Books: Quo Vadis A Narrative of the Time of Nero

H >> Henryk Sienkiewicz >> Quo Vadis A Narrative of the Time of Nero

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46

It was said also that Caesar had gone mad, that he would command
pretorians and gladiators to fall upon the people and make a
general slaughter. Others swore by the gods that wild beasts had
been let out of all the vivaria at Bronzebeard's command. Men had
seen on the streets lions with burning manes, and mad elephants
and bisons, trampling down people in crowds. There was even
some truth in this; for in certain places elephants, at sight of the
approaching fire, had burst the vivaria, and, gaining their freedom,
rushed away from the fire in wild fright, destroying everything
before them like a tempest. Public report estimated at tens of
thousands the number of persons who had perished in the
conflagration. In truth a great number had perished. There were
people who, losing all their property, or those dearest their hearts,
threw themselves willingly into the flames, from despair. Others
were suffocated by smoke. In the middle of the city, between the
Capitol, on one side, and the Quirinal, the Viminal, and the
Esquiline on the other, as also between the Palatine and the
Caelian Hill, where the streets were most densely occupied, the
fire began in so many places at once that whole crowds of people,
while fleeing in one direction, struck unexpectedly on a new wall
of fire in front of them, and died a dreadful death in a deluge of
flame.

In terror, in distraction, and bewilderment, people knew not where
to flee. The streets were obstructed with goods, and in many
narrow places were simply closed. Those who took refuge in those
markets and squares of the city, where the Flavian Amphitheatre
stood afterward, near the temple of the Earth, near the Portico of
Silvia, and higher up, at the temples of Juno and Lucinia, between
the Clivus Virbius and the old Esquiline Gate, perished from heat,
surrounded by a sea of fire. In places not reached by the flames
were found afterward hundreds of bodies burned to a crisp, though
here and there unfortunates tore up flat stones and half buried
themselves in defence against the heat. Hardly a family inhabiting
the centre of the city survived in full; hence along the walls, at the
gates, on all roads were heard howls of despairing women, calling
on the dear names of those who had perished in the throng or the
fire.

And so, while some were imploring the gods, others blasphemed
them because of this awful catastrophe. Old men were seen
coming from the temple of Jupiter Liberator, stretching forth their
hands, and crying, "If thou be a liberator, save thy altars and the
city!" But despair turned mainly against the old Roman gods, who,
in the minds of the populace, were bound to watch over the city
more carefully than others. They had proved themselves
powerless; hence were insulted. On the other hand it happened on
the Via Asinaria that when a company of Egyptian priests
appeared conducting a statue of Isis, which they had saved from
the temple near the Porta Culimontana, a crowd of people rushed
among the priests, attached themselves to the chariot, which they
drew to the Appian Gate, and seizing the statue placed it in the
temple of Mars, overwhelming the priests of that deity who dared
to resist them. In other places people invoked Seraph, Baal, or
Jehovah, whose adherents, swarming out of the alleys in the
neighborhood of the Subura and the Trans-Tiber, filled with shouts
and uproar the fields near the walls. In their cries were heard tones
as if of triumph; when, therefore, some of the citizens joined the
chorus and glorified "the Lord of the World," others, indignant at
this glad shouting, strove to repress it by violence. Here and there
hymns were heard, sung by men in the bloom of life, by old men,
by women and children, -- hymns wonderful and solemn, whose
meaning they understood not, but in which were repeated from
moment to moment the words, "Behold the Judge cometh in the
day of wrath and disaster." Thus this deluge of restless and
sleepless people encircled the burning city, like a tempest-- driven
sea.

But neither despair nor blasphemy nor hymn helped in any way.
The destruction seemed as irresistible, perfect, and pitiless as
Predestination itself. Around Pompey's Amphitheatre stores of
hemp caught fire, and ropes used in circuses, arenas, and every
kind of machine at the games, and with them the adjoining
buildings containing barrels of pitch with which ropes were
smeared. In a few hours all that part of the city, beyond which lay
the Campus Martius, was so lighted by bright yellow flames that
for a time it seemed to the spectators, only half conscious from
terror, that iii the general ruin the order of night and day had been
lost, and that they were looking at sunshine. But later a monstrous
bloody gleam extinguished all other colors of flame. From the sea
of fire shot up to the heated sky gigantic fountains, and pillars of
flame spreading at their summits into fiery branches and feathers;
then the wind bore them away, turned them into golden threads,
into hair, into sparks, and swept them on over the Campania
toward the Alban Hills. The night became brighter; the air itself
seemed penetrated, not only with light, but with flame. The Tiber
flowed on as living fire. The hapless city was turned into one
pandemonium. The conflagration seized more and more space,
took hills by storm, flooded level places, drowned valleys,
raged, roared, and thundered.

Chapter XLV

MACRINUS, a weaver, to whose house Vinicius was carried,
washed him, and gave him clothing and food. When the young
tribune had recovered his strength altogether, he declared that he
would search further for Linus that very night. Macrinus, who was
a Christian, confirmed Chio's report, that Linus, with Clement the
chief priest, had gone to Ostrianum, where Peter was to baptize a
whole company of confessors of the new faith. In that division of
the city it was known to Christians that Linus had confided the
care of his house two days before to a certain Gaius. For Vinicius
this was a proof that neither Lygia nor Ursus had remained in the
house, and that they also must have gone to Ostrianum.

This thought gave him great comfort. Linus was an old man, for
whom it would be difficult to walk daily to the distant Nomentan
Gate, and back to the Trans-Tiber; hence it was likely that he
lodged those few days with some co-religionist beyond the walls,
and with him also Lygia and Ursus. Thus they escaped the fire,
which in general had not reached the other slope of the Esquiine.
Vinicius saw in all this a dispensation of Christ, whose care he felt
above him, and his heart was filled more than ever with love; he
swore in his soul to pay with his whole life for those clear marks
of favor.

But all the more did he hurry to Ostrianum. He would find Lygia,
find Linus and Peter; he would take them to a distance, to some of
his lands, even to Sicily. Let Rome burn; in a few days it would be
a mere heap of ashes. Why remain in the face of disaster and a
mad rabble? In his lands troops of obedient slaves would protect
them, they would be surrounded by the calm of the country, and
live in peace under Christ's wings blessed by Peter. Oh, if he could
find them!

That was no easy thing. Vinicius remembered the difficulty with
which he had passed from the Appian Way to the Trans-Tiber, and
how he must circle around to reach the Via Portuensis. He
resolved, therefore, to go around the city this time in the opposite
direction, Going by the Via Triumphatoris, it was possible to reach
the )Emilian bridge by going along the river, thence passing the
Pincian Hill, all the Campus Martius, outside the gardens of
Pornpey, Lucullus, and Sallust, to make a push forward to the Via
Nomentana. That was the shortest way; but Macrinus and Chio
advised him not to take it. The fire had not touched that part of th‡
city, it iae true; but all the market squares and streets might be
packed densely with people and their goods. Chilo advised him to
go through the Ager Vaticanus to the Porta Flaminia, cross the
river at that point, and push on outside the walls beyond the
gardens of Acilius to the Porta Salaria. Vinicius, after a moment's
hesitation, took this advice.

Macrinus had to remain in care of his house; but he provided two
mules, which would serve Lygia also in a further ourney. He
wished to give a slave, too; but Vinicius re1uaeed, judging tIlftt
the first detachment of pretorians he met on the road would pass
under his orders.

Soon he and Chilo moved on through the Pagus Janiculensis to the
Triumphal Way. There were vehicles there, too, in open places;
but they pushed between them with less difficulty, as the
inhabitants had fled for the greater part by the Via Portuensis
toward the sea. Beyond the Septimian Gate they rode between the
river and the splendid gardens of Domitius; the mighty cypresses
were red from the conflagration, as if from evening sunshine. The
road became freer; at times they had to struggle merely with the
current of incoming rustics. Vinicius urged his mule forward as
much as possible; but Chilo, riding closely in the rear, talked to
himself almost the whole way.

"Well, we have left the fire behind, and now it is heating our
shoulders. Never yet has there been so much light on this road in
the night-time. O Zeus! if thou wilt not send torrents of rain on that
fire, thou hint no love for Rome, surely. The power of man will not
quench those flames. Such a city, -- a city which Greece and the
whole world was serving! And now the first Greek who comes
along may roast beans in its ashes. Who could have looked for
this? And now there will be no longer a Rome, nor Roman rulers.
Whoso wants to walk on the ashes, when they grow cold, and
whistle over them, may whistle without danger. O gods! to whistle
over such a world-ruling city! What Greek, or even barbarian,
could have hoped for this? And still one may whistle; for a heap of
ashes, whether left after a shepherd's fire or a burnt city, is mere
ashes, which the wind will blow away sooner or later."

Thus talking, he turned from moment to moment toward the
conflagration, and looked at the waves of flame with a face filled
at once with delight and malice.

"It will perish! It will perish!" continued he, "and will never be on
earth again. Whither will the world send its wheat now, its olives,
and its money? Who will squeeze gold and tears from it? Marble
does not burn, but it crumbles in fire. The Capitol will turn into
dust, and the Palatine into dust. O Zeus! Rome was like a
shepherd, and other nations like sheep. When the shepherd was
hungry, he slaughtered a sheep, ate the flesh, and to thee, O father
of the gods, he made an offering of the skin. Who, O
Cloud-compeller, will do the slaughtering now, and into whose
hand wilt thou put the shepherd's whip? For Rome is burning, O
father, as truly as if thou hadst fired it with thy thunderbolt."

"Hurry!" urged Vinicius; "what art thou doing there?"

"I am weeping over Rome, lord, --Jove's city!"

For a time they rode on in silence, listening to the roar of the
burning, and the sound of birds' wings. Doves, a multitude of
which had their nests about villas and in small towns of the
Campania, and also every kind of field-bird

from near the sea and the surrounding mountains, mistaking
evidently the gleam of the conflagration for sunlight, were flying,
whole flocks of them, blindly into the fire. Vinicius broke the
silence first, --

"Where wert thou when the fire burst out?"

"I was going to my friend Euricius, lord, who kept a shop near the
Circus Maximus, and I was just meditating on the teaching of
Christ, when men began to shout: 'Fire!' People gathered around
the Circus for safety, and through curiosity; but when the flames
seized the whole Circus, and began to appear in other places also,
each had to think of his own safety."

"Didst thou see people throwing torches into houses?"

"What have I not seen, O grandson of Aeneas! I saw people
making a way for themselves through the crowd with swords; I
have seen battles, the entrails of people trampled on the pavement.
Ah, if thou hadst seen that, thou wouldst have thought that
barbarians had captured the city, and were putting it to the sword.
People round about cried that the end of the world had come.
Some lost their heads altogether, and, forgetting to flee, waited
stupidly till the flames seized them. Some fell into bewilderment,
others howled in despair; I saw some also who howled from
delight. O lord, there are many bad people in the world who know
not how to value the benefactions of your mild rule, and those just
laws in virtue of which ye take from all what they have and give it
to yourselves. People will not be reconciled to the will of God!"

Vinicius was too much occupied with his own thoughts to note the
irony quivering in Chio's words. A shudder of terror seized him at
the simple thought that Lygia might be in the midst of that chaos
on those terrible streets where people's entrails were trampled on.
Hence, though he had 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,
froin 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 f or curiosity," replied the
Greek.

Vinicius ceased talking and rode on.

"O lord," said Chio, 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 Caesar 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 momnent. 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 swamis 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 solenm 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 sec
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 mo ment 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."

Chapter XLVI

The city burned on. The Circus Maximus had fallen in ruins.
Entire streets and alleys in parts which began to burn first were
falling in turn. After every fall pillars of flame rose for a time to
the very sky. The wind had changed, and blew now with mighty
force from the sea, bearing toward the Celian, the Esquiline, and
the Viminal rivers of flame, brands, and cinders. Still the
authorities provided for rescue. At command of Tigellinus, who
had hastened from Antium the third day before, houses on the
Esquiline were torn down so that the fire, reaching empty spaces,
died of itself. That was, however, undertaken solely to save a
remnant of the city; to save that which was burning was not to be
thought of. There was need also to guard against further results of
the ruin. Incalculable wealth had perished in Rome; all the
property of its citizens had vanished; hundreds of thousands of
people were wandering in utter want outside the walls. Hunger had
begun to pinch this throng the second day, for the immense stores
of provisions in the city had burned with it. In the universal
disorder and in the destruction of authority no one had thought of
furnishing new supplies. Only after the arrival of Tigellinus were
proper orders sent to Ostia; but meanwhile the people had grown
more threatening.