Quintus Claudius: A Romance of Imperial Rome. Volume 2

  CHAPTER XVII.

  April, the sweetest month in the south, had decked the land in all itswealth of beauty. The City of the Seven Hills, with its endless gardensand plantations, wore a really enchanting aspect. It seemed to haveput on its freshest and gayest attire in honor of the secular games,which had already begun on the previous day with magnificent races inthe Circus Maximus. To-day, the sixth after the calends,[125] at twohours after sunrise, gladiators and ships were to fight in the FlavianAmphitheatre, and men were to fight with beasts.

  It was still nearly an hour to the time, but in the Forum and all theneighboring streets the slanting light of morning fell on a crowdso dense as to defy all description. Long files of litters, gorgeousin purple and gold, pushed their slow way through the surging massesof men struggling along the Via Sacra towards the entrance to theamphitheatre.

  Three hundred lions[126] and as many panthers, fifty Cantabrianbears, forty elephants and other beasts, six hundred gladiators andboxers--among them some women and dwarfs--a dozen of highwaymen fromthe Appian Way, and about ninety Christians, were to shed their blood,some in single combat, others in larger or smaller divisions, and allin the course of the next three days, for the evening of the fourth sawthe end of the great festival.[127] Indeed, the herald who invited thepopulace in the Emperor's name, spoke the truth in more senses thanone, as he shouted the usual proclamation: "Come hither to see whatnone of you has ever yet seen, or ever will see again!"[128]

  To-day, the second day, the interest and excitement seemed evengreater than yesterday. The number of strangers, gathered togetherfrom all parts of the Empire, was certainly swelled and, although theamphitheatre could accommodate above eighty thousand spectators, thecrowd was so enormous, that many visitors were doubtful of succeedingin fighting their way to places.

  In the stream of litters, which were moving towards the Arena, notfrom the Forum only but from the Cyprian Way, was one of conspicuouselegance and splendor. The curtains were drawn open, and two handsomebut over-dressed and painted girls sat chattering among the billowycushions. These were Lycoris and one of her friends, Leaina, a nativeof Asia Minor, who had spent the winter in Athens as companion to anEgyptian lady of rank, and had arrived only yesterday evening in Rome,the sea-passage being only just considered as open for the season.Lycoris had a sort of sisterly kindness for Leaina--all the morebecause she was well aware, that the oriental could not compare withher in beauty; and Leaina, who had originally filled a very humbleposition as a dancer in a low tavern at Capua, had been introducedinto society by Lycoris, and felt for her a feeble reflection of thefeeling, which in a deeper nature might have risen to gratitude. Asthey sat together in the litter, splendidly dressed, their eyebrowsdarkened with stibium,[129] and the veins in their temples outlinedwith blue color, they seemed to be of one heart and one mind.

  "It is delightful," cooed Lycoris, "to have you at least--to enjoythe fights in the amphitheatre with me. That stupid ship to be solate--particularly when I think of your love for races. They weresplendid, my dear, positively splendid! First there was the greatprocession from the Capitol to the Circus Maximus;[130] all the finestyoung men in Rome on milk-white horses--a lovely sight! Then thetwo-wheeled and four-wheeled chariots, the dancers, flute-players andcithara-players, the priests in full dress, and last of all the judges,with crowns of golden oak-leaves and robes of ceremony, like the heroof a triumph. That was enough to show what the greatness of Rome means!As a rule, all that people say of the glory of the Roman name and suchspeech-making, is to me simply laughable; but when I see a sight likethat, it gives me a shiver down my back, and I feel a sense of--whatshall I call it?--the sublime--of--I do not know whether you understandthe feeling?"

  "Yes, yes," said Leaina, vaguely. "But you mentioned the priests; wasTitus Claudius present, the high-priest of Jupiter? You wrote to me,a few weeks since, that his son Quintus had been charged before theSenate with having joined the Nazarenes, and was condemned to thebeasts. I should think his father would hardly care to take part in afestival...."

  "My dear child!" interrupted the Massilian. "I see that Athens isindeed out of the world. You do not know what has been the talk ofRome for some days; ever since the ides of March Titus Claudiushas been lying at death's door. He has a violent fever, is quitedelirious and, indeed, out of his mind. His hair, they say, has grownwhite in these few months like that of a very old man. Rome does notgenerally find time to think of the misfortunes of individuals, but thesympathy in this case has been universal. At first every one blamedQuintus Claudius, but now he is only pitied, and hundreds of the mostinfluential men in Rome are exerting themselves to save him. Even I,who am indolence itself, have appeared as a suppliant at the consulate.Seriously, Leaina, I feel for him deeply; it is a pity, he is so youngand so handsome. Wherever I had a chance I tried--with the chamberlain,whom I can generally twist round my little finger--at last even withthe Empress--I forget, whether I told you when I wrote, that even theEmpress had done me the honor to smile upon me.... All in vain, Caesaris inexorable. Even when the father offered in sheer despair to be avictim to the law in his son's stead, and to kill himself in expiation,Domitian would not hear of mercy. Now the only hope is, that even inthe Arena the people will demand his release."

  "And Cornelia, his betrothed? She too was arrested?"

  "She is to share his fate. Indeed she is guilty of a double crime: sheis a Nazarene, and she tried to murder Caesar. To ask pardon for herwould be tantamount to high-treason."

  "It is a strange story altogether," said Leaina, with a little sigh."And after all, tell me, what is the particular crime of being aNazarene? What is it that they do?"

  "Indeed, my dear, you ask me more than I can answer. It would appear,that they carry on all sorts of idolatrous worship, and concoct schemesof rebellion. Norbanus told me that they want to turn the world upsidedown, and make the masters slaves, and the slaves masters. I toldhim, that did not sound to me at all a likely story; for, if it wereso, only slaves would have anything to do with them. And now, besidesQuintus, the consul Flavius Clemens,[131] a relative of Caesar, hasbeen caught and converted; so there must be something more in it thanthat."

  "Of course!" said Leaina.

  "Very likely the whole business is somehow connected with thedisturbances, that have been reported lately from the Rhaetianfrontier. It is said that the conspirators--you know, Cornelius Cinna,Ulpius Trajanus and the rest--have formed an alliance with someGermanic princes, and are marching on Rome!"

  "But that would be frightful! Just now too, when the best season of theyear is coming on!"

  "Oh! do not be alarmed. Clodianus discovered it all in good time. Andto make sure, he is bringing troops out of the provinces--out of GalliaLugdunensis I rather fancy--down into the peninsula. If it comes tothe worst, they will give the rebels a lesson. But, as you see, thefeast is the only thing in men's minds. If they had the remotest ideaeven...."

  "Well, by Cypris! I do not know what I should do. Only think of it, aconflagration like that under Nero perhaps! The whole season would beruined."

  "You silly child!" laughed Lycoris. "But what is the matter again,Philemon? Every minute we come to a stand-still."

  "Mistress," said the bearer, "the city-watch have got a man in charge,and the people are crowding round them and have stopped the way."

  Lycoris leaned as far as she could out of the litter. To the left, notfar from the entrance to the baths of Titus, two stalwart officials hadrushed at a pale young man, who defended himself desperately at first,but was overpowered after a short struggle.

  "I surely know that face," said Lycoris. "And yet I cannot be sure....Philemon, find out what that man has done to be arrested."

  The bearer sent one of the slaves, who went in front of the litter,across to the spot where the two men-at-arms were now binding theirprisoner's hands behind his back. In a few minutes the messengerreturned.

  "It is Eurymachus, the slave of Stephanus, who was hunted for th
roughall Latium only last autumn."

  "To be sure, it is he!" cried Lycoris. "Do you remember, Leaina? Itwas just before you left Rome. Of course; now I recognize his pale,determined face. Only he has cut off his beard, which made him lookeven paler then. My dear, do you know I shudder when I think of thatscene! Since Quintus has been condemned to the beasts, I have grownquite nervous. That Eurymachus was his evil genius. Only see howdesperately he looks about him--and then he was perfectly calm, evenwhen he was led to the foot of the cross."

  "It would seem, that the last few months had taken down his spirit alittle."

  "No, no--he must have some other reason, that you may depend upon.Besides--as he certainly was involved in this business of Quintus--oh!perhaps there may be some new aspect of the question! He ought to beheard.--Philemon, ask those men to come this way, to me."

  The two men, extremely astonished, came up to the splendid litter,dragging their prisoner between them.

  "Listen," said Lycoris, in condescending tones. "You have caught aprize this time. I know the fellow, and I know that Stephanus has seta great reward on his head. Now, if you wish to find special favor inhis master's eyes, just do as I advise you. Take my tablets, on whichI will write two lines, and carry them instantly, with your prisoner,to Stephanus. You will still find him at home--for he is very busy, andwill not come to the Arena before noon. Will you do as I desire you?"

  "Mistress," said one of the men, "it is all the same, whether we takethe prisoner to the city-prefect or to his owner's house. If you wishit...."

  Lycoris signed to the slave, who had called the men to speak to her,and the servant took out of his robe two gold pieces, which he gave tothem, while Lycoris wrote on her tablets:

  "Lycoris to the illustrious Stephanus, greeting:

  "With these lines you will receive your slave, Eurymachus, whom you have so long sought in vain. Keep him in safety, but do him no hurt, till you have taken counsel with me. Why, I will tell you when we meet. I would go to you at once if it were not so late, but I am afraid of missing the beginning of the games. I am writing in my litter--in the Cyprian Way, where your slave was taken. Expect me to dinner. Farewell!"

  She gave the tablets to the man, and bid him take the greatest careof them. Once more she glanced at the pale and sadly-handsome face ofthe prisoner, and a strange feeling stole into her heart, a stirringof pity and of confusion. Most assuredly--so she thought--if, thatevening, she had seen the victim's face so close, she would have spokena good word for him! Those grave, drooping lids veiled a wonderful glowin the eyes! and the mouth, with its expression of silent suffering andself-suppression, was a curious contradiction to that fiery glance! Itwas altogether a fascinating riddle for the Massilian's mobile fancy.It was only a pity, that the problem should offer itself under sounattractive a guise! A young officer, a Roman knight, a senator's son,with such a mysterious countenance, would have captivated her.--It wasdisappointing, by Cypris! positively vexatious! There was somethingbewitching in the man, as he raised his eyes to her face--she couldwell understand, that it must have had a great effect on a nature soimpressionable as Quintus'.

  The more she thought about it the more determined she became; shemust find out how it all had come about. The man, Eurymachus, to besure, looked by no means incapable of refusing point-blank to giveher any information. But did not his fate depend upon her? His deathwas inevitable, and she alone could save him; so if she said: "Speak,tell me all, or I leave you to your fate, which will be certaindeath."--Absurd! of course he would speak. And it must be a wonderfulsecret indeed, that could induce a youth like Quintus....

  And then it suddenly struck her, that Eurymachus was not exposed tothe vengeance of the steward only. As a Christian he was condemned bylaw--and she could not interfere with the course of the law. The chiefpoint still remained open: she would examine him closely, if indeedStephanus agreed to her request. And he must, positively must. Onlythe other day she had had him in leading-strings, but the child hadsuddenly outgrown her management. Since she had become so intimate withParthenius--Parthenius! And might not this prime favorite of Caesar'sbe of some service? If Parthenius spoke the word, Eurymachus would beset at liberty, in spite of any sentence passed upon him.

  Lycoris passed her hand across her forehead; her head was burning. Whatstrange ideas were these, that had taken possession of her? What aconcatenation of foolish fancies and wild, confused ideas! She hardlyperceived, that meanwhile the litter had reached the entrance to theFlavian Amphitheatre. Leaina had to rouse her from her dreamy mood.

  "What is the matter with you, golden-haired maid?" she said in a lowvoice. "You seem depressed, and just now you were all in the mood forenjoyment! Tell me--the sight of that refractory fugitive has remindedyou of the performance, which ended so unfortunately?--Oh! but yourvanity as a hostess makes you too sensitive. Smile again, enchantress!Consider, half Rome is looking at us."

  "You are very right, child," replied Lycoris. "Our part is to lookbeautiful, and we may leave grave thoughts to the vestal virgins."

  They got out of the litter, while one of the slaves obtained at anoffice on the right hand of the door-way, the _tesserae_, ivory ticketsof admission,[132] on which the numbers of the seats were marked inLatin and in Greek. The two girls took their tickets and slowly madetheir way through the crush, to the places pointed out to them by anattendant in a gaily-colored holiday tunic.[133] They gave him a smallgratuity in silver, dropped on to the cushions, which a slave hadcarried in for them,[134] and drew a deep breath, quite tired out withstanding, climbing and struggling.

  The amphitheatre was a magnificent spectacle. The fighting was not tobegin for half an hour yet, but the rows of seats, particularly thehigher and cheaper ones, were already crammed. Every part was as gayas a flower-garden with gorgeous dresses,[135] eager eyes, and facesflushed with expectation. Even the poorest had donned a newly-cleanedand bleached toga. The gentler sex, decorated with gold pins anddiadems, was particularly strongly represented, from the matron ofsenatorial rank to the artisan's wife, and the gay Syrian of more thandoubtful origin.

  Now the gaudily-gilt _podium_, kept for the senators,[136] began tofill. They took their seats deliberately, with an air of affecteddignity; the Fathers of the State, as they were called, who were nowlittle more than tools in the hand of a despot. And there was many agap in their ranks, for Caesar's suspected and proscribed foes stilllanguished in prison, vainly awaiting a judicial trial, much less averdict of acquittal.

  Immediately after, the vestal maidens came in, in long white robes; forthem too law and custom reserved a place of honor. Ah! and the boldnessof Quintus Claudius in an audacious moment, in addressing one of thesepriestesses as his ladylove, was not so outrageous as his father hadrepresented it, for those sacred robes were a cloak for more than onebroken vow,[137] and the irony of Lycoris' remark was not altogetherundeserved.

  More and more crowds of spectators kept pouring up the stairs andcorridors; a hum of voices, like the surges of the Tyrrhenian sea, rosefrom every part of the vast oval. At last the place was filled to thevery last corner. Only the purple and gold pulvinar,[138] prepared forthe Emperor, and the seats of honor immediately near to it now remainedunoccupied. All eyes were fixed on the shining gates, through which thesovereign and his suite were to enter. The velarium too--the enormouscanvas awning,[139] which was stretched across the whole oval of theamphitheatre and supported by fifty masts--bellied and flapped, asthough it shared the impatience of the audience. Any one, seeing it forthe first time, would have been tempted to think that the sky was aboutto fall in on the earth.

  "_Ave Caesar_!"[144] shouted the mob to hail the tyrant, and hegraciously bowed, and with theatrical exaggeration raised his hand togreet his faithful Romans.

  "A quarter of an hour yet," said a fruit-seller, who passed in front ofLycoris and Leaina. "Fresh oranges from Tauromenium![140] Take some,mistress."

  "Bye-and-by, my little friend! Look, Leaina, there, in the fourthrow--do you know
him?"

  "I am too short-sighted."

  "It is Martial, our famous wit; and there, in the same row, the tenthor twelfth seat from you[141]--he is stooping forward now...."

  "The priest of Isis!" said Leaina. "Oh! his amulet was invaluable.Close to Rhegium[142] we had such a storm...."

  "He is looking uncommonly grave over it, is Barbillus."

  "Perhaps he is thinking, that the same fate may overtake him and hisIsis-creed, as has fallen on the Nazarenes."

  "Nonsense," laughed Lycoris. "He is in high favor with the chamberlain."

  "Do you see any more acquaintances near us?"

  "Acquaintances, oh yes! But no one I care about. There sits thatmost ridiculous creature--do you know her, the silly Gaditanian,Melinno?--I think I wrote to you about her. A Hispanian knight--she ishis freedman's wife--brought her here a few weeks since, and now thesimpleton tries to ape me and my way of living, thinking to put me outof fashion. Why, she even attempted to get up a recitation; Statius wasto do her the honor.--Oh! she is exquisitely funny with her affectationof culture; and all the time she cannot even read."

  Leaina colored, for she was conscious of being equally ignorant, and tochange the subject she hastily enquired as to the order of the gamesand fights. Lycoris could not give her much information on the subject.She only knew, that the master of the festival had paid particularattention to the variety and due alternation of the differententertainments, so that, on each of the three days, every kind of fightshould be represented, and in typical completeness.

  "You may be sure of good entertainment, ladies," said a well-dressedyoung man with an ingratiating smile; he was sitting a row abovethem, and had heard their last words. "Women even are to fight withknives--indeed the condemned Nazarenes are more than half of themwomen."

  "And are they supposed to be able to defend themselves?" asked Lycoris."Against lions and tigers?"

  "As well as they may," said the lad, shrugging his shoulders. "Some ofthe men are to have swords. I do not know whether the women are to beso armed."

  "What can it matter?" said Leaina. "They are bound to die as criminals."

  "Very true; and a few inches of steel cannot make much difference. EvenQuintus Claudius, who is one of the strongest and best fighters inRome, will find out the difference between a fight with a lion, and awrestling-match in the ring at the baths."

  "I fancy the people will demand a pardon for him," said Lycoris.

  "Then Caesar will refuse it. If ever all means and ways were tried tosave a man, they have been in his case. All he would concede was, thatthe criminal should be let off after conquering three beasts, and whatthat means no Roman needs be told."

  "True indeed!" sighed Lycoris. "A Gaetulian lion, and a little, shortknife! It is as if I were to try to pull these walls down with my ownhands."

  "A very good simile.--How often have we seen it from this veryspot. The cleverest stroke--the knife to the hilt in the brute'sbreast--never saves the man from being torn to pieces at last. And evenif what seems impossible should happen once, how can we hope that theimpossible should happen twice?"

  A rattling roll of drums interrupted this dialogue. The roar of voicesin the amphitheatre was suddenly hushed. The gates behind the gorgeouscouch of state slowly opened, and Domitian, the awe-inspiring Emperor,who--as his flatterers expressed it--moved the world by a wink of hiseyelash,[143] came forward in magnificent array, and took his seat onthe decorated throne.

  Domitia took her place on the Emperor's right hand; the seat to theleft remained vacant.[145] It had been intended for Titus ClaudiusMucianus, the miserable man, who--but a few hundred paces distant fromthe scene of these hideous combats--was lying on a bed of anguish in adark struggle with madness and death.

  Among the suite, that followed Domitian, was Parthenius, as ever theperfect courtier and man of the world, smiling graciously, a very Sunof condescension and affability. Clodianus, too, upright and soldierly,only a little paler than usual; but perhaps his paleness was only areflection from the velarium which, now that Caesar had taken hisplace, hung in a long curve over the arena, as though stricken withreverence.

  The herald's drum rattled once more. Horns and trumpets struck up,shrill, loud and exciting, as if the legions of the Republic weremarching to meet Hannibal. Then, down in the arena, the doors wereopened for the gladiators. Slowly and solemnly the combatants came outfrom their cells on to the scene of action; tall and powerful forms,mostly fair-haired, for the greater number were northerners by birth.They marched round the arena with defiant looks, and pausing in frontof the imperial couch, they bowed and shouted in loud chorus: "_Ave,Caesar, morituri te salutant_!"[146]

  When they had all passed by, the manager of the ceremonies cameforward, bowed to the sovereign, and said in a distinct voice:

  "Marcus the Suevian will fight with Tumelicus the Cheruscan." Wild,noisy music began to play, and the rest of the gladiators retired intothe lairs, the master of the fights described with a staff the circlewithin which the struggle was to take place. The two gladiators werearmed by slaves; they had helmets given them, and round shields, andshort broadswords. Then again a drum gave the signal to begin.

  There was breathless silence. Often as the Roman populace had seenthe bloody games of the arena, they never failed of their absorbinginterest. The matrons and maidens, with their golden ornaments, forgoteven the vicinity of their flattering gallants,[147] who till thismoment had done their utmost to fulfil to the letter Ovid's advice asto availing themselves of favorable opportunities.

  Stealthily, like panthers waiting to spring, the combatants wenttowards each other; each was watching for an unprotected spot in hisantagonist, while trying to expose himself as little as possible. Theyprobably had known each other for some time; they had most likely livedfor some months in the same barrack and been in daily intercourse; theyperhaps had made friends--if the occupation of a gladiator could leaveroom for the feeling of friendship--and now they had but one idea: Tokill, in order not to be killed.

  There was a loud ring of metal; Marcus had dealt the Cheruscan afearful blow on the helmet. Tumelicus nearly lost his balance; hewithdrew a step or two, anxiously screening himself with his shield.Thus he recovered from the shock of the onslaught. He rushed forward,and retorted with a still more tremendous stroke. His attack was betterthan that of his opponent. The Suevian turned pale; the blow hadshattered his sword and so severely wounded his right-hand, that itseemed impossible that he should defend himself any longer; he flungaway his shield without more ado. A roar of mocking laughter fromeighty thousand throats rent the air. He stretched out his arm and heldup his thumb, in token that he acknowledged himself beaten and imploredfor mercy.

  Fresh shouts of laughter! What, a man, whose clumsiness had soshamefully shortened their entertainment, could hope for mercy! Howlittle he knew the Roman mob.

  All the spectators' thumbs were turned down,[148] as if at apreconcerted signal; there was not a single exception, and Leainaeven put out both her fat little hands glittering with rings, to giveemphasis to her demonstration.

  Thumbs downwards, that meant death.

  The hapless gladiator glanced despairingly upwards, as though to callon Heaven and the future to avenge his miserable fate. He panted forbreath, and terrible anguish was depicted in his face. His thoughtsflashed back perhaps, in that instant, far away to his German home,where a yellow-haired maiden sat sadly by the hearth, and his blindold mother wept for his return; away to the hills of the Black Forest,where in the happy days of his freedom, he had hunted the chamois andthe wild goat, or gathered the alpine rose for a wreath for that goldenhead. He clenched his fist and his lips quivered. Then suddenly hisexpression settled into dull resignation; he bent his head and silentlyawaited his death-blow. He was too well schooled as a gladiator, not toknow that, by all the rules of the art, he must yield and die.

  Tumelicus came up to do the office of executioner; he drove his knifein just below the shoulder blade, into his antagonist's heart. T
heSuevian fell on his knees, gazing fixedly at the ground. The Cheruscanslowly drew out his weapon, and a gush of blood sprinkled the victorwith its red flood.

  The air shook with the storm of applause; the Emperor himself approved.But it was especially the fairer portion of the spectators, who seemedbeside themselves with delight. Leaina clapped so indefatigably, thatit seemed doubtful whether she did it out of sheer pleasure, or ratherto display her round, plump arms. Lycoris too, naturally swam with thestream, though less eagerly than her companion. She seemed somewhatlanguid and indifferent to-day.

  When the storm of plaudits had somewhat subsided, a handsome youth,dressed as Mercury, appeared on the scene. He had silver sandals withwings; he carried an iron staff, red-hot at one end. It was his duty totouch the body of the fallen gladiator with the hot iron, to make surethat life was extinct. The Suevian, however, seemed still to breathe,though he had lost consciousness.

  Mercury signed to a servant, who stood in the doorway with a shiningaxe in his hand, ready to give the '_coup de grace_' to the victim.One mighty stroke--as a butcher might fell an ox--and all was over.Immediately a second ruffian came forward with a harpoon in hishand. He struck it into the bleeding corpse, with brutal force, andthe remains of the hapless Marcus were dragged away to the PortaLibitinensis--the gate of the dead.

  The whole scene was repeated twice more, and in neither case didthe people respite the conquered victim. They seemed possessed witha special blood-thirstiness. It was not till the fourth scene, atilting-match, when a rider, who was a favorite with the women,happened to be unhorsed, that their thumbs were turned up, so that theadmired and splendid champion, who had so often proved victorious andthe hero of many a gallant adventure, should be respited to achievefuture deeds of valor. His antagonist's lance had pierced his thigh;cries of "_Habet_,"[149] resounded from the upper galleries, and whenthe women had pronounced in his favor, three slaves came forward andcarried him away with the utmost care.

  These single combats on foot and horseback were only introductory. Thefights with wild beasts were now to begin. When the servants had strewnthe arena with sand[150] and, so far as possible, hidden the traces ofblood, the master of the ceremonies appeared once more, and proclaimed:"The criminal, Calenus, condemned as a Nazarene, will fight with amountain lion from Gaetulia."

  "Calenus, a wretch--one of the brood of traitors,[151] and a contemnerof the gods!" said the stranger behind Lycoris.

  The door opened, and two slaves led forward the tall, solemn figure ofthe sightless man, with his long snow-white hair. He held in his handsa wooden cross, the symbol of his faith, the only weapon that thetyrant's ferocity had vouchsafed him.

  "He was a soldier," their unknown informant whispered, "and oftenpunished for his insubordination. Let us see how he will behave himselfnow!"

  "How can he fight?" said Lycoris, "he is blind. Only see how helplesslyhe stands there; he does not know which way to turn."

  "Blindness cannot save a criminal from punishment."

  "Punishment, by all means; but the master of the ceremonies said afight!"

  "Well, and why not?" said the young man scornfully. "The Nazarenesdeclare, that their cross is a mighty weapon, and that their God showsthem a path even in darkness."

  Lycoris turned away; her eye fell on Barbillus. The handsome andexpressive head of the oriental priest had a strange, fixed andlifeless look. And, in truth, the scene, which was now going forwardin the arena, was well calculated to excite and impress such a man asBarbillus. He, absolutely bereft of convictions, felt the power offaith come home to his soul as a strange phenomenon. Brought up inhis early youth by priests, and then trained at Athens in philosophyand sophistry, he had always been accustomed to regard everythingsupernatural from the vantage ground of mere self-interested trickery.The more devoutly and zealously his credulous followers gave themselvesup to this jugglery, the more convinced he felt, that all faith was theresult of a sickly hallucination--particularly in women, a disorder ofthe system, which must be dissipated like mist by the rough breath ofreality. And that this ecstatic frenzy should carry grave and ripe menso far, that they could cling to it in defiance of the law of the land,and sacrifice their lives to a death of excruciating torment--this tothe sensitive physique of the Asiatic was astounding, shocking! It wasincomprehensible; a man--to all appearance a well-educated man, whilehis lofty brow indicated superior capacity--and that man believed! Thatman was at the point of death in witness of his belief--and he did noteven tremble.

  Barbillus pressed his hand to his heart, which seemed to be rising intohis throat, and his breath rattled as he drew it.

  The door, which barred the egress of the wild beasts from the dens,now opened. A lion came bounding into the arena, paused, looked roundhim, licked his fangs, and gave a mighty roar. Suddenly he started backa step or two. Calenus, who till this minute had stood upright, haddropped on to his knees; and clasping his cross with both hands, heheld it up towards heaven, praying audibly:

  "Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour! behold me about to die for Thysake. And in dying I declare before all men: Thou alone art the Lightand the Truth. O God, my God, have mercy upon me, for Thy Son's sake,who died upon the cross for the redemption of the world."

  Dull murmurs, jeering laughter, and a few words of pity were heard asthe blind man ended his prayer. The priest of Isis had turned palerthan ever and perfectly rigid; he leaned forward; the veins in hisforehead swelled, and his lips quivered. A thousand dancing flashesmocked his sight. His whole spirit was in torment under a fearful andparalyzing vision.

  The cross, which the blind-man raised skywards, seemed to grow till itwas four, five times as tall as the kneeling man. The galleries of theamphitheatre were deserted. The senators and vestal virgins vanishedin smoke; the Sovereign of the World and his court were lost in thinair; every living creature was swallowed up in the yawning depths ofa vast gulf. The splendid arcades were empty and silent, the marbleand stucco facings dropped away from the pillars, clinking as theyfell, till the rough masonry and brickwork of the main structure stoodunadorned and bare. Nettles, darnel and ferns sprouted from every seam.Crows and daws fluttered in flocks from arch to arch, filling the airwith melancholy croaking--but still, down there in the arena, the crossstood up on its stone plinth, the triumphant emblem of a despisedfaith, whose adherents were torn to pieces to feast lions and tigers byCaesar's commands.

  Barbillus sat gazing at the awful picture, that his brain had raised,his eyes almost starting out of his head. He wanted to shriek, but hewas speechless; only a choked rattle came from his lips, a groan oftorture and terror. Utterly overpowered and bewildered, he covered hisface with his robe. A roar of applause roused him from his trance, andhe looked up once more. The hideous vision was gone. There sat Caesaron his purple throne, and the wind still flapped the waving screen. Ahoarse growl resounded through the arena, the lion crouched for hisspring, and in a moment was standing victorious over the body of hisdefenceless prey. Calenus was no more than a bleeding and lifeless mass.

  Barbillus rose from his seat, tottering and half-stunned; the groundseemed to burn under his feet. He hastily made his way out. "When,when is this vision to be fulfilled?"[152] he asked in his tremblingsoul. Then he rushed home, bolted himself up in his room, and wrote:

  "I, Barbillus, the priest of Isis, saw on the second day of the seculargames, in the sixteenth year of Domitian, a wonderful vision--whethersent me by the gods (if gods there be), or a trick played me by some_daemon_. I thought I saw with these eyes things which were not thereto be seen...." So he wrote, and told his story.

  In the Flavian Amphitheatre meanwhile--the Coliseum as it is nowcalled--the bloody festival goes on--only interrupted for a while bythe dinner-hour--till supper-time puts an end to it for to-day.[153]Tired and exhausted, but not yet satiated with blood, the Roman peoplewithdraw to the triclinium, to discuss the incidents of the day oversparkling Falernian or the muddy liquor of Veii. All are lookingforward to the morrow, for each day of thi
s glorious festival is to bemore delightful than the last.

  Lycoris and her friend went to Stephanus. Parthenius, Clodianus, andthe colonel of the body-guard, supped with Caesar. Rome was quiet,Rome was happy. So, at least, said Clodianus in the speech in which heproposed health to Caesar, the glorious president over these unequalledcentennial games, and drank it in Opimian wine.

  FOOTNOTES:

  [125] TO-DAY, THE SIXTH AFTER THE CALENDS. The first day of every month was called Kalendae (from _kalare_, to proclaim). The beginning of the month was originally fixed by the new moon. An official, in later times the Pontifex Maximus, proclaimed the appearance of the new moon from a house (_Curia Calabra_) specially built for the purpose on the Capitoline Hill. The days of the second half of the month were reckoned in such a manner, that they were mentioned as before the calends of the following month; for instance, the 24th of March was the 9th day before the calends of April. The day from which, and the one to which the computation was made, were included in the reckoning. The phrase used here, "the sixth day after the calends, corresponds identically to no Latin form of speech."

  [126] THREE HUNDRED LIONS. "We are most amazed"--says Friedlaender--"at the number of animals of one species, as well as the whole number of those belonging to different species, gathered at the great Roman spectacles. These numbers sound incredible; of course it must not be forgotten, that within two thousand years the species of the large animals have sustained a vast, scarcely computable diminution. Doubtless Dio's remark, that all such numbers are exaggerated, is correct; but even after great reductions, nay, even if cut down one half, they remain enormous. The spectacles exhibited by Pompey and Caesar, are not only unsurpassed, but unequalled in this respect. In the former 17 or 18 elephants, 500 or 600 lions, and 410 other African animals were displayed; in the latter 400 lions and 40 elephants. Among the historians of the empire, the statement is by no means rare that 100, 200 and even 300 lions, 300, 400 and 500 bears, an equal number of African wild beasts (and still larger numbers of the ordinary kinds of animals) were exhibited or hunted at a single spectacle. All the Zoological gardens in Europe at the present day could be abundantly supplied with the animals gathered in Rome for a single great festival. According to Augustus' own statement--he took great pleasure in 'vast numbers of animals and unfamiliar wild beasts'--3,500 African animals alone perished in the 26 spectacles he gave. At the hundred-day festival given by Titus in the year 80 to commemorate the opening of the Flavian amphitheatre, 5,000 wild beasts of all kinds were exhibited in a single day, and the whole number of wild and tame ones killed reached 9,000."

  [127] END OF THE GREAT FESTIVAL. The centennial games, so far as we are informed, usually numbered only three festival days; nothing however prevents the supposition that Domitian, by the exercise of his sovereign will, might have made an exception.

  [128] "COME HITHER TO SEE, WHAT NONE OF YOU HAS EVER YET SEEN, OR EVER WILL SEE AGAIN!" Latin:--_quod nunquam quisquam spectasset nec spectaturus esset_.

  [129] STIBIUM. A cosmetic much used by the Roman ladies--a powder made of baked antimony, known at the present day among the orientals by the name of Surme.

  [130] FIRST THERE WAS THE GREAT PROCESSION FROM THE CAPITOL TO THE CIRCUS MAXIMUS. The centennial games commenced with a festal procession (called _pompa_) whose route corresponded with the description given here, and which closed with the chariots, that were to appear in the races in the Circus Maximus. These, however, usually played a more conspicuous part than in our story, where they are treated more as an introduction.

  [131] THE CONSUL FLAVIUS CLEMENS. See note 137, Vol. I. Pyat has made the fall of this (historical) Flavius Clemens the subject of a novelette--unfortunately faulty in coloring--from which I have used some outlines for my story. Flavius Clemens' relations to Christianity are told by Dio Cassius, (LXVII, 14.) and Suet. (_Dom._ 15.)

  [132] IVORY TICKETS OF ADMISSION. Such admission tickets (made also of clay and metal) have been found in large numbers during the excavations of the last decade.

  [133] AN ATTENDANT IN A GAILY-COLORED HOLIDAY TUNIC, (_designator_) corresponds with our box-opener or usher.

  [134] THE CUSHIONS, WHICH A SLAVE HAD CARRIED IN FOR THEM. The rows of seats consisted of marble blocks, which during the spectacle were covered with cushions and seats of honor (_bisellia_.)

  [135] EVERY PART WAS AS GAY AS A FLOWER-GARDEN WITH GORGEOUS DRESSES. Every one appeared at the public spectacles in full gala dress. Those who possessed but _one_ toga sent it before the festival to the fuller (_fullo_) to be cleansed and smoothed. The fuller's work is very clearly depicted in the frescos on a fuller's shop, excavated in Pompeii in 1826. See note 33, Vol. II.

  [136] THE GAUDILY-GILT PODIUM, KEPT FOR THE SENATORS. The senators had special seats reserved for them at all public spectacles.

  [137] BROKEN VOW. Concerning the broken vows of vestal virgins, see Suet. _Dom._ 8. If the crime was discovered, Domitian's government treated the culprit more harshly than those of Vitellius and Titus, indeed the severity increased at each instance. The vestals Ocellata and Varonilla were granted the choice of the manner of death, but their betrayers were exiled. In later times, however, Domitian ordered the vestal Cornelia to be buried alive, and her lovers--for she had several--to be flogged to death in the comitium. In contradiction to this is the (perhaps incorrect) remark of Dio Cassius (LXVII, 3) according to which Domitian, to his credit, ordered that vestal virgins convicted of breaking their vows, should not be buried alive, but sentenced to a less cruel death.

  [138] PULVINAR. Here a superb seat resembling a divan, is meant. See Suet. A. 45, also see note 45, Vol. II.

  [139] THE ENORMOUS CANVAS AWNING. The stone rings, into which these masts were fastened, are still visible at the present day in the walls of the Coliseum.

  [140] TAUROMENIUM. A city on the eastern coast of Sicily, now Taormina.

  [141] THE TENTH OR TWELFTH SEAT FROM YOU. My story here allows both sexes to be seated promiscuously, as was customary in the circus. At the exhibitions in the amphitheatre, women had places specially set apart. The license I have taken is the more easily justified, because the disposal of seats in the theatre was never strictly carried out, hence the frequency of the complaint that people who had no right to the places, crowded into those reserved for the knights.

  [142] RHEGIUM. A city in the southern part of the Italian peninsula, in the country of the Bruttii; now Reggio.

  [143] MOVED THE WORLD BY A WINK OF HIS EYELASH. See Hor. _Od._ III, 1, V. 8; "_cuncia supercilio moventis_." The words there refer to Jupiter; but Domitian's flatterers, especially Martial, never wearied of deifying the emperor as a second Jupiter. See Mart., _Ep._ V. 6, V. 9, and many others.

  [144] AVE CAESAR! or _Ave Imperator_! (Hail to thee, oh Caesar!) The emperor was greeted with these words whenever he appeared in public, and replied by the phrase: _Avete vos_! (I greet you also!) The word _Ave_! (Be greeted! Be blessed!) was also in general use when persons met or took leave of each other.

  [145] THE SEAT TO THE LEFT REMAINED VACANT. At public games, by virtue of his office, the Flamen Dialis sat at the emperor's left hand. See Suet, _Dom._ 4: "Beside him sat the priest of Zeus."

  [146] AVE, CAESAR, MORITURI TE SALUTANT! The actual words with which the gladiators destined for the approaching combat saluted the sovereign.

  [147] THE VICINITY OF THEIR FLATTERING GALLANTS. See note 141,
Vol. II, Ovid's prescriptions, here mentioned, are found in the _Ars amandi_, I, p. 135. Elsewhere (_Amores_ III. 2) the same author gives us examples of a flattering gallant's conversation with a fair neighbor.

  [148] ALL THE SPECTATORS' THUMBS WERE TURNED DOWN. See note 23, Vol. II.

  [149] HABET! He is hit! was the usual acclamation from the audience, when a blow struck home.

  [150] WHEN THE SERVANTS HAD STREWN THE ARENA WITH SAND. See Mart. _Ep._ II, 75, 5.

  "For while two boys did rake the sandy floor, With savage rage he both in pieces tore."

  [151] CALENUS, A WRETCH--ONE OF THE BROOD OF TRAITORS. The expression is similar to the well-known "_sus de grege Epicuri_."

  [152] "WHEN, WHEN IS THIS VISION TO BE FULFILLED?" Perhaps it will not be superfluous to remark, that Barbillus here beholds in imagination the Flavian Amphitheatre, as it afterwards appeared in Catholic Rome--the mighty vine-grown ruins of the Coliseum with the solitary cross in the grass-grown oval of the arena. The Italian government has meantime somewhat changed the picture, by removing the vegetation, which seemed to endanger the venerable ruins by promoting the process of disintegration--certainly to the detriment of the artistic effect.

  [153] TILL SUPPER-TIME PUTS AN END TO IT FOR TO-DAY. It is here supposed, that the games only lasted until the hour for the principal meal (doubtless delayed on these days). The amusements at the centennial festivals and similar occasions were, however, usually continued through the night.