from excess of happiness, and +began again to speak, as his eyes were opened gradually to this, -- +that she was different utterly from Roman women, and resembled +Pomponia alone. Besides, he could not explain this to her clearly, +for he could not define his feeling, -- that beauty of a new kind +altogether was coming to the world in her, such beauty as had not +been in it thus far; beauty which is not merely a statue, but a spirit. +He told her something, howcver, which filled her with delight, -- +that he loved her just because she had fled from him, and that she +would be sacred to him at his hearth. Then, seizing her hand, he +could not continue; he merely gazed on her with rapture as on his +life's happiness which he had won, and repeated her name, as if to +assure himself that he had found her and was near her. + +"Oh, Lygia, Lygia!" + +At last he inquired what had taken place in her mind, and she +confessed that she had loved him while in the house of Aulus, and +that if he had taken her back to them from the Palatine she would +have told them of her love and tried to soften their anger against +him. + +"I swear to thee," said Vinicius, "that it had not even risen in my +mind to take thee from Aulus. Petronius will tell thee sometime +that I told him then how I loved and wished to marry thee. 'Let her +anoint my door with wolf fat, and let her sit at my hearth,' said I to +him. But he ridiculed me, and gave Caesar the idea of demanding +thee as a hostage and giving thee to me. How often in my sorrow +have I cursed him; but perhaps fate ordained thus, for otherwise I +should not have known the Christians, and should not have +understood thee." + +"Believe me, Marcus," replied Lygia, "it was Christ who led thee to +Himself by design." + +Vinicius raised his head with a certain astonishment. + +"True," answered he, with animation. "Everything fixed itself so +marvellously that in seeking thee I met the Christians. In +Ostrianum I listened to the Apostle with wonder, for I had never +heard such words. And there thou didst pray for me?" + +"I did," answered Lygia. + +They passed near the summer-house covered with thick ivy, and +approached the place where Ursus, after stifling Croton, threw +himself upon Vinicius. + +"Here," said the young man, "I should have perished but for thee." + +"Do not mention that," answered Lygia, "and do not speak of it to +Ursus." + +"Could I be revenged on him for defending thee? Had he been a +slave, I should have given him freedom straightway." + +"Had he been a slave, Aiilus would have freed him long ago." + +"Dost thou remember," asked Vinicius, "that I wished to take thee +back to Aulus, but the answer was, that Caesar might hear of it and +take revenge on Aulus and Pomponia? Think of this: thou mayst +see them now as often as thou wishest." + +"How, Marcus?" + +"I say 'now,' and I think that thou wilt be able to see them without +danger, when thou art mine. For should Caesar hear of this, and +ask what I did with the hostage whom he gave me, I should say 'I +married her, and she Visits the house of Aulus with my consent.' +He will not remain long in Antium, for he wishes to go to Achiea; +and even should he remain, I shall not need to see him daily. When +Paul of Tarsus teaches me your faith, I will receive baptism at +once, I will come here, gain the friendship of Aulus and +Pornponia, who will return to the city by that time, and there will +be no further hindrance, I will seat thee at my hearth. Oh, +carissima! carissirna!" + +And he stretched forth his liand, as if taking Heaven as witness of +his love;. and Lygia, raising her clear eyes to him, said, -- "And +then I shall say, 'Wherever thou art, Caius, there am I, Caia.'" + +"No, Lygia," cried Vinicius, "I swear to thee that never has woman +been so honored in the house of her husband as thou shalt be in +mine." + +For a time they walked on in silence, without being able to take in +with their breasts their happiness, in love with each other, like two +deities, and as beautiful as if spring had given them to the world +with the flowers. + +They halted at last under the cypress growing near the entrance of +the house. Lygia leaned against his breast, and Vinicius began to +entreat again with a trembling voice, -- "Tell Ursus to go to the +house of Aulus for thy furniture and playthings of childhood." + +But she, blushing like a rose or like the dawn, answered, -- +"Custom commands otherwise." + +"I know that. The pronuba1 usually brings them behind the bride, +but do this for me. I will take them to my villa in Antium, and they +will remind me of thee." + +Here he placed his hands together and repeated, like a child who is +begging for something, -- "It will be some days before Pomponia +returns; so do this, diva, do this, carissima." + +"But Pomponia will do as she likes," answered Lygia, blushing still +more deeply at mention of the pronuba. + +And again they were silent, for love had begun to stop the breath in +their breasts. Lygia stood with shoulders leaning against the +cypress, her face whitening in the shadow, like a flower, her eyes +drooping, her bosom heaving with more and more life. Vinicius +changed in the face, and grew pale. In the silence of the afternoon +they only heard the beating of their hearts, and in their mutual +ecstasy that cypress, the myrtle bushes, and the ivy of the +summer-house became for them a paradise of love. But Miriam +appeared in the door, and invited them to the afternoon meal. They +sat down then with the Apostles, who gazed at them with pleasure, +as on the young generation which after their death would preserve +anti sow still further the seed of the new faith. Peter broke and +blessed bread. There was calm on all faces, and a certain immense +happiness seemed to overflow the whole house. + +"See," said Paul at last, turning to Vinicius, "are we enemies of life +and happiness?" + +"I know how that is," answered Vinicius, "for never have I been so +happy as among you." + +1The matron who accompanies the bride and explains to her the +duties of a wife. + +Chapter XXXV + +ON the evening of that day Vinicius, while returning home through +the Forum, saw at the entrance to the Vicus Tuscus the gilded litter +of Petronius, carried by eight stalwart Bithynians, and, stopping it +with a sign of his hand, he approached the curtains. + +"Thou hast had a pleasant dream, I trust, and a happy one!" cried +he, laughing at sight of the slumbering Petronius. + +"Oh, is it thou?" said Petronius, waking up. "Yes; I dropped asleep +for a moment, as I passed the night at the Palatine. I have come out +to buy something to read on the road to Antium. What is the +news?" + +"Art thou visiting the book-shops?" inquired Vinicius. + +"Yes, I do not like to bring disorder into my library, so I am +collecting a special supply for the journey. It is likely that some +new things of Musonius and Seneca have come out. I am looking +also for Persius, and a certain edition of the Eclogues of Vergilius, +which I do not possess. Oh, how tired I am; and how my hands +ache from covers and rings! For when a man is once in a +book-shop curiosity seizes him to look here and there. I was at the +shop of Avirnus, and at that of Atractus on the Argiletum, and with +the Sozii on Vicus Sandalarius. By Castor! how I want to sleep!" + +"Thou wert on the Palatine? Then I would ask thee what is it to be +heard there? Or, knowest what? -- send home the litter and the +tubes with books, and come to my house. We will talk of Antium, +and of something else?' + +"That is well," answered Petronius, coming out of the litter. "Thou +must know, besides, that we start for Antium the day after +to-morrow." + +"Whence should I know that?" + +"In what world art thou living? Well, I shall be the first to +announce the news to thee. Yes; be ready for the day after +to-morrow in the morning. Peas in olive oil have not helped, a +cloth around his thick neck has not helped, and Bronzebeard is +hoarse. In view of this, delay is not to be mentioned. He curses +Rome and its atmosphere, with what the world stands on; he would +be glad to level it to the earth or to destroy it with fire, and he +longs for the sea at the earliest. He says that the smells which the +wind brings from the narrow streets are driving him into the grave. +To-day great sacrifices were offered in all the temples to restore +his voice; and woe to Rome, but especially to the Senate, should it +not return quickly!" + +"Then there would be no reason for his visit to Achaea?" + +"But is that the only talent possessed by our divine Caesar?" asked +Petronius, smiling. "He would appear in the Olympic games, as a +poet, with his 'Burning of Troy'; as a charioteer, as a musician, as +an athlete, -- nay, even as a dancer, and would receive in every +case all the crowns intended for victors. + +Dost know why that monkey grew hoarse? Yesterday he wanted to +equal our Paris in dancing, and danced for us the adventures of +Leda, during which he sweated and caught cold. He was as wet and +slippery as an eel freshly taken from water. He changed masks one +after another, whirled like a spindle, waved his hands like a +drunken sailor, till disgust seized me while looking at that great +stomach and those slim legs. Paris taught him during two weeks; +but imagine to thyself Ahenobarbus as Leda or as the divine swan. +That was a swan! -- there is no use in denying it. But he wants to +appear before the public in that pantomime, -- first in Antium, and +then in Rome." + +"People are offended already because he sang in public; but to +think that a Roman Caesar will appear as a mime! No; even Rome +will not endure that!" + +"My dear friend, Rome will endure anything; the Senate will pass a +vote of thanks to the 'Father of his country.' And the rabble will be +elated because Caesar is its buffoon." + +"Say thyself, is it possible to be more debased?" + +Petronius shrugged his shoulders. "Thou art living by thyself at +home, and meditating, now about Lygia, now about Christians, so +thou knowest not, perhaps, what happened two days since. Nero +married, in public, Pythagoras, who appeared as a bride. That +passed the measure of madness, it would seem, would it not? And +what wilt thou say? the flamens, who were summoned, came and +performed the ceremony with solemnity. I was present. I can +endure much; still I thought, I confess, that the gods, if there be +any, should give a sign. But Caesar does not believe in the gods, +and he is right." + +"So he is in one person chief priest, a god, and an atheist," said +Vinicius. "True," said Petronius, beginning to laugh. "That had not +entered my head; but the combination is such as the world has not +seen." Then, stopping a moment, he said: "One should add that this +chief priest who does not believe in the gods, and this god who +reviles the gods, fears them in his character of atheist." + +"The proof of this is what happened in the temple of Vesta." "What +a society!" + +"As the society is, so is Caesar. But this will not last long." + +Thus conversing, they entered the house of Vinicius, who called +for supper joyously; then, turning to Petronius he said, -- "No, my +dear, society must be renewed." + +"We shall not renew it," answered Petronius, "even for the reason +that in Nero's time man is like a butterfly, -- he lives in the +sunshine of favor, and at the first cold wind he perishes, even +against his will. By the son of Maia! more than once have I given +myself this question: By what miracle has such a man as Lucius +Saturninus been able to reach the age of ninety-three, to survive +Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius? But never mind. Wilt thou permit me +to send thy litter for Eunice? My wish to sleep has gone, somehow, +and I should like to be joyous. Give command to cithara players to +come to the supper, and afterward we will talk of Antium. It is +needful to think of it, especially for thee." + +Vinicius gave the order to send for Eunice, but declared that he +had no thought of breaking his head over the stay in Antium. + +"Let those break their heads who cannot live otherwise than in the +rays of Caesar's favor. The world does not end on the Palatine, +especially for those who have something else in their hearts and +souls." + +He said this so carelessly and with such animation and gladness +that his whole manner struck Petronius; hence, looking for a time +at him, he asked, -- "What is taking place in thee? Thou art to-day +as thou wert when wearing the golden bulla on thy neck." + +"I am happy," answered Vinicius. "I have invited thee purposely to +tell thee so." + +"What has happened?" + +"Something which I would not give for the Roman Empire." + +Then he sat down, and, leaning on the arm of the chair, rested his +head on his hand, and asked, -- "Dost remember how we were at +the house of Aulus Plautius, and there thou didst see for the first +time the godlike maiden called by thee 'the dawn and the spring'? +Dost remember that Psyche, that incomparable, that one more +beautiful than our maidens and our goddesses?" + +Petronius looked at him with astonishment, as if he wished to +make sure that his head was right. + +"Of whom art thou speaking?" asked he at last. "Evidently I +remember Lygia." + +"I am her betrothed." + +"What!" + +But Vinicius sprang up and called his dispensator. + +"Let the slaves stand before me to the last soul, quickly!" + +"Art thou her betrothed?" repeated Petronius. + +But before he recovered from his astonishment the immense +atrium was swarming with people. Panting old men ran in, men in +the vigor of life, women, boys, and girls. With each moment the +atrium was filled more and more; in corridors, called "fauces," +voices were heard calling in various languages. Finally, all took +their places in rows at the walls and among the columns. Vinicius, +standing near the impluvium, turned to Demas, the freedman, and +said, -- "Those who have served twenty years in my house are to +appear tomorrow before the pretor, where they will receive +freedom; those who have not served out the time will receive three +pieces of gold and double rations for a week. Send an order to the +village prisons to remit punishment, strike the fetters from people's +feet, and feed them sufficiently. Know that a happy day has come +to me, and I wish rejoicing in the house." + +For a moment they stood in silence, as if not believing their ears; +then all hands were raised at once, and all mouths cried, -- "A-a! +lord! a-a-a!" + +Vinicius dismissed them with a wave of his hand. Though they +desired to thank him and to fall at his feet, they went away +hurriedly, filling the house with happiness from cellar to roof. + +"To-morrow," said Vinicius, "I will command them to meet again +in the garden, and to make such signs on the ground as they +choose. Lygia will free those who draw a fish." + +Petronius, who never wondered long at anything, had grqwn +indifferent, and asked, -- "A fish, is it? Ah, ha! According to Chio, +that is the sign of a Christian, I remember." Then he extended his +hand to Vinicius, and said: "Happiness is always where a man sees +it. May Flora strew flowers under thy feet for long years. I wish +thee everything which thou wishest thyself." + +"I thank thee, for I thought that thou wouldst dissuade me, and +that, as thou seest, would be time lost." + +"I? Dissuade? By no means. On the contrary, I tell thee that thou +art doing well." + +"Ha, traitor!" answered Vinicius, joyfully; "hast forgotten what +thou didst tell me once when we were leaving the house of +Pomponia Graecina?" + +"No," answered Petronius, with cool blood; "but I have changed +my opinion. My dear," added he after a while, "in Rome everything +changes. Husbands change wives, wives change husbands; why +should not I change opinions? It lacked little of Nero's marrying +Acte, whom for his sake they represented as the descendant of a +kingly line. Well, he would have had an honest wife, and we an +honest Augusta. By Proteus and his barren spaces in the sea! I shall +change my opinion as often as I find it appropriate or profitable. +As to Lygia, her royal descent is more certain than Acte's. But in +Antium be on thy guard against Poppaea, who is revengeful." + +"I do not think of doing so. A hair will not fall from my head in +Antium." + +"If thou think to astonish me a second time, thou art mistaken; but +whence hast thou that certainty?" + +"The Apostle Peter told me so." + +"Ah, the Apostle Peter told thee! Against that there is no argument; +permit me, however, to take certain measures of precaution even +to this end, that the Apostle Peter may not turn out a false phophet; +for, should the Apostle be mistaken, perchance he might lose thy +confidence, which certainly will be of use to him in the future." + +"Do what may please thee, but I believe him. And if thou think to +turn me against him by repeating his name with irony, thou art +mistaken." + +"But one question more. Hast thou become a Christian?" + +"Not yet; but Paul of Tarsus will travel with me to explain the +teachings of Christ, and afterward I will receive baptism; for thy +statement that they are enemies of life and pleasantness is not +true." + +"All the better for thee and Lygia," answered Petronius; then, +shrugging his shoulders, he said, as if to himself, "But it is +astonishing how skilled those people are in gaining adherents, and +how that sect is extending." + +"Yes," answered Vinicius, with as much warmth as if he had been +baptized already; "there are thousands and tens of thousands of +them in Rome, in the cities of Italy, in Grecce and Asia. There are +Christians among the legions and among the pretorians; they are in +the palace of Caesar itself. Slaves and citizens, poor and rich, +plebeian and patrician, confess that faith. Dost thou know that the +Cornelii are Christians, that Pomponia Graecina is a Christian, that +likely Octavia was, and Acte is? Yes, that teaching will embrace +the world, and it alone is able to renew it. Do not shrug thy +shoulders, for who knows whether in a month or a year thou wilt +not receive it thyself?" + +"I?" said Petronius. "No, by the son of Leto! I will not receive it; +even if the truth and wisdom of gods and men were contained in it. +That would require labor, and I have no fondness for labor. Labor +demands self-denial, and I will not deny myself anything. With thy +nature, which is like fire and boiling water, something like this +may happen any time. But I? I have my gems, my cameos, my +vases, my Eunice. I do not believe in Olympus, but I arrange it on +earth for myself; and I shall flourish till the arrows of the divine +archer pierce me, or till Caesar commands me to open my veins. I +love the odor of violets too much, and a comfortable triclinium. I +love even our gods, as rhetorical figures, and Achcea, to which I +am preparing to go with our fat, thin-legged, incomparable, +godlike Caesar, the august period-compelling Hercules, Nero." + +Then he was joyous at the very supposition that he could accept +the teaching of Galilean fishermen, and began to sing in an +undertone, -- + +"I will entwine my bright sword in myrtle, +After the example of Harmodius and Aristogiton." + +But he stopped, for the arrival of Eunice was announced. +Immediately after her coming supper was served, during which +songs were sung by the cithara players; Vinicius told of Chilo's +visit, and also how that visit had given the idea of going to the +Apostles directly, -- an idea which came to him while they were +flogging Chilo. + +At mention of this, Petronius, who began to be drowsy, placed his +hand on his forehead, and said, -- "The thought was good, since the +object was good. But as to Chilo, I should have given him five +pieces of gold; but as it was thy will to flog him, it was better to +flog him, for who knows but in time senators will bow to him, as +to-day they are bowing to our cobbler-knight, Vatinius. +Good-night." + +And, removing his wreath, he, with Eunice, prepared for home. +When they had gone, Vinicius went to his library and wrote to +Lygia as follows: -- + +"When thou openest thy beautiful eyes, I wish +this letter to say Good-day! to thee. Hence I write now, though I +shall see thee tomorrow. Caesar will go to Antium after +to-morrow, -- and I, eheu! must go with him. I have told thee +already that not to obey would be to risk life -- and at present I +could not find courage to die. But if thou wish me not to go, write +one word, and I will stay. Perronius will turn away danger from me +with a speech. To-day, in the hour of my delight, I gave rewards to +all my slaves; those who have served in the house twenty years I +shall take to the pretor to-morrow and free. Thou, my dear, +shouldst praise me, since this act as I think will be in accord with +that mild religion of thine; secondly, I do this for thy sake. They +are to thank thee for their freedom. I shall tell them so to-morrow, +so that they may be grateful to thee and praise thy name. I give +myself in bondage to happiness and thee. God grant that I never +see liberation. May Antium be cursed, and the journey of +Ahenobarbus! Thrice and four times happy am I in not being so +wise as Petronius; if I were, I should be forced to go to Greece +perhaps. Meanwhile the moment of separation will sweeten my +memory of thee. Whenever I can tear myself away, I shall sit on a +horse, and rush back to Rome, to gladden my eyes with sight of +thee, and my ears with thy voice. When I cannot come I shall send +a slave with a letter, and an inquiry about thee. I salute thee, divine +one, and embrace thy feet. Be not angry that I call thee divine. If +thou forbid, I shall obey, but to-day I cannot call thee otherwise. I +congratulate thee on thy future house with my whole soul." + +Chapter XXVI + +IT was known in Rome that Caesar wished to see Ostia on the +journey, or rather the largest ship in the world, which had brought +wheat recently from Alexandria, and from Ostia to go by the Via +Littoralis to Antium. Orders had been given a number of days +earlier; hence at the Porta Ostiensis, from early morning, crowds +made up of the local rabble and of all nations of the earth had +collected to feast their eyes with the sight of Caesar's retinue, on +which the Roman population could never gaze sufficiently. The +road to Antium was neither difficult nor long. In the place itself, +which was composed of palaces and villas built and furnished in a +lordly manner, it was possible to find everything demanded by +comfort, and even the most exquisite luxury of the period. Caesar +had the habit, however, of taking with him on a journey every +object in which he found delight, beginning with musical +instruments and domestic furniture, and ending with statues and +mosaics, which were taken even when he wished to remain on the +road merely a short time for rest or recreation. He was +accompanied, therefore, on every expedition by whole legions of +servants, without reckoning divisions of pretorian guards, and +Augustians; of the latter each had a personal retinue of slaves. + +Early on the morning of that day herdsrnen from the Campania, +with sunburnt faces, wearing goat-skins on their legs, drove forth +five hundred she-asses through the gates, so that Poppaea on the +morrow of her arrival at Antium might have her bath in their milk. +The rabble gazed with delight and ridicule at the long ears swaying +amid clouds of dust, and listened with pleasure to the whistling of +whips and the wild shouts of the herdsmen. After the asses had +gone by, crowds of youth rushed forth, swept the road carefully, +and covered it with flowers and needles from pine-trees. In the +crowds people whispered to each other, with a certain feeling of +pride, that the whole road to Antium would be strewn in that way +with flowers taken from private gardens round about, or bought at +high prices from dealers at the Porta Mugionis. As the morning +hours passed, the throng increased every moment. Some had +brought their whole families, and, lest the time might seem +tedious, they spread provisions on stones intended for the new +temple of Ceres, and ate their prandium beneath the open sky. +Here and there were groups, in which the lead was taken by +persons who had travelled; they talked of Caesar's present trip, of +his future journeys, and journeys in general. Sailors and old +soldiers narrated wonders which during distant campaigns they had +heard about countries which a Roman foot had never touched. +Home-stayers, who had never gone beyond the Appian Way, +listened with amazement to marvellous tales of India, of Arabia, of +archipelagos surrounding Britain in which, on a small island +inhabited by spirits, Briareus had imprisoned the sleeping Saturn. +They heard of hyperborean regions of stiffened seas, of the hisses +and roars which the ocean gives forth when the sun plunges into +his bath. Stories of this kind found ready credence among the +rabble, stories believed by such men even as Tacitus and Pliny. +They spoke also of that ship which Caesar was to look at, -- a ship +which had brought wheat to last for two years, without reckoning +four hundred passengers, an equal number of soldiers, and a +multitude of wild beasts to be used during the summer games. This +produced general good feeling toward Caesar, who not only +nourished the populace, but amused it. Hence a greeting full of +enthusiasm was waiting for him. + +Meanwhile came a detachment of Numidian horse, who belonged +to the pretorian guard. They wore yellow uniforms, red girdles, and +great earrings, which cast a golden gleam on their black faces. The +points of their bamboo spears glittered like flames, in the sun. +After they had passed, a procession-like movement began. The +throng crowded forward to look at it more nearly; but divisions of +pretorian foot were there, and, forming in line on both sides of the +gate, prevented approach to the road. In advance moved wagons +carrying tents, purple, red, and violet, and tents of byssus woven +from threads as white as snow; and oriental carpets, and tables of +citrus, and pieces of mosaic, and kitchen utensils, and cages with +birds from the East, North, and West, birds whose tongues or +brains were to go to Caesar's table, and vessels with wine and +baskets with fruit. But objects not to be exposed to bruising or +breaking in vehicles were borne by slaves. Hence hundreds of +people were seen on foot, carrying vessels, and statues of +Corinthian bronze. There were companies appointed specially to +Etruscan vases; others to Grecian; others to golden or silver +vessels, or vessels of Alexandrian glass. These were guarded by +small detachments of pretorian infantry and cavalry; over each +division of slaves were taskmasters, holding whips armed at the +end with lumps of lead or iron, instead of snappers. The +procession, formed of men bearing with importance and attention +various objects, seemed like some solemn religious procession; +and the resemblance grew still more striking when the musical +instruments of Caesar and the court were borne past. There were +seen harps, Grecian lutes, lutes of the Hebrews and Egyptians, +lyres, formingas, citharas, flutes, long, winding buffalo horns and +cymbals. While looking at that sea of instruments, gleaming +beneath the sun in gold, bronze, precious stones, and pearls, it +might be imagined that Apollo and Bacchus had set out on a +journey through the world. After the instruments came rich +chariots filled with acrobats, dancers male and female, grouped +artistically, with wands in their hands. After them followed slaves +intended, not for service, but excess; so there were boys and little +girls, selected from all Greece and Asia Minor, with long hair, or +with winding curls arranged in golden nets, children resembling +Cupids, with wonderful faces, but faces covered completely with a +thick coating of cosmetics, lest the wind of the Campania might +tan their delicate complexions. + +And again appeared a pretorian cohort of gigantic Sicambrians, +blue-eyed, bearded, blond and red haired. In front of them Roman +eagles were carried by banner-bearers called "imagfnarii," tablets +with inscriptions, statues of German and Roman gods, and finally +statues and busts of Caesar, From under the skins and armor of the +soldier appeared limbs sunburnt and mighty, looking like military +engines capable of wielding the heavy weapons with which guards +of that kind were furnished. The earth seemed to bend beneath +their measured and weighty tread. As if conscious of strength +which they could use against Caesar himself, they looked with +contempt on the rabble of the street, forgetting, it was evident, that +many of themselves had come to that city in manacles. But they +were insignificant in numbers, for the pretorian force had +remained in camp specially to guard the city and hold it within +bounds. When they had marched past, Nero's chained lions and +tigers were led by, so that, should the wish come to him of +imitating Dionysus, he would have them to attach to his chariots. +They were led in chains of steel by Arabs and Hindoos, but the +chains were so entwined with garlands that the beasts seemed led +with flowers. The lions and tigers, tamed by skilled trainers, +looked at the crowds with green and seemingly sleepy eyes; but at +moments they raised their giant heads, and breathed through +wheezing nostrils the exhalations of the multitude, licking their +jaws the while with spiny tongues. Now came Caesar's vehicles +and litters, great and small, gold or purple, inlaid with ivory or +pearls, or glittering with diamonds; after them came another small +cohort of pretorians in Roman armor, pretorians composed of +Italian volunteers only;1 then crowds of select slave servants, and +boys; and at last came Caesar himself, whose approach was +heralded from afar by the shouts of thousands. + +In the crowd was the Apostle Peter, who wished to see Caesar +once in life. He was accompanied by Lygia, whose face was +hidden by a thick veil, and Ursus, whose strength formed the surest +defence of the young girl in the wild and boisterous crowd. The +Lygian seized a stone to be used in building the temple, and +brought it to the Apostle, so that by standing on it he might see +better than others. + +The crowd muttered when Ursus pushed it apart, as a ship pushes +waves; but when he carried the stone, which four of the strongest +men could not raise, the muttering was turned into wonderment, +and cries of "Macte!" were heard round about. + +Meanwhile Caesar appeared. He was sitting in a chariot drawn by +six white Idumean stallions shod with gold. The chariot had the +form of a tent with sides open, purposely, so that the crowds could +see Caesar. A number of persons might have found place in the +chariot; but Nero, desiring that attention should be fixed on him +exclusively, passed through the city alone, having at his feet +merely two deformed dwarfs. He wore a white tunic, and a toga of +amethyst color, which cast a bluish tinge on his face. On his head +was a laurel wreath. Since his departure from Naples he had +increased notably in body. His face had grown wide; under his +lower jaw hung a double chin, by which his mouth, always too +near his nose, seemed to touch his nostrils. His bulky neck was +protected, as usual, by a silk kerchief, which he arranged from +moment to moment with a white and fat hand grown over with red +hair, forming as it were bloody stains; he would not permit +epilatores to pluck out this hair, since he had been told that to do +so would bring trembling of the fingers and injure his lute-playing. +Measureless vanity was depicted then, as at all times, on his face, +together with tedium and suffering. On the whole, it was a face +both terrible and trivial. While advancing he turned his head from +side to side, blinking at times, and listening carefully to the +manner in which the multitude greeted him. He was met by a +storm of shouts and applause: "Hail, divine Caesar! lmperator, +hail, conqueror! hail, incomparable! Son of Apollo, Apollo +himself!" + +When he heard these words, he smiled; but at moments a cloud, as +it were, passed over his face, for the Roman rabble was satirical +and keen in reckoning, and let itself criticise even great +triumphators, even men whom it loved and respected. It was +known that on a time they shouted during the entrance to Rome of +Julius Caesar: "Citizens, hide your wives; the old libertine is +coming!" But Nero's monstrous vanity could not endure the least +blame or criticism; meanwhile in the throng, amid shouts of +applause were heard cries of "Ahenobarbus, Ahenobarbus! Where +hast thou put thy flaming beard? Dost thou fear that Rome might +catch fire from it?" And those who cried out in that fashion knew +not that their jest concealed a dreadful prophecy. + +These voices did not anger Caesar overmuch, since he did not +wear a beard, for long before he had devoted it in a golden +cylinder to Jupiter Capitolinus. But other persons, hidden behind +piles of stones and the corners of temples, shouted: "Matricide! +Nero! Orestes! Alcmxon!" and still others: "Where is Octavia?" +"Surrender the purple!" At Poppaea, who came directly after him, +they shouted, "Flava coma (yellow hair)!!" with which name they +indicated a street-walker. Caesar's musical ear caught these +exclamations also, and he raised the polished emerald to his eyes +as if to see and remember those who uttered them. While looking +thus, his glance rested on the Apostle standing on the stone. + +For a while those two men looked at each other. It occurred to no +one in that brilliant retinue, and to no one in that immense throng, +that at that moment two powers of the earth were looking at each +other, one of which would vanish quickly as a bloody dream, and +the other, dressed in simple garments, would seize in eternal +possession the world and the city. + +Meanwhile Caesar had passed; and immediately after him eight +Africans bore a magnificent litter, in which sat Poppaea, who was +detested by the people. Arrayed, as was Nero, in amethyst color, +with a thick application of cosmetics on her face, immovable, +thoughtful, indifferent, she looked like some beautiful and wicked +divinity carried in procession. In her wake followed a whole court +of servants, male and female, next a line of wagons bearing +materials of dress and use. The sun had sunk sensibly from midday +when the passage of Augustians began, -- a brilliant glittering line +gleaming like an endless serpent. The indolent Petronius, greeted +kitidly by the multitude, had given command to bear him and his +godlike slave in a litter. Tigellinus went in a chariot drawn by +ponies ornamented with white and purple feathers, They saw him +as he rose in the chariot repeatedly, and stretched his neck to see if +Caesar was preparing to give him the sign to to his chariot. +Among others thc crowd greeted Lcinianus with applause, Vitelius +with laughter, Vatinius with hissing. Towards Licinus and +Lecanius the consuls they were indifferent, but Tullius Senecio +they loved, it was unknown why, and Vestinius received applause. + +The court was innumerable.. It seemed that all that was richest, +most brilliant and noted in Rome, was migrating to Annum. Nero +never travelled otherwise than with thousands of vehicles; the +society which acompanied him almost always exceeded the +number of soldiers in a legion.2 Hence Domitius Afer appeared, +and the decrepit Lucius Saturninus; and Vespasian, who had not +gone yet on his expedition to Judea, from which he returned for +the crown of Caesar, and his sons, and young Nerva, and Lucan, +and Annius Gallo, and Quintianus, and a multitude of women +renowned for wealth, beauty, luxury, and vice. + +The eyes of the multitude were turhed to the harness, the chariots, +the horses, the strange livery of the servants, made up of all +peoples of the earth. In that procession of pride and grandeur one +hardly knew what to look at; and not only the eye, but the mind, +was dazzled by such gleaming of gold, purple, and violet, by thc +flashing of prccious stones, the glitter of brocade, pearls, and +ivory. It seemed that the very rays of the sun were dissolving in +that abyss of brilliancy. And though wretched people were not +lacking in that throng, people with sunken stomachs, and with +hunger in their eyes, that spectacle inflamed not only their desire +of enjoyment and their envy, but filled them with delight and +pride, because it gave a feeling of the might and invincibility of +Rome, to which the world contributed, and before which the world +knelt. Indeed there was not on earth any one who ventured to think +that that power would not endure through all ages, and outlive all +nations, or that there was anything in existence that had strength to +oppose it. + +Vinicius, riding at the end of the retinue, sprang out of his chariot +at sight of the Apostle and Lygia, whom he had not expected to +see, and, greeting them with a radiant face, spoke with hurried +voice, like a man who has no time to spare, -- "Hast thou come? I +know not how to thank thee, O Lygia! God could not have sent me +a better omen. I greet thee even while taking farewell, but not +farewell for a long time. On the road I shall dispose relays of +horses, and every free day I shall come to thee till I get leave to +return. -- Farewell!" + +"Farewell, Marcus!" answered Lygia; then she added in a lower +voice: + +"May Christ go with thee, and open thy soul to Paul's word." + +He was glad at heart that she was concerned about his becoming a +Christian soon; hence he answered, -- + +"Ocelle mi! let it be as thou sayest. Paul prefers to travel with my +people, but he is with me, and will be to me a companion and +master. Draw aside thy veil, my delight, let me see thee before my +journey. Why art thou thus hidden?" + +She raised the veil, and showed him her bright face and her +wonderfully smiling eyes, inquiring, -- + +"Is the veil bad?" + +And her smile had in it a little of maiden opposition; but Vinicius, +while looking at her with delight, answered, -- "Bad for my eyes, +which till death would look on thee only." Then he turned to Ursus +and said, -- "Ursus, guard her as the sight in thy eye, for she is my +domina as well as thine." + +Seizing her hand then, he pressed it with his lips, to the great +astonishment of tlte crowd, who could not understand signs of +such honor from a brilliant Augustian to a maiden arrayed in +simple garments, almost those of a slave. + +"Farewell!" + +Then he departed quickly, for Caesar's whole retinue had pushed +forward considerably. The Apostle Peter blessed hini with a slight +sign of the cross; but the kindly Ursus began at once to glorify +him, glad that his young mistress listened eagerly and was grateful +to him for those praises. + +The retinue moved on and hid itself in clouds of golden dust; they +gazed long after it, however, till Demas the miller apprvached, he +for whom Ursus worked in the night-time. When he had kissed the +Apostle's hand, he entreated them to enter his dwelling for +refreshment, saying that it was near thc Emporium, that they must +be hungry and wearied since they had spent the greater part of the +day at the gate. + +They went with him, and, after rest and refreshment in his house, +returned to the Trans-Tiber only toward evening. Intending to +cross the river by the Aemilian bridge, they passed through the +Clivus Publicus, going over the Aventine, between the temples of +Diana and Mercury. From that height the Apostle looked on the +edifices about him, and on those vanishing in the distance. Sunk in +silence he meditated on the immensity and dominion of that city, +to which he had come to announce the word of God. Hitherto he +had seen the rule of Rome and its legions in various lands through +which he had wandered, but they were single members as it were +of the power, which that day for the first time he had seen +impersonated in the form of Nero. That city, immense, predatory, +ravenous, unrestrained, rotten to the marrow of its bones, and +unassailable in its preterhuman power; that Caesar, a fratricide, a +matricide, a wife-slayer, after him dragged a retinue of bloody +spectres no less in number than his court. That profligate, that +buffoon, but also lord of thirty legions, and through them of the +whole earths; those courtiers covered with gold and scarlet, +uncertain of the morrow, but mightier meanwhile than kings, -- all +this together seemed a species of hellish kingdom of wrong and +evil. In his simple heart he marvelled that God could give such +inconceivable almightiness to Satan, that He could yield the earth +to him to knead, overturn, and trample it, to squeeze blood and +tears from it, to twist it like a whirlwind, to storm it like a tempest, +to consume it like a flame. And his Apostle-heart was alarmed by +those thoughts, and in spirit he spoke to the Master: "O Lord, how +shall I begin in this city, to which Thou Inst sent mc? 'lo ft belong +seas and lands, the beasts of the field, and the creatures of the +water; it owns other kingdoms and cities, and thirty legions which +guard them; hut I, O Lord, am a fisherman from a lake! How shall +I begin, and how shall I conquer its malice?" + +Thus speaking. he raised his gray, trembling head toward heaven, +praying and exclaiming from the depth of his heart to his Divine +Master, himself f till of sadness and fear. + +Meanwhile hb prayer was interrupted by Lygia. + +"The whole city is as if on fire," said she. + +In fact the sun went down that day in a marvellous manner. Its +immense shield had sunk half-way behind the Janiculum, the +whole expanse of heaven was filled with a red gleam. From the +place on which they were standing, Peter's glance embraced large +expanses. Somewhat to thc right they saw the long extending +walls of the Circus Maximus; above it the towering palaces of the +Palatine; and directly in front of them, beyond the Forum Boarium +and the Velabrum, the summit of the Capitol, with the temple of +Jupiter. But the walls and the columns and the summits of the +temples were as if sunk in that golden and purple gleam. The parts +of the river visible from afar flowed as if in blood; arid as the sun +sank moment after moment behind the mountain, th‡ gleam +became redder and redder, more and more like a conflagration, +and it increased and extended till finally it embraced the seven +hills, from which it extended to the whole region about. + +"The whole city seems on fire!" repeated Lygia. + +Peter shaded his eyes with his hand, and said -- + +"The wrath of God is upon it." + +1 The inhabitants of Italy were freed from military service by +Augustus, in consequence of which the so-called cohors Italica, +stationed generally in Asia, was composed of volunteers. The +pretorian guards, in so far as they were not composed of +foreigners, were made up of volunteers. + +2 In the time of the Caesars a legion was always 12,000 men. + +Chapter XXXVII + +VINCIUS to LYGIA: + +"The slave Phlegon, by whom I send this letter, is a Christian; +hence he will be one of those to receive freedom from thy hands, +my dearest. He is an old servant of our house; so I can write to thee +with full confidence, and without fear that the letter will fall into +other hands than thine. 1 write from Laurentum, where we have +halted because of heat. Otho owned here a lordly villa, which on a +time he presented to Poppaea; and she, though divorced from him, +saw fit to retain the magnificent present. When I think of the +women who surround mc now and of thee, it seems to me that +from the stones hurled by Deucalion there must have risen people +of various kinds, altogether unlike one another, and that thou art of +those born of crystal. + +"I admire and love thee from my whole soul, and wIth to speak +only of thee; hence I am forced to constrain myself to write of our +journey, of that which happens to me, and of news of the court. +Well, Caesar was the guest of Poppaea, who prepared for him +secretly a magnificent reception. SIte invited only a few of his +favorites, but Petronius and I were among them. After dinner we +sailed in golden boats over the sea, which was as calm as if it had +been sleeping, and as blue as thy eyes, O divine one. We ourselves +rowed, for evidently it flattered the Augusta that men of consular +dignity, or their sons, were rowing for her. Caesar, sitting at the +rudder in a purple toga, sang a hymn in honor of the sea; this hymn +he had composed the night before, and wfth Diodorus had +arranged music to ft. In other boats he was accompanied by slaves +from India who knew how to play on sea-shells while round about +appeared numerous dolphins, as if really enticed from Amphitrite's +depths by music. Dvst thcu know what I was doing? I was thinking +of thee1 and yearning. I wanted to gather in that sea, that calm, and +that music, and give the whole to thee. + +"Dost thou wish that we should live in some place at the seashore +far from Rome, my Augusta? I have land in Sicily, on which there +is an almond forest which has rose-colored blossoms in spring, and +this forest goes down so near the sea that the tips of the branches +almost touch the water. There I will love thee and magnify Paul's +teaching, for I know now that it will not be opposed to love and +happiness. Dost thou wish? -- But before I hear thy answer I will +wrfte further of what happened on the boat. + +"Soon the shore was far behind. We saw a sail before us in the +distance, and all at once a dispute rose as to whether it was a +common fishing-boat or a great ship from Ostia. I was the first to +discover what it was, and then the Augusta said that for my eyes +evidently nothing was hidden, and, dropping the veil over her face +on a sudden, she inquired if I could recognize her thus. + +Petronius answered immediately that it was not possible to see +even the sun behind a cloud; but she said, as if in jest, that love +alone could blind such a piercing glance as mine, and, naming +various women of the court, she fell to inquiring and guessing +which one I loved. I answered calmly, but at last she mentioned +thy name. Speaking of thee, she uncovered her face again, and +looked at me with evil and inquiring eyes. + +"I feel real gratitude to Petronius, who turned the boat at that +moment, through which general attention was taken from me; for +had I heard hostile or sneering words touching thee, I should not +have been able to hide my anger, and should have had to struggle +with the wish to break the head of that wicked, malicious woman +with my oar. Thou rememberest the incident at the pond of +Agrippa ahout which 1 told thee at the house of Linus on the eve +of my departure. Petronius is alarmed on my account, and to-day +again he implored me not to offend the Augusta's vanity. But +Petronius does not understand me, and does not realize that, apart +from thee, I know no pleasure or beauty or love, and that for +Poppaea I feel only disgust and contemtipt. Thou hast changed my +soul greatly, -- so greatly that I should not wish now to return to +my former life. But have no fear that harm may reach me here. +Poppna does not love me, for she cannot love any one, and her +desires arise only from anger at Qusar, who is under her influence +yet, and who is even capable of loving her yet; still, he does not +spare her, and does not hide from her his transgressions and +shamelessness. + +"I will tell thee, besides, something which should pacify thee. Peter +told me in parting not to fear Caesar, since a hair would not fall +from my head; and I believe him. Some voice in my soul says that +every word of his must be accomplished; that since he blessed our +love, neither Caesar, nor all the powers of Hades, nor +predestination itself, could take thee from me, O Lygia. When I +think of this I am as happy as if I were in heaven, wlsich alone is +calm and happy. But what I say of heaven and predestination may +offend thee, a Christian. Christ has not washed me yet, but niy +heart is like an empty chalice, which Paul of Tarsus is to fill with +the sweet doctrine professed by thee, -- the sweeter for me that ft is +thine. Thuu, divine one, count even this as a merit to me that I +have emptied it of the liquid with which I had filled it before, and +that I do not withdraw it, but hold it forth as a thirsty man standing +at a pure spring. Let me find favor in thy eyes. + +"In Antium my days and nights will pass in listening to Paul, who +acquired such influence among my people on the first day that they +surround him continually, seeing in him not only a wonder-worker, +but a being almost supernatural. Yesterday I saw gladness on his +face, and when I asked what he was doing, he answered, 'I am +sowing!' Petronius knows that he is among my people, and wishes +to see him, as does Seneca also, who heard of him from Gallo. + +"But the stars are growing pale, O Lygia, and 'Lucifer' of the +morning is bright with growing force. Soon the dawn will make +the sea ruddy; all is sleeping round about, but I am thinking of thee +and loving thee. Be greeted together with the morning dawn, +sponsa mea!" + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +VINICIUS to LYGIA: + +"Hast thou ever been in Antium, my dear one, with Aulus and +Pomponia? If not, 1 shall be happy when I show this place to thee. +All the way from Laurentuns there is a line of villas along the +seashore; and Antium itself is an endless succession of palaces and +porticos, whose columns in fair weather see themselves in the +water. I, too, have a residence here right over the sea, with an olive +garden and a forest of cypresses behind the villa, and when I think +that the place will sometime be thine, its marble seems whiter to +me, its groves more shady, and the sea bluer. Oh, Lygia, how good +it is to live and love! Old Menikles, who manages the villa, planted +irises on the ground under myrtles, and at sight of them the house +of Aulus, the impluvium, and the garden in which I sat near thee, +came to my mind. The irises will remind thee, too of thy +childhood's home; therefore I am certain that thou wilt love +Antium and this villa. + +"Immediately after our arrival I talked long wfth Paul at dinner. +We spoke of thee, and afterward he taught. I listened long, and I +say only this, that eyed zuiuld I write like Patronius, I should not +have power to explain everything which passed through my soul +and my mind. I had not suppoed that there could be such happiness +in this world, such beauty and peace of which hitherto people had +no knowledge. But I retain all this for conversation with thee, for +at the first free moment I shall be in Rome. + +"How could the earth find place at once for the Apostle Peter, Paul +of Tarsus, and Caesar? Tell me this. I ask because I passed +the evening after Paul's teaching with Nero, and dost thou know +what I heard there? Well, to begin with, he read his poem on the +destruction of Troy, and complained that never had he seen a +burning city. He envied Priam, and called him happy just for this, +that he saw the conflagration and ruin of his birthplace. +Whereupon Tigellinus said, 'Speak a word, O divinity, I will take a +torch, and before the night passes thou shalt see blazing Antium.' +But Caesar called him a fool. 'Where,' asked he, 'should I go to +breathe the sea air, and preserve the voice with which the gods +have gifted me, and which men say I should preserve for the +benefit of mankind? Is it not Rome that injures me; is it not the +exhalations of the Subura and the Esquiline which add to my +hoarseness? Would not the palaces of Rome present a spectacle a +hundredfold more tragic and magnificent than Antium?' Here all +began to talk, and to say what an unheard tragedy the picture of a +city like that would be, a city which had conquered the world +turned now into a heap of gray ashes. Caesar declared that then his +poem would surpass the songs of Homer, and he began to describe +how he would rebuild the city, and how coming ages would +admire his achievensents, in presence of which all other human +works would be petty. 'Do that! do that!' exclaimed the drunken +company. 'I must have more faithful and more devoted friends,' +answered he. I confess that I was alarmed at once when I heard +this, for thou art in Rome, carissima. I laugh now at that alarm, and +I think that Caesar and his friends, though mad, would not dare to +permit such insanity.. Still, see how a man fears for his love; I +should prefer that the house of Linus were not in that narrow +Trans-Tiber alley, and in a part occupied by common people, +who are less considered in such a case. For me, the very palaces on +the Palatine would not be a residence fit for thee; hence I should +wish also that nothing were lacking thee of those ornaments and +comforts to which thou art accustomed from childhood. + +"Go to the house of Aulus, my Lygia. I have thought much here +over this matter. If Caesar were in Rome, news of thy return might +reach the Palatine through slaves, turn attention to thee, and bring +persecution, because thou didst dare to act against the will of +Caesar. But he will remain long in Antium, and before he returns +slaves will have ceased to speak of thee. Linus and Ursus can be +with thee. Besides, I live in hope that before Palatine sees Caesar, +thou, my goddess, shalt be dwelling in thy own house on the +Carina~. Blessed be the day, hour, and moment in wbicls tlson +shalt cross my threshold; and if Ghrist, whom I am laarning to +accept, effccrs this, may His name be blessed also. I shall serve +Him, and give life and blood for Him. I speak incorrectly; we shall +serve Him, both of us, as long as the threads of life hold. + +"I love thee and salute thee with my whole soul." + +Chapter XXXIX + +Unsus was taking water from a cistern, and while drawing up a +double amphora, with a rope, was singing a strange Lygian song in +an undertone, looking meanwhile with delighted eyes at Lygia and +Vinicius, who, among the cypresses in Linus's garden, seemed as +white as two statues. Their clothing was not moved by the least +hreeze. A golden and lily-colored twilight was sinking on the +world while they were conversing in the calm of evening, each +holding the other by the hand. + +"May not some evil meet thee, Marcus, because thou hast left +Antium without Caesar's knowledge?" asked Lygia. + +"No, my dear," answered Vinieius. "Caesar announced that he +would shut himself in for two days with Terpnos, and compose +new songs. He acts thus frequently, and at such times neither +knows nor remembers aught else. Moreover, what is Caesar to me +since I am near thee and am looking at thee? I have yearned too +nsuch already, and these last nights sleep has left inc. More than +once, when I dozed from weariness, I woke on a sudden, with a +feeling that danger was hanging over thee; at times I dreamed that +the relays of horses which were to bear me from Antium to Rome +were stolen, -- hources with which I passed that road more swiftly +than any of Caesar's couriers. Besides, I could not live longer +without thee; I love thee too much for that, my dearest." + +"I knew that thou wert consing. Twice Ursus ran out, at my +request, to the Carinai, and inquired for thee at thy house. Linus +laughed at me, and Ursus also." + +It was, indeed, evident that she had expected him; for instead of +her usual dark dress, she wore a soft white stola, out of whose +heautiful folds her arms and head emerged like primroses out of +snow. A few ruddy anemones ornamented her hair. + +Vinicius pressed his lips to her hands; then they sat on the stone +bench amidst wild grape-vines, and inclining toward each other, +were silent, looking at the twilight whose last gleams were +reflected in their eyes. + +The eharos of the quiet evening niastered them completely. + +"How calm it is here, and how beautiful the world is," said +Vinicius, in a lowered voice. "The night is wonderfully still. I feel +happier than ever in life before. Tell me, Lygia, what is this? Never +have I thought that there could be such love. I thought that lnve +was merely fire in the blood and desire; but now for the first time I +see that it is possible to love with every drop of one's blood and +every breath, and feel therewith suds sweet and immeasurable +calm as if Sleep and Death had put the soul to rest. For me this is +something new. I look on this calmness of the trees, and it seems +to be within me. Now I understand for the first time that there isiay +be happiness of which people have not known thus far, Now I +begin to understand why thou and Pomponia Gra~eina have such +peace. Yes! Christ gives it." + +At that moment Lygia placed her beautiful face on his shoulder +and said, -- "My dear Marcus --" But she was unable to continue. +Joy, gratitude, and the feeling that at last slse was free to hove +deprived her of voice, and her eyes were filled with tears of +emotion. + +\Tinieius, embracing her slender form with his arm, drew her +toward him and said,-- "Lygia! May the moment be blessed in +which I heard His name for the first tinne." + +"I love thee, Marcus," said she then in a low voice. + +Both were silent again, unable to bring words from their +overcharged breasts. The last lily reflections had died on the +cypresses, and the garden began to be silver-like from the crescent +of the moon. After a while Vinicius said,-- "I know. Barely had I +entered here, barely had I kissed thy dear hands, when I read in thy +eyes the question whether I had received the divine doctrine to +which thou art attached, and whether I was baptized. No, I am not +baptized yet; but knowest thou, my flower, why? Paul said to me: 'I +have convinced thee that God came into the world and gave +Himself to he crucified for its salvation; but let Peter wash thee in +the fountain of grace, he who first stretched his hands over thee +and blessed thee.' And I, my dearest, wish thee to witness nsy +baptism, and I wish Pomponia to be my godmother. This is why I +ans not baptized yet, thou?h I believe in the Saviour and in flis +teachtng. Paul has convinced me, has converted me; and could it +be otherwise? flow was I not to believe that Christ came into the +world, since he, who was His disciple, says so, and Paul, to whom +He appeared? How was I not to believe that He was God, since He +rose from the dead? Others saw Him in the city and on the lake +and on the mountain; people saw Him whose lips have not known +a lie. I began to believe this the first time I heard Peter in +Ostrianum, for I said to myself even then! In the whole world any +other man might lie rather than this one who says, 'I saw.' But I +feared thy religion. It seemed to me that thy religion would take +thee from me. I thought that there was neither wisdom nor beauty +nor happiness in it. But to-day, when know it, what kind of man +should I be were I not to wish truth to rule the world instead of +fahehood, love instead of hatred, virtue instead of crime, +faithfulness instead of unfaithfulness, mercy instead of vengeance? +What sort of man would he be who would not choose and wish the +same? But your religion teaches this. Others desire justice also; +but thy religion is the only one which makes man's heart just, and +besides makes it pure, like thine and Pomponia's, makes it +faitlsful, like thine and Pomponia's. I should be blind were 1 not to +see this, But if in addition Christ God has promised eternal life, +and has promised happiness as immeasurable as the all-might of +God can give, what more can one wish? Were I to ask Seneca why +he enjoins virtue, if wickedness brings more happiness, he would +not be able to say anything sensible. But I know now that I ought +to be virtuous, because virtue and love flow from Christ, and +because, when death closes my eyes, I shall find life and +happiness, I shall find myself and thee. Why not love and accept a +religion which both speaks the truth and destroys death? Who +would not prefer good to evil? I thought thy religion opposed to +happiness; meanwhile Paul has convinced me that not only does it +not take away, but that it gives. All this hardly finds a place in my +head; but I feel that it is true, for I have never been so happy, +neither could I be, had I taken thee by force and possessed thee in +my house. Just see, thou hast said a moment since, 'I love thee,' +and I could not have won these words from thy lips with all the +might of Rome. O Lygia! Reason declares this religion divine, and +the best; the heart feels it, and who can resist two such forces?" + +Lygia listened, fixing on him her blue eyes, which in the light of +the moon were like mystic flowers, and bedcwcd like flowers. + +"Yes, Marcus, that is true!" said she, nestling her head more +closely to his shoulder. + +And at that moment they felt immensely happy, for they +understood that besides love they were united by another power, at +once sweet and irresistible, by which love itself becomes endless, +not subject to change, deceit, treason, or even death. Their hearts +were filled with perfect certainty that, no matter what might +happen, they would not cease to love and belong to each other. For +that reason an unspeakable repose flowed in on their souls. +Vinicius felt, besides, that that love was not merely profound and +pusc, but altogether new, -- such as the world had not known and +could not give. In his head all was combined in this love, -- Lygia, +the teaching of Christ, the light of the moon resting calmly on the +cypresses, and the still night, -- so that to him the whole universe +seemed filled with it. + +After a while he said with a lowered arid quivering voice: "Thou +wilt be the soul of my soul, and the dearest in the world to me. Our +hearts will heat together, we shall have one prayer and one +gratitude to Christ. O my dear! To live together, to honor together +the sweet God, and to know that when death comes our eyes will +open again, as after a pleasant sleep, to a new light, -- what better +could be imagined? I only marvel that I did not understand this at +first. And knowest thou what occurs to me now? That no one can +resist this religion. In two hundred or three hundred years the +whole world will accept it. People will forget Jupiter, and there +will be no God except Christ, and no other temples but Christian. +Who would not wish his own happiness? Ah! but I heard Paul's +conversation with Petronius and dost thou know what Petronius +said at the end? 'That is not for me'; but he could give no other +answer." + +"Repeat Paul's words to me," said Lygia. + +"It was at my house one evening. Petronius began to speak +playfully and to banter, as he does usually, whereupon Paul said to +him: 'How canst thou deny, O wise Petronius, that Christ existed +and rose from the dead, since thou wert not in the world at that +time, but Peter and John saw Him, and I saw Him on the road to +Damascus? Let thy wisdom show, first of all, then, that we are +liars, and then only deny our testimony.' Petronius answered that +he had no thought of denying, for he knew that many +incomprehensible things were done, which trustworthy people +affirmed. 'But the discovery of some new foreign god is one +thing,' said he, 'and the reception of his teaching another. I have no +wish to know anything which' may deform life and mar its +beauty. Never mind whether our gods are true or not; they are +beautiful, their rule is pleasant for us, and we live without care.' +'Thou art willing to reject the religion of love, justice, and mercy +through dread of the cares of life,' replied Paul; 'but think, +Petronius, is thy life really free from anxieties? Behold, neither +thou nor any man among the richest and most powerful knows +when he falls asleep at night that he may not wake to a death +sentence. But tell me, if C2esar professed this religion, which +enjoins love and justice, would not thy happiness be more assured? +Thou art alarmed about thy delight, but would not life be more +joyous then? As to life's beauty and ornaments, if ye have reared so +many beautiful temples and statues to evil, revengeful, adulterous, +and faithless divinities, what would ye not do in honor of one God +of truth and mercy? Thou art ready to praise thy lot, because thou +art wealthy and living in luxury; but it was possible even in thy +case to be poor and deserted, though coming of a great house, and +then in truth it would have been better for thee if people confessed +Christ. In Rome even wealthy parents, unwilling to toil at rearing +children, cast them out of the house frequently; those children are +called alumni. And chance might have made thee an alumnus, like +one of those. But if parents live according to our religion, this +cannot happen. And hadst thou, at manhood's years, married a +woman of thy love, thy wish would be to see her faithful till death. +Meanwhile look around, what happens among you, what vileness, +what shame, what bartering in the faith of wives! Nay, ye +yourselves are astonished when a woman appears whom ye call +"univira" (of one husband). But I tell thee that those women who +carry Christ in their hearts will not break faith with their husbands, +just as Christian husbands will keep faith with their wives. But ye +are neither sure of rulers nor fathers nor wives nor children nor +servants. The whole world is trembling before you, and ye are +trembling before your own slaves, for ye know that any hour may +raise an awful war against your oppression, such a war as has been +raised more than once. Though rich, thou art not sure that the +command may not come to thee to-morrow to leave thy wealth; +thou art young, but to-morrow it may be necessary for thee to die. +Thou lovest, but treason is in wait for thee; thou art enamoured of +villas and statues, but to-morrow power may thrust thee forth into +the empty places of the Pandataria; thou hast thousands of +servants, but to-morrow these servants may let thy blood flow. And +if that be the case, how canst thou be calm and happy, how canst +thou live in delight? But I proclaim love, and I proclaim a religion +which commands rulers to love their subjects, masters their slaves, +slaves to serve with love, to do justice and be merciful; and at last +it promises happiness boundless as a sea without end. How, then, +Petronius, canst thou say that that religion spoils life, since it +corrects, and since thou thyself wouldst be a hundred times +happier and more secure were it to embrace the world as Rome's +dominion has embraced it?' + +"Thus discussed Paul, and then Petronius said, 'That is not for me.' +Feigning drowsiness, he went out, and when going added: 'I prefer +my Eunice, O little Jew, but I should not wish to struggle with thee +on the platform.' I listened to Paul's words with my whole soul, and +when he spoke of our women, I magnified with all my heart that +religion from which thou hast sprung as a lily from a rich field in +springtime. And I thought then: There is Poppaea, who cast aside +two husbands for Nero, there is Calvia Crispinilla, there is Nigidia, +there are almost all whom I know, save only Pomponia; they +trafficked with faith and with oaths, but she and my own one will +not desert, will not deceive, and will not quench the fire, even +though all in whom I place trust should desert and deceive me. +Hence I said to thee in my soul, How can I show gratitude to thee, +if not with love and honor? Didst thou feel that in Antium I spoke +and conversed with thee all the time as if thou hadst been at my +side? I love thee a hundred times more for having escaped me +from Caesar's house. Neither do I care for Caesar's house any +longer; I wish not its luxury and music, I wish only thee. Say a +word, we will leave Rome to settle somewhere at a distance." + +Without removing her head from his shouldcr, Lygia, as if +meditating, raised her eyes to the silver tops of the cypresses, and +answered, -- "Very well, Marcus. Thou hart written to me of Sicily, +where Aulus wishes to settle in old age." And Vinieius interrupted +her with delight. + +"True, my dear! Our lands are adjacent. That is a wonderful coast, +where the climate is sweeter and the nights still brighter than in +Rome, odoriferous and transparent. There life and happiness are +almost one and the same." + +And he began then to dream of the future. + +"There we may forget anxieties. In groves, among olive-trees, we +shall walk and rest in the shade. O Lygia! what a life to love and +cherish each other, to look at the sea together, to look at the sky +together, to honor together a kind God, to do in peace what is just +and true." + +Both were silent, looking into the future; only he drew her more +firmly toward him, and the knight's ring on his finger glittered +meanwhile in the rays of the moon. In the pan occupied by the +poor toiling people, all were sleeping; no murmur broke the +silence. + +"Wilt thou permit me to see Pomponia?" asked Lygia. + +"Yes, dear one. We will invite them to our house, or go to them +ourselves. If thou wish, we can take Peter the Apostle. Tie is +bowed down with age and work. Paul will visit us also, -- he will +convert Aulus Plautius; and as soldiers found colonies in distant +lands, so we will found a colony of Christians." + +Lygia raised her hand and, taking his palm, wished to press it to +her lips; but he whispered, as if fearing to frighten happiness, -- +"No, Lygia, no! It is I who honor thee and exalt thee; give me thy +hands." "I love thee." + +He had pressed his lips to her hands, white as jessamine, and for a +time they heard only the beating of their own hearts. There was not +the slightest movement in the air; the cypresses stood as +motionless as if they too were holding breath in their breasts. + +All at once the silence was broken by an unexpected thunder, deep, +and as if coming from under the earth. A shiver ran through Lygia's +body. Vinicius stood up, and said, -- "Lions are roaring in the +vivarium." + +Both began to listen. Now the first thunder was answered by a +second, a third, a tenth, from all sides and divisions of the city. In +Rome several thousand lions were quartered at times in various +arenas, and frequently in the night~tirne they approached the +grating, and, leaning their gigantic heads against it, gave utterance +to their yearning for freedom and the desert. Thus they began on +this occasion, and, answering one another in the stillness of night, +they filled the whole city with roaring. There was something so +indescribably gloomy and terrible in those roars that Lygia, whose +bright and calm visions of the future were scattered, listened with +a straitened heart and with wonderful fear and sadness. + +But Vinicius encircled her with his arm, and said, -- "Fear not, dear +one. The games are at hand, and all the vivaria are crowded." + +Then both entered the house of Linus, accompanied by the thunder +of lions, growing louder and louder. + +Chapter XL + +IN Antium, meanwhile, Petronius gained new victories almost +daily over courtiers vying with him for the favor of Caesar. The +influence of Tigellinus had fallen completely. In Rome, when +there was occasion to set aside men who seemed dangerous, to +plunder their property or to settle political cases, to give spectacles +astounding by their luxury and bad taste, or finally to satisty the +monstrous whims ot Caesar, Tigellinus, as adroit, as he was ready +for anything, became indispensable. But in Antium, +among palaces reflected in the azure of the sea, Caesar led a +Hellenic existence. From morning till evening Nero and his +attendants read verses, discoursed on their structure and finish, +were delighted with happy turns of expression, were occupied with +music, the theatre, -- in a word, exclusively with that which +Grecian genius had invented, and with which it had beautified life. +Under these conditions Petronius, incomparably more rehaed than +Tigellinus and the other courtiers, -- witty, eloquent, full of subtile +feelings and tastes, obtained pre-eminence of necessity. Caesar +sought his society, took his opinion, asked for advice when he +composed, and showed a more lively friendship than at any other +time whatever. It seemed to courtiers that his influence had won a +supreme triumph at last, that friendship between him and Caesar +had entered on a period of certainty which would last for years. +Even those who had shown dislike previously to the exquisite +Epicurean, began now to crowd around him and vie for his favor. +More than one was even sincerely glad in his soul that +preponderance had come to a man who knew really what to think +of a given person, who received with a sceptical smile the flattery +of his enemies of yesterday, but who, either through indolence or +culture, was not vengeful, and did not use his power to the +detriment or destruction of others. There were moments when he +might have destroyed even Tigellinus, but he preferred to ridicule +him, and expose his vulgarity and want of refinement. In Rome the +Senate drew breath, for no death sentence had been issued for a +month and a half. It is true that in Antium and the city people told +wonders of the refinement which the profligacy of Caesar and his +favorite had reached, but every one preferred a refined Caesar to +one brutalized in the hands of Tigellinus. Tigellinus himself lost +his head, and hesitated whether or not to yield as conquered, for +Caesar had said repeatedly that in all Rome and in his court there +were only two spirits capable of understanding each other, two real +Hellenes, -- he and Petronius. + +The amazing dexterity of Petronius confinned people in the +conviction that his influence would outlive every other. They dId +not see how Caesar could dispense with him, -- with whom could +he converse touching poetry, music, and comparative excellence; +in whose eyes could he look to learn whether his creation was +indeed perfect? Petronius, with his habitual indifference, seemed +to attach no importance to his position. As usual, he was remiss, +slothful, sceptical, and witty. He produced on people frequently +the impression of a man who made light of them, of himself, of +Caesar, of the whole world. At moments he ventured to criticise +Caesar to his face, and when others judged that he was going too +far, or simply preparing his own ruin, he was able to turn the +criticism suddenly in such a way that it came out to his profit; he +roused amazement in those present, and the conviction that there +was no position from which he could not issue in triumph. + +About a week after the return of Vinicius from Rome, Caesar read +in a small circle an extract from his Troyad; when he had finished +and the shouts of rapture had ended, Petronius, interrogated by a +glance from Caesar, replied, -- + +"Common verses, fit for the fire." + +The hearts of those present stopped beating from terror. Since the +years of his childhood Nero had never heard such a sentence from +any man. The face of Tigellinus was radiant with delight. But +Vinicius grew pale, thinking that Petronius, who thus far had never +been drunk, was drunk this time. + +Nero, however, inquired in a honeyed voice, in which more or less +deeply wounded vanity was quivering, -- + +"What defect dost thou find in them?" + +"Do not believe thcm," said Petronius, attacking him, and pointing +to those present; "they understand nothing. Thou hast asked what +defect there is in thy verses. If thou desire truth, I will tell rhee~ +Thy verses would be worthy of Virgil, of Ovid, even of Homer, but +they are not worthy of thee. Thou art not free to write such. The +conflagration described by thee does not blaze enough; thy fire is +not hot enough. Listen not to Lucan's flatteries. Had he written +those verses, I should acknowledge him a genius, but thy case is +different. And knowest thou why? Thou art greater than they. From +him who is gifted of the gods as thou art, more is demanded. But +thou art slothful, -- thou wouldst rather sleep after dinner than sit +to wrinkles. Thou canst create a work such as the world has not +heard of to this day; hence I tell thee to thy eyes, write better!" + +And he said this carelessly, as if bantering and also chiding; but +Caesar's eyes were mist-covered from delight. + +"The gods have given me a little talent," said he, "hut they have +given me something greater, a true judge and friend, the only man +able to speak the truth to my eyes." + +Then he stretched his fat hand, grown over with reddish hair, to a +golden candelabrum plundered from Delphi, to burn the verses. +But Petronius seized them before the flame touched the paper. + +"No, no!" said he; "even thus they belong to mankind. Leave them +to me." + +"In such case let me send them to thee in a cylinder of my own +invention," answered Nero, embracing Petroriius. + +"True; thou art right," said he, after a while. "My conflagration of +Troy does not blaze enough; my fire is not hot enough. But I +thought it sufficient to equal Homer. A certain timidity and low +estimate of my power have fettered inc always. Thou hast opened +my eyes. But knowest why it is, as thou sayest? When a sculptor +makes the statue of a god, he seeks a model; but never have I had a +model. I never have seen a burning city; hence there is a lack of +truth in my description." + +"Then I will say that only a great artist understands this." Nero +grew thoughtful, and after a while he said, -- "Answer one +question, Petronius. Dost thou regret the burning of Troy?" + +"Do I regret? By the lame consort of Venus, not in the least! And I +will tell thee the reason. Troy would not have been consumed if +Prometheus had not given fire to man, and the Greeks made war +on Priam. Aeschylus would not have written his Prometheus had +there been no fire, just as Homer would not have written the Iliad +had there been no Trojan war. I think it better to have Prometheus +and the Iliad than a small and shabby city, which was unclean, I +think, and wretched, and in which at best there would be now +some procurator annoying thee through quarrels with the local +areopagus." + +"That is what we call speaking with sound reason," said Nero. "For +art and poetry it is permitted, and it is right, to sacrifice everything. +Happy were the Achanns who furnished Homer with the substance +of the Iliad, and happy Priam who beheld the ruin of his birthplace. +As to me, I have never seen a burning city." + +A time of silence followed, which was broken at last by +Tigellinus-- "But I have said to thee, Camar, already, command +and I will burn Antium; or dost thou know what? If thou art sorry +for these villas and palaces, give command to burn the ships in +Ostia; or I will build a wooden city on the Alban Hills, into which +thou shalt hurl the fire thyself. Dost thou wish?" + +"Am I to gaze on the burning of wooden sheds?" asked Nero, +casting a look of contempt on him. "Thy mind has grown utterly +barren, Tigellinus. And I see, besides, that thou dost set no great +value on my talent or my Troyad, since thou judgest that any +sacrifice would be too great for it." + +Tigellinus was confused; but Nero, as if wishing to change the +conversation, added after a while, -- + +"Summer is passing. Oh, what a stench there must be in that Rome +now! And stil1 we must return for the summer games." + +"When thou dismissest the Augustians, O Caesar, permit me to +remain with thee a moment," said Tigellinus. + +An hour later Vinicius, returning with Petronius from Ctsar's villa, +said, -- "I was a trifle alarmed for thee. I judged that while drunk +thou hadst ruined thyself beyond redemption. Remember that thou +art playing with death." + +"That is my arena," answered Petronius, carelessly; "and the +feeling that I am the best gladiator in it amuses me. See how it +ended. My influence has increased this evening. He will send me +his verses in a cylinder which -- dost wish to lay a wager? -- will +be immensely rich and in immensely bad taste. I shall command +my physician to keep physic in it. I did this for another reason, -- +because Tigellinus, seeing how such things succeed, will wish +surely to imitate me, and I imagine what will happen. The moment +he starts a witticism, it will be as if a bear of the Pyrenees were +rope-walking. I shall laugh like Democritus. If I wished I could +destroy Tigellinus perhaps, and become pretorian prefect in his +place, and have Ahenobarbus himself in my hands. But I am +indolent; I prefer my present life and even Caesar's verses to +trouble." + +"What dexterity to be able to turn even blame into flattery! But are +those verses really so bad? I am no judge in those matters." + +"The verses are not worse than others. Lucan has more talent in +one finger, but in Bronzebeard too there is something. He has, +above all, an imtnense love for poetry and music. In two days we +are to be with him to hear the music of his hymn to Aphrodite, +which he will finish to-day or to-morrow. We shall be in a small +circle, -- only I, thou, Tullius Senecio, and young Nerva. But as to +what I said touching Nero's verses, that I use them after feasting as +Vitelius does flamingo feathers, is not true. At times they are +eloquent. 1-lecuba's words are touching. She complains of the +pangs of birth, and Nero was able to find happy expressions, for +this reason, perhaps, that he gives birth to every verse in torment. +At times I am sorry for him. By Pollux, what a marvellous +mixture! The fifth stave was lacking in Caligula, but still he never +did such strange things." + +"Who can foresee to what the madness of Ahenobarbus will go?" +asked Vinicius. + +"No man whatever. Such things may happen yet that the hair will +stand on men's heads for whole centuries at thought of them. But it +is that precisely which interests me; and though I am bored more +than once, like Jupiter Ammon in the desert, I believe that under +another Caesar I should be bored a hundred times more. Paul, thy +little Jew, is eloquent, -- that I accord to him; and if people like +him proclaim that religion, our gods must defend themselves +seriously, lest in time they be led away captive. It is true that if +Caesar, for example, were a Christian, all would feel safer. But thy +prophet of Tarsus, in applying proofs to me, did not think, seest +thou, that for mc this uncertainty becomes the charm of life. +Whoso does not play at dice will not lose property, but still people +play at dice. There is in that a certain delight and destruction of the +present. I have known sons of knights and senators to become +gladiators of their own will. I play with life, thou sayest, and that is +true, but I play because it pleases me; while Christian virtues +would bore me in a day, as do the discourses of Seneca. Because +of this, Paul's eloquence is exerted in vain. He should understand +that people like me will never accept his religion. With thy +disposition thou mightst either hate the name Christian, or become +a Christian immediately. I recognize, while yawning, the truth of +what they say. We are mad. We are hastening to the precipice, +something unknown is coming toward us out of the future, +something is breaking beneath us, something is dying around us, -- +agreed! But we shall succeed in dying; meanwhile we have no +wish to burden life, and serve death before it takes us. Life exists +for itself alone, not for death." + +"But I pity thee, Perronius." + +"Do not pity me more than I pity myself. Formerly thou wert glad +among us; while campaigning in Armenia, thou wert longing for +Rome." + +"And now I am longing for Rome." + +"True; for thou art in love with a Christian vestal, who sits in the +Trans.Tiber. I neither wonder at this, nor do I blame thee. I wonder +more, that in spite of a religion described by thee as a sea of +happiness, and in spite of a love which is soon to he crowned, +sadness has not left thy face. Pomponia Graecina is eternally +pensive; from the time of thy becoming a Christian thou hast +ceased to laugh. Do not try to persuade me that this religion is +cheerfuL Thou hast returned from Rome sadder than ever. If +Christians love in this way, by the bright curls of Bacchus! I shall +not imitate them!" + +"That is another thing," answered Vinicius. "I swear to thee, not by +the curls of Bacehus, but by the soul of my father, that never in +times past have I experienced even a foretaste of such happiness as +I breathe to-day. But I yearn greatly; and what is stranger, when I +am far from Lygia, I think that danger is threatening her. I know +not what danger, nor whence it may come; but I feel it, as one feels +a coming tempest." + +"In two days I will try to obtain for thee permission to leave +Antium, for as long a time as may please thee. Poppaea is +somewhat more quiet; and, as far as I know, no danger from her +threatens thee or Lygia." + +"This very day she asked me what I was doing in Rome, though my +departure was secret." + +"Perhaps she gave command to set spies on thee. Now, however, +even she must count with me." + +"Paul told me," said Vinicius, "that God forewarns sometimes, but +does not permit us to believe in omens; hence I guard myself +against this belief, but I cannot ward it off. I will tell thee what +happened, so as to cast the weight from my heart. Lygia and I were +sitting side by side on a night as calm as this, and planning our +future. I cannot tell thee how happy and calm we were. All at once +lions began to roar. That is common in Rome, but since then I +have no rest. It seems to me that in that roaring there was a threat, +an announcement as it were of misfortune. Thou knowest that I am +not frightened easily; that night, however, something happened +which filled all the darkness with terror. It came so strangely and +unexpectedly that I have those sounds in my ears yet, and +unbroken fear in my heart, as if Lygia were asking my protection +from something dreadful, --even from those same lions. I am in +torture. Obtain for me permission to leave Antium, or I shall go +without it. I cannot remain. I repeat to thee, I cannot!" + +"Sons of consuls or their wives are not given to lions yet in the +arenas," said Petronius, laughing. "Any other death may meet thee +but that. Who knows, besides, that they were lions? German bisons +roar with no less gentleness than lions. As to me, I ridicule omens +and fates. Last night was warm and I saw stars falling like rain. +Many a man has an evil foreboding at such a sight; but I thought, +'If among these is my star too, I shall not lack society at least!'" +Then he was silent, but added after a moment's thought, -- "If your +Christ has risen from the dead, He may perhaps protect you both +from death." + +"He may," answered Vinicius, looking at the heavens filled with +stars. + +Chapter XLI + +NERO played and sang, in honor of the "Lady of Cyprus," ~ hymn +the verses and music of which were composed by himself. That +day he was in voice, and felt that his music really captivated those +present. That feeling added such power to the sounds produced +and roused his own soul so much that he seemed inspired. At last +he grew pale from genuine emotion. This was surely the first time +that he had no desire to hear praises from others. He sat for a time +with his hands on the cithara and with bowed head; then, rising +suddenly, he said, -- + +"I am tired and need air, Meanwhile ye will tune the citharae." + +He covered his throat then with a silk kerchief. + +"Ye will go with me," said he, turning to Petronius and Vinicius, +who were sitting in a corner of the hall. "Give me thy ann, +Vinicius, for strength fails me; Petronius will talk to me of music." + +They went out on the terrace, which was paved with alabaster and +sprinkled with saffron. + +"Here one can breathe more freely," said Nero. "My soul is moved +and sad, though I see that with what I have sung to thee on trial +just now I may appear in public, and my triumph will be such as +no Roman has ever achieved." + +"Thou mayst appear here, in Rome, in Aehaea. I admire thee with +my whole heart and mind, divinity," answered Petronius. + +"I know. Thou art too slothful to force thyself to flattery, and thou +art as sincere as Tullius Senecio, but thou hast more knowledge +than he. Tell me, what is thy judgment on music?" + +"When I listen to poetry, when I look at a quadriga directed by thee +in the Circus, when I look at a beautiful statue, temple, or picture, I +feel that I comprehend perfectly what I see, that my enthusiasm +takes in all that these can give. But when I listen to music, +especially thy music, new delights and beauties open before me +every instant. I pursue them, I try to seize them; but before I can +take them to myself, new and newer ones flow in, just like waves +of the sea, which roll on from infinity. Hence I tell thee that music +is like the sea. We stand on one shore and gaze at remoteness, but +we cannot see the other shore." + +"Ah, what deep knowledge thou hast!" said Nero; and they walked +on for a moment, only the slight sound of the saffron leaves under +their feet being heard. + +"Thou hast expressed my idea," said Nero at last; "hence I say +now, as ever, in all Rome thou art the only man able to understand +me. Thus it is, my judgment of music is the same as thine. When I +play and sing, I see things which I did not know as existing in my +dominions or in the world. I am Caesar, and the world is mine. I +can do everything. But music opens new kingdoms to me, new +mountains, new seas, new delights unknown before. Most +frequently I cannot name them or grasp them; I only feel them. I +feel the gods, I see Olympus. Some kind of breeze from beyond the +earth blows in on me; I behold, as in a mist, certain immeasurable +greatnesses, but calm and bright as sunshine. The whole Spheres +plays around me; and I declare to thee" (here Nero's voice quivered +with genuine wonder) "that I, Caesar and god, feel at such times as +diminutive as dust. Wilt thou believe this?" + +"I will. Only great artists have power to feel small in the presence +of art." + +"This is a night of sincerity; hence I open my soul to thee as to a +friend, and I will say more: dost thou consider that I am blind or +deprived of reason? Dost thou think that I am ignorant of this, that +people in Rome write insults on the walls against me, call me a +matricide, a wife-murderer, hold me a monster and a tyrant, +because Tigellinus obtained a few sentences of death against my +enemies? Yes, my dear, they hold me a monster, and I know it. +They have talked cruelty on me to that degree that at times I put +the question to myself, 'Am I not cruel?' But they do not +understand this, that a man's deeds may be cruel at times while he +himself is not cruel. Ah, no one will believe, and perhaps even +thou, my dear, wilt not believe, that at moments when music +caresses my soul I feel as kind as a child in the cradle. I swear by +those stars which shine above us, that I speak the pure truth to +thee. People do not know how much goodness lies in this heart, +and what treasures I see in it when music opens the door to them." + +Petronius, who had not the least doubt that Nero was speaking +sincerely at that moment, and that music might bring out various +more noble inclinations of his soul, which were overwhelmed by +mountains of egotism, profli-. gacy, and crime, said, -- "Men +should know thee as nearly as I do; Rome has never been able to +appreciate thee." + +Caesar leaned more heavily on Vinicius's arm, as if he were +bending under the weight of injustice, and answered, + +"Tigellinus has told me that in the Senate they whisper into one +another's ears that Diodorus and Terpnos play on the cithara better +than I. They refuse me even that! But tell me, thou who art truthful +always, do they play better, or as well?" + +"By no means. Thy touch is finer, and has greater power. In thee +the artist is evident, in them the expert. The man who hears their +music first understands better what thou art." + +"If that be true, let them live. They will never imagine what a +service thou hast rendered them in this moment. For that matter, if +1 had condemned those two, I should have had to take others in +place of them." + +"And people would say, besides, that out of love for music thou +destroyest music in thy dominions. Never kill art for art's sake, O +divinity." + +"How different thou art from Tigellinus!" answered Nero. "But +seest thou, I am an artist in everything; and since music opens for +me spaces the existence of which I had not divined, regions which +I do not possess, delight and happiness which I do not know, I +cannot live a common life. Music tells me that the uncommon +exists, so I seek it with all the power of dominion which the gods +have placed in my hands. At times it seems to me that to rcach +those Olympian worlds I must do something which no man has +done hitherto, -- I must surpass the stature of man in good or evil. I +know that people declare me mad. But I am not mad, I am only +seeking. And if I am going mad, it is out of disgust and impatience +that I cannot find. I am seeking! Dost understand me? And +therefore I wish to be greater than man, for only in that way can I +be the greatest as an artist." + +Here he lowered his voice so that Vinicius could not hear him, +and, putting his mouth to the ear of Petronius, he whispered, -- +"Dost know that I condemned my mother and wife to death mainly +because I wished to lay at the gate of an unknown world the +greatest sacrifice that man could put there? I thought that +afterward something would happen, that doors would be opened +beyond which I should see something unknown. Let it be +wonderful or awful, surpassing human conception, if only great +and uncommon. But that sacrifice was not sufficient. To open the +empyrean doors it is evident that something greater is needed, and +let it be given as the Fates desire." + +"What dost thou intend to do?" + +"Thou shalt see sooner than thou thinkest. Meanwhile be assured +that there are two Neros, -- one such as people know, the other an +artist, whom thou alone knowest, and if he slays as does death, or +is in frenzy like Bacchus, it is only because the flatness and misery +of common life stifle him; and I should like to destroy them, +though I had to use fire or iron. Oh, how flat this world will be +when I am gone from it! No man has suspected yet, not thou even, +what an artist I am. But precisely because of this I suffer, and +sincerely do I tell thee that the soul in me is as gloomy as those +cypresses which stand dark there in front of us. It is grievous for a +man to bear at once the weight of supreme power and the highest +talents." + +"I sympathize with thee, O Caesar; and with me earth and sea, not +counting Vinicius, who deifies thee in his soul." + +"He, too, has always been dear to me," said Caesar, "though he +serves Mars, not the Muses." + +"He serves Aphrodite first of all," answered Petronius. And +suddenly he determined to settle the affair of his nephew at a blow, +and at the same time to eliminate every danger which might +threaten him. "He is in love, as was Troilus with Cressida. Permit +him, lord, to visit Rome, for he is dying on my hands. Dost thou +know that that Lygian hostage whom thou gayest him has been +found, and Vinicius, when leaving for Annum, left her in care of a +certain Linus? I did not mention this to thee, for thou wert +composing thy hymn, and that was more important than all +besides. Vinicius wanted her as a mistress; but when she turned +out to be as virtuous as Lucretia, he fell in love with her virtue, and +now his desire is to marry her. She is a king's daughter, hence she +will cause him no detriment; but he is a real soldier: he sighs and +withers and groans, but he is waiting for the permission of his +Imperator." + +"The Imperator does not choose wives for his soldiers. What good +is my permission to Vinicius?" + +"I have told thee, O lord, that he deifies thee." + +"All the more may he be certain of permission. That is a comely +maiden, but too narrow in the hips. The Augusta Poppaea has +complained to me that she enchanted our child in the gardens of +the Palatine." + +"But I told Tigellinus that the gods are not subject to evil charms. +Thou rememberest, divinity, his confusion and thy exclamation, +'Habet!'" + +"I remember." + +Here he turned to Vinicius, -- "Dost thou love her, as Petronius +says?" "I love her, lord," replied Vinicius. + +"Then I command thee to set out for Rome to-morrow, and marry +her. Appear not again before my eyes without the marriage ring." + +"Thanks to thee, lord, from my heart and soul." + +"Oh, how pleasant it is to make people happy!" said Nero. "Would +that I might do nothing else all my life!" + +"Grant us one favor more, O divinity," said Petronius: "declare thy +will in this matter before the Augusta. Vinicius would never +venture to wed a woman displeasing to the Augusta; thou wilt +dissipate her prejudice, O lord, with a word, by declaring that thou +hast commanded this marriage." + +"I am willing," said Caesar. "I could refuse nothing to thee or +Vinicius." + +He turned toward the villa, and they followed. Their hearts were +filled with delight over the victory; and Vinicius had to use +self-restraint to avoid throwing himself on the neck of Petronius, +for it seemed now that all dangers and obstacles were removed. + +In the atrium of the villa young Nerva and Tullius Senecio were +entertaining the Augusta with conversation. Terpuos and Diodorus +were tuning citharae. + +Nero entered, sat in an armchair inlaid with tortoise-shell, +whispered something in the ear of a Greek slave near his side, and +waited. + +The page returned soon with a golden casket. Nero opened it and +took out a necklace of great opals. + +"These are jewels worthy of this evening," said he. + +"The light of Aurora is playing in them," answered Poppaea, +convinced that the necklace was for her. + +Caesar, now raising, now lowering the rosy stones, said at last, -- +"Vinicius, thou wilt give, from me, this necklace to her whom I +command thee to marry, the youthful daughter of the Lygian king." + +Poppan's glance, filled with anger and sudden amazement, passed +from Caesar to Vinicius. At last it rested on Petronius. But he, +leaning carelessly over the arm of the chair, passed his hand along +the back of the harp as if to fix its form firmly in his mind. + +Vinicius gave thanks for the gift, approached Petronius, and asked, +-- "How shall I thank thee for what thou hast done this day for +me?" "Sacrifice a pair of swans to Euterpe," replied Petronius, +"praise Caesar's songs, and laugh at omens. Henceforth the roaring +of lions will not disturb thy sleep, I trust, nor that of thy Lygian +lily." + +"No," said Vinicius; "now I am perfectly at rest." + +"May Fortune favor thee! But be careful, for Caesar is taking his +lute again. Hold thy breath, listen, and shed tears." + +In fact Casar had taken the lute and raised his eyes. In the hail +conversation had stopped, and people were as still as if petrified. +Terpnos and Diodorus, who had to accompany Caesar, were on the +alert, looking now at each other and now at his lips, waiting for the +first tones of the song. + +Just then a movement and noise began in the entrance; and after a +moment Caesar's freedman, Phaon, appeared from beyond the +curtain. Close behind him was the consul Lecanius. + +Nero frowned. + +"Pardon, divine Imperator," said Phaon, with panting voice, "there +is a conflagration in Rome! The greater part of the city is in +flames!" + +At this news all sprang from their seats. + +"O gods! I shall see a burning city and finish the Troyad," said +Nero, setting aside his lute. + +Then he turned to the consul, -- "If I go at once, shall I see the +fire?" + +"Lord," answered Lecanius, as pale as a wall, "the whole city is +one sea of flame; smoke is suffocating the inhabitants, and people +faint, or cast themselves into the fire from delirium. Rome is +perishing, lord." + +A moment of silence followed, which was broken by the cry of +Vinicius, -- "Vce misero mihi!" + +And the young man, casting his toga aside, rushed forth in his +tunic. Nero raised his hands and exclaimed, -- "Woe to thee, sacred +city of Priam!" + +Chapter XLII + +VINICIUS had barely time to command a few slaves to follow +him; then, springing on his horse, he rushed forth in the deep night +along the empty streets toward Laurentum. Through the influence +of the dreadful news he had fallen as it were into frenzy and +mental distraction. At moments he did not know clearly what was +happening in his mind; he had merely the feeling that misfortune +was on the horse with him, sitting behind his shoulders, and +shouting in his ears, "Rome is burning!" that it was lashing his +horse and him, urging them toward the fire. Laying his bare head +on the beast's neck, he rushed on, in his single tunic, alone, at +random, not looking ahead, and taking no note of obstacles against +which he might perchance dash himself. + +In silence and in that calm night, the rider and the horse, covered +with gleams of the moon, seemed like dream visions. The Idumean +stallion, dropping his ears and stretching his neck, shot on like an +arrow past the motionless cypresses and the white villas hidden +among them. The sound of hoofs on the stone flags roused dogs +here and there; these followed the strange vision with their +barking; afterward, excited by its suddenness, they fell to howling, +and raised their jaws toward the moon. The slaves hastening after +Vinicius soon dropped behind, as their horses were greatly +inferior. When he had rushed like a storm through sleeping +Laurentum, he turned toward Ardea, in which, as in Aricia, +Bovilhr, and Ustrinum, he had kept relays of horses from the day +of his coming to Antium, so as to pass in the shortest time possible +the interval between Rome and him. Remembering these relays, he +forced all the strength from his horse. + +Beyond Ardea it seemed to him that the sky on the northeast was +covered with a rosy reflection. That might be the dawn, for the +hour was late, and in July daybreak came early. But Vinicius could +not keep down a cry of rage and despair, for it seemed to him that +that was the glare of the conflagration. He remembered the +consul's words, "The whole city is one sea of flame," and for a +while he felt that madness was threatening him really, for he had +lost utterly all hope that he could save Lygia, or even reach the city +before it was turned into one heap of ashes. His thoughts were +quicker now than the rush of the stallion, they flew on ahead like a +flock of birds, black, monstrous, and rousing despair. He knew not, +it is true, in what part of the city the fire had begun; but he +supposed that the TransTiber division, as it was packed with +tenements, timber-yards, storehouses, and wooden sheds serving as +slave marts, might have become the first food of the flames. + +In Rome fires happened frequently enough; during these fires, as +frequently, deeds of violence and robbery were committed, +especially in the parts occupied by a needy and half-barbarous +population. What might happen, therefore, in a place like the +Trans-Tiber, which was the retreat of a rabble collected from all +parts of the earth? Here the thought of Ursus with his preterhuman +power flashed into Vinicius's head; but what could be done by a +man, even were he a Titan, against the destructive force of fire? + +The fear of servile rebellion was like a nightmare, which had +stifled Rome for whole years. It was said that hundreds of +thousands of those people were thinking of the times of Spartacus, +and merely waiting for a favorable moment to seize arms against +their oppressors and Rome. Now the moment had come! Perhaps +war and slaughter were raging in the city together with fire. It was +possible even that the pretorians had hurled themselves on the city, +and were slaughtering at command of Caesar. + +And that moment the hair rose from terror on his head. He recalled +all the conversations about burning cities, which for some time had +been repeated at Caesar's court with wonderful persistence; he +recalled Caesar's complaints that he was forced to describe a +burning city without having seen a real fire; his contemptuous +answer to Tigellinus, who offered to burn Antium or an artificial +wooden city; finally, his complaints against Rome, and the +pestilential alleys of the Subura. Yes; Caesar has commanded the +burning of the city! He alone could give such a command, as +Tigellinus alone could accomplish it. But if Rome is burning at +command of Caesar, who can be sure that the population will not +be slaughtered at his command also? The monster is capable even +of such a deed. Conflagration, a servile revolt, and slaughter! What +a horrible chaos, what a letting loose of destructive elements and +popular frenzy! And in all this is Lygia. + +The groans of Vinicius were mingled with the snorting and groans +of his horse; the beast, running on a road which rose continually +toward Aricia, was using the last of its breath. Who will snatch her +from the burning city; who can save her? Here Vinicius, stretching +himself entirely on the horse, thrust his fingers into his own hair, +ready to gnaw the beast's neck from pain. + +At that moment a horseman, rushing also like a whirlwind, but in +the opposite direction, toward Antium, shouted as he raced past, +"Rome is perishing!" and on he went. To the ears of Vinicius came +only one more expression: "Gods!" the rest was drowned by the +thunder of hoofs. But that expression sobered him, -- "Gods!" + +Vinicius raised his head suddenly, and, stretching his arms toward +the sky filled with stars, began to pray. + +"Not to you do I call whose temples are burning, but to Thee! Thou +Thyself hast suffered. Thou alone art merciful! Thou alone hast +understood peopie's pain; Thou didst come to this world to teach +pity to mankind; then show it now. If Thou art what Peter and Paul +declare, save for me Lygia, take her in Thy arms, bear her out of +the flames. Thou hast the power to do that! Give her to me, and I +will give Thee my blood. But if Thou art unwilling to do this for +me, do it for her. She loves Thee and trusts in Thee. Thou dost +promise life and happiness after death, but happiness after death +will not pass away, and she does not wish to die yet. Let her live. +Take her in Thy arms, bear her out of Rome. Thou canst do so, +unless Thou art unwilling." + +And he stopped, for he felt that further prayer might turn to a +threat; he feared to offend Divinity at the moment when he needed +favor and mercy most. He was terrified at the very thought of that, +and, so as not to admit to his head a shade even of threat, he began +to lash his horse again, especially since the white walls of Aricia, +which lay midway to Rome, gleained up before him in the +moonlight. + +After a time he rushed at full speed past the temple of Mercury, +which stood in a grove before the city. Evidently people knew of +the catastrophe, for there was an uncommon movement in front of +the temple. While passing, Vinicius saw crowds on the steps and +between the columns. These people holding torches were +hastening to put themselves under protection of the deity. +Moreover the road was not so empty or free as beyond Ardea. +Crowds were hurrying, it is true, to the grove by side-paths, but on +the main road were groups which pushed aside hurriedly before +the on-rushing horseman. From the town came the sound of voices. +Vinicius rode into Aricia like a whirlwind, overturning and +trampling a number of persons on the way. He was surrounded by +shouts of "Rome is burning!" "Rome is on fire!" "May the gods +rescue Rome!" + +The horse stumbled, but, reined in by a powerful hand, rose on his +haunches before the inn, where Vinicius had another beast in relay. +Slaves, as if waiting for the arrival of their master, stood before the +inn, and at his command ran one before the other to lead out a +fresh horse. Vinicius, seeing a detachment of ten mounted +pretorians, going evidently with news from the city to Antium, +sprang toward them. + +"What part of the city is on fire?" inquired he. + +"Who art thou?" asked the decurioni. + +"Vinicius, a tribune of the army, an Augustian. Answer on thy +head!" + +"The fire broke out in the shops near the Circus Maximus. When +we were despatched, the centre of the city was on fire." + +"And the Trans-Tiber?" + +"The fire has not reached the Trans-Tiber yet, but it is seizing new +parts every moment with a force which nothing can stop. People +are perishing from heat and smoke; all rescue is impossible." + +At this moment they brought the fresh horse. The young tribune +sprang to his back and rushed on. He was riding now toward +Albanum, leaving Alba Longa and its splendid lake on the right. +The road from Aricia lay at the foot of the mountain, which hid the +horizon completely, and Albanum lying on the other side of it. But +Vinicius knew that on reaching the top he should see, not only +BoviIlae and Ustrinum, where fresh horses were ready for him, but +Rome as well: for beyond Albanum the low level Campania +stretched on both sides of the Appian Way, along which only the +arches of the aqueducts ran toward the city, and nothing obstructed +the view. + +"From the top I shall see the flames," said he; and he began to lash +his horse anew. But before he had reached the top of the mountain +he felt the wind on his face, and with it came the odor of smoke to +his nostrils. At the same time the summit of the height was +becoming gilded. + +"The fire!" thought Vinicius. + +The night had paled long since, the dawn had passed into light, and +on all the nearer summits golden and rosy gleams were shining, +which might come either from burning Rome or the rising +daylight. Vinicius touched the summit at last, and then a terrible +sight struck his eyes. + +The whole lower region was covered with smoke, forming as it +were one gigantic cloud lying close to the earth. In this cloud +towns, aqueducts, villas, trees, disappeared; but beyond this gray +ghastly plain the city was burning on the hills. + +The conflagration had not the form of a pillar of fire, as happens +when a single building is burning, even when of the greatest size. +That was a long belt, rather, shaped like the belt of dawn. Above +this belt rose a wave of smoke, in places entirely black, in places +looking rose-colored, in places like blood, in places turning in on +itself, in some places inflated, in others squeezed and squirming, +like a serpent which is unwinding and extending. That monstrous +wave seemed at times to cover even the belt of fire, which became +then as narrow as a ribbon; but later this ribbon illuminated the +smoke from beneath, changing its lower rolls into waves of flame. +The two extended from one side of the sky to the other, hiding its +lower part, as at times a stretch of forest hides the horizon. The +Sabine hills were not visible in the least. + +To Vinicius it seemed at the first glance of the eye that not only +the city was burning, but the whole world, and that no living being +could save itself from that ocean of flame and smoke. + +The wind blew with growing strength from the region of the fire, +bringing the smell of burnt things and of smoke, which began to +hide even nearer objects. Clear daylight had come, and the sun +lighted up the summits surrounding the Alban Lake. But the bright +golden rays of the morning appeared as it were reddish and sickly +through the haze. Viriicius, while descending toward Albanum, +entered smoke which was denser, less and less transparent. The +town itself was buried in it thoroughly. The alarmed citizens had +moved out to the street. It was a terror to think of what might be in +Rome, whcn it was difficult to breathe in Albanum. + +Despair seized Vinicius anew, and terror began to raise the hair on +his head. But he tried to fortify himself as best he might. "It is +impossible," thought he, "that a city should begin to burn in all +places at once. The wind is blowing from the north and bears +smoke in this direction only. On the other side there is none. But in +every ease it will be enough for Ursus to go through the Janiculum +gate with Lygia, to save himself and her. It is equally impossible +that a whole population should perish, and the world-ruling city be +swept from the face of the earth with its inhabitants. Even in +captured places, where fire and slaughter rage together, some +people survive in all cases; why, then, should Lygia perish of a +certainty? On the contrary, God watches over her, He who +Himself, conquered death." Thus reasoning, he began to pray +again, and, yielding to fixed habit, he made great vows to Christ, +with promises of gifts and sacrifices. After he had hurried through +Albanum, nearly all of whose inhabitants were on roofs and on +trees to look at Rome, he grew somewhat calm, and regained his +cool blood. He remembered, too, that Lygia was protected not only +by Ursus and Linus, but by the Apostle Peter. At the mere +remembrance of this, fresh solace entered his heart. For him Peter +was an incomprehensible, an almost superhuman being. From the +time when he heard him at Ostrianum, a wonderful impression +clung to him, touching which he had written to Lygia at the +beginning of his stay in Antium, -- that every word of the old man +was true, or would show its truth hereafter. The nearer +acquaintance which during his illness he had formed with the +Apostle heightened the impression, which was turned afterward +into fixed faith. Since Peter had blessed his love and promised him +Lygia, Lygia could not perish in the flames. The city might burn, +but no spark from the fire would fall on her garments. Under the +influence of a sleepless night, mad riding, and impressions, a +wonderful exaltation possessed the young tribune; in this +exaltation all things seemed possible: Peter speaks to the flame, +opens it with a word, and they pass uninjured through an alley of +fire. Moreover, Peter saw future events; hence, beyond doubt, he +foresaw the fire, and in that ease how could he fail to warn and +lead forth the Christians from the city, and among others Lygia, +whom he loved, as he might his own child? And a hope, which was +strengthening every moment, entered the heart of Vinicius. If they +were fleeing from the city, he might find them in Bovillae, or meet +them on the road. The beloved face might appear any moment +from out the smoke, which was stretching more widely over all the +Campania. + +This seemed to him more likely, since he met increasing numbers +of people, who had deserted the city and were going to the Alban +Hills; they had escaped the fire, and wished to go beyond the line +of smoke. Before he had reached Ustrinum he had to slacken his +pace because of the throng. Besides pedestrians with bundles on +their backs, he met horses with packs, mules and vehicles laden +with effects, and finally litters in which slaves were bearing the +wealthier citizens. Ustrinum was so thronged with fugitives from +Rome that it was difficult to push through the crowd. On the +market square, under temple porticos, and on the streets were +swarms of fugitives. Here and there people were erecting tents +under which whole families were to find shelter. Others settled +down under the naked sky, shouting, calling on the gods, or +cursing the fates. In the general terror it was difficult to inquire +about anything. People to whom Vinicius applied either did not +answer, or with eyes half bewildered from terror answered that the +city and the world were perishing. New crowds of men, women, +and children arrived from the direction of Rome every moment; +these increased the disorder and outcry. Some, gone astray in the +throng, sought desperately those whom they had lost; others fought +for a camping-place. Half-wild shepherds from the Campania +crowded to the town to hear news, or find profit in plunder made +easy by the uproar. Here and there crowds of slaves of every +nationality and gladiators fell to robbing houses and villas in the +town, and to fighting with the soldiers who appeared in defence of +the citizens. + +Junius, a senator, whom Vinicius saw at the inn surrounded by a +detachment of Batavian slaves, was the first to give more detailed +news of the conflagration. The fire had begun at the Circus +Maximus, in the part which touches the Palatine and the Caelian +Hill, but extended with incomprehensible rapidity and seized the +whole centre of the city. Never since the time of Brennus had such +an awful catastrophe come upon Rome. "The entire Circus has +burnt, as well as the shops and houses surrounding it," said Junius; +"the Aventine and Caelian Hills are on fire. The flames +surrounding the Palatine have reached the Carinae." + +Here Junius, who possessed on the Carinae a magnificent "insula," +filled -with works of art which he loved, seized a handful of foul +dust, and, scattering it on his head, began to groan despairingly. + +But Vinicius shook him by the shoulder: "My house too is on the +Carinx," said he; "but when everything is perishing, let it perish +also." + +Then recollecting that at his advice Lygia might have gone to the +house of Aulus, he inquired, -- + +"But the Vicus Patricius?" + +"On fire!" replied Junius. "The Trans-Tiber?" + +J unius looked at him with amazement. + +"Never mind the Trans-Tiber," said he, pressing his aching temples +with his palms. + +"The Trans-Tiber is more important to me than all other parts of +Rome," cried Vinicius, with vehemence. + +"The way is through the Via Portuensis, near the Aventine; but the +heat will stifle thee. The Trans-Tibet? I know not. The fire had not +reached it; but whether it is not there at this moment the gods +alone know." Here Junius hesitated a moment, then said in a low +voice: "I know that thou wilt not betray me, so I will tell thee that +this is no common fire. People were not permitted to save the +Circus. When houses began to burn in every direction, I myself +heard thousands of voices exclaiming, 'Death to those who save!' +Certain people ran through the city and hurled burning torches into +buildings. On the other hand people are revolting, and crying that +the city is burning at command. I can say nothing more. Woe to the +city, woe to us all, and to me! The tongue of man cannot tell what +is happening there. People arc perishing in flames or slaying one +another in the throng. This is the end of Rome!" + +And again he fell to repeating, "Woe! Woe to the city and to us!" +Vinicius sprang to his horse, and hurried forward along the Appian +Way. But now it was rather a struggling through the midst of a +river of people and vehicles, which was flowing from the city. The +city, embraced by a monstrous conflagration, lay before Vinicius +as a thing on the palm of his hand. From the sea of fire and smoke +came a terrible heat, and the uproar of people could not drown the +roar and the hissing of flames. + + +Chapter XLIII + +As Vinicius approached the walls, he found it easier to reach +Rome than penetrate to the middle of the city. It was difficult to +push along the Appian Way, because of the throng of people. +Houses, fields, cemeteries, gardens, and temples, lying on both +sides of it, were turned into camping places. In the temple of +Mars, which stood near the Porta Appia, the crowd had thrown +down the doors, so as to find a refuge within during night-hours. +In the cemeteries the larger monuments were seized, and battles +fought in defence of them, which were carried to bloodshed. +Ustrinum with its disorder gave barely a slight foretaste of that +which was happening beneath the walls of the capital. All regard +for the dignity of law, for family ties, for difference of position, +had ceased. Gladiators drunk with wine seized in the Emporium +gathered in crowds, ran with wild shouts through the neighboring +squares, scattering, trampling, and robbing the people. A multitude +of barbarians, exposed for sale in the city, escaped from the +booths. For them the burning and ruin, of Rome was at once the +end of slavery and the hour of revenge; so that when the permanent +inhabitants, who had lost all they owned in the fire, stretched their +hands to the gods in despair, calling for rescue, these slaves with +howls of delight scattered the crowds, dragged clothing from +people's backs, and bore away the younger women. They were +joined by slaves serving in the city from of old, wretches who had +nothing on their bodies save woollen girdles around their hips, +dreadful figures from the alleys, who were hardly ever seen on the +streets in the daytime, and whose existence in Rome it was +difficult to suspect. Men of this wild and unrestrained crowd, +Asiatics, Africans, Greeks, Thracians, Germans, Britons, howling +in every language of the earth, raged, thinking that the hour had +come in which they were free to reward themselves for years of +misery and suffering. In the midst of that surging throng of +humanity, in the glitter of day and of fire, shone the helmets of +pretorians, under whose protection the more peaceable population +had taken refuge, and who in hand-to-hand battle had to meet the +raging multitude in many places. Vinicius had seen captured cities, +but never had his eyes beheld a spectacle in which despair, tears, +pain, groans, wild delight, madness, rage, and license were +mingled together in such immeasurable chaos. Above this heaving, +mad human multitude roared the fire, surging up to the hill-tops of +the greatest city on earth, sending into the whirling throng its fiery +breath, and covering it with smoke, through which it was +impossible to see the blue sky. The young tribune with supreme +effort, and exposing his life every moment, forced his way at last +to the Appian Gate; but there he saw that he could not reach the +city through the division of the Porta Capena, not merely because +of the throng, but also because of the terrible heat from which the +whole atmosphere was quivering inside the gate. Besides, the +bridge at the Porta Trigenia, opposite the temple of the Bona Dea, +did not exist yet, hence whoso wished to go beyond the Tiber had +to push through to the Pons Sublicius, that is, to pass around the +Aventine through a part of the city covered now with one sea of +flame. That was an impossibility. Vinicius understood that he must +return toward Ustrinum, turn from the Appian Way, cross the river +below the city, and go to the Via Portuensis, which led straight to +the Trans-Tiber. That was not easy because of the increasing +disorder on the Appian Way. He must open a passage for himself +there, even with the sword. Vinicius had no weapons; he had left +Antium just as the news of the fire had reached him in Caesar's +villa. At the fountain of Mercury, however, he saw a centurion +who was known to him. This man, at the head of a few tens of +soldiers, was defending the precinct of the temple; he commanded +him to follow. Recognizing a tribune and an Augustian, the +centurion did not dare to disobey the order. + +Vinicius took command of the detachment himself, and, forgetting +for that moment the teaching of Paul touching love for one's +neighbor, he pressed and cut the throng in front with a haste that +was fatal to many who could not push aside in season. He and his +men were followed by curses and a shower of stones; but to these +he gave no heed, caring only to reach freer spaces at the earliest. +Still he advanced with the greatest effort. People who had +encamped would not move, and heaped loud curses on Caesar and +the pretorians. The throng assumed in places a threatening aspect. +Vinicius heard voices accusing Nero of burning the city. He and +Poppaea were threatened with death. Shouts of "Sanio," "Histrio" +(buffoon, actor), "Matricide!" were heard round about. Some +shouted to drag him to the Tiber; others that Rome had shown +patience enough. It was clear that were a leader found, these +threats could be changed into open rebellion which might break +out any moment. Meanwhile the rage and despair of the crowd +turned against the pretorians, who for another reason could not +make their way out of the crowd: the road was blocked by piles of +goods, borne from the fire previously, boxes, barrels of provisions, +furniture the most costly, vessels, infants' cradles, beds, carts, +hand-packs. Here and there they fought band to hand; but the +pretorians conquered the weaponiess multitude easily. After they +had ridden with difficulty across the Viae Latina, Numitia, Ardea, +Lavinia, and Ostia, and passed around villas, gardens, cemeteries, +and temples, Vinicius reached at last a village called Vicus +Alexandri, beyond which he crossed the Tibet. There was more +open space at this spot, and less smoke. From fugitives, of whom +there was no lack even there, he learned that only certain alleys of +the Trans-Tiber were burning, but that surely nothing could resist +the fury of the conflagration, since people were spreading the fire +purposely, and permitted no one to quench it, declaring that they +acted at command. The young tribune had not the least doubt then +that Caesar had given command to burn Rome; and the vengeance +which pe9ple demanded seemed to him just and proper. What +more could Mithridates or any of Rome's most inveterate enemies +have done? The measure had been exceeded; his madness had +grown to be too enormous, and the existence of people too +difficult because of him. Vinicius believed that Nero's hour had +struck, that those ruins into which the city was falling should and +must overwhelm the monstrous buffoon together with all those +crimes of his. Should a man be found of courage sufficient to stand +at the head of the despairing people, that might happen in a few +hours. Here vengeful and daring thoughts began to fly through his +head. But if he should do that? The house of Vinicius, which till +recent times counted a whole series of consuls, was known +throughout Rome. The crowds needed only a name. Once, when +four hundred slaves of the prefect Pedanius Secundus were +sentenced, Rome reached the verge of rebellion and civil war. +What would happen to-day in view of a dreadful calamity +surpassing almost everything which Rome had undergone in the +course of eight centuries? Whoso calls the Quirites to arms, +thought Vinicius, will overthrow Nero undoubtedly, and clothe +himself in purple. And why should he not do this? He was firmer, +more active, younger than other Augustians. True, Nero +commanded thirty legions stationed on the borders of the Empire; +but would not those legions and their leaders rise up at news of the +burning of Rome and its temples? And in that case Vinicius might +become Caesar. It was even whispered among the Augustians that +a soothsayer had predicted the purple to Os-ho. In what way was +he inferior to Os-ho? Perhaps Christ Himself would assist him with +His divine power; maybe that inspiration was His? "Oh, would that +it were!" exclaimed Vinicius, in spirit. He would take vengeance +on Nero for the danger of Lygia and his own fear; he would begin +the reign of truth and justice, he would extend Christ's religion +from the Euphrates to the misty shores of Britain; he would array +Lygia in the purple, and make her mistress of the world. + +But these thoughts which had burst forth in his head like a bunch +of sparks from a blazing house, died away like sparks. First of all +was the need to save Lygia. He looked now on the catastrophe +from near by; hence fear seized him again, and before that sea of +flame and smoke, before the touch of dreadful reality, that +confidence with which he believed that Peter would rescue Lygia +died in his heart altogether. Despair seized him a second time +when he had come out on the Via Portuensis, which led directly to +the Trans-Tiber. He did not recover till he came to the gate, where +people repeated what fugitives had said before, that the greater +part of that division of the city was not seized by the flames yet, +but that fire had crossed the river in a number of places. + +Still the Trans-Tiber was full of smoke, and crowds of fugitives +made it more difficult to reach the interior of the place, since +people, having more time there, had saved greater quantities of +goods. The main street itself was in many parts filled completely, +and around the Naumachia Augusta great heaps were piled up. +Narrow alleys, in which smoke had collected more densely, were +simply impassable. The inhabitants were fleeing in thousands. On +the way Vinicius saw wonderful sights. More than once two rivers +of people, flowing in opposite directions, met in a narrow passage, +stopped each other, men fought hand to hand, struck and trampled +one another. Families lost one another in the uproar; mothers +called on their children despairingly. The young tribune's hair +stood on end at thought of what must happen nearer the fire. Amid +shouts and howls it was difficult to inquire about anything or +understand what was said. At times new columns of smoke from +beyond the river rolled toward them, smoke black and so heavy +that it moved near the ground, hiding houses, people, and every +object, just as night does. But the wind caused by the conflagration +blew it away again, and then Vinicius pushed forward farther +toward the alley in which stood the house of Linus. The fervor of a +July day, increased by the heat of the burning parts of the city, +became unendurable. Smoke pained the eyes; breath failed in +men's breasts. Even the inhabitants who, hoping that the fire would +not cross the river, had remained in their houses so far, began to +leave them; and the throng increased hourly. The pretorians +accompanying Vinicius remained in the rear. In the crush some +one wounded his horse with a hammer; the beast threw up its +bloody head, reared, and refused obedience. The crowd recognized +in Vinicius an Augustian by his rich tunic, and at once cries were +raised round about: "Death to Nero and his incendiaries!" This was +a moment of terrible danger; hundreds of hands were stretched +toward Vinicius; but his frightened horse bore him away, +trampling people as he went, and the next moment a new wave of +black smoke rolled in and filled the street with darkness. Vinicius, +seeing that he could not ride past, sprang to the earth and rushed +forward on foot, slipping along walls, and at times waiting till the +fleeing multitude passed him. He said to himself in spirit that these +were vain efforts. Lygia might not be in the city; she might have +saved herself by flight. It was easier to find a pin on the seashore +than her in that crowd and chaos. Still he wished to reach the +house of Linus, even at the cost of his own life. At times he +stopped and rubbed his eyes. Tearing off the edge of his tunic, he +covered his nose and mouth with it and ran on. As he approached +the river, the heat increased terribly. Vinicius, knowing that the +fire had begun at the Circus Maximus, thought at first that that +heat came from its cinders and from the Forum Boarium and the +Velabruin, which, situated near by, must be also in flames. But the +heat was growing unendurable. One old man on crutches and +fleeing, the last whom Vinicius noticel, cried: "Go not near the +bridge of Cestius! The whole island is on fire!" It was, indeed, +impossible to be deceived any longer. At the turn toward the Vicus +Judaeorum, on which stood the house of Linus, vhae young tribune +saw flames amid clouds of smoke. Not only the island was +burning, but the Trans-Tiber, or at least the other end of the street +on which Lygia dwelt. + +Vinicius remembered that the house of Linus was surrounded by a +garden; between the garden and the Tiber was an unoccupied field +of no great size. This thought consoled him. The fire might stop at +the vacant place. In that hope he ran forward, though every breeze +brought not only smoke, but sparks in thousands, which might +raise a fire at the other end of the alley and cut off his return. + +At last he saw through the smoky curtain the cypresses in Linus's +garden. + +The houses beyond the unoccupied field were burning already like +piles of fuel, but Linus's little "insula" stood untouched yet. +Vinieius glanced heavenward with thankfulness, and sprang +toward the house though the very air began to burn him. The door +was closed, but he pushed it open and rushed in. + +There was not a living soul in the gardrn, and the house seemed +quke empty. "Perhaps they have fainted from smoke and heat," +thought Vinicius. He began ro call, -- "Lygia! Lygia!" + +Silence answered him. Nothing could be heard in the stillness +there save the roar of the distant fire. + +"Lygia!" + +Suddenly his ear was struck by that gloomy sound which he had +heard before in that garden. Evidently the vivariun's near the +temple of Esculapius, on the neighboring island, had caught fire. In +this vivarium every kind of wild beast, and among others lions, +began to roar from affright. A shiver ran through Vinicius from +foot to head. Now, a second time, at a moment when his whole +being was concentrated in Lygia, these terrible voices answered, as +a herald of misfortune, as a marvellous prophecy of an ominous +future. + +But this was a brief impression, for the thunder of the flames, +more terrible yet than the roaring of wild beasts, commanded him +to think of something else. Lygia did not answer his calls; but she +might be in a faint or stifled in that threatened building. Vinicius +sprang to the interior. The little atrium was empty, and dark with +smoke. Feeling for the door which led to the sleeping-rooms, he +saw the gleaming flame of a small lamp, and approaching it saw +the lararium in which was a cross instead of lares. Under the cross +a taper was burning. Through the head of the young catechumen, +the thought passed with lightning speed that that cross sent him the +taper with which he could find Lygia; hence he took the taper and +searched for the sleeping-rooms. He found one, pushed aside the +curtains, and, holding the taper, looked around. + +There was no one there, either. Vinicius was sure that he had +found Lygia's sleeping-room, for her clothing was on nails in the +wall, and on the bed lay a capitium, or close garment worn by +women next the body. Vinicius seized that, pressed it to his lips, +and taking it on his arm went farther. The house was small, so that +he examined every room, and even the cellar quickly. Nowhere +could he find a living soul. It was evident that Lygia, Linus, and +Ursus, with other inhabitants of that part, must have sought safety +in flight. + +"I must seek them among the crowd beyond the gates of the city," +thought Vinicius. + +He was not astonished greatly at not meeting them on the Via +Portuensis, for they might have left the Trans-Tiber through the +opposite side along the Vatican Hill. In every case they were safe +from fire at least. A stone fell from his breast. He saw, it is true, +the terrible danger with which the flight was connected, hut he was +comforted at thought of the preterhuman strength of Ursus. "I must +flee now," said he, "and reach the gardens of Agrippina through +the gardens of Domitius, where I shall find them. The smoke is not +so terrible there, since the wind blows from the Sabine Hill." + +The hour had come now in which he must think of his own safety, +for the river of fire was flowing nearer and nearer from the +direction of the island, and rolls of smoke covered the alley almost +completely. The taper, which had lighted him in the house, was +quenched from the current of air. Vinicius rushed to the street, and +ran at full speed toward the Via Portuensis, whence he had come; +the fire seemed to pursue him with burning breath, now +surrounding him with fresh clouds of smoke, now covering him +with sparks, which fell on his hair, neck, and clothing. The tunic +began to smoulder on him in places; he cared not, but ran forward +lest he might be stifled from smoke. He had the taste of soot and +burning in his mouth; his throat and lungs were as if on fire. The +blood rushed to his head, and at moments all things, even the +smoke itself, seemed red to him. Then he thought: "This is living +fire! Better cast myself on the ground and perish." The running +tortured him more and more. His head, neck, and shoulders were +streaming with sweat, which scalded like boiling water. Had it not +been for Lygia's name, repeated by him in thought, had it not been +for her capitium, which he wound across his mouth, he would have +fallen. Some moments later he failed to recognize the street along +which he ran. Consciousness was leaving him gradually; he +remembered only that he must flee, for in the open field beyond +waited Lygia, whom Peter had promised him. And all at once he +was seized by a certain wonderful conviction, half feverish, like a +vision before death, that he must see her, marry her, and then die. + +But he ran on as if drunk, staggering from one side of the street to +the other. Meanwhile something changed in that monstrous +conflagration which had embraced the giant city. Everything +which till then had only glimmered, burst forth visibly into one sea +of flame; the wind had ceased to bring smoke. That smoke which +had collected in the streets was borne away by a mad whirl of +heated air. That whirl drove with it millions of sparks, so that +Vinicius was running in a fiery cloud as it were. But he was able to +see before him all the better, and in a moment, almost when he +was ready to fall, he saw the end of the street. That sight gave him +fresh strength. Passing the corner, he found himself in a street +which led to the Via Portuensis and the Codetan Field. The sparks +ceased to drive him. He understood that if he could run to the Via +Portuensis he was safe, even were he to faint on it. + +At the end of the street he saw again a cloud, as it seemed, which +stopped the exit. "If that is smoke," thought he, "1 cannot pass." He +ran with the remnant of his strength. On the way he threw off his +tunic, which, on fire from the sparks, was burning him like the +shirt of Nessus, having only Lygia's capitium around his head and +before his mouth. When he had run farther, he saw that what he +had taken for smoke was dust, from which rose a multitude of +cries and voices. + +"The rabble are plundering houses," thought Vinicius. But he ran +toward the voices. In every case people were there; they might +assist him. In this hope he shouted for aid with all his might before +he reached them. But this was his last effort. It grew redder still in +his eyes, breath failed his lungs, strength failed his hones; he fell. + +They heard him, however, or rather saw him. Two men ran with +gourds full of water. Vinicius, who had fallen from exhaustion but +had not lost consciousness, seized a gourd with both hands, and +emptied one-half of it. + +"Thanks," said he; "place me on my feet, I can walk on alone." + +The other laborer poured water on his head; the two not only +placed him on his feet, but raised him from the ground, and carried +him to the others, who surrounded him and asked if he had +suffered seriously. This tenderness astonished Vinicius. + +"People, who are ye?" asked he. + +"We are breaking down houses, so that the fire may not reach the +Via Portuensis," answered one of the laborers. + +"Ye came to my aid when I had fallen. Thanks to you." + +"We are not permitted to refuse aid," answered a number of voices. + +Vinicius, who from early morning had seen brutal crowds, slaying +and robbing, looked with more attention on the faces around him, +and said, -- + +"May Christ reward you." + +"Praise to His name!" exclaimed a whole chorus of voices. + +"Linus?" inquired Vinicius. + +But he could not finish the question or hear the answer, for he +fainted from emotion and over-exertion. He recovered only in the +Codetan Field in a garden, surrounded by a number of men and +women. The first words which he uttered were, -- + +"Where is Linus?" + +For a while there was no answer; then some voice, known to +Vinicius, said all at once, -- + +"He went out by the Nomentan Gate to Ostrianum two days ago. +Peace be with thee, O king of Persia!" + +Vinicius rose to a sitting posture, and saw Chilo before him. + +"Thy house is burned surely, O lord," said the Greek, "for the +Carinaee is in flames; but thou wilt be always as rich as Midas. +Oh, what a misfortune! The Christians, O son of Serapis, have +predicted this long time that fire would destroy the city. But Linus, +with the daughter of Jove, is in Ostrianum. Oh, what a misfortune +for the city!" + +Vinicius became weak again. + +"Hart thou seen them?" he inquired. + +"I saw them, O lord. May Christ and all the gods be thanked that I +am able to pay for thy benefactions with good news. But, O Cyrus, +I shall pay thee still more, I swear by this burning Rome." + +It was evening, but in the garden one could see as in daylight, for +the conflagration had increased. It seemed that not single parts of +the city were burning, but the whole city through the length and +the breadth of it. The sky was red as far as the eye could see it, and +that night in the world was a red night. + +Chapter XLIV + +Light from the burning city filled the sky as far as human eye +could rcack The moon rose large and full from behind the +mountains, and inflamed at once by the glare took on the color of +heated brass. It seemed to look with amazement on the +world-ruling city which was perishing. In the rose-colored abysses +of heaven rose-colored stars were glittering; but in distinction from +usual nights the earth was brighter than the heavens. Rome, like a +giant pile, illuminated the whole Campania. In the bloody light +were seen distant mountains, towns, villas, temples, mountains, +and the aqueducts stretching toward the city from all the adjacent +hills; on the aqueducts were swarms of people, who had gathered +there br safety or to gaze at the burning. + +Meanwhile the dreadful element was embracing new divisions of +the city. It was impossible to doubt that criminal hands were +spreading the fire, since new conflagrations were breaking out all +the time in places remote from the principal fire. From the heights +on which Rome was founded the flames flowed like waves of the +sea into the valleys densely occupied by houses, -- houses of five +and six stories, full of shops, booths, movable wooden +amphitheatres, built to accommodate various spectacles; and +finally storehouses of wood, olives, grain, nuts, pine cones, the +kernels of which nourishcd the more needy population, and +clothing, which through Caesar's favor was distributed from time +to time among the rabble huddled into narrow alleys. In those +places the fire, finding abundance of inflammable materials, +became almost a series of explosions, and took possession of +whole streets with unheard-of rapidity. People encamping outside +the city, or standing on the aqueducts knew from the color of the +flame what was burning. The furious power of the wind carried +forth from the fiery gulf thousands and millions of burning shells +of walnuts and almonds, which, shooting suddenly into the sky, +like countless flocks of bright butterflies, burst with a crackling, +or, driven by the wind, fell in other parts of the city, on aqueducts, +and fields beyond Rome. All thought of rescue seemed out of +place; confusion increased every moment, for on one side the +population of the city was fleeing through every gate to places +outside; on the other the fire had lured in thousands of people from +the neighborhood, such as dwellers in small towns, peasants, and +half-wild shepherds of the Campania, brought in by hope of +plunder. The shout, "Rome is perishing!" did not leave the lips of +the crowd; the ruin of the city seemed at that time to end every +rule, and loosen all bonds which hitherto had joined people in a +single integrity. The mob, in which slaves were more numerous, +cared nothing for the lordship of Rome. Destruction of the city +could only free them; hence here and there they assumed a +threatening attitude. Violence and robbery were extending. It +seemed that only the spectacle of the perishing city arrested +attention, and restrained for the moment an outburst of slaughter, +which would begin as soon as the city was turned into ruins. +Hundreds of thousands of slaves, forgetting that Rome, besides +temples and walls, possessed some tens of legions in all parts of +the world, appeared merely waiting for a watchword and a leader. +People began to mention the name of Spartacus, but Spartacus was +not alive. Meanwhile citizens assembled, and armed themselves +each with what he could. The most monstrous reports were current +at all the gates. Some declared that Vulcan, commanded by +Jupiter, was destroying the city with fire from beneath the earth; +others that Vesta was taking vengeance for Rubria. People with +these convictions did not care to save anything, but, besieging the +temples, implored mercy of the gods. It was repeated most +generally, however, that Caesar had given command to burn +Rome, so as to free himself from odors which rose from the +Subura, and build a new city under the name of Neronia. Rage +seized the populace at thought of this; and if, as Vinicius believed, +a leader had taken advantage of that outburst of hatred, Nero's hour +would have struck whole years before it did. + +It was said also that Caesar had gone mad, that he would command +pretorians and gladiators to fall upon the people and make a +general slaughter. Others swore by the gods that wild beasts had +been let out of all the vivaria at Bronzebeard's command. Men had +seen on the streets lions with burning manes, and mad elephants +and bisons, trampling down people in crowds. There was even +some truth in this; for in certain places elephants, at sight of the +approaching fire, had burst the vivaria, and, gaining their freedom, +rushed away from the fire in wild fright, destroying everything +before them like a tempest. Public report estimated at tens of +thousands the number of persons who had perished in the +conflagration. In truth a great number had perished. There were +people who, losing all their property, or those dearest their hearts, +threw themselves willingly into the flames, from despair. Others +were suffocated by smoke. In the middle of the city, between the +Capitol, on one side, and the Quirinal, the Viminal, and the +Esquiline on the other, as also between the Palatine and the +Caelian Hill, where the streets were most densely occupied, the +fire began in so many places at once that whole crowds of people, +while fleeing in one direction, struck unexpectedly on a new wall +of fire in front of them, and died a dreadful death in a deluge of +flame. + +In terror, in distraction, and bewilderment, people knew not where +to flee. The streets were obstructed with goods, and in many +narrow places were simply closed. Those who took refuge in those +markets and squares of the city, where the Flavian Amphitheatre +stood afterward, near the temple of the Earth, near the Portico of +Silvia, and higher up, at the temples of Juno and Lucinia, between +the Clivus Virbius and the old Esquiline Gate, perished from heat, +surrounded by a sea of fire. In places not reached by the flames +were found afterward hundreds of bodies burned to a crisp, though +here and there unfortunates tore up flat stones and half buried +themselves in defence against the heat. Hardly a family inhabiting +the centre of the city survived in full; hence along the walls, at the +gates, on all roads were heard howls of despairing women, calling +on the dear names of those who had perished in the throng or the +fire. + +And so, while some were imploring the gods, others blasphemed +them because of this awful catastrophe. Old men were seen +coming from the temple of Jupiter Liberator, stretching forth their +hands, and crying, "If thou be a liberator, save thy altars and the +city!" But despair turned mainly against the old Roman gods, who, +in the minds of the populace, were bound to watch over the city +more carefully than others. They had proved themselves +powerless; hence were insulted. On the other hand it happened on +the Via Asinaria that when a company of Egyptian priests +appeared conducting a statue of Isis, which they had saved from +the temple near the Porta Culimontana, a crowd of people rushed +among the priests, attached themselves to the chariot, which they +drew to the Appian Gate, and seizing the statue placed it in the +temple of Mars, overwhelming the priests of that deity who dared +to resist them. In other places people invoked Seraph, Baal, or +Jehovah, whose adherents, swarming out of the alleys in the +neighborhood of the Subura and the Trans-Tiber, filled with shouts +and uproar the fields near the walls. In their cries were heard tones +as if of triumph; when, therefore, some of the citizens joined the +chorus and glorified "the Lord of the World," others, indignant at +this glad shouting, strove to repress it by violence. Here and there +hymns were heard, sung by men in the bloom of life, by old men, +by women and children, -- hymns wonderful and solemn, whose +meaning they understood not, but in which were repeated from +moment to moment the words, "Behold the Judge cometh in the +day of wrath and disaster." Thus this deluge of restless and +sleepless people encircled the burning city, like a tempest-- driven +sea. + +But neither despair nor blasphemy nor hymn helped in any way. +The destruction seemed as irresistible, perfect, and pitiless as +Predestination itself. Around Pompey's Amphitheatre stores of +hemp caught fire, and ropes used in circuses, arenas, and every +kind of machine at the games, and with them the adjoining +buildings containing barrels of pitch with which ropes were +smeared. In a few hours all that part of the city, beyond which lay +the Campus Martius, was so lighted by bright yellow flames that +for a time it seemed to the spectators, only half conscious from +terror, that iii the general ruin the order of night and day had been +lost, and that they were looking at sunshine. But later a monstrous +bloody gleam extinguished all other colors of flame. From the sea +of fire shot up to the heated sky gigantic fountains, and pillars of +flame spreading at their summits into fiery branches and feathers; +then the wind bore them away, turned them into golden threads, +into hair, into sparks, and swept them on over the Campania +toward the Alban Hills. The night became brighter; the air itself +seemed penetrated, not only with light, but with flame. The Tiber +flowed on as living fire. The hapless city was turned into one +pandemonium. The conflagration seized more and more space, +took hills by storm, flooded level places, drowned valleys, +raged, roared, and thundered. + +Chapter XLV + +MACRINUS, a weaver, to whose house Vinicius was carried, +washed him, and gave him clothing and food. When the young +tribune had recovered his strength altogether, he declared that he +would search further for Linus that very night. Macrinus, who was +a Christian, confirmed Chio's report, that Linus, with Clement the +chief priest, had gone to Ostrianum, where Peter was to baptize a +whole company of confessors of the new faith. In that division of +the city it was known to Christians that Linus had confided the +care of his house two days before to a certain Gaius. For Vinicius +this was a proof that neither Lygia nor Ursus had remained in the +house, and that they also must have gone to Ostrianum. + +This thought gave him great comfort. Linus was an old man, for +whom it would be difficult to walk daily to the distant Nomentan +Gate, and back to the Trans-Tiber; hence it was likely that he +lodged those few days with some co-religionist beyond the walls, +and with him also Lygia and Ursus. Thus they escaped the fire, +which in general had not reached the other slope of the Esquiine. +Vinicius saw in all this a dispensation of Christ, whose care he felt +above him, and his heart was filled more than ever with love; he +swore in his soul to pay with his whole life for those clear marks +of favor. + +But all the more did he hurry to Ostrianum. He would find Lygia, +find Linus and Peter; he would take them to a distance, to some of +his lands, even to Sicily. Let Rome burn; in a few days it would be +a mere heap of ashes. Why remain in the face of disaster and a +mad rabble? In his lands troops of obedient slaves would protect +them, they would be surrounded by the calm of the country, and +live in peace under Christ's wings blessed by Peter. Oh, if he could +find them! + +That was no easy thing. Vinicius remembered the difficulty with +which he had passed from the Appian Way to the Trans-Tiber, and +how he must circle around to reach the Via Portuensis. He +resolved, therefore, to go around the city this time in the opposite +direction, Going by the Via Triumphatoris, it was possible to reach +the )Emilian bridge by going along the river, thence passing the +Pincian Hill, all the Campus Martius, outside the gardens of +Pornpey, Lucullus, and Sallust, to make a push forward to the Via +Nomentana. That was the shortest way; but Macrinus and Chio +advised him not to take it. The fire had not touched that part of th‡ +city, it iae true; but all the market squares and streets might be +packed densely with people and their goods. Chilo advised him to +go through the Ager Vaticanus to the Porta Flaminia, cross the +river at that point, and push on outside the walls beyond the +gardens of Acilius to the Porta Salaria. Vinicius, after a moment's +hesitation, took this advice. + +Macrinus had to remain in care of his house; but he provided two +mules, which would serve Lygia also in a further ourney. He +wished to give a slave, too; but Vinicius re1uaeed, judging tIlftt +the first detachment of pretorians he met on the road would pass +under his orders. + +Soon he and Chilo moved on through the Pagus Janiculensis to the +Triumphal Way. There were vehicles there, too, in open places; +but they pushed between them with less difficulty, as the +inhabitants had fled for the greater part by the Via Portuensis +toward the sea. Beyond the Septimian Gate they rode between the +river and the splendid gardens of Domitius; the mighty cypresses +were red from the conflagration, as if from evening sunshine. The +road became freer; at times they had to struggle merely with the +current of incoming rustics. Vinicius urged his mule forward as +much as possible; but Chilo, riding closely in the rear, talked to +himself almost the whole way. + +"Well, we have left the fire behind, and now it is heating our +shoulders. Never yet has there been so much light on this road in +the night-time. O Zeus! if thou wilt not send torrents of rain on that +fire, thou hint no love for Rome, surely. The power of man will not +quench those flames. Such a city, -- a city which Greece and the +whole world was serving! And now the first Greek who comes +along may roast beans in its ashes. Who could have looked for +this? And now there will be no longer a Rome, nor Roman rulers. +Whoso wants to walk on the ashes, when they grow cold, and +whistle over them, may whistle without danger. O gods! to whistle +over such a world-ruling city! What Greek, or even barbarian, +could have hoped for this? And still one may whistle; for a heap of +ashes, whether left after a shepherd's fire or a burnt city, is mere +ashes, which the wind will blow away sooner or later." + +Thus talking, he turned from moment to moment toward the +conflagration, and looked at the waves of flame with a face filled +at once with delight and malice. + +"It will perish! It will perish!" continued he, "and will never be on +earth again. Whither will the world send its wheat now, its olives, +and its money? Who will squeeze gold and tears from it? Marble +does not burn, but it crumbles in fire. The Capitol will turn into +dust, and the Palatine into dust. O Zeus! Rome was like a +shepherd, and other nations like sheep. When the shepherd was +hungry, he slaughtered a sheep, ate the flesh, and to thee, O father +of the gods, he made an offering of the skin. Who, O +Cloud-compeller, will do the slaughtering now, and into whose +hand wilt thou put the shepherd's whip? For Rome is burning, O +father, as truly as if thou hadst fired it with thy thunderbolt." + +"Hurry!" urged Vinicius; "what art thou doing there?" + +"I am weeping over Rome, lord, --Jove's city!" + +For a time they rode on in silence, listening to the roar of the +burning, and the sound of birds' wings. Doves, a multitude of +which had their nests about villas and in small towns of the +Campania, and also every kind of field-bird + +from near the sea and the surrounding mountains, mistaking +evidently the gleam of the conflagration for sunlight, were flying, +whole flocks of them, blindly into the fire. Vinicius broke the +silence first, -- + +"Where wert thou when the fire burst out?" + +"I was going to my friend Euricius, lord, who kept a shop near the +Circus Maximus, and I was just meditating on the teaching of +Christ, when men began to shout: 'Fire!' People gathered around +the Circus for safety, and through curiosity; but when the flames +seized the whole Circus, and began to appear in other places also, +each had to think of his own safety." + +"Didst thou see people throwing torches into houses?" + +"What have I not seen, O grandson of Aeneas! I saw people +making a way for themselves through the crowd with swords; I +have seen battles, the entrails of people trampled on the pavement. +Ah, if thou hadst seen that, thou wouldst have thought that +barbarians had captured the city, and were putting it to the sword. +People round about cried that the end of the world had come. +Some lost their heads altogether, and, forgetting to flee, waited +stupidly till the flames seized them. Some fell into bewilderment, +others howled in despair; I saw some also who howled from +delight. O lord, there are many bad people in the world who know +not how to value the benefactions of your mild rule, and those just +laws in virtue of which ye take from all what they have and give it +to yourselves. People will not be reconciled to the will of God!" + +Vinicius was too much occupied with his own thoughts to note the +irony quivering in Chio's words. A shudder of terror seized him at +the simple thought that Lygia might be in the midst of that chaos +on those terrible streets where people's entrails were trampled on. +Hence, though he had asked at least ten times of Chilo touching all +which the old man could know, he turned to him once again, -- +"But hast thou seen them in Ostrianum with thy own eyes?" + +"I saw them, O son of Venus; I saw the maiden, the good Lygian, +holy Linus, and the Apostle Peter." + +"Before the fire?" + +"Before the fire,O Mithra!" + +But a doubt rose in the soul of Vinicius whether Chilo was not +lying; hence, reining his mule in, he looked threateningly at the old +Greek and inquired, -- + +"What wert thou doing there?" + +Chilo was confused. True, it seemed to him, as to many, that with +the destruction of Rome would come the end also of Roman +dominion. But he was face to face with Vinicius; he remembered +that the young soldier had prohibited him, under a terrible threat, +froin watching the Christians, and especially Linus and Lygia. + +"Lord," said he, "why dost thou not believe that I love them? I do. I +was in Ostrianum, for I am half a Christian. Pyrrho has taught me +to esteem virtue more than philosophy; hence I cleave more and +more to virtuous people. And, besides, I am poor; and when thou, +O Jove, wert at Antium, I suffered hunger frequently over my +books; therefore I sat at the wall of Ostrianum, for the Christians, +though poor, distribute more alms than all other inhabitants of +Rome taken together." + +This reason seemed sufficient to Vinicius, and he inquired less +severely, -- + +"And dost thou not know where Linus is dwelling at this moment?" + +"Thou didst punish me sharply on a time f or curiosity," replied the +Greek. + +Vinicius ceased talking and rode on. + +"O lord," said Chio, after a while, "thou wouldst not have found +the maiden but for me, and if we find her now, thou wilt not forget +the needy sage?" + +"Thou wilt receive a house with a vineyard at Ameriola." + +"Thanks to thee, O Hercules! With a vineyard? Thanks to thee! Oh, +yes, with a vineyard!" + +They were passing the Vatican Hill now, which was ruddy from +the fire; but beyond the Naumachia they turned to the right, so that +when they had passed the Vatican Field they would reach the river, +and, crossing it, go to the Flaminian Gate. Suddenly Chilo reined +in his mule, and said, -- + +"A good thought has come to my head, lord!" + +"Speak!" answered Vinicius. + +"Between the Janiculum and the Vatican Hill, beyond the gardens +of Agrippina, are excavations from which stones and sand were +taken to build the Circus of Nero. Hear me, lord. Recently the +Jews, of whom, as thou knowest, there is a multitude in +Trans-Tiber, have begun to persecute Christians cruelly. Thou +hast in mind that in the time of the divine Claudius there were +such disturbances that Caesar was forced to expel them from +Rome. Now, when they have returned, and when, thanks to the +protection of the Augusta, they feel safe, they annoy Christians +more insolently. I know this; I have seen it. No edict against +Christians has been issued; but the Jews complain to the prefect of +the city that Christians murder infants, worship an ass, and preach +a religion not recognized by the Senate; they beat them, and attack +their houses of, prayer so fiercely that the Christians are forced to +hide." + +"What dost thou wish to say?" inquired Vinicius. + +"This, lord, that synagogues exist openly in the Trans-Tiber; but +that Christians, in their wish to avoid persecution, are forced to +pray in secret and assemble in ruined sheds outside the city or in +sand-pits. Those who dwell in the Trans-Tiber have chosen just +that place which was excavated for the building of the Circus and +various houses along the Tiber. Now, when the city is perishing, +the adherents of Christ are praying. Beyond doubt we shall find a +countless number of them in the excavation; so my advice is to go +in there along the road." + +"But thou hast said that Linus has gone to Ostrianum," cried +Vinicius impatiently. + +"But thou has promised me a house with a vineyard at Ameriola," +answered Chilo; "for that reason I wish to seek the maiden +wherever I hope to find her. They might have returned to the +Trans-Tiber after the outbreak of the fire. They might have gone +around outside the city, as we are doing at this momnent. Linus has +a house, perhaps he wished to be nearer his house to see if the fire +had seized that part of the city also. If they have returned, I swear +to thee, by Persephone, that we shall find them at prayer in the +excavation; in the worst event, we shall get tidings of them." + +"Thou art right; lead on!" said the tribune. + +Chilo, without hesitation, turned to the left toward the hill. + +For a while the slope of the hill concealed the conflagration, so +that, though the neighboring heights were in the light, the two men +were in the shade. When they had passed the Circus, they turned +still to the left, and entered a kind of passage completely dark. But +in that darkness Vinicius saw swamis of gleaming lanterns. + +"They are there," said Chilo. "There will be more of them to-day +than ever, for other houses of prayer are burnt or are filled with +smoke, as is the whole Trans-Tiber." + +"True!" said Vinicius, "I hear singing." + +In fact, the voices of people singing reached the hill from the dark +opening, and the lanterns vanished in it one after the other. But +from side passages new forms appeared continually, so that after +some time Vinicius and Chilo found themselves amid a whole +assemblage of people. + +Chilo slipped from his mule, and, beckoning to a youth who sat +near, said to him, -- "I am a priest of Christ and a bishop. Hold the +mules for us; thou wilt receive my blessing and forgiveness of +sins." + +Then, without waiting for an answer, he thrust the reins into his +hands, and, in company with Vinicius, joined the advancing +throng. + +They entered the excavation after a while, and pushed on through +the dark passage by the dim light of lanterns till they reached a +spacious cave, from which stone had been taken evidently, for the +walls were formed of fresh fragments. + +It was brighter there than in the corridor, for, in addition to tapers +and lanterns, torches were burning. By the light of these Vinicius +saw a whole throng of kneeling people with upraised hands. He +could not see Lygia, the Apostle Peter, or Linus, but he was +surrounded by faces solenm and full of emotion. On some of them +expectation or alarm was evident; on some, hope. Light was +reflected in the whites of their upraised eyes; perspiration was +flowing along their foreheads, pale as chalk; some were singing +hymns, others were repeating feverishly the name of Jesus, some +were beating their breasts. It was apparent that they expected +something uncommon at any moment. + +Meanwhile the hymn ceased, and above the assembly, in a niche +formed by the removal of an immense stone, appeared Crispus, the +acquaintance of Vinicius, with a face as it were half delirious, +pale, stern, and fanatical. All eyes were turned to him, as though +waiting for words of consolation and hope. After he had blessed +the assembly, he began in hurried, almost shouting tones, -- + +"Bewail your sins, for the hour has come! Behold the Lord has sent +down destroying flames on Babylon, on the city of profligacy and +crime. The hour of judgment has struck, the hour of wrath and +dissolution. The Lord has promised to come, and soon you will sec +Him. He will not come as the Lamb, who offered His blood for +your sins, but as an awful judge, who in His justice will hurl +sinners and unbelievers into the pit. Woe to the world, woe to +sinners! there will be no mercy for them. I see Thee, O Christ! +Stars are falling to the earth in showers, the sun is darkened, the +earth opens in yawning gulfs, the dead rise from their graves, but +Thou art moving amid the sound of trumpets and legions of angels, +amid thunders and lightnings. I see Thee, I hear Thee, O Christ!" + +Then he was silent, and, raising his eyes, seemed to gaze into +something distant and dreadful. That moment a dull roar was heard +in the cave, -- once, twice, a tenth time, in the burning city whole +streets of partly consumed houses began to fall with a crash. But +most Christians took those sounds as a visible sign that the +dreadful hour was approaching; belief in the early second coming +of Christ and in the end of the world was universal among them, +now the destruction of the city had strengthened it. Terror seized +the assembly. Many voices repeated, "The day of judgment! +Behold, it is coming!" Some covered their faces with their hands, +believing that the earth would be shaken to its foundation, that +beasts of hell would rush out through its openings and hurl +themselves on sinners. Others cried, "Christ have mercy on us!" +"Redeemer, be pitiful!" Some confessed their sins aloud; others +cast themselves into the arms of friends, so as to have some near +heart with them in the hour of dismay. + +But there were faces which seemed rapt into heaven, faces with +smiles not of earth; these showed no fear. In some places were +heard voices; those were of people who in religious excitement +had begun to cry out unknown words in strange languages. Some +person in a dark corner cried, "Wake thou that sleepest!" Above all +rose the shout of Crispus, "Watch ye! watch ye!" + +At moments, however, silence came, as if all were holding the +breath in their breasts, and waiting for what would come. And then +was heard the distant thunder of parts of the city falling into ruins, +after which were heard again groans and cries, -- "Renounce +earthly riches, for soon there will be no earth beneath your feet! +Renounce earthly loves, for the Lord will condemn those who love +wife or child more than Him. Woe to the one who loves the +creature more than the Creator! Woe to the rich! woe to the +luxurious! woe to the dissolute! woe to husband, wife, and child!" + +Suddenly a roar louder than any which had preceded shook the +quarry. All fell to the earth, stretching their arms in cross form to +ward away evil spirits by that figure. Silence followed, in which +was heard only panting breath, whispers full of terror, "Jesus, +Jesus, Jesus!" and in places the weeping of children. At that +moment a certain calm voice spoke above that prostrate multitude, +-- + +"Peace be with you!" + +That was the voice of Peter the Apostle, who had entered the cave +a mo ment earlier. At the sound of his voice terror passed at once, +as it passes from a flock in which the shepherd has appeared. +People rose from the earth; those who were nearer gathered at his +knees, as if seeking protection under his wings. He stretched his +hands over them and said, -- + +"Why are ye troubled in heart? Who of you can tell what will +happen before the hour cometh? The Lord has punished Babylon +with fire; but His mercy will be on those whom baptism has +purified, and ye whose sins are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb +will die with His name on your lips. Peace be with you!" + +After the terrible and merciless words of Crispus, those of Peter +fell like a balm on all present. Instead of fear of God, the love of +God took possession of their spirits. Those people found the Christ +whom they had learned to love from the Apostle's narratives; +hence not a merciless judge, but a mild and patient Lamb, whose +mercy surpasses man's wickedness a hundredfold. A feeling of +solace possessed the whole assembly; and comfort, with +thankfulness to the Apostle, filled their hearts, Voices from +various sides began to cry, "We are thy sheep, feed us!" Those +nearer said, "Desert us not in the day of disaster!" And they knelt +at his knees; seeing which Vinicius approached, seized the edge of +Peter's mantle, and, inclining, said, -- + +"Save me, lord. I have sought her in the smoke of the burning and +in the throng of people; nowhere could I find her, but I believe that +thou canst restore her." + +Peter placed his hand on the tribune's head. + +"Have trust," said he, "and come with me." + +Chapter XLVI + +The city burned on. The Circus Maximus had fallen in ruins. +Entire streets and alleys in parts which began to burn first were +falling in turn. After every fall pillars of flame rose for a time to +the very sky. The wind had changed, and blew now with mighty +force from the sea, bearing toward the Celian, the Esquiline, and +the Viminal rivers of flame, brands, and cinders. Still the +authorities provided for rescue. At command of Tigellinus, who +had hastened from Antium the third day before, houses on the +Esquiline were torn down so that the fire, reaching empty spaces, +died of itself. That was, however, undertaken solely to save a +remnant of the city; to save that which was burning was not to be +thought of. There was need also to guard against further results of +the ruin. Incalculable wealth had perished in Rome; all the +property of its citizens had vanished; hundreds of thousands of +people were wandering in utter want outside the walls. Hunger had +begun to pinch this throng the second day, for the immense stores +of provisions in the city had burned with it. In the universal +disorder and in the destruction of authority no one had thought of +furnishing new supplies. Only after the arrival of Tigellinus were +proper orders sent to Ostia; but meanwhile the people had grown +more threatening. + +The house at Aqua Appia, in which Tigellinus lodged for the +moment, was surrounded by crowds of women, who from morning +till late at night cried, "Bread and a roof!" Vainly did pretorians, +brought from the great camp between the Via Salaria and the +Nomentana, strive to maintain order of some kind. Here and there +they were met by open, armed resistance. In places weaponless +crowds pointed to the burning city, and shouted, "Kill us in view of +that fire!" They abused Caesar, the Augustians, the pretorians; +excitement rose every moment, so that Tigellinus, looking at night +on the thousands of fires around the city, said to himself that those +were fires in hostile camps. + +Besides flour, as much baked bread as possible was brought at his +command, not only from Ostia, but from all towns and neighboring +villages. When the first instalment came at night to the Emporium, +the people broke the chief gate toward the Aventine, seized all +supplies in the twinkle of an eye, and caused terrible disturbance. +In the light of the conflagration they fought for loaves, and +trampled many of them into the earth. Flour from torn bags +whitened like snow the whole space from the granary to the arches +of Drusus and Germanicus. The uproar continued till soldiers +seized the building and dispersed the crowd with arrows and +missiles. + +Never since the invasion by the Gauls under Brennus had Rome +beheld such disaster. People in despair compared the two +conflagrations. But in the time of Brennus the Capitol remained. +Now the Capitol was encircled by a dreadful wreath of flame. The +marbles, it is true, were not blazing; but at night, when the wind +swept the flames aside for a moment, rows of columns in the lofty +sanctuary of Jove were visible, red as glowing coals. In the days of +Brennus, moreover, Rome had a disciplined integral people, +attached to the city and its altars; but now crowds of a +many-tongued populace roamed nomad-like around the walls of +burning Rome, -- people composed for the greater part of slaves +and freedmen, excited, disorderly, and ready, under the pressure of +want, to turn against authority and the city. + +But the very immensity of the fire, which terrified every heart, +disarmed the crowd in a certain measure. After the fire might +come famine and disease; and to complete the misfortune the +terrible heat of July had appeared. It was impossible to breathe air +inflamed both by fire and the sun. Night brought no relief, on the +contrary it presented a hell. During daylight an awful and ominous +spectacle met the eye. In the centre a giant city on heights was +turned into a roaring volcano; round about as far as the Alban Hills +was one boundless camp, formed of sheds, tents, huts, vehicles, +bales, packs, stands, fires, all covered with smoke and dust, lighted +by sunrays reddened by passing through smoke, -- everything filled +with roars, shouts, threats, hatred and terror, a monstrous swarm of +men, women, and children. Mingled with Quiites were Greeks, +shaggy men from the North with blue eyes, Africans, and Asiatics; +among citizens were slaves, freedmen, gladiators, merchants, +mechanics, servants, and soldiers, -- a real sea of people, flowing +around the island of fire. + +Various reports moved this sea as wind does a real one. These +reports were favorable and unfavorable. People told of immense +supplies of wheat and clothing to be brought to the Emporium and +distributed gratis. It was said, too, that provinces in Asia and +Africa would be stripped of their wealth at Caesar's command, and +the treasures thus gained be given to the inhabitants of Rome, so +that each man might build his own dwelling. But it was noised +about also that water in the aqueducts had been poisoned; that +Nero intended to annihilate the city, destroy the inhabitants to the +last person, then move to Greece or to Egypt, and rule the world +from a new place. Each report ran with lightning speed, and each +found belief among the rabble, causing outbursts of hope, anger, +terror, or rage. Finally a kind of fever mastered those nomadic +thousands. The belief of Christians that the end of the world by +fire was at hand, spread even among adherents of the gods, and +extended daily. People fell into torpor or madness. In clouds +lighted by the burning, gods were seen gazing down on the ruin; +hands were stretched toward those gods then to implore pity or +send them curses. + +Meanwhile soldiers, aided by a certain number of inhabitants, +continued to tear down houses on the Esquiine and the Culian, as +also in the Trans-Tiber; these divisions were saved therefore in +considerable part. But in the city itself were destroyed incalculable +treasures accumulated through centuries of conquest; priceless +works of art, splendid temples, the most precious monuments of +Rome's past, and Rome's glory. They foresaw that of all Rome +there would remain barely a few parts on the edges, and that +hundreds of thousands of people would be without a roof. Some +spread reports that the soldiers were tearing down houses not to +stop the fire, but to prevent any part of the city from being saved. +Tigellinus sent courier after courier to Antium, imploring Caesar +in each letter to come and calm the despairing people with his +presence. But Nero moved only when fire had seized the "domus +transitoria," and he hurried so as not to miss the moment in which +the conflagration should bc at its highest. + +Meanwhile fire had reached the Via Nomentana, but turned from it +at once with a change of wind toward the Via Lata and the Tiber. It +surrounded the Capitol, spread along the Forum Boarium, +destroyed everything which it had spared before, and approached +the Palatine a second time. + +Tigellinus, assembling all the pretorian forces, despatched courier +after courier to Caesar with an announcement that he would lose +nothing of the grandeur of the spectacle, for the fire had increased. + +But Nero, who was on the road, wished to come at night, so as to +sate himself all the better with a view of the perishing capital. +Therefore he halted, in the neighborhood of Aqua Albana, and, +summoning to his tent the tragedian Aliturus, decided with his aid +on posture, look, and expression; learned fitting gestures, disputing +with the actor stubbornly whether at the words "O sacred city, +which seemed more enduring than Ida," he was to raise both +hands, or, holding in one the forminga, drop it by his side and raise +only the other. This question seemed to him then more important +than all others. Starting at last about nightfall, he took counsel of +Petronius also whether to the lines describing the catastrophe he +might add a few magnificent blasphemies against the gods, and +whether, considered from the standpoint of art, they would not +have rushed spontaneously from the mouth of a man in such a +position, a man who was losing his birthplace. + +At length he approached the walls about midnight with his +numerous court, composed of whole detachments of nobles, +senators, knights, freedmen, slaves, women, and children. Sixteen +thousand pretorians, arranged in line of battle along the road, +guarded the peace and safety of his entrance, and held the excited +populace at a proper distance. The people cursed, shouted, and +hissed on seeing the retinue, but dared not attack it. In many +places, however, applause was given by the rabble, which, owning +nothing, had lost nothing in the fire, and which hoped for a more +bountiful distribution than usual of wheat, olives, clothing, and +money. Finally, shouts, hissing, and applause were drowned in the +blare of horns and trumpets, which Tigellinus had caused to be +sounded. + +Nero, on arriving at the Ostian Gate, halted, and said, "Houseless +ruler of a houseless people, where shall I lay my unfortunate head +for the night?" + +After he had passed the Clivus Delphini, he ascended the Appian +aqueduct on steps prepared purposely. After him followed the +Augustians and a choir of singers, bearing citharaee, lutes, and +other musical instruments. + +And all held the breath in their breasts, waiting to learn if he +would say some great words, which for their own safety they ought +to remember. But he stood solemn, silent, in a purple mantle, and a +wreath of golden laurels, gazing at the raging might of the flames. +When Terpnos gave him a golden lute, he raised his eyes to the +sky, filled with the conflagration, as if he were waiting for +inspiration. + +The people pointed at him from afar as he stood in the bloody +gleam. In the distance fiery serpents were hissing. The ancient and +most sacred edifices were in flames: the temple of Hercules, reared +by Evander, was burning; the temple of Jupiter Stator was burning, +the temple of Luna, built by Servius Tullius, the house of Numa +Pompiius, the sanctuary of Vesta with the penates of the Roman +people; through waving flames the Capitol appeared at intervals; +the past and the spirit of Rome was burning. But he, Caesar, was +there with a lute in his hand and a theatrical expression on his face, +not thinking of his perishing country, but of his posture and the +prophetic words with which he might describe best the greatness +of the catastrophe, rouse most admiration, and receive the warmest +plaudits. He detested that city, he detested its inhabitants, beloved +only his own songs and verses; hence he rejoiced in heart that at +last he saw a tragedy like that which he was writing. The +verse-maker was happy, the declaimer felt inspired, the seeker for +emotions was delighted at the awful sight, and thought with +rapture that even the destruction of Troy was as nothing if +compared with the destruction of that giant city. What more could +he desire? There was world-ruling Rome in flames, and he, +standing on the arches of the aqueduct with a golden lute, +conspicuous, purple, admired, magnificent, poetic. Down below, +somewhere in the darkness, the people are muttering and storming. +But let them mutter! Ages will pass, thousands of years will go by, +but mankind will remember and glorify the poet, who in that night +sang the fall and the burning of Troy. What was Homer compared +with him? What Apollo himself with his hollowed-out lute? + +Here he raised his hands and, striking the strings, pronounced the +words of Priam. + +"O nest of my fathers, O dear cradle!" His voice in the open air, +with the roar of the conflagration, and the distant murmur of +crowding thousands, seemed marvellously weak, uncertain, and +low, and the sound of the accompaniment like the buzzing of +insects. But senators, dignitaries, and Augustians, assembled on +the aqueduct, bowed their heads and listened in silent rapture. He +sang long, and his motive was ever sadder. At moments, when he +stopped to catch breath, the chorus of singers repeated the last +verse; then Nero cast the tragic "syrma" 1 from his shoulder with a +gesture learned from Aliturus, struck the lute, and sang on. When +at last he had finished the lines composed, he improvised, seeking +grandiose comparisons in the spectacle unfolded before him. His +face began to change. He was not moved, it is true, by the +destruction of his country's capital; but he was delighted and +moved with the pathos of his own words to such a degree that his +eyes filled with tears on a sudden. At last he dropped the lute to his +feet with a clatter, and, wrapping himself in the "syrma," stood as +if petrified, like one of those statues of Niobe which ornamented +the courtyard of the Palatine. + +Soon a storm of applause broke the silence. But in the distance this +was answered by the howling of multitudes. No one doubted then +that Caesar had given command to burn the city, so as to afford +himself a spectacle and sing a song at it. Nero, when he heard that +cry from hundreds of thousands, turned to the Augustians with the +sad, resigned smile of a man who is suffering from injustice. + +"See," said he, "how the Quirites value poetry and me." + +"Scoundrels!" answered Vatinius. "Command the pretorians, lord, +to fall on them." + +Nero turned to Tigellinus, -- + +"Can I count on the loyalty of the soldiers?" "Yes, divinity," +answered the prefect. + +But Petronius shrugged his shoulders, and said, -- + +"On their loyalty, yes, but not on their numbers. Remain +meanwhile where thou art, for here it is safest; but there is need to +pacify the people." + +Seneca was of this opinion also, as was Licinus the consul. +Meanwhile the excitement below was increasing. The people were +arming with stones, tent-poles, sticks from the wagons, planks, and +various pieces of iron. After a while some of the pretorian leaders +came, declaring that the cohorts, pressed by the multitude, kept the +line of battle with extreme difficulty, and, being without orders to +attack, they knew not what to do. + +"O gods," said Nero, "what a night!" On one side a fire, on the +other a raging sea of people. And he fell to seeking expressions the +most splendid to describe the danger of the moment, but, seeing +around him alarmed looks and pale faces, he was frightened, with +the others. + +"Give me my dark mantle with a hood!" cried he; "must it come +really to battle?" + +"Lord," said Tigellinus, in an uncertain voice, "I have done what I +could, but danger is threatening. Speak, O lord, to the people, and +make them promises." + +"Shall Caesar speak to the rabble? Let another do that in my name. +Who will undertake it?" + +"I!" answered Petronius, calmly. + +"Go, my friend; thou art most faithful to me in every necessity. Go, +and spare no promises." + +Petronius turned to the retinue with a careless, sarcastic +expression, -- + +"Senators here present, also Piso, Nerva, and Senecio, follow me." + +Then he descended the aqueduct slowly. Those whom he had +summoned followed, not without hesitation, but with a certain +confidence which his calmness had given them. Petronius, halting +at the foot of the arches, gave command to bring him a white +horse, and, mounting, rode on, at the head of the cavalcade, +between the deep ranks of pretorians, to the black, howling +multitude; he was unarmed, having only a slender ivory cane +which he carried habitually. + +When he had ridden up, he pushed his horse into the throng. All +around, visible in the light of the burning, were upraised hands, +armed with every manner of weapon, inflamed eyes, sweating +faces, bellowing and foaming lips. A mad sea of people +surrounded him and his attendants; round about was a sea of +heads, moving, roaring, dreadful. + +The outbursts increased and became an unearthly roar; poles, +forks, and even swords were brandished above Petronius; grasping +hands were stretched toward his horse's reins and toward him, but +he rode farther; cool, indifferent, contemptuous. At moments he +struck the most insolent heads with his cane, as if clearing a road +for himself in an ordinary crowd; and that confidence of his, that +calmness, amazed the raging rabble. They recognized him at +length, and numerous voices began to shout, -- + +"Petronius! Arbiter Elegantiarum! Petronius! Petronius!" was heard +on all sides. And as that name was repeated, the faces about +became less terrible, the uproar less savage: for that exquisite +patrician, though he had never striven for the favor of the +populace, was still their favorite. He passed for a humane and +magnanimous man; and his popularity had increased, especially +since the affair of Pedanius Secundus, when he spoke in favor of +mitigating the cruel sentence condemning all the slaves of that +prefect to death. The a slaves more especially loved him +thenceforward with that unbounded love which the oppressed or +unfortunate are accustomed to give those who show them even +small sympathy. Besides, in that moment was added curiosity as to +what Caesar's envoy would say, for no one doubted that Caesar had +sent him. + +He removed his white toga, bordered with scarlet, raised it in the +air, and waved it above his head, in sign that he wished to speak. + +"Silence! Silence!" cried the people on all sides. + +After a while there was silence. Then he straightened himself on +the horse and said in a clear, firm voice, -- + +"Citizens, let those who hear me repeat my words to those who are +more distant, and bear yourselves, all of you, like men, not like +beasts in the arena." + +"We will, we will!" + +"Then listen. The city will be rebuilt. The gardens of Lucullus, +Maaecenas, Caesar, and Agrippina will be opened to you. +To-morrow will begin the distribution of wheat, wine, and olives, +so that every man may be full to the throat. Then Caesar will have +games for you, such as the world has not seen yet; during these +games banquets and gifts will be given you. Ye will be richer after +the fire than before it." + +A murmur answered him which spread from the centre in every +direction, as a wave rises on water in which a stone has been cast. +Those nearer repeated his words to those more distant. Afterward +were heard here and there shouts of anger or applause, which +turned at length into one universal call of "Panem et circenses!!!" + +Petronius wrapped himself in his toga and listened for a time +without moving, resembling in his white garment a marble statue. +The uproar in-creased, drowned the roar of the fire, was answered +from every side and from ever-increasing distances. But evidently +the envoy had something to add, for he waited. Finally, +commanding silence anew, he cried, -- "I promised you panem et +cireenses; and now give a shout in honor of Caesar, who feeds and +clothes you; then go to sleep, dear populace, for the dawn will +begin before long." + +He turned his horse then, and, tapping lightly with his cane the +heads and faces of those who stood in his way, he rode slowly to +the pretorian ranks. Soon he was under the aqueduct. He found +almost a panic above, where they had not understood the shout +"Panem et circenses," and supposed it to be a new outburst of rage. +They had not even expected that Petronius would save himself; so +Nero, when he saw him, ran to the steps, and with face pale from +emotion, inquired,-- + +"Well, what are they doing? Is there a battle?" + +Petronius drew air into his lungs, breathed deeply, and answered, -- +"By Pollux! they are sweating! and such a stench! Will some one +give me an epilimma? -- for I am faint." Then he turned to Caesar. + +"I promised them," said he, "wheat, olives, the opening of the +gardens, and games. They worship thee anew, and are howling in +thy honor. Gods, what a foul odor those plebeians have!" + +"I had pretorians ready," cried Tigellinus; "and hadst thou not +quieted them, the shouters would have been silenced forever. It is +a pity, Caesar, that thou didst not let me use force." + +Petronius looked at him, shrugged his shoulders, and added, -- + +"The chance is not lost. Thou mayst have to use it to-morrow." + +"No, no!" cried Caesar, "I will give command to open the gardens +to them, and distribute wheat. Thanks to thee, Petronius, I will +have games; and that song, which I sang to-day, I will sing +publicly." + +Then he placed his hands on the arbiter's shoulder, was silent a +moment, and starting up at last inquired, -- + +"Tell me sincerely, how did I seem to thee while I was singing?" + + "Thou wert worthy of the spectacle, and the spectacle was worthy +of thee," said Petronius. + +"But let us look at it again," said he, turning to the fire, "and bid +farewell to ancient Rome." + +1 A robe with train, worn especially by tragic actors. + +Chapter XLVII + +THE Apostle's words put confidence in the souls of the Christians. +The end of the world seemed ever near to them, but they began to +think that the day of judgment would not come immediately, that +first they would see the end of Nero's reign, which they looked on +as the reign of Satan, and the punishment of God for Caesar's +crimes, which were crying for vengeance. Strengthened in heart, +they dispersed, after the prayer, to their temporary dwellings, and +even to the Trans-Tiber; for news had come that the fire, set there +in a number of places, had, with the change of wind, turned back +toward the river, and, after devouring what it could here and there, +had ceased to extend. + +The Apostle, with Vinicius and Chilo, who followed him, left the +excavation also. The young tribune did not venture to interrupt his +prayers; hence he walked on in silence, merely imploring pity with +his eyes, and trembling from alarm. Many approached to kiss +Peter's hands, and the hem of his mantle; mothers held out their +children to him; some knelt in the dark, long passage, and, holding +up tapers, begged a blessing; others, going alongside, sang: so +there was no chance for question or answer. Thus it was in the +narrow passage. Only when they came out to broader spaces, from +which the burning city was in view, did the Apostle bless them +three times, and say, turning to Vinicius, -- + +"Fear not. The hut of the quarryman is near; in it we shall find +Linus, and Lygia, with her faithful servant. Christ, who predestined +her to thee, has preserved her." + +Vinicius tottered, and placed his hand against the cliff. The road +from Antium, the events at the wall, the search for Lygia amidst +burning houses, sleeplessness, and his terrible alarm had exhausted +him; and the news that the dearest person in the world was near by, +and that soon he would see her, took the remnant of his strength +from him. So great a weakness possessed him on a sudden that he +dropped to the Apostle's feet, and, embracing his knees, remained +thus, without power to say a word. + +"Not to me, not to me, but to Christ," said the Apostle, who warded +off thanks and honor. + +"What a good God!" said the voice of Chilo from behind, "but +what +shall I do with the mules that are waiting down here?" + +"Rise and come with me," said Peter to the young man. + +Vinicius rose. By the light of the burning, tears were visible on his +face, which was pale from emotion. His lips moved, as if in prayer. + +"Let us go," said he. + +But Chilo repeated again: "Lord, what shall I do with the mules +that +are waiting? Perhaps this worthy prophet prefers riding to +walking." + +Vinicius did not know himself what to answer; but hearing from +Peter that the quarryman's hut was near by, he said, -- + +"Take the mules to Macrinus." + +"Pardon me, lord, if I mention the house in Ameriola. In view of +such an awful fire, it is easy to forget a thing so paltry." + +"Thou wilt get it." + +"O grandson of Numa Pompilius, I have always been sure, but +now, when this magnaninious prophet also has heard the promise, +I will not remind thee even of this, that thou hast promised me a +vineyard. Fax vobiscum. I shall find thee, lord. Fax vobiscurn." + +They answered, "And peace with thee." + +Then both turned to the right toward the hills. Along the road +Vinicius said,-- + +"Lord, wash me with the water of baptism, so that I may call +myself a real confessor of Christ, for I love Him with all the power +of my soul. Wash me quickly, for I am ready in heart. And what +thou commandest I will do, but tell me, so that I may do it in +addition." + +"Love men as thy own brothers," answered the Apostle, "for only +with love mayst thou serve Him." + +"Yes, I understand and feel that. When a child I believed in the +Roman gods, though I did not love them. But I so love Him the +One God that I would give my life for Him gladly." And he looked +toward the sky, repeating with exaltation: "For He is one, for He +alone is kind and merciful; hence, let not only this city perish, but +the whole world, Him alone will I confess and recognize." + +"And He will bless thee and thy house," concluded the Apostle. + +Meanwhile they turned into another ravine, at the end of which a +faint light was visible. Peter pointed to it and said, -- + +"There is the hut of the quarryman who gave us a refuge when, on +the way from Ostrianum with the sick Linus, we could not go to +the Trans-Tiber." + +After a while they arrived. The hut was rather a cave rounded Out +in an indentation of the hill, and was faced outside with a wall +made of reeds. The door was closed, but through an opening, +which served for a window, the interior was visible, lighted by a +fire. Some dark giant figure rose up to meet them, and inquired, -- +"Who are ye?" + +"Servants of Christ," answered Peter. "Peace be with thee, Ursus." + +Ursus bent to the Apostle's feet; then, recognizing Vinicius, seized +his hand by the wrist, and raised it to his lips. + +"And thou, lord," said he. "Blessed be the name of the Lamb, for +the joy which thou wilt bring to Callina." + +He opened the door rhaen, and entered. Linus was lying on a +bundle of straw, with an emaciated face and a forehead as yellow +as ivory Near the fire sat Lygia with a string of small fish, intended +evidently for supper. Occupied in removing the fish from the +string, and thuiiking that it was Ursus who had entered, she did not +raise her eyes. But Vinicius approached, and, pronouncing her +name, stretched his hand to her. She sprang up quickly then; a +flash of astonishment and delight shot across her face. Without a +word, like a child who after days of fear and sorrow had found +father or mother, she threw herself into his open arms. + +He embraced her, pressed her to his bosom for some time with +such ecstasy as if she had been saved by a miracle. Then, +withdrawing his arms, he took her temples between his hands, +kissed her forehead and her eyes, embraced her again, repeated her +name, bent to her knees, to her palms, greeted her, did her homage, +honored her. His delight had no bounds; neither had his love and +happiness. + +At last he told her how he had rushed in from Antium; had +searched for her at the walls, in the smoke at the house of Linus; +how he had suffered and was terrified; how much he had endured +before the Apostle had shown him her retreat. + +"But now," said he, "that I have found thee, I will not leave thee +near fire and raging crowds. People are slaying one another under +the walls, slaves are revolting and plundering. God alone knows +what miseries may fall yet on Rome. But I will save thee and all of +you. Oh, my dear, let us go to Antium; we will take a ship there +and sail to Sicily. My land is thy land, my houses are thy houses. +Listen to me! In Sicily we shall find Aulus. I will give thee back to +Pomponia, and take thee from her hands afterward. But, O +carissima, have no further fear of me. Christ has not washed me +yet, but ask Peter if on the way hither I have not told him my wish +to be a real confessor of Christ, and begged him to baptize me, +even in this hut of a quarryman. Believe, and let all believe me." + +Lygia heard these words with radiant face. The Christians +formerly, because of Jewish persecutions, and then because of the +fire and disturbance caused by the disaster, lived in fear and +uncertainty. A journey to quiet Sicily would put an end to all +danger, and open a new epoch of happiness in their lives. If +Vinicius had wished to take only Lygia, she would have resisted +the temptation surely, as she did not wish to leave Peter and Linus; +but Vinicius said to them, "Come with me; my lands are your +lands, my houses your houses." At this Lygia inclined to kiss his +hand, in sign of obedience, and said, -- + +"Where thou art, Caius, there am I, Caia." + +Then confused that she had spoken words which by Roman custom +were repeated only at marriage, she blushed deeply, and stood in +the light of the fire, with drooping head, in doubt lest he might +take them ill of her. But in his face boundless homage alone was +depicted. He turned then to Peter, and continued, -- + +"Rome is burning at command of Caesar. In Antium he +complained that he had never seen a great fire. And if he has not +hesitated at such a crime, think what may happen yet. Who knows +that he may not bring in troops, and command a slaughter? Who +knows what proscriptions may come; who knows whether after the +fire, civil war, murder, and famine may not come? + +Hide yourselves, therefore, and let us hide Lygia. There ye can +wait till the storm passes, and when it is over return to sow your +grain anew." + +Outside, from the direction of the Vatican Field, as if to confirm +his fears, distant cries were heard full of rage and terror. At that +moment the quarryman entered, the master of the hut, and, +shutting the door hastily, he cried, -- + +"People are killing one another near the Circus of Nero. Slaves and +gladiators have attacked the citizens." + +"Do ye hear?" said Vinicius. + +"The measure is full," said the Apostle; "and disasters will come, +like a boundless sea." Then he turned, and, pointing to Lygia, said, +"Take the maiden, whom God has predestined to thee, and save +her, and let Linus, who is sick, and Ursus go with you." + +But Vinicius, who had come to love the Apostle with all the power +of his impetuous soul, exclaimed: "I swear, my teacher, that I will +not leave thee here to destruction." + +"The Lord bless thee for thy wish," answered Peter; "but hast thou +not heard that Christ rcpcatcd thricc on the lake to me, 'Feed my +lambs'?" + +Vinicius was silent. + +"If thou, to whom no one has confided care over me, sayest that +thou wilt not leave me to destruction, how canst thou wish me to +leave my flock in the day of disaster? When there was a storm on +the lake, and we were terrified in heart, He did not desert us; why +should I, a servant, not follow my Master's example?" + +Then Linus raised his emaciated face and inquired, -- + +"O vicegerent of the Lord, why should I not follow thy example?" + +Vinicius began to pass his hand over his head, as if struggling with +himself or fighting with his thoughts; then, seizing Lygia by the +hand, he said, in a voice in which the energy of a Roman soldier +was quivering, -- + +"Hear me, Peter, Linus, and thou, Lygia! I spoke as my human +reason dictated; but ye have another reason, which regards, not +your own danger, but the commands of the Redeemer. True, I did +not understand this, and I erred, for the beam is not taken from my +eyes yet, and the former nature is heard in me. But since I love +Christ, and wish to be His servant, though it is a question for me of +something more than my own life, I kneel here before thee, and +swear that I will accomplish the command of love, and will not +leave my brethren in the day of trouble." + +Then he knelt, and enthusiasm possessed him; raising his hands +and eyes, he cried: "Do I understand Thee, O Christ? Am I worthy +of Thee?" + +His hands trembled; his eyes glistened with tears; his body +trembled with faith and love. Peter took an earthen vessel with +water, and, bringing it near him, said with solemnity, -- + +"Behold, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy +Ghost. Amen." + +Then a religious ecstasy seized all present. They thought that some +light from beyond this world had filled the hut, that they heard +some superhuman music, that the cliffs had opened above their +heads, that choirs of angels were floating down from heaven, and +far up there they saw a cross, and pierced hands blessing them. + +Meanwhile the shouts of fighting were heard outside, and the roar +of flames in the burning city. + +Chapter XLVIII + +CAMPS of people were disposed in the lordly gardens of Caesar, +formerly gardens of Domitius and Agrippina; they were disposed +also on the Campus Martius, in the gardens of Pompey, Sallust, +and MRcenas, in porticos, tennis-courts, splendid summer-houses, +and buildings erected for wild beasts. Peacocks, flamingoes, +swans, ostriches, gazelles, African antelopes, and deer, which had +served as ornaments to those gardens, went under the knives of the +rabble. Provisions began to come in now from Ostria so +abundantly that one might walk, as on a bridge, over ships, boats, +and barges from one bank of the Tiber to the other. Wheat was +sold at the unheard-of low price of three sestertia, and was given +gratis to the indigent. Immense supplies of wine, olives, and +chestnuts were brought to the city; sheep and cattle were driven in +every day from the mountains. Wretches who before the fire had +been hiding in alleys of the Subura, and were perishing of hunger +in ordinary times, had a more pleasant life now. The danger of +famine was averted completely, but it was more difficult to +suppress robbery, murder, and abuses. A nomadic life insured +impunity to thieves; the more easily since they proclaimed +themselves admirers of Caesar, and were unsparing of plaudits +wherever he appeared. Moreover, when, by the pressure of events, +the authorities were in abeyance, and there was a lack of armed +force to quell insolence in a city inhabited by the dregs of +contemporary mankind, deeds were done which passed human +imagination. Every night there were battles and murders; every +night boys and women were snatched away. At the Porta +Mugionis, where there was a halting-place for herds driven in from +the Campania, it come to engagements in which people perished +by hundreds. Every morning the banks of the Tiber were covered +with drowned bodies, which no one collected; these decayed +quickly because of heat heightened by fire, and filled the air with +foul odors. Sickness broke out on the camping-grounds, and the +more timorous foresaw a great pestilence. + +But the city burned on unceasingly. Only on the sixth day, when +the fire reached empty spaces on the Esquiline, where an +enormous number of houses had been demolished purposely, did it +weaken. But the piles of burning cinders gave such strong light yet +that people would not believe that the end of the catastrophe had +come. In fact the fire burst forth with fresh force on the seventh +night in the buildings of Tigellinus, but had short duration for lack +of fuel. Burnt houses, however, fell here and there, and threw up +towers of flame and pillars of sparks. But the glowing ruins began +to grow black on the surface. After sunset the heavens ceased to +gleam with bloody light, and only after dark did blue tongues +quiver above the extended black waste, tongues which rose from +piles of cinders. + +Of the fourteen divisions of Rome there remained only four, +including the Trans-Tiber. Flames had consumed all the others. +When at last the piles of cinders had been turned into ashes, an +immense space was visible from the Tiber to the Esquiline, gray, +gloomy, dead. In this space stood rows of chimneys, like columns +over graves in a cemetery. Among these columns gloomy crowds +of people moved about in the daytime, some seeking for precious +objects, others f or the bones of those dear to them. In the night +dogs howled above the ashes and ruins of former dwellings. + +All the bounty and aid shown by Caesar to the populace did not +restrain evil speech and indignation. Only the herd of robbers, +criminals, and homeless ruffians, who could eat, drink, and rob +enough, were contented. People who had lost all their property and +their nearest relatives were not won over by the opening of +gardens, the distribution of bread, or the promise of games and +gifts. The catastrophe had been too great and unparalleled. Others, +in whom was hidden yet some spark of love for the city and their +birthplace, were brought to despair by news that the old name +"Roma" was to vanish, and that from the ashes of the capital +Caesar would erect a new city called Neropolis. A flood of hatred +rose and swelled every day, despite the flatteries of the Augustians +and the calumnies of Tigellinus. Nero, more sensitive than any +former Caesar to the favor of the populace, thought with alarm that +in the sullen and mortal struggle which be was waging with +patricians in the Senate, he might lack support. The Augustians +themselves were not less alarmed, for any morning might bring +them destruction. Tigellinus thought of summoning certain legions +from Asia Minor. Vatinius, who laughed even when slapped on the +face, lost his humor; Vitelius lost his appetite. + +Others were taking counsel among themselves how to avert the +danger, for it was no secret that were an outburst to carry off +Caesar, not one of the Augustians would escape, except, perhaps, +Petronius. To their influence were ascribed the madnesses of Nero, +to their suggestions all the crimes which he committed. Hatred for +them almost surpassed that for Nero. Hence some began to make +efforts to rid themselves of responsibility for the burning of the +city. But to free themselves they must clear Caesar also from +suspicion, or no one would believe that they had not caused the +catastrophe. Tigellinus took counsel on this subject with Domitius +Afer, and even with Seneca, though he hated him. Poppaea, who +understood that the ruin of Nero would be her own sentence, took +the opinion of her confidants and of Hebrew priests, for it had +been admitted for years that she held the faith of Jehovah. Nero +found his own methods, which, frequently terrible, were more +frequently foolish, and fell now into terror, now into childish +delight, but above all he complained. + +On a time a long and fruitless consultation was held in the house +of Tiberius, which had survived the fire. Petronius thought it best +to leave troubles, go to Greece, thence to Egypt and Asia Minor. +The journey had been planned long before; why defer it, when in +Rome were sadness and danger? + +Caesar accepted the counsel with eagerness; but Seneca when he +had thought awhile, said, -- + +"It is easy to go, but it would be more difficult to return." + +"By Heracles!" replied Petronius, "we may return at the head of +Asiatic legions." + +"This will I do!" exclaimed Nero. + +But Tigelilinus opposed. He could discover nothing himself, and if +the arbiter's idea had come to his own head he would beyond doubt +have declared it the saving one; but with him the question was that +Petronius might not be a second time the only man who in difficult +moments could rescue all and every one. + +"Hear me, divinity," said he, "this advice is destructive! Before +thou art at Ostia a civil war will break out; who knows but one of +the surviving collateral descendants of the divine Augustus will +declare himself Caesar, and what shall we do if the legions take his +side?" + +"We shall try," answered Nero, "that there be no descendants of +Augustus. There are not many now; hence it is easy to rid +ourselves of them." + +"It is possible to do so, but is it a question of them alone? No +longer ago than yesterday my people heard in the crowd that a man +like Thrasea should be Caesar." + +Nero bit his lips. After a while he raised his eyes and said: +"Insatiable and thankless. They have grain enough, and they have +coal on which to bake cakes; what more do they want?" + +"Vengeance!" replied Tigellinus. + +Silence followed. Caesar rose on a sudden, extended his hand, and +began to declaim, -- + +"Hearts call for vengeance, and vengeance wants a victim." Then, +forgetting everything, he said, with radiant face: "Give me the +tablet and stilus to write this line. Never could Lucan have +composed the like. Have ye noticed that I found it in a twinkle?" + +"O incomparable!" exclaimed a number of voices. Nero wrote +down the line, and said, -- + +"Yes, vengeance wants a victim." Then he cast a glance on those +around him. "But if we spread the report that Vatinius gave +command to burn the city, and devote him to the anger of the +people?" + +"O divinity! Who am I?" exclaimed Vatmius. + +"True! One more important than thou is demanded. Is it Vitehius?" + +Vitelius grew pale, but began to laugh. + +"My fat," answered he, "might start the fire again." + +But Nero had something else on his mind; in his soul he was +looking for' a victim who might really satisfy the people's anger, +and he found him. + +"Tigellinus," said he after a while, "it was thou who didst burn +Rome!" A shiver ran through those present. They understood that +Caesar had ceased to jest this time, and that a moment had come +which was pregnant with events. + +The face of Tigellinus was wrinkled, like the lips of a dog about to +bite. + +"I burnt Rome at thy command!" said he. + +And the two glared at each other like a pair of devils. Such silence +followed that the buzzing of flies was heard as they flew through +the atrium. + +"Tigellinus," said Nero, "dost thou love me?" + +"Thou knowest, lord." + +"Sacrifice thyself for me." + +"O divine Caesar," answered Tigellinus, "why present the sweet +cup which I may not raise to my lips? The people are muttering +and rising; dost thou wish the pretorians also to rise?" + +A feeling of terror pressed the hearts of those present. Tigellinus +was pretorian prefect, and his words had the direct meaning of a +threat. Nero himself understood this, and his face became pallid. + +At that moment Epaphroditus, Caesar's freedman, entered, +announcing that the divine Augusta wished to see Tigellinus, as +there were people in her apartments whom the prefect ought to +hear. + +Tigellinus bowed to Caesar, and went out with a face calm and +contemptuous. Now, when they had wished to strike him, he had +shown his teeth; he had made them understand who he was, and, +knowing Nero's cowardice, he was confident that that ruler of the +world would never dare to raise a hand against him. + +Nero sat in silence for a moment; then, seeing that those present +expected some answer, he said, -- + +"I have reared a serpent in my bosom." + +Petronius shrugged his shoulders, as if to say that it was not +difficult to pluck the head from such a serpent. + +"What wilt thou say? Speak, advise!" exclaimed Nero, noticing this +motion. "I trust in thee alone, for thou hast more sense than all of +them, and thou lovest me." + +Petronius had the following on his lips: "Make me pretorian +prefect, I will deliver Tigellinus to the people, and pacify the city +in a day." But his innate slothfulness prevailed. To be prefect +meant to bear on his shoulder's Caesar's person and also thousands +of public affairs. And why should he perform that labor? Was it +not better to read poetry in his splendid library, look at vases and +statues, or hold to his breast the divine body of Eunice, twining her +golden hair through his fingers, and inclining his lips to her coral +mouth? Hence he said, -- + +"I advise the journey to Achaea." + +"Ah!" answered Nero, "I looked for something more from thee. +The Senate hates me. If I depart, who will guarantee that it will not +revolt and proclaim some one else Caesar? The people have been +faithful to me so far, but now they will follow the Senate. By +Hades! if that Senate and that people had one head! --" + +"Permit me to say, O divinity, that if thou desire to save Rome, +there is need to save even a few Romans," remarked Petronius, +with a smile. + +"What care I for Rome and Romans?" complained Nero. "I should +be obeyed in Achaeca. Here only treason surrounds me. All desert +me, and ye are making ready for treason. I know it, I know it. Ye +do not even imagine what future ages will say of you if ye desert +such an artist as I am." + +Here he tapped his forehead on a sudden, and cried, -- + +"True! Amid these cares even I forget who I am." + +Then he turned to Petronius with a radiant face. + +"Petronius," said he, "the people murmur; but if I take my lute and +go to the Campus Martius, if I sing that song to them which I sang +during the conflagration, dost thou not think that I will move them, +as Orpheus moved wild beasts?" + +To this Tullius Senecio, who was impatient to return to his slave +women brought in from Antium, and who had been impatient a +long time, replied, -- + +"Beyond doubt, O Caesar, if they permit thee to begin." + +"Let us go to Hellas!" cried Nero, with disgust. + +But at that moment Poppaea appeared, and with her Tigellimis. +The eyes of those present turned to him unconsciously, for never +had triumphator ascended the Capitol with pride such as his when +he stood before Caesar. He began to speak slowly and with +emphasis, in tones through which the bite of iron, as it were, was +heard, -- + +"Listen. O Caesar, for I can say: I have found! The people want +vengeance, they want not one victim, but hundreds, thousands. +Hast heard, lord, who Christos was, -- he who was crucified by +Pontius Pilate? And knowest thou who the Christians are? Have I +not told thee of their crimes and foul ceremonies, of their +predictions that fire would cause the end of the world? People hate +and suspect them. No one has seen them in a temple at any time, +for they consider our gods evil spirits; they are not in the Stadium, +for they despise horse races. Never have the hands of a Christian +done thee honor with plaudits. Never has one of them recognized +thee as god. They are enemies of the human race, of the city, and +of thee. The people murmur against thee; but thou hast given me +no command to burn Rome, and I did not burn it. The people want +vengeance; let them have it. The people want blood and games; let +them have them. The people suspect thee; let their suspicion turn +in another direction." + +Nero listened with amazement at first; but as Tigellinus proceeded, +his actor's face changed, and assumed in succession expressions of +anger, sorrow, sympathy, indignation. Suddenly he rose, and, +casting off the toga, which dropped at his feet, he raised both +hands and stood silent for a time. At last he said, in the tones of a +tragedian, -- + +"O Zeus, Apollo, Here, Athene, Perseaehone, and all ye immortals! +why did ye not come to aid us? What has this hapless city done to +those cruel wretches that they burnt it so inhumanly?" + +"They are enemies of mankind and of thee," said Poppaea. + +"Do justice!" cried others. "Punish the incendiaries! The gods +themselves call for vengeance!" + +Nero sat down, dropped his head to his breast, and was silent a +second time, as if stunned by the wickedness of which he had +heard. But after a while he shook his hands, and said, -- + +"What punishments, what tortures befit such a crime? But the gods +will inspire me, and, aided by the powers of Tartarus, I will give +my poor people such a spectacle that they will remember me for +ages with gratitude." + +The forehead of Petronius was covered with a sudden cloud. He +thought of the danger hanging over Lygia and over Vinicius, whom +he loved, and over all those people whose religion he rejected, but +of whose innocence he was certain. He thought also that one of +those bloody orgies would begin which his eyes, those of an +aesthetic man, could not suffer. But above all he thought: + +"I must save Vinicius, who will go mad if that maiden perishes"; +and this consideration outweighed every other, for Petronius +understood well that he was beginning a game far more perilous +than any in his life. He began, however, to speak freely and +carelessly, as his wont was when criticising or ridiculing plans of +Caesar and the Augustians that were not sufficiently aesthetic, + +"Ye have found victims! That is true. Ye may send them to the +arena, or array them in 'painful tunics.' That is true also. But hear +me! Ye have authority, ye have pretorians, ye have power; then be +sincere, at least, when no one is listening! Deceive the people, but +deceive not one another. Give the Christians to the populace, +condemn them to any torture ye like; but have courage to say to +yourselves that it was not they who burnt Rome. Phy! Ye call me +'arbiter elegantiarum'; hence I declare to you that I cannot endure +wretched comedies! Phy! how all this reminds me of the theatrical +booths near the Porta Asinaria, in which actors play the parts of +gods and kings to amuse the suburban rabble, and when the play is +over wash down onions with sour wine, or get blows of clubs! Be +gods and kings in reality; for I say that ye can permit yourselves +the position! As to thee, O Caesar, thou hast threatened us with the +sentence of coming ages; but think, those ages will utter judgment +concerning thee also. By the divine Clio! Nero, ruler of the world, +Nero, a god, burnt Rome, because he was as powerful on earth as +Zeus on Olympus, -- Nero the poet loved poetry so much that he +sacrificed to it his country! From the beginning of the world no +one did the like, no one ventured on thae like. I beseech thee in the +name of the double-crowned Libethrides, renounce not such glory, +for songs of thee will sound to the end of ages! What will Priam be +when compared with thee; what Agamenmon; what Achilles; what +the gods themselves? We need not say that the burning of Rome +was good, but it was colossal and uncommon. I tell thee, besides, +that the people will raise no hand against thee! It is not true that +they will. Have courage; guard thyself against acts unworthy of +thee, -- for this alone threatens thee, that future ages may say, +'Nero burned Rome; but as a timid Caesar and a timid poet he +denied the great deed out of fear, and cast the blame of it on the +innocent!'" + +The arbiter's words produced the usual deep impression on Nero; +but Petronius was not deceived as to this, that what he had said +was a desperate means which in a fortunate event might save the +Christians, it is true, but might still more easily destroy himself. +He had not hesitated, however, for it was a question at once of +Vinicius whom he loved, and of hazard with which he amused +himself. "The dice are thrown," said he to himself, "and we shall +see how far fear for his own life outweighs in the monkey his love +of glory." + +And in his soul he had no doubt that fear would outweigh. + +Meanwhile silence fell after his words. Poppaea and all present +were looking at Nero's eyes as at a rainbow. He began to raise his +lips, drawing them to his very nostrils, as was his custom when he +knew not what to do; at last disgust and trouble were evident on +his features. + +"Lord," cried Tigellinus, on noting this, "permit me to go; for when +people wish to expose thy person to destruction, and call thee, +besides, a cowardly Caesar, a cowardly poet, an incendiary, and a +comedian, my ears cannot suffer such expressions!" + +"I have lost," thought Petronius. But turning to Tigellinus, he +measured him with a glance in which was that contempt for a +ruffian which is felt by a great lord who is an exquisite. + +"Tigellinus," said he, "it was thou whom I called a comedian; for +thou art one at this very moment." + +"Is it because I will not listen to thy insults?" + +"It is because thou art feigning boundless love for Caesar, -- thou +who a short while since wert threatening him with pretorians, +which we all understood as did he!" + +Tigellinus, who had not thought Petronius sufficiently daring to +throw dice such as those on the table, turned pale, lost his head, +and was speechless. This was, however, the last victory of the +arbiter over his rival, for that moment Poppaea said, -- + +"Lord, how permit that such a thought should even pass through +the head of any one, and all the more that any one should venture +to express it aloud in thy presence!" + +"Punish the insolent!" exclaimed Vitelius. + +Nero raised his lips again to his nostrils, and, turning his +near-sighted, glassy eyes on Petronius, said, -- + +"Is this the way thou payest me for the friendship which I had for +thee?" "If I am mistaken, show me my error," said Petronius; "but +know that I speak that which love for thee dictates." + +"Punish the insolent!" repeated Vitelius. + +"Punish!" called a number of voices. + +In the atrium there was a murmur and a movement, for people +began to withdraw from Petronius. Even Tullius Senecio, his +constant companion at the court, pushed away, as did young +Nerva, who had shown him hitherto the greatest friendship. After a +while Petronius was alone on the left side of the atrium, with a +smile on his lips; and gathering with his hands the folds of his +toga, he waited yet for what Caesar would say or do. + +"Ye wish me to punish him" said Caesarae "but he is my friend and +comrade. Though he has wounded my heart, let him know that for +friends this heart has naught but forgiveness." + +"I have lost, and am ruined," thought Petronius. + +Meanwhile Caesar rose, and the consultation was ended. + +Chapter XLIV + +PETRONIUS went borne. Nero and Tigcllinus went to Poppaea's +atrium, where they were expected by people with whom the +prefect had spoken already. + +There were two Trans-Tiber rabbis in long solemn robes and +mitred, a young copyist, their assistant, together with Chilo. At +sight of Caesar the priests grew pale from emotion, and, raising +their hands an arm's length, bent their heads to his hands. + +"Be greeted, O ruler of the earth, guardian of the chosen people, +and Caesar, lion among men, whose reign is like sunlight, like the +cedar of Lebanon, like a spring, like a palm, like the balsam of +Jericho," + +"Do ye refuse to call me god?" inquired Nero. + +The priests grew still paler. The chief one spoke again, -- + +"Thy words, O lord, are as sweet as a cluster of grapes, as a ripe +fig,-- for Jehovah filled thy heart with goodness! Thy father's +predecessor, Caesar Caius, was stern; still our envoys did not call +him god, preferring death Itself to violation of the law." + +"And did not Caligula give command to throw them to the lions?" + +"No, lord; Caesar Caius feared Jehovah's anger." + +And they raised their heads, for the name of the powerful Jehovah +gave them courage; confident in his might, they looked into Nero's +eyes with more boldness. + +"Do ye accuse the Christians of burning Rome?" inquired Caesar. +"We, lord, accuse them of this alone, -- that they are enemies of +the law, of the human race, of Rome, and of thee; that long since +they have threatened the city and the world with fire! The rest will +be told thee by this man, whose lips are unstained by a lie, for in +his mother's veins flowed the blood of the chosen people." + +Nero turned to Chio: "Who art thou?" + +"One who honors thee, O Cyrus; and, besides, a poor Stoic--" + +"I hate the Stoics," said Nero. "I hate Thrasea; I hate Musonius and +Cornutus. Their speech is repulsive to me; their contempt for art, +their voluntary squalor and filth." + +"O lord, thy master Seneca has one thousand tables of citrus wood. +At thy wish I will have twice as many. I am a Stoic from necessity. +Dress my stoicism, O Radiant One, in a garland of roses, put a +pitcher of wine before it; it will sing Anacreon in such strains as to +deafen every Epicurean." + +Nero, who was pleased by the title "Radiant," smiled and said,-- +"Thou dost please me." + +"This man is worth his weight in gold!" cried Tigellinus. + +"Put thy liberality with my weight," answered Chilo, "or the wind +will blow my reward away." + +"He would not outweigh Vitelius," put in Caesar. + +"Eheu! Silver-bowed, my wit is not of lead." + +"I see that thy faith does not hinder thee from calling me a god." + +"O Immortal! My faith is in thee; the Christians blaspheme against +that faith, and I hate them." + +"What dost thou know of the Christians?" + +"Wilt thou permit me to weep, O divinity?" + +"No," answered Nero; "weeping annoys me." + +"Thou art triply right, for eyes that have seen thee should be free of +tears forever. O lord, defend me against my enemies." + +"Speak of the Christians," said Poppaea, with a shade of +impatience. + +"It will be at thy command, O Isis," answered Chilo. "From youth I +devoted myself to philosophy, and sought truth. I sought it among +the ancient divine sages, in the Academy at Athens, and in the +Serapeum at Alexandria. When I heard of the Christians, I judged +that they formed some new school in which I could find certain +kernels of truth; and to my misfortune I made their acquaintance. +The first Christian whom evil fate brought near me was one +Glaucus, a physician of Naples. From him I learned in time that +they worship a certain Chrestos, who promised to exterminate all +people and destroy every city on earth, but to spare them if they +helped him to exterminate the children of Deucalion. For this +reason, O lady, they hate men, and poison fountains; for this +reason in their assemblies they shower curses on Rome, and on all +temples in which our gods are honored. Chrestos was crucified; +but he promised that when Rome was destroyed by fire, he would +come again and give Christians dominion over the world." + +"People will understand now why Rome was destroyed," +interrupted Tigellinus. + +"Many understand that already, O lord, for I go about in the +gardens, I go to the Campus Martius, and teach. But if ye listen to +the end, ye will know my reasons for vengeance. Glaucus the +physician did not reveal to me at first that their religion taught +hatred. On the contrary, he told me that Chrestos was a good +divinity, that the basis of their religion was love. My sensitive +heart could not resist such a truth; hence I took to loving Glaucus, I +trusted him, I shared every morsel of bread with him, every copper +coin, and dost thou know, lady, how he repaid me? On the road +from Naples to Rome he thrust a knife into my body, and my wife, +the beautiful and youthful Berenice, he sold to a slave-merchant. If +Sophocles knew my history -- but what do I say? One better than +Sophocles is listening." + +"Poor man!" said Poppaeua. + +"Whoso has seen the face of Aphrodite is not poor, lady; and I see +it at this moment. But then I sought consolation in philosophy. +When I came to Rome, I tried to meet Christian elders to obtain +justice against Glaucus. I thought that they would force him to +yield up my wife. I became acquainted with their chief priest; I +became acquainted with another, named Paul, who was in prison +in this city, but was liberated afterward; I became acquainted with +the son of Zebedee, with Linus and Clitus and many others. I know +where they lived before the fire, I know where they meet. I can +point out one excavation in the Vatican Hill and a cemetery +beyond the Nomentan Gate, where they celebrate their shameless +ceremonies. I saw the Apostle Peter. I saw how Glaucus killed +children, so that the Apostle might have something to sprinkle on +the heads of those present; and I saw Lygia, the foster-child of +Pomponia Graecina, who boasted that though unable to bring the +blood of an infant, she brought the death of an infant, for she +bewitched the little Augusta, thy daughter, O Cyrus, and thine, O +Isis!" + +"Dost hear, Caesar?" asked Poppaea. + +"Can that be!" exclaimed Nero. + +"I could forgive wrongs done myself," continued Chio, "but when I +heard of yours, I wanted to stab her. Unfortunately I was stopped +by the noble Vinicius, who loves her." + +"Vinicius? But did she not flee from him?" + +"She fled, but he made search for her; he could not exist without +her. For wretched pay I helped him in the search, and it was I who +pointed out to him the house in which she lived among the +Christians in the Trans-Tiber. We went there together, and with us +thy wrestler Croton, whom the noble Viicius hired to protect him. +But Ursus, Lygia's slave, crushed Croton. That is a man of dreadful +strength, O Lord, who can break a bull's neck as easily as another +might a poppy stalk. Auluae and Pomponia loved him because of +that." + +"By Hercules," said Nero, "the mortal who crushed Croton +deserves a statue in the Forum. But, old man, thou art mistaken or +art inventing, for Vinicius killed Croton with a knife." + +"That is how people calumniate the gods. O lord, I myself saw +Croton's ribs breaking in the arms of Ursus, who rushed then on +Viicius and would have killed him but for Lygia. Vinicius was ill +for a long time after that but they nursed him in the hope that +through love he would become a Christian. In fact, he did become +a Christian." + +"Vinicius?" + +"Yes." + +"And, perhaps, Petronius too?" inquired Tigellinus, hurriedly. Chio +squirmed, rubbed his hands, and said, -- + +"I admire thy penetration, O lord. He may have become one! He +may very well have become one." + +"Now I understand why he defended the Christians." + +Nero laughed: "Petronius a Christian! Petronius an enemy of life +and luxury! Be not foolish; do not ask me to believe that, since I +am ready not to believe anything." + +"But the noble Vinicius became a Christian, lord. I swear by that +radiance which comes from thee that I speak the truth, and that +nothing pierces me with such disgust as lying. Pomponia Graecina +is a Christian, little Aulus is a Christian, Lygia is a Christian, and +so is Vinicius. I served him faithfully, and in return, at the desire +of Glaucus the physician, he gave command to flog me, though I +am old and was sick and hungry. And I have sworn by Hades that I +will not forget that for him. O lord, avenge my wrongs on them, +and I will deliver to thee Peter the Apostle and Linus and Clitus +and Glaucus and Crispus, the highest ones, and Lygia and Ursus. I +will point out hundreds of them to you, thousands; I will indicate +their houses of prayer, the cemeteries, all thy prisons will not +hold them! Without me ye could not find them. In misfortunes I +have sought consolation; hitherto in philosophy alone, now I will +find it in favors that will descend on me. I am old, and have not +known life; let me begin." + +"It is thy wish to be a Stoic before a full plate," said Nero. "Whoso +renders service to thee will fill it by that same." + +"Thou art not mistaken, O philosopher." + +But Poppaeca did not forget her enemies. Her fancy for Vinicius +was, indeed, rather a momentary whim, which had risen under the +influence of jealousy, anger, and wounded vanity. Still the +coolness of the young patrician touched her deeply, and filled her +heart with a stubborn feeling of offence. This alone, that he had +dared to prefer anothe'r, seemed to her a crime calling for +vengeance. As to Lygia, she hated her from the first moment, when +the beauty of that northern lily alarmed her, Petronius, who spoke +of the too narrow hips of the girl, might talk what he pleased into +Caesar, but not into the Augusta. Poppaea the critic understood at +one cast of the eye that in all Rome Lygia alone could rival and +even surpass her. Thenceforth she vowed her ruin. + +"Lord," said she, "avenge our child." + +"Hasten!" cried Chio, "hasten! Otherwise Vinicius will hide her. I +will point out the house to which she returned after the fire." + +"I will give thee ten men, and go this moment," said Tigellinus. + +"O lord! thou hast not seen Croton in the arms of Ursus; if thou +wilt give fifty men, I will only show the house from a distance. But +if ye will not imprison Vinicius, I am lost." + +Tigellinus looked at Nero. "Would it not be well, O divinity, to +finish at once with the uncle and nephew?" + +Nero thought a moment and answered, -- + +"No, not now. People would not believe us if we tried to persuade +them that Petronius, Vinicius, or Pomponia Graecina had fired +Rome. Their houses were too beautiful. Their turn will come later; +to-day other victims are needed." + +"Then, O lord, give me soldiers as a guard," said Chilo. "See to +this, Tigellinus." + +"Thou wilt lodge meanwhile with me," said the prefect to Chilo. +Delight beamed from the face of the Greek. + +"I will give up all! only hasten! -- hasten!" cried he, with a hoarse +voice. + +Chapter L. + +ON leaving Caesar, Petronius had himself borne to his house on +the Carimr, which, being surrounded on three sides by a garden, +and having in front the small Ceciian Forum, escaped the fire +luckily. For this cause other Augustians, who had lost their houses +and in them vast wealth and many works of art, called Petronius +fortunate. For years it had been repeated that he was the first-born +of Fortune, and Caesar's growing friendship in recent times seemed +to confirm the correctness of this statement. + +But that first-born of Fortune might meditate now on the fickleness +of his mother, or rather on her likeness to Chronos, who devoured +his own children. + +"Were my house burnt," said he to himself, "and with it my gems, +Etruscan vases, Alexandrian glass, and Corinthian bronze, Nero +might indeed have forgotten the offence. By Pollux! And to think +that it depended on me alone to be pretorian prefect act this +moment. I should proclaim Tigellinus the incendiary, which he is +really; I should array him in the 'painful tunic,' and deliver him to +the populace, protect the Christians, rebuild Rome. Who knows +even if a better epoch would not begin thus for honest people? I +ought to have taken the office, simply out of regard for Viicius. In +case of overwork I could have surrendered command to bini, and +Nero would not have even tried to resist. Then let Vinicius baptize +all the pretorians, nay, Caesar himself; what harm could that be to +me? Nero pious, Nero virtuous and merciful, -- this would be even +an amusing spectacle." + +And his carelessness was so great that he began to laugh. But after +a time his thoughts turned in another direction. It seemed to him +that he was in Antium; that Paul of Tarsus was saying to him, "Ye +call us enemies of life, but answer me, Petronius: If Caesar were a +Christian, and acted according to our religion, would not life be +safer and more certain?" + +And remembering these words, he continued: "By Castor! No +matter how many Christians they murder here, Paul will find as +many new ones; for he is right, unless the world can rest on +scoundrelism. But who knows that this will not be the case soon? I +myself, who have learned not a little, did not learn how to be a +great enough scoundrel; hence I shall have to open my veins. But +in every case it must have ended thus, and if not thus, in some +other way. I am sorry for Eunice and my Myrrhene vase; but +Eunice is free, and the vase will go with me. Ahenobarbus will not +get it, in any event! I am sorry also for Vinicius. But, though I was +bored less of late than before, I am ready. In the world things are +beautiful; but people are so vile for the greater part that life is not +worth a regret. He who knew how to live should know how to die. +Though I belong to the Augustians, I was freer than they +supposed." Here he shrugged his shoulders. "They may think that +my knees are trembling at this moment, and that terror has raised +the hair on my head; but on reaching home, I will take a bath in +violet water, my golden-haired herself will anoint me; then after +refreshment we will have sung to us that hymn to Apollo +composed by Anthemios. I said once to myself that it was not +worth while to think of death, for death thinks of us without our +assistance. It would be a wonder if there are really Elysian fields, +and in them shades of people. Eunice would come in time to me, +and we should wander together over asphodel meadows. I should +find, too, society better than this. What buffoons, trieksters, a vile +herd without taste or polish! Tens of Arbiters Elegantiarum could +not transform those Trimalchions into decent people. By +Persephone! I have had enough!" + +And he noted with astonishment that something separated him +from those people already. He had known them well earlier, and +had known what to think of them; still they seemed to him now as +farther away and more deserving of contempt than usual. Indeed, +he haed had enough of them! + +But afterward he began to think over his position. Thanks to his +acuteness, he knew that destruction was not threatening him +directly. Nero had seized an appropriate occasion to utter a few +select, lofty phrases about friendship and forgiveness, thus binding +himself for the moment. "He will have to seek pretexts, and before +he finds them much time may pass. First of all, he will celebrate +the games with Christians," said Petronius to himself; "only then +will he think of me, and if that be true, it is not worth while to take +trouble or change my course of life. Nearer danger threatens +Vinicius!" + +And thenceforth he thought only of Vinicius, whom he resolved to +rescue. Four sturdy Bithynians bore his litter quickly through ruins, +ash-heaps, and stones with which the Carimc was filled yet; but he +commanded them to run swiftly so as to be home at the earliest. +Vinicius, whose "insula" had been burned, was living with him, +and was at home, fortunately. + +"Hast seen Lygia to-day?" were the first words of Petronius. + +"I have just come from her." + +"Hear what I tell thee, and lose no time in questions. It has been +decided this morning at Caesar's to lay the blame of burning Rome +on the Christians. Persecutions and tortures threaten them. Pursuit +may begin any instant. Take Lygia and flee at once beyond the +Alps even, or to Africa. And hasten, for the Palatine is nearer the +Trans-Tiber than is this place." + +Viicius was, indeed, too much of a soldier to lose time in useless +queries. He listened with frowning brows, and a face intent and +terrible, but fearless. Evidently the first feeling of his nature in +presence of peril was a wish to defend and give battle. + +"I go," said he. + +"One word more. Take a purse of gold, take weapons, and a +handful of thy Christians. In case of need, rescue her!" + +Vinicius was in the door of the atrium already. + +"Send me news by a slave!" cried Petronius. + +When left alone, he began to walk by the columns which adorned +the atrium, thinking of what had happened. He knew that Lygia +and Linus had returned after the fire to the former house, which, +like the greater part of the Trans-Tiber, had been saved; and that +was an unfavorable circumstance, for otherwise it would have +been difficult to find them among throngs of people. Petronius +hoped, however, that as things were, no one in the Palatine knew +where they lived, and therefore in every case Vinicius would +anticipate the pretorians. It occurred to him also that Tigellinus, +wishing to seize at one attempt as many Christians as possible, +would extend his net over all Rome. "If they send no more than ten +people after her," thought he, "that giant Lygian will break their +bones and what will it be if Vinicius comes with assistance?" +Thinking of this he was consoled. True, armed resistance to the +pretorians was almost the same as war with Casar. Petronius knew +also that if Vinicius hid from the vengeance of Nero, that +vengeance might fall on himself; but he cared little. On the +contrary, he rejoiced at the thought of crossing Nero's plans and +those of Tigellinus, and determined to spare in the matter neither +men nor money. Since in Antium Paul of Tarsus had converted +most of his slaves, he, while defending Christians, might count on +their zeal and devotion. + +The entrance of Eunice interrupted his thoughts. At sight of her all +his cares and troubles vanished without a trace. He forgot Caesar, +the disfavor into which he had fallen, the degraded Augustians, the +persecution threatening the Christians, Vinicius, Lygia, and looked +only at her with the eyes of an anthetic man enamoured of +marvellous forms, and of a lover for whom love breathes from +those forms. She, in a transparent violet robe called "Coa vestis," +through which her maiden-like form appeared, was really as +beautiful as a goddess. Feeling herself admired meanwhile, and +loving him with all her soul, ever eager for his fondling, she +blushed with delight as if she had been an innocent maiden. + +"What wilt thou say to me, Charis?" asked Petronius, stretching his +hands to her. + +She, inclining her golden head to him, answered, -- "Anthemios +has come with his choristers, and asks if 'tis thy wish to hear him." + +"Let him stay; he will sing to us during dinner the hymn to Apollo. +By the groves of Paphos! when I see thee in that Coan gauze, I +think that Aphrodite has veiled herself with a piece of the sky, and +is standing before me." + +"O lord!" + +"Come hither, Eunice, embrace me with thy arms, and give thy lips +to me. Dost thou love me?" + +"I should not have loved Zeus more." + +Then she pressed her lips to his, while quivering in his arms from +happiness. After a while Petronius asked, -- + +"But if we should have to separate?" + +Eunice looked at him with fear in her eyes. + +"How is that, lord?" + +"Fear not; I ask, for who knows but I may have to set out on a long +journey?" + +"Take me with thee--" + +Petronius changed the conversation quickly, and said, -- + +"Tell me, are there asphodels on the grass plot in the garden?" + +"The cypresses and the grass plots are yellow from the fire, the +leaves have fallen from the myrtles, and the whole garden seems +dead." + +"All Rome seems dead, and soon it will be a real graveyard. Dost +thou know that an edict against the Christians is to be issued, and a +persecution will begin during which thousands will perish?" + +"Why punish the Christians, lord? They are good and peaceful." + +"For that very reason." + +"Let us go to the sea. Thy beautiful eyes do not like to see blood." + +"Well, but meanwhile I must bathe. Come to the elzothesiwn to +anoint my arms. By the girdle of Kypris! never hast thou seemed to +me so beautiful. I will give command to make a bath for thee in +the form of a shell; thou wilt be like a costly pearl in it. Come, +Golden-haired!" + +He went out, and an hour later both, in garlands of roses and with +misty eyes, were resting before a table covered with a service of +gold. They were served by boys dressed as Cupids, they drank +wine from ivy-wreathed goblets, and heard the hymn to Apollo +sung to the sound of harps, under direction of Anthemios. What +cared they if around the villa chimneys pointed up from the ruins +of houses, and gusts of wind swept the ashes of burnt Rome in +every direction? They were happy thinking only of love, which had +made their lives like a divine dream. But before the hymn was +finished a slave, the chief of the atrium, entered the hail. + +"Lord," said he, in a voice quivering with alarm, "a centurion with +a detachment of pretorians is standing before the gate, and, at +command of Caesar, wishes to see thee." + +The song and the sound of lutes ceased. Alarm was roused in all +present; for Caesar, in communications with friends, did not +employ pretorians usually, and their arrival at such times +foreboded no good. Petronius alone showed not the slightest +emotion, but said, like a man annoyed by continual visits, -- + +"They might let me dine in peace." Then turning to the chief of the +atrium, he said, "Let him enter." + +The slave disappeared behind the curtain; a moment later heavy +steps were heard, and an acquaintance of Petronius appeared, the +centurion Aper, armed, and with an iron helmet on his head. + +"Noble lord," said he, "here is a letter from Caesar." + +Petronius extended his white hand lazily, took the tablet, and, +casting his eye over it, gave it, in all calmness to Eunice. + +"He will read a new book of the Troyad this evening, and invites +me to come.' + +"I have only the order to deliver the letter," said the centurion. +"Yes, there will be no answer. But, centurion, thou mightst rest a +while with us and empty a goblet of wine?" + +"Thanks to thee, noble lord. A goblet of wine I will drink to thy +health willingly; but rest I may not, for I am on duty." + +"Why was the letter given to thee, and not sent by a slave?" + +"I know not, lord. Perhaps because I was sent in this direction on +other duty." + +"I know, against the Christians?" + +"Yes, lord." + +"Is it long since the pursuit was begun?" + +"Some divisions were sent to the Trans-Tiber before midday." +When he had said this, the centurion shook a little wine from the +goblet in honor of Mars; then he emptied it, and said, -- + +"May the gods grant thee, lord, what thou desirest." + +"Take the goblet too," said Petronius. + +Then he gave a sign to Anthemios to finish the hymn to Apollo. + +"Bronzebeard is beginning to play with me and Vinicius," thought +he, when the harps sounded anew. "I divine his plan! He wanted to +terrify me by sending the invitation through a centurion. They will +ask the centurion in the evening how I received him. No, no! thou +wilt not amuse thyself overmuch, cruel and wicked prophet. I +know that thou wilt not forget the offence, I know that my +destruction will not fail; but if thou think that I shall look into thy +eyes imploringly, that thou wilt see fear and humility on my face, +thou art mistaken." + +"Caesar writes, lord," said Eunice, "'Come if thou hast the wish'; +wilt thou go?" + +"I am in excellent health, and can listen even to his verses," +answered Petronius; "hence I shall go, all the more since Vinicius +cannot go." + +In fact, after the dinner was finished and after the usual walk, he +gave himself into the hands of hairdressers and of slaves who +arranged his robes, and an hour later, beautiful as a god, he gave +command to take him to the Palatine. + +It was late, the evening was warm and calm; the moon shone so +brightly that the lampadarii going before the litter put out their +torches. On the streets and among the ruins crowds of people were +pushing along, drunk with wine, in garlands of ivy and +honeysuckle, bearing in their hands branches of myrtle and laurel +taken from Caesar's gardens. Abundance of grain and hopes of +great games filled the hearts of all with gladness. Here and there +songs were sung magnifying the "divine night" and love; here and +there they were dancing by the light of the moon, and the slaves +were forced repeatedly to demand space for the litter "of the noble +Petronius," and then the crowd pushed apart, shouting in honor of +their favorite. + +He was thinking of Vinicius, and wondering why he had no news +from him. He was an Epicurean and an egotist, but passing time, +now with Paul of Tarsus, now with Vinicius, hearing daily of the +Christians, he had changed somewhat without his own knowledge. +A certain breeze from them had blown on him; this cast new seeds +into his soul. Besides his own person others began to occupy him; +moreover, he had been always attached to Vinicius, for in +childhood he had loved greatly his sister, the mother of Vinicius; +at present, therefore, when he had taken part in his affairs, he +looked on them with that interest with which he would have +looked on some tragedy. + +Petronius did not lose hope that Vinicius had anticipated the +pretorians and fled with Lygia, or, in the worse case, had rescued +her. But he would have preferred to be certain, since he foresaw +that he might have to answer various questions for which he would +better be prepared. + +Stopping before the house of Tiberius, he alighted from the litter, +and after a while entered the atrium, filled already with +Augustians. Yesterday's friends, though astonished that he was +invited, still pushed back; but he moved on among them, beautiful, +free, unconcerned, as self-confident as if he himself had the power +to distribute favors. Some, seeing him thus, were alarmed in spirit +lest they had shown him indifference too early. + +Caesar, however, feigned not to see him, and did not return his +obeisance, pretending to be occupied in conversation. But +Tigellinus approached and said,-- + +"Good evening, Arbiter Elegantiarum. Dost thou assert still that it +was not the Christians who burnt Rome?" + +Petronius shrugged his shoulders, and, clapping Tigellinus on the +back as he would a freedman, answered, -- + +"Thou knowest as well as I what to think of that." + +"I do not dare to rival thee in wisdom." + +"And thou art right, for when Caesar reads to us a new book from +the Troyad, thou, instead of crying out like a jackdaw, wouldst +have to give an opinion that was not pointless." + +Tigellinus bit his lips. He was not over-rejoiced that Caesar had +decided to read a new book, for that opened a field in which he +could not rival Petronius. In fact, during the reading, Nero, from +habit, turned his eyes involuntarily toward Petronius, looking +carefully to see what he could read in his face. The latter listened, +raised his brows, agreed at times, in places increased his attention +as if to be sure that he heard correctly. Then he praised or +criticised, demanded corrections or the smoothing of certain +verses. Nero himself felt that for others in their exaggerated +praises it was simply a question of themselves, that Petronius +alone was occupied with poetry for its own sake; that he alone +understood it, and that if he praised one could be sure that the +verses deserved praise. Gradually therefore he began to discuss +with him, to dispute; and when at last Petronius brought the fitness +of a certain expression into doubt, he said, -- + +"Thou wilt see in the last book why I used it." + +"Ah," thought Petronius, "then we shall wait for the last book." + +More than one hearing this said in spirit: "Woe to me! Petronius +with time before him may return to favor and overturn even +Tigellinus." And they began again to approach him. But the end of +the evening was less fortunate; for Caesar, at the moment when +Petronius was taking leave, inquired suddenly, with blinking eyes +and a face at once glad and malicious, -- + +"But why did not Vinicius come?" + +Had Petronius been sure that Vinicius and Lygia were beyond the +gates of the city, he would have answered, "With thy permission he +has married and gone." But seeing Nero's strange smile, he +answered, -- + +"Thy invitation, divinity, did not find him at home." + +"Say to Vinicius that I shall be glad to see him," answered Nero, +"and tell him from me not to neglect the games in which Christians +will appear." + +These words alarmed Petronius. It seemed to him that they related +to Lygia directly. Sitting in his litter, he gave command to bear +him home still more quickly than in the morning. That, however, +was not easy. Before the house of Tiberius stood a crowd dense +and noisy, drunk as before, though not singing and dancing, but, as +it were, excited. From afar came certain shouts which Petronius +could not understand at once, but which rose and grew till at last +they were one savage roar, -- + +"To the lions with Christians!" + +Rich litters of courtiers pushed through the howling rabble. From +the depth of burnt streets new crowds rushed forth continually; +these, hearing the cry, repeated it. News passed from mouth to +mouth that the pursuit had continued from the forenoon, that a +multitude of incendiaries were seized; and immediately along the +newly cleared and the old streets, through alleys lying among ruins +around the Palatine, over all the hills and gardens were heard +through the length and breadth of Rome shouts of swelling rage, -- + +"To the lions with Christians!" + +"Herd!" repeated Pctronius, with contempt; "a people worthy of +Cesar!" And he began to think that a society resting on superior +force, on cruelty of which even barbarians had no conception, on +crimes and mad profligacy, could not endure. Rome ruled the +world, but was also its ulcer. The odor of a corpse was rising from +it. Over its decaying life the shadow of death was descending. +More than once this had been mentioned even among the +Augustians, but never before had Petronius had a clearer view of +this truth that the laurelled chariot on which Rome stood in the +form of a triumphator, and which dragged behind a chained herd +of nations, was going to the precipice. The life of that world-ruling +city seemed to him a kind of mad dance, an orgy, which must end. +He saw then that the Christians alone had a new basis of life; but +he judged that soon there would not remain a trace of the +Christians. And what then? + +The mad dance would continue under Ne:o; and if Nero +disappeared, another would be found of the same kind or worse, +for with such a people and such patricians there was no reason to +find a better leader. There would be a new orgy, and moreover a +fouler and a viler one. + +But the orgy could not last forever, and there would be need of +sleep when it was over, even because of simple exhaustion. + +While thinking of this, Petronius felt immensely wearied. Was it +worth while to live, and live in uncertainty, with no purpose but to +look at such a society? The genius of death was not less beautiful +than the genius of sleep, and he also had wings at his shoulders. + +The litter stopped before the arbiter's door, which was opened that +instant by the watchful keeper. + +"Has the noble Vinicius returned?" inquired Petronius. + +"Yes, lord, a moment ago," replied the slave. + +"He has not rescued her," thought Petronius. And casting aside his +toga, he ran into the atrium. Vinicius was sitting on a stool; his +head bent almost to his knees with his hands on his head; but at the +sound of steps he raised his stony face, in which the eyes alone had +a feverish brightness. + +"Thou wert late?" asked Petronius. + +"Yes; they seized her before midday." + +A moment of silence followed. + +"Hast thou seen her?" + +"Yes." + +"Where is she?" + +"In the Mamertine prison." + +Petronius trembled and looked at Vinicius with an inquiring +glance. The latter understood. + +"No," said he. "She was not thrust down to the Tullianum 1 nor +even to the middle prison. I paid the guard to give her his own +room. Ursus took his place at the threshold and is guarding her." + +"Why did Ursus not defend her?" + +"They sent fifty pretorians, and Linus forbade him." + +"But Linus?" + +"Linus is dying; therefore they did not seize him." + +"What is thy intention?" + +"To save her or die with her. I too believe in Christ." + +Viicius spoke with apparent calmness; but there was such despair +in his voice that the heart of Petronius quivered from pure pity. + +"I understand thee," said he; "but how dost thou think to save her?" + +"I paid the guards highly, first to shield her from indignity, and +second not to hinder her flight." + +"When can that happen?" + +"They answered that they could give her to me at once, as they +feared responsibility. When the prison will be filled with a +multitude of people, and when the tally of prisoners is confused, +they will deliver her. But that is a desperate thing! Do thou save +her, and me first! Thou art a friend of Caesar. He himself gave her +to me. Go to him and save me!" + +Petronius, instead of answering, called a slave, and, commanding +him to bring two dark mantles and two swords, turned to +Vinicius,-- + +"On the way I will tell thee," said he. "Meanwhile take the +mantle and weapon, and we will go to the prison. There give the +guards a hundred thousand sestertia; give them twice and five +times more, if they will free Lygia at once. Otherwise it will be too +late." + +"Let us go," said Vinicius. + +After a while both were on the street. + +"Now listen to me," said Petronius. "I did not wish to lose time. I +am in disfavor, beginning with to-day. My own life is hanging on a +hair; hence I can do nothing with Caesar. Worse than that, I am +sure that he would act in opposition to my request. If that were not +the case, would I advise thee to flee with Lygia or to rescue her? +Besides, if thou escape, Caesar's wrath will turn on me. To-day he +would rather do something at thy request than at mine. Do not +count on that, however. Get her out of the prison, and flee! +Nothing else is left. If that does not succeed, there will be time for +other methods. Meanwhile know that Lygia is in prison, not alone f +or belief in Christ; Poppaea's anger is pursuing her and thee. Thou +hast offended the Augusta by rejecting her, dost remember? She +knows that she was rejected for Lygia, whom she hated from the +first cast of the eye. Nay, she tried to destroy Lygia before by +ascribing the death of her own infant to her witchcraft. The hand +of Poppaea is in this. How explain that Lygia was the first to be +imprisoned? Who could point out the house of Linus? But I tell +thee that she has been followed this long time. I know that I wring +thy soul, and take the remnant of thy hope from thee, but I tell thee +this purposely, for the reason that if thou free her not before they +come at the idea that thou wilt try, ye are both lost." + +"Yes; I understand!" muttered Vinicius. + +The streets were empty because of the late hour. Their further +conversation was interrupted, however, by a drunken gladiator +who came toward them. He reeled against Petronius, put one hand +on his shoulder, covering his face with a breath filled with wine, +and shouted in a hoarse voice, -- + +"To the lions with Christians!" + +"Mirmillon," answered Petronius, quietly, "listen to good counsel; +go thy way." + +With his other hand the drunken man seized him by the arm, -- + +"Shout with me, or I'll break thy neck: Christians to the lions!" But +the arbiter's nerves had had enough of those shouts. From the time +that he had left the Palatine they had been stifling him like a +nightmare, and rending his ears. So when he saw the fist of the +giant above him, the measure of his patience was exceeded. + +"Friend," said he, "thou hint the smell of wine, and art stopping my +way." Thus speaking, he drove into the man's breast to the hilt the +short sword which he had brought from home; then, taking the arm +of Vinicius, he continued as if nothing had happened, -- "Caesar +said to-day, 'Tell Vinicius from me to be at the games in which +Christians will appear.' Dost understand what that means? They +wish to make a spectacle of thy pain. That is a settled affair. +Perhaps that is why thou and I are not imprisoned yet. If thou art +not able to get her at once -- I do not know -- Acte might take thy +part; but can she effect anything? Thy Sicilian lands, too, might +tempt Tigellinus. Make the trial." + +"I will give him all that I have," answered Vinicius. + +From the Carinae to the Forum was not very far; hence they +arrived soon. The night had begun to pale, and the walls of the +castle came out definitely from the shadow. + +Suddenly, as they turned toward the Mamertine prison, Petronius +stopped, and said,-- + +"Pretorians! Too late!" + +In fact the prison was surrounded by a double rank of soldiers. The +morning dawn was silvering their helmets and the points of their +javelins. + +Vinicius grew as pale as marble. "Let us go on," said he. + +After a while they halted before the line. Gifted with an +uncommon memory, Petronius knew not only the officers, but +nearly all the pretorian soldiers. Soon he saw an acquaintance, a +leader of a cohort, and nodded to him. + +"But what is this, Niger?" asked he; "are ye commanded to watch +the prison?" + +"Yes, noble Petronius. The prefect feared lest they might try to +rescue the incendiaries." + +"Have ye the order to admit no one?" inquired Vinicius. + +"We have not; acquaintances will visit the prisoners, and in that +way we shall seize more Christians." + +"Then let me in," said Vinicius; and pressing Petronius's hand, he +said, + +"See Acte, I will come to learn her answer." + +"Come," responded Petronius. + +At that moment under the ground and beyond the thick walls was +heard singing. The hymn, at first low and muffled, rose more and +more. The voices of men, women, and children were mingled in +one harmonious chorus. The whole prison began to sound, in the +calmness of dawn, like a harp. But those were not voices of sorrow +or despair; on the contrary, gladness and triumph were heard in +them. + +The soldiers looked at one another with amazement. The first +golden and rosy gleams of the morning appeared in the sky. + +1 The lowest part of the prison, lying entirely underground, with a +single opening in the ceiling. Jugurtha died there of hunger. + +Chapter LI + +THE cry, "Christians to the lions!" was heard increasingly in every +part of the city. At first not only did no one doubt that they were +the real authors of the catastrophe, but no one wished to doubt, +since their punishment was to be a splendid amusement for the +populace. Still the opinion spread that the catastrophe would not +have assumed such dreadful proportions but for the anger of the +gods; for this reason "piacuia," or purifying sacrifices, were +commanded in the temples. By advice of the Sibylline books, the +Senate ordained solemnities and public prayer to Vulcan, Ceres, +and Proserpina. Matrons made offerings to Juno; a whole +procession of them went to the seashore to take water and sprinkle +with it the statue of the goddess. Married women prepared feasts +to the gods and night watches. All Rome purified itself from sin, +made offerings, and placated the Immortals. Meanwhile new broad +streets were opened among the ruins. In one place and another +foundations were laid for magnificent houses, palaces, and +temples. But first of all they built with unheard-of haste an +enormous wooden amphitheatre in which Christians were to die. +Immediately after that consultation in the house of Tiberius, orders +went to consuls to furnish wild beasts. Tigellinus emptied the +vivaria of all Italian cities, not excepting the smaller ones. In +Africa, at his command, gigantic hunts were organized, in which +the entire local population was forced to take part. Elephants and +tigers were brought in from Asia, crocodiles and hippopotamuses +from the Nile, lions from the Atlas, wolves and bears from the +Pyrenees, savage hounds from Hibernia, Molossian dogs from +Epirus, bisons and the gigantic wild aurochs from Germany. +Because of the number of prisoners, the games were to surpass in +greatness anything seen up to that time. Caesar wished to drown +all memory of the fire in blood, and make Rome drunk with it; +hence never had there been a greater promise of bloodshed. + +The willing people helped guards and pretorians in hunting +Christians. That was no difficult labor for whole groups of them +camped with the other population in the midst of the gardens, and +confessed their faith openly. When surrounded, they knelt, and +while singing hymns let themselves be borne away without +resistance. But their patience only increased the anger of the +populace, who, not understanding its origin, considered it as rage +and persistence in crime. A madness seized the persecutors. It +happened that the mob wrested Christians from pretorians, and +tore them to pieces; women were dragged to prison by the hair; +children's heads were dashed against stones. Thousands of people +rushed, howling, night and day through the streets. Victims were +sought in ruins, in chimneys, in cellars. Before the prison +bacchanalian feasts and dances were celebrated at fires, around +casks of wine. + +In the evening was heard with delight bellowing which was like +thunder, and which sounded throughout the city. The prisons were +overflowing with thousands of people; every day the mob and +pretorians drove in new victims. Pity had died out. It seemed that +people had forgotten to speak, and in their wild frenzy +remembered one shout alone: "To the lions with Christians!" +Wonderfully hot days came, and nights more stifling than ever +before; the very air seemed filled with blood, crime, and madness. + +And that surpassing measure of cruelty was answered by an equal +measure of desire for martyrdom, -- the confessors of Christ went +to death willingly, or even sought death till they were restrained by +the stern commands of superiors. By the injunction of these +superiors they began to assemble only outside the city, in +excavations near the Appian Way, and in vineyards belonging to +patrician Christians, of whom none had been imprisoned so far. It +was known perfectly on the Palatine that to the confessors of +Christ belonged Flavius, Domitilla, Pomponia Graecina, Cornelius +Pudens, and Vinicius. Caesar himself, however, feared that the +mob would not believe that such people had burned Rome, and +since it was important beyond everything to convince the mob, +punishment and vengeance were deferred till later days. Others +were of the opinion, but erroneously, that those patricians were +saved by the influence of Acte. Petronius, after parting with +Vinicius, turned to Acte, it is true, to gain assistance for Lygia; but +she could offer him only tears, for she lived in oblivion and +suffering, and was endured only in so far as she hid herself from +Poppaea and Casar. + +But she had visited Lygia in prison, she had carried her clothing +and food, and above all had saved her from injury on the part of +the prison-guards, who, moreover, were bribed already. + +Petronius, unable to forget that had it not been for him and his plan +of taking Lygia from the house of Aulus, probably she would not +be in prison at that moment, and, besides, wishing to win the game +against Tigellinus, spared neither time nor efforts. In the course of +a few days he saw Seneca, Domitius Afer, Crispinilla, and +Diodorus, through whom he wished to reach Poppaea; he saw +Terpnos, and the beautiful Pythagoras, and finally Aliturus and +Paris, to whom Caesar usually refused nothing. With the help of +Chrysothemis, then mistress of Vatinius, he tried to gain even his +aid, not sparing in this case and in others promises and money. + +But all these efforts were fruitless. Seneca, uncertain of the +morrow, fell to explaining to him that the Christians, even if +they had not burned Rome, should be exterminated, for the good of +the city, -- in a word, he justified the coming slaughter for political +reasons. Terpnos and Diodorus took the money, and did nothing in +return for it. Vatinius reported to Caesar that they had been trying +to bribe him. A.liturus alone, who at first was hostile to the +Christians, took pity on them then, and made bold to mention to +Caesar the Imprisoned maiden, and to implore in her behalf. He +obtained nothing, however, but the answer, -- + +"Dost thou think that I have a soul inferior to that of Brutus, who +spared not his own sons for the good of Rome?" + +When this answer was repeated to Petronius, he said, -- + +"Since Nero has compared himself to Brutus, there is no +salvation." + +But he was sorry for Vinicius, and dread seized him lest he might +attempt his own life. "Now," thought the arbiter, "he is upheld by +the efforts which he makes to save her, by the sight of her, and by +his own suffering; but when all means fail and the last ray of hope +is quenched, by Castor! he will not survive, he will throw himself +on his sword." Petronius understood better how to die thus than to +love and suffer like Vinicius. + +Meanwhile Vinicius did all that he could think of to save Lygia. +He visited Augustians; and he, once so proud, now begged their +assistance. Through Vitelius he offered Tigellinus all his Sicilian +estates, and whatever else the man might ask; but Tigellinus, not +wishing apparently to offend the Augusta, refused. To go to Caesar +himself, embrace his knees and implore, would lead to nothing. +Vinicius wished, it is true, to do this; but Petronius, hearing of his +purpose, inquired, -- + +"But should he refuse thee, or answer with a jest or a shameless +threat, what wouldst thou do?" + +At this the young tribune's features contracted with pain and rage, +and from his fixed jaws a gritting sound was heard. + +"Yes," said Petronius, "I advise thee against this, because thou +wouldst close all paths of rescue." + +Vinicius restrained himself, and passing his palm over his +forehead, which was covered with cold sweat, replied, -- + +"No, no! I am a Christian." + +"But thou will forget this, as thou didst a moment ago. Thou hast +the right to ruin thyself, but not her. Remember what the daughter +of Sejanus passed through before death" + +Speaking thus he was not altogether sincere, since he was +concerned more for Vinicius than for Lygia. Still he knew that in +no way could he restrain him from a dangerous step as well as by +telling him that he would bring inexorable destruction on Lygia. +Moreover he was right; for on the Palatine they had counted on the +visit of the young tribune, and had taken needful precautions. + +But the suffering of Vinicius surpassed human endurance. From +the moment that Lygia was imprisoned and the glory of coming +martyrdom had fallen on her, not only did he love her a hundred +times more, but he began simply to give her in his soul almost +religious honor, as he would a superhuman being. And now, at the +thought that he must lose this being both loved and holy, that +besides death torments might be inflicted on her more terrible than +death itself, the blood stiffened in his veins. His soul was turned +into one groan, his thoughts were confused. At times it seemed to +him that his skull was filled with living fire, which would either +burn or burst it. He ceased to understand what was happening; he +ceased to understand why Christ, the Merciful, the Divine, did not +come with aid to His adherents; why the dingy walls of the +Palatine did not sink through the earth, and with them Nero, the +Augustians, the pretorian camp, and all that city of crime. He +thought that it could not and should not be otherwise; and all that +his eyes saw, and because of which his heart was breaking, was a +dream. But time roaring of wild beasts informed him that it was +reality; the sound of the axes beneath which rose the arena told +him that it was reality; the howling of the people and the overfilled +prisons confirmed this. Then his faith in Christ was alarmed; and +that alarm was a new torture, the most dreadful of all, perhaps. + +"Remember what the daughter of Sejanus endured before death," +said Petronius to him, meanwhile. + +Chapter LII + +AND everything had failed. Vinicius lowered himself to the degree +that he sought support from freedmen and slaves, both those of +Caesar and Poppaea; he overpaid their empty promises, he won +their good will with rich gifts. He found the first husband of +Poppaea, Rufus Crispinus, and obtained from him a letter. He gave +a villa in Antium to Rufius, her son by the first marriage; but +thereby he merely angered Caesar, who hated his step-son. By a +special courier he sent a letter to Poppaea's second husband, Otho, +in Spain. He sacrificed his property and himself, until he saw at +last that he was simply the plaything of people; that if he had +pretended that the imprisonment of Lygia concerned him little, he +would have freed her sooner. + +Petronius saw this, too. Meanwhile day followed day. The +amphitheatre was finished. The "tesserae" were distributed, -- that +is, tickets of entrance, to the ludus matutinus (morning games). +But this time the morning games, because of the unheard-of +number of victims, were to continue for days, weeks, and months. +It was not known where to put the Christians. The prisons were +crammed, and fever was raging iO them. The puticuli -- common +pits in which slaves were kept -- began to be overfilled. There was +fear that diseases might spread over the whole city hence, haste. + +All these reports struck the ears of Vinicius, extinguishing in him +the last hope. While there was yet time, he might delude himself +with the belief that he could do something, but now there was no +time. The spectacles must begin. Lygia might find herself any day +in a cuniculum of the circus, whence the only exit was to the +arena. Vinicius, not knowing whither fate and the cruelty of +superior force might throw her, visited all the circuses, bribed +guards and beast-keepers, laying before them plans which they +could not execute. In time he saw that he was working for this +only, -- to make death less terrible to her; and just then he felt that +instead of brains he had glowing coals in his head. + +For the rest he had no thought of surviving her, and determined to +perish at the same time, But he feared lest pain might burn his life +out before the dreadful hour came. His friends and Petronius +thought also that any day might open the kingdom of shadows +before him. His face was black, and resembled those waxen masks +kept in lararia. In his features astonishment had grown frigid, as if +he hid no understanding of what had happened and what might +happen. When any one spoke to him, he raised his hands to his +face mechanically, and, pressing his temples, looked at the speaker +with an inquiring and astonished gaze. He passed whole nights +with Ursus at Lygia's door in the prison; if she commanded him to +go away and rest, he returned to Petronius, and walked in the +atrium till morning. The slaves found him frequently kneeling with +upraised hands or lying with his face to the earth. He prayed to +Christ, for Christ was his last hope. Everything had failed him. +Only a miracle could save Lygia; hence he beat the stone flags +with his forehead and prayed for the miracle. + +But he knew enough yet to understand that Peter's prayers were +more important than his own. Peter had promised him Lygia, Peter +had baptized him, Peter had performed miracles, let him give aid +and rescue. + +And a certain night he went to seek the Apostle. The Christians, of +whom not many remained, had concealed him now carefully even +from other brethren, lest any of the weaker in spirit might betray +him wittingly or unwittingly. Vinicius, amid the general confusion +and disaster, occupied also in efforts to get Lygia out of prison, +had lost sight of Peter, he had barely seen him once from the time +of his own baptism till the beginning of the persecution. But +betaking himself to that quarryman in whose hut he was baptized, +he learned that there would be a meeting outside the Porta Salaria +in a vineyard which belonged to Cornelius Pudens. The quarryman +offered to guide him, and declared that he would find Peter there. +They started about dusk, and, passing beyond the wall, through +hollows overgrown with reeds, reached the vineyard in a wild and +lonely place. The meeting was held in a wine-shed. As Vinicius +drew near, the murmur of prayer reached his ears. On entering he +saw by dim lamplight a few tens of kneeling figures sunk in +prayer. They were saying a kind; of litany; a chorus of voices, male +and female, repeated every moment, "Christ have mercy on us." In +those voices, deep, piercing sadness and sorrow were heard. + +Peter was present. He was kneeling in front of the others, before a +wooden cross nailed to the wall of the shed, and was praying. +From a distance Vimcius recognized his white hair and his +upraised hands. The first thought of the young patrician was to +pass through the assembly, cast himself at the Apostle's feet, and +cry, "Save!" but whether it was the solemnity of the prayer, or +because weakness bent the knees under Vinicius, he began to +repeat while he groaned and clasped his hands: "Christ have +mercy!" Had he been conscious, he would have understood that his +was not the only prayer in which there was a groan; that he was not +the only one who had brought with him his pain, alarm, and grief. +There was not in that assembly one soul which had not lost +persons dear to the heart; and when the most zealous and +courageous confessors were in prison already, when with every +moment new tidings were borne about of insults and tortures +inflicted on them in the prisons, when the greatness of the calamity +exceeded every imagination, when only that handful remained, +there was not one heart there which was not terrified in its faith, +which did not ask doubtfully, Where is Christ? and why does He +let evil be mightier than God? Meanwhile they implored Him +despairingly for mercy, since in each soul there still smouldered a +spark of hope that He would come, hurl Nero into the abyss, and +rule the world. They looked yet toward the sky; they listened yet; +they prayed yet with trembling. Vinicius, too, in proportion as they +repeated, "Christ have mercy on us!" was seized by such an ecstasy +as formerly in the quarryman's hut. Now from the depths they call +on Him in the profoundness of their sorrow, now Peter calls on +Him; so any moment the heavens may be rent, the earth tremble to +its foundations, and He appear in infinite glory, with stars at His +feet, merciful, but awful. He will raise up the faithful, and +command the abysses to swallow the persecutors. + +Vinicius covered his face with both hands, and bowed to the earth. +immediately silence was around him, as if fear had stopped further +breathing on the lips of all present. And it seemed to him that +something must happen surely, that a moment of miracle would +follow. He felt certain that when he rose and opened his eyes he +would see a light from which mortal eyes would be blinded, and +hear a voice from which hearts would grow faint. + +But the silence was unbroken. It was interrupted at last by the +sobbing of women. Vinicius rose and looked forward with dazed +eyes. In the shed, instead of glories not of earth, shone the faint +gleam of lanterns, and rays of the moon, entering through an +opening in the roof, filled the place with silvery light. The people +kneeling around Vinicius raised their tearful eyes toward the cross +in silence; here and there sobbing was heard, and from outside +came the warning whistles of watchmen. Meanwhile Peter rose, +and, turning to the assembly, said,-- + +"Children, raise your hearts to the Redeemer and offer Him your +tears." + +After that he was silent. + +All at once was heard the voice of a woman, full of sorrowful +complaint and pain, -- + +"I am a widow; I had one son who supported me. Give him back, O +Lord!" Silence followed again. Peter was standing before the +kneeling audience, old, full of care. In that moment he seemed to +them decrepitude and weakness personified. With that a second +voice began to complain,-- + +"Executioners insulted my daughter, and Christ permitted them!" + +Then a third, -- + +"I alone have remained to my children, and when I am taken who +will give them bread and water?" + +Then a fourth, -- + +"Linus, spared at first, they have taken now and put to torture, O +Lord!" + +Then a fifth,-- + +"When we return to our houses, pretorians will seize us. We know +not where to hide." + +"Woe to us! Who will protect us?" + +And thus in that silence of the night complaint after complaint was +heard. The old fisherman closed his eyes and shook his white head +over that human pain and fear. New silence followed; the +watchman merely gave out low whistles beyond the shed. + +Vinicius sprang up again, so as to break through the crowd to the +Apostle and demand salvation; but on a sudden he saw before him, +as it were, a precipice, the sight of which took strength from his +feet. What if the Apostle were to confess his own weakness, affirm +that the Roman Caesar was stronger than Christ the Nazarene? +And at that thought terror raised the hair on his head, for he felt +that in such a case not only the remnant of his hope would fall into +that abyss, but with it he himself, and all through which he had +life, and there would remain only night and death, resembling a +shoreless sea. + +Meanwhile Peter began to speak in a voice so low at first that it +was barely possible to hear him, -- + +"My children, on Golgotha I saw them nail God to the cross. I +heard the hammers, and I saw them raise the cross on high, so that +the rabble might gaze at the death of the Son of Man. I saw them +open His side, and I saw Him die. When returning from the cross, I +cried in pain, as ye are crying, 'Woe! woe! O Lord, Thou art God! +Why hast Thou permitted this? Why hast Thou died, and why hast +Thou tormented the hearts of us who believed that Thy kingdom +would come?' + +"But He, our Lord and God, rose from the dead the third day, and +was among us till He entered His kingdom in great glory. + +"And we, seeing our little faith, became strong in heart, and from +that time we are sowing His grain." + +Here, turning toward the place whence the first complaint came, +he began in a voice now stronger, -- + +"Why do ye complain? God gave Himself to torture and death, and +ye wish Him to shield you from the same. People of little faith, +have ye received His teaching? Has He promised you nothing but +life? He comes to you and says, 'Follow in my path.' He raises you +to Himself, and ye catch at this earth with your hands, crying, +'Lord, save us!' I am dust before God, but before you I am His +apostle and vicegerent. I speak to you in the name of Christ. Not +death is before you, but life; not tortures, but endless delights; not +tears and groans, but singing; not bondage, but rule! I, God's +apostle, say this: O widow, thy son will not die; he will be born +into glory, into eternal life, and thou wilt rejoin him! To thee, O +father, whose innocent daughter was defiled by executioners, I +promise that thou shalt find her whiter than the lilies of Hebron! +To you, mothers, whom they are tearing away from your orphans; +to you who lose fathers; to you who complain; to you who will see +the death of loved ones; to you the careworn, the unfortunate, the +timid; to you who must die, -- in the name of Christ I declare that +ye will wake as if from sleep to a happy waking, as if from night to +the light of God. In the name of Christ, let the beam fall from your +eyes, and let your hearts be inflamed." + +When he had said this, he raised his hand as if commanding, and +they felt new blood in their veins, and also a quiver in their bones; +for before them was standing, not a decrepit and careworn old +man, but a potentate, who took their souls and raised them from +dust and terror. + +"Amen!" called a number of voices. + +From the Apostle's eyes came a light ever increasing, power issued +from him, majesty issued from him, and holiness. Heads bent +before him, and he, when the "Amen" ceased, continued: -- + +"Ye sow in tears to reap in joy. Why fear ye the power of evil? +Above the earth, above Rome, above the walls of cities is the Lord, +who has taken His dwelling within you. The stones will be wet +from tears, the sand steeped in blood, the valleys will be filled +with your bodies, but I say that ye are victorious. The Lord is +advancing to the conquest of this city of crime, oppression, and +pride, and ye are His legions! He redeemed with His own blood +and torture the sins of the world; so He wishes that ye should +redeem with torture and blood this nest of injustice. This He +announces to you through my lips." + +And he opened his arms, and fixed his eyes upward; the hearts +almost ceased to beat in their breasts, for they felt that his glance +beheld something which their mortal sight could not see. + +In fact, his face had changed, and was overspread with serenity; he +gazed some time in silence, as if speechless from ecstasy, but after +a while they heard his voice, -- + +"Thou art here, O Lord, and dost show Thy ways to me. True, O +Christ! Not in Jerusalem, but in this city of Satan wilt Thou fix +Thy capital. Here out of these tears and this blood dost Thou wish +to build Thy Church. Here, where Nero rules to-day, Thy eternal +kingdom is to stand. Thine, O Lord, O Lord! And Thou +commandest these timid ones to form the foundation of Thy holy +Zion of their bones, and Thou commandest my spirit to assume +rule over it, and over peoples of the earth. And Thou art pouring +the fountain of strength on the weak, so that they become strong; +and now Thou cornmandest me to feed Thy sheep from this spot, +to the end of ages. Oh, be Thou praised in Thy decrees by which +Thou commandest to conquer. Hosanna! Hosanna!" + +Those who were timid rose; into those who doubted streams of +faith flowed. Some voices cried, "Hosanna!" others, "Pro Christo!" +Then silence followed. Bright summer lightning illuminated the +interior of the shed, and the pale, excited faces. + +Peter, fixed in a vision, prayed a long time yet; but conscious at +last, he turned his inspired face, full of light, to the assembly, and +said, -- + +"This is how the Lord has overcome doubt in you; so ye will go to +victory in His name. + +And though he knew that they would conquer, though he knew +what would grow out of their tears and blood, still his voice +quivered with emotion when he was blessing them with the cross, +and he said, -- + +"Now I bless you, my children, as ye go to torture, to death, to +eternity." + +They gathered round him and wept. "We are ready," said they; "but +do thou, O holy head, guard thyself, for thou art the vicegerent +who performs the office of Christ." + +And thus speaking, they seized his mantle; he placed his hands on +their heads, and blessed each one separately, just as a father does +children whom he is sending on a long journey. + +And they began at once to go out of the shed, for they were in a +hurry, to their houses, and from them to the prisons and arenas. +Their thoughts were separated from the earth, their souls had taken +flight toward eternity, and they walked on as if in a dream, in +ecstasy opposing that force which was in them to the force and the +cruelty of the "Beast." + +Nereus, the servant of Pudens, took the Apostle and led him by a +secret path in the vineyard to his house. But Vinicius followed +them in the clear night, and when they reached the cottage of +Nereus at last, he threw himself suddenly at the feet of the Apostle. + +"What dost thou wish, my Son?" asked Peter, recognizing him. + +After what he had heard in the vineyard, Vinicius dared not +implore him for anything; but, embracing his feet with both +hanbds, he pressed his forehead to them with sobbing, and called +for compassion in that dumb manner. + +"I know. They took the maiden whom thou lovest. Pray for her." + +"Lord," groaned Vinicius, embracing his feet still more +firmly,--"Lord, I am a wretched worm; but thou didst know Christ. +Implore +Him, -- take her part." + +And from pain he trembled like a leaf; and he beat the earth with +his forehead, for, knowing the strength of the Apostle, he knew +that he alone could rescue her. + +Peter was moved by that pain. He remembered how on a time +Lygia herself, when attacked by Crispus, lay at his feet in like +manner imploring pity. He remembered that he had raised her and +comforted her; hence now he raised Vinicius. + +"My son," said he, "I will pray for her; but do thou remember that I +told those doubting ones that God Himself passed through the +torment of the cross, and remember that after this life begins +another, -- an eternal one." + +"I know; I have heard!" answered Vinicius, catching the air with +his pale lips; "but thou seest, lord, that I cannot! If blood is +required, implore Christ to take mine, -- I am a soldier. Let Him +double, let Him triple, the torment intended for her, I will suffer it; +but let Him spare her. She is a child yet, and He is mightier than +Caesar, I believe, mightier. Thou didst love her thyself; thou didst +bless us. She is an innocent child yet." + +Again he bowed, and, putting his face to Peter's knees, he +repeated, -- + +"Thou didst know Christ, lord, -- thou didst know Him. He will +give ear to thee; take her part." + +Peter closed his lids, and prayed earnestly. The summer lightning +illuminated the sky again. Vinicius, by the light of it, looked at the +lips of the Apostle, waiting sentence of life or death from them. In +the silence quails were heard calling in the vineyard, and the dull, +distant sound of treadmills near the Via Salaria. + +"Vinicitis," asked the Apostle at last, "dost thou believe?" + +"Would I have come hither if I believed not?" answered Vinicius. + +"Then believe to the end, for faith will remove mountains. Hence, +though thou wert to see that maiden under the sword of the +executioner or in the jaws of a lion, believe that Christ can save +her. Believe, and pray to Him, and I will pray with thee." + +Then, raising his face toward heaven, he said aloud, -- + +"O merciful Christ, look on this aching heart and console it! O +merciful Christ, temper the wind to the fleece of the lamb! O +merciful Christ, who didst implore the Father to turn away the +bitter cup from Thy mouth, turn it from the mouth of this Thy +servant! Amen." + +But Vinicius, stretching his hand toward the stars, said, +groaning, -- + +"I am Thine; take me instead of her." + +The sky began to grow pale in the east. + +Chapter LIII + +VINICIUS, on leaving the Apostle, went to the prison with a heart +renewed by hope. Somewhere in the depth of his soul, despair and +terror were still crying; but he stifled those voices. It seemed to +him impossible that the intercession of the vicegerent of God and +the power of his prayer should be without effect. He feared to +hope; he feared to doubt. "I will believe in His mercy," said he to +himself, "even though I saw her in the jaws of a lion." And at this +thought, even though the soul quivered in him and cold sweat +drenched his temples, he believed. Every throb of his heart was a +prayer then. He began to understand that faith would move +mountains, for he felt in himself a wonderful strength, which he +had not felt earlier. It seemed to him that he could do things which +he had not the power to do the day before. At moments he had an +impression that the danger had passed. If despair was heard +groaning again in his soul, he recalled that night, and that holy +gray face raised to heaven in prayer. + +"No, Christ will not refuse His first disciple and the pastor of His +flock! Christ will not refuse him! I will not doubt!" And he ran +toward the prison as a herald of good news. + +But there an unexpected thing awaited him. + +All the pretorian guards taking turn before the Mamertine prison +knew him, and generally they raised not the least difficulty; this +time, however, the line did not open, but a centurion approached +him and said, -- + +"Pardon, noble tribune, to-day we have a command to admit no +one." + +"A command?" repeated Vinicius, growing pale. + +The soldier looked at him with pity, and answered, -- + +"Yes, lord, a command of Caesar. In the prison there are many +sick, and perhaps it is feared that visitors might spread infection +through the city." + +"But hast thou said that the order was for to-day only?" + +"The guards change at noon." + +Vinicius was silent and uncovered his head, for it seemed to him +that the pileolus which he wore was of lead. + +Meanwhile the soldier approached him, and said in a low voice, + +"Be at rest, lord, the guard and Ursus are watching over her." +When he had said this, he bent and, in the twinkle of an eye, drew +with his long Gallic sword on the flag stone the form of a fish. + +Vinicius looked at him quickly. + +"And thou art a pretorian?" + + "Till I shall be there," answered the soldier, pointing to the +prison. + +"And I, too, worship Christ." + +"May His name be praised! I know, lord, I cannot admit thee to the +prison, but write a letter, I will give it to the guard." + +"Thanks to thee, brother." + +He pressed the soldier's hand, and went away. The pileolus ceased +to weigh like lead. The morning sun rose over the walls of the +prison, and with its brightness consolation began to enter his heart +again. That Christian soldier was for him a new witness of the +power of Christ. After a while he halted, and, fixing his glance on +the rosy clouds above the Capitol and the temple of Jupiter Stator, +he said, -- + +"I have not seen her to-day, O Lord, but I believe in Thy mercy." + +At the house he found Petronius, who, making day out of night as +usual, had returned not long before. He had succeeded, however, +in taking his bath and anointing himself for sleep. + +"I have news for thee," said he. "To-day I was with Tullius +Senecio, whom Caesar also visited. I know not whence it came to +the mind of the Augusta to bring little Rufius with her, -- perhaps +to soften the heart of Caesar by his beauty. Unfortunately, the +child, wearied by drowsiness, fell asleep during the reading, as +Vespasian did once; seeing this, Ahenobarbus hurled a goblet at +his step-son, and wounded him seriously. Poppaea fainted; all +heard how Caesar said, 'I have enough of this brood!' and that, +knowest thou, means as much as death." + +"The punishment of God was hanging over the Augusta," answered +Vinicius; "but why dost thou tell me this?" + +"I tell thee because the anger of Poppaea pursued thee and Lygia; +occupied now by her own misfortune, she may leave her +vengeance and be more easily influenced. I will see her this +evening and talk with her." + +"Thanks to thee. Thou givest me good news." + +"But do thou bathe and rest. Thy lips are blue, and there is not a +shadow of thee left." + +"Is not the time of the first 'ludus matutinus' announced?" inquired +Vinicius. + +"In ten days. But they will take other prisons first. The more time +that remains to us the better. All is not lost yet." + +But he did not believe this; for he knew perfectly that since to the +request of Aliturus, Caesar had found the splendidly sounding +answer in which he compared himself to Brutus, there was no +rescue for Lygia. He hid also, through pity, what he had heard at +Senecio's, that Caesar and Tigellinus had decided to select for +themselves and their friends the most beautiful Christian maidens, +and defile them before the torture; the others were to be given, on +the day of the games, to pretorians and beast-keepers. + +Knowing that Vinicius would not survive Lygia in any case, he +strengthened hope in his heart designedly, first, through sympathy +for him; and second, because he wished that if Vinicius had to die, +he should die beautiful, -- not with a face deformed and black from +pain and watching. + +"To-day I will speak more or less thus to Augusta," said he: " 'Save +Lygia for Vinicius, I will save Ruflus for thee.' And I will think of +that seriously. + +One word spoken to Ahenobarbus at the right moment may save or +ruin any one. In the worst case, we will gain time." + +"Thanks to thee," repeated Vinicius. + +"Thou wilt thank me best if thou eat and sleep. By Athene! In the +greatest straits Odysseus had sleep and food in mind. Thou hast +spent the whole night in prison, of course?" + +"No," answered Vinicius; "I wished to visit the prison to-day, but +there is an order to admit no one. Learn, O Petronius, if the order is +for to-day alone or till the day of the games." + +"I will discover this evening, and to-morrow morning will tell thee +for what time and why the order was issued. But now, even were +Helios to go to Cimmerian regions from sorrow, I shall sleep, and +do thou follow my example." + +They separated; but Vinicius went to the library and wrote a letter +to Lygia. When he had finished, he took it himself to the Christian +centurion. who carried it at once to the prison. After a while he +returned with a greeting from Lygia, and promised to deliver her +answer that day. + +Vinicius did not wish to return home, but sat on a stone and waited +for Lygia's letter. The sun had risen high in the heavens, and +crowds of people flowed in, as usual, through the Clivus +Argentarius to the Forum. Hucksters called out their wares, +soothsayers offered their services to passers-by, citizens walked +with deliberate steps toward the rostra to hear orators of the day, or +tell the latest news to one another. As the heat increased, crowds +of idlers betook themselves to the porticos of the temples, from +under which flew from moment to moment, with great rustle of +wings, flocks of doves, whose white feathers glistened in the +sunlight and in the blue of the sky. + +From excess of light and the influence of bustle, heat, and great +weariness, the eyes of Vinicius began to close. The monotonous +calls of boys playing mora, and the measured tread of soldiers, +lulled him to sleep. He raised his head still a number of times, and +took in the prison with his eyes; then he leaned against a Stone, +sighed like a child drowsy after long weeping, and dropped asleep. + +Soon dreams came. It seemed to him that he was carrying Lygia in +his arms at night through a strange vineyard. Before him was +Pomponia Graecina lighting the way with a lamp. A voice, as it +were of Petronius called from afar to him, "Turn back!" but he did +not mind the call, and followed Pomponia till they reached a +cottage; at the threshold of the cottage stood Peter. He showed +Peter Lygia, and said, "We are coming from the arena, lord, but we +cannot wake her; wake her thou." "Christ himself will come to +wake her," answered the Apostle. + +Then the pictures began to change. Through the dream he saw +Nero, and Poppaea holding in her arms little Ruflus with bleeding +head, which Petronius was washing and he saw Tigellinus +sprinkling ashes on tables covered with costly dishes, and Vitelius +devouring those dishes, while a multitude of other Augustians +were sitting at the feast. He himself was resting near Lygia; but +between the tables walked lions from out whose yellow manes +trickled blood. Lygia begged him to take her away, but so terrible a +weakness had seized him that he could not even move. Then still +greater disorder involved his visions, and finally all fell into +perfect darkness. + +He was roused from deep sleep at last by the heat of the sun, and +shouts given forth right there around the place where he was +sitting. Vinicius rubbed his eyes. The street was swarming with +people; but two runners, wearing yellow tunics, pushed aside the +throng with long staffs, crying and making room for a splendid +litter which was carried by four stalwart Egyptian slaves. + +In the litter sat a man in white robes, whose face was not easily +seen, for he held close to his eyes a roll of papyrus and was reading +something diligently. + +"Make way for the noble Angustian!" cried the runners. + +But the street was so crowded that the litter had to wait awhile. +The Augustian put down his roll of papyrus and bent his head, +crying, -- + +"Push aside those wretches! Make haste!" + +Seeing Vinicius suddenly, he drew back his head and raised the +papyrus quickly. + +Vinicius drew his hand across his forehead, thinking that he was +dreaming yet. + +In the litter was sitting Chio. + +Meanwhile the runners had opened the way, and the Egyptians +were ready to move, when the young tribune, who in one moment +understood many things which till then had been +incomprehensible, approached the litter. + +"A greeting to thee, O Chio!" said he. + +"Young man," answered the Greek, with pride and importance, +endeavoring to give his face an expression of calmness which was +not in his soul, "be greeted, but detain me not, for I am hastening +to my friend, the noble Tigellinus." + +Vinicius, grasping the edge of the litter and looking him straight in +the eyes, said with a lowered voice, -- + +"Didst thou betray Lygia?" + +"Colossus of Memnon!" cried Chio, with fear. + +But there was no threat in the eyes of Vinicius; hence the old +Greek's alarm vanished quickly. He remembered that he was under +the protection of Tigellinus and of Caesar himself, -- that is, of a +power before which everything trembled, -- that he was +surrounded by sturdy slaves, and that Vinicins stood before him +unarmed, with an emaciated face and body bent by suffering. + +At this thought his insolence returned to him. He fixed on Vinicius +his eyes, which were surrounded by red lids, and whispered in +answer, -- + +"But thou, when I was dying of hunger, didst give command to flog +me." For a moment both were silent; then the dull voice of +Vinicius was heard, -- + +"I wronged thee, Chio." + +The Greek raised his head, and, snapping his fingers which in +Rome was a mark of slight and contempt, said so loudly that all +could hear him, -- + +"Friend, if thou hast a petition to present, come to my house on the +Esquiline in the morning hour, when I receive guests and clients +after my bath." + +And he waved his hand; at that sign the Egyptians raised the litter, +and the slaves, dressed in yellow tunics, began to cry as they +brandished their staffs, -- + +"Make way for the litter of the noble Chilo Chionides! Make way, +make way!" + +Chapter LIV + +LYGIA, in a long letter written hurriedly, took farewell to Vinicius +forever. She knew that no one was permitted to enter the prison, +and that she could see Vinicius only from the arena. She begged +him therefore to discover when the turn of the Mamertine +prisoners would come, and to be at the games, for she wished to +see him once more in life. No fear was evident in her letter. She +wrote that she and the othcrs were longing for the arena, where +they would find liberation from imprisonment. She hoped f or the +coming of Pomponia and Aulus; she entreated that they too be +pres‡nt. Every word of her showed ecstasy, and that separation +from life in which all the prisoners lived, arid at the same time an +unshaken faith that all promises would be fulfilled beyond the +grave. + +"Whether Christ," wrote she, "frees me in this life or after death, +He has promised me to thee by the lips of the Apostle; therefore I +am rhine." She implored him not to grieve for her, and not to let +himself be overcome by suffering. For her death was not a +dissolution of marriage. With the confidence of a child she assured +Vinicius that immediately after her suffering in the arena she +would tell Christ that her betrothed Marcus had remained in +Rome, that he was longing for her with his whole heart. 1And she +thought that Christ would permit her soul, perhaps, to return to +him for a moment, to tell him that she was living, that she did not +remember her torments, and that she was happy. Her whole letter +breathed happiness and immense hope. There was only one request +in it connected with affairs of earth, -- that Vinicius should take +her body from the spoliarium and bury it as that of his wife in the +tomb in which he himself would rest sometime. + +He read this letter with a suffering spirit, but at the same time it +seemed to him impossible that Lygia should perish under the claws +of wild beasts, and that Christ would not take compassion on her. +But just in that were hidden hope and trust. When he returned +home, he wrote that he would come every day to the walls of the +Tullianum to wait till Christ crushed the walls and restored her. He +commanded her to believe that Christ could give her to him, even +in the Circus; that the great Apostle was imploring Him to do so, +and that the hour of liberation was near. The converted centurion +was to bear this letter to her on the morrow. + +But when Vinicius came to the prison next morning, the centurion +left the rank, approached him first, and said, -- + +"Listen to me, lord. Christ, who enlightened thee, has shown thee +favor. Last night Caesar's freedman and those of the prefect came +to select Christian maidens for disgrace; they inquired for thy +betrothed, but our Lord sent her a fever, of which prisoners are +dying in the Tullianum, and they left her. Last evening she was +unconscious, and blessed be the name of the Redeemer, for the +sickness which has saved her from shame may save her from +death." + +Vinicius placed his hand on the soldier's shoulder to guard himself +from falling; but the other continued, -- + +"Thank the mercy of the Lord! They took and tortured Linus, but, +seeing that he was dying, they surrendered him. They may give her +now to thee, and Christ will give back health to her." + +The young tribune stood some time with drooping head; then +raised it and said in a whisper, -- + +"True, centurion. Christ, who saved her from shame, will save her +from death." And sitting at the wall of the prison till evening, he +returned home te send people for Linus and have him taken to one +of his suburban villas. + +But when Petronius had heard everything, he determined to act +also. He had visited the Augusta; now he went to her a second +time. He found her at the bed of little Ruflus. The child with +broken head was struggling in a fever; his mother, with despair +and terror in her heart, was trying to save him, thinking, however, +that if she did save him it might be only to perish soon by a more +dreadful death. + +Occupied exclusively with her own suffering, she would not even +hear of Vinicius and Lygia; but Petronius terrified her. + +"Thou hart offended," said he to her, "a new, unknown divinity. +Thou, Augusta, art a worshipper, it seems, of the Hebrew Jehovah; +but the Christians maintain that Chrestos is his son. Reflect, then, +if the anger of the father is not pursuing thee. Who knows but it is +their vengeance which has struck thee? Who knows but the life of +Ruflus depends on this, -- how thou wilt act?" + +"What dost thou wish me to do?" asked Poppaea, with terror. + +"Mollify the offended deities." + +"How?" + +"Lygia is sick; influence Caesar or Tigellinus to give her to +Vinicius." + +"Dost thou think that I can do that?" asked she, in despair. + +"Thou canst do something else. If Lygia recovers, she must die. Go +thou to the temple of Vesta, and ask the Virgo magna to happen +near the Tullianum at the moment when they are leading prisoners +out to death, and give command to free that maiden. The chief +vestal will not refuse thee." + +"But if Lygia dies of the fever?" + +"The Christians say that Christ is vengeful, but just; maybe thou +wilt soften Him by thy wish alone." + +"Let Him give me some sign that will heal Ruflus." + +Petronius shrugged his shoulders. + +"I have not come as His envoy; O divinity, I merely say to thee, Be +on better terms with all the gods, Roman and foreign." + +"I will go!" said Poppaea, with a broken voice. + +Petronius drew a deep breath. "At last I have done something." +thought he, and returning to Vinicius he said to him, -- + +"Implore thy God that Lygia die not of the fever, for should she +survive, the chief vestal will give command to free her. The +Augusta herself will ask her to do so." + +"Christ will free her," said Vinicius, looking at him with eyes in +which fever was glittering. + +Poppaea, who for the recovery of Ruflus was willing to burn +hecatombs to all the gods of the world, went that same evening +through the Forum to the vestals, leaving care over the sick child +to her faithful nurse, Silvia, by whom she herself had been reared. + +But on the Palatine sentence had been issued against the child +already; for barely had Poppaea's litter vanished behind the great +gate when two freedmen entered the chamber in which her son +was resting. One of these threw himself on old Silvia and gagged +her; the other, seizing a bronze statue of the Sphinx, stunned the +old woman with the first blow. + +Then they approached Ruflus. The little boy, tormented with fever +and insensible, not knowing what was passing around him, smiled +at them, and blinked with his beautiful eyes, as if trying to +recognize the men. Stripping from the nurse her girdle, they put it +around his neck and pulled it. The child called once for his mother, +and died easily. Then they wound him in a sheet, and sitting on +horses which were waiting, hurried to Ostia, where they threw the +body into the sea. + +Poppaea, not finding the virgo magna, who with other vestals was +at the house of Vatinius, returned soon to the Palatine. Seeing the +empty bed and the cold body of Silvia, she fainted, and when they +restored her she began to scream; her wild cries were heard all that +night and the day following. + +But Caesar commanded her to appear at a feast on the third day; +so, arraying herself in an amethyst-colored tunic, she came and +sat with stony face, golden-haired, silent, wonderful, and as +ominous as an angel of death. + +Chapter LV + +BEFORE the Flavii had reared the Colosseum, amphitheatres in +Rome were built of wood mainly; for that reason nearly all of them +had burned during the fire. But Nero, for the celebration of the +promised games, had given command to build several, and among +them a gigantic one, for which they began, immediately after the +fire was extinguished, to bring by sea and the Tiber great trunks of +trees cut on the slopes of Atlas; for the games were to surpass all +previous ones in splendor and the number of victims. + +Large spaces were given therefore for people and for animals. +Thousands of mechanics worked at the structure night and day. +They built and ornamented without rest. Wonders were told +concerning pillars inlaid with bronze, amber, ivory, mother of +pearl, and transmarmne tortoise-shells. Canals filled with ice-cold +water from the mountains and running along the seats were to keep +an agreeable coolness in the building, even during the greatest +heat. A gigantic purple velarium gave shelter from the rays of the +sun. Among the rows of seats were disposed vessels for the +burning of Arabian perfumes; above them were fixed instruments +to sprinkle the spectators with dew of saffron and verbena. The +renowned builders Severus and Celer put forth all their skill to +construct an amphitheatre at once incomparable and fitted for such +a number of the curious as none of those known before had been +able to accommodate. + +Hence, the day when the ludus matutinus was to begin, throngs of +the populace were awaiting from daylight the opening of the gates, +listening with delight to the roars of lions, the hoarse growls of +panthers, and the howls of dogs. The beasts had not been fed for +two days, but pieces of bloody flesh had been pushed before them +to rouse their rage and hunger all the more. At times such a storm +of wild voices was raised that people standing before the Circus +could not converse, and the most sensitive grew pale from fear. + +With the rising of the sun were intoned in the enclosure of the +Circus hymns resonant but calm. The people heard these with +amazement, and said one to another, "The Christians! the +Christians!" In fact, many detachments of Christians had been +brought to the amphitheatre that night, and not from one place, as +planned at first, but a few from each prison. It was known in the +crowd that the spectacles would continue through weeks and +months, but they doubted that it would be possible to finish in a +single day those Christians who had been intended for that one +occasion. The voices of men, women, and children singing the +morning hymn were so numerous that spectators of experience +asserted that even if one or two hundred persons were sent out at +once, the beasts would grow tired, become sated, and not tear all +to pieces before evening. Others declared that an excessive number +of victims in the arena would divert attention, and not give a +chance to enjoy the spectacle properly. + +As the moment drew near for opening the vomitoria, or passages +which led to the interior, people grew animated and joyous; they +discussed and disputed about various things touching the +spectacle. Parties were formed praising the greater efficiency of +lions or tigers in tearing. Here and there bets were made. Others +however talked about gladiators who were to appear in the arena +earlier than the Christians; and again there were parties, some in +favor of Samnites, others of Gauls, others of Mirmillons, others of +Thracians, others of the retiarii. + +Early in the morning larger or smaller detachments of gladiators +began to arrive at the amphitheatre under the lead of masters, +called lanistiae. Not wishing to be wearied too soon, they entered +unarmed, often entirely naked, often with green boughs in their +hands, or crowned with flowers, young, beautiful, in the light of +morning, and full of life. Their bodies, shining from olive oil, were +strong as if chiselled from marble; they roused to delight people +who loved shapely forms. Many were known personally, and from +moment to nioment were heard: "A greeting, Furnius! A greeting, +Leo! A greeting, Maximus! A greeting, Diomed!" Young maidens +raised to them eyes full of admiration; they, selecting the maiden +most beautiful, answered with jests, as if no care weighed on them, +sending kisses, or exclaiming, "Embrace me before death does!" +Then they vanished in the gates, through which many of them were +never to come forth again. + +New arrivals drew away the attention of the throngs. Behind the +gladiators came mastigophori; that is, men armed with scourges, +whose office it was to lash and urge forward combatants. Next +mules drew, in the direction of the spoliarium, whole rows of +vehicles on which were piled wooden coffins. People were +diverted at sight of this, inferring from the number of coffins the +greatness of the spectacle. Now marched in men who were to kill +the wounded; these were dressed so that each resembled Charon or +Mercury. Next came those who looked after order in the Circus, +and assigned places; after that slaves to bear around food and +refreshments; finally, pretorians, whom every Caesar had always at +hand in the amphitheatre. + +At last the vomitoria were opened, and crowds rushed to the +centre. But such was the number of those assembled that they +flowed in and flowed in for hours, till it was a marvel that the +Circus could hold such a countless multitude. The roars of wild +beasts, catching the exhalations of people, grew louder. While +taking their places, the spectators made an uproar like the sea in +time of storm. + +Finally, the prefect of the city came, surrounded by guards; and +after him, in unbroken line, appeared the litters of senators, +consuls, pretors, ediles, officials of the government and the palace, +of pretorian officers, patricians, and exquisite ladies. Some litters +were preceded by lictors bearing maces in bundles of rods; others +by crowds of slaves. In the sun gleamed the gilding of the litters, +the white and varied colored stuffs, feathers, earrings, jewels, steel +of the maces. From the Circus came shouts with which the people +greeted great dignitaries. Small divisions of pretorians arrived +from time to time. + +The priests of various temples came somewhat later; only after +them were brought in the sacred virgins of Vesta, preceded by +lictors. + +To begin the spectacle, they were waiting now only for Caesar, +who, unwilling to expose the people to over-long waiting, and +wishing to win them by promptness, came soon, in company with +the Augusta and Augustians. + +Petronius arrived among the Augustians, having Vinicius in his +litter. The latter knew that Lygia was sick and unconscious; but as +access to the prison had been forbidden most strictly during the +preceding days, and as the former guards had been replaced by +new ones who were not permitted to speak with the jailers or even +to communicate the least information to those who came to inquire +about prisoners, he was not even sure that she was not among the +victims intended for the first day of spectacles. They might send +out even a sick woman for the lions, though she were unconscious. +But since the victims were to be sewed up in skins of wild beasts +and sent to the arena in crowds, no spectator could be certain that +one more or less might not be among them, and no man could +recognize any one. The jailers and all the servants of the +amphitheatre had been bribed, and a bargain made with the +beast-keepers to hide Lygia in some dark corner, and give her at +night into the hands of a confidant of Vinicius, who would take her +at once to the Alban Hills. Petronius, admitted to the secret, +advised Vinicius to go with him openly to the amphitheatre, and +after he had entered to disappear in the throng and hurry to the +vaults, where, to avoid possible mistake, he was to point out Lygia +to the guards personally. + +The guards admitted him through a small door by which they came +out themselves. One of these, named Cyrus, led him at once to the +Christians. On the way he said, -- + +"I know not, lord, that thou wilt find what thou art seeking. We +inquired for a maiden named Lygia, but no one gave us answer; it +may be, though, that they do not trust us." + +"Are there many?" asked Vinicius. + +"Many, lord, had to wait till to-morrow." + +"Are there sick ones among them?" + +"There were none who could not stand." + +Cyrus opened a door and entered as it were an enormous chamber, +but low and dark, for the light came in only through grated +openings which separated it from the arena. At first Vinicius could +see nothing; he heard only the murmur of voices in the room, and +the shouts of people in the amphitheatre. But after a time, when his +eyes had grown used to the gloom, he saw crowds of strange +beings, resembling wolves and bears. Those were Christians sewed +up in skins of beasts. Some of them were standing; others were +kneeling in prayer. Here and there one might divine by the long +hair flowing over the skin that the victim was a woman. Women, +looking like wolves, carried in their arms children sewed up in +equally shaggy coverings. But from beneath the skins appeared +bright faces and eyes which in the darkness gleamed with delight +and feverishness. It was evident that the greater number of those +people were mastered by one thought, exclusive and beyond the +earth, -- a thought which during life made them indifferent to +everything which happened around them and which could meet +them. Some, when asked by Vinicius about Lygia, looked at him +with eyes as if roused from sleep, without answering his questions; +others smiled at him, placing a finger on their lips or pointing to +the iron grating through which bright streaks of light entered. But +here and there children were crying, frightened by the roaring of +beasts, the howling of dogs, the uproar of people, and the forms of +their own parents who looked like wild beasts. Vinicius as he +walked by the side of Cyrus looked into faces, searched, inquired, +at times stumbled against bodies of people who had fainted from +the crowd, the stifling air, the heat, and pushed farther into the +dark depth of the room, which seemed to be as spacious as a whole +amphitheatre. + +But he stopped on a sudden, for he seemed to hear near the grating +a voice known to him. He listened for a while, turned, and, +pushing through the crowd, went near. Light fell on the face of the +speaker, and Vinicius recognized under the skin of a wolf the +emaciated and implacable countenance of Crispus. + +"Mourn for your sins!" exclaimed Crispus, "for the moment is +near. But whoso thinks by death itself to redeem his sins commits +a fresh sin, and will be hurled into endless fire. With every sin +committed in life ye have renewed the Lord's suffering; how dare +ye think that that life which awaits you will redeem this one? +To-day the just and the sinner will die the same death; but the Lord +will find His own. Woe to you, the claws of the lions will rend +your bodies; but not your sins, nor your reckoning with God. The +Lord showed mercy sufficient when He let Himself be nailed to the +cross; but thenceforth He will be only the judge, who will leave no +fault unpunished. Whoso among you has thought to extinguish his +sins by suffering, has blasphemed against God's justice, and will +sink all the dccpcr. Mercy is at an end, and the hour of God's wrath +has come. Soon ye will stand before the awful Judge in whose +presence the good will hardly be justified. Bewail your sins, for the +jaws of hell are open; woe to you, husbands and wives; woe to +you, parents and children." + +And stretching forth his bony hands, he shook them above the bent +heads; he was unterrifled and implacable even in the presence of +death, to which in a while all those doomed peopic wcre to go. +After his words, were heard voices: + +"We bewail our sins!" Then came silence, and only the cry of +children was audible, and the beating of hands against breasts. + +The blood of Vinicius stiffened in his veins. He, who had placed +all his hope in the mercy of Christ, heard now that the day of wrath +had come, and that even death in the arena would not obtain +mercy. Through his head shot, it is true, the thought, clear and +swift as lightning, that Peter would have spoken otherwise to those +about to die. Still those terrible words of Crispus filled with +fanaticism that dark chamber with its grating, beyond which was +the field of torture. The nearness of that torture, and the throng of +victims arrayed for death already, filled his soul with fear and +terror. All this seemed to him dreadful, and a hundred times more +ghastly than the bloodiest battle in which he had ever taken part. +The odor and heat began to stifle him; cold sweat came out on his +forehead. He was seized by fear that he would faint like those +against whose bodies he had stumbled while searching in the depth +of the apartment; so when he remembered that they might open the +grating any moment, he began to call Lygia and Ursus aloud, in the +hope that, if not they, some one knowing them would answer. + +In fact, some man, clothed as a bear, pulled his toga, and said, -- + +"Lord, they remained in prison. I was the last one brought our; I +saw her sick on the couch." + +"Who art thou?" inquired Viniciug. + +"The quarryman in whose hut the Apostle baptized thee, lord. They +imprisoned me three days ago, and to-day I die." + +Vinicius was relieved. When entering, he had wished to find +Lygia; now he was ready to thank Christ that she was not there, +and to see in that a sign of mercy. Meanwhile the quarryman +pulled his toga again, and said, -- + +"Dost remember, lord, that I conducted thee to the vineyard of +Cornelius, when the Apostle discoursed in the shed?" + +"I remember." + +"I saw him later, the day before they imprisoned me, He blessed +me, and said that he would come to the amphitheatre to bless the +perishing. If I could look at him in the moment of death and see +the sign of the cross, it would be easier for me to die. If thou know +where he is, lord, inform me." + +Vinicius lowered his voice, and said, -- + +"He is among the people of Petronius, disguised as a slave. I know +not where they chose their places, but I will return to the Circus +and see. Look thou at me when ye enter the arena. I will rise and +turn my face toward them; then thou wilt find him with thy eyes." + +"Thanks to thee, lord, and peace be with thee." + +"May the Redeemer be merciful to thee." + +"Amen." + +Vinicius went out of the cuniculum, and betook himself to the +amphitheatre, where he had a place near Petronius among the +other Augustians. + +"Is she there?" inquired Petronius. + +"No; she remained in prison." + +"Hear what has occurred to me, but while listening look at Nigidia +for example, so that we may seem to talk of her hair-dressing. +Tigellinus and Chilo are looking at us now. Listen then. Let them +put Lygia in a coffin at night and carry her out of the prison as a +corpse; thou divinest the rest?" + +"Yes," answered Vinicius. + +Their further conversation was interrupted by Tullius Senecio, +who, bending toward them, asked, -- + +"Do ye know whether they will give weapons to the Christians?" + +"We do not," answered Petronius. "I should prefer that arms were +given," said Tullius; "if not, the arena will become like butcher's +shambles too early. But what a splendid amphitheatre!" + +The sight was, in truth, magnificent. The lower seats, crowded +with togasae were as white as snow. In the gilded podium sat +Caesar, wearing a diamond collar and a golden crown on his head; +next to him sat the beautiful and gloomy Augusta, and on both +sides were vestal virgins, great officials, senators with +embroidered togas, officers of the army with glittering weapons, -- +in a word, all that was powerful, brilliant, and wealthy in Rome. In +the farther rows sat knights; and higher up darkened in rows a sea +of common heads, above which from pillar to pillar hung festoons +of roses, lilies, ivy, and grapevines. + +People conversed aloud, called to one another, sang; at times they +broke into laughter at some witty word which was sent from row to +row, and they stamped with impatience to hasten the spectacle. + +At last the stamping became like thunder, and unbroken. Then the +prefect of the city, who rode around the arena with a brilliant +retinue, gave a signal with a handkerchief, which was answered +throughout the amphitheatre by "A-a-a!" from thousands of +breasts. + +Usually a spectacle was begun by hunts of wild beasts, in which +various Northern and Southern barbarians excelled; but this time +they had too many beasts, so they began with andabates, -- that is, +men wearing helmets without an opening for the eyes, hence +fighting blindfold. A number of these came into the arena together, +and slashed at random with their swords; the scourgers with long +forks pushed some toward others to make them meet. The more +select of the audience looked with contempt and indifference at +this spectacle; but the crowd were amused by the awkward +motions of the swordsmen. When it happened that they met with +their shoulders, they burst out in loud laughter. "To the right!" "To +the left!" cried they, misleading the opponents frequently by +design. A number of pairs closed, however, and the struggle began +to be bloody. The determined combatants cast aside their shields, +and giving their left hands to each other, so as not to part again, +struggled to the death with their right. Whoever fell raised his +fingers, begging mercy by that sign; but in the beginning of a +spectacle the audience demanded death usually for the wounded, +especially in the case of men who had their faces covered and were +unknown. Gradually the number of combatants decreased; and +when at last only two remained, these were pushed together; both +fell on the sand, and stabbed each other mutually. Then, amid cries +of "Peractum est!" servants carried out the bodies, youths raked +away the bloody traces on the sand and sprinkled it with leaves of +saffron. + +Now a more important contest was to come, -- rousing interest not +only in the herd, but in exquisites; during this contest young +patricians made enormous bets at times, often losing all they +owned. Straightway from hand to hand went tablets on which were +written names of favorites, and also the number of sestertia which +each man wagered on his favorite. "Spectati" -- that is, champions +who had appeared already on the arena and gained victories -- +found most partisans; but among betters were also those who +risked considerably on gladiators who were new and quite +unknown, hoping to win immense sums should these conquer. +Caesar himself bet; priests, vestals, senators, knights bet; the +populace bet. People of the crowd, when money failed them, bet +their own freedom frequently. They waited with heart-beating and +even with fear for the combatants, and more than one made +audible vows to the gods to gain their protection for a favorite. + +In fact, when the shrill sound of trumpets was heard, there was a +stillness of expectation in the amphitheatre. Thousands of eyes +were turned to the great bolts, which a man approached dressed +like Charon, and amid the universal silence struck three times with +a hammer, as if summoning to death those who were hidden +behind them. Then both halves of the gate opened slowly, showing +a black gully, out of which gladiators began to appear in the bright +arena. They came in divisions of twenty-five, Thracians, +Mirmilons, Samnites, Gauls, each nation separately, all heavily +armed; and last the retiarii, holding in one hand a net, in the other +a trident. At sight of them, here and there on the benches rose +applause, which soon turned into one immense and unbroken +storm. From above to below were seen excited faces, clapping +hands, and open mouths, from which shouts burst forth. The +gladiators encircled the whole arena with even and springy tread, +gleaming with their weapons and rich outfit; they halted before +Caesar's podium, proud, calm, and brilliant. The shrill sound of a +horn stopped the applause; the combatants stretched their right +hands upward, raised their eyes and heads toward Caesar, and +began to cry or rather to chant with drawling voice, -- + +"Ave, Caesar imperator! +Morituri te salutant!" + +Then they pushed apart quickly, occupying their places on the +arena. They were to attack one another in whole detachments; but +first it was permitted the most famous fencers to have a series of +single combats, in which the strength, dexterity, and courage of +opponents were best exhibited. In fact, from among the Gauls +appeared a champion, well known to lovers of the amphitheatre +under the name of Lanio, a victor in many games. With a great +helmet on his head, and in mail which formed a ridge in front of +his powerful breast and behind, he looked in the gleam of the +golden arena like a giant beetle. The no less famous retiarius +Calendio came out against him. + +Among the spectators people began to bet. + +"Five hundred sestertia on the Gaul!" + +"Five hundred on Calendio!" + +"By Hercules, one thousand!" + +"Two thousand!" + +Meanwhile the Gaul, reaching the centre of the arena, began to +withdraw with pointed sword, and, lowering his head, watched his +opponent carefully through the opening of his visor; the light +retiarius, stately, statuesque, wholly naked save a belt around his +loins, circled quickly about his heavy antagonist, waving the net +with graceful movement, lowering or raising his trident, and +singing the usual song of the retiarius, -- + +"Non te peto, piscem peto; +Quid me fugis, Galle?"1 + +But the Gaul was not fleeing, for after a while he stopped, and +standing in one place began to turn with barely a slight movement, +so as to have his enemy always in front, in his form and +monstrously large head there was now something terrible, The +spectators understood perfectly that that heavy body encased in +bronze was preparing for a sudden throw to decide the battle. The +retiarius meanwhile sprang up to him, then sprang away, making +with his three-toothed fork motions so quick that the eye hardly +followed them. The sound of the teeth on the shield was heard +repeatedly; but the Gaul did not quiver, giving proof by this of his +gigantic strength. All his attention seemed fixed, not on the trident, +but the net which was circling above his head, like a bird of ill +omen. The spectators held the breath in their breasts, and followed +the masterly play of the gladiators. The Gaul waited, chose the +moment, and rushed at last on his enemy; the latter with equal +quickness shot past under his sword, straightened himself with +raised arm, and threw the net. + +The Gaul, turning where he stood, caught it on his shield; then +both sprang apart. In the amphitheatre shouts of "Macte!" +thundered; in the lower rows they began to make new bets. Caesar +himself, who at first had been talking with Rubria, and so far had +not paid much attention to thc spectacle, turned his head toward +the arena. + +They began to struggle again, so regularly and with such precision +in thcir movements, that sometimes it seemed that with them it +was not a question of life or death, but of exhibiting skill. The +Gaul escaping twice more from the net, pushed toward the edge of +the arena; those who held bets against him, not wishing the +champion to rest, began to cry, "Bear on!" The Gaul obeyed, and +attacked. The arm of the retiarius was covered on a sudden with +blood, and his net dropped. The Gaul summoned his strength, and +sprang forward to give the final blow. That instant Calendio, who +feigned inability to wield the net, sprang aside, escaped the thrust, +ran the trident between the knees of the aepponaentae and brought +him to the earth. + +The Gaul tried to rise, but in a twinkle he was covered by the fatal +meshes, in which he was entangled more and more by every +niovemeilt of his feet and hands. Meanwhile stabs of the trident +fixed him time after time to the earth. He made one more effort, +rested on his arm, and tried to rise; in vain! He raised to his head +his falling hand which could hold the sword no longer, and fell on +his back. Calendio pressed his neck to the ground with the trident, +and, resting both hands on the handle of it, turned toward Caesar's +box. + +The whole Circus was trembling from plaudits and the roar of +people. For those who had bet on Calendio he was at that moment +greater than Caesar; but for this very reason animosity against the +Gaul vanished from their hearts. At the cost of his blood he had +filled their purses. The voices of the audience were divided. On the +upper seats half the signs were for death, and half for mercy; but +the retiarius looked only at the box of Caesar and the vestals, +waiting for what they would decide. + +To the misfortune of the fallen gladiator, Nero did not like him, for +at the last ganies before the fire he had bet against the Gaul, and +had lost considerable sums to Licinus; hence he thrust his hand out +of the podium, and turned his thumb toward the earth. + +The vestals supported the sign at once. Calendio knelt on the +breast of the Gaul, drew a short knife from his belt, pushed apart +the armor around the neck of his opponent, and drove the +three-edged blade into his throat to the handle. + +"Peractum est!" sounded voices in the amphitheatre. + +The Gaul quivered a time, like a stabbed bullock, dug the sand +with his heels, stretched, and was motionless. + +Mercury had no need to try with heated iron if her were living yet. +He was hidden away quickly, and other pairs appeared. After them +came a battle of whole detachments. The audience took part in it +with soul, heart, and eyes. They howled, roared, whistled, +applauded, laughed, urged on the combatants, grew wild. The +gladiators on the arena, divided into two legions, fought with the +rage of wild beasts; breast struck breast, bodies were intertwined +in a death grapple, strong limbs cracked in their joints, swords +were buried in breasts and in stomachs, pale lips threw blood on to +the sand. Toward the end such terrible fear seized some novices +that, tearing themselves from the turmoil, they fled; but the +scourgers drove them back again quickly to the battle with lashes +tipped with lead. On the sand great dark spots were formed; more +and more naked and armed bodies lay stretched like grain sheaves. +The living fought on the corpses; they struck against armor and +shields, cut their feet against broken weapons, and fell. The +audience lost self-command from delight; and intoxicated with +death breathed it, sated their eyes with the sight of it, and drew +into their lungs the exhalations of it with ecstasy. + +The conquered lay dead, almost every man. Barely a few wounded +knelt in the middle of the arena, and trembling stretched their +hands to the audience with a prayer for mercy. To the victors were +given rewards, -- crowns, olive wreaths. And a moment of rest +came, which, at command of the all-powerful Caesar, was turned +into a feast. Perfumes were burned in vases. Sprinklers scattered +saffron and violet rain on the people. Cooling drinks were served, +roasted meats, sweet cakes, wine, olives, and fruits. The people +devoured, talked, and shouted in honor of Caesar, to incline him to +greater bounteousness. When hunger and thirst had been satisfied, +hundreds of slaves bore around baskets full of gifts, from which +boys, dressed as Cupids, took various objects and threw them with +both hands among the seats. When lottery tickets were distributed, +a battle began. People crowded, threw, trampled one another; cried +for rescue, sprang over rows of seats, stifled one another in the +terrible crush, since whoever got a lucky number might win +possibly a house with a garden, a slave, a splendid dress, or a wild +beast which he could sell to the amphitheatre afterward. For this +reason there were such disorders that frequently the pretorians had +to interfere; and after every distribution they carried out people +with brnken arms or legs, and some were even trampled to death in +the throng. + +But the more wealthy took no part in the fight for tesseraae. The +Augustians amused themselves now with the spectacle of Chilo, +and with making sport of his vain efforts to show that he could +look at fighting and blood-spilling as well as any man. But in vain +did the unfortunate Greek wrinkle his brow, gnaw his lips, and +squeeze his fists till the nails entered his palms. His Greek nature +and his personal cowardice were unable to endure such sights. His +face grew pale, his forehead was dotted with drops of sweat, his +lips were blue, his eyes turned in, his teeth began to chatter, and a +trembling seized his body. At the end of the battle he recovered +somewhat; but when they attacked him with tongues, sudden anger +seized him, and he defended himself desperately. + +"Ha, Greek! the sight of torn skin on a man is beyond thy +strength!" said Vatinius, taking him by the beard. + +Chilo bared his last two yellow teeth at him and answered, -- + +"My father was not a cobbler, so I cannot mend it." + +"Macre! habet (Good! he has caught it!)!" called a number of +voices; but others jeered on. + +"He is not to blame that instead of a heart he has a piece of cheese +in his breast," said Senccio. + +"Thou art not to blame that instead of a head thou hast a bladder," +retorted Chilo. + +"Maybe thou wilt become a gladiator! thou wouldst look well with +a net on the arena." + +"If I should catch thee in it, I should catch a stinking hoopoe." + +"And how will it be with the Christians?" asked Festus, from +Liguria. "Wouldst thou not like to be a dog and bite them?" + +"I should not like to be thy brother." + +"Thou Maeotian copper-nose!" + +"Thou Ligurian mule!" + +"Thy skin is itching, evidently, but I don't advise thee to ask me to +scratch it." + +"Scratch thyself. If thou scratch thy own pimple, thou wilt destroy +what is best in thee," + +And in this manner they attacked him. He defended himself +venomously, amid universal laughter. Caesar, clapping his hands, +repeated, "Macte!" and urged them on. After a while Pertronius +approached, and, touching the Greek's shoulder with his carved +ivory cane, said coldly, -- + +"This is well, philosopher; but in one thing thou hast blundered: +the gods created thee a pickpocket, and thou hast become a +demon. That is why thou canst not endure." + +The old man looked at him with his red eyes, but this time +somehow he did not find a ready insult. He was silent for a +moment; then answered, as if with a certain effort, -- + +"I shall endure." + +Meanwhile the trumpets announced the end of the interval. People +began to leave the passages where they had assembled to +straighten their legs and converse. A general movement set in with +the usual dispute about seats occupied previously. Senators and +patricians hastened to their places. The uproar ceased after a time, +and the amphitheatre returned to order. On the arena a crowd of +people appeared whose work was to dig out here and there lumps +of sand formed with stiffened blood. + +The turn of the Christians was at hand. But since that was a new +spectacle for people, and no one knew how the Christians would +bear themselves, all waited with a certain curiosity. The +disposition of the audience was attentive but unfriendly; they were +waiting for uncommon scenes. Those people who were to appear +had burned Rome and its ancient treasures. They had drunk the +blood of infants, and poisoned water; they had cursed the whole +human race, and committed the vilest crimes. The harshest +punishment did not suffice the roused hatred; and if any fear +possessed people's hearts, it was this: that the torture of thae +Christiam would not equal the guilt of those ominous criminals. + +Meanwhile the sun had risen high; its rays, passing through the +purple velarium, had filled the amphitheatre with blood-colored +light. The sand assumed a fiery hue, and in those gleams, in the +faces of people, as well as in thae empty arcna1 which after a time +waae to be filled with the torture of people and the rage of savage +beasts, there was something terrible. Death and terror seemed +hovering in the air. The throng, usually gladsome, became moody +under the influence of hate and silence. Faces had a sullen +expression. + +Now the prefect gave a sign. The same old man appeared, dressed +as Charon, who had called the gladiators to death, and, passing +wifh slow step across the arena amid silence, he struck three times +again on the door. + +Throughout the amphitheatre was heard the deep murmur, -- + +"The Christians! the Christians!" + +The iron gratings creaked; through the dark openings were heard +the usual cries of the scourgers, "To the sand!" and in one moment +the arena was peopled with crowds as it were of satyrs covered +with skins. All ran quickly, somewhat feverishly, and, reaching the +middle of the circle, they knelt one by another with raised heads. +The spectators, judging this to be a prayer for pity, and enraged by +such cowardice, began to stamp, whistle, throw empty +wine-vessels, bones from which the flesh had been eaten, and +shout, "The beasts! the beasts!" But all at once something +unexpected took place. From out the shaggy assembly singing +voices were raised, and then sounded that hynm heard for the first +time in a Roman amphitheatre, "Christus regnat!" 2 + +Astonishment seized the spectators. The condemned sang with +eyes raised to the velarium. The audience saw faces pale, but as it +were inspired. All understood that those people were not asking for +mercy, and that they seemed not to see the Circus, the audience, +the Senate, or Caesar. "Christus regnat!" rose ever louder, and in +the seats, far up to the highest, among the rows of spectators, more +than one asked himself the question, "What is happening, and who +is that Christus who reigns in the mouths of those people who are +about to die?" But meanwhile a new grating was opened, and into +the arena rushed, with mad speed and barking, whole packs of +dogs, -- gigantic, yellow Molosians from the, Peloponnesus, pied +dogs from the Pyrenees, and wolf-like hounds from Hibernia, +purposely famished; their sides lank, and their eyes bloodshot. +Their howls and whines filled the amphitheatre. When the +Christians had finished their hymn, they remained kneeling, +motionless, as if petrified, merely repeating in one groaning +chorus, "Pro Christo! Pro Christo!" The dogs, catching the odor of +people under the skins of beasts, and surprised by their silence, did +not rush on them at once. Some stood against the walls of the +boxes, as if wishing to go among the spectators; others ran around +barking furiously, as though chasing some unseen beast. The +people were angry. A thousand voices began to call; some howled +like wild beasts; some barked like dogs; others urged them on in +every language. The amphitheatre was trembling from uproar. The +excited dogs began to run to the kneeling people, then to draw +back, snapping their teeth, till at last one of the Molossians drove +his teeth into the shoulder of a woman kneeling in front, and +dragged her under him. + +Tens of dogs rushed into the crowd now, as if to break through it. +The audience ceased to howl, so as to look with greater attention. +Amidst the howling and whining were heard yet plaintive voices of +men and women: "Pro Christo! Pro Christo!" but on the arena were +formed quivering masses of the bodies of dogs and people. Blood +flowed in streams from the torn bodies. Dogs dragged from each +other the bloody limbs of people. The odor of blood and torn +entrails was stronger than Arabian perfumes, and filled the whole +Circus. + +At last only here and there were visible single kneeling forms, +which were soon covered by moving squirming masses. + +Vinicius, who at the moment when the Christians ran in, stood up +and turned so as to indicate to the quarryman, as he had promised, +the direction in which the Apostle was hidden among the people of +Petronius, sat down again, and with the face of a dead man +continued to look with glassy eyes on the ghastly spectacle. At first +fear that the quarryman might have been mistaken, and that +perchance Lygia was among the victims, benumbed him +completely; but when he heard the voices, "Pro Christo!" when he +saw the torture of so many victims who, in dying, confessed their +faith and their God, another feeling possessed him, piercing him +like the most dreadful pain, but irresistible. That feeling was this, +-- if Christ Himself died in torment, if thousands are perishing for +Him now, if a sea of blood is poured forth, one drop more signifies +nothing, and it is a sin even to ask for mercy. That thought came to +him from the arena, penetrated him with the groans of the dying, +with the odor of their blood. But still he prayed and repeated with +parched lips, "O Christ! O Christ! and Thy Apostle prayed for her!" +Then he forgot himself, lost consciousness of where he was. It +seemed to him that blood on the arena was rising and rising, that it +was coming up and flowing out of the Circus over all Rome. For +the rest he heard nothing, neither the howling of dogs nor the +uproar of the people nor the voices of the Augustians, who began +all at once to cry, -- + +"Chilo has fainted!" + +"Chilo has fainted!" said Petronius, turning toward the Greek. + +And he had fainted really; he sat there white as linen, his head +fallen back, his mouth wide open, like that of a corpse. + +At that same moment they were urging into the arena new victims, +sewed up in skins. + +These knelt immediately, like those who had gone before; but the +weary dogs would not rend them. Barely a few threw themselves +on to those kneeling nearest; but others lay down, and, raising their +bloody jaws, began to scratch their sides and yawn heavily. + +Then the audience, disturbed in spirit, but drunk with blood and +wild, began to cry with hoarse voices, -- + +"The lions! the lions! Let out the lions!" + +The lions were to be kept for the next day; but in the amphitheatres +the people imposed their will on every one, even on Caesar. +Caligula alone, insolent and changeable in his wishes, dared to +oppose them, and there were cases when he gave command to beat +the people with clubs; but even he yielded most frequently. Nero, +to whom plaudits were dearer than all else in the world, never +resisted. All the more did he not resist now, when it was a question +of mollifying the populace, excited after the conflagration, and a +question of the Christians, on whom he wished to cast the blame of +the catastrophe. + +He gave the sign therefore to open the cuniculum, seeing which, +the people were calmed in a moment. They heard the creaking of +the doors behind which were the lions. At sight of the lions the +dogs gathered with low whines, on the opposite side of the arena. +The lions walked into the arena one after another, immense, +tawny, with great shaggy heads. Caesar himself turned his wearied +face toward them, and placed the emerald to his eye to see better. +The Augustians greeted them with applause; the crowd counted +them on their fingers, and followed eagerly the impression which +the sight of them would make on the Christians kneeling in the +centre, who again had begun to repeat the words, without meaning +for many, though annoying to all, "Pro Christo! Pro Christo!" + +But the lions, though hungry, did not hasten to their victims. The +ruddy light in the arena dazzled them and they half closed their +eyes as if dazed. Some stretched their yellowish bodies lazily; +some, opening their jaws, yawned, -- one might have said that they +wanted to show their terrible teeth to the audience. But later the +odor of blood and torn bodies, many of which were lying on the +sand, began to act on them. Soon their movements became +restless, their manes rose, their nostrils drew in the air with hoarse +sound. One fell suddenly on the body of a woman with a torn face, +and, lying with his fore paws on the body, licked with a rough +tongue the stiffened blood: another approached a man who was +holding in his arms a child sewed up in a fawn's skin. + +The child, trembling from crying, and weeping, clung convulsively +to the neck of its father; he, to prolong its life even for a moment, +tried to pull it from his neck, so as to hand it to those kneeling +farther on. But the cry and the movement irritated the lion. All at +once he gave out a short, broken roar, killed the child with one +blow of his paw, and seizing the head of the father in his jaws, +crushed it in a twinkle. + +At sight of this all the other lions fell upon the crowd of Christians. +Some women could not restrain cries of terror; but the audience +drowned these with plaudits, which soon ceased, however, for the +wish to see gained the mastery. They beheld terrible things then: +heads disappearing entirely in open jaws, breasts torn apart with +one blow, hearts and lungs swept away; the crushing of bones +under the teeth of lions. Some lions, seizing victims by the ribs or +loins, ran with mad springs through the arena, as if seeking hidden +places in which to devour them; others fought, rose on their hind +legs, grappled one another like wrestlers, and filled the +amphitheatre with thunder. People rose from their places. Some +left their seats, went down lower through the passages to see +better, and crowded one another mortally. It seemed that the +excited multitude would throw itself at last into the arena, and +rend the Christians in company with the lions. At moments an +unearthly noise was heard; at moments applause; at moments +roaring, rumbling, the clashing of teeth, the howling of Molossian +dogs; at times only groans. + +Caesar, holding the emerald to his eye, looked now with attention. +The face of Petronius assumed an expression of contempt and +disgust. Chilo had been borne out of the Circus. + +But from the cuniculum new victims were driven forth continually. + +From the highest row in the amphitheatre the Apostle Peter looked +at them. No one saw him, for all heads were turned to the arena; +so he rose and as formerly in the vineyard of Cornelius he had +blessed for death and eternity those who were intended for +imprisonment, so now he blessed with the cross those who were +perishing under the teeth of wild beasts. He blessed their blood, +their torture, their dead bodies turned into shapeless masses, and +their souls flying away from the bloody sand. Some raised their +eyes to him, and their faces grew radiant; they smiled when they +saw high above them the sign of the cross. But his heart was rent, +and he said, "O Lord! let Thy will be done. These my sheep perish +to Thy glory in testimony of the truth. Thou didst command me to +feed them; hence I give them to Thee, and do Thou count them, +Lord, take them, heal their wounds, soften their pain, give them +happiness greater than the torments which they suffered here." + +And he blessed them one after another, crowd after crowd, with as +much love as if they had been his children whom he was giving +directly into the hands of Christ. Then Caesar, whether from +madness, or the wish that the exhibition should surpass everything +seen in Rome so far, whispered a few words to the prefect of the +city. He left the podium and went at once to the cuniculum. Even +the populace were astonished when, after a while, they saw the +gratings open again. Beasts of all kinds were let out this time, -- +tigers from the Euphrates, Numidian panthers, bears, wolves, +hyenas, and jackals. The whole arena was covered as with a +moving sea of striped, yellow, flax-colored, dark-brown, and +spotted skins. There rose a chaos in which the eye could +distinguish nothing save a terrible turning and twisting of the +backs of wild beasts. The spectacle lost the appearance of reality, +and became as it were an orgy of blood, a dreadful dream, a +gigantic kaleidoscope of mad fancy. The measure was surpassed. +Amidst roars, howls, whines, here and there on the seats of the +spectators were heard the terrified and spasmodic laughter of +women, whose strength had given way at last. The people were +terrified. Faces grew dark. Various voices began to cry, "Enough! +enough!" + +But it was easier to let the beasts in than drive them back again. +Caesar, however, found a means of clearing the arena, and a new +amusement for the people. In all the passages between the seats +appeared detachments of Numidians, black and stately, in feathers +and earrings, with bows in their hands. The people divined what +was coming, and greeted the archers with a shout of delight. The +Numidians approached the railing, and, putting their arrows to the +strings, began to shoot from their bows into the crowd of beasts. +That was a new spectacle truly. Their bodies, shapely as if cut +from dark marble, bent backward, stretched the flexible bows, and +sent bolt after bolt. The whizzing of the strings and the whistling +of the feathered missiles were mingled with the howling of beasts +and cries of wonder from the audience. Wolves, bears, panthers, +and people yet alive fell side by side. Here and there a lion, feeling +a shaft in his ribs, turned with sudden movement, his jaws +wrinkled from rage, to seize and break the arrow. Others groaned +from pain. The small beasts, falling into a panic, ran around the +arena at random, or thrust their heads into the grating; meanwhile +the arrows whizzed and whizzed on, till all that was living had lain +down in the final quiver of death. + +Hundreds of slaves rushed into the arena armed with spades, +shovels, brooms, wheelbarrows, baskets for carrying out entrails, +and bags of sand. They came, crowd after crowd, and over the +whole circle there seethed up a feverish activity. The space was +soon cleared of bodies, blood, and mire, dug over, made smooth, +and sprinkled with a thick layer of fresh sand. That done, Cupids +ran in, scattering leaves of roses, lilies, and the greatest variety of +flowers. The censers were ignited again, and the velarium was +removed, for the sun had sunk now considerably. But people +looked at one another with amazement, and inquired what kind of +new spectacle was waiting for them on that day. + +Indeed, such a spectacle was waiting as no one had looked for. +Caesar, who had left the podium some time before, appeared all at +once on the flowery arena, wearing a purple mantle, and a crown +of gold. Twelve choristers holding citharae followed him. He had a +silver lute, and advanced with solemn tread to the middle, bowed a +number of times to the spectators, raised his eyes, and stood as if +waiting for inspiration. + +Then he struck the strings and began to sing, -- + +"O radiant son of Leto, +Ruler of Tenedos, Chios, Chrysos, +Art thou he who, having in his care +The sacred city of Ilion, +Could yield it to Argive anger, +And suffer sacred altars, +Which blazed unceasingly to his honor, +To be stained with Trojan blood? +Aged men raised trembling hands to thee, +O thou of the far-shooting silver bow, +Mothers from the depth of their breasts +Raised tearful cries to thee, +Imploring pity on their offspring. +Those complaints might have moved a stone, +But to the suffering of people +Thou, O Smintheus, wert less feeling than a stone!" + +The song passed gradually into an elegy, plaintive and full of pain. +In the Circus there was silence. After a while Caesar, himself +affected, sang on, -- + +"With the sound of thy heavenly lyre +Thou couldst drown the wailing, +The lament of hearts. +At the sad sound of this song +The eye to-day is filled with tears, +As a flower is filled with dew, +But who can raise from dust and ashes +That day of fire, disaster, ruin? +O Smintheus, where wert thou then?" + +Here his voice quivered and his eyes grew moist. Tears appeared +on the lids of the vestals; the people listened in silence before they +burst into a long unbroken storm of applause. + +Meanwhile from outside through the vomitoria came the sound of +creaking vehicles on which were placed the bloody remnants of +Christians, men, women, and children, to be taken to the pits +called "puticuli." + +But the Apostle Peter seized his trembling white head with his +hands, and cried in spirit, -- + +"O Lord, O Lord! to whom hast Thou given rule ovcr the earth, and +why wilt Thou found in this place Thy capital?" + +1 I seek not thee, I seek a fish; +Why flee from me O Gaul?" + +2 Christ reigns + +Chapter LVI + +THE sun had lowered toward its setting, and seemed to dissolve in +the red of the evening. The spectacle was finished. Crowds were +leaving the amphitheatre and pouring out to the city through the +passages called vomitoria. Only Augustians delayed; they were +waiting for the stream of people to pass. They had all left their +seats and assembled at the podium, in which Caesar appeared +again to hear praises. Though the spectators had not spared +plaudits at the end of the song, Nero was not satisfied; he had +looked for enthusiasm touching on frenzy. In vain did hymns of +praise sound in his ears; in vain did vestals kiss his "divine" hand, +and while doing so Rubria bent till her reddish hair touched his +breast. Nero was not satisfied, and could not hide the fact. He was +astonished and also disturbed because Petronius was silent. Some +flattering and pointed word from his mouth would have been a +great consolation at that moment. Unable at last to restrain +himself, Caesar beckoned to the arbiter. + +"Speak," said he, when Petronius entered the podium. + +"I am silent," answered Petronius, coldly, "for I cannot find words. +Thou hast surpassed thyself." + +"So it seemed to me too; but still this people --" + +"Canst thou expect mongrels to appreciate poetry?" + +"But thou too hast noticed that they have not thanked me as I +deserve." + +"Because thou hast chosen a bad moment." + +"How?" + +"When men's brains are filled with the odor of blood, they cannot +listen attentively." + +"Ah, those Christians!" replied Nero, clenching his fists. "They +burned Rome, and injure me now in addition. What new +punishment shall I invent for them?" + +Petronius saw that he had taken the wrong road, that his words had +produced an effect the very opposite of what he intended; so, to +turn Caesar's mind in another direction, he bent toward him and +whispered, -- + +"Thy song is marvellous, but I will make one remark: in the fourth +line of the third strophe the metre leaves something to be desired." + +Nero, blushing with shame, as if caught in a disgraceful deed, had +fear in his look, and answered in a whisper also, -- + +"Thou seest everything. I know. I will re-write that. But no one +else noticed it, I think. And do thou, for the love of the gods, +mention it to no one, -- if life is dear to thee." + +To this Petronius answered, as if in an outburst of vexation and +anger, -- + +"Condemn me to death, O divinity, if I deceive thee; but thou wilt +not terrify me, for the gods know best of all if I fear death." + +And while speaking he looked straight into Caesar's eyes, who +answered after a while, -- + +"Be not angry; thou knowest that I love thee." + +"A bad sign!" thought Petronius. + +"I wanted to invite thee to-day to a feast," continued Nero, "but I +prefer to shut myself in and polish that cursed line in the third +strophe. Besides thee Seneca may have noticed it, and perhaps +Secundus Carinas did; but I will rid myself of them quickly." + +Then he summoned Seneca, and declared that with Acratus and +Secundus Carinas, he sent him to the Italian and all other +provinces for money, which he commanded him to obtain from +cities, villages, famous temples, -- in a word, from every place +where it was possible to find money, or from which they could +force it. But Seneca, who saw that Caesar was confiding to him a +work of plunder, sacrilege, and robbery, refused straightway. + +"I must go to the country, lord," said he, "and await death, for I am +old and my nerves are sick." + +Seneca's Iberian nerves were stronger than Chilos; they were not +sick, perhaps, but in general his health was bad, for he seemed like +a shadow, and recently his hair had grown white altogether. + +Nero, too, when he looked at him, thought that he would not have +to wait long for the man's death, and answered, -- + +"I will not expose thee to a journey if thou art ill, but through +affection I wish to keep thee near me. Instead of going to the +country, then, thou wilt stay in thy own house, and not leave it." + +Then he laughed, and said, "If I send Acratus and Carinas by +themselves, it, will be like sending wolves for sheep. Whom shall I +set above them?" + +"Me, lord," said Domitius Afer. + +"No! I have no wish to draw on Rome the wrath of Mercury, whom +ye would put to shame with your villainy. I need some stoic like +Seneca, or like my new friend, the philosopher Chilo." + +Then he looked around, and asked, -- + +"But what has happened to Chilo?" + +Chilo, who had recovered in the open air and returned to the +amphitheatre for Caesar's song, pushed up, and said, -- + +"I am here, O Radiant Offspring of the sun and moon. I was ill, but +thy song has restored me." + +"I will send thee to Achaea," said Nero. "Thou must know to a +copper how much there is in each temple there." + +"Do so, O Zeus, and the gods will give thee such tribute as they +have never given any one." + +"I would, but I do not like to prevent thee from seeing the games." + +"Baal!" said Chilo. + +The Augustians, delighted that Caesar had regained humor, fell to +laughing, and exclaimed, -- + +"No, lord, deprive not this valiant Greek of a sight of the games." + +"But preserve sue, O lord, from the sight of these noisy geese of +the Capitol, whose brains put together would not fill a nutshell," +retorted Chilo. "O firstborn of Apollo, I am writing a Greek hymn +in thy honor, and I wish to spend a few days in the temple of the +Muses to implore inspiration." + +"Oh, no!" exclaimed Nero. "It is thy wish to escape future games. +Nothing will come of that!" + +"I swear to thee, lord, that I am writing a hymn." + +"Then thou wilt write it at night. Beg inspiration of Diana, who, by +the way, is a sister of Apollo." + +Chilo dropped his head and looked with malice on those present, +who began to laugh again. Caesar, turning to Senecio and Suilius +Nerulinus, said, -- + +"Imagine, of the Christians appointed for to-day we have been able +to finish hardly half!" + +At this old Aquilus Regulus, who had great knowledge of +everything touching the amphitheatre, thought a while, and said, -- + +"Spectacles in which people appear sine armis et sine arte last +almost as long and are less entertaining." + +"I will command to give them weapons," answered Nero. + +But the superstitious Vestinius was roused from meditation at +once, and asked in a mysterious voice, -- + +"Have ye noticed that when dying they see something? They look +up, and die as it were without pain. I am sure that they see +something." + +He raised his eyes then to the opening of the amphitheatre, over +which night had begun to extend its velarium dotted with stars. But +others answered with laughter and jesting suppositions as to what +the Christians could see at the moment of death. Meanwhile +Caesar gave a signal to the slave torch-bearers, and left the Circus; +after him followed vestals, senators, dignitaries, and Augustians. + +The night was clear and warm. Before the Circus were moving +throngs of people, curious to witness the departure of Caesar; but +in some way they were gloomy and silent. Here and there applause +was heard, but it ceased quickly. From the spoliarium creaking +carts bore away the bloody remnants of Christians. + +Petronius and Vinicius passed over their road in silence. Only +when near his villa did Petronius inquire, -- + +"Hast thou thought of what I told thee?" "I have," answered +Vinicius. + +"Dost believe that for me too this is a question of the highest +importance? I must liberate her in spite of Caesar and Tigellinus. +This is a kind of battle in which I have undertaken to conquer, a +kind of play in which I wish to win, even at the cost of my life. +This day has confirmed me still more in my plan." + +"May Christ reward thee." + +"Thou wilt see." + +Thus conversing, they stopped at the door of the villa and +descended from the litter. At that moment a dark figure +approached them, and asked, -- + +"Is the noble Vinicius here?" + +"He is," answered the tribune. "What is thy wish?" + +"I am Nazarius, the son of Miriam. I come from the prison, and +bring tidings of Lygia." + +Vinicius placed his hand on the young man's shoulder and looked +into his eyes by the torchlight, without power to speak a word, but +Nazarius divined the question which was dying on his lips, and +replied, -- + +"She is living yet. Ursus sent me to say that she prays in her fever, +and repeats thy name." + +"Praise be to Christ, who has power to restore her to me," said +Vinicius. He conducted Nazarius to the library, and after a while +Petronius came in to hear their conversation. + +"Sickness saved her from shame, for executioners are timid," said +the youth. "Ursus and Glaucus the physician watch over her night +and day." + +"Are the guards the same?" + +"They are, and she is in their chamber. All the prisoners in the +lower dungeon died of fever, or were stifled from foul air." + +"Who art thou?" inquired Petronins. + +"The noble Vinicius knows me. I am the son of that widow with +whom Lygia lodged." + +"And a Christian?" + +The youth looked with inquiring glance at Vinicius, but, seeing +him in prayer, he raised his head, and answered, -- + +"I am." + +"How canst thou enter the prison freely?" + +"I hired myself to carry out corpses; I did so to assist my brethren +and bring them news from the city." + +Petronius looked more attentively at the comely face of the youth, +his blue eyes, and dark, abundant hair. + +"From what country art thou, youth?" asked he. + +"I am a Galilean, lord." + +"Wouldst thou like to see Lygia free?" + +The youth raised his eyes. "Yes, even had I to die afterwards." + +Then Vinicius ceased to pray, and said, -- + +"Tell the guards to place her in a coffin as if she were dead. Thou +wilt find assistants to bear her out in the night with thee. Near the +'Putrid Pits' will be people with a litter waiting for you; to them ye +will give the coffin. Promise the guards from me as much gold as +each can carry in his mantle." + +While speaking, his face lost its usual torpor, and in him was +roused the soldier to whom hope had restored his former energy. + +Nazarius was flushed with delight, and, raising his hands, he +exclaimed, + +"May Christ give her health, for she will be free." + +"Dost thou think that the guards will consent?" inquired Petronius. + +"They, lord? Yes, if they know that punishment and torture will +not touch them." + +"The guards would consent to her flight; all the more will they let +us bear her out as a corpse," said Vinicius. + +"There is a man, it is true," said Nazarius, "who burns with red-hot +iron to see if the bodies which we carry out are dead. But he will +take even a few sestertia not to touch the face of the dead with +iron. For one aureus he will touch the coffin, not the body." + +"Tell him that he will get a cap full of aurei," said Petronius. "But +canst thou find reliable assistants?" + +"I can find men who would sell their own wives and children for +money." + +"Where wilt thou find them?" + +"In the prison itself or in the city. Once the guards are paid, they +will admit whomever I like." + +"In that case take me as a hired servant," said Vinicius. + +But Petronius opposed this most earnestly. "The pretorians might +recognize thee even in disguise, and all would be lost. Go neither +to the prison nor the 'Putrid Pits.' All, including Caesar and +Tigellinus, should be convinced that she died; otherwise they will +order immediate pursuit. We can lull suspicion only in this way: +When she is taken to the Alban Hills or farther, to Sicily, we shall +be in Rome. A week or two later thou wilt fall ill, and summon +Nero's physician; he will tell thee to go to the mountains. Thou and +she will meet, and afterward --" + +Here he thought a while; then, waving his hand, he said, -- + +"Other times may come." + +"May Christ have mercy on her," said Vinicius. "Thou art speaking +of Sicily, while she is sick and may die." + +"Let us keep her nearer Rome at first. The air alone will restore +her, if only we snatch her from the dungeon. Hast thou no manager +in the mountains whom thou canst trust?" + +"I have," replied Vinicius, hurriedly. "Near Corioli is a reliable +man who carried me in his arms when I was a child, and who loves +me yet." + +"Write to him to come to-morrow," said Petronius, handing +Vinicius tablets. "I will send a courier at once." + +He called the chief of the atrium then, and gave the needful orders. +A few minutes later, a mounted slave was coursing in the night +toward Corioli. + +"It would please me were Ursus to accompany her," said Vinicius. +"I should be more at rest." + +"Lord," said Nazarius, "that is a man of superhuman strength; he +can break gratings and follow her. There is one window above a +steep, high rock where no guard is placed. I will take Ursus a rope; +the rest he will do himself." + +"By Hercules!" said Petronius, "let him tear himself out as he +pleases, but not at the same time with her, and not two or three +days later, for they would follow him and discover her +hiding-place. By Hercules! do ye wish to destroy yourselves and +her? I forbid you to name Corioli to him, or I wash my hands." + +Both recognized the justice of these words, and were silent. +Nazarius took leave, promising to come the next morning at +daybreak. + +He hoped to finish that night with the guards, but wished first to +run in to see his mother, who in that uncertain and dreadful time +had no rest for a moment thinking of her son. After some thought +he had determined not to seek an assistant in the city, but to find +and bribe one from among his fellow corpse-bearers. When going, +he stopped, and, taking Vinicius aside, whispered, -- + +"I will not mention our plan to any one, not even to my mother, but +the Apostle Peter promised to come from the amphitheatre to our +house; I will tell him everything." + +"Here thou canst speak openly," replied Vinicius. "The Apostle +was in the amphitheatre with the people of Petronius. But I will go +with you myself." + +He gave command to bring him a slave's mantle, and they passed +out. Pctronius sighed deeply. + +"I wished her to die of that fever," thought he, "since that would +have been less terrible for Vinicius. But now I am ready to offer a +golden tripod to Esculapius for her health. Ah! Ahenobarbus, thou +hast the wish to turn a lover's pain into a spectacle; thou, Augusta, +wert jealous of the maiden's beauty, and wouldst devour her alive +because thy Ruflus has perished. Thou, Tigellinus, wouldst destroy +her to spite me! We shall see. I tell you that your eyes will not +behold her on the arena, for she will either die her own death, or I +shall wrest her from you as from the jaws of dogs, and wrest her in +such fashion that ye shall not know it; and as often afterward as I +look at you I shall think, These are the fools whom Caius Petronius +outwitted." + +And, self-satisfied, he passed to the triclinium, where he sat down +to supper with Eunice. During the meal a lector read to them the +Idyls of Theocritus. Out of doors the wind brought clouds from the +direction of Soracte, and a sudden storm broke the silence of the +calm summer night. From time to time thunder reverberated on the +seven hills, while they, reclining near each other at the table, +listened to the bucolic poet, who in the singing Done dialect +celebrated the loves of shepherds. Later on, with minds at rest, +they prepared for sweet slumber. + +But before this Vinicius returned. Petronius heard of his coming, +and went to meet him. + +"Well? Have ye fixed anything new?" inquired he. "Has Nazarius +gone to the prison?" + +"He has," answered the young man, arranging his hair, wet from +the rain. "Nazarius went to arrange with the guards, and I have +seen Peter, who commanded me to pray and believe." + +"That is well. If all goes favorably, we can bear her away +to-morrow night." + +"My manager must be here at daybreak with men." + +"The road is a short one. Now go to rest." + +But Vinicius knelt in his cubiculum and prayed. + +At sunrise Niger, the manager, arrived from Corioli, bringing with +him, at the order of Vinicius, mules, a litter, and four trusty men +selected among slaves from Britain, whom, to save appearances, +he had left at an inn in the + +Subura. Vinicius, who had watched all night, went to meet him. +Niger, moved at sight of his youthful master, kissed his hands and +eyes, saying, -- + +"My dear, thou art ill, or else suffering has sucked the blood from +thy face, for hardly did I know thee at first." + +Vinicius took him to the interior colonnade, and there admitted +him to the secret. Niger listened with fixed attention, and on his +dry, sunburnt face great emotion was evident; this he did not even +try to master. + +"Then she is a Christian?" exclaimed Niger; and he looked +inquiringly into the face of Vinicius, who divined evidently what +the gaze of the countryman was asking, since he answered, -- + +"I too am a Christian." + +Tears glistened in Niger's eyes that moment. He was silent for a +while; then, raising his hands, he said, -- + +"I thank Thee, O Christ, for having taken the beam from eyes +which are the dearest on earth to me." + +Then he embraced the head of Vinicius, and, weeping from +happiness, fell to kissing his forehead. A moment later, Petronius +appeared, bringing Nazarius. + +"Good news!" cried he, while still at a distance. + +Indeed, the news was good. First, Glaucus the physician +guaranteed Lygia's life, though she had the same prison fever of +which, in the Tullianum and other dungeons, hundreds of people +were dying daily. As to the guards and the man who tried corpses +with red-hot iron, there was not the least difficulty. Attys, the +assistant, was satisfied also. + +"We made openings in the coffin to let the sick woman breathe," +said Nazarius. "The only danger is that she may groan or speak as +we pass the pretorians. But she is very weak, and is lying with +closed eyes since early morning. Besides, Glaucus will give her a +sleeping draught prepared by himself from drugs brought by me +purposely from the city. The cover will not be nailed to the coffin; +ye will raise it easily and take the patient to the litter. We will +place in the coffin a long bag of sand, which ye will provide." + +Vinicius, while hearing these words, was as pale as linen; but he +listened with such attention that he seemed to divine at a glance +what Nazarius had to say. + +"Will they carry out other bodies from the prison?" inquired +Petronius. + +"About twenty died last night, and before evening more will be +dead," said the youth. "We must go with a whole company, but we +will delay and drop into the rear. At the first corner my comrade +will get lame purposely. In that way we shall remain behind the +others considerably. Ye will wait for us at the small temple of +Libitina. May God give a night as dark as possible!" + +"He will," said Niger. "Last evening was bright, and then a sudden +storm came. To-day the sky is clear, but since morning it is sultry. +Every night now there will be wind and rain." + +"Will ye go without torches?" inquired Vinicius. + +"The torches are carried only in advance. In every event, be near +the temple of Libitina at dark, though usually we carry out the +corpses only just before midnight." + +They stopped. Nothing was to be heard save the hurried breathing +of Vinicius. Petronius turned to him, -- + +"I said yesterday that it would be best were we both to stay at +home, but now I see that I could not stay. Were it a question of +flight, there would be need of the greatest caution; but since she +will be borne out as a corpse, it seems that not the least suspicion +will enter the head of any one." + +"True, true!" answered Vinicius. "I must be there. I will take her +from the coffin myself." + +"Once she is in my house at Corioli, I answer for her," said Niger. +Conversation stopped here. Niger returned to his men at the inn. +Nazarius took a purse of gold under his tunic and went to the +prison. For Vinicius began a day filled with alarm, excitement, +disquiet, and hope. + +"The undertaking ought to succeed, for it is well planned," said +Petronius. "It was impossible to plan better. Thou must feign +suffering, and wear a dark toga. Do not desert the amphitheatre. +Let people see thee. All is so fixed that there cannot be failure. But +-- art thou perfectly sure of thy manager?" + +"He is a Christian," replied Vinicius. + +Petronius looked at him with amazement, then shrugged his +shoulders, and said, as if in soliloquy, -- + +"By Pollux! how it spreads, and commands people's souls. Under +such terror as the present, men would renounce straightway all the +gods of Rome, Greece, and Egypt. Still, this is wonderful! By +Pollux! if I believed that anything depended on our gods, I would +sacrifice six white bullocks to each of them, and twelve to +Capitoline Jove. Spare no promises to thy Christ." + +"I have given Him my soul," said Vinicius. + +And they parted. Petronius returned to his cubiculum; but Vinicius +went to look from a distance at the prison, and thence betook +himself to the slope of the Vatican hill, -- to that hut of the +quarryman where he had received baptism from the hands of the +Apostle. It seemed to him that Christ would hear him more readily +there than in any other place; so when he found it, he threw +himself on the ground and exerted all the strength of his suffering +soul in prayer f or mercy, and so forgot himself that he +remembered not where he was or what he was doing. In the +afternoon he was roused by the sound of trumpets which came +from the direction of Nero's Circus. He went out of the hut, and +gazed around with eyes which were as if just opened from sleep. + +It was hot; the stillness was broken at intervals by the sound of +brass and continually by the ceaseless noise of grasshoppers. The +air had become sultry, the sky was still clear over the city, but near +the Sabine Hills dark clouds were gathering at the edge of the +horizon. + +Vinicius went home. Petronius was waiting for him in the atrium. + +"I have been on the Palatine," said he. "I showed myself there +purposely, and even sat down at dice. There is a feast at the house +of Anicius this evening; I promised to go, but only after midnight, +saying that I must sleep before that hour. In fact I shall be there, +and it would be well wert thou to go also." + +"Are there no tidings from Niger or Nazarius?" inquired Vinicius. + +"No; we shall see them only at midnight. Hast noticed that a storm +is threatening?" + +"Yes." + +"To-morrow there is to be an exhibition of crucified Christians, but +perhaps rain will prevent it." + +Then he drew nearer and said, touching his nephew's shoulder, -- +"But thou wilt not see her on the cross; thou wilt see her only in +Corioli. By Castor! I would not give the moment in which we free +her for all the gems in Rome. The evening is near." + +In truth the evening was near, and darkness began to encircle the +city earlier than usual because clouds covered the whole horizon. +With the corming of night heavy rain fell, which turned into +steam on the stones warmed by the heat of the day, and filled the +streets of the city with mist. After that came a lull, then brief +violent showers. + +"Let us hurry!" said Vinicius at last; "they may carry bodies from +the prison earlier because of the storm." + +"It is time!" said Petronius. + +And taking Gallic mantles with hoods, they passed through the +garden door to the street. Petronius had armed himself with a short +Roman knife called sicca, which he took always during night trips. + +The city was empty because of the storm. From time to time +lightning rent the clouds, illuminating with its glare the fresh walls +of houses newly built or in process of building and the wet +flag-stones with which the streets were paved. At last a flash came, +when they saw, after a rather long road, the mound on which stood +the small temple of Libitina, and at the foot of the mound a group +of mules and horses. + +"Niger!" called Vinicius, in a low voice. + +"I am here, lord," said a voice in the rain. + +"Is everything ready?" + +"It is. We were here at dark. But hide yourselves under the +rampart, or ye will be drenched. What a storm! Hail will fall, I +think." + +In fact Niger's fear was justified, for soon hail began to fall, at first +fine, then larger and more frequent. The air grew cold at once. +While standing under the rampart, sheltered from the wind and icy +missiles, they conversed in low voices. + +"Even should some one see us," said Niger, "there will be no +suspicion; we look like people waiting for the storm to pass. But I +fear that they may not bring the bodies out till morning." + +"The hail-storm will not last," said Petronius. "We must wait even +till daybreak." + +They waited, listening to hear the sound of the procession. The +hail-storm passed. but immediately after a shower began to roar. +At times the wind rose, and brought from the 'Putrid Pits" a +dreadful odor of decaying bodies, buried near the surface and +carelessly. + +"I see a light through the mist," said Niger, -- "one, two, three, -- +those are torches. See that the mules do not snort," said he, turning +to the men. + +"They are coming!" said Petronius. + +The lights were growing more and more distinct. After a time it +was possible to see torches under the quivering flames. + +Niger made the sign of the cross, and began to pray. Meanwhile +the gloomy procession drew nearer, and halted at last in front of +the temple of Libitina. Petronius, Vinicius, and Niger pressed up to +the rampart in silence, not knowing why the halt was made. But +the men had stopped only to cover their mouths and faces with +cloths to ward off the stifling stench which at the edge of the +"Putrid Pits" was simply unendurable; then they raised the biers +with coffins and moved on. Only one coffin stopped before the +temple. Vinicius sprang toward it, and after him Petronius, Niger, +and two British slaves with the litter. + +But before they had reached it in the darkness, the voice of +Nazarius was heard, full of pain, -- + +"Lord, they took her with Ursus to the Esquiline prison. We are +carrying another body! They removed her before midnight." + +Petronius, when he had returned home, was gloomy as a storm, +and did not even try to console Vinicius. He understood that to free +Lygia from the Esquiline dungeons was not to be dreamed of. He +divined that very likely she had been taken from the Tullianum so +as not to die of fever and escape the amphitheatre assigned to her. +But for this very reason she was watched and guarded more +carefully than others. From the bottom of his soul Petronius was +sorry for her and Vinicius, but he was wounded also by the thought +that for the first time in life he had not succeeded, and for the first +time was beaten in a struggle. + +"Fortune seems to desert me," said he to himself, "but the gods are +mistaken if they think that I will accept such a life as his, for +example." + +Here he turned toward Vinicius, who looked at him with staring +eyes. "What is the matter? Thou hast a fever," said Petronius. + +But Vinicius answered with a certain strange, broken, halting +voice, like that of a sick child, -- "But I believe that He -- can +restore her to me." + +Above the city the last thunders of the storm had ceased. + +Chapter LVII + + +THREE days' rain, an exceptional phenomenon in Rome during +summer, and hail falling in opposition to the natural order, not +only in the day, but even at night, interrupted the spectacles. +People were growing alarmed. A failure of grapes was predicted, +and when on a certain afternoon a thunderbolt melted the bronze +statue of Ceres on the Capitol, sacrifices were ordered in the +temple of Jupiter Salvator. The priests of Ceres spread a report that +the anger of the gods was turned on the city because of the too +hasty punishment of Christians; hence crowds began to insist that +the spectacles be given without reference to weather. Delight +seized all Rome when the announcement was made at last that the +ludus would begin again after three days' interval. + +Meanwhile beautiful weather returned. The amphitheatre was +filled at daybreak with thousands of people. Caesar came early +with the vestals and the court. The spectacle was to begin with a +battle among the Christians, who to this end were arrayed as +gladiators and furnished with all kinds of weapons which served +gladiators by profession in offensive and defensive struggles. But +here came disappointment. The Christians threw nets, darts, +tridents, and swords on the arena, embraced and encouraged one +another to endurance in view of torture and death. At this deep +indignation and resentment seized the hearts of the multitude. +Some reproached the Christiaiis with cowardice and pusillanimity; +others asserted that they refused to fight through hatred of the +people, so as to deprive them of that pleasure which the sight of +bravery produces. Finally, at command of Caesar, real gladiators +were let out, who despatched in one twinkle the kneeling and +defenceless victims. + +When these bodies were removed, the spectacle was a series of +mythologic pictures, -- Caesar's own idea. The audience saw +Hercules blazing in living fire on Mount Oeta. Vinicius had +trembled at the thought that the role of Hercules might be intended +for Ursus; but evidently the turn of Lygia's faithful servant had not +come, for on the pile some other Christian was burning, -- a man +quite unknown to Vinicius. In the next picture Chilo, whom Caesar +would not excuse from attendance, saw acquaintances. The death +of Daedalus was represented, and also that of Icarus. In the role of +Daerdalus appeared Euricius, that old man who had given Chilo +the sign of the fish; the role of Icarus was taken by his son, +Quartus. Both were raised aloft with cunning machinery, and then +hurled suddenly from an immense height to the arena. Young +Quartus fell so near Caesar's podium that he spattered with blood +not only the external ornaments but the purple covering spread +over the front of the podium. Chilo did not see the fall, for he +closed his eves; but he heard the dull thump of the body, and when +after a time he saw blood there close to him, he came near fainting +a second time. + +The pictures changed quickly. The shameful torments of maidens +violated before death by gladiators dressed as wild beasts, +delighted the hearts of the rabble. They saw priestesses of Cybele +and Ceres, they saw the Danaides, they saw Dirce and Pasiphae; +finally they saw young girls, not mature yet, torn asunder by wild +horses. Every moment the crowd applauded new ideas of Nero, +who, proud of them, and made happy by plaudits, did not take the +emerald from his eye for one instant while looking at white bodies +torn with iron, and the convulsive quivering of victims. + +Pictures were given also from the history of the city. After the +maidens they saw Mucius Scaevola, whose hand fastened over a +fire to a tripod filled the amphitheatre with the odor of burnt flesh; +but this man, like the real Scaevola, remained without a groan, his +eyes raised and the murmur of prayer on his blackening lips. When +he had expired and his body was dragged to the spoliarium, the +usual midday interlude followed. Caesar with the vestals and the +Augustians left the amphitheatre, and withdrew to an immense +scarlet tent erected purposely; in this was prepared for him and the +guests a magnificent prandium. The spectators for the greater part +followed his example, arid, streaming out, disposed themselves in +picturesque groups around the tent, to rest their limbs wearied +from long sitting, and enjoy the food which, through Caesar's +favor, was served by slaves to them. Only the most curious +descended to the arena itself, and, touching with their fingers +lumps of sand held together by blood, conversed, as specialists and +amateurs, of that which had happened and of that which was to +follow. Soon even these went away, lest they might be late for the +feast; only those few were left who stayed not through curiosity, +but sympathy for the coming victims. Those concealed themselves +behind seats or in the lower places. + +Meanwhile the arena was levelled, and slaves began to dig holes +one near the other in rows throughout the whole circuit from side +to side, so that the last row was but a few paces distant from +Caesar's podium. From outside came the murmur of people, shouts +and plaudits, while within they were preparing in hot haste for new +tortures. The cunicula were opened simultaneously, and in all +passages leading to the arena were urged forward crowds of +Christians naked and carrying crosses on their shoulders. The +whole arena was filled with them. Old men, bending under the +weight of wooden beams, ran forward; at the side of these went +men in the prime of life, women with loosened hair behind which +they strove to hide their nakedness, small boys, and little children. +The crosses, for the greater part, as well as the victims, were +wreathed with flowers. The servants of the amphitheatre beat the +unfortunates with clubs, forcing them to lay down their crosses +near the holes prepared, and stand themselves there in rows. Thus +were to perish those whom executioners had had no chance to +drive out as food for dogs and wild beasts the first day of the +games. Black slaves seized the victims, laid them face upward on +the wood, and fell to nailing their hands hurriedly and quickly to +the arms of the crosses, so that people returning after the interlude +might find all the crosses standing. The whole amphitheatre +resounded with the noise of hammers which echoed through all the +rows, went out to the space surrounding the amphitheatreae and +into the tent where Caesar was entertaining his suite and the +vestals. There he drank wine, bantered with Chilo, and whispered +strange words in the ears of the priestesses of Vesta; but on the +arena the work was seething, -- nails were going into the hands and +feet of the Christians; shovels moved quickly, filling the holes in +which the crosses had been planted. + +Among the new victims whose turn was to come soon was +Crispus. The lions had not had time to rend him; hence he was +appointed to the cross. He, ready at all times for death, was +delighted with the thought that his hour was approaching. He +seemed another man, for his emaciated body was wholly naked, -- +only a girdle of ivy encircled his hips, on his head was a garland of +roses. But in his eyes gleamed always that same exhaustless +energy; that same fanatical stern face gazed from beneath the +crown of roses. Neither had his heart changed; for, as once in the +cuniculum he had threatened with the wrath of God his brethren +sewed up in the skins of wild beasts, so to-day he thundered in +place of consoling them. + +"Thank the Redeemer," said Crispus, "that He permits you to die +the same death that He Himself died. Maybe a part of your sins +will be remitted for this cause; but tremble, since justice must be +satisfied, and there cannot be one reward for the just and the +wicked." + +His words were accompanied by the sound of the hammers nailing +the hands and feet of victims. Every moment more crosses were +raised on the arena; but he, turning to the crowd standing each man +by his own cross, continued, -- + +"1 see heaven open, but I see also the yawning abyss. I know not +what account of my life to give the Lord, though I have believed, +and hated evil. I fear, not death, but resurrection; I fear, not torture, +but judgment, for the day of wrath is at hand." + +At that moment was heard from between the nearest rows some +voice, calm and solemn, -- + +"Not the day of wrath, but of mercy, the day of salvation and +happiness; for I say that Christ will gather you in, will comfort you +and seat you at His right hand. Be confident, for heaven is opening +before you." + +At these words all eyes were turned to the benches; even those +who were hanging on the crosses raised their pale, tortured faces, +and looked toward the man who was speaking. + +But he went to the barrier surrounding the arena, and blessed them +with the sign of the cross. + +Crispus stretched out his arm as if to thunder at him; but when he +saw the man's face, he dropped his arm, the knees bent under him, +and his lips whispered, "Paul the Apostle!" + +To the great astonishment of the servants of the Circus, all of those +who were not nailed to the crosses yet knelt down. Paul turned to +Crispus and said,-- + +"Threaten them not, Crispus, for this day they will be with thee in +paradise. It is thy thought that they may be condemned. But who +will condemn? + +Will God, who gave His Son for them? Will Christ, who died for +their salvation, condemn when they die for His name? And how is +it possible that He who loves can condemn? Who will accuse the +chosen of God? Who will say of this blood, 'It is cursed'?" + +"I have hated evil," said the old priest. + +"Christ's command to love men was higher than that to hate evil, +for His religion is not hatred, but love." + +"I have sinned in the hour of death," answered Crispus, beating his +breast. The manager of the seats approached the Apostle, and +inquired, -- + +"Who art thou, speaking to the condemned?" + +"A Roman citizen," answered Paul, calmly. Then, turning to +Crispus, he said: "Be confident, for to-day is a day of grace; die in +peace, O servant of God." + +The black men approached Crispus at that moment to place him on +the cross; but he looked around once again, and cried, -- + +"My brethren, pray for me!" + +His face had lost its usual sternness; his stony features had taken +an expression of peace and sweetness. He stretched his arms +himself along the arms of the cross, to make the work easier, and, +looking directly into heaven, began to pray earnestly. He seemed to +feel nothing; for when the nails entered his hands, not the least +quiver shook his body, nor on his face did there appear any wrinkle +of pain. He prayed when they raised the cross and trampled the +earth around it. Only when crowds began to fill the amphitheatre +with shouts and laughter did his brows frown somewhat, as if in +anger that a pagan people were disturbing the calm and peace of a +sweet death. + +But all the crosses had been raised, so that in the arena there stood +as it were a forest, with people hanging on the trees. On the arms +ni the crosses and on the heads of the martyrs fell the gleam of the +sun; but on the arena was a deep shadow, forming a kind of black +involved grating through which glittered the golden sand. That +was a spectacle in which the whole delight of the audience +consisted in looking at a lingering death. Never before had men +seen such a density of crosses. The arena was packed so closely +that the servants squeezed between them only with effort. On the +edges were women especially; but Crispus, as a leader, was raised +almost in front of Caesar's podium, on an immense cross, wreathed +below with honeysuckle. None of the victims had died yet, but +some of those fastened earlier had fainted. No one groaned; no one +called for mercy. Some were hanging with head inclined on one +arm, or dropped on the breast, as if seized by sleep; some were as +if in meditation; some, looking toward heaven, were moving their +lips quietly. In this terrible forest of crosses, among those crucified +bodies, in that silence of victims there was something ominous. +The people who, filled by the feast and gladsome, had returned to +the Circus with shouts, became silent, not knowing on which body +to rest their eyes, or what to think of the spectacle. The nakedness +of strained female forms roused no feeling. They did not make the +usual bets as to who would die first, -- a thing done generally when +there was even the smallest number of criminals on the arena. It +seemed that Caesar himself was bored, for he turned lazily and +with drowsy expression to arrange his necklace. + +At that moment Crispus, who was hanging opposite, and who, like +a man in a faint or dying, had kept his eyes closed, opened them +and looked at Caesar. His face assumed an expression so pitiless, +and his eyes flashed with such fire, that the Augustians whispered +to one another, pointing at him with their fingers, and at last +Caesar himself turned to that cross, and placed the emerald to his +eye sluggishly. + +Perfect silence followed. The eyes of the spectators were fixed on +Crispus, who strove to move his right hand, as if to tear it from the +tree. + +After a while his breast rose, his ribs were visible, and he cried: +"Matricide! woe to thee!" + +The Augustians, hearing this mortal insult flung at the lord of the +world in presence of thousands, did not dare to breathe. Chilo was +half dead. Caesar trembled, and dropped the emerald from his +fingers. The people, too, held the breath in their breasts. The voice +of Crispus was heard, as it rose in power, throughout the +amphitheatre, -- + +"Woe to thee, murderer of wife and brother! woe to thee, +Antichrist. The abyss is opening beneath thee, death is stretching +its hands to thee, the grave is waiting for thee. Woe, living corpse, +for in terror shalt thou die and be damned to eternity!" + +Unable to tear his hand from the cross, Crispus strained awfully. +He was terrible,--a living skeleton; unbending as predestination, he +shook his white beard over Nero's podium, scattering, as he +nodded, rose leaves from the garland on his head. + +"Woe to thee, murderer! Thy measure is surpassed, and thy hour is +at hand!" + +Here he made one more effort. It seemed for a moment that he +would free his hand from the cross and hold it in menace above +Caesar; but all at once his emaciated arms extended still more, his +body settled down, his head fell on his breast, and he died. + +In that forest of crosses the weakest began also the sleep of +eternity. + +Chapter LVIII + +"Loan," said Chio, "the sea is like olive oil, the waves seem to +sleep. Let us go to Achaa. There the glory of Apollo is awaiting +thee, crowns and triumph are awaiting thee, the people will deify +thee, the gods will receive thee as a guest, their own equal; but +here, O lord --" + +And he stopped, for his lower lip began to quiver so violently that +his words passed into meaningless sounds. + +"We will go when the games are over," replied Nero. "I know that +even now some call the Christians innoxia corpora. ff1 were to go, +all would repeat this. What dost thou fear?" + +Then he frowned, but looked with inquiring glance at Chilo, as if +expecting an answer, for he only feigned cool blood. At the last +exhibition he himself feared the words of Crispus; and when he +had returned to the Palatine, he could not sleep from rage and +shame, but also from fear. + +Then Vestinius, who heard their conversation in silence, looked +around, and said in a mysterious voice, -- + +"Listen, lord, to this old man. There is something strange in those +Christians. Their deity gives them an easy death, but he may be +vengeful." + +"It was not I who arranged the games, but Tigellinus," replied +Nero, quickly. + +"True! it was I," added Tigellinus, who heard Caesar's answer, +"and I jeer at all Christian gods. Vestinius is a bladder full of +prejudices, and this valiant Greek is ready to die of terror at sight +of a hen with feathers up in defence of her chickens." + +"True!" said Nero; "but henceforth give command to cut the +tongues out of Christians and stop their mouths." + +"Fire will stop them, O divinity." + +"Woe is me!" groaned Chilo. + +But Caesar, to whom the insolent confidence of Tigellinus gave +courage, began to laugh, and said, pointing to the old Greek, + +"See how the descendant of Achilles looks!" + +Indeed Chilo looked terribly. The remnant of hair on his head had +grown white; on his face was fixed an expression of some +immense dread, alarm, and oppression. He seemed at times, too, as +if stunned and only half conscious. Often he gave no answer to +questions; then again he fell into anger, and became so insolent +that the Augustians preferred not to attack him. Such a moment +had come to him then. + +"Do what ye like with me, but I will not go to the games!" cried he, +in desperation. + +Nero looked at him for a while, and, turning to Tigellinus, said, -- + +"Have a care that this Stoic is near me in the gardens. I want to see +what impression our torches will make on him." + +Chilo was afraid of the threat which qaeiivercd in Caesar's voice. + +"O lord," said he, "I shall see nothing, for I cannot see in the +night-time." + +"The night will be as bright as day," replied Caesar, with a +threatening laugh. + +Turning then to the Augustians, Nero talked about races which he +intended to have when the games were over. + +Petronius approached Chio, and asked, pushing him on the +shoulder, -- + +"Have I not said that thou wouldst not hold out?" + +"I wish to drink," said Chilo, stretching his trembling hand toward +a goblet of wine; but he was unable to raise it to his lips. Seeing +this, Vestinius took the vessel; but later he drew near, and inquired +with curious and frightened face, -- + +"Are the Furies pursuing thee?" + +The old man looked at him a certain time with open lips, as if not +understanding what he said. But Vestinius repeated,-- + +"Are the Furies pursuing thee?" + +"No," answered Chio; "but night is before me." + +"How, night? May the gods have mercy on thee. How night?" + +"Night, ghastly and impenetrable, in which something is moving, +something coming toward me; but I know not what it is, and I am +terrified." + +"1 have always been sure that there are witches. Dost thou not +dream of something?" + +"No, for I do not sleep. I did not think that they would be punished +thus." + +"Art thou sorry for them?" + +"Why do ye shed so much blood? Hast heard what that one said +from the cross? Woe to us!" + +"I heard," answered Vestinius, in a low voice. "But they are +incendiaries." + +"Not true!" + +"And enemies of the human race." + +"Not true!" + +"And poisoners of water." + +"Not true!" + +"And murderers of children." + +"Not true!" + +"How?" inquired Vestinius, with astonishment. "Thou hast said so +thyself, and given them into the hands of Tigellinus." + +"Therefore night has surrounded me, and death is coming toward +me. At times it seems to me that I am dead already, and ye also. + +"No! it is they who are dying; we are alive. But tell me, what do +they see when they are dying?" + +"Christ." + +"That is their god. Is he a mighty god?" + +But Chilo answered with a question, -- + +"What kind of torches are to burn in the gardens? Hast +thou heard what Caesar said?" + +"I heard, and I know. Those torches are called Sarmentitii and +Semaxii. They are made by arraying men in painful tunics, steeped +in pitch, and binding them to pillars, to which fire is set afterward. +May their god not send misfortune on the city. Semaxii! that is a +dreadful punishment!" + +"I would rather see it, for there will not be blood," answered Chilo. +"Command a slave to hold the goblet to my mouth. I wish to drink, +but I spill the wine; my hand trembles from age." + +Others also were speaking of the Christians. Old Domitius Afer +reviled them. + +"There is such a multitude of them," said he, "that they might raise +a civil war; and, reiiiemnber, there were fears lest they might arm. +But they die like sheep." + +"Let them try to die otherwise!" said Tigellinus. + +To this Petronius answered, "Ye deceive yourselves. They are +arming." + +"With what?" + +"With patience." + +"That is a new kind of weapon." + +"True. But can ye say that they die like common criminals? No! +They die as if the criminals were those who condemned them to +death, -- that is, we and the whole Roman people." + +"What raving!" said Tigellinus. + +"Hic Abdera!" 1 answered Petronius. + +But others, struck by the justice of his remark, began to look at one +another with astonishment, and repeat, -- + +"True! there is something peculiar and strange in their death." + +"I tell you that they see their divinity!" cried Vestinius, from one +side. Thereupon a number of Augustians turned to Chilo, -- + +"Hal, old man, thou knowest them well; tell us what they see." The +Greek spat out wine on his tunic, and answered, -- + +"The resurrection." And he began to tremble so that the guests +sitting nearer burst into loud laughter. + +1 Proverbial expression meaning "The dullest of the full" Note by +the Author. + +Chapter LIX + +FOR some rime Vinicius had spent his nights away from home. It +occurred to Petronius that perhaps he had formed a new plan, and +was working to liberate Lygia from the Esquiline dungeon; he did +not wish, however, to inquire about anything, lest he might bring +misfortune to the work. This sceptical exquisite had become in a +certain sense superstitious. He had failed to snatch Lygia from the +Mamertine prison, hence had ceased to believe in his own star. + +Besides, he did not count this time on a favorable outcome for the +efforts of Vinicius. The Esquiline prison, formed in a hurry from +the cellars of houses thrown down to stop the fire, was not, it is +true, so terrible as the old Tullianum near the Capitol, but it was a +hundred times better guarded. Petronius understood perfectly that +Lygia had been taken there only to escape death and not escape the +amphitheatre. He could understand at once that for this very reason +they were guarding her as a man guards the eye in his head. + +"Evidently," said he to himself, "Caesar and Tigellinus have +reserved her for some special spectacle, more dreadful than all +others, and Vinicius is more likely to perish than rescue her." + +Vinicius, too, had lost hope of being able to free Lygia. Christ +alone could do that. The young tribune now thought only of seeing +her in prison. + +For some time the knowledge that Nazarius had penetrated the +Mamertine prison as a corpse-bearer had given him no peace; +hence he resolved to try that method also. + +The overseer of the "Putrid Pits," who had been bribed f or an +immense sum of money, admitted him at last among servants +whom he sent nightly to prisons for corpses. The danger that +Vinicius might be recognized was really small. He was preserved +from it by night, the dress of a slave, and the defective illumination +of the prison. Besides, into whose head could it enter that a +patrician, the grandson of one consul, the son of another, could be +found among servants, corpse-bearers, exposed to the miasma of +prisons and the "Putrid Pits"? And he began work to which men +were forced only by slavery or the direst need. + +When the desired evening came, he girded his loins gladly, +covered his head with a cloth steeped in turpentine, and with +throbbing heart betook himself, with a crowd of others, to the +Esquiine. + +The pretorian guards made no trouble, for all had brought proper +tesserae, which the centurion examined by the light of a lantern. +After a while the great iron doors opened before them, and they +entered. + +Vinicius saw an extensive vaulted cellar, from which they passed +to a series of others. Dim tapers illuminated the interior of each, +which was filled with people. Some of these were lying at the +walls sunk in sleep, or dead, perhaps. Others surrounded large +vessels of water, standing in the middle, out of which they drank as +people tormented with fever; others were sitting on the grounds, +their elbows on their knees, their heads on their palms; here and +there children were sleeping, nestled up to their mothers. Groans, +loud hurried breathing of the sick, weeping, whispered prayers, +hymns in an undertone, the curses of overseers were heard round +about it. In this dungeon was the odor of crowds and corpses. In its +gloomy depth dark figures were swarming; nearer, close to +flickering lights, were visible faces, pale, terrified, hungry, and +cadaverous, with eyes dim, or else flaming with fever, with lips +blue, with streams of sweat on their foreheads, and with clammy +hair. In corners the sick were moaning loudly; some begged for +water; others, to be led to death. And still that prison was less +terrible than the old Tullianum. The legs bent under Vinicius when +he saw all this, and breath was failing in his breast. At the thought +that Lygia was in the midst of this misery and misfortune, the hair +rose on his head, and he stifled a cry of despair. The amphitheatre, +the teeth of wild beasts, the cross, -- anything was better than those +dreadful dungeons filled with the odor of corpses, places in which +imploring voices called from every corner, -- + +"Lead us to death!" + +Vinicius pressed his nails into his palms, for he felt that he was +growing weak, and that presence of mind was deserting him. All +that he had felt till then, all his love and pain, changed in him to +one desire for death. + +Just then near his side was heard the overseer of the "Putrid Pits,"-- + +"How many corpses have ye to-day?" + +"About a dozen," answered the guardian of the prison, "but there +will be more before morning; some are in agony at the walls." + +And he fell to complaining of women who concealed dead +children so as to keep them near and not yield them to the "Putrid +Pits." "We must discover corpses first by the odor; through this the +air, so terrible already, is spoiled still more. I would rather be a +slave in some rural prison than guard these dogs rotting here while +alive --" + +The overseer of the pits comforted him, saying that his own +service was no easier. By this time the sense of reality had returned +to Vinicius. He began to search the dungeon; but sought in vain for +Lygia, fearing meanwhile that he would never see her alive. A +number of cellars were connected by newly made passages; the +corpse-bearers entered only those from which corpses were to be +carried. Fear seized Vinicius lest that privilege which had cost so +much trouble might serve no purpose. Luckily his patron aided +him. + +"Infection spreads most through corpses," said he. "Ye must carry +out the bodies at once, or die yourselves, together with the +prisoners." + +"There are only ten of us for all the cellars," said the guardian, +"and we must sleep." + +"I will leave four men of mine, who will go through the cellars at +night to see if these are dead." + +"We will drink to-morrow if thou do that. Everybody must be +taken to the test; for an order has come to pierce the neck of each +corpse, and then to the 'Putrid Pits' at once with it." + +"Very well, but we will drink," said the overseer. + +Four men were selected, and among them Vinicius; the others he +took to put the corpses on the biers. + +Vinicius was at rest; he was certain now at least of finding Lygia. +The young tribune began by examining the first dungeon carefully; +he looked into all the dark corners hardly reached by the light of +his torch; he examined figures sleeping at the walls under coarse +cloths; he saw that the most grievously ill were drawn into a corner +apart. But Lygia he found in no place. In a second and third +dungeon his search was equally fruitless. + +Meanwhile the hour had grown late; all corpses had been carried +out. The guards, disposing themselves in the corridors between +cellars, were asleep; the children, wearied with crying, were silent; +nothing was heard save the breathing of troubled breasts, and here +and there the murmur of prayer. + +Vinicius went with his torch to the fourth dungeon, which was +considerably smaller. Raising the light, he began to examine it, +and trembled all at once, for it seemed to him that he saw, near a +latticed opening in the wall, the gigantic form of Ursus. Then, +blowing out the light, he approached him, and asked,-- + + "Ursus, art thou here?" + +"Who art thou?" asked the giant, turning his head. "Dost not know +me?" + +"Thou hast quenched the torch; how could I know thee?" + +But at that moment Vinicius saw Lygia lying on a cloak near the +wall; so, without speaking further, he knelt near her. Ursus +recognized him, and said, -- + +"Praise be to Christ! but do not wake her, lord." + +Vinicius, kneeling down, gazed at her through his tears. In splte of +the darkness he could distinguish her face, which seemed to him as +pale as ala-. baster, and her emaciated arms. At that sight he was +seized by a love which was like a rending pain, a love which shook +his soul to its uttermost depth, and which at the same time was so +full of pity, respect, and homage that he fell on his face, and +pressed to his lips the hem of the cloak on which rested that head +dearer to him than all else on earth. + +Ursus looked at Vinieius for a long time in silence, but at last he +pulled his tunic. + +"Lord," asked he, "how didst thou come, and hast thou come here +to save her?" + +Vinicius rose, and struggled for a time wth his emotion. "Show me +the means," replied he. + +"I thought that thou wouldst find them, lord. Only one method +came to my head --" + +Here he turned toward the grating in the wall, as if in answer to +himself, and said, -- + +"In that way -- but there are soldiers outside --" + +"A hundred pretorians." + +"Then we cannot pass?" + +"No!" + +The Lygian rubbed his forehead, and asked again, -- + +"How didst thou enter?" + +"I have a tessera from the overseer of the 'Putrid Pits.'" Then +Vinicius stopped suddenly, as if some idea had flashed through his +head. + +"By the Passion of the Redeemer," said he, in a hurried voice, "I +will stay here. Let her take my tessera; she can wrap her head in a +cloth, cover her shoulders with a mantle, and pass out. Among the +slaves who carry out corpses there are several youths not full +grown; hence the pretorians will not notice her, and once at the +house of Petronius she is safe." + +But the Lygian dropped his head on his breast, and said, -- "She +would not consent, for she loves thee; besides, she is sick, and +unable to stand alone. If thou and the noble Petronius cannot save +her from prison, who can?" said he, after a while. + +"Christ alone." + +Then both were silent. + +"Christ could save all Christians," thought the Lygian, in his +simple heart; "but since He does not save them, it is clear that the +hour of torture and death has come." + +He accepted it for himself, but was grieved to the depth of his soul +for that child who had grown up in his arms, and whom he loved +beyond life. + +Vinicius knelt again near Lygia. Through the grating in the wall +moonbeams came in, and gave better light than the one candle +burning yet over the entrance. Lygia opened her eyes now, and +said, placing her feverish hand on the arm of Vinicius,-- + +"I see thee; I knew that thou wouldst come." + +He seized her hands, pressed them to his forehead and his heart, +raised her somewhat, and held her to his breast. + +"I have come, dearest. May Christ guard and free thee, beloved +Lygia!" He could say no more, for the heart began to whine in his +breast from pain and love, and he would not show pain in her +presence. + +"I am sick, Marcus," said Lygia, "and I must die either on the arena +or here in prison -- I have prayed to see thee before death; thou +hast come, -- Christ has heard me." - + +Unable to utter a word yet, he pressed her to his bosom, and she +continucd, -- + +"I saw thee through the window in the Tullianum. I saw that thou +hadst the wish to come to me. Now the Redeemer has given me a +moment of consciousness, so that we may take farewell of each +other. I am going to Him, Marcus, but I love thee, and shall love +always." + +Vinicius conquered himself; he stifled his pain and began to speak +in a voice which he tried to make calm, -- + +"No, dear Lygia, thou wilt not die. The Apostle commanded me to +believe, and he promised to pray for thee; he knew Christ, -- Christ +loved him and will not refuse him. Hadst thou to die, Peter would +not have commanded me to be confident; but he said, 'Have +confidence!' --No, Lygia! Christ will have mercy. He does not wish +thy death. He will not permit it. I Swear to thee by the name of the +Redeemer that Peter is praying for thee." + +Silence followed. The one candle hanging above the entrance went +out, but moonlight entered through the whole opening. In the +opposite corner of the cellar a child whined and was silent. From +outside came the voices of pretorians, who, after watching their +turn out, were playing under the wall at scripte duodecim. + +"O Marcus," said Lygia, "Christ Himself called to the Father, +'Remove this bitter cup from Me'; still He drank it. Christ Himself +died on the cross, and thousands are perishing for His sake. Why, +then, should He spare me alone? Who am I, Marcus? I have heard +Peter say that he too would die in torture. Who am I, compared +with Peter? When the pretorians came to ae I dreaded death and +torture, but I dread them no longer. See what a terrible prison this +is, but I am going to heaven. Think of it: Caesar is here, but there +the Redeemer, kind and merciful. And there is no death there. +Thou lovest me; think, then, how happy I shall be. Oh, dear +Marcus, think that thou wilt come to me there." + +Here she stopped to get breath in her sick breast, and then raised +his hand to her lips, -- + +"Marcus?" + +"What, dear one?" + +"Do not weep for me, and remember this, -- thou wilt come to me. +I have lived a short time, but God gave thy soul to me; hence I +shall tell Christ that though I died, and thou wert looking at my +death, though thou wert left in grief, thou didst not blaspheme +against His will, and that thou lovest Him always. Thou wilt love +Him, and endure my death patiently? For then He will unite us. I +love thee and I wish to be with thee." + +Breath failed her then, and in a barely audible voice she finished,-- + +"Promise me this, Marcus!" + +Vinicius embraced her with trembling arms, and said,-- + +"By thy sacred head! I promise." + +Her pale face became radiant in the sad light of the moon, and +once more she raised his hand to her lips, and whispered, -- + +"I am thy wife!" + +Beyond the wall the pretorians playing scriptaee duodecim raised a +louder dispute; but Vinicius and Lygia forgot the prison, the +guards, the world, and, feeling within them the souls of angels, +they began to pray. + +Chapter LX + +FOR three days, or rather three nights, nothing disturbed their +peace. When the usual prison work was finished, which consisted +in separating the dead from the living and the grievously sick from +those in better health, when the wearied guards had lain down to +sleep in the corridors, Vinicius entered Lygia's dungeon and +remained there till daylight. She put her head on his breast, and +they talked in low voices of love and of death. In thought and +speech, in desires and hopes even, both were removed +unconsciously more and more from life, and they lost the sense of +it. Both were like people who, having sailed from land in a ship, +saw the shore no more, and were sinking gradually into infinity. +Both changed by degrees into sad souls in love with each other and +with Christ, and ready to fly away. Only at times did pain start up +in the heart of Vinicius like a whirlwind, at times there flashed in +him like lightning, hope, born of love and faith in the crucified +God; but he tore himself away more and more each day from the +earth, and yielded to death. In the morning, when he went from the +prison, he looked on the world, on the city, on acquaintances, on +vital interests, as through a dream. Everything seemed to him +strange, distant, vain, fleeting. Even torture ceased to terrify, since +one might pass through it while sunk in thought and with eyes +fixed on another thing. It seemed to both that eternity had begun to +receive them. They conversed of how they would love and live +together, but beyond the grave; and if their thoughts returned to the +earth at intervals, these were thoughts of people who, setting out +on a long journey, speak of preparations for the road. Moreover +they were surrounded by such silence as in some desert surrounds +two columns far away and forgotten. Their only care was that +Christ should not separate them; and as each moment strengthened +their conviction that He would not, they loved Him as a link +uniting them in endless happiness and peace. While still on earth, +the dust of earth fell from them. The soul of each was as pure as a +tear. Under terror of death, amid misery and suffering, in that +prison den, heaven had begun, for she had taken him by the hand, +and, as if saved and a saint, had led him to the source of endless +life. + +Petronius was astonished at seeing in the face of Vinicius +increasing peace and a certain wonderful serenity which he had not +noted before. At times even he supposed that Vinicius had found +some mode of rescue, and he was piqued because his nephew had +not confided his hopes to him. At last, unable to restrain himself, +he said, -- + + "Now thou hast another look; do not keep from me secrets, for I +wish and am able to aid thee. Hast thou arranged anything?" + +"I have," said Vinicius; "but thou canst not help me. After her +death I will confess that I am a Christian and follow her." + +"Then thou hast no hope?" + +"On the contrary, I have. Christ will give her to me, and I shall +never be separated from her." + +Petronius began to walk in the atrium; disillusion and impatience +were evident on his face. + +"Thy Christ is not needed for this, -- our Thanatos 1 can render the +same service." + +Vinicius smiled sadly, and said, -- "No, my dear, thou art unwilling +to understand." + +"I am unwilling and unable. It is not the time for discussion, but +remember what I said when we failed to free her from the +Tullianum. I lost all hope, and on the way home thou didst say, +'But I believe that Christ can restore her to me.' Let Him restore +her. If I throw a costly goblet into the sea, no god of ours can give +it back to me; if yours is no better, I know not why I should honor +Him beyond the old ones." + +"But He will restore her to me." + +Pettonius shrugged his shoulders. "Dost know," inquired he, "that +Christians are to illuminate Caesar's gardens to-morrow?" + +"To-morrow?" repeated Vinicius. + +And in view of the near and dreadful reality his heart trembled +with pain and fear. "This is the last night, perhaps, which I can +pass with Lygia," thought he. So bidding farewell to Petronius, he +went hurriedly to the overseer of the "Putrid Pits" for his tessera. +But disappointment was in waiting, -- the overseer would not give +the tessera. + +"Pardon me," said he, "I have done what I could for thee, but I +cannot risk my life. To-night they are to conduct the Christians to +Caesar's gardens. The prisons will be full of soldiers and officials. +Shouldst thou be recognized, I and my children would be lost." + +Vinicius understood that it would be vain to insist. The hope +gleamed in him, however, that the soldiers who had seen him +before would admit him even without a tessera; so, with the +coming of night, he disguised himself as usual in the tunic of a +corpse-bearer, and, winding a cloth around his head, betook +himself to the prison. + +But that day the tesserae were verified with greater care than +usual; and what was more, the centurion Scevinus, a strict soldier, +devoted soul and body to Caesar, recognized Vinicius. But +evidently in his iron-clad breast there glimmered yet some spark of +pity for misfortunes. Instead of striking his spear in token of alarm, +he led Vinicius aside and said, -- + +"Return to thy house, lord. I recognize thee; but not wishing thy +ruin, I am silent. I cannot admit thee; go thy way, and may the +gods send thee solace." + +"Thou canst not admit me," said Vinicius, "but let me stand here +and look at those who are led forth." + +"My order does not forbid that," said Scevinus. + +Vinicius stood before the gate and waited. About midnight the +prison gate was opened widely, and whole ranks of prisoners +appeared, -- men, women, and children, surrounded by armed +pretorians. The night was very bright; hence it was possible to +distinguish not only the forms, but the faces of the unfortunates. +They went two abreast, in a long, gloomy train, amid stillness +broken only by the clatter of weapons. So many were led out that +all the dungeons must be empty, as it seemed. In the rear of the +line Vinicius saw Glaucus the physician distinctly, but Lygia and +Ursus were not among the condemned. + +Chapter LXI + +DARKNESS had not come when the first waves of people began +to flow into Caesar's gardens. The crowds, in holiday costume, +crowned with flowers, joyous, singing, and some of them drunk, +were going to look at the new, magnificent spectacle. Shouts of +"Semaxii! Sarmentitii!" were heard on the Via Tecta, on the bridge +of !Emiius, and from the other side of the Tiber, on the Triumphal +Way, around the Circus of Nero, and off towards the Vatican Hill. +In Rome people had been seen burnt on pillars before, but never +had any one seen such a number of victims. + +Caesar and Tigellinus, wishing to finish at once with the +Christians and also to avoid infection, which from the prisons was +spreading more and more through the city, had given command to +empty all dungeons, so that there remained in them barely a few +tens of people intended for the close of the spectacles. So, when +the crowds had passed the gates, they were dumb with amazement. +All the main and side alleys, which lay through dense groves and +along lawns, thickets, ponds, fields, and squares filled with +flowers, were packed with pillars smeared with pitch, to which +Christians were fastened. In higher places, where the view was not +hindered by trees, one could see whole rows of pillars and bodies +decked with flowers, myrtle, and ivy, extending into the distance +on high and low places, so far that, though the nearest were like +masts of ships, the farthest seemed colored darts, or staffs thrust +into the earth. The number of them surpassed the expectation of +the multitude. One might suppose that a whole nation had been +lashed to pillars for Rome's amusement and for Caesar's. The +throng of spectators stopped before single masts when their +curiosity was roused by the form or the sex of the victim; they +looked at the faces, the crowns, the garlands of ivy; then they went +farther and farther, asking themselves with amazement, "Could +there have been so many criminals, or how could children barely +able to walk have set fire to Rome?" and astonishment passed by +degrees into fear. + +Meanwhile darkness came, and the first stars twinkled in the sky. +Near each condemned person a slave took his place, torch in hand; +when the sound of trumpets was heard in various parts of the +gardens, in sign that the spectacle was to begin, each slave put his +torch to the foot of a pillar. The straw, hidden under the flowers +and steeped in pitch, burned at once with a bright flame which, +increasing every instant, withered the ivy, and rising embraced the +feet of the victims. The people were silent; the gardens resounded +with one immense groan and with cries of pain. Some victims, +however, raising their faces toward the starry sky, began to sing, +praising Christ. The people listened. But the hardest hearts were +filled with terror when, on smaller pillars, children cried with +shrill voices, "Mamma! Mamma!" A shiver ran through even +spectators who were drunk when they saw little heads and +innocent faces distorted with pain, or children fainting in the +smoke which began to stifle them. But the flames rose, and seized +new crowns of roses and ivy every instant. The main and side +alleys were illuminated; the groups of trees, the lawns, and the +flowery squares were illuminated; the water in pools and ponds +was gleaming, the trembling leaves on the trees had grown +rose-colored, and all was as visible as in daylight. When the odor +of burnt bodies filled the gardens, slaves sprinkled between the +pillars myrrh and aloes prepared purposely. In the crowds were +heard here and there shouts, -- whether of sympathy or delight and +joy, it was unknown; and they increased every moment with the +fire, which embraced the pillars, climbed to the breasts of the +victims, shrivelled with burning breath the hair on their heads, +threw veils over their blackened faces, and then shot up higher, as +if showing the victory and triumph of that power which had given +command to rouse it. + +At the very beginning of the spectacle Caesar had appeared among +the people in a magnificent quadriga of the Circus, drawn by four +white steeds. He was dressed as a charioteer in the color of the +Greens, -- the court party and his. After him followed other +chariots filled with courtiers in brilliant array, senators, priests, +bacchantes, naked and crowned, holding pitchers of wine, and +partly drunk, uttering wild shouts. At the side of these were +musicians dressed as fauns and satyrs, who played on citharas, +formingas, flutes, and horns. In other chariots advanced matrons +and maidens of Rome, drunk also and half naked. Around the +quadriga ran men who shook thyrses ornamented with ribbons; +others beat drums; others scattered flowers. + +All that brilliant throng moved forward, shouting, "Evoe!" on the +widest road of the grtrden, amidst smoke and processions of +people. Caesar, keeping near him Tigellinus and also Chilo, in +whose terror he sought to find amusement, drove the steeds +himself, and, advancing at a walk, looked at the burning bodies, +and heard the shouts of the multitude. Standing on the lofty gilded +chariot, surrounded by a sea of people who bent to his feet, in the +glitter of the fire, in the golden crown of a circus-victor, he was a +head above the courtiers and the crowd. He seemed a giant. His +immense arms, stretched forward to hold the reins, seemed to bless +the multitude. There was a smile on his face and in his blinking +eyes; he shone above the throng as a sun or a deity, terrible but +commanding and mighty. + +At times he stopped to look with more care at some maiden whose +bosom had begun to shrink in the flames, or at the face of a child +distorted by convulsions; and again he drove on, leading behind +him a wild, excited retinue. At times he bowed to the people, then +again he bent backward, drew in the golden reins, and spoke to +Tigellinus. At last, when he had reached the great fountain in the +middle of two crossing streets, he stepped from the quadriga, and, +nodding to his attendants, mingled with the throng. + +He was greeted with shouts and plaudits. The bacchantes, the +nymphs, the senators and Augustians, the priests, the fauns, satyrs, +and soldiers surrounded him at once in an excited circle; but he, +with Tigellinus on one side and Chilo on the other, walked around +the fountain, about which were burning some tens of torches; +stopping before each one, he made remarks on the victims, or +jeered at the old Greek, on whose face boundless despair was +depicted. + +At last he stood before a lofty mast decked with myrtle and ivy. +The red tongues of fire had risen only to the knees of the victim; +but it was impossible to see his face, for the green burning twigs +had covered it with smoke. After a while, however, the light +breeze of night turned away the smoke and uncovered the head of +a man with gray beard falling on his breast. + +At sight of him Chilo was twisted into a lump like a wounded +snake, and from his mouth came a cry more like cawing than a +human voice. + +"Glaucus! Glaucus!" + +In fact, Glaucus the physician looked down from the burning pillar +at him. Glaucus was alive yet. His face expressed pain, and was +inclined forward, as if to look closely for the last time at his +executioner, at the man who had betrayed him, robbed him of wife +and children, set a murderer on him, and who, when all this had +been forgiven in the name of Christ, had delivered him to +executioners. Never had one person inflicted more dreadful or +bloody wrongs on another. Now the victim was burning on the +pitched pillar, and the executioner was standing at his feet. The +eyes of Glaucus did nor leave the face of the Greek. At moments +they were hidden by smoke; but when the breeze blew this away, +Chilo saw again those eyes fixed on him. He rose and tried to flee, +but had not strength. All at once his legs seemed of lead; an +invisible hand seemed to hold him at that pillar with superhuman +force. He was petrified. He felt that something was overflowing in +him, something giving way; he felt that he had had a surfeit of +blood and torture, that the end of his life was approaching, that +everything was vanishing, Caesar, the court, the multitude, arid +around him was only a kind of bottomless, dreadful black vacuum +with no visible thing in it, save those eyes of a martyr which were +summoning him to judgment. But Glaucus, bending his head lower +down, looked at him fixedly. Those present divined that something +was taking place between those two men. Laughter died on their +lips, however, for in Chilo's face there was something terrible: +such pain and fear had distorted it as if those tongues of fire were +burning his body. On a sudden he staggered, and, stretching his +arms upward, cried in a terrible and piercing voice, -- + +"Glaucus! in Christ's name! forgive me!" + +It grew silent round about, a quiver ran through the spectators, and +all eyes were raised involuntarily. + +The head of the martyr moved slightly, and from the top of the +mast was heard a voice like a groan, -- + +"I forgive!" + +Chilo threw himself on his face, and howled like a wild beast; +grasping earth in both hands, he sprinkled it on his head. +Meanwhile the flames shot up, seizing the breast and face of +Glaucus; they unbound the myrtle crown on his head, and seized +the ribbons on the top of the pillar, the whole of which shone with +great blazing. + +Chilo stood up after a while with face so changed that to the +Augustians he seemed another man. His eyes flashed with a light +new to him, ecstasy issued from his wrinkled forehead; the Greek, +incompetent a short time before, looked now like some priest +visited by a divinity and ready to reveal unknown truths. + +"What is the matter? Has he gone mad?" asked a number of voices. + +But he turned to the mulitiude, and, raising his right hand, cried, or +rather shouted, in a voice so piercing that not only the Augustians +but the multitude heard him, -- + +"Roman people! I swear by my death, that innocent persons are +perishing here. That is the incendiary!" + +And he pointed his finger at Nero. + +Then came a moment of silence. The courtiers were benumbed. +Chilo continued to stand with outstretched, trembling arm, and +with finger pointed at Nero. AU at once a tumult arose. The +people, like a wave, urged by a sudden whirlwind, rushed toward +the old man to look at him inure closely. Here and there were +heard cries, "Hold!" In another place, "Woe to us!" In the throng a +hissing and uproar began. "Ahenobarbus! Matricide! Incendiary!" +Disorder increased every instant. The bacchantes screamed in +heaven-piercing voices, and began to hide in the chariots. Then +some pillars which were burned through, fell, scattered sparks, and +increased the confusion. A blind dense wave of people swept away +Chilo, and bore him to the depth of the garden. + +The pillars began to burn through in every direction and fall across +the streets, filling alleys with smoke, sparks, the odor of burnt +wood and burnt flesh. The nearer lights died. The gardens began to +grow dark. The crowds, alarmed, gloomy, and disturbed, pressed +toward the gates. News of what had happened passed from mouth +to mouth, distorted and increased. Some said that Caesar had +fainted; others that he had confessed, saying that he had given +command to burn Rome; others that he had fallen seriously ill; and +still others that he had been borne our, as if dead, in the chariot. +Here and there were heard voices of sympathy for the Christians: +"If they had not burned Rome, why so much blood, torture, and +injustice? Will not the gods avenge the innocent, and what piacula +can mollify them now?" The words innoxia corpora were repeated +oftener and oftener. Women expressed aloud their pity for children +thrown in such numbers to wild beasts, nailed to crosses or burned +in those cursed gardens' And finally pity was turned into abuse of +Caesar and Tigellinus. There were persons, too, who, stopping +suddenly, asked themselves or others the question, "What kind of +divinity is that which gives such strength to meet torture and +death?" And they returned home in meditation. + +But Chilo was wandering about in the gardens, not knowing where +to go or where to turn. Again he felt himself a weak, helpless, sick +old man. + +Now he stumbled against partly burnt bodies; now he struck a +torch, which sent a shower of sparks after him; now he sat down, +and looked around with vacant stare. The gardens had become +almost dark. The pale moon moving among the trees shone with +uncertain light on the alleys, the dark pillars lying across them, and +the partly burnt victims turned into shapeless lumps. But the old +Greek thought that in the moon he saw the face of Glaucus, whose +eyes were looking at him yet persistently, and he hid before the +light. At last he went out of the shadow, in spite of himself; as if +pushed by some hidden power, he turned toward the fountain +where Glaucus had yielded up the spirit. + +Then some hand touched his shoulder. He turned, and saw an +unknown person before him. + +"Who art thou?" exclaimed he, with terror. + +"Paul of Tarsus." + +"I am accursed! -- "What dost thou wish?" + +"I wish to save thee," answered the Apostle. + +Chilo supported himself against a tree. His legs bent under him, +and his arms hung parallel with his body. + +"For me there is no salvation," said he, gloomily. + +"Hast thou heard how God forgave the thief on the cross who +pitied Him?" inquired Paul. + +"Dost thou know what I have done?" + +"I saw thy suffering, and heard thy testimony to the truth." + +"O Lord!" + +"And if a servant of Christ forgave thee in the hour of torture and +death, why should Christ not forgive thee?" + +Chilo seized his head with both hands, as if in bewilderment. + +"Forgiveness! for me, forgiveness!" + +"Our God is a God of mercy," said Paul. + +"For me?" repeated Chio; and he began to groan like a man who +lacks strength to control his pain and suffering. + +"Lean on me," said Paul, "and go with me." + +And taking him he went to the crossing of the streets, guided by +the voice of the fountain, which seemed to weep in the night +stillness over the bodies of those who had died in torture. + +"Our God is a God of mercy," repeated the Apostle. "Wert thou to +stand at the sea and cast in pebbles, couldst thou fill its depth with +them? I tell thee that the mercy of Christ is as the sea, and that the +sins and faults of men sink in it as pebbles in the abyss; I tell thee +that it is like the sky which covers mountains, lands, and seas, for +it is everywhere and has neither end nor limit. Thou hart suffered +at the pillar of Glaucus. Christ saw thy suffering. Without +reference to what may meet thee to-morrow, thou didst say, 'That +is the incendiary,' and Christ remembers thy words. Thy malice +and falsehood are gone; in thy heart is left only boundless sorrow. +Follow me and listen to what I say. I, am he who hated Christ and +persecuted His chosen ones. I did not want Him, I did not believe +in Him till He manifested Himself and called me. Since then He is, +for me, mercy. He has visited thee with compunction, with alarm, +and with pain, to call thee to Himself. Thou didst hate Him, but He +loved thee. Thou didst deliver His confessors to torture, but He +wishes to forgive and save thee." + +Immense sobbing shook the breast of the wretched man, sobbing +by which the soul in him was rent to its depths; but Paul took +possession of him, mastered him, led him away, as a soldier leads +a captive. + +After a while the Apostle began again to speak: -- + +"Come with me; I will lead thee to Him. For why else have I come +to thee? + +Christ commanded me to gather in souls in the name of love; +hence I perform His service. Thou thinkest thyself accursed, but I +say: Believe in Him, and salvation awaits thee. Thou thinkest that +thou art hated, but I repeat that He loves thee. Look at me. Before I +had Him I had nothing save malice, which dwelt in my heart, and +now His love suffices me instead of father and mother, wealth and +power. In Him alone is refuge. He alone will see thy sorrow, +believe in thy misery, remove thy alarm, and raise thee to +Himself." + +Thus speaking, he lcd him to the fountain, the silver stream of +which gleamed from afar in the moonlight. Round about was +silence; the gardens were empty, for slaves had removed the +charred pillars and the bodies of the martyrs. + +Chilo threw himself on his knees with a groan, and hiding his face +in his hands remained motionless. Paul raised his face to the stars. +"O Lord," prayed he, "look on this wretched man, on his sorrow, +his tears, and his suffering! O God of mercy, who hart shed Thy +blood for our sins, forgive him, through Thy torment, Thy death +and resurrection!" + +Then he was silent; but for a long time he looked toward the stars, +and prayed. + +Meanwhile from under his feet was heard a cry which resembled a +groan, -- + +"O Christ! O Christ! forgive me!" + +Paul approached the fountain then, and, taking water in his hand, +turned to the kneeling wretch, -- + +"Chilo! -- I baptize thee in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. +Amen!" + +Chilo raised his head, opened his arms, and remained in that +posture. The moon shone with full light on his white hair and on +his equally white face, which was as motionless as if dead or cut +out of stone. The moments passed one after another. From the +great aviaries in the gardens of Domitian came the crowing of +cocks; but Chilo remained kneeling, like a statue on a monument. +At last he recovered, spoke to the Apostle, and asked, -- + +"What am I to do before death?" + +Paul was roused also from meditation on the measureless power +which even such spirits as that of this Greek could not resist, and +answered, -- + +"Have faith, and bear witness to the truth." + +They went out toaeether. At the gate the Apostle blessed the old +man again, and they parted. Chslo himself insisted on this, for after +what had happened he knew that Caesar and Tigellinus would give +command to pursue him. + +Indeed he was not mistaken. When he returned home, he found the +house surrounded by pretorians, who led him away, and took him +under direction of Scevinus to the Palatine. + +Caesar had gone to rest, but Tigellitius was waiting. When he saw +the unfortunate Greek, he greeted him with a calm but ominous +face. + +"Thou hast committed the crime of treason," said he, "and +punishment will not pass thee; but if to-morrow thou testify in the +amphitheatre that thou wert drunk and mad, and that the authors of +the conflagration are Christians, thy punishment will be limited to +stripes and exile." + +"I cannot do that;" answered Chilo, calmly. + +Tigellinus approached him with slow step, and with a voice also +low but terrible, -- + +"How is that?" asked he. "Thou canst not, Greek dog? Wert thou +not drunk, and dost thou not understand what is waiting for thee? +Look there!" and he pointed to a corner of the atrium in which, +near a long wooden bench, stood four Thracian slaves in the shade +with ropes, and with pincers in their hands. + +But Chilo answered, -- + +"I cannot!" + +Rage seized Tigellinus, but he restrained himself yet. + +"Hast thou seen," inquired he, "how Christians die? Dost wish to +die in that way?" + +The old man raised his pale face; for a time his lips moved in +silence, and he answered, + +"I too believe in Christ." + +Tigellinus looked at him with amazement. "Dog, thou hast gone +mad in fact!" + +And suddenly the rage in his breast broke its bounds. Springing at +Chilo, he caught him by the beard with both hands, hurled him to +the floor, trampled him, repeating, with foam on his lips, -- + +"Thou wilt retract! thou wilt!" + +"I cannot!" answered Chilo from the floor. + +"To the tortures with him!" + +At this command the Thracians seized the old man, and placed +him on the bench; then, fastening him with ropes to it, they began +to squeeze his thin shanks with pincers. But when they were tying +him he kissed their hands with humility; then he closed his eyes, +and seemed dead. + +He was alive, though; for when Tigellinus bent over him and +inquired once again, "Wilt thou retract?" his white lips moved +slightly, and from them came the barely audible whisper, -- + +"I cannot." + +Tigellinus gave command to stop the torture, and began to walk up +and down in the atrium with a face distorted by anger, but helpless. +At last a new idea came to his head, for he turned to the Thracians +and said, -- + +"Tear out his tongue!" + +Chapter LXII + +THE drama "Aureolus" was given usually in theatres or +amphitheatres, so arranged that they could open and present as it +were two separate stages. But after the spectacle in the gardens of +Caesar the usual method was omitted; for in this case the problem +was to let the greatest number of people look at a slave who, in the +drama, is devoured by a bear. ln the theatres the role of the bear is +played by an actor sewed up in a skin, but this time the +representation was to be real. This was a new idea of Tigeilinus. +At first Caesar refused to come, but changed his mind at +persuasion of the favorite. Tigellinus explained that after what had +happened in the gardens it was all the more his duty to appear +before the people, and he guaranteed that the crucified slave would +not insult him as had Crispus. The people were somewhat sated +and tired of blood-spilling; hence a new distribution of lottery +tickets and gifts was promised, as well as a feast, for the spectacle +was to be in the evening, in a brilliantly lighted ainphitheatre. + +About dusk the whole amphitheatre was packed; the Augustians, +with Tigellinus at the head of them, came to a man, -- not only for +the spectacle itself, but to show their devotion to Casar and their +opinion of Chilo, of whom all Rome was then talking. + +They whispered to one another that Caesar, when returning from +the gardens, had fallen into a frenzy and could not sleep, that +terrors and wonderful visions had attacked him; therefore he had +announced on the following morning his early journey to Achaaea. +But others denied this, declaring that he would be all the more +pitiless to the Christians. Cowards, however, were not lacking, +who foresaw that the accusation which Chilo had thrown into +Caesar's face might have the worst result possible. In conclusion, +there were those who through humanity begged Tigellinus to stop +persecution. + +"See whither ye are going," said Barcus Soranus. "Ye wished to +allay people's anger and convince them that punishment was +falling on the guilty; the result is just the opposite." + +"True!" added Antistius Verus, "all whisper to one another now +that the Christians were innocent. If that be cleverness, Chilo was +right when he said that your brains could be held in a nut-shell." + +Tigellinus turned to them and said: "Barcus Soranus, people +whisper also to one another that thy daughter Servilia secreted her +Christian slaves from Caesar's justice; they say the same also of +thy wife, Antistius." + +"That is not true!" exclaimed Barcus, with alarm. + +"Your divorced women wished to ruin my wife, whose virtue they +envy," said Antistius Verus, with no less alarm. + +But others spoke of Chilo. + +"What has happened to him?" asked Eprius Marcellus. "He +delivered them himself into the hands of Tigellinus; from a beggar +he became rich; it was possible for him to live out his days in +peace, have a splendid funeral, and a tomb: but, no! All at once he +preferred to lose everything and destroy himself; he must, in truth, +be a maniac." + +"Not a maniac, but he has become a Christian," said Tigellinus. + +"Impossible!" said Vitelius. + +"Have I not said," put in Vestinius, "'Kill Christians if ye like; but +believe me ye cannot war with their divinity. With it there is no +jesting'? See what is taking place. I have not burned Rome; but if +Caesar permitted I would give a hecatomb at once to their divinity. +And all should do the same, for I repeat: With it there is no jesting! +Remember my words to you." + +"And I said something else," added Petronius. "Tigellinus laughed +when I said that they were arming, but I say more, -- they are +conquering." + +"How is that? how is that?" inquired a number of voices. + +"By Pollux, they are! For if such a man as Chilo could not reaist +them, who can? If ye think that after every spectacle the Christians +do not increase, become coppersmiths, or go to shaving beards, for +then ye will know better what people think, and what is happening +in the city." + +"He speaks pure truth, by the sacred peplus of Diana," cried +Vestinius. But Barcus turned to Petronius. + +"What is thy conclusion?" + +"I conclude where ye began, -- there has been enough of +bloodshed." + +Tigellinus looked at him jeeringly, -- "Ei! --a little more!" + +"If thy head is not sufficient, thou hast another on thy cane," said +Petronius. + +Further conversation was interrupted by the coming of Caesar, +who occupied his place in company with Pythagoras. Immediately +after began the representation of "Aureolus," to which not much +attention was paid, for the minds of the audience were fixed on +Chilo. The spectators, familiar with blood and torture, were +bored; they hissed, gave out shouts uncomplimentary to the court, +and demanded the bear scene, which for them was the only thing +of interest. Had it not been for gifts and the hope of seeing Chilo, +the spectacle would not have held the audience. + +At last the looked-for moment came. Servants of the Circus +brought in first a wooden cross, so low that a bear standing on his +hind feet might reach the martyr's breast; then two men brought, or +rather dragged in, Chio, for as the bones in his legs were broken, +he was unable to walk alone. They laid him down and nailed him +to the wood so quickly that the curious Augustians had not even a +good look at him, and only after the cross had been fixed in the +place prepared for it did all eyes turn to the victim. But it was a +rare person who could recognize in that naked man the former +Chilo. After the tortures which Tigellinus had commanded, there +was not one drop of blood in his face, and only on his white beard +was evident a red trace left by blood after they had torn his tongue +out. Through the transparent skin it was quite possible to see his +bones. He seemed far older also, almost decrepit, Formerly his +eyes cast glances ever filled with disquiet and ill-will, his watchful +face reflected constant alarm and uncertainty; now his face had an +expression of pain, but it was as mild and calm as faces of the +sleeping or the dead. Perhaps remembrance of that thief on the +cross whom Christ had forgiven lent him confidence; perhaps, +also, he said in his soul to the merciful God,-- + +"O Lord, I bit like a venomous worm; but all my life I was +unfortunate. I was famishing from hunger, people trampled on me, +beat me, jeered at me. I was poor and very unhappy, and now they +put me to torture and nail me to a cross; but Thou, O Merciful, wilt +not reject me in this hour!" Peace descended evidently into his +crushed heart. No one laughed, for there was in that crucified man +something so calm, he seemed so old, so defenceless, so weak, +calling so much for pity with his lowliness, that each one asked +himself unconsciously how it was possible to torture and nail to +crosses men who would die soon in any case. The crowd was +silent. Among the Augustians Vcstinius, bending to right and left, +whispered in a terrified voice, "See how they die!" Others were +looking for the bear, wishing the spectacle to end at the earliest. + +The bear came into the arena at last, and, swaying from side to +side a head which hung low, he looked around from beneath his +forehead, as if thinking of something or seeking something. At last +he saw the cross and the naked body. He approached it, and stood +on his hind legs; but after a moment he dropped again on his +fore-paws, and sitting under the cross began to growl, as if in his +heart of a beast pity for that remnant of a man had made itself +heard. + +Cries were heard from Circus slaves urging on the bear, but the +people were silent. + +Meanwhile Chilo raised his head with slow motion, and for a time +moved his eyes over the audience. At last his glance rested +somewhere on the highest rows of the amphitheatre; his breast +moved with more life, and something happened which caused +wonder and astonishment. That face became bright with a smile; a +ray of light, as it were, encircled that forehead; his eyes were +uplifted before death, and after a while two great tears which had +risen between the lids flowed slowly down his face. + +And he died. + +At that same moment a resonant manly voice high up under the +velarium exclaimed, -- + +"Peace to the martyrs!" + +Deep silence reigned in the amphitheatre. + +Chapter VIII + +AFTER the spectacle in Caesar's gardens the prisons were emptied +considerably. It is true that victims suspected of the Oriental +superstition were seized yet and imprisoned, but pursuit brought in +fewer and fewer persons, -- barely enough for coming exhibitions, +which were to follow quickly. People were sated with blood; they +showed growing weariness, and increasing alarm because of the +unparalleled conduct of the condemned. Fears like those of the +superstitious Vestinius seized thousands of people. Among the +crowds tales more and more wonderful were related of the +vengefulness of the Christian God. Prison typhus, which had +spread through the city, increased the general dread. The number +of funerals was evident, and it was repeated from ear to ear that +fresh piacula were needed to mollify the unknown god. Offerings +were made in the temples to Jove and Libitina. At last, in spite of +every effort of Tigellinus and his assistants, the opinion kept +spreading that the city had been burned at command of Caesar, and +that the Christians were suffering innocently. + +But for this very reason Nero and Tigellinus were untiring in +persecution. To calm the multitude, fresh orders were issued to +distribute wheat, wine, and olives. To relieve owners, new rules +were published to facilitate the building of houses; and others +touching width of streets and materials to be used in building so as +to avoid fires in future. Caesar himself attended sessions of the +Senate, and counselled with the "fathers" on the good of the people +and the city; but not a shadow of favor fell on the doomed. The +ruler of the world was anxious, above all, to fix in people's minds a +conviction that such merciless punishments could strike only the +guilty. In the Senate no voice was heard on behalf of the +Christians, for no one wished to offend Caesar; and besides, those +who looked farther into the future insisted that the foundations of +Roman rule could not stand against the new faith. + +The dead and the dying were given to their relatives, as Roman +law took no vengeance on the dead. Vinicius received a certain +solace from the thought that if Lygia died he would bury her in his +family tomb, and rest near her. At that time he had no hope of +rescuing her; half separated from life, he was himself wholly +absorbed in Christ, and dreamed no longer of any union except an +eternal one. His faith had become simply boundless; for it eternity +seemed something incomparably truer and more real than the +fleeting life which he had lived up to that time. His heart was +overflowing with concentrated enthusiasm. Though yet alive, he +had changed into a being almost immaterial, which desiring +complete liberation for itself desired it also for another. He +imagined that when free he and Lygia would each take the other's +hand and go to heaven, where Christ would bless them, and let +them live in light as peaceful and boundless as the light of dawn. +He merely implored Christ to spare Lygia the torments of the +Circus, and let her fall asleep calmly in prison; he felt with +perfect certainty that he himself would die at the same time. In +view of the sea of blood which had been shed, he did not even +think it permitted to hope that she alone would be spared. He had +heard from Peter and Paul that they, too, must die as martyrs. The +sight of Chilo on the cross had convinced him that even a martyr's +death could be sweet; hence he wished it for Lygia and himself as +the change of an evil, sad, and oppressive fate for a better. + +At times he bad a foretaste of life beyond the grave. That sadness +which hung over the souls of both was losing its former burning +bitterness, and changing gradually into a kind of trans-terrestrial, +calm abandon to the will of God. Vinicius, who formerly had +toiled against the current, had struggled and tortured himself, +yielded now to the stream, believing that it would bear him to +eternal calm. He divined, too, that Lygia, as well as he, was +preparing for death, -- that, in spite of the prison walls separating +them, they were advancing together; and he smiled at that thought +as at happiness. + +In fact, they were advancing with as much agreement as if they had +exchanged thoughts every day for a long time. Neither had Lygia +any desire, any hope, save the hope of a life beyond the grave. +Death was presented to her not only as a liberation from the +terrible walls of the prison, from the hands of Caesar and +Tigellinus, -- not only as liberation, but as the hour of her marriage +to Vinicius. In view of this unshaken certainty, all else lost +importance. After death would come her happiness, which was +even earthly, so that she waited for it also as a betrothed waits for +the wedding-day. + +And that immense current of faith, which swept away from life +and bore beyond the grave thousands of those first confessors, bore +away Ursus also. Neither had he in his heart been resigned to +Lygia's death; but when day after day through the prison walls +came news of what was happening in the amphitheatres and the +gardens, when death seemed the common, inevitable lot of all +Christians and also their good, higher than all mortal conceptions +of happiness, he did not dare to pray to Christ to deprive Lygia of +that happiness or to delay it for long years. In his simple barbarian +soul he thought, besides, that more of those heavenly delights +would belong to the daughter of the Lygian chief, that she would +have more of them than would a whole crowd of simple ones to +whom he himself belonged, and that in eternal glory she would sit +nearer to the "Lamb" than would others. He had heard, it is true, +that before God men are equal; but a conviction was lingering at +the bottom of his soul that the daughter of a leader, and besides of +a leader of all the Lygians, was not the same as the first slave one +might meet. He hoped also that Christ would let him continue to +serve her. His one secret wish was to die on a cross as the "Lamb" +died. But this seemed a happiness so great that he hardly dared to +pray for it, though he knew that in Rome even the worst criminals +were crucified. He thought that surely he would be condemned to +die under the teeth of wild beasts; and this was his one sorrow. +From childhood he had lived in impassable forests, amid continual +hunts, in which, thanks to his superhuman strength, he was famous +among the Lygians even before he had grown to manhood. This, +occupation had become for him so agreeable that later, when in +Rome, and forced to live without hunting, he went to vivaria and +amphitheatres just to look at beasts known and unknown to him. +The sight of these always roused in the man an irresistible desire +for struggle and killing; so now he feared in his soul that on +meeting them in the amphitheatre he would be attacked by +thoughts unworthy of a Christian, whose duty it was to die piously +and patiently. But in this he committed himself to Christ, and +found other and more agreeable thoughts to comfort him. Hearing +that the "Lamb" had declared war against the powers of hell and +evil spirits with which the Christian faith connected all pagan +divinities, he thought that in this war he might serve the "Lamb" +greatly, and serve better than others, for he could not help +believing that his soul was stronger than the souls of other martyrs. +Finally, he prayed whole days, rendered service to prisoners, +helped overseers, and comforted his queen, who complained at +times that in her short life she had not been able to do so many +good deeds as the renowned Tabitha of whom Peter the Apostle +had told her. Even the prison guards, who feared the terrible +strength of this giant, since neither bars nor chains could restrain +it,'came to love him at last for his mildness. Amazed at his good +temper,'aethey asked more than once what its cause was. He spoke +with such firm certainty of the life waiting after death for him, that +they listened with surprise, seeing for the first time that happiness +might penetrate a dungeon which; sunlight could not reach. And +when he urged them to believe in the "Lamb," it occurred to more +than one of those people that his own service was the service of a +slave, his own life the life of an unfortunate; and he fell to thinking +over his evil fate, the only end to which was death. + +But death brought new fear, and promised nothing beyond; while +that giant and that maiden, who was like a flower cast on the straw +of the prison, went toward it with delight, as toward the gates of +happiness. + +Chapter LXIV + +ONE evening Scevinus, a Senator, visited Petronius and began a +long conversation, touching the grievous times in which they were +living, and also touching Caesar. He spoke so openly that +Petronius, though his friend, began to be cautious. Scevinus +complained that the world was living madly and unjustly, that all +must end in some catastrophe more dreadful still than the burning +of Rome. He said that even Augustians were dissatisfied; that +Fenius Rufus, second prefect of the pretorians, endured with the +greatest effort the vile orders of Tigellinus; and that all Seneca's +relatives were driven to extremes by Caesar's conduct as well +toward his old master as toward Lucan. Finally, he began to hint of +the dissatisfaction of the people, and even of the pretorians, the +greater part of whom had been won by Fenius Rufus. ++ +"Why dost thou say this?" inquired Petronius. + +"Out of care for Caesar," said Scevinus. "I have a distant relative +among the pretorians, also Scevinus; through him I know what +takes place in the camp. Disaffection is growing there also; +Caligula, knowest thou, was mad too, and see what happened. +Cassius Chaerea appeared. That was a dreadful deed, and surely +there is no one among us to praise it; still Chaaerea freed the world +of a monster." + +"Is thy meaning as follows: 'I do not praise Chaerea, but he was a +perfect man, and would that the gods had given us as many such as +possible'?" inquired Petronius. + +But Scevinus changed the conversation, and began all at once to +praise Piso, exalting his family, his nobility of mind, his +attachment to his wife, and, finally, his intellect, his calmness, and +his wonderful gift of winning people. + +"Caesar is childless," said he, "and all see his successor in Piso. +Doubtless, too, every man would help him with whole soul to gain +power. Fenius Rufus loves him; the relatives of Annzus are +devoted to him altogether. Plautius Lateranus and Tullius Senecio +would spring into fire for him; as would Natalis, and Subrius +Flavius, and Sulpicius Asper, and Afranius Quinetianus, and even +Vestinius." + +"From this last man not much will result to Piso," replied +Petronius. "Vestinius is afraid of his own shadow." + +"Vestinius fears dreams and spirits," answered Scevinus, "but he is +a practical man, whom people wish wisely to make consul. That in +his soul he is opposed to persecuting Christians, thou shouldst not +take ill of him, for it concerns thee too that this madness should +cease." + +"Not me, but Vinicius," answered Petronius. "Out of concern for +Vinicius, + +I should like to save a certain maiden; but I cannot, for I have +fallen out of favor with Ahenobarbus." + +"How is that? Dost thou not notice that Caesar is approaching thee +again, and beginning to talk with thee? And I will tell thee why. He +is preparing again for Achaea, where he is to sing songs in Greek +of his own composition. He is burning for that journey; but also he +trembles at thought of the cynical genius of the Greeks. He +imagines that either the greatest triumph may meet him or the +greatest failure. He needs good counsel, and he knows that no one +can give it better than thou. This is why thou art returning to +favor." + +"Lucan might take my place." + +"Bronzebeard hates Lucan, and in his soul has written down death +for the poet. He is merely seeking a pretext, f or he seeks pretexts +always." + +"By Castor!" said Petronius, "that may be. But I might have still +another way for a quick return to favor." + +"What?" + +"To repeat to Bronzebeard what thou hast told me just now." + +"I have said nothing!" cried Scevinus, with alarm. + +Petronius placed his hand upon the Senator's shoulder. "Thou hast +called Caesar a madman, thou hast foreseen the heirship of Piso, +and hast said, 'Lucan understands that there is need to hasten.' +What wouldst thou hasten, carissime?" + +Scevinus grew pale, and for a moment each looked into the eyes +of the other. + +"Thou wilt not repeat!" + +"By the hips of Kypris, I will not! How well thou knowest me! No; +I will not repeat. I have heard nothing, and, moreover, I wish to +hear nothing. Dost understand? Life is too short to make any +undertaking worth the while. I beg thee only to visit Tigellinus +to-day, and talk with him as long as thou hast with me of whatever +may please thee." + +"Why?" + +"So that should Tigellinus ever say to me, 'Scevinus was with thee,' +I might answer, 'He was with thee, too, that very day.'" + +Scevinus, when he heard this, broke the ivory cane which he had in +his hand, and said, -- "May the evil fall on this stick! I shall be with +Tigellinus to-day, and later at Nerva's feast. Thou, too, wilt be +there? In every case till we meet in the amphitheatre, where the +last of the Christians will appear the day after tomorrow. Till we +meet!" + +"After to-morrow!" repeated Petronius, when alone. "There is no +time to lose. Ahenobarbus will need me really in Achaea; hence he +may count with me." + +And he determined to try the last means. + +In fact, at Nerva's feast Caesar himself asked that Petronius recline +oaeposite, for he wished to speak with the arbiter about Achaea +and the cities in which he might appear with hopes of the greatest +success. He cared most for the Athenians, whom he feared. Other +Augustians listened to this conversation with attention, so as to +seize crumbs of the arbiter's opinions, and give them out later on +as their own. + +"It seems to me that I have not lived up to this time," said Nero, +"and that my birth will come only in Greece." + +"Thou wilt be born to new glory and immortality," answered +Petronius. + +"I trust that this is true, and that Apollo will not seem jealous. If I +return in triumph, I will offer him such a hecatomb as no god has +had so far." + +Scevinus fell to repeating the lines of Horace: -- + +"Sic te diva potens Cypri, +Sic fratres Helenae, lucida sidera, +Ventorumque regat Pater--" + +"The vessel is ready at Naples," said Caesar. "I should like to go +even tomorrow." + +At this Petronius rose, and, looking straight into Nero's eyes, +said,-- + +"Permit me, O divinity, to celebrate a wedding-feast, to which I +shall invite thee before others." + +"A wedding-feast! What wedding-feast?" inquired Nero. + +"That of Vinicius with thy hostage the daughter of the Lygian king. +She is in prison at present, it is true; but as a hostage she is not +subject to imprisonment, and, secondly, thou thyself hast permitted +Vinicius to marry her; and as thy sentences, like those of Zeus, are +unchangeable, thou wilt give command to free her from prison, +and I will give her to thy favorite." + +The cool blood and calm self-possession with which Petronius +spoke disturbed Nero, who was disturbed whenever any one spoke +in that fashion to him. + +"I know," said he, dropping his eyes. "I have thought of her and of +that giant who killed Croton." + +"In that case both are saved," answered Petronius, calmly. + +But Tigellinus came to the aid of his master: "She is in prison by +the will of Caesar; thou thyself hast said, O Petronius, that his +sentences are unchangeable." + +All present, knowing the history of Vinicius and Lygia, understood +perfectly what the question was; hence they were silent, curious as +to the end of the conversation. + +"She is in prison against the will of Caesar and through thy error, +through thy ignorance of the law of nations," said Petronius, with +emphasis. "Thou art a naive man, Tigellinus; but even thou wilt +not assert that she burnt Rome, and if thou wert to do so, Caesar +would not believe thee." + +But Nero had recovered and begun to half close his near-sighted +eyes with an expression of indescribable malice. + +"Petronius is right," said he, after a while. + +Tigellinus looked at him with amazement. + +"Petronius is right," repeated Nero; "to-morrow the gates of the +prison will be open to her, and of the marriage feast we will speak +the day after at the amphitheatre." + +"I have lost again," thought Petronius. + +When he had returned home, he was so certain that the end of +Lygia's life had come that he sent a trusty freedman to the +amphitheatre to bargain with the chief of the spoliarium for the +delivery of her body, since he wished to give it to Vinicius. + +Chapter LXV + +Evening exhibitions, rare up to that period and given only +exceptionally, became common in Nero's time, both in the Circus +and amphitheatre. The Augustians liked them, frequently because +they were followed by feasts and drinking-bouts which lasted till +daylight. Though the people were sated already with +blood-spilling, still, when the news went forth that the end of the +games was approaching, and that the last of the Christians were to +die at an evening spectacle, a countless audience assembled in the +amphitheatre. The Augustians came to a man, for they understood +that it would not be a common spectacle; they knew that Caesar +had determined to make for himself a tragedy out of the suffering +of Vinicius. Tigellinus had kept secret the kind of punishment +intended for the betrothed of the young tribune; but that merely +roused general curiosity. Those who had seen Lygia at the house of +Plautius told wonders of her beauty. Others were occupied above +all with the question, would they see her really on the arena that +day; for many of those who had heard the answer given Petronius +and Nerva by Caesar explained it in two ways: some supposed +simply that Nero would give or perhaps had given the maiden to +Vinicius; they remembered that she was a hostage, hence free to +worship whatever divinities she liked, and that the law of nations +did not permit her punishment. + +Uncertainty, waiting, and curiosity had mastered all spectators. +Caesar arrived earlier than usual; and immediately at his coming +people whispered that something uncommon would happen, for +besides Tigellinus and Vatinius, Caesar had with him Cassius, a +centurion of enormous size and gigantic strength, whom he +summoned only when he wished to have a defender at his side, -- +for example, when he desired night expeditions to the Subura, +where he arranged the amusement called "sagatio," which +consisted in tossing on a soldier's mantle maidens met on the way. +It was noted also that certain precautions had been taken in the +amphitheatre itself. The pretorian guards were increased; +command over them was held, not by a centurion, but by the +tribune Subrius Flavius, known hitherto for blind attachment to +Nero. It was understood, then, that Caesar wished in every case to +guard himself against an outburst of despair from Vinicius, and +curiosity rose all the more. + +Every eye was turned with strained gaze to the place where the +unfortunate lover was sitting. He was exceedingly pale, and his +forehead was covered with drops of sweat; he was in as much +doubt as were other spectators, but alarmed to the lowest depth of +his soul. Petronius knew not what would happen; he was silent, +except that, while turning from Nerva, he asked Vinicius whether +he was ready for everything, and next, whether he would remain at +the spectacle. To both questions Vinicius answered "Yes," but a +shudder passed through his whole body; he divined that Petronius +did not ask without reason. For some time he had lived with only +half his life, --he had sunk in death, and reconciled himself to +Lygia's death, since for both it was to be liberation and marriage; +but he learned now that it was one thing to think of the last +moment when it was distant as of a quiet dropping asleep, and +another to look at the torment of a person dearer to one than life. +All sufferings endured formerly rose in him anew. Despair, which +had been set at rest, began again to cry in his soul; the former +desire to save Lygia at any price seized him anew. Beginning with +the morning, he had tried to go to the cunicula to be sure that she +was there; but the pretorians watched every entrance, and orders +were so strict that the soldiers, even those whom he knew, would +not be softened by prayers or gold. It seemed to the tribune that +uncertainty would kill him before he should see the spectacle. +Somewhere at the bottom of his heart the hope was still throbbing, +that perhaps Lygia was not in the amphitheatre, that his fears were +groundless. At times he seized on this hope with all his strength. +He said in his soul that Christ might take her to Himself out of the +prison, but could not permit her torture in the Circus. Formerly he +was resigned to the divine will in everything; now, when repulsed +from the doors of the cunicula, he returned to his place in the +amphitheatre, and when he learned, from the curious glances +turned on him, that the most dreadful suppositions might be true, +he began to implore in his soul with passionateness almost +approaching a threat. "Thou canttae" raepcatcd he, clenching his +fists convulsively, "Thou canst!" Hitherto he had not supposed that +that moment when present would be so terrible. Now, without +clear consciousness of what was happening in his mind, he had the +feeling that if he should see Lygia tortured, his love for God would +be turned to hatred, and his faith to despair. But he was amazed at +the feeling, for he feared to offend Christ, whom he was imploring +for mercy and miracles. He implored no longer for her life; he +wished merely that she should die before they brought her to the +arena, and from the abyss of his pain he repeated in spirt-: "Do not +refuse even this, and I will love Thee still more than hitherto." And +then his thoughts raged as a sea torn by a whirlwind. A desire for +blood and vengeance was roused in him. He was seized by a mad +wish to rush at Nero and stifle him there in presence of all the +spectators; but he felt that desire to be a new offence against +Christ, and a breach of His command. To his head flew at times +flashes of hope that everything before which his soul was +trembling would be turned aside by an almighty and merciful +hand; but they were quenched at once, as if in measureless sorrow +that He who could destroy that Circus with one word and save +Lygia had abandoned her, though she trusted in Him and loved +Him with all the strength of her pure heart. And he thought, +moreover, that she was lying there in that dark place, weak, +defenceless, deserted, abandoned to the whim or disfavor of brutal +guards, drawing her last breath, perhaps, while he had to wait, +helpless, in that dreadful amphitheatre, without knowing what +torture was prepared for her, or what he would witness in a +moment. Finally, as a man falling over a precipice grasps at +everything which grows on the edge of it, so did he grasp with both +hands at the thought that faith of itself could save her. That one +method remained! Peter had said that faith could move the earth to +its foundations. + +Hence he rallied; he crushed doubt in himself, he compressed his +whole being into the sentence, "I believe," and he looked for a +miracle. + +But as an overdrawn cord may break, so exertion broke him. The +pallor of death covered his face, and his body relaxed. He thought +then that his prayer had been heard, for he was dying. It seemed to +him that Lygia must surely die too, and that Christ would take +them to Himself in that way. The arena, the white togas, the +countless spectators, the light of thousands of lamps and torches, +all vanished from his vision. + +But his weakness did not last long. After a while he roused +himself, or rather the stamping of the impatient multitude roused +him. + +"Thou art ill," said Petronius; "give command to bear thee home." + +And without regard to what Caesar would say, he rose to support +Vinicius and go out with him. His heart was filled with pity, and, +moreover, he was irritated beyond endurance because Caesar was +looking through the emerald at Vinicius, studying his pain with +satisfaction, to describe it afterwards, perhaps, in pathetic strophes, +and win the applause of hearers. + +Vinicius shook his head. He might die in that amphitheatre, but he +could not go out of it. Moreover the spectacle might begin any +moment. + +In fact, at that very instant almost, the prefect of the city waved a +red handkerchief, the hinges opposite Caesar's podium creaked, +and out of the dark gully came Ursus into the brightly lighted +arena. + +The giant blinked, dazed evidently by the glitter of the arena; then +he pushed into the centre, gazing around as if to see what he had to +meet. It was known to all the Augustians and to most of the +spectators that he was the man who had stifled Croton; hence at +sight of him a murmur passed along every bench. In Rome there +was no lack of gladiators larger by far than the common measure +of man, but Roman eyes had never seen the like of Ursus. Cassius, +standing in Caesar's podium, seemed puny compared with that +Lygian. Senators, vestals, Caesar, the Augustians, and the people +gazed with the delight of experts at his mighty limbs as large as +tree-trunks, at his breast as large as two shields joined together, +and his arms of a Hercules. The murmur rose every instant. For +those multitudes there could be no higher pleasure than to look at +those muscles in play in the exertion of a struggle. The murmur +rose to shouts, and eager questions were put: "Where do the people +live who can produce such a giant?" He stood there, in the middle +of the amphitheatre, naked, more like a stone colossus than a man, +with a collected expression, and at the same time the sad look of a +barbarian; and while surveying the empty arena, he gazed +wonderingly with his blue childlike eyes, now at the spectators, +now at Caesar, now at the grating of the cunicula, whence, as he +thought, his executioners would come. + +At the moment when he stepped into the arena his simple heart +was beating for the last time with the hope that perhaps a cross +was waiting for him; but when he saw neither the cross nor the +hole in which it might be put, he thought that he was unworthy of +such favor, -- that he would find death in another way, and surely +from wild beasts. He was unarmed, and had determined to die as +became a confessor of the "Lamb," peacefully and patiently. +Meanwhile he wished to pray once more to the Saviour; so he +knelt on the arena, joined his hands, and raised his eyes toward the +stars which were glittering in the lofty opening of the +amphitheatre. + +That act displeased the crowds. They had had enough of those +Christians who died like sheep. They understood that if the giant +would not defend himself the spectacle would be a failure. Here +and there hisses were heard. Some began to cry for scourgers, +whose office it was to lash combatants unwilling to fight. But soon +all had grown silent, for no one knew what was waiting for the +giant, nor whether he would aet be rcady to struggle when he met +death eye to eye. + +In fact, they had not long to wait. Suddenly the shrill sound of +brazen trumpets was heard, and at that signal a grating opposite +Caesar's podium was opened, and into the arena rushed, amid +shouts of beast-keepers, an enormous German aurochs, bearing on +his head the naked body of a woman. + +"Lygia! Lygiaae" cried Vinicius. + +Then he seized his hair near the temples, squirmed like a man who +feels a sharp dart in his body, and began to repeat in hoarse +accents, -- + +"I believe! I believe! O Christ, a miracle!" + +And he did not even feel that Petronius covered his head that +moment with the toga. It seemed to him that death or pain had +closed his eyes. He did not look, he did not see. The feeling of +some awful emptiness possessed him. In his head there remained +not a thought; his lips merely repeated, as if in madness, -- + +"I believe! I believe! I believe!" + +This time the amphitheatre was silent. The Augustians rose in their +places, as one man, for in the arena something uncommon had +happened. That Lygian, obedient and ready to die, when he saw his +queen on the horns of the wild beast, sprang up, as if touched by +living fire, and bending forward he ran at the raging animal. + +From all breasts a sudden cry of amazement was heard, after which +came deep silence. + +The Lygian fell on the raging bull in a twinkle, and seized him by +the horns. + +"Look!" cried Petronius, snatching the toga from the head of +Vinicius. The latter rose and bent back his head; his face was as +pale as linen, and he looked into the arena with a glassy, vacant +stare. + +All breasts ceased to breathe. In the amphitheatre a fly might be +heard on the wing. People could not believe their own eyes. Since +Rome was Rome, no one had seen such a spectacle. + +The Lygian held the wild beast by the horns. The man's feet sank +in the sand to his ankles, his back was bent like a drawn bow, his +head was hidden between his shoulders, on his arms the muscles +came out so that the skin almost burst from their pressure; but he +had stopped the bull in his tracks. And the man and the beast +remained so still that the spectators thought themselves looking at +a picture showing a deed of Hercules or Theseus, or a group hewn +from stone. But in that apparent repose there was a tremendous +exertion of two struggling forces. The bull sank his feet as well as +did the man in the sand, and his dark, shaggy body was curved so +that it seemed a gigantic ball. Which of the two would fail first, +which would fall first, -- that was the question for those spectators +enamoured of such struggles; a question which at that moment +meant more for them than their own fate, than all Rome and its +lordship over the world. That Lygian was in their eyes then a +demigod worthy of honor and statues. Caesar himself stood up as +well as others. He and Tigellinus, hearing of the man's strength, +had arranged this spectacle purposely, and said to each other with +a jeer, "Let that slayer of Croton kill the bull which we choose for +him"; so they looked now with amazement at that picture, as if not +believing that it could be real. + +In the amphitheatre were men who had raised their arms and +remained in that posture. Sweat covered the faces of others, as if +they themselves were struggling with the beast. In the Circus +nothing was heard save the sound of flame in the lamps, and the +crackle of bits of coal as they dropped from the torches. Their +voices died on the lips of the spectators, but their hearts were +beating in their breasts as if to split them. It seemed to all that the +struggle was lasting for ages. But the man and the beast continued +on in their monstrous exertion; one might have said that they were +planted in the earth. + +Meanwhile a dull roar resembling a groan was heard from the +arena, after which a brief shout was wrested from every breast, and +again there was silence. People thought themselves dreaming till +the enormous head of the bull began to turn in the iron hands of +the barbarian. The face, neck, and arms of the Lygian grew purple; +his back bent still more. It was clear that he was rallying the +remnant of his superhuman strength, but that he could not last +long. + +Duller and duller, hoarser and hoarser, more and more painful +grew the groan of the bull as it mingled with the whistling breath +from the breast of the giant. The head of the beast turned more and +more, and from his jaws crept forth a long, foaming tongue. + +A moment more, and to the ears of spectators sitting nearer came +as it were the crack of breaking bones; then the beast rolled on the +earth with his neck twisted in death. + +The giant removed in a twinkle the ropes from the horns of the +bull and, raising the maiden, began to breathe hurriedly. His face +became pale, his hair stuck together from sweat, his shoulders and +arms seemed flooded with water. For a moment he stood as if only +half conscious; then he raised his eyes and looked at the spectators. + +The amphitheatre had gone wild. + +The walls of the building were trembling from the roar of tens of +thousands of people. Since the beginning of spectacles there was +no memory of such excitement. Those who were sitting on the +highest rows came down, crowding in the passages between +benches to look more nearly at the strong man. Everywhere were +heard cries for mercy, passionate and persistent, which soon turned +into one unbroken thunder. That giant had become dear to those +people enamoured of physical strength; he was the first personage +in Rome. + +He understood that the multitude were striving to grant him his life +and restore him his freedom, but clearly his thought was not on +himself alone. He looked around a while; then approached +Caesar's podium, and, holding the body of the maiden on his +outstretched arms, raised his eyes with entreaty, as if to say, + +"Have mercy on her! Save the maiden. I did that for her sake!" + +The spectators understood perfectly what he wanted. At sight of +the unconscious maiden, who near the enormous Lygian seemed a +child, emotion seized the multitude of knights and senators. Her +slender form, as white as if chiselled from alabaster, her fainting, +the dreadful danger from which the giant had freed her, and finally +her beauty and attachment had moved every heart. Some thought +the man a father begging mercy for his child. Pity burst forth +suddenly, like a flame. They had had blood, death, and torture in +sufficiency. Voices choked with tears began to entreat mercy for +both. + +Meanwhile Ursus, holding the girl in his arms, moved around the +arena, and with his eyes and with motions begged her life for her. +Now Vinicius started up from his seat, sprang over the barrier +which separated the front places from the arena, and, running to +Lygia, covered her naked body with his toga. + +Then he tore apart the tunic on his breast, laid bare the scars left by +wounds received in the Armenian war, and stretched out his hands +to the audience. + +At this the enthusiasm of the multitude passed everything seen in a +circus before. The crowd stamped and howled. Voices calling for +mercy grew simply terrible. People not only took the part of the +athlete, but rose in defense of the soldier, the maiden, their love. +Thousands of spectators turned to Caesar with flashes of anger in +their eyes and with clinched fists. + +But Caesar halted and hesitated. Against Vinicius he had no hatred +indeed, and the death of Lygia did not concern him; but he +preferred to see the body of the maiden rent by the horns of the +bull or torn by the claws of beasts. His cruelty, his deformed +imagination, and deformed desires found a kind of delight in such +spectacles. And now tile people wanted to rob him. Hence anger +appeared on his bloated face. Self-love also would not let him +yield to the wish of the multitude, and still he did not dare to +oppose it, through his inborn cowardice. + +So he gazed around to see if among the Augustians at least, he +could not find fingers turned down in sign of death. But Petronius +held up his hand, and looked into Nero's face almost challengingly. +Vestinius, superstitious but inclined to enthusiasm, a man who +feared ghosts but not the living, gave a sign for mercy also. So did +Scevinus, the Senator; so did Nerva, so did Tullius Senecio, so did +the famous leader Ostorius Scapula, and Antistius, and Piso, and +Vetus, and Crispinus, and Minucius Thermus, and Pontius +Telesinus, and the most important of all, one honored by the +people, Thrasea. + +In view of this, Caesar took the emerald from his eye with an +expression of contempt and offence; when Tigellinus, whose +desire was to spite Petronius, turned to him and said, -- + +"Yield not, divinity; we have the pretorians." + +Then Nero turned to the place where command over the pretorians +was held by the stern Subrius Flavius, hitherto devoted with whole +soul to him, and saw something unusual. The face of the old +tribune was stern, but covered with tears, and he was holding his +hand up in sign of mercy. + +Now rage began to possess the multitude. Dust rose from beneath +the stamping feet, and filled the amphitheatre. In the midst of +shouts were heard cries: "Ahenobarbus! matricide! incendiary!" + +Nero was alarmed. Romans were absolute lords in the Circus. +Former Caesars, and especially Caligula, had permitted themselves +sometimes to act against the will of the people; this, however, +called forth disturbance always, going sometimes to bloodshed. +But Nero was in a different position. First, as a comedian and a +singer he needed the people's favor; second, he wanted it on his +side against the Senate and the patricians, and especially after the +burning of Rome he strove by all means to win it, and turn their +anger against the Christians. He understood, besides, that to +oppose longer was simply dangerous. A disturbance begun in the +Circus might seize the whole city, and have results incalculable. + +He looked once more at Subrius Flavius, at Scevinus the centurion, +a relative of the senator, at the soldiers; and seeing everywhere +frowning brows, excited faces, and eyes fixed on him, he gave the +sign for mercy. + +Then a thunder of applause was heard from the highest seats to the +lowest. The people were sure of the lives of the condemned, for +from that moment they went under their protection, and even +Caesar would not have dared to pursue them any longer with his +vengeance. + +Chapter LXVI + +FOUR Bithynians carried Lygia carefully to the house of +Petronius. Vinicius and Ursus walked at her side, hurrying so as to +give her into the hands of the Greek physician as quickly as +possible. They walked in silence, for after the events of the day +they had not power to speak. Vinicius so far was as if half +conscious. He kept repeating to himself that Lygia was saved; that +she was threatened no longer by imprisonment, or death in the +Circus; that their misfortunes had ended once and forever; that he +would take her home and not separate again from her. This +appeared to him the beginning of some other life rather than +reality. From moment to moment he bent over the open litter to +look on the beloved face, which in the moonlight seemed sleeping, +and he repeated mentally, "This is she! Christ has saved her!" He +remembered also that while he and Ursus were carrying her from +the spoliarium an unknown physician had assured him that she was +living and would recover. At this thought delight so filled his +breast that at moments he grew weak, and being unable to walk +with his own strength leaned on the arm of Ursus. Ursus +meanwhile was looking into the sky filled with stars, and was +praying. + +They advanced hurriedly along streets where newly erected white +buildings shone brightly in the moonlight. The city was empty, +save here and there where crowds of people crowned with ivy, +sang and danced before porticos to the sound of flutes, thus taking +advantage of the wonderful night and the festive season, unbroken +from the beginning of the games. Only when they were near the +house did Ursus stop praying, and say in a low voice, as if he +feared to waken Lygia, -- + +"Lord, it was the Saviour who rescued her from death. When I saw +her on the horns of the aurochs, I heard a voice in my soul saying, +'Defend her!' and that was the voice of the Lamb. The prison took +strength from me, but He gave it back in that moment, and inspired +that cruel people to take her part. Let His will be done!" + +And Vinicius answered, -- + +"Magnified be His name!" + +He had not power to continue, for all at once he felt that a mighty +weeping was swelling his breast. He was seized by an +overpowering wish to throw himself on the earth and thank the +Saviour for His miracles and His mercy. + +Meanwhile they had come to the house; the servants, informed by +a slave despatched in advance, crowded out to meet them. Paul of +Tarsus had sent back from Antium the greater part of those people. +The misfortune of Vincius was known to them perfectly; therefore +their delight at seeing those victims which had been snatched from +the malice of Nero was immense, and increased still more when +the physician Theocles declared that Lygia had not suffered serious +injury, and that when the weakness caused by prison fever had +passed, she would regain health. + +Consciousness returned to her that night. Waking in the splendid +chamber lighted by Corinthian lamps, amidst the odor of verbena +and nard, she knew not where she was, or what was taking place +with her. She remembered the moment in which she had been +lashed to the horns of the chained bull; and now, seeing above her +the face of Vinicius, lighted by the mild rays of the lamp, she +supposed herself no longer on earth. The thoughts were confused +in her weakened head; it seemed to her natural to be detained +somewhere on the way to heaven, because of her tortures and +weakness. Feeling no pain, however, she smiled at Vinicius, and +wanted to ask where they were; but from her lips came merely a +low whisper in which he could barely detect his own name. + +Then he knelt near her, and, placing his hand on her forehead +lightly, he said,-- + +"Christ saved thee, and returned thee to me!" + +Her lips moved again with a meaningless whisper; her lids closed +after a moment, her breast rose with a light sigh, and she fell into a +deep sleep, for which the physician had been waiting, and after +which she would return to health, he said. + +Vinicius remained kneeling near her, however, sunk in prayer. His +soul was melting with a love so immense that he forgot himself +utterly. Theocles returned often to the chamber, and the +golden-haired Eunice appeared behind the raised curtain a number +of times; finally cranes, reared in the gardens, began to call, +heralding the coming day, but Vinicius was still embracing in his +mind the feet of Christ, neither seeing nor hearing what was +passing around him, with a heart turned into a thanksgiving, +sacrificial flame, sunk in ecstasy, and though alive, half seized into +heaven. + +Chapter LXVII + +PETRONIUS, after the liberation of Lygia, not wishing to irritate +Caesar, went to the Palatine with other Augustians. He wanted to +hear what they were saying, and especially to learn if Tigellinus +was devising something new to destroy Lygia. Both she and Ursus +had passed under the protection of the people, it is true, and no one +could place a hand on them without raising a riot; still Petronius, +knowing the hatred toward him of the all-powerful prctorian +prefect, considered that very likely Tigellinus, while unable to +strike him directly, would strive to find some means of revenge +against his nephew. + +Nero was angry and irritated, since the spectacle had ended quite +differently from what he had planned. At first he did not wish even +to look at Petronius; but the latter, without losing cool blood, +approached him, with all the freedom of the "arbiter +elegantiarum," and said, -- + +"Dost thou know, divinity, what occurs to me? Write a poem on +the maiden who, at command of the lord of the world, was freed +from the horns of the wild bull and given to her lover. The Greeks +are sensitive, and I am sure that the poem will enchant them." + +This thought pleased Nero in spite of all his irritation, and it +pleased him doubly, first, as a subject for a poem, and second, +because in it he could glorify himself as the magnanimous lord of +the earth; hence he looked for a time at Petronius, and then said, -- + + +"Yes! perhaps thou art right. But does it become me to celebrate +my own goodness?" + +"There is no need to give names. In Rome all will know who is +meant, and from Rome reports go through the whole world." + +"But art thou sure that this will please the people in Achaea?" + +"By Poilux, it will!" said Petronius. + +And he went away satisfied, for he felt certain that Nero, whose +whole life was an arrangement of reality to literary plans, would +not spoil the subject, and by this alone he would tie the hands of +Tigellinus. This, however, did not change his plan of sending +Vinicius out of Rome as soon as Lygia's health should permit. So +when he saw him next day, he said, -- + +"Take her to Sicily. As things have happened, on Caesar's part thou +art threatened by nothing; but Tigellinus is ready to use even +poison.-- if not out of hatred to you both, out of hatred to me." + +Vinicius smiled at him, and said: "She was on the horns of the wild +bull; still Christ saved her." + +"Then honor Him with a hecatomb," replied Paetronius, with an +accent of impatience, "but do not beg Him to save her a second +time. Dost remember how Eolus received Ulysses when he +returned to ask a second time for favoring winds? Deities do not +like to repeat themselves." + +"When her health returns, I will take her to Pomponia Graecina," +said Vinicius. + +"And thou wilt do that all the better since Pomponia is in; +Antistius, a relative of Aulus, told me so. Meanwhile things will +happen here to make people forget thee, and in these times the +forgotten are the happiest. May Fortune be thy sun in winter, and +thy shade in summer." + +Then he left Vinicius to his happiness, but went himself to inquire +of Theocles touching the life and health of Lygia. + +Danger threatened her no longer. Emaciated as she was in the +dungeon after prison fever, foul air and discomfort would have +killed her; but now she had the most tender care, and not only +plenty, but luxury. At command of Theocles they took her to the +gardens of the villa after two days; in these gardens she remained +for hours. Vinicius decked her litter with anemones, and especially +with irises, to remind her of the atrium of the house of Aulus. +More than once, hidden in the shade of spreading trees, they spoke +of past sufferings and fears, each holding the other's hand. Lygia +said that Christ had conducted him through suffering purposely to +change his soul and raise it to Himself. Vinicius felt that this was +true, and that there was in him nothing of the former patrician, +who knew no law but his own desire. In those memories there was +nothing bitter, however. It seemed to both that whole years had +gone over their heads, and that the dreadful past lay far behind. At +the same time such a calmness possessed them as they had never +known before. A new life of immense happiness had come and +taken them into itself. In Rome Caesar might rage and fill the +world with terror -- they felt above them a guardianship a hundred +times mightier than his power, and had no further fear of his rage +or his malice, just as if for them he had ceased to be the lord of life +or death. Once, about sunset, the roar of lions and other beasts +reached them from distant vivaria. Formerly those sounds filled +Vinicius with fear because they were ominous; now he and Lygia +merely looked at each other and raised their eyes to the evening +twilight. At times Lygia, still very weak and unable to walk alone, +fell asleep in the quiet of the garden; he watched over her, and, +looking at her sleeping face, thought involuntarily that she was not +that Lygia whom he had met at the house of Aulus. In fact, +imprisonment and disease had to some extent quenched her +beauty. When he saw her at the house of Aulus, and later, when he +went to Miriam's house to seize her, she was as wonderful as a +statue and also as a flower; now her face had become almost +transparent, her hands thin, her body reduced by disease, her lips +pale, and even her eyes seemed less blue than formerly. The +golden-haired Eunice who brought her flowers and rich stuffs to +cover her feet was a divinity of Cyprus in comparison. Petronius +tried in vain to find the former charms in her, and, shrugging his +shoulders, thought that that shadow from Elysian fields was not +worth those struggles, those pains, and those tortures which had +almost sucked the life out of Vinicius. But Vinicius, in love now +with her spirit, loved it all the more; and when he was watching +over her while asleep, it seemed to him that he was watching over +the whole world. + +Chapter LXVIII + +NEWS of the miraculous rescue of Lygia was circulated quickly +among those scattered Christians who had escaped destruction. +Confessors came to look at her to whom Christ's favor had been +shown clearly. First came Nazarius and Miriam, with whom Peter +the Apostle was hiding thus far; after them came others. All, as +well as Vinicius, Lygia, and the Christian slaves of Petronius, +listened with attention to the narrative of Ursus about the voice +which he had heard in his soul, and which commanded him to +struggle with the wild bull. All went away consoled, hoping that +Christ would not let His followers be exterminated on earth before +His coming at the day of judgment. And hope sustained their +hearts, for persecution had not ceased yet. Whoever was declared a +Christian by public report was thrown into prison at once by the +city watches. It is true that the victims were fewer, for the majority +of confessors had been seized and tortured to death. The Christians +who remained had either left Rome to wait out the storm in distant +provinces, or had hidden most carefully, not daring to assemble in +common prayer, unless in sand-pits outside the city. They were +persecuted yet, however, and though the games were at an end, the +newly arrested were reserved for future games or punished +specially. Though it was believed in Rome no longer that +Christians had caused the conflagration, they were declared +enemies of humanity and the State, and the edict against them +remained in former force. + +The Apostle Peter did not venture for a long time to appear in the +house of Petronius, but at last on a certain evening Nazarius +announced his arrival. Lygia, who was able to walk alone now, and +Vinicius ran out to meet him, and fell to embracing his feet. He +greeted them with emotion all the greater that not many sheep in +that flock over which Christ had given him authority, and over the +fate of which his great heart was weeping, remained to him. So +when Vinicius said, "Lord, because of thee the Redeemer returned +her to me," he answered: "He returned her because of thy faith, and +so that not all the lips which profess His name should grow silent." +And evidently he was thinking then of those thousands of his +children torn by wild beasts, of those crosses with which the arena +had been filled, and those fiery pillars in the gardens of the +"Beast"; for he spoke with great sadness. Vinicius and Lygia +noticed also that his hair had grown entirely white, that his whole +form was bent, and that in his face there was as much sadness and +suffering as if he had passed through all those pains and torments +which the victims of Nero's rage and madness had endured. But +both understood that since Christ had given Himself to torture and +to death, no one was permitted to avoid it. Still their hearts were +cut at sight of the Apostle, bent by years, toil, and pain. So +Vinicius, who intended to take Lygia soon to Naples, where they +would meet Pomponia and go to Sicily, implored him to leave +Rome in their company. + +But the Apostle placed his hand on the tribune's head and +answered, -- + +"In my soul I hear these words of the Lord, which He spoke to me +on the Lake of Tiberias: 'When thou wert young, thou didst gird +thyself, and walk whither thou wouldst; but when thou shalt he +old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, +and carry thee whither thou wouldst not.' Therefore it is proper that +I follow my flock." + +And when they were silent, not knowing the sense of his speech, +he added,-- + +"My toil is nearing its end; I shall find entertainment and rest only +in the house of the Lord." + +Then he turned to them saying: "Remember me, for I have loved +you as a father loves his children; and whatever ye do in life, do it +for the glory of God." + +Thus speaking, he raised his aged, trembling hands and blessed +them; they nestled up to him, feeling that to be the last blessing, +perhaps, which they should receive from him. + +It was destined them, however, to see him once more. A few days +later Petronius brought terrible news from the Palatine. It had been +discovered there that one of Caesar's freedmen was a Christian; +and on this man were found letters of the Apostles Peter and Paul, +with letters of James, John, and Judas. Peter's presence in Rome +was known formerly to Tigellinus, but he thought that the Apostle +had perished with thousands of other confessors. Now it transpired +that the two leaders of the new faith were alive and in the capital. +It was determined, therefore, to seize them at all costs, for it was +hoped that with their death the last root of the hated sect would be +plucked out. Petronius heard from Vestinius that Caesar himself +had issued an order to put Peter and Paul in the Mamertine prison +within three days, and that whole detachments of pretorians had +been sent to search every house in the Trans-Tiber. + +When he heard this, Vinicius resolved to warn the Apostle. In the +evening he and Ursus put on Gallic mantles and went to the house +of Miriam, where Peter was living. The house was at the very edge +of the Trans-Tiber division of the city, at the foot of the Janiculum. +On the road they saw houses surrounded by soldiers, who were +guided by certain unknown persons. This division of the city was +alarmed, and in places crowds of curious people had assembled. +Here and there centurions interrogated prisoners touching Simon +Peter and Paul of Tarsus. + +Ursus and Vinicius were in advance of the soldiers, and went +safely to Miriam's house, in which they found Peter surrounded by +a handful of the faithful. Timothy, Paul's assistant, and Linus were +at the side of the Apostle. + +At news of the approaching danger, Nazarius led all by a hidden +passage to the garden gate, and then to deserted stone quarries, a +few hundred yards distant from the Janiculum Gate. Ursus had to +carry Linus, whose bones, broken by torture, had not grown +together yet. But once in the quarry, they felt safe; and by the light +of a torch ignited by Nazarius they began to consult, in a low +voice, how to save the life of the Apostle who was so dear to them. + +"Lord," said Vinicius, "let Nazarius guide thee at daybreak to the +Alban Hills. There I will find thee, and we will take thee to +Antium, where a ship is ready to take us to Naples and Sicily. +Blessed will the day and the hour be in which thou shalt enter my +house, and thou wilt bless my hearth." + +The others heard this with delight, and pressed the Apostle, +saying,-- + +"Hide thyself, sacred leader; remain not in Rome. Preserve the +living truth, so that it perish not with us and thee. Hear us, who +entreat thee as a father." + +"Do this in Christ's name!" cried others, grasping at his robes. + +"My children," answered Peter, "who knows the time when the +Lord will mark the end of his life?" + +But he did not say that he would not leave Rome, and he hesitated +what to do; for uncertainty, and even fear, had been creeping into +his soul for some time. His flock was scattered; the work was +wrecked; that church, which before the burning of the city had +been flourishing like a splendid tree, was turned into dust by the +power of the "Beast." Nothing remained save tears, nothing save +memories of torture and death. The sowing had yielded rich fruit, +but Satan had trampled it into the earth. Legions of angels had not +come to aid the perishing, -- and Nero was extending in glory over +the earth, terrible, mightier than ever, the lord of aell Seas and all +lands. More than once had that fisherman of the Lord stretched his +hands heavenward in loneliness and asked: "Lord, what must I do? +How must I act? And how am I, a feeble old man, to fight with this +invincible power of Evil, which Thou hart permitted to rule, and +have victory?" + +And he called out thus in the depth of his immense pain, repeating +in spirit: "Those sheep which Thou didst command me to feed are +no more, Thy church is no more; loneliness and mourning are in +Thy capital; what dost Thou command me to do now? Am I to stay +here, or lead forth the remnant of the flock to glorify Thy name in +secret somewhere beyond the sea?" + +And he hesitated, He believed that the living truth would not +perish, that it must conquer; but at moments he thought that the +hour had not come yet, that it would come only when the Lord +should descend to the earth in the day of judgment in glory and +power a hundred times greater than the might of Nero. + +Frequently it seemed to him that if he left Rome, the faithful +would follow; that he would lead them then far away to the shady +groves of Galilee, to the quiet surface of the Lake of Tiberias, to +shepherds as peaceful as doves, or as sheep, who feed there among +thyme and pepperwort. And an increasing desire for peace and +rest, an increasing yearning for the lake and Galilee, seized the +heart of the fisherman; tears came more frequently to the old man's +eyes. + +But at the moment when he made the choice, sudden alarm and +fear came on him. How was he to leave that city, in which so much +martyrs' blood had sunk into the earth, and where so many lips had +given the true testimony of the dying? Was he alone to yield? And +what would he answer the Lord on hearing the words, "These have +died for the faith, but thou didst flee"? + +Nights and days passed for him in anxiety and suffering. Others, +who had been torn by lions, who had been fastened to crosses, who +had been burnt in the gardens of Caesar, had fallen asleep in the +Lord after moments of torture; but he could not sleep, and he felt +greater tortures than any of those invented by executioners f or +victims. Often was the dawn whitening the roofs of houses while +he was still crying from the depth of his mourning heart: "Lord, +why didst Thou command me to come hither and found Thy +capital in the den of the 'Beast'?" + +For thirty-three years after the death of his Master he knew no rest. +Staff in hand, he had gone through the world and declared the +"good tidings." His strength had been exhausted in journeys and +toil, till at last, when in that city, which was the head of the world, +he had established the work of his Master, one bloody breath of +wrath had burned it, and he saw that there was need to take up the +struggle anew. And what a struggle! On one side Caecsar, the +Senate, the people, the legions holding the world with a circle of +iron, countless cities, countless lands, .-- power such as the eye of +man had not seen; on the other side he, so bent with age and toil +that his trembling hand was hardly able to carry his staff. + +At times, therefore, he said to himself that it was not for him to +measure with the Caesar of Rome, -- that Christ alone could do +that. + +All these thoughts were passing through his care-filled head, when +he heard the prayers of the last handful of the faithful. They, +surrounding him in an ever narrowing circle, repeated with voices +of entreaty, -- + +"Hide thyself, Rabbi, and lead us away from the power of the +'Beast.'" + +Finally Linus also bowed his tortured head before him. + +"O lord," said he, "the Redeemer commanded thee to feed His +sheep, but they are here no longer, go, to-morrow they will not be +here; go, therefore, where thou mayst find them yet. The word of +God is living still in Jerusalem, in Antioch, in Ephesus, and in +other cities. What wilt thou do by remaining in Rome? If thou fall, +thou wilt merely swell the triumph of the 'Beast.' The Lord has not +designated the limit of John's life; Paul is a Roman citizen, they +cannot condemn him without trial; but if the power of hell rise up +against thee, O teacher, those whose hearts are dejected will ask, +'Who is above Nero?' Thou art the rock on which the church of +God is founded. Let us die, but permit not the victory of Antichrist +over the vicegerent of God, and return not hither till the Lord has +crushed him who shed innocent blood." + +"Look at our tears!" repeated all who were present. + +Tears flowed over Peter's face too. After a while he rose, and, +stretching his hands over the kneeling figures, said, -- + +"May the name of the Lord be magnified, and may His will be +done!" + +Chapter LXIX + +About dawn of the following day two dark figures were moving +along the Appian Way toward the Campania. + +One of them was Nazarius; the other the Apostle Peter, who was +leaving Rome and his martyred co-religionists. + +The sky in the east was assuming a light tinge of green, bordered +gradually and more distinctly on the lower edge with saffron color. +Silver-leafed trees, the white marble of villas, and the arches of +aqueducts, stretching through the plain toward the city, were +emerging from shade. The greenness of the sky was clearing +gradually, and becoming permeated with gold. Then the east began +to grow rosy and illuminate the Adban Hills, which seemed +marvellously beautiful, lily-colored, as if formed of rays of light +alone. + +The light was reflected in trembling leaves of trees, in the +dew-drops. The haze grew thinner, opening wider and wider views +on the plain, on the houses dotting it, on the cemeteries, on the +towns, and on grorps of trees, among which stood white columns +of temples. + +The road was empty. The villagers who took vegtables to the city +had not succeeded yet, evidently, in harnessing beasts to their +vehicles. From the stone blocks with which the road was paved as +far as the mountains, there came a low sound from the bark shoes +on the feet of the two travellers. + +Then the sun appeared over the line of hills; but at once a +wonderful vision struck the Apostle's eyes. It seemed to him that +the golden circle, instead of rising in the sky, moved down from +the heights and was advancing on the road. Peter stopped, and +asked, -- + +"Seest thou that brightness approaching us?" + +"I see nothing," replied Nazarius. + +But Peter shaded his eyes with his hand, and said after a while, + +"Some figure is coming in the gleam of the sun." But not the +slightest sound of steps reached their ears. It was perfectly still all +around. Nazarius saw only that the trees were quivering in the +distance, as if some one were shaking them, and the light was +spreading more broadly over the aeilain. He looked with wonder at +the Apostle. + +"Rabbi! what ails thee?" cried he, with alarm. + +The pilgrim's staff fell from Peter's hands to the earth; his eyes +were looking forward, motionless; his mouth was open; on his face +were depicted astonishment, delight, rapture. + +Then he threw himself on his knees, his arms stretched forward; +and this cry left his lips, -- + +"O Christ! O Christ!" + +He fell with his face to the earth, as if kissing some one's feet. + +The silence continued long; then were heard the words of the aged +man, broken by sobs, -- + +"Quo vadis, Domine?" + +Nazarius did not hear the answer; but to Peter's ears came a sad +and sweet voice, which said, -- + +"If thou desert my people, I am going to Rome to be crucified a +second time." + +The Apostle lay on the ground, his face in the dust, without motion +or speech. It seemed to Nazarius that he had fainted or was dead; +but he rose at last, seized the staff with trembling hands, and +turned without a word toward the seven hills of the city. + +The boy, seeing this, repeated as an echo, -- + +"Quo vadis, Domine?" + +"To Rome," said the Apostle, in a low voice. + +And he returned. + +Paul, John, Linus, and all the faithful received him with +amazement; and the alarm was the greater, since at daybreak, just +after his departure, pretorians had surrounded Miriam's house and +searched it for the Apostle. But to every question he answered only +with delight and peace, -- + +"I have seen the Lord!" + +And that same evening he went to the Ostian cemetery to teach +and baptize those who wished to bathe in the water of life. + +And thenceforward he went there daily, and after him went +increasing numbers. It seemed that out of every tear of a martyr +new confessors were born, and that every groan on the arena found +an echo in thousands of breasts. Caesar was swimming in blood, +Rome and the whole pagan world was mad. But those who had had +enough of transgression and madness, those who were trampled +upon, those whose lives were misery and oppression, all the +weighed down, all the sad, all the unfortunate, came to hear the +wonderful tidings of God, who out of love for men had given +Himself to be crucified and redeem their sins. + +When they found a God whom they could love, they had found that +which the society of the time could not give any one, -- happiness +and love. + +And Peter understood that neither Caesar nor all his legions could +overcome the living truth, -- that they could not overwhelm it with +tears or blood, and that now its victory was beginning. He +understood with equal force why the Lord had turned him back on +the road. That city of pride, crime, wickedness, and power was +beginning to be His city, and the double capital, from which would +flow out upon the world government of souls and bodies. + +Chapter LXX + +AT last the hour was accomplished for both Apostles. But, as if to +complete his service, it was given to the fisherman of the Lord to +win two souls even in confinement. The soldiers, Processus and +Martinianus, who guarded him in the Mamertine prison, received +baptism. Then came the hour of torture. Nero was not in Rome at +that time. Sentence was passed by Helius and Polythetes, two +freedmen to whom Caesar had confided the government of Rome +during his absence. + +On the aged Apostle had been inflicted the stripes prescribed by +law; and next day he was led forth beyond the walls of the city, +toward the Vatican Hill, where he was to suffer the punishment of +the cross assigned to him. Soldiers were astonished by the crowd +which had gathered before the prison, for in their minds the death +of a common man, and besides a foreigner, should not rouse such +interest; they did not understand that that retinue was composed +not of sightseers, but confessors, anxious to escort the great +Apostle to the place of execution, In the afternoon the gates of the +prison were thrown open at last, and Peter appeared in the midst of +a detachment of pretorians. The sun had inclined somewhat toward +Ostia already; the day was clear and calm. Because of his +advanced age, Peter was not required to carry the cross; it was +supposed that he could not carry it; they had not put the fork on his +neck, either, so as not to retard his pace. He walked without +hindrance, and the faithful could see him perfectly. + +At moments when his white head showed itself among the iron +helmets of the soldiers, weeping was heard in the crowd; but it was +restrained immediately, for the face of the old man had in it so +much calmness, and was so bright with joy, that all understood +him to be not a victim going to destruction, but a victor celebrating +his triumph. + +And thus it was really. The fisherman, usually humble and +stooping, walked now erect, taller than the soldiers, full of dignity. +Never had men seen such majesty in his bearing. It might have +seemed that he was a monarch attended by people and military. +From every side voices were raised, -- + +"There is Peter going to the Lord!" + +All forgot, as it were, that torture and death were waiting for him. +He walked with solemn attention, but with calmness, feeling that +since the death on Golgotha nothing equally important had +happened, and that as the first death had redeemed the whole +world, this was to redeem the city. + +Along the road people halted from wonder at sight of that old man; +but believers, laying hands on their shoulders, said with calm +voices, + + "See how a just man goes to death, -- one who knew Christ and +proclaimed love to the world," + +These became thoughtful, and walked away, saying to themselves, +"He cannot, indeed, be unjust!" + +Along the road noise was hushed, and the cries of the street. The +retinue moved on before houses newly reared, before white +columns of temples, over whose summits hung the deep sky, calm +and blue. They went in quiet; only at times the weapons of the +soldiers clattered, or the murmur of prayer rose. Peter heard the +last, and his face grew bright with increasing joy, for his glance +could hardly take in those thousands of confessors. He felt that he +had done his work, and he knew now that that truth which he had +been declaring all his life would overwhelm everything, like a sea, +and that nothing would have power to restrain it. And thus +thinking, he raised his eyes, and said: "O Lord, Thou didst +command me to conquer this world-ruling city; hence I have +conquered it. Thou hast commanded me to found here Thy capital; +hence I have founded it. This is Thy city now, O Lord, and I go to +Thee, for I have toiled greatly." + +As he passed before temples, he said to them, "Ye will be temples +of Christ." Looking at throngs of people moving before his eyes, he +said to them, "Your children will be servants of Christ"; and he +advanced with the feeling that he had conquered, conscious of his +service, conscious of his strength, solaced, -- great. The soldiers +conducted him over the Pons Triumphalis, as if giving involuntary +testimony to his triumph, and they led him farther toward the +Naumachia and the Circus. The faithful from beyond the Tiber +joined the procession; and such a throng of people was formed that +the centurion commanding the pretonians understood at last that +he was leading a high-priest surrounded by believers, and grew +alarmed because of the small number of soldiers. But no cry of +indignation or rage was given out in the throng. Men's faces were +penetrated with the greatness of the moment, solemn and full of +expectation. Some believers, remembering that when the Lord died +the earth opened from fright and the dead rose from their graves, +thought that now some evident signs would appear, after which the +death of the Apostle would not be forgotten for ages. Others said +to themselves, "Perhaps the Lord will select the hour of Peter's +death to come from heaven as He promised, and judge the world." +With this idea they recommended recommended themselves to the +mercy of the Redeemer. + +But round about there was calm. The hills seemed to be warming +themselves, and resting in the sun. The procession stopped at last +between the Circus and the Vatican Hill. Soldiers began now to +dig a hole; others placed on the ground the cross, hammers, and +nails, waiting till all preparations were finished. The crowd, +continuing quiet and attentive, knelt round about. + +The Apostle, with his head in the sun-rays and golden light, turned +for the last time toward the city. At a distance lower down was +seen the gleaming Tiber; beyond was the Campus Martins; higher +up, the Mausoleum of Augustus; below that, the gigantic baths just +begun by Nero; still lower, Pompey's theatre; and beyond them +were visible in places, and in places hidden by other buildings, the +Septa Julia, a multitude of porticos, temples, columns, great +edifices; and, finally, far in the distance, hills covered with houses, +a gigantic resort of people, the borders of which vanished in the +blue haze, -- an abode of crime, but of power; of madness, but of +order, -- which had become the head of the world, its oppressor, +but its law and its peace, almighty, invincible, eternal, But Peter, +surrounded by soldiers, looked at the city as a ruler and king looks +at his inheritance. And he said to it, "Thou art redeemed and +mine!" And no one, not merely among the soldiers digging the +hole in which to plant the cross, but even among believers, could +divine that standing there among them was the true ruler of that +moving life; that Caesars would pass away, waves of barbarians go +by, and ages vanish, but that old man would be lord there +unbrokenly. + +The sun had sunk still more toward Ostia, and had become large +and red. The whole western side of the sky had begun to glow with +immense brightness. The soldiers approached Peter to strip him. + +But he, while praying, straightened himself all at once, and +stretched his right hand high. The executioners stopped, as if made +timid by his posture; the faithful held the breath in their breasts, +thinking that he wished to say something, and silence unbroken +followed. + +But he, standing on the height, with his extended right hand made +the sign of the cross, blessing in the hour of death,-- + +Urbi et orbi! (the city and the world). + +In that same wonderful evening another detachment of soldiers +conducted along the Ostian Way Paul of Tarsus toward a place +called Aquae Salviae. And behind him also advanced a crowd of +the faithful whom he had converted; but when he recognized near +acquaintances, he halted and conversed with them, f or, being a +Roman citizen, the guard showed more respect to him. Beyond the +gate called Tergemina he met Plautilla, the daughter of the prefect +Flavius Sabinus, and, seeing her youthful face covered with tears, +he said: "Plautilla, daughter of Eternal Salvation, depart in peace. +Only give me a veil with which to bind my eyes when I am going +to the Lord." And taking it, he advanced with a face as full of +delight as that of a laborer who wbaen he has toiled the whole day +successfully is returning home. His thoughts, like those of Peter, +were as calm and quiet as that evening sky. His eyes gazed with +thoughtfulness upon the plain which stretched out before him, and +to the Alban Hills, immersed in light. He remembered his +journeys, his toils, his labor, the struggles in which he had +conquered, the churches which he had founded in all lands and +beyond all seas; and he thought that he had earned his rest +honestly, that he had finished his work. He felt now that the seed +which he had planted would not be blown away by the wind of +malice. He was leaving this life with the certainty that in the battle +which his truth had declared against the world it would conquer; +and a mighty peace settled down on his soul. + +The road to the place of execution was long, and evening was +coming. The mountains became purple, and the bases of them +went gradually into the shade. Flocks were returning home. Here +and there groups of slaves were walking with the tools of labor on +their shoulders. Children, playing on the road before houses, +looked with curiosity at the passing soldiers. But in that evening, +in that transparent golden air, there were not only peace and +lovingness, but a certain harmony, which seemed to lift from earth +to heaven. Paul felt this; and his heart was filled with delight at the +thought that to that harmony of the world he had added one note +which had not been in it hitherto, but without which the whole +earth was like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. + +He remembered how he had taught people love, -- how he had told +them that though they were to give their property to the poor, +though they knew all languages, all secrets, and all sciences, they +would be nothing without love, which is kind, enduring, which +does not return evil, which does not desire honor, suffers all +things, believes all things, hopes all things, is patient of all things. + +And so his life had passed in teaching people this truth. And now +he said in spirit: What power can equal it, what can conquer it? +Could Caesar stop it, though he had twice as many legions and +twice as many cities, seas, lands, and nations? + +And he went to his reward like a conqueror. + +The detachment left the main road at last, and turned toward the +east on a narrow path leading to the Aquae Salviae. The red sun +was lying now on the heather. The centurion stopped the soldiers +at the fountain, for the moment had come. + +Paul placed Plautifia's veil on his arm, intending to bind his eyes +with it; for the last time he raised those eyes, full of unspeakable +peace, toward the eternal light of the evening, and prayed. Yes, the +moment had come; but he saw before him a great road in the light, +leading to heaven; and in his soul he repeated the same words +which formerly he had written in the feeling of his own finished +service and his near end, -- + +"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept +the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of +righteousness." + +Chapter LXXI + +ROME had gone mad for a long time, so that the world-conquering +city seemed ready at last to tear itself to pieces for want of +leadership. Even before the last hour of the Apostles had struck, +Pisoaes conspiracy appeared; and then such merciless reaping of +aeome's highest heads, that even to those who saw divinity in +Nero, he seemed at last a divinity of death. Mourning fell on the +city, terror took its lodgment in houses and in hearts, but porticos +were crowned with ivy and flowers, for it was not permitted to +show sorrow for the dead. People waking in the morning asked +themselves whose turn would come next. The retinue of ghosts +following Caesar increased every day. + +Piso paid for the conspiracy with his head; after him followed +Seneca, and Lucan, Fenius Rufus, and Plautius Lateranus, and +Flavius Scevinus, and Afranius Quinetianus, and the dissolute +companion of Casar's madnesses, Tullius Serieeio, ataed Proculus, +and Araricus, and Tugurhuis, and Gratus, and Silanus, and +Proximus, -- once devoted with his whole soul to Nero, -- and +Sulpicius Asper. Some were destroyed by their own insignificance, +some by fear, some by wealth, others by bravery. Caesar, +astonished at the very number of the conspirators, covered the +walls with soldiery and held the city as if by siege, sending out +daily centurions with sentences of death to suspected houses. The +condemned humiliated themselves in letters filled with flattery, +thanking Caesar for his sentences, and leaving him a part of their +property, so as to save the rest for their children. It seemed, at last, +that Nero was exceeding every measure on purpose to convince +himself of the degree in which men had grown abject, and how +long they would endure bloody rule. After the conspirators, their +relatives were executed; then their friends, and even simple +acquaintances. Dwellers in lordly mansions built after the fire, +when they went out on the street, felt sure of seeing a + +whole row of funerals. Pompeius, Cornelius, Martialis, Flavius +Nepos, and Statius Domitius died because accused of lack of love +for Caesar; Novius Priscus, as a friend of Seneca. Rufius Crispus +was deprived of the right of fire and water because on a time he +had been the husband of Poppaea. The great Thrasea was ruined +by his virtue; many paid with their lives for noble origin; even +Poppaea fell a victim to the momentary rage of Nero. + +The Senate crouched before the dreadful ruler; it raised a temple in +his honor, made an offering in favor of his voice, crowned his +statues, appointed priests to him as to a divinity. Senators, +trembling in their souls, went to the Palatine to magnify the song +of the "Periodonices," and go wild with him amid orgies of naked +bodies, wine, and flowers. + +But meanwhile from below, in the field soaked in blood and tears, +rose the sowing of Peter, stronger and stronger every moment. + +Chapter LXXII + +VINICIUS to PETRONIUS: + +"We know, carissime, most of what is happening in Rome, and +what we do not lusow is told us in thy letters. When one casts a +stone in the water, the wave goes farther and farther in a circle; so +the wave of madness and malice has come from the Palatine to us. +On the road to Greece, Carinas was sent hither by Caesar, who +plundered cities and temples to fill the empty treasury. At the price +of the sweat and tears of people, he is building the 'golden house' +in Rome. It is possible that the world has not seen such a house, +but it has not seen such injustice. Thou knowest Carinas. Chilo +was like him till he redeemed his life with death. But to the towns +lying nearer us his men have not come yet, perhaps because there +are no temples or treasures in them. Thou askest if we are out of +danger. I answer that we are out of mind, and let that suffice for an +answer. At this moment, from the portico under which I write, I +see our calm bay, and on it Ursus in a boat, letting down a net in +the clear water. My wife is spinning red wool near me, and in the +gardens, under the shade of almond-trees, our slaves are singing. +Oh, what calm carissime, and what a forgetfulness of former fear +and suffering! But it is not the Parcae as thou writest, who spin out +our lives so agreeably; it is Christ who is blessing us, our beloved +God and Saviour. We know tears and sorrow, for our religion +teaches us to weep over the misfortunes of others; but in these +tears is a consolation unknown to thee; for whenever the time of +our life is ended, we shall find all those dear ones who perished +and who are perishing yet for God's truth. For us Peter and Paul are +not dead; they are merely born into glory. Our souls see them, and +when our eyes weep our hearts are glad with their joy. Oh, yes, my +dear friend, we are happy with a happiness which nothing can +destroy, since death, which for thee is the end of everything, is f or +us only a passage into superior rest. + +"And so days and months pass here in calmness of heart. Our +servants and slaves believe, as we do, in Christ, and that He +enjoins love; hence we love one another. Frequently, when the sun +has gone down, or when the moon is shining in the water, Lygia +and I talk of past times, which seem a dream to us; but when I +think how that dear head was near torture and death, I magnify my +Lord with my whole soul, for out of those hands He alone could +wrest her, save her from the arena, and return her to sue forever. O +Petronius, thou hast seen what endurance and comfort that religion +gives in misfortune, how much patience and courage before death; +so come and see how much happiness it gives in ordinary, +common days of life. People thus far did not know a God whom +man could love, hence they did not Jove one another; and from +that came their misfortune, for as light comes from the sun, so +does happiness come from love. Neither lawgivers nor +philosophers taught this truth, and it did not exist in Greece or +Rome; and when I say, not in Rome, that means the whole world. +The dry and cold teaching of the Stoics, to which virtuous people +rally, tempers the heart as a sword is tempered, but it makes it +indifferent rather than better. Though why do I write this to thee, +who hast learned more, and hast more understanding than I have? +Thou wert acquainted with Paul of Tarsus, and more than once +didst converse long with him; hence thou knowest better if in +comparison with the truth which he taught all the teachings of +philosophers and rhetors are not a vain and empty jingle of words +without meaning. Thou rememberest the question which he put +thee: 'But if Caesar were a Christian, would ye not all feel safer, +surer of possessing that which ye possess, free of alarm, and sure +of to-morrow?' Thou didst say to me that our teaching was an +enemy of life; and I answer thee now, that, if from the beginning +of this letter I had been repeating only the three words, 'I am +happy!' I could not have expressed my happiness to thee. To this +thou wilt answer, that my happiness is Lygia. True, my friend. +Because I love her immortal soul, and because we both love each +other in Christ; for such love there is no separation, no deceit, no +change, no old age, no death. For, when youth and beauty pass, +when our bodies wither and death comes, love will remain, for the +spirit remains. Before my eyes were open to the light I was ready +to burn my own house even, for Lygia's sake; but now I tell thee +that I did not love her, for it was Christ who first taught me to love. +In Him is the source of peace and happiness. It is not I who say +this, but reality itself. Compare thy own luxury, my friend, lined +with alarm, thy delights, not sure of a morrow, thy orgies, with the +lives of Christians, and thou wilt find a ready answer. But, to +compare better, come to our mountains with the odor of thyme, to +our shady olive groves on our shores lined with ivy. A peace is +waiting for thee, such as thou hast not known for a long time, and +hearts that love thee sincerely. Thou, having a noble soul and a +good one, shouldst be happy. Thy quick mind can recognize the +truth, and knowing it thou wilt love it. To be its enemy, like Caesar +and Tigellinus, is possible, but indifferent to it no one can be. O +my Petronius, Lygia and I are comforting ourselves with the hope +of seeing thee soon. Be well, be happy, and come to us." + +Petronius received this letter in Cumae, whither he had gone with +other Augustians who were following Caesar. His struggle of long +years with Tigellinus was nearing its end. Petronius knew already +that he must fall in that struggle, and he understood why. As +Caesar fell lower daily to the role of a comedian, a buffoon, and a +charioteer; as he sank deeper in a sickly, foul, and coarse +dissipation, -- the exquisite arbiter became a mere burden to him. +Even when Petronius was silent, Nero saw blame in his silence; +when the arbiter praised, he saw ridicule. The brilliant patrician +annoyed his self-love and roused his envy. His wealth and splendid +works of art had become an object of desire both to the ruler and +the all-powerful minister. Petronius was spared so far in view of +the journey to Achaea, in which his taste, his knowledge of +everything Greek, might be useful. But gradually Tigellinus +explained to Caesar that Carinas surpassed him in taste and +knowledge, and would be better able to arrange in Achaea games, +receptions, and triumphs. From that moment Petronius was lost. +There was not courage to send him his sentence in Rome. Caesar +and Tigellinus remembered that that apparently effeminate and +Rsthetic person, who made "day out of night," and was oaecupied +only in luxury, art, and feasts, had shown amazing industry and +energy, when proconsul in Bithynia and later when consul in the +capital. They considered him capable of anything, and it was +known that in Rome he possessed not only the love of the people, +but even of the pretorians. None of Caesar's confidants could +foresee how Petronius might act in a given case; it seemed wiser, +therefore, to entice him out of the city, and reach him in a +province. + +With this object he received an invitation to go to Cumae with +other Augustians. He went, though suspecting the ambush, perhaps +so as not to appear in open opposition, perhaps to show once more +a joyful face devoid of every care to Caesar and the Augustians, +and to gain a last victory before death over Tigellinus. + +Meanwhile the latter accused him of friendship with the Senator +Scevinus, who was the soul of Piso's conspiracy. The people of +Petronius, left in Rome, were imprisoned; his house was +surrounded by pretorian guards. When he learned this, he showed +neither alarm nor concern, and with a smile said to Augustians +whom he received in his own splendid villa in Cumae, + +"Ahenobarbus does not like direct questions; hence ye will see his +confusion when I ask him if it was he who gave command to +imprison my 'familia' in the capital." + +Then he invited them to a feast "before the longer journey," and he +had just made preparations for it when the letter from Vinicius +came. + +When he received this letter, Petronius grew somewhat thoughtful, +but after a time his face regained its usual composure, and that +same evening he answered as follows: -- + +"I rejoice at your happiness and admire your hearts, for I had not +thought that two lovers could remember a third person who was far +away. Ye have not only not forgotten me, but ye wish to persuade +me to go to Sicily, so that ye may share with me your bread and +your Christ, who, as thou writtst, has given you happiness so +bountifully. + +"If that be true, honor Him. To my thinking, however, Ursus had +something to do with saving Lygia, and the Roman people also had +a little to do with it. But since thy belief is that Christ did the work, +I will not contradict. Spare no offerings to Him. Prometheus also +sacrificed himself for man; but, alas! Prometheus is an invention +of the poets apparently, while people worthy of credit have told me +that they saw Christ with their own eyes. I agree with thee that He +is the most worthy of the gods. + +"I remember the question by Paul of Tarsus, and I think that if +Ahenobarbus lived according to Christ's teaching I might have +time to visit you in Sicily. In that case we could converse, in the +shade of trees and near fountains, of all the gods and all the truths +discussed by Greek philosophers at any time. To-day I must give +thee a brief answer. + +"I care for two philosophers only: Pyrrho and Anacreon. I am ready +to sell the rest to thee cheaply, with all the Greek and Roman +Stoics. Truth, Vinicius, dwells somewhere so high that the gods +themselves cannot see it from the top of Olympus. To thee, +carissime, thy Olympus seems higher still, and, standing there, +thou callest to me, 'Come, thou wilt see such sights as thou hast +not seen yet!' I might. But I answer, 'I have not feet for the journey.' +And if thou read this letter to the end, thou wilt acknowledge, I +think, that I am right. + +"No, happy husband of the Aurora princess! thy religion is not for +me. Am I to love the Bithynians who carry my litter, the Egyptians +who heat my bath? Am I to love Ahenobarbus and Tigellinus? I +swear by the white knees of the Graces, that even if I wished to +love them I could not. In Rome there are a hundred thousand +persons at least who have either crooked shoulders, or big knees, +or thin thighs, or staring eyes, or heads that are too large. Dost thou +command me to love these too? Where am I to find the love, since +it is not in my heart? And if thy God desires me to love such +persons, why in His all might did He not give them the forms of +Niobe's children, for example, which thou hast seen on the +Palatine? Whoso loves beauty is unable for that very reason to love +deformity. One may not believe in our gods, but it is possible to +love them, as Phidias, Praxiteles, Miron, Skopas, and Lysias loved. + +"Should I wish to go whither thou wouldst lead me, I could not. +But since I do not wish, I am doubly unable. Thou believest, like +Paul of Tarsus, that on the other side of the Styx thou wilt see thy +Christ in certain Elysian fields. Let Him tell thee then Himself +whether He would receive me with my gems, my Myrrhene vase, +my books published by Sozius, and my golden-haired Eunice. I +laugh at this thought; for Paul of Tarsus told me that for Christ's +sake one must give up wreaths of roses, feasts, and luxury. It is +true that he promised me other happiness, but I answered that I +was too old for new happiness, that my eyes would be delighted +always with roses, and that the odor of violets is dearer to me than +stench from my foul neighbor of the Subura. + +"These are reasons why thy happiness is not for me. But there is +one reason more, which I have reserved for the last: Thanatos +summons me. For thee the light of life is beginning; but my sun +has set, and twilight is embracing my head. In other words, I must +die, carissime. + +"It is not worth while to talk long of this. It had to end thus. Thou, +who knowest Ahenobarbus, wilt understand the position easily. +Tigellinus has conquered, or rather my victories have touched their +end. I have lived as I wished, and I will die as pleases me. + +"Do not take this to heart. No God has promised me immortality; +hence no surprise meets me. At the same time thou art mistaken, +Vinicius, in asserting that only thy God teaches man to die calmly. +No. Our world knew, before thou wert born, that when the last cup +was drained, it was time to go, -- time to rest, -- and it knows yet +how to do that with calmness. Plato declares that virtue is music, +that the life of a sage is harmony. If that be true, I shall die as I +have lived, -- virtuously. + +"I should like to take farewell of thy godlike wife in the words +with which on a time I greeted her in the house of Aulus, 'Very +many persons have I seen, but thy equal I know not.' + +"If the soul is more than what Pyrrho thinks, mine will fly to thee +and Lygia, on its way to the edge of the ocean, and will alight at +your house in the form of a butterfly or, as the Egyptians believe, +in the form of a sparrowhawk. Otherwise I cannot come. + +"Meanwhile let Sicily replace for you the gardens of Hesperides; +may the goddesses of the fields, woods, and fountains scatter +flowers on your path, and may white doves build their nests on +every acanthus of the columns of your house." + +Chapter LXXIII + +PETRONIUS was not mistaken. Two days later young Nerva, who +had always been friendly and devoted, sent his freedman to Cumae +with news of what was happening at the court of Caesar. + +The death of Petronius had been determined. On the morning of +the following day they intended to send him a centurion, with the +order to stop at Cumae, and wait there for further instructions; the +next messenger, to follow a few days later, was to bring the death +sentence. + +Petronius heard the news with unruffled calmness. + +"Thou wilt take to thy lord," said he, "one of my vases; say from +me that I thank him with my whole soul, for now I am able to +anticipate the sentence." + +And all at once he began to laugh, like a man who has came upon +a perfect thought, and rejoices in advance at its fulfilment. + +That same afternoon his slaves rushed about, inviting the +Augustians, who were staying in Cumae, and all the ladies, to a +magnificent banquet at the villa of the arbiter. + +He wrote that afternoon in the library; next he took a bath, after +which he commanded the vestiplicae to arrange his dress. Brilliant +and stately as one of the gods, he went to the triclinium, to cast the +eye of a critic on the preparations, and then to the gardens, where +youths and Grecian maidens from the islands were weaving +wreaths of roses for the evening. + +Not the least care was visible on his face. The servants only knew +that the feast would be something uncommon, for he had issued a +command to give unusual rewards to those with whom he was +satisfied, and some slight blows to all whose work should not +please him, or who had deserved blame or punishment earlier. To +the cithara players and the singers he had ordered beforehand +liberal pay. At last, sitting in the garden under a beech, through +whose leaves the sun-rays marked the earth with bright spots, he +called Eunice. + +She came, dressed in white, with a sprig of myrtle in her hair, +beautiful as one of the Graces. He seated her at his side, and, +touching her temple gently with his fingers, he gazed at her with +that admiration with which a critic gazes at a statue from the chisel +of a master. + +"Eunicc," asked he, "dost thou know that thou art not a slave this +long time?" + +She raised to him her calm eyes, as blue as the sky, and denied +with a motion of her head. + +"I am thine always," said she. + +"But perhaps thou knowest not," continued Petronius, "that the +villa, and those slaves twining wreaths here, and all which is in the +villa, with the fields and the herds, are thine henceforward." + +Eunice, when she heard this, drew away from him quickly, and +asked in a voice filled with sudden fear, -- + +"Why dost thou tell me this?" + +Then she approached again, and looked at him, blinking with +amazement. After a while her face became as pale as linen. He +smiled, and said only one word, -- + +"So!" + +A moment of silence followed; merely a slight breeze moved the +leaves of the beech. + +Petronius might have thought that before him was a statue cut +from white marble. + +"Eunice," said he, "I wish to die calmly." + +And the maiden, looking at him with a heart-rending smile, +whispered, -- + +"I hear thee." + +In the evening the guests, who had been at feasts given by +Petronius previously, and knew that in comparison with them even +Caesar's banquets seemed tiresome and barbarous, began to arrive +in numbers. To no one did it occur, even, that that was to be the +last "symposium." Many knew, it is true, that the clouds of +Caesar's anger were hanging over the exquisite arbiter; but that had +happened so often, and Petronius had been able so often to scatter +them by some dexterous act or by a single bold word, that no one +thought really that serious danger threatened him. His glad face +and usual smile, free of care, confirmed all, to the last man, in that +opinion. The beautiful Eunice, to whom he had declared his wish +to die calmly, and for whom every word of his was like an +utterance of fate, had in her features a perfect calmness, and in her +eyes a kind of wonderful radiance, which might have been +considered delight. At the door of the triclinium, youths with hair +in golden nets put wreaths of roses on the heads of the guests, +warning them, as tha custom was, to pass the threshold right foot +foremost. In the hail there was a slight odor of violets; the lamps +burned in Alexandrian glass of various colors. At the couches +stood Grecian maidens, whose office it was to moisten the feet of +guests with perfumes. At the walls cithara players and Athenian +choristers were waiting for the signal of their leader. + +The table service gleamed with splendor, but that splendor did not +offend or oppress; it seemed a natural development. Joyousness +and freedom spread through the hall with the odor of violets. The +guests as they entered felt that neither threat nor constraint was +hanging over them, as in Caesar's house, where a man might forfeit +his life for praises not sufficiently great or sufficiently apposite. At +sight of the lamps, the goblets entwined with ivy, the wine cooling +on banks of snow, and the exquisite dishes, the hearts of the guests +became joyous. Conversation of various kinds began to buzz, as +bees buzz on an apple-tree in blossom. At moments it was +interrupted by an outburst of glad laughter, at moments by +munnurs of applause, at moments by a kiss placed too loudly on +some white shoulder. + +The guests, while drinking wine, spilled from their goblets a few +drops to the immortal gods, to gain their protection, and their favor +for the host. It mattered not that many of them had no belief in the +gods. Custom and superstition prescribed it. Petronius, inclining +near Eunice, talked of Rome, of the latest divorces, of love affairs, +of the races, of Spiculus, who had become famous recently in the +arena, and of the latest books in the shops of Atractus and the +Sozii. When he spilled wine, he said that he spilled it only in honor +of the Lady of Cyprus, the most ancient divinity and the greatest, +the only immortal, enduring, and ruling one. + +His conversation was like sunlight which lights up some new +object every instant, or like the summer breeze which stirs tge +flowers in a garden. At last he gave a signal to the leader of the +music, and at that signal the citharaee began to sound lightly, and +youthful voices accompanied. Then maidens from Kos, the +birthplace of Eunice, danced, and showed their rosy forms through +robes of gauze. Finally, an Egyptian soothsayer told the guests +their future from the movement of rainbow colors in a vessel of +crystal. + +When they had enough of these amusements, Petronius rose +somewhat on his Syrian cushion, and said with hesitation, -- + +"Pardon me, friends, for asking a favor at a feast. Will each man +accept as a gift that goblet from which he first shook wine in honor +of the gods and to my prosperity?" + +The goblets of Petronius were gleaming in gold, precious stones, +anti the carving of artists; hence, though gift giving was common +in Rome, delight filled every heart. Some thanked him loudly: +others said that Jove had never honored gods with such gifts in +Olympus; finally, there were some who refused to accept, since the +gifts surpassed common estimate. + +But he raised aloft the Myrrhene vase, which resembled a rainbow +in brilliancy, and was simply beyond price. + +"This," said he, "is the one out of which I poured in honor of the +Lady of Cyprus. The lips of no man may touch it henceforth, and +no hand may ever pour from it in honor of another divinity." + +He cast the precious vessel to the pavement, which was covered +with lily-colored saffron flowers; and when it was broken into +small pieces, he said, seeing around him astonished faces, -- + +"My dear friends, be glad and not astonished. Old age and +weakness are sad attendants in the last years of life. But I will give +you a good example and good advice: Ye have the power, as ye +see, not to wait for old age; ye can depart before it comes, as I do." + +"What dost thou wish?" asked a number of voices, with alarm. + +"I wish to rejoice, to drink wine, to hear music, to look on those +divine forms which ye see around me, and fall asleep with a +garlanded head. I have taken farewell of Caesar, and do ye wish to +hear what I wrote him at parting?" + +He took from beneath the purple cushion a paper, and read as +follows: -- + +"I know, O Caesar, that thou art awaiting my arrival with +impatience, that thy true heart of a friend is yearning day and +night for me. I know that thou art ready to cover me with gifts, +make me prefect of the pretorian guards, and command Tigellinus +to be that which the gods made him, a mule-driver in those lands +which thou didst inherit after poisoning Domitius. Pardon me, +liowever, for I swear to thee by Hades, and by the shades of thy +mother, thy wife, thy brother, and Seneca, that I cannot go to +thee. Life is a great treasure. I have taken the most precious jewels +from that treasure, but in life there are many things which I cannot +endure any longer. Do not suppose, I pray, that I am offended +because thou didst kill thy mother, thy wife, and thy brother; that +thou didst burn Rome and send to Erebus all the honest men in thy +dominions. No, grandson of Chronos. Death is the inheritance of +man; from thee other deeds could not have been expected. But to +destroy one's ear for whole years with thy poetry, to see thy belly +of a Domitius on slim legs whirled about in Pyrrhic dance; to hear +thy music, thy declamation, thy doggerel verses, wretched poet of +the suburbs, -- is a thing surpassing my power, and it has roused in +me the wish to die. Rome stuffs its ears when it hears thee; the +world reviles thee. I can blush for thee no longer, and I have no +wish to do so. The howls of Cerberus, though resembling +thy music, will be less offensive to me, for I have never been the +friend of Cerberus, and I need not be ashamed of his howling. +Farewell, but make no music; commit murder, but write no verses; +poison people, but dance not; be an incendiary, but play not on a +cithara. This is the wish and the last friendly counsel sent thee by +the -- Arbiter Elegantiae." + +The guests were terrified, for they knew that the loss of dominion +would have been less cruel to Nero than this blow. They +understood, too, that the man who had written that paper must die; +and at the same time pale fear flew over them because they had +heard such a paper. + +But Petronius laughed with sincere and gladsome joy, as if it were +a question of the most innocent joke; then he cast his eyes on all +present, and said, -- + +"Be joyous, and drive away fear. No one need boast that he heard +this letter. I will boast of it only to Charon when I am crossing in +the boat with him." + +He beckoned then to the Greek physician, and stretched out his +arm. The skilled Greek in the twinkle of an eye opened the vein at +the bend of the arm. Blood spurted on the cushion, and covered +Eunice, who, supporting the head of Petronius, bent over him and +said, -- + +"Didst thou think that I would leave thee? If the gods gave me +immortality, and Caesar gave me power over the earth, I would +follow thee still." + +Petronius smiled, raised himself a little, touched her lips with his, +and said, -- + +"Come with me." + +She stretched her rosy arm to the physician, and after a while her +blood began to mingle and be lost in his blood. + +Then he gave a signal to the leader of the music, and again the +voices and cithariae were heard. They sang "Harmodius"; next the +song of Anacreon resounded, -- that song in which he complained +that on a time he had found Aphrodite's boy chilled and weeping +under trees; that he brought him in, warmed him, dried his wings, +and the ungrateful child pierced his heart with an arrow, -- from +that moment peace had deserted the poet. + +Petronius and Eunice, resting against each other, beautiful as two +divinities, listened, smiling and growing pale. At the end of the +song Petronius gave directions to serve more wine and food; then +he conversed with the guests sitting near him of trifling but +pleasant things, such as are mentioned usually at feasts. Finally, he +called to the Greek to bind his arm for a moment; for he said that +sleep was tormenting him, and he wanted to yield himself to +Hypnos before Thanatos put him to sleep forever. + +In fact, he fell asleep. When he woke, the head of Eunice was lying +on his breast like a white flower. He placed it on the pillow to look +at it once more. After that his veins were opened again. + +At his signal the singers raised the song of Anacreon anew, and the +citharae accompanied them so softly as not to drown a word. +Petronius grew paler and paler; but when the last sound had +ceased, he turned to his guests again and said,-- + +"Friends, confess that with us perishes --" + +But he had not power to finish; his arm with its last movement +embraced Eunice, his head fell on the pillow, and he died. + +The guests looking at those two white forms, which resembled two +wonderful statues, understood well that with them perished all that +was left to their world at that time, -- poetry and beauty. + +EPILOGUE + +AT first the revolt of the Gallic legions under Vindex did not seem +very serious. Caesar was only in his thirty-first year, and no one +was bold enough to hope that the world could be freed so soon +from the nightmare which was stifling it. Men remembered that +revolts had occurred more than once among the legions, -- they +had occurred in previous reigns, -- revolts, however, which passed +without involving a change of government; as during the reign of +Tiberius, Drusus put down the revolt of the Pannonian legions. +"Who," said the people, "can take the government after Nero, since +all the descendants of the divine Augustus have perished?" Others, +looking at the Colossus, imagined him a Hercules, and thought that +no force could break such power. There were those even who since +he went to Acima were sorry for him, because Helius and +Polythetes, to whom he left the government of Rome and Italy, +governed more murderously than he had. + +No one was sure of life or property. Law ceased to protect. Human +dignity and virtue had perished, family bonds existed no longer, +and degraded hearts did not even dare to admit hope. From Greece +came accounts of the incomparable triumphs of Caesar, of the +thousands of crowns which he had won, the thousands of +competitors whom he had vanquished. The world seemed to be +one orgy of buffoonery and blood; but at the same time the opinion +was fixed that virtue and deeds of dignity had ceased, that the time +of dancing and music, of profligacy, of blood, had come, and that +life must flow on for the future in that way. Caesar himself, to +whom rebellion opened the road to new robberies, was not +concerned much about the revolt of the legions and Vindex; he +even expressed his delight on that subject frequently. He did not +wish to leave Achaea even; and only when Helius informed him +that further delay might cause the loss of dominion did he move to +Naples. + +There he played and sang, neglecting news of events of growing +danger. In vain did Tigellinus explain to him that former rebellions +of legions had no leaders, while at the head of affairs this time was +a man descended from the ancient kings of Gaul and Aquitania, a +famous and tried soldier. "Here," answered Nero, "the Greeks +listen to me, -- the Greeks, who alone know how to listen, and who +alone are worthy of my song." He said that his first duty was art +and glory. But when at last the news came that Vindex had +proclaimed him a wretched artist, he sprang up and moved toward +Rome. The wounds inflicted by Petronius, and healed by his stay +in Greece, opened in his heart anew, and he wished to seek +retribution from the Senate for such unheard-of injustice. + +On the road he saw a group cast in bronze, representing a Gallic +warrior as overcome by a Roman knight; he considered that a good +omen, and thenceforward, if he mentioned the rebellious legions +and Vindex, it was only to ridicule them. His entrance to the city +surpassed all that had been witnessed earlier. He entered in the +chariot used by Augustus in his triumph. One arch of the Circus +was destroyed to give a road to the procession. The Senate, +knights, and innumerable throngs of people went forth to meet +him. The walls trembled from shouts of "Hail, Augustus! Hail, +Hercules! Hail, divinity, the incomparable, the Olympian, the +Pythian, the immortal!" Behind him were borne the crowns, the +names of cities in which he had triumphed; and on tablets were +inscribed the names of the masters whom he had vanquished. Nero +himself was intoxicated with delight, and with emotion he asked +the Augustians who stood around him, "What was the triumph of +Julius compared with this?" The idea that any mortal should dare +to raise a hand on such a demigod did not enter his head. He felt +himself really Olympian, and therefore safe. The excitement and +the madness of the crowd roused his own madness. In fact, it +might seem in the day of that triumph that not merely Caesar and +the city, but the world, had lost its senses. + +Through the flowers and the piles of wreaths no one could see the +precipice. Still that same evening columns and walls of temples +were covered with inscriprions, describing Nero's crimes, +threatening him with coming vengeance, and ridiculing him as an +artist. From mouth to mouth went the phrase, "He sang till he +roused the Gauls." Alarming news made the rounds of the city, and +reached enormoua measures. Alarm seized the Augustians. People, +uncertain of the future, dazed not express hopes or wishes; they +hardly dared to feel or think. + +But he went on living only in the theatre and music. Instruments +newly invented occupied him, and a new water-organ, of which +trials were made on the Palatine. With childish mind, incapable of +plan or action, he imagined that he could ward off danger by +promises of spectacles and theatrical exhibitions reaching far into +the future, Persons nearest him, seeing that instead of providing +means and an army, he was merely searching for expressions to +depict the danger graphically, began to lose their heads. Others +thought that he was simply deafening himself and others with +quotations, while in his soul he was alarmed and terrified. In fact, +his acts became feverish. Every day a thousand new plans flew +through his head. At times he sprang up to rush out against danger; +gave command to pack up his lutes and citharae, to arm the young +slave women as Amazons, and lead the legions to the East. Again +he thought to finish the rebellion of the Gallic legions, not with +war, but with song; and his soul laughed at the spectacle which +was to follow his conquest of the soldiers by song. The legionaries +would surround him with tears m their eyes; he would sing to them +an epinicium, after which the golden epoch would begin for him +and for Rome. At one time he called for blood; at another he +declared that he would be satisfied with governing in Egypt. He +recalled the prediction which promised him lordship in Jerusalem, +and he was moved by the thought that as a wandering minstrel he +would earn his daily bread, -- that cities and countries would honor +in him, not Caesar, the lord of the earth, but a poet whose like the +world had not produced before. And so he struggled, raged, played, +sang, changed his plan, changed his quotations, changed his life +and the world into a dream absurd, fantastic, dreadful, into an +uproarious hunt composed of unnatural expressions, bad verses, +groans, tears, and blood; but meanwhile the cloud in the west was +increasing and thickening every day. The measure was exceeded; +the insane comedy was nearing its end. + +When news that Galba and Spain had joined the uprising came to +his ears, he fell into rage and madness. He broke goblets, +overturned the table at a feast, and issued orders which neither +Helius nor Tigeliinus himself dared to execute. To kill Gauls +resident in Rome, fire the city a second time, let out the wild +beasts, and transfer the capital to Alexandria seemed to him great, +astonishing, and easy. But the days of his dominion had passed, +and even those who shared in his former crimes began to look on +him as a madman. + +The death of Vindex, and disagreement in the revolting legions +seemed, however, to turn the scale to his side. Again new feasts, +new triumphs, and new sentences were issued in Rome, till a +certain night when a messenger rushed up on a foaming horse, +with the news that in the city itself the soldiers had raised the +standard of revolt, and proclaimed Galba Caesar. + +Nero was asleep when the messenger came; but when he woke he +called in vain for the night-guard, which watched at the entrance to +his chambers. The palace was empty. Slaves were plundering in +the most distant corners that which could be taken most quickly. +But the sight of Nero frightened them; he wandered alone through +the palace, filling it with cries of despair and fear. + +At last his freedmen, Phaon, Sporus, and Epaphroditus, came to +his rescue. They wished him to flee, and said that there was no +time to be lost; but he deceived himself still. If he should dress in +mourning and speak to the Senate, would it resist his prayers and +eloquence? If he should use all his eloquence, his rhetoric and skill +of an actor, would any one on earth have power to resist him? +Would they not give him even the prefecture of Egypt? + +The freedmen, accustomed to flatter, had not the boldness yet to +refuse him directly; they only warned him that before he could +reach the Forum the people would tear him to pieces, and declared +that if he did not mount his horse immediately, they too would +desert him. + +Phaon offered refuge in his villa outside the Nomentan Gate. After +a while they mounted horses, and, covering Nero's head with a +mantle, they galloped off toward the edge of the city. The night +was growing pale. But on the streets there was a movement which +showed the exceptional nature of the time. Soldiers, now singly +and now in small groups, were scattered through the city. Not far +from the camp Caesar's horse sprang aside suddenly at sight of a +corpse. The mantle slipped from his head; a soldier recognized +Nero, and, confused by the unexpected meeting, gave the military +salute. While passing the pretorian camp, they heard thundering +shouts in honor of Galba. Nero understood at last that the hour of +death was near. Terror and reproaches of conscience seized him. +He declared that he saw darkness in front of him in the form of a +black cloud. From that cloud came forth faces in which he saw his +mother, his wife, and his brother. His teeth were chattering from +fright; still his soul of a comedian found a kind of charm in thc +horror of thc moment. To be absolute lord of the earth and lose +all things, seemed to him the height of tragedy; and faithful to +himself, he played the first role to the end. A fever for quotations +took possession of him, and a passionate wish that those present +should preserve them for posterity. At moments he said that he +wished to die, and called for Spiculus, the most skilled of all +gladiators in killing. At moments he declaimed, "Mother, wife, +father, call me to death!" Flashes of hope rose in him, however, +from time to time, -- hope vain and childish. He knew that he was +going to death, and still he did not believe it. + +They found the Nomentan Gate open. Going farther, they passed +near Ostrianum, where Peter had taught and baptized. At daybreak +they reached Phaon's villa. + +There the freedmen hid from him no longer the fact that it was, +time to die. He gave command then to dig a grave, and lay on the +ground so that they might take accurate measurement. At sight of +the earth thrown up, however, terror seized him. His fat face +became pale, and on his forehead sweat stood like drops of dew in +the morning. He delayed. In a voice at once abject and theatrical, +he declared that the hour had not come yet; then he began again to +quote. At last he begged them to burn his body. "What an artist is +perishing!" repeated he, as if in amazement. + +Meanwhile Phaon's messenger arrived with the announcement that +the Senate had issued the sentence that the "parricide" was to be +punished according to ancient custom. + +"What is the ancient custom?" asked Nero, with whitened lips. + +"They will fix thy neck in a fork, flog thee to death, and hurl thy +body into the Tiber," answered Epaphroditus, abruptly. + +Nero drew aside the robe from his breast. + +"It is time, then!" said he, looking into the sky. And he repeated +once more, "What an artist is perishing!" + +At that moment the tramp of a horse was heard. That was the +centurion coming with soldiers for the head of Ahenobarbus. + +"Hurry!" cried the freedmen. + +Nero placed the knife to his neck, but pushed it only timidly. It +was clear that he would never have courage to thrust it in. +Epaphroditus pushed his hand suddenly, -- the knife sank to the +handle. Nero's eyes turned in his head, terrible, immense, +frightened. + +"I bring thee life!" cried the centurion, entering. + +"Too late!" said Nero, with a hoarse voice; then he added, -- + +"Here is faithfulness!" + +In a twinkle death seized his head. Blood from his heavy neck +gushed in a dark stream on the flowers of the garden. His legs +kicked the ground, and he died. + +On the morrow the faithful Acte wrapped his body in costly stuffs, +and burned him on a pile filled with perfumes. + +And so Nero passed, as a whirlwind, as a storm, as a fire, as war or +death passes; but the basilica of Peter rules till now, from the +Vatican heights, the city, and the world. + +Near the ancient Ports Capens stands to this day a little chapel +with the inscription, somewhat worn: Quo Vadis, Domine? + |