Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero
asked at least ten times of Chilo touching all which the old man could
know, he turned to him once again,--
“But hast thou seen them in Ostrianum with thy own eyes?”
“I saw them, O son of Venus; I saw the maiden, the good Lygian, holy
Linus, and the Apostle Peter.”
“Before the fire?”
“Before the fire, O Mithra!”
But a doubt rose in the soul of Vinicius whether Chilo was not lying;
hence, reining his mule in, he looked threateningly at the old Greek and
inquired,--
“What wert thou doing there?”
Chilo was confused. True, it seemed to him, as to many, that with the
destruction of Rome would come the end also of Roman dominion. But he
was face to face with Vinicius; he remembered that the young soldier had
prohibited him, under a terrible threat, from watching the Christians,
and especially Linus and Lygia.
“Lord,” said he, “why dost thou not believe that I love them? I do. I
was in Ostrianum, for I am half a Christian. Pyrrho has taught me to
esteem virtue more than philosophy; hence I cleave more and more to
virtuous people. And, besides, I am poor; and when thou, O Jove, wert at
Antium, I suffered hunger frequently over my books; therefore I sat at
the wall of Ostrianum, for the Christians, though poor, distribute more
alms than all other inhabitants of Rome taken together.”
This reason seemed sufficient to Vinicius, and he inquired less
severely,--
“And dost thou not know where Linus is dwelling at this moment?”
“Thou didst punish me sharply on a time for curiosity,” replied the
Greek.
Vinicius ceased talking and rode on.
“O lord,” said Chilo, after a while, “thou wouldst not have found the
maiden but for me, and if we find her now, thou wilt not forget the
needy sage?”
“Thou wilt receive a house with a vineyard at Ameriola.”
“Thanks to thee, O Hercules! With a vineyard? Thanks to thee! Oh, yes,
with a vineyard!”
They were passing the Vatican Hill now, which was ruddy from the fire;
but beyond the Naumachia they turned to the right, so that when they had
passed the Vatican Field they would reach the river, and, crossing it,
go to the Flaminian Gate. Suddenly Chilo reined in his mule, and said,--
“A good thought has come to my head, lord!”
“Speak!” answered Vinicius.
“Between the Janiculum and the Vatican Hill, beyond the gardens of
Agrippina, are excavations from which stones and sand were taken to
build the Circus of Nero. Hear me, lord. Recently the Jews, of whom,
as thou knowest, there is a multitude in Trans-Tiber, have begun to
persecute Christians cruelly. Thou hast in mind that in the time of the
divine Claudius there were such disturbances that Cæsar was forced to
expel them from Rome. Now, when they have returned, and when, thanks
to the protection of the Augusta, they feel safe, they annoy Christians
more insolently. I know this; I have seen it. No edict against
Christians has been issued; but the Jews complain to the prefect of
the city that Christians murder infants, worship an ass, and preach a
religion not recognized by the Senate; they beat them, and attack their
houses of prayer so fiercely that the Christians are forced to hide.”
“What dost thou wish to say?” inquired Vinicius.
“This, lord, that synagogues exist openly in the Trans-Tiber; but that
Christians, in their wish to avoid persecution, are forced to pray in
secret and assemble in ruined sheds outside the city or in sand-pits.
Those who dwell in the Trans-Tiber have chosen just that place which was
excavated for the building of the Circus and various houses along the
Tiber. Now, when the city is perishing, the adherents of Christ are
praying. Beyond doubt we shall find a countless number of them in the
excavation; so my advice is to go in there along the road.”
“But thou hast said that Linus has gone to Ostrianum,” cried Vinicius
impatiently.
“But thou has promised me a house with a vineyard at Ameriola,” answered
Chilo; “for that reason I wish to seek the maiden wherever I hope to
find her. They might have returned to the Trans-Tiber after the outbreak
of the fire. They might have gone around outside the city, as we are
doing at this moment. Linus has a house, perhaps he wished to be nearer
his house to see if the fire had seized that part of the city also. If
they have returned, I swear to thee, by Persephone, that we shall find
them at prayer in the excavation; in the worst event, we shall get
tidings of them.”
“Thou art right; lead on!” said the tribune.
Chilo, without hesitation, turned to the left toward the hill.
For a while the slope of the hill concealed the conflagration, so that,
though the neighboring heights were in the light, the two men were in
the shade. When they had passed the Circus, they turned still to
the left, and entered a kind of passage completely dark. But in that
darkness Vinicius saw swarms of gleaming lanterns.
“They are there,” said Chilo. “There will be more of them to-day than
ever, for other houses of prayer are burnt or are filled with smoke, as
is the whole Trans-Tiber.”
“True!” said Vinicius, “I hear singing.”
In fact, the voices of people singing reached the hill from the dark
opening, and the lanterns vanished in it one after the other. But from
side passages new forms appeared continually, so that after some time
Vinicius and Chilo found themselves amid a whole assemblage of people.
Chilo slipped from his mule, and, beckoning to a youth who sat near,
said to him,--“I am a priest of Christ and a bishop. Hold the mules for
us; thou wilt receive my blessing and forgiveness of sins.”
Then, without waiting for an answer, he thrust the reins into his hands,
and, in company with Vinicius, joined the advancing throng.
They entered the excavation after a while, and pushed on through the
dark passage by the dim light of lanterns till they reached a spacious
cave, from which stone had been taken evidently, for the walls were
formed of fresh fragments.
It was brighter there than in the corridor, for, in addition to tapers
and lanterns, torches were burning. By the light of these Vinicius saw
a whole throng of kneeling people with upraised hands. He could not
see Lygia, the Apostle Peter, or Linus, but he was surrounded by faces
solemn and full of emotion. On some of them expectation or alarm was
evident; on some, hope. Light was reflected in the whites of their
upraised eyes; perspiration was flowing along their foreheads, pale as
chalk; some were singing hymns, others were repeating feverishly the
name of Jesus, some were beating their breasts. It was apparent that
they expected something uncommon at any moment.
Meanwhile the hymn ceased, and above the assembly, in a niche formed by
the removal of an immense stone, appeared Crispus, the acquaintance
of Vinicius, with a face as it were half delirious, pale, stern, and
fanatical. All eyes were turned to him, as though waiting for words of
consolation and hope. After he had blessed the assembly, he began in
hurried, almost shouting tones,--
“Bewail your sins, for the hour has come! Behold the Lord has sent down
destroying flames on Babylon, on the city of profligacy and crime. The
hour of judgment has struck, the hour of wrath and dissolution. The Lord
has promised to come, and soon you will see Him. He will not come as the
Lamb, who offered His blood for your sins, but as an awful judge, who in
His justice will hurl sinners and unbelievers into the pit. Woe to the
world, woe to sinners! there will be no mercy for them. I see Thee, O
Christ! Stars are falling to the earth in showers, the sun is darkened,
the earth opens in yawning gulfs, the dead rise from their graves, but
Thou art moving amid the sound of trumpets and legions of angels, amid
thunders and lightnings. I see Thee, I hear Thee, O Christ!”
Then he was silent, and, raising his eyes, seemed to gaze into
something distant and dreadful. That moment a dull roar was heard in the
cave,--once, twice, a tenth time, in the burning city whole streets of
partly consumed houses began to fall with a crash. But most Christians
took those sounds as a visible sign that the dreadful hour was
approaching; belief in the early second coming of Christ and in the end
of the world was universal among them, now the destruction of the city
had strengthened it. Terror seized the assembly. Many voices repeated,
“The day of judgment! Behold, it is coming!” Some covered their faces
with their hands, believing that the earth would be shaken to its
foundation, that beasts of hell would rush out through its openings and
hurl themselves on sinners. Others cried, “Christ have mercy on us!”
“Redeemer, be pitiful!” Some confessed their sins aloud; others cast
themselves into the arms of friends, so as to have some near heart with
them in the hour of dismay.
But there were faces which seemed rapt into heaven, faces with smiles
not of earth; these showed no fear. In some places were heard voices;
those were of people who in religious excitement had begun to cry out
unknown words in strange languages. Some person in a dark corner cried,
“Wake thou that sleepest!” Above all rose the shout of Crispus, “Watch
ye! watch ye!”
At moments, however, silence came, as if all were holding the breath in
their breasts, and waiting for what would come. And then was heard the
distant thunder of parts of the city falling into ruins, after which
were heard again groans and cries,--“Renounce earthly riches, for soon
there will be no earth beneath your feet! Renounce earthly loves, for
the Lord will condemn those who love wife or child more than Him. Woe to
the one who loves the creature more than the Creator! Woe to the rich!
woe to the luxurious! woe to the dissolute! woe to husband, wife, and
child!”
Suddenly a roar louder than any which had preceded shook the quarry. All
fell to the earth, stretching their arms in cross form to ward away
evil spirits by that figure. Silence followed, in which was heard only
panting breath, whispers full of terror, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!” and
in places the weeping of children. At that moment a certain calm voice
spoke above that prostrate multitude,--
“Peace be with you!”
That was the voice of Peter the Apostle, who had entered the cave a
moment earlier. At the sound of his voice terror passed at once, as it
passes from a flock in which the shepherd has appeared. People rose from
the earth; those who were nearer gathered at his knees, as if seeking
protection under his wings. He stretched his hands over them and said,--
“Why are ye troubled in heart? Who of you can tell what will happen
before the hour cometh? The Lord has punished Babylon with fire; but His
mercy will be on those whom baptism has purified, and ye whose sins are
redeemed by the blood of the Lamb will die with His name on your lips.
Peace be with you!”
After the terrible and merciless words of Crispus, those of Peter fell
like a balm on all present. Instead of fear of God, the love of God took
possession of their spirits. Those people found the Christ whom they
had learned to love from the Apostle’s narratives; hence not a merciless
judge, but a mild and patient Lamb, whose mercy surpasses man’s
wickedness a hundredfold. A feeling of solace possessed the whole
assembly; and comfort, with thankfulness to the Apostle, filled their
hearts, Voices from various sides began to cry, “We are thy sheep, feed
us!” Those nearer said, “Desert us not in the day of disaster!” And they
knelt at his knees; seeing which Vinicius approached, seized the edge of
Peter’s mantle, and, inclining, said,--
“Save me, lord. I have sought her in the smoke of the burning and in
the throng of people; nowhere could I find her, but I believe that thou
canst restore her.”
Peter placed his hand on the tribune’s head.
“Have trust,” said he, “and come with me.”