Quintus Claudius: A Romance of Imperial Rome. Volume 2

  CHAPTER XX.

  Day was dying; the sun sank, blood-red, into the Tyrrhenian sea. TheCapitol and the arches of the Amphitheatre still glowed in fierypurple, when the streets already lay in cool twilight. Then the lastglory died away from their topmost crests, and the blue darkness stoleup the walls; night enveloped the pleasure-loving crowd and theirmartyred victims--at last the people seemed to have had their fill.They poured out of the Amphitheatre like an overflowing stream, overthe Forum, through the Vicus Cyprius and the neighboring streets.

  While Rome was resting and refreshing itself after the excitingpleasures of the day, and giving itself up to the sweet influences ofthe warm spring evening, six noble ships were flying before the windfrom the island of Igilium.[161] At about three hours before midnightthe vessels came to anchor close by Alsium[162] and landed theirpassengers--three cohorts of picked men--without let or hindrance.The son of the Propraetor of Lugdunensis, was at their head, andwith him were Caius Aurelius Menapius and the one-armed centurion.The Propraetor himself was advancing with the rest of the forces bythe main north road, the Via Cassia,[163] and had already reachedClusium,[164] while the rest of the conspirators were coming roundsouth-eastwards with a smaller following from Luna,[165] and Pisae[166]to Rusellae,[167] to join the Propraetor's troops at the ForumCassii.[168]

  Domitian knew only of the advance of the Propraetor, and still supposedthat it was in fulfilment of his own orders. Completely hoodwinked ashe was by Clodianus, he had himself insisted on reinforcements withinthe city itself. The adjutant had indeed here taken advantage of thecircumstance, that Caesar had received repeated and mysterious warningsthat a great conspiracy was on foot. The disembarkation at Alsium wasthe first step towards open revolt, and though Clodianus, in collusionwith Parthenius, did his utmost to prevent this news from reaching thePalatium and the Praetorian guard, whom they could not yet regard assecured--nay, though he was prepared in case of need to account for itby some plausible lie, still they could not but expect every instantthat the mask would be torn aside. Clodianus and Parthenius spent theevening outside the walls of Rome in the adjutant's villa, and aftermidnight they adjourned to the house of a freedman of Parthenius's,where they held a momentous conference with Norbanus, the prefectof the body-guard. After much parleying and persuasion he was wonover to the side of the conspirators. Caesar's latest outrages, moreparticularly his monstrous injustice towards the senators and knightswho had lingered, untried, in prison since the day when they werearrested, struck the balance in the upright and honorable soldier'smind. But even then, to the great regret of the conspirators, Norbanuscould only answer for the adhesion of three of the cohorts under hiscommand; the others had been freshly recruited at the New Year, and thegrowing distrust of the Emperor had filled every post, particularlythose of the officers in command, with his own special favorites andcreatures. Whatever the result might be, it was too late to availthemselves of every resource; the road straight forward was the onlyone now open to them. Still, an attempt was worth making at any cost.At the worst the Praetorian guard could certainly be kept in checkfor two days, and by that time the Propraetor and his forces mighthave reached Rome. Possibly too there might be another solution of thedifficulty.--Clodianus was thinking of Stephanus.

  By the time the sickle of the waning moon rose ruddy above the horizon,the Propraetor's son and his eager troops had already left half theroad between Alsium and the capital behind them. Aurelius, accompaniedby the faithful Herodianus and the Goth, rode by the young leader'sside, marking with happy anticipation the growing distinctness ofa black cloud on the southern horizon--that dark silhouette wasRome. Now, as the moon rose, Aurelius fancied he could recognize thebuildings on the Janiculum, and distinguish to the left the temple onthe loftier Quirinal. Between these points--which he saw more in fancythan in fact--dwelt his Claudia--adored and beautiful, "the only She."What must she not have suffered during these last months! Ah, andeven now be suffering! This very day probably the brother, that sheso devotedly loved, had fallen a victim to Caesar's hideous mania forpersecution. Clodianus had indeed promised to do everything, even theimpossible, only to postpone the frightful climax; but who could tell!

  Aurelius set spurs into his horse, as if he could not bear a moment'sdelay till he dashed through the streets of Rome, tore open theprison doors, and clasped his rescued friend in his arms. How couldhe face Claudia, if he came too late to save her brother? Why hadthe execution of the conspiracy been so long postponed? The reasons,it is true, had been irresistible--even Cinna had confessed that;but an aching, longing heart ignores every motive of strategy andof state-craft, and the days, which had been allowed to slip by ininactivity, had seemed a dreary eternity. Well, the immediate futurewould put an end at any rate to suspense, and surely the gods could notso cruelly betray his fervid hopes. If he should succeed, if fate hadsuch mercy in store--what joy for him of all men to break the chains,what a triumph over the stern and inexorable father, who to uphold thelaw could not spare his own son!

  Aurelius was half-ashamed to find himself thinking so exclusivelyof his own future, when the next few hours must decide the fate ofmillions--nay, of the Empire. But of what avail were strength ofresolve and effort of will? His thoughts would revert to the scene heso fondly pictured in his dream, when he should clasp his Claudia inhis arms, and stand proudly before the high-priest with the words: "_I_restore you your son."

  The road was lonely, the step of the marching men sounded loud in thesilence. The few passengers and vehicles that they met were allowedto pass on; but all who were going towards Rome were, willy-nilly,detained, and only allowed to proceed in the midst of the cohorts.

  In spite of these precautions they kept on the alert. At about half amile outside Rome, Clodianus and Parthenius joined the force, as hadbeen agreed, and the soldiers halted for a moment. The conspiratorsgreeted each other warmly. Still, it was only with a determined effort,that Aurelius could find a civil word for the chamberlain, for whom hehad always felt a deep aversion, and who, even now, impressed him asodious and repulsive. The loud bluntness of Clodianus, on the contrary,who harangued at some length about freedom and patriotism, he felt hadthe ring of genuine coin.

  "I received your father's last message," said Parthenius to the youngcaptain. "Well, I must submit. A woman on the throne of the Caesarsseems to you dangerous, and still more so Cornelius Cinna's scheme ofre-establishing the Republic. Your father's arguments have, on thewhole, convinced me, so we will agree.--Your candidate is also mine."

  "You have our thanks," replied the Propraetor's son. "Our troopsare already informed as to the work in hand. Nerva's name has beenmentioned in the ranks, more than once. You will see, my noble friend,that only a spark is needed to fire their faithful hearts."

  He turned his horse, and faced the troops.

  "Men," he cried in a voice of thunder: "Your Caesar is Marcus CocceiusNerva!"

  "Nerva!" was shouted by a thousand voices. "Down with Domitian! Longlive Nerva _Imperator_!"

  The scattered natives, that dwelt near the high-road, might start fromtheir sleep in astonishment at this rolling peal of shouts, and askthemselves what such a roar of voices could mean. But seeing presentlythat these were armed cohorts, marching in close order on Rome, they nodoubt crept back under their coverlets with a shake of the head, andthe time-honored comment that the soldiery were allowed to do just whatthey pleased,[169] even to rouse the peaceful peasant from his dreams.

  The cohorts themselves set out again with a will, and soon reached thewestern slope of the Janiculum, where, thanks to Clodianus' cautiousforesight, no obstacle stood in their way.

  Quintus and Cornelia, meanwhile, were enduring a terrible night. Afterthe unhoped-for issue of that first combat, they had been led back intothe underground vault, and there they were left--either for conveniencesake, or for fear lest the populace should give too emphatic expressionto its sympathy, if the prisoners should be seen on the way back to theMamertine prisons.
A few rugs were flung on the stone pavement, and aman at arms was posted in the cell, while two more guarded the dooroutside. No one thought of giving the exhausted wretches food or drink,for their being yet alive was no part of the programme, and the masterof the festival had too important business on hand, to trouble himselfas to die fate of two "postponed" victims.

  Cornelia, utterly crushed by all she had gone through, sat in a cornersunk in a heap, and silently wringing her hands. It was certain, quitecertain, that the tyrant was pitiless; the whole thing was merely aprolongation of their misery, a postponement of the inevitable, a slowsipping of the cup of agony, which others had been allowed to swallowat a gulp! It was more than she could bear.

  Even Quintus, who had at first been elated by the sense of victory,became every moment more restless and wretched. Cornelia's cry ofdespair, when the lion made its spring--a cry of horror and yetecstatic--had pierced his heart. In that supreme utterance, wrung fromher very soul, she had expressed all that could never have been saidin words: a deep and tender reproach, a defiance of all their enemy'sworst efforts, and a whole world of love, which could only live for himshe loved. It was not till they were locked within the dungeon again,that Quintus observed that Cornelia was wounded; blood was flowingfrom her left arm--the brute's claws must have touched her there. Hisfeelings as he perceived this were beyond words; and then--when sherefused, almost angrily, to let him stanch the blood, and at last torea strip off the hem of her dress, and tied it up just "anyhow!" Herwhole manner asked with gloomy scorn: "What is the good?" They knew,both of them, full well, what the next day must bring forth.

  The minutes dragged along with leaden slowness. The young man's excitedbrain had lost all power to banish the most hideous thoughts; he couldscarcely pray. He saw himself standing once more in the arena withCornelia at his side, repeating the scene they had just rehearsed--tillthe end. This time he struck with less skill and success; the roaringbeast crouched, sprang, he felt its claws in his flesh. He was lyingon the earth, bleeding, mangled--yes, it was all true, only he feltno pain, only utter exhaustion. And the lion had clutched her too,Cornelia--beautiful, stately.--Then the monster was scared off from hisbleeding prey, back into his cage. The servant was coming towards himwith the harpoon--he could hear it crunching in the sand.

  He started up, shuddering violently. It was a hideous dream; he hadfallen asleep after so long being restless. But the crunching andgrinding did not cease, and now he heard his name called in an eager,loving human voice. The grey gloom was bright with the glare oftorches. Before him stood Caius Aurelius, with eight soldiers of thenorthern army.

  "Quintus!" he cried, with open arms. "The gods be praised! Rise, nobleCornelia. Why do you gaze at me, as if you saw a ghost? I am Aurelius.I have brought you freedom."

  "Caius?" stammered Quintus, almost speechless with surprise andnew-born hopes. "You here--tell me, what has happened?"

  "Rome is ours. More than half the Praetorian guard have sworn fidelityto Cocceius Nerva. The Palatium was invested an hour ago. You shallhear it all, but oh! my senses are reeling...! Forward, men, makeway.--Oh, Quintus I who could have foreseen all this, only lastautumn...?"

  Quintus, tottering like a drunken man, went up the steps into the sweetnight air, and Cornelia followed, half carried by their preserver; butwhen she presently drew herself up and walked on in the torch-light,her black hair all loose and gently stirred by the wind, her dress tornand stained, and so stately in spite of it all, her presence touchedthe heart even of her rough guards.

  In the Forum they found a tremendous uproar. A strong division of thetroops guarded every entrance to the Palatium; others, and among themmany of the Praetorian guard, were being sent to various parts of thecity, to defend the most important strategic points against any plansof their opponents; at the same time the mob came streaming in fromevery quarter, shouting, shrieking and wasting its breath in questions.

  Close by the Arch of Titus, Clodianus sat on horseback in the midst ofa madly-excited crowd.

  "Yes, citizens," he shouted in stentorian tones, "the tyrant reigns nomore. Too long indeed have we endured the humiliating yoke, but now wehave shaken it off. Those, who have acted for you, are grateful to youfor your unanimous and noble enthusiasm, and Nerva, _Imperator_ willshow his thankfulness by doubling the gifts of corn for the next year."

  "Long live Nerva, the father of his country!" they shouted in chorus.But it was not only the capricious proletariat, who joined in; moreeager and joyful still were the better classes of the citizens, even upto the knights and the few senators who, in their uncertainty as to theissue, found courage enough to express their opinion.

  "Romans!" Clodianus went on. "Never fear, that the handful ofmercenaries, who defend the Palatium, can imperil our work this day.The legions of the Propraetor of Lugdunensis are already on their wayhither, by forced marches from Clusium. Before the sun has twice set,they will be before the walls of Rome. Go and tell all your friends,who still hesitate, that he himself will march in with the Propraetor;Nerva, the choice of the people, the divine Emperor."

  "Long live Nerva! long live Clodianus!" shouted a hundred voices atonce.

  It was with great difficulty, that Aurelius could make a way for thereleased couple through the dense throng.

  "Where are we going?" asked Quintus, who had scarcely been able tospeak a word.

  "To your father's house."

  "Miserable man!" groaned Quintus, bending his face on to his friend'sshoulder. "What must he not have suffered?"

  And thus they made their way slowly, like a funeral procession, to thehouse of Titus Claudius.

  In the Palatium too there was stir and turmoil--torches, the clatter ofarms and confused shouts. At the receipt of the news of the blockade,Domitian had almost lost his wits. He sobbed like a woman; he startedfrom his bed shrieking and lamenting, and rushed wildly up and downhis room, his teeth chattering with terror. When he learnt, that thecohorts which were on guard in the palace had remained faithful, andwould resist every encroachment to the death, he recovered himselfa little, and called his palace officials together for a sort ofcouncil of war. For an hour at least he listened to their opinions,but rejected almost everything that was proposed, as impracticable oruseless, and at last, in great wrath, dissolved the sitting. Then hehimself went the rounds of all the posts, and condescended so far as tooverwhelm, not the centurions only, but even the private soldiers withflattering appeals, and to implore their steadfast adherence; besidesthis, he distributed gifts of money.

  But, in spite of all this, he fancied that the demeanor of the guardswas less respectful than of yore, and this suspicion filled his mindwith bitterness and alarm; he swore to himself, that when once therebellion was quelled some, who had especially roused his ire, shouldbe made an example of. He was still ignorant, that the larger halfof the Praetorian guard had gone over to the enemy. Besides, he wasexpecting the Propraetor of Gallia Lugdunensis who, alone, would bestrong enough to turn the balance, and who would no doubt hurry on toRome with double speed, when the news of the events in the capitalshould meet him. In his utter bewilderment it did not occur to Caesar,that it was Clodianus who had been in treaty with the Propraetor, andthat Clodianus was at the head of the revolution.

  When noon had come and passed, and still the Praetorians had not raisedthe siege by expelling the forces under Clodianus, Domitian once morelost all self-control. He rushed from room to room in utter despair,now breaking out into abuse of Clodianus and Parthenius, both of whomhe had raised to rank and power; now tearing his hair, now tryingto extract some comfort from those about him--particularly from hisfavorite Jewish slave Phaeton, whom he commanded to sing and talk tohim and scare away anxious fears.

  Stephanus, who, with Caesar, was blockaded into the Palatium, was notless agitated than his sovereign; all night through he had sat inhis study, devising and rejecting schemes for obeying his mistress'behests. Clodianus had indeed made him a party to the conspiracy, andhad even intended--as he declared-
-that he should play an importantpart in it. Nevertheless, the freedman could not but confess tohimself, that the action of the piece had begun while he was stillbehind the scenes; that he had had no idea of the extent of thepreparations already made, and that events were fast getting beyond hisken.

  Nothing had surprised him more than the fact, that Clodianus' intriguesin the capital were in connection with the efforts of Cinna andNerva, and this discovery almost overwhelmed him. If the rebellionwere to succeed--as seemed most likely--Cneius Afranius was one ofthe heroes of the situation, and a full disclosure of all the crimeswhich Stephanus had, until now, so successfully concealed, was a merequestion of time. After all that the Gaulish lawyer had attempted up tothe present date, it seemed more than doubtful whether he would pay anyheed to the appeal of a moon-struck enthusiast like Eurymachus, evensupposing that Stephanus could carry into effect any scheme in favor ofQuintus Claudius. Come what might, one thing was certain: in the neworder of things, the steward of the deposed Empress must fall from hishigh estate, unless he could prove his connection with the conspiracyby some conspicuous service, and so secure beforehand the gratitude ofthe future sovereign.

  By degrees a resolution took form in his terror-stricken mind, whichhad already suggested itself to him several times, though on othergrounds--the resolution to murder Domitian.

  The Empress' lust of power and then his fears of the prosecutionunder a law, which Caesar might be planning--a fable invented byClodianus--had some time since prompted the idea, which he had alwaysset aside because Caesar's excessive suspiciousness had made itseem impracticable. Now, however, opportunity was more favorable.The extraordinary events of the day made an extraordinary step lessstartling. Besides, he had, as he thought, no choice.

  Soon after sunrise a vague report spread through the Palatium that,late the night before, Stephanus had detected a suspicious-lookingpersonage wandering about in a strange way, at no great distance fromthe Caesar's residence, that he had collared the man and snatched fromhim an important document, relating to the conspiracy; in the strugglethe stranger had given him a somewhat deep wound in the left arm.

  In point of fact Stephanus, when he came out of his office in themorning, had his arm in a sling,[170] and to judge from the blood whichhad stained through the linen, though the bandages were thick, thewound must have been a serious one. Anyone, however, who could havewatched the steward an hour before in the solitude of his chamber,would have seen him scratch his skin with his sharp dagger, carefullyspot the bandages with blood, and then bind the poniard itself closeto his arm like a splint, with strips and folds of linen. At the thirdhour Stephanus craved the favor of an audience of Caesar, as he desiredto show him a highly-important letter, which was intended to meet noeyes but those of the sovereign. Domitian had already heard of thesteward's misadventure, and he had been on the point of commanding hispresence, when his petition was laid before him.

  Stephanus came in, pale and excited; any one might suppose he wasexhausted by loss of blood.

  "My lord," he began, "a discovery of the greatest consequence...."Domitian, terrified beyond measure, sent all the slaves, with theexception of Phaeton, out of the room and bid Stephanus come closer tohim. With profound respect the freedman handed him a document, which hehimself had concocted a few hours previously. Caesar turned pale, andhastily glanced through the craftily-composed letter.

  This was the instant of which Stephanus took advantage.[171] He drewout the dagger like a flash of lightning, and struck it to the hiltinto Caesar's stomach. Domitian gave a fearful scream, and threwhimself on the assassin like a wild beast.

  "My sword!" he shouted. "Phaeton, my sword!"

  The boy flew into the next room to fetch it, while Domitian andStephanus struggled desperately. The Emperor tried to wrench the daggerfrom his foe, but only succeeded in clutching the blade and cuttinghis fingers to the bone. With a roar of pain, he tried to force outhis adversary's eyes, or to set his teeth in his throat. The slavesrushed in, but dared not interfere. They thought that Stephanus mightbe acting under the orders of Clodianus; Phaeton alone, who had foundthe sword, rushed boldly at the victorious assassin, and dealt him adeadly blow, at the very instant when Stephanus stabbed the Emperor tothe heart.

  "Phaeton!... too late[172]...!" cried Domitian as he fell. "You alonehave been faithful...." A dark stream of blood gushed from his mouth,and Caesar, who for so many years had trampled the world underfoot, wasdead.

  Stephanus did not survive him many minutes. Phaeton's stroke had splithis skull.

  Domitian's death left the Praetorian guard no reason for resistingthe revolution; as soon as the news was known, Clodianus sent anenvoy to the Palatium, who came to an understanding with the tribunesand centurions, and they surrendered at once. The rest of the guard,outside the Palatium, then made no farther demur. Thus the victory ofMarcus Cocceius Nerva was an accomplished fact, and, excepting for thetwo victims of the struggle within the palace, it had been a bloodlessone.

  Notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, Clodianus at once summonedthe Senate to a sitting. The very men, who had hitherto grovelledin the dust before the despot, now vied with each other in theirexpressions of hatred and contempt for the dead.[173] After theelection of Marcus Cocceius Nerva had been officially ratified, andproclaimed in high-sounding phrases to be the happiest event of thecentury, the assembly passed a resolution declaring Domitian tohave been a foe and traitor to his country, and requiring the Romanpeople to deface and obliterate every memorial of a man accursed.The numerous statues of himself, that Domitian had erected, were tobe thrown down from their pedestals, and his triumphal arches laidlevel with the ground.[174] Certain petty and undignified suggestions,which had for their object extended powers of denunciation[175] suchas they had existed under Domitian, but with increased severity,and the impeachment of some men of the highest character--as forinstance of Titus Claudius--as adherents of the late emperor, werepromptly negatived at an unmistakable sign from Clodianus, who had beenexpressly informed by Caius Aurelius, that the new ruler would sethis face most positively against all the base expedients of the oldgovernment. On the other hand, the Senate were given full powers toprovide for the liberation of all prisoners of state, inclusive evenof the Nazarenes,[176] since the decree relating to that Jewish sectwas to be reconsidered immediately after the Emperor's arrival. In thisalso Clodianus was acting under the direct guidance of Caius Aurelius,who, after returning from the house of Titus Claudius, never quittedhis side.

  So little were social peace and order disturbed by this revolution inthe history of the world, that after midday the games and combats inthe Flavian amphitheatre were proceeded with, though it is true theywere attended by scarcely any but the lowest class, to whom it was amatter of indifference whether a god or a demon sat on the throne, solong as they had their largess of corn and their circus games. A few ofthem complained even that, by releasing the Nazarenes, the new Emperorhad abridged the programme. But when at the close Clodianus indemnifiedeach by a present in money, the last dissentient voices were silencedand "Long live Nerva!" rang loudly through the Amphitheatre, where twodays since Domitian had been no less loudly greeted with shouts of "AveCaesar!"

  FOOTNOTES:

  [161] IGILIUM, now Giglio.

  [162] ALSIUM, south of Caere, an old Etrurian city, afterwards a Roman colony, a favorite place of resort, where there were numerous villas (see Front. "_De feriis Alsiensibus_" as well as Cic. _Mil._ 20; _Ad fam._ IX, 6), now Palo. Some ancient ruins still exist.

  [163] THE VIA CASSIA ran between the Via Flaminia and the Via Aurelia to central Etruria.

  [164] CLUSIUM. Early mentioned as the residence of King Porsena, between lakes Trasimenus and Volsiniensis; now Chiusi.

  [165] LUNA. A city in northern Etruria, not far from the modern Carrara; a Roman colony.

  [166] PISAE now Pisa.

  [167] RUSELLAE, now Roselle.

  [168] FORUM CASSII, south of the
Lacus Volsiniensis (Lago di Bolsena.)

  [169] THE SOLDIERY WERE ALLOWED TO DO JUST WHAT THEY PLEASED. In a poem belonging to the early part of the second century, among other advantages of military life, it is specially mentioned, that the soldier can perpetrate many a wanton act upon civilians (See Juv. _Sat._ XVI, 7-34.) "If a soldier strikes a civilian (_togutus_,) the latter not only does not venture to return the blow, but cannot even commence a law-suit, for the whole cohort takes sides with the accused before the military tribunals, by which the soldiers' offences are punished."

  [170] STEPHANUS, WHEN HE CAME OUT OP HIS OFFICE IN THE MORNING, HAD HIS ARM IN A SLING. See Suet. _Dom._ 17.

  [171] THIS WAS THE INSTANT OF WHICH STEPHANUS TOOK ADVANTAGE. The description given here corresponds in essential particulars with the accounts of Suetonius and Dio Cassias, except that we identify the young slave, from whom the emperor, according to Suetonius, demands the sword, with the slave, who rushed in and struck down Stephanus. Domitian's murder, which for private reasons I defer till the month of April, really occurred on the 18th of September.

  [172] PHAETON!... TOO LATE! These words are borrowed from Suetonius's account of Nero's end, (_Ner._ 49) where the centurion, who is ordered to arrest the dying Caesar, overcome by compassion, lays the mantle over the fatal wound, feigning to come to his rescue.

  [173] THE VERY MEN, WHO HAD HITHERTO GROVELLED IN THE DUST BEFORE THE DESPOT, ETC. See Dio Cass. LXVIII, i.

  [174] THE NUMEROUS STATUES OF HIMSELF, ETC. See Dio Cass. and others.

  [175] POWERS OF DENUNCIATION. See Dio Cass. and others: "Many were also sentenced to death through false informers."

  [176] THE SENATE WERE GIVEN FULL POWERS TO PROVIDE FOR THE LIBERATION OF ALL PRISONERS OF STATE, INCLUSIVE EVEN OF THE NAZARENES. See Dio Cass. and others. "Nerva ordered those accused of offences against the Caesar to be set free, and the exiles to be recalled home." He also allowed no one to be dragged before a court of law, on account of a Jewish (Christian) mode of life.