CHAPTER XX.
Shortly after starting from Thebes--on the second day ofNovember--Hadrian came to a great decision. Verus should be acknowledgednot merely as his son but also as his successor.
Sabina's urgency would not alone have sufficed to put a term to hishesitancy, especially as it had lately been farther increased by a wishthat was all his own. His wife's heart had pined for a child, but he toohad longed for a son, and he had found one in Antinous. His favorite wasa boy he had picked up by chance, the son of humble though free parents,but it lay in the Emperor's power to make him great, to confer on himthe highest posts of honor in the Empire, and at last to recognize himpublicly as his heir. Antinous, if any one, had deserved this at hishands, and on no other man could he so ungrudgingly bestow everythingthat he possessed.
These ideas and hopes had now filled his mind for many months, but thenature and the mood of the young Bithyman had been more and more adverseto them.
Hadrian had striven more earnestly than his predecessors to raise thefallen dignity of the Senate, and still he could count securely on itsconsent to any measure. The leading official authorities of the Republichad been recognized and allowed the full exercise of their powers. To besure, be they whom they might, they all had to obey the Emperor, stillthey were always there; and even with a weak ruler at its head theEmpire might continue to subsist within the limits established byHadrian, and restricted with wise moderation. Nevertheless, only a fewmonths previously he would not have ventured to think of the adoptionof his favorite. Now he hoped to find himself somewhat nearer to thefulfilment of his wishes. It is true Antinous was still a dreamer; butin their wanderings and hunting excursions through Egypt he had provedhimself gallant and prompt, intelligent, and, after their departure fromThebes, even bold and lively at times. Antinous, under this aspect, hehimself might take in hand, and even name him as his successor in duetime, when he had risen from one post of honor to another. For thepresent this plan must remain unrevealed.
When he publicly adopted Verus any idea of a possible new selection ofa son was excluded, and he might unhesitatingly venture to appointSabina's darling his successor, for the most famous of the Romanphysicians had written to Hadrian, by his desire, saying that thepraetor's undermined strength could not be restored, and that, at thebest, he could only have a limited number of years to live. Well, then,Verus might die slowly and contentedly in the midst of the most splendidanticipations, and when he should have closed his eyes it would be timeenough to set the dreamer--by that time matured to vigorous manhood--inthe vacant place.
On the return journey from Thebes to Alexandria Hadrian met his wife atAbydos, and revealed to her his intention of proclaiming the son of herchoice as his successor. Sabina thanked him with an exclamation of"At last!" which expressed partly her satisfaction, but partly too herannoyance at her husband's long delay. Hadrian gave her his permissionto return to Rome from Alexandria, and on the very same day messageswere despatched with letters both to the Senate and to the prefects ofEgypt.
The despatch intended for Titianus charged him to proclaim publiclythe adoption of the praetor, to arrange at the same time for a grandfestival, and on that occasion to grant to the people, in Caesar'sname, all the boons and favors which by the traditional law of Egypt theSovereign was expected to bestow at the birth of an heir to the throne.The whole suite of the Imperial pair celebrated Hadrian's decision bysplendid banquets, but the Emperor did not himself take part in them,but crossed to the other bank of the Nile and went to Antaeopolis in thedesert, meaning to penetrate from thence into the gorges of the Arabiandesert and to chase wild beasts. No one was to accompany him butAntinous, Mastor, and a few huntsmen and some dogs.
He meant to rejoin the ships at Besa. He had postponed his visit tothis place till the return journey, because he had travelled up by thewestern shore of the Nile, and the passage across the river would havetaken up too much time.
The travellers' tents were pitched one sultry evening in November,between the Nile and the limestone range, in which was arrayed a longrow of tombs of the period of the Pharaohs. Hadrian had gone to visitthese, for the remarkable pictures on the walls delighted him, butAntinous remained behind, for he had already looked at similar worksoftener than he cared for, in Upper Egypt. He found these picturesmonotonous and unlovely, and he had not the patience to investigatetheir meaning as his master did. He had been a hundred times intothe ancient rock-tombs, only not to leave Hadrian and not for his ownamusement; but to-day--he could hardly bear himself for impatience andexcitement, for he knew that a ride, a walk, of a few hours, would carryhim to Besa and to Selene. The Emperor would remain absent three or fourhours at any rate, and if he made up his mind to it he could have soughtout the girl for whom his heart was longing before his return, and stillbe back again before his master.
But before acting he must reflect. There was the Emperor climbing thehill-side where he could see him, and messengers were expected and hehad been charged to receive them. It they should bring bad news, hismaster must on no account be alone. Ten times did he go up to hisgood hunter to leap upon his back; once he even took down the horse'shead-gear to put on his bridle, but in the very act of slipping thecomplicated bit between the teeth of his steed his resolution gave way.During all this delay and hesitation the minutes slipped away, and atlast it was so late that Hadrian might return and it was folly to thinkof carrying his plan into execution. The expected express arrived withseveral letters, but the Emperor did not come back. It grew dark, andheavy rain-drops fell from the overcast sky, and still Antinouswas alone. His anxious longing was mingled with regret for the lostopportunity of seeing Selene and alarm at the Emperor's prolongedabsence.
In spite of the rain, which began to fill more violently, he went outinto the open air, of which the sweltering oppressiveness had helped tofetter his feeble volition, and called to the dogs, with whose help heproposed seeking the Emperor; but just then he heard the bark of Argus,and soon after Hadrian and Mastor stepped out of the darkness into thebrightness which shone out from the tent, where lights were burning.
The Emperor gave his favorite but a brief greeting and silentlysubmitted while Antinous dried his hair and brought him somerefreshments, and Mastor bathed his feet and dressed him in freshgarments. As he reclined with the Bithyman, before the supper which wasstanding ready, he said:
"A strange evening! how hot and oppressive the atmosphere is. We must beon the lookout, something serious is brewing."
"What happened to you, my Lord?"
"Many things. At the door of the very first tomb that I was about toenter I found an old black woman who stretched out her hands against usto keep us out and shrieked out words that sounded horrible."
"Did you understand her?"
"No--who can learn Egyptian."
"Then you do not know what she said?"
"I was to find out--she cried out 'Dead!' and again 'Dead!' and inthe tomb which she was watching there were I know not how many personsattacked by the plague."
"You saw them?"
"Yes, I had only heard of this disease till then. It is frightful, andquite answers to the descriptions I had read of it."
"But Caesar!" cried Antinous reproachfully and in alarm.
"When we turned our backs on the tombs," continued Hadrian, paying noheed to the lad's exclamation, "we were met by an elderly man dressedin white and a strange-looking maiden. She was lame but of remarkablebeauty."
"And she was going to the sick?"
"Yes, she had brought medicine and food to them."
"But she did not go in among them?" asked Antinous eagerly.
"She did, in spite of my warnings. In her companion I recognized an oldacquaintance."
"An old one?"
"At any rate older than myself. We had met in Athens when we stillwere young. At that time he was one of the school of Plato and the mostzealous, nay, perhaps the most gifted of us all."
"How came such a man among the plague-stricken people of B
esa? Is hebecome a physician?"
"No. But at Athens he sought fervently and eagerly for the truth, andnow he asserts that he has found it."
"Here, among the Egyptians?"
"In Alexandria among the Christians."
"And the lame girl who accompanied the philosopher--does she too believein the crucified God?"
"Yes. She is a sick-nurse or something of the kind. Indeed there issomething grand in the ecstatic craze of these people."
"Is it true that they worship an ass and a dove?"
"Nonsense!"
"I did not want to believe it; and at any rate they are kind, and succorall who suffer, even strangers who do not belong to their sect."
"How do you know?"
"One hears a great deal about them in Alexandria."
"Alas! alas!--I never persecute an imaginary foe, as such I reckon thecreeds and ideas of other men; still, I cannot but ask myself whether itcan add to the prosperity of the state when citizens cease to struggleagainst the pressure and necessity of life and console themselves forthem instead, by the hope of visionary happiness in another world whichperhaps only exists in the fancy of those who believe in it."
"I should wish that life might end with death," said Antinousthoughtfully; "and yet--"
"Well?"
"If I were sure that in that other world I should find those I long tosee again, then I might long for a future life."
"And would you really like, throughout all eternity, to push andstruggle in the crowd of old acquaintances which death does not diminishbut rather multiplies?"
"Nay, not that--but I should like to be permitted to live for ever witha few chosen friends."
"And should I be one of them?"
"Yes--indeed," cried Antinous warmly and pressing his lips to Hadrian'shand.
"I was sure of it--but even with the promise of never being obliged topart with you my darling, I would never sacrifice the only privilegewhich man enjoys above the immortals."
"What privilege can you mean?"
"The right of withdrawing from the ranks of the living as soon asannihilation seems more endurable than existence and I choose to calldeath to release me."
"The gods, it is true, cannot die."
"And the Christians only to link a new life on to death."
"But a fairer and a happier than this on earth. They say it is a life ofbliss. But the mother of this everlasting life is the ineradicable loveof existence in even the most wretched of our race, and hope is itsfather. They believe in a complete freedom from suffering in that otherworld because He whom they call their Redeemer, the crucified Christ,has saved them from all sufferings by His death."
"And can a man take upon him the sufferings of others, think you, like agarment or a burden?"
"They say so, and my friend from Athens is quite convinced. In books ofmagic there are many formulas by which misfortunes may be transferrednot merely from men to beasts, but from one human being to another. Veryremarkable experiments have even been carried out with slaves, and tothis day I have to struggle in several, provinces to suppress humansacrifices by which the gods are to be reconciled or propitiated. Onlythink of the innocent Iphigenia who was dragged to the altar; did notthe gulf in the Forum close when Curtius had leaped into it? When Fateshoots a fatal arrow at you and I receive it in my breast, perhaps sheis content with the chance victim and does not enquire as to whom shehas hit."
"The gods would be exorbitant indeed if they were not content with yourblood for mine!"
"Life is life, and that of the young is of better worth than that of theold. Many joys will yet bloom for you."
"And you are indispensable to the whole world."
"After me another will come. Are you ambitious, boy?"
"No, my Lord."
"What then can be the meaning of this: that every one wishes me joy ofmy son Verus excepting you. Do you not like my choice?"
Antinous colored and looked at the ground, and Hadrian went on:
"Say honestly what you feel."
"The praetor is ill."
"He can have but a few years to live, and when he is dead--"
"He may recover--"
"When he is dead, I must look out for another son. What do you thinknow? Who is the being that every man, from a slave to a consul, wouldsoonest hear call him 'Father?"'
"Some one he tenderly loved."
"True--and particularly when that one clung to him with unchangeablefidelity. I am a man like any other, and you, my good fellow, are alwaysnearest to my heart, and I shall bless the day when I may authorize you,before all the world, to call me 'Father.' Do not interrupt me. If youresolutely concentrate your will and show as keen a sense for rulingmen as you do for the chase, if you try to sharpen your wits and takein what I teach you, it may some day happen that Antinous instead ofVerus--"
"Nay, not that, only not that!" cried the lad, turning very pale andraising his hands beseechingly.
"The greatness with which Destiny surprises us seems terrible so longas it is new to us," said Hadrian. "But the seaman is soon accustomed tothe storms, and we come to wear the purple as you do your chiton."
"Oh, Caesar, I entreat you," said Antinous, anxiously, "put aside theseideas; I am not fit for great things."
"The smallest saplings grow to be palms."
"But I am only a wretched little herb that thrives awhile in yourshadow. Proud Rome--"
"Rome is my handmaid. She has been forced before now to be ruled by menof inferior stamp, and I should show her how the handsomest of hersons can wear the purple. The world may look for such a choice from asovereign whom it has long known to be an artist, that is a high-priestof the Beautiful. And if not, I will teach it to form its taste onmine."
"You are pleased to mock me, Caesar," cried the Bithynian. "Youcertainly cannot be in earnest, and if it is true that you love me--"
"What now, boy?"
"You will let me live unknown for you, care for you; you will asknothing of me but reverence and love and fidelity."
"I have long had them, and I now would fain repay my Antinous for allthese treasures."
"Only let me stay with you, and if necessary let me die for you."
"I believe, boy, you would be ready to make the sacrifice we werespeaking of for me!"
"At any moment without winking an eyelash."
"I thank you for those words. It has turned out a pleasant evening, andwhat a bad one I looked forward to--"
"Because the woman by the tomb startled you?"
"'Dead,' is a grim word. It is true that 'death'--being dead--canfrighten no wise man; but the step out of light into darkness isfearful. I cannot get the figure of the old hag and her shrill cry outof my mind. Then the Christian came up, and his discourse was strangeand disturbing to my soul. Before it grew dark he and the limping girlwent homewards; I stood looking after them and my eyes were dazzled bythe sun which was sinking over the Libyan range. The horizon was clear,but behind the day-star there were clouds. In the west, the Egyptianssay, lies the realm of death. I could not help thinking of this; and theoracle, the misfortunes that the stars threatened me with in the courseof this year, the cry of the old woman--all these crowded into my mindtogether. But then, as I observed how the sun struggled with the cloudsand approached nearer and nearer to the hill-tops on the farther sideof the river, I said to myself: If it sets in full radiance you may lookconfidently to the future; if it is swallowed up by clouds before itsinks to rest, then destiny will fulfil itself; then you must shortensail and wait for the storm."
"And what happened?"
"The fiery globe burnt in glowing crimson, surrounded by a million rays.Each seemed separate from the rest and shone with glory of its own;it was as though the sinking disc had been the centre of bow-shotsinnumerable and golden arrow-shafts radiated to the sky in everydirection. The scene was magnificent and my heart beat high with happyexcitement, when suddenly and swiftly a dark cloud fell, as thoughexasperated by the wounds it had received from those fi
ery darts; asecond followed, and a third, and sinister Daimons flung a dark andfleecy curtain over the glorious head of Helios, as the executionerthrows a coarse black cloth over the head of the condemned, when he setshis knee against him to strangle him."
At this narrative Antinous covered his face with both hands, andmurmured in terror:
"Frightful, frightful! What can be hanging over us? Only listen, how itthunders, and the rain thrashes the tent."
"The clouds are pouring out torrents; see the water is coming inalready. The slaves must dig gutters for it to run off. Drive the pegstighter you fellows out there or the whirlwind will tear down the slightstructure."
"And how sultry the air is!"
"The hot wind seems to warm even the flood of rain. Here it is stilldry; mix me a cup of wine, Antinous. Have any letters come?"
"Yes, my Lord."
"Give them to me, Mastor."
The slave, who was busily engaged in damming up with earth and stones,the trickling stream of rain-water that was soaking into the tent,sprang up, hastily dried his hands, took a sack out of the chest inwhich the Emperor's despatches were kept and gave it to his master.Hadrian opened the leather bag, took out a roll, hastily broke it open,and then, after rapidly glancing at the contents, exclaimed:
"What is this? I have opened the record of the oracle of Apis. How didit come among to-day's letters?"
Antinous went up to Hadrian, looked at the sack, and said:
"Mastor has made a mistake. These are the documents from Memphis. I willbring you the right despatch-bag."
"Stay!" said Hadrian, eagerly seizing his favorite's hand. "Is this amere trick of chance or a decree of Fate? Why should this particularsack have come into my hands to-day of all others? Why, out of twentydocuments it contains, should I have taken out this very one? Lookhere.--I will explain these signs to you. Here stand three pairs of armsbearing shields and spears, close by the name of the Egyptian month thatcorresponds to our November. These are the three signs of misfortune.The lutes up there are of happier omen. The masts here indicate theusual state of affairs. Three of these hieroglyphics always occurtogether. Three lutes indicate much good fortune, two lutes and one mastgood fortune and moderate prosperity, one pair of arms and two lutesmisfortune, followed by happiness, and so forth. Here, in November,begin the arms with weapons, and here they stand in threes and threes,and portend nothing but unqualified misfortune, never mitigated by asingle lute. Do you see, boy? Have you understood the meaning of thesesigns?"
"Perfectly well; but do you interpret them rightly? The fighting armsmay perhaps lead to victory."
"No. The Egyptians use them to indicate conflict, and to them conflictand unrest are identical with what we call evil and disaster."
"That is strange!"
"Nay, it is well conceived; for they say that everything was originallycreated good by the gods, but that the different portions of the greatAll changed their nature by restless and inharmonious mingling. Thisexplanation was given me by the priest of Apis, and here--here by themonth of November are the three fighting arias--a hideous token. If oneof the flashes which light up this tent so incessantly, like a livingstream of light were to strike you, or me, and all of us--I should notwonder. Terrible--terrible things hang over us! It requires some courageunder such omens as these, to keep an untroubled gaze and not to quail."
"Only use your own arms against the fighting arms of the Egyptian gods;they are powerful," said Antinous; but Hadrian let his head sink on hisbreast, and said, in a tone of discouragement:
"The gods themselves must succumb to Destiny."
The thunder continued to roar. More than once the storm snapped thetent-ropes, and the slaves were obliged to hold on to the Emperor'sfragile shelter with their hands; the chambers of the clouds pouredmighty torrents out upon the desert range which for years had not knowna drop of rain, and every rift and runlet was filled with a stream or atorrent.
Neither Hadrian nor Antinous closed their eyes that fearful night. TheEmperor had as yet opened only one of the rolls that were in the day'sletter-bag; it contained the information that Titianus the prefect wascruelly troubled by his old difficulty of breathing, with a petitionfrom that worthy official to be allowed to retire from the service ofthe state and to withdraw to his own estate. It was no small matter forHadrian to dispense for the future with this faithful coadjutor, to losethe man on whom he had had his eye to tranquillize Judaea--where a freshrevolt had raised its head, and to reduce it again to subjection withoutbloodshed. To crush and depopulate the rebellious province was withinthe power of other men, but to conquer and govern it with kindnessbelonged only to the wise and gentle Titianus. The Emperor had no heartto open a second letter that night. He lay in silence on his couchtill morning began to grow gray, thinking over every evil hour of hislife--the murders of Nigrinus, of Tatianus and of the senators, by whichhe had secured the sovereignty--and again he vowed to the gods immensesacrifices if only they would protect him from impending disaster.
When he rose next morning Antinous was startled at his aspect, forHadrian's face and lips were perfectly bloodless. After he had read theremainder of his letters he started, not on foot but on horseback, withAntinous and Mastor for Besa, there to await the rest of the escort.