Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero
that he divined who he was; another would have tried to extort from him
the knowledge of where he lived, and would have received either a
stroke of the fist,--after which all earthly affairs would have become
indifferent to him,--or he would have roused the suspicion of the giant
and caused this,--that a new hiding-place would be found for the girl,
this very night perhaps. I did not act thus. It suffices me to know that
Ursus works near the Emporium, for a miller named Demas, the same name
as that borne by thy freedman; now any trusted slave of thine may go in
the morning on his track, and discover their hiding place. I bring thee
merely the assurance that, since Ursus is here, the divine Lygia also
is in Rome, and a second news that she will be in Ostrianum to-night,
almost certainly--”
“In Ostrianum? Where is that?” interrupted Vinicius, wishing evidently
to run to the place indicated.
“An old hypogeum between the Viæ Salaria and Nomentana. That pontifex
maximus of the Christians, of whom I spoke to thee, and whom they
expected somewhat later, has come, and to-night he will teach and
baptize in that cemetery. They hide their religion, for, though there
are no edicts to prohibit it as yet, the people hate them, so they must
be careful. Ursus himself told me that all, to the last soul, would be
in Ostrianum to-night, for every one wishes to see and hear him who was
the foremost disciple of Christ, and whom they call Apostle. Since among
them women hear instruction as well as men, Pomponia alone perhaps of
women will not be there; she could not explain to Aulus, a worshipper of
the ancient gods, her absence from home at night. But Lygia, lord, who
is under the care of Ursus and the Christian elders, will go undoubtedly
with other women.”
Vinicius, who had lived hitherto in a fever, and upheld as it were,
by hope alone, now that his hope seemed fulfilled felt all at once the
weakness that a man feels after a journey which has proved beyond his
strength. Chilo noticed this, and resolved to make use of it.
“The gates are watched, it is true, by thy people, and the Christians
must know that. But they do not need gates. The Tiber, too, does not
need them; and though it is far from the river to those roads, it is
worth while to walk one road more to see the ‘Great Apostle.’ Moreover
they may have a thousand ways of going beyond the walls, and I know that
they have. In Ostrianum thou wilt find Lygia; and even should she not be
there, which I will not admit, Ursus will be there, for he has promised
to kill Glaucus. He told me himself that he would be there, and that he
would kill him. Dost hear, noble tribune? Either thou wilt follow Ursus
and learn where Lygia dwells, or thou wilt command thy people to seize
him as a murderer, and, having him in thy hand, thou wilt make him
confess where he has hidden Lygia. I have done my best! Another would
have told thee that he had drunk ten cantars of the best wine with Ursus
before he wormed the secret out of him; another would have told thee
that he had lost a thousand sestertia to him in scriptoe duodecim, or
that he had bought the intelligence for two thousand; I know that thou
wouldst repay me doubly, but in spite of that, once in my life--I mean,
as always in my life--I shall be honest, for I think, as the magnanimous
Petronius says, that thy bounty exceeds all my hopes and expectations.”
Vinicius, who was a soldier and accustomed not only to take counsel of
himself in all cases, but to act, was overcome by a momentary weakness
and said,--“Thou wilt not deceive thyself as to my liberality, but first
thou wilt go with me to Ostrianum.”
“I, to Ostrianum?” inquired Chilo, who had not the least wish to go
there. “I, noble tribune, promised thee to point out Lygia, but I did
not promise to take her away for thee. Think, lord, what would happen
to me if that Lygian bear, when he had torn Glaucus to pieces, should
convince himself straightway that he had torn him not altogether justly?
Would he not look on me (of course without reason) as the cause of the
accomplished murder? Remember, lord, that the greater philosopher a man
is, the more difficult it is for him to answer the foolish questions
of common people; what should I answer him were he to ask me why I
calumniated Glaucus? But if thou suspect that I deceive thee, I say, pay
me only when I point out the house in which Lygia lives; show me to-day
only a part of thy liberality, so that if thou, lord (which may all the
gods ward from thee), succumb to some accident, I shall not be entirely
without recompense. Thy heart could not endure that.”
Vinicius went to a casket called “area,” standing on a marble pedestal,
and, taking out a purse, threw it to Chilo.
“There are scrupula,” said he; “when Lygia shall be in my house, thou
wilt get the same full of aurei.”
“Thou art Jove!” exclaimed Chilo.
But Vinicius frowned.
“Thou wilt receive food here,” said he; “then thou mayest rest. Thou
wilt not leave this house till evening, and when night falls thou wilt
go with me to Ostrianum.”
Fear and hesitation were reflected on the Greek’s face for a time; but
afterward he grew calm, and said,--“Who can oppose thee, lord! Receive
these my words as of good omen, just as our great hero received words
like them in the temple of Ammon. As to me, these ‘scruples’” (here
he shook the purse) “have outweighed mine, not to mention thy society,
which for me is delight and happiness.”
Vinicius interrupted him impatiently, and asked for details of his
conversation with Ursus. From them it seemed clear that either Lygia’s
hiding-place would be discovered that night, or he would be able to
seize her on the road back from Ostrianum. At thought of this, Vinicius
was borne away by wild delight. Now, when he felt clearly sure of
finding Lygia, his anger against her, and his feeling of offence almost
vanished. In return for that delight he forgave her every fault. He
thought of her only as dear and desired, and he had the same impression
as if she were returning after a long journey. He wished to summon his
slaves and command them to deck the house with garlands. In that hour
he had not a complaint against Ursus, even. He was ready to forgive all
people everything. Chilo, for whom, in spite of his services, he had
felt hitherto a certain repulsion, seemed to him for the first time an
amusing and also an uncommon person. His house grew radiant; his
eyes and his face became bright. He began again to feel youth and the
pleasure of life. His former gloomy suffering had not given him yet a
sufficient measure of how he loved Lygia. He understood this now for the
first time, when he hoped to possess her. His desires woke in him, as
the earth, warmed by the sun, wakes in spring; but his desires this time
were less blind and wild, as it were, and more joyous and tender. He
felt also within himself energy without bounds, and was convinced that
should he but see Lygia with his own eyes, all the Christians on earth
could not take her from him, nor could Cæsar himself.
Chilo, emboldened by the young tribune’s delight, regained power of
speech and began to give advice. According to him, it behooved Vinicius
not to look on the affair as won, and to observe the greatest caution,
without which all their work might end in nothing. He implored Vinicius
not to carry off Lygia from Ostrianum. They ought to go there with hoods
on their heads, with their faces hidden, and restrict themselves to
looking at all who were present from some dark corner. When they saw
Lygia, it would be safest to follow her at a distance, see what house
she entered, surround it next morning at daybreak, and take her away in
open daylight. Since she was a hostage and belonged specially to Cæsar,
they might do that without fear of law. In the event of not finding her
in Ostrianum they could follow Ursus, and the result would be the
same. To go to the cemetery with a crowd of attendants was
impracticable,--that might draw attention to them easily; then the
Christians need only put out the lights, as they did when she was
intercepted, and scatter in the darkness, or betake themselves to places
known to them only. But Vinicius and he should arm, and, still better,
take a couple of strong, trusty men to defend them in case of need.
Vinicius saw the perfect truth of what he said, and, recalling
Petronius’s counsel, commanded his slaves to bring Croton. Chilo, who
knew every one in Rome, was set at rest notably when he heard the name
of the famous athlete, whose superhuman strength in the arena he
had wondered at more than once, and he declared that he would go to
Ostrianum. The purse filled with great aurei seemed to him much easier
of acquisition through the aid of Croton.
Hence he sat down in good spirits at the table to which, after a time,
he was called by the chief of the atrium.
While eating, he told the slaves that he had obtained for their master
a miraculous ointment. The worst horse, if rubbed on the hoofs with it,
would leave every other far behind. A certain Christian had taught him
how to prepare that ointment, for the Christian elders were far more
skilled in enchantment and miracles than even the Thessalians, though
Thessaly was renowned for its witches. The Christians had immense
confidence in him--why, any one easily understands who knows what a fish
means. While speaking he looked sharply at the eyes of the slaves, in
the hope of discovering a Christian among them and informing Vinicius.
But when the hope failed him, he fell to eating and drinking uncommon
quantities, not sparing praises on the cook, and declaring that he would
endeavor to buy him of Vinicius. His joyfulness was dimmed only by the
thought that at night he must go to Ostrianum. He comforted himself,
however, as he would go in disguise, in darkness, and in the company
of two men, one of whom was so strong that he was the idol of Rome; the
other a patrician, a man of high dignity in the army. “Even should they
discover Vinicius,” said he to himself, “they will not dare to raise a
hand on him; as to me, they will be wise if they see the tip of my nose
even.”
He fell then to recalling his conversation with the laborer; and the
recollection of that filled him again with delight. He had not the least
doubt that that laborer was Ursus. He knew of the uncommon strength
of the man, from the narratives of Vinicius, and those who had brought
Lygia from Cæsar’s palace. When he inquired of Euricius touching men of
exceptional strength, there was nothing remarkable in this, that they
pointed out Ursus. Then the confusion and rage of the laborer at mention
of Vinicius and Lygia left him no doubt that those persons concerned him
particularly; the laborer had mentioned also his penance for killing a
man,--Ursus had killed Atacinus; finally, the appearance of the laborer
answered perfectly to the account which Vinicius had given of the
Lygian. The change of name was all that could provoke doubt, but Chilo
knew that frequently Christians took new names at baptism.
“Should Ursus kill Glaucus,” said Chilo to himself, “that will be better
still; but should he not kill him, that will be a good sign, for it will
show how difficult it is for Christians to murder. I described Glaucus
as a real son of Judas, and a traitor to all Christians; I was so
eloquent that a stone would have been moved, and would have promised to
fall on the head of Glaucus. Still I hardly moved that Lygian bear to
put his paw on him. He hesitated, was unwilling, spoke of his penance
and compunction. Evidently murder is not common among them. Offences
against one’s self must be forgiven, and there is not much freedom in
taking revenge for others. Ergo, stop! think, Chilo, what can threaten