Quintus Claudius: A Romance of Imperial Rome. Volume 1

  CHAPTER IV.

  Next morning Quintus was up long before the sun, while in the atriumthe slaves were still busy cleaning the walls and the mosaic pavement,so he lingered for a while in the peristyle. His eye dreamily watchedthe soft swaying of the trees in melancholy relief against theblue-green sky; light fleecy clouds floated in the transparent air,and here and there above his head a star still twinkled fitfully.Quintus sat on a bench with his head thrown back, for he was tired andover-excited; an unwonted restlessness had brought him out of bed. Howcalm and pure was this early gloaming! In Rome, so thought Quintus,there was something uncanny and dreary in the early morning--thegrey of dawn came as the closing effect of a wild night of revelry.Here, on the hills of Baiae, the stars winked like kindly eyes andthe twilight soothed the spirit! And yet, no; for here too was thegreat capital; here too were storms and unrest. Rome, that monstrouspolypus, stretched its greedy arms out to the uttermost ends of theworld, and even into the calmest and most peaceful solitudes. Evenhere, by the sea, wantonness had spread its glittering snares; heretoo duty and truth were forsworn, and intrigue and inhumanity heldtheir orgies. Quintus thought of the tortured slave.... That pale andpain-stricken face had sunk deep into his soul; strangely enough!for his eye had long been accustomed to such sights of anguish andhorror. The bloody contests of gladiators had never roused him toany other interest than that in a public entertainment. But thisparticular picture forced itself on his memory, though--from the pointof view of any Roman of distinction--it had no interesting featureswhatever, for of what account in the Roman Empire was a slave? Andespecially in the sight of Quintus, rich, handsome and brilliant? Itwas in short most strange--but that white, bearded face, with itslofty, unflinching expression never faded from his memory, and hisinward eye found it impossible not to gaze upon it. Then, suddenlyanother figure stood side by side with it: The white-armed CyprisDomitia, the passion-stirred Empress. Here were pain, misery, silentabnegation--there were feverish desires and passions, reckless, greedy,all-absorbing selfishness.... By the gods--there they stood beforehim--the slave and the imperial woman--both so distinct that he couldhave touched them as it seemed.--The slave had broken his bonds andput out his hand with a smile of beatitude, while the woman shrank awayand her white arms writhed like snakes of marble. She threw herself onthe earth, and her fair gold hair fell loose over the bleeding feet ofthe slave....

  Quintus started up, the murmur of the fountain had lulled him to sleep,and now, as he rubbed his hand across his eyes, a woman's figure was infact before him, not so stately and tall as the moonlighted Domitia,but as fresh and sweet as a rose.

  "Lucilia! Up so early?"

  "I could not sleep and stole away softly from Claudia's side. She isstill asleep, for she came to bed very late. But you, my respectedfriend--what has brought you out before daybreak? You, the latestsleeper of all the sons of Rome?"

  "I was just like you. I think the strong liquor we drank at supper lastnight...."

  "A vain excuse," said Lucilia. "When ever did good wine rob you ofa night's rest? Sooner could I believe that you were thinking ofCornelia!"

  "What should make you think that?"

  "Well, it is a natural inference. For what else are you her betrothed?To be sure you do not play the part with much zeal."

  "How so?"

  "Well, do you not go to see Lycoris just as much now as ever you did?"

  "Pah!"

  "'Pah!' What need have you to say 'Pah!' in that way? Is that right?Is that horrid, shameless creature, who seems to turn all the men'sheads, a fit companion for a man who is betrothed? I know you _love_Cornelia--but this is a spiteful world, and supposing Cornelia were tolearn...."

  "Well, and if she did?" said Quintus smiling. "Is it a crime tofrequent gay society, to see a few leaps and turns of Gades dancers andto eat stewed muraenae?[98] Is there anything atrocious in fireworks orflute-playing?"

  "How eloquent you can be! You might almost make black seem white. ButI abide by my words; it is most unbecoming, and if you would but hearreason you would give this woman up."

  "But pray believe me, there never was a pretty girl for whom I caredless than for Lycoris."

  "Indeed! and that is why you are as constantly in her house as a clientin that of his patron."[99]

  "The comparison is not flattering."

  "But exact. Why should you frequent her house so constantly, if you areso indifferent to her?"

  "Child, you do not understand such matters. Her house is the centreof all the wit and talent in Rome. Everything that is interesting orremarkable meets there; it is in her rooms that Martial[100] utters hismost pregnant jests, and Statius reads his finest verses. Everyonewho lays any claim to talent or wit, whether statesmen or courtiers,knights or senators, uses the atrium of Lycoris as a rendezvous. Lastautumn I even met Asprenas[101] the consul there. Where such men asthese are to be seen, Quintus Claudius, at three and twenty, maycertainly be allowed to go."

  "Quite the contrary," cried Lucilia. "If you had grey hair, likeNonius Asprenas, I would not waste words on the matter. But as it is,the Gaulish Circe will end by falling in love with you, and then youwill be past praying for." Quintus looked gaily at the girl's smiling,mocking face.

  "You mean just the reverse," he said. "For I know you regard me as farfrom dangerous. Well! I can bear even that blow."

  "That is your new mood! There is no touching you in any way. If you hadonly half as much constancy of mind as Aurelius!"

  "Ah! you like him then?"

  "Particularly. Do you know it would be delightful if he could remainhere a little longer--I mean for six or eight days. Then he couldtravel with us to Rome."

  "Indeed?" said Quintus significantly.

  "Now, what are you thinking of?"

  "I? of nothing at all."

  "Go, there is no doing anything with you. Do not you see that I onlymeant, the long days of travelling all by ourselves--Claudia turnsover a book, and you, you old lazy-bones, lie on a couch like aninvalid--I find it desperately dull. A travelling companion seems to meto be the most desirable thing in the world--or do you dislike CaiusAurelius?"

  "Oh no. If only his trireme had wheels and could travel over land."

  "His ship will take care of itself. He can come with us in thetravelling chariot, and then he will be able to see part of theAppian way.[102] It is a thousand times more interesting than asea-voyage.--Now, do it to please me and turn the conversation on thesubject at dinner to-day."

  "If you like," said Quintus.

  A slave now appeared on the threshold of the passage, which led fromthe peristyle to the atrium.

  "My lord," he said: "Letters have arrived from Rome--and for you too,Madam...."

  "Then bring them out here."

  They were three very dissimilar letters, that Blepyrus handed to thetwo young people. Lucilia's was from the high-priest of Jupiter; TitusClaudius Mucianus wrote as follows to his adopted daughter:

  "Health and Blessings![103] I promised you lately, through Octavia, your excellent mother, that my next letter should be addressed to you, my dear daughter. I know that you value such proofs of my fatherly remembrance, and I am glad that it should be so. However, what I have to write does not concern you alone, my sweet Lucilia, but all of you. The preparations for the magnificent Centennial Festival,[104] which the Emperor Domitian--as you know--proposes to hold in the course of next year, have so completely taken up my time during the last few weeks, that I am sorely in need of the rest and comfort of regular family life. In addition to this, political disturbances of all kinds have occurred. Caesar has sent for me six times to Albanum,[105] and I assure you it has been incessant travelling to and fro. The matter is an open secret; all Rome is discussing the decrees from the Palatine[106] against the Nazarenes.[107] You may remember that superstitious sect of whom Baucis spoke to you--a revolutionary faction, who, a score or so of years since, stirred up the whole city and gave occasion for the stern enac
tments of the divine Nero? Now again they are stirring up revolt as if they were mad; they are shaking the very foundations of society, and threaten to overturn all that we have till now held most sacred. I must be silent as to personal affairs; enough to say that I am weary and overwrought, and that my heart longs to see you all again. I beg you therefore to make ready to start and return as soon as possible to the City of the Seven Hills. Your mother is now tolerably well again--thanks to all-merciful Jupiter--and Quintus will not be vexed to learn that Cornelia is now staying in Rome again. People are quitting their country homes somewhat early this year; it is long since I have passed the month of September so endurably. I shall expect you then, at latest, by Tuesday in next week. Allowing three days for the journey, I thus give you two days to prepare for it.

  "Pray greet your mother and your sister lovingly from me. This letter will, I hope, find you all in perfect health. I, for my part, am quite well.

  "Written at Rome, on the 11th September, in the year 848 after the building of the city."

  The second letter was from Cornelia, Quintus' betrothed, and ran asfollows:

  "Cornelia embraces her dear Quintus a thousand times. Here I am in Rome again, my beloved! My term of banishment to that odious desert at Tibur is ended. But, woe is me! Rome is dead and deserted too since you, my treasure, my idol, linger still far from the Seven Hills! Oh! how glad I am to hear from your father, that he is recalling you from Baiae sooner than was intended. Oh! Quintus, if you felt only one thousandth part of what I feel, you would fly on the wings of the storm to the arms of your love-sick Cornelia. The days at Tibur were more dreary than ever. My uncle seemed to me so depressed and tormented by gloomy thoughts. To crown my misery, old Cocceius Nerva[108] must come and pay us a visit of eight mortal days. I shall never forget that week as long as I live! You know that when those two old men sit together, the house is as silent as a tomb; every one goes about on tiptoe. This Cocceius Nerva has the worst effect on my uncle. Only fancy what happened on the day when he left. My uncle had accompanied him to his chariot, and when he came back into the house he happened to pass my room, where Chloe was just putting some fresh roses into my hair. When he saw this, he fell into an indescribable fit of rage. 'You old fool!' he exclaimed pushing my good Chloe aside: 'Have you women nothing to think of but finery? Do you deck yourselves out like beasts for sacrifice? Away with your rubbish! the house of Cornelius Cinna is no place for roses!' And then he turned upon me in a tone which expressed volumes--'Wait a while!' he said. 'You will soon be able to do whatever pleases your fancy!' You understand Quintus, he meant to refer to you. His words cut me to the heart, for I have known a long time that my uncle is not pleased at our connection. If my blessed mother had not made him swear, on her deathbed, that he would leave my choice perfectly free, who knows what might not have happened. Nevertheless, it is always a fresh pang to me when I see how he cherishes a bitter feeling against you--for, in spite of everything, I respect and love him.

  "Take good care of yourself, dearest Quintus, till we meet again, soon, on the shores of the Tiber. Greet your circle from me, and particularly lively Lucilia. I remember her fresh, frank nature with special affection."

  The third letter, also addressed to Quintus, was from LuciusNorbanus,[109] the captain of the praetorian guard.[110]

  "Have you taken root in your horrid country villa"--so wrote the officer in his rough fun--"or have you drowned, in Vesuvian wine, all remembrance that there is such a place as the Roman Forum? How I envy you your unbridled wild-horse-like liberty! You live like the swallows, while I--it is pitiable! Day after day at my post, and for the last few weeks leading a perfect dog's life! Almost a third of the legion are new recruits, for again every hole and corner seems haunted. Today, I breathe again for the first time, but alas! my best friends are still absent. Above all Clodianus,[111] who lately has never been allowed to leave Caesar's side. I am commissioned by our charmer Lycoris, to inform you that Martial's recitation[112] on the sixteenth of October is proceeding to admiration. A hundred epigrams, and half Rome lashed by them! The banquet, which is to close the recitation, is to be magnificent. I can take her word for it; we know our fair Gaul. Farewell!"

  "That is capital!" said Quintus, folding up the letter. Lucilia retiredwith her adopted father's letter to the sleeping-rooms, where Claudiaand Octavia must by this time be up. Quintus went into the atrium andsat down by the fountain, to wait till Caius Aurelius should appear.

  FOOTNOTES:

  [98] MURAENAE ([Greek: myraina]). Lampreys were esteemed a delicacy (Cic., Plin., _Hist. Nat. etc._) The best came from the Lucrine lake, near Cumae.

  [99] A CLIENT IN HIS PATRON'S HOUSE. The clients were originally protegees, faithful followers of their lords (_patroni_) who on their part were obliged to aid them by word and deed. They represented in a certain degree an enlargement of the family circle. Afterwards this relation degenerated into a mercenary connection of the most pitiful kind. Under the emperors the clients usually became only poor parasites, in comparison with their rich masters. They formed their court, paid them the usual morning-visit at a very early hour, accompanied them wherever they went in public, and received in return a ridiculously small compensation in money or goods.

  [100] MARTIAL. M. Valerius Martialis, born at Bilbilis in Spain, about 43 A.D. was famous for his witty and clever epigrams. The 1,200 which have been preserved are the principal source of the history of manners and customs of the period in which the scene of this story is laid. He died about the year 102.

  [101] L. NONIUS ASPRENAS held the office of consul with M. Arricinius Clemens in the 14th year of Domitian's reign, (94 A.D.) and therefore was still in office "last autumn."

  [102] APPIAN WAY. The _Via Appia_, built by one of the Claudia gens (the Censor Appius Claudius Caecus, 312 B.C.) led from Rome across Capua to Brundisium (the modern Brindisi). Statius (_Silv._ II, 12), calls it the queen of roads (_regina viarum_). A large portion of its admirable pavement, as well as the ruins of the tombs on its sides, exist at the present day.

  [103] HEALTH AND BLESSINGS! The Romans always began their letters by mentioning the writer's name, who wishes health and blessings to the person addressed. Thus the commencement of the letter given here, literally interpreted, should have run as follows: TITUS CLAUDIUS MUCIANUS WISHES HIS LUCILIA, Health and Blessings. _T. Claudius Mucianus Luciliae suae, S.P. D._

  [104] CENTENNIAL FESTIVAL. A brilliant spectacle in the arena, the amphitheatre, etc., which, as its name implies, was celebrated every hundred years. Domitian, however, disregarded the necessity of an interval of a hundred years, by reckoning, as Suetonius (_Dom._ 4) relates, from the one before the last, which took place under Augustus, instead of from the very last, that was celebrated in the reign of Claudius. In this romance the time of the Domitian centennial festivities is placed somewhat _later_ than they really occurred.

  [105] ALBANUM. Domitian (Suet. _Dom._ 4) had an estate at the foot of the Albanian Hills, and many rich Romans had summer villas near, forming at last the town now called Albano.

  [106] PALATINE. Palatium, the imperial palace on the Palatine Hill. The word "palace" is derived from "Palatium," as "Kaiser" comes from "Caesar."

  [107] NAZARENES. The name usually given to Christians, who, for a long time were regarded by the Romans as a Jewish sect. See the words of Dio Cassius (LXVII, 16): "who inclined to Judaism," where he refers to the Christians, who were persecuted under Domitian.

  [108] M. COCCEIUS NERVA from Narnia in Umbria, born 32 A.D., a senator.

  [109] LUCIUS NORBANUS. See Dio Cass., LXVII, 15.

  [110] PRAETORIAN GUARD. The commander-in-chief's tent in the Roman
camp, was called the praetorium; and from this the general's body-guard received the name of _cohors praetoria_. Augustus transferred this title to the imperial guard, and established nine Praetorian cohorts, (each consisting of a thousand men) which were stationed, some in Rome and some in the rest of Italy. The cohorts in Rome were at first quartered among the citizens; afterwards they had barracks of their own (_castra praetoria_) on the opposite side of the Quirinal Hill. They, with the Praetorian cavalry, formed the imperial guard and body-guard. Compared with the other soldiers, they had many privileges, for instance a shorter time of service, higher pay, higher rank, etc.

  [111] CLODIANUS. See Suet, _Dom._ 17.

  [112] RECITATION. The custom universally prevailed of poets reciting their verses to a select circle, before they were published.