CHAPTER VI.
FOR THE PEOPLE.
Domitia was at Gabii. Cornelia, the Vestal Great Mother had sent herthither in her own litter, and attended by her own servants, but with theassistance of the knight Celer, who had gone before to Gabii to makepreparations.
Gabii had none of the natural beauties of Albanum, but Domitia caredlittle for that. It was a seat that had belonged to her father and herehis ashes reposed. The villa was by no means splendid; but then--nor hadbeen that of Albanum when she was first carried thither. Domitian hadbought it immediately after the proclamation of his father, and it hadthen been a modest, but very charming country residence. Since then, hehad lavished vast sums upon it, and had converted it into a palace,without having really improved it thereby. To Albanum he had becomegreatly attached; to it he retired in his moody fits, when resentful ofhis treatment by his father, envious of his brother, and suspicious of hisfirst cousin Sabinus. There he had vented his spleen in harassing hismasons, bullying his slaves, and in sticking pins through flies.
But if Gabii was less beautiful and less sumptuous, it had theimmeasurable advantage of not being occupied by Domitian. There, for awhile, Domitia was free from his hateful society, his endearments and hisinsults, alike odious to her.
And she enjoyed the rest; she found real soothing to her sore heart inwandering about the garden, and by the lake, and visiting familiar nooks.
Only into the temple of Isis she did not penetrate, the recollection ofthe vision there seen was too painful to be revived.
On the third day after she had been in the Gabian villa, Celer came outfrom Rome. He was a plain middle-aged man with a bald head, and a shortbrusque manner, but such a man as Domitia felt she could trust.
He informed her that Cornelia had been before the Augustus and hadentreated him to allow his wife to absent herself from the palace, andfrom his company. She had made the plea that Domitia Longina was out ofhealth, overstrained by the hurry of exciting events, and that she neededcomplete rest.
"But I demand more than that," said she.
"Madam, more than that, my cousin, the Great Mother, dared not ask. Theprince was in a rough mood, he was highly incensed at your havingwithdrawn without his leave, and he saw behind Cornelia's words the realsignification. He behaved to her with great ill-humor, and would give noanswer one way or the other--and that means that here you are to remain,till it is his pleasure to recall you."
"And may that never be," sighed Domitia.
"The Augustus is moreover much engaged at present."
"What has he been doing? But stay--tell me now--is there news concerningSabinus?"
"Ah lady! he has been."
"I knew it would be so. On what charge?"
"The Augustus was incensed against him, because under the god Vespasian hehad put his servant in the white livery, when Flavius Sabinus was electedto serve as consul for the ensuing year. Unhappily, the herald inannouncing his election gave him the title of Emperor in place of consul,through a mere slip of the tongue. But it was made an occasion ofdelation. Messalinus snapped at the opportunity, and at once the nobleSabinus was found guilty of High Treason, and sentenced to death."
"And what has become of Julia, daughter of the god Titus, the wife ofSabinus?"
"She has been brought by the Augustus to the Palatine."
Next day, the slave Euphrosyne arrived. She had been sent for by Domitia,and was allowed to go to her mistress. She also brought news.
The town was in agitation. It was rumored that the Emperor was about todivorce Domitia, and to marry his niece.
"It would be welcome to me were this to take place," said Domitia. "Come,now, Euphrosyne, bring me spindle and distaff, I will be as a spinster ofold."
So days passed, occasionally tidings came from Rome, but these wereuncertain rumors. Domitia was enjoying absolute peace and freedom fromannoyance in the country. And she had in Euphrosyne one with whom shetalked with pleasure, for the girl had much to say that showed novelty,springing out of a mind very different in texture from that usual amongslaves.
"It is a delight to me to be still. Child!--I can well think it, after atoilsome and discouraging life, it is pleasant to fold the hands, lay thehead on the sod, and go to sleep, without a wish to further keep awake."
"Yes, when there is a prospect of waking again."
"But even without that, is life so pleasant that one would incline torenew it? Not I for one."
Domitia looked up at the fresco of the Quest of Pleasure, and said--"Once Iwondered at that picture yonder, and that all pleasure attained shouldresolve itself into a sense of disappointment. It is quite true that wepursue the butterfly, after we have ceased to value it, but that isbecause we must pursue something, not that we value that which is attainedor to be attained."
"Ah, lady, we must pursue something. That is in our nature--it is anecessity."
"It is so; and what else is there to follow after except pleasure?"
"There is knowledge."
"Knowledge! the froth-whipping of philosophers, the smoke clouds raised bythe magicians, the dreams and fancies of astronomers--pshaw! I have nostomach for such knowledge. No! I want nothing but to be left alone, todream away my remainder of life."
"No, lady, that would not content you. You must seek. We are made to beseekers, as the bird is made to fly, and the fish to swim."
"If we do not seek one thing, we seek another, and in every one, find--whatthe pinched butterfly is--dust."
"No, mistress, not if we seek the truth. The knowledge of the truth, the_Summum Bonum_."
"But where, how are we to seek it?"
"In God," answered the slave.
"The Gods! of them we know only idle tales, and in place of the tales,when taken away, there remains but guesswork. There again--the pinch ofdust."
"Lady, if we are created to seek, as the fish to swim, there must be anelement in which to pursue our quest, an end to attain. That isinevitable, unless we be made by a freakish malevolent power that plantsin us desire that can feed only on dust, ever, ever dust. No, that cannotbe, the soul runs because it sees its goal--"
"And that?--"
A bustle, and in a moment, in sailed Longa Duilia, very much painted, veryyellow in hair, and with saffron eyelashes and brows.
"Little fool!" said the mother. "Come, let me embrace thee, yet gentlylest you crumple me, and be cautious of thy kisses, lest thou take off thebloom of my cheek. Thou art ever boisterous in thy demonstrations. There,give me a seat, I must put up my feet. As the Gods love me! what a holethis Gabii is! How dingy, how dirty, how shabby it all looks! As theGods--but how art thou? some say ill, some say sulky, some say turnedadrift. As the Gods love me! that last is a lie, and I can swear it. TheAugustus distills with love, like a dripping honeycomb. You mustpositively come back with me. I have come--not alone. Messalinus is withme--a charming man--but blind, blind as a beetle."
"What, that fourfolder!"(10)
"Now, now, no slang! I detest it, it is vulgar. Besides, they all do it,and what all do can't be wrong. One must live, and the world is socontrived that one lives upon another; consequently, it must be right."
"Well have the Egyptians represented the God who made men as abeetle--blind, and this world as a pellet of dung rolled about blindly byhim."
"My dear, I am not a philosopher and never wish to be one. Come, we havebrought the Imperial retinue for taking you back."
"Whither? To your house in the Carinae?"
"Oh, my Domitia! How ridiculous! Of course you go to the Palatine, to yourproper place. My dear, you will be proclaimed Augusta, and receive worshipas a divinity. The Senate are only pausing to adjudge you a goddess, toknow whether the Emperor intends to repudiate you or no. It is absolutelynecessary that you come back with me."
"My godhead is determined by the question whether I be divorced or not!"exclaimed Domitia contemptuously. "I cannot go with you, mother."
"Then,
" said Duilia, looking carefully about, "that jade, big-boned andugly as a mule--you know to whom I refer, will get the upper hand, and yournose will be broken."
"Mother, I ask but to be left alone."
"I will not suffer it. By my maternal authority----"
"Alas, mother! I have passed out of that--I did so at my marriage."
"Well then, in your own interest."
"If I consider that I remain here."
"Avaunt nonsense! Your position, your opportunities! Just think! There iscousin Cnaeus must be given a help up. He is a fool--but that don't matter,you must get him a proconsulship. Then there is Fulvia, you must exertyourself to find her a wealthy husband. As the Gods love me! you can pushup all your father's family, and mine to boot. Come, get the girls todress you becomingly and make haste."
"I cannot go."
"You must. The Augustus wills it."
"And if I refuse?"
"You cannot refuse."
"I do so now."
"My dear, by the Good Event! you shall come. You can no more refuse himthan you can Destiny."
"Let him send his lictors and lead me to death."
"Lead you to--how can you talk such rubbish? You must come. This is how thematter stands. There has been a good deal of disturbance in Rome. As theGods love me! I do not know why it is, but the people like thee vastly,and the rumor has got about that thou wast about to be repudiated, andthat raw-boned filly taken in your place. First there were murmurings,then pasquinades affixed to the statues of the august Domitian. Then bandsof rioters passed under his windows howling out mocking songs andblasphemies against his majesty, and next they clustered in knots, andthat Insula of Castor and Pollux is a nest of insubordination. In fact,return you must to quiet men's minds. You know what a disturbance in Romeis, we have gone through several. By Jupiter! I shall never forget therocking I went through that night of the Lectisternium. These sort ofthings are only unobjectionable when seen from a distance. But they leavea taste of blood behind them. When the riot is over, then comeproscription; the delators have a fine time of it, and the rich and nobleare made to suffer."
"But, mother, let Julia do what she will, I care not."
"Rome does. The Roman rabble will not have it so. You have been familiarwith the base and vile multitude. Can't think how you could do it!However, it has succeeded this time and turned out a good move, for thepeople are clamorous for your return. The Augustus is but recentlyproclaimed and allegiance is still fresh--and I believe his cousin Ursushas been at him to have you back so as to humor the public."
"Yet, if I refuse to gratify him."
"Then, my dear, of course, it will be a pity, and all that sort of thing;but they all do it, and it must be right. The Augustus would prefer not touse severity--but if severe he must be, he will put down this disturbancewith a hand of iron. He bears no actor's sword, the blade of which isinnocuous. I will call in Messalinus. He will tell you more."
She clapped her hands; in obedience to her order a slave went outside thevilla, and presently returned with the blind man.
He entered, working his sharp nose about, and then made a cringing bowtowards the wall--not knowing where stood Domitia.
"Catullus Messalinus," said Duilia, "have the goodness to inform mydaughter of the intentions of the Augustus relative to the rabble in theInsula of Castor and Pollux, whence all the agitation proceeds."
"Madam," said the blind informer, "my god-like prince has already givencommand to clear the streets by means of the praetorian swords. As to thatherd in the block of Castor and Pollux, they are reserved for condignpunishment, unless my dear lady return at once. They will all--men, womenand children, be driven into the circus. There are a pair of British warchariots, with scythes affixed to the axles, and the green drivers will becommanded to hustle round the ring at full speed among this rebelliousrabble, to trample them down, and mow them as barley with the scythes--tillnot one remains alive as a seed of disaffection. What I say is--if a thinghas to be done, do it thoroughly. It is true kindness in the end. Ofcourse some must suffer, and one may praise the Gods that in this case itis only the common people."
"The common people," gasped Domitia.
Her eyes were glazed with horror. She saw the _Insula_, its crowds ofbusy, kindly, happy people, so good to one another, so affectionate toGlyceria, so grateful to her for visiting among them. And it was _she_,she by winning their love who was bringing this punishment upon them. Intheir blind, foolish way, they had misconceived her flight, and in theirblind and stupid way, had resented an imaginary wrong offered to her, andbecause of their generous championship--they must suffer.
With bursting heart, and with a scalding rush of tears over her cheeks,Domitia extended her hand to her mother:--
"I go back," she said, "My people! my poor people, my dear people! It mustbe so.--For their sake--_pro populo_."