CHAPTER ELEVEN.
RELEASED.
As the procession moved along towards the Sacra Via, Gaius observed anumber of persons of a better class standing aloof, and watching it withlooks far removed from admiration. Although the most earnest Christianskept away from such exhibitions, there were several people of goodposition who he knew had embraced the new faith, while there wereothers, among whom he recognised a poet, an architect, a sculptor, twoor three philosophers, and some other men of intellect, who, althoughnot Christians, he suspected had no belief in the immortal gods of Rome,as they were wont to look with most supreme contempt on spectacles suchas that in which he was taking a part.
"There they stand, sneering at us," he muttered; "perhaps they come tolook as they believe it to be for the last time at our gods andgoddesses parading our city; but they are mistaken,--our old divinitieswill hold their places still in the faith and affections of the people,albeit they may be habited in somewhat different garments."
Now and then the eye of Gaius caught that of some young gallant, whonodded to him familiarly, and smiled at his evident annoyance as heendeavoured to keep up his dignity. The procession moved along towardsthe Capitoline Hill, on which stood the great temple of Jupiter, wherethe chief ceremonies of the day were to be performed. The people wavedgarlands, and shouted, the more devout prostrating themselves before thestatues as they passed along, until the hill was gained. Coecus hadtaken care to have a large number of animals ready for the sacrifice, sothat the people might not be stinted in their expected portions of meat.He well knew that they chiefly valued these ceremonies for the foodthey were certain to obtain after them.
The procession once more filed off through the streets, depositing thefigures of the gods and goddesses in their respective temples andshrines; but the business of the day was not over. Coecus and hisbrother pontiffs had undertaken to superintend a ceremony of a verydifferent character.
On arriving at the temple of Vesta they there found Fausta prepared forthe part she was to play. Within the court was seen a litter closelycovered in, borne by men with shrouded faces, and habited in dark robes.Its appearance was lugubrious in the extreme.
"Have you prepared the guilty creature for her just doom?" asked Coecusof the Vestalis Maxima.
"She awaits you in her cell," answered Fausta; "but you have not as yetinflicted the scourging--which, according to the ancient custom, sheshould suffer."
"We will omit it in her case," answered Coecus, with whom his brotherpontiffs had previously pleaded, even their minds revolting at causingone so young and innocent to suffer such degradation. "It would ofnecessity have to be inflicted in private; therefore, no one will knowwhether or not she has suffered. No object therefore will be gained,"observed Coecus.
"Are we in these days thus to neglect our ancient customs?" exclaimedFausta. "That she is young and beautiful is no reason why she shouldescape the punishment which is her due."
The pontiff made no reply; perhaps even he discerned the love of crueltywhich the remark of the ancient priestess exhibited.
"I am thankful I have not to submit to the discipline which the oldvirgin is inclined to inflict on her disciples," muttered Gaius. "Iwould as lief see a tigress deprived of her cubs placed in charge of aflock of sheep as a band of young maidens given to the custody of abitter old woman like Fausta. If they were not inclined to actnaughtily before, they would be driven to do so, in very despair, whensubject to her tender mercies."
"We can delay no longer," said Coecus to the elder vestal; "let thecriminal be brought forth and placed in the litter."
His orders were obeyed. After a short interval a figure, closelyveiled, in coarse attire, was conducted out, and unresistingly placed inthe litter. Coecus then gave the word to the bearers and attendants tomove on. Fausta and three other vestals accompanied the funeralprocession, but no weeping relatives and friends--as in most instanceswould have been the case--followed Coelia. She was alone in the world,without loving kindred. Her male relations were far away with thearmies of the emperor, and her mother, sisters, and female connexions,had been removed by death since she, in her extreme youth, had beendedicated by her heathen father to the service of the goddess.
She was thus considered a fit victim, whose barbarous fate there was noone to revenge. Marcia had spoken of her as her sister, but she was asister only of the affections. Slowly the mournful procession moved on,and a stranger would have supposed that a corpse was being borne to thefuneral pile; but those who watched at a distance knew well--from thedirection it was taking, to the Campus Sceleratus--that there was aterrible fate prepared for the occupant of the litter. Such a spectaclehad not been for a long time seen in Rome, and did not fail to attract alarge number of the population.
Gaius, who was looking about him, remarked amongst the crowd aconsiderable number of persons whom he knew to be Christians, who walkedalong with sad and averted looks. Some he recognised as presbyters anddeacons, and other officers of the Christian Church. He felt no littlesurprise at seeing them: he even fancied that he saw the Christianbishop; but as his costume differed but slightly from the rest of thepeople, he was uncertain that such was the case. Me did not feelaltogether satisfied about the matter; but still, as they were unarmed,he believed that, even should they feel inclined to rescue the doomedvestal, they would not make the attempt. "What can it mean?" said he tohimself. "I wish that Coecus had left the matter alone; it is my beliefthat we shall gain nothing by the death of this young creature, and weshall have much greater difficulty hereafter, when we pretend to turnChristians, in persuading these presbyters and others that we are inearnest. However, it is too late now to expostulate with him. Coecusis a man who, having once determined on carrying out an object, is notto be deterred from it." The Campus Sceleratus was at length reached.It was a gloomy spot, and was called the Campus Sceleratus, because itwas here that vestal virgins convicted of breaking their vows had forages past been entombed alive; for even although doomed to this fearfulpunishment, they retained the privilege of being interred within thewalls. Ruin and desolation reigned around, for only the poorest andmost abandoned were willing to erect their abodes in the neighbourhoodof a spot deemed accursed. Beyond rose the dark walls erected aroundthe city--a sign of the degeneracy of the inhabitants, whose breasts andstout arms in former days had been considered sufficient for itsprotection. Near it was the Porta Collina, from whence started twoimportant roads (the Via Salaria and the Via Nomentana), passing closeto the enormous baths erected by the Emperor Diocletian. Thus, peoplefrom all parts of the city had easy access to the spot. A large crowdsoon collected. Even some of the frequenters of the bath saunteredforth, prompted by their curiosity to see what was taking place.
Coecus had kept his intention a secret; how it had become known he couldnot tell. Although he wished to have some spectators who were likely toapprove of his proceedings, he had no desire to have them witnessed byso large and mixed a concourse. Still, he was determined to go throughwith what he had undertaken.
The litter stopped near the centre of the field, on the summit of aslight elevation.
The earth turned up in heaps showed the entrance to the horrible tombprepared for the hapless vestal. The sun was now sinking behind thePincian hill, but still shot forth its rays above the trees whichcrowned its summit, and lighted up the dark litter and those who stoodaround. In the hollow below were the fossors, with the publicexecutioner and his attendants, ready to receive the doomed vestal andto lead her into her tomb. Coecus, who had to perform the part whichwould have been taken by the Pontifex Maximus--a dignity long held bythe emperors, as it was still by Constantino--raised his hands to theskies; but his words, if he uttered any, were not heard. He then gavedirections to the bearers to place the litter on the ground, andadvanced, in order to lead forth his victim. He started back. Withoutassistance a figure rose from within, and stepped forth, when, castingoff the dark garment which shrouded her, instead of Coelia, the ves
talMarcia, in her white robes, with a purple fillet encircling her brow,appeared in all her radiant beauty.
"She whom you cruel men would have destroyed has escaped!" she said."Me you cannot accuse of the crime with which you falsely charged her.My eyes have been opened; from henceforth no longer will I serve yourfalse goddesses! I declare myself a Christian, and appeal forprotection to the emperor. Ah! you dare not stop me," she added, asCoecus, hoping that what she had said had not been heard by thosearound, stepped forward to grasp her arm. At the same moment severalpersons were seen approaching, who were at once perceived to bepresbyters and other men of influence in the Christian Church. Theywere attended by several lictors and other officers of the law.
Coecus drew back as Marcia spoke, but his presence of mind did notdesert him.
"I see that there is One who protects the Christians more powerful thanthe gods of the ancients," he exclaimed. "We were ignorantlyendeavouring to perform what we considered our duty; but it is evidentthat a miracle--of which I have heard the Christians speak--has beenwrought. Brother pontiffs, what say you? For my own part I am inclinedto embrace the faith which has become that of the fair and beautifulMarcia."
"Anything you please," muttered Gaius in a low voice; "but it seems tome that we have gained but little by this proceeding."
Coecus, however, was, as has been seen, a man of prompt action.Ordering the fossors to fill in the tomb, he declared that fromhenceforth no vestal should be buried on that spot. He expressed hisbelief that he had been greatly deceived by some of the witnesses whohad been suborned to swear falsely against the innocent Coelia. He thenadvanced towards Amulius, and the other presbyters, and expressed hiswish to be instructed in their faith. "I will," he added, "in themeantime retain my position as chief of the pontiffs; but it shall bethat we may together design the means of advancing further the Christianreligion."
Whether or not Amulius and the other presbyters trusted to theexpressions of Coecus it was difficult to say, but the larger number ofpersons among the crowd, many of whom were Christians, believed him;while the idolaters, who had been wont to look up to him as the directorof their religious mysteries, were unable to comprehend the meaning ofthe wonderful change which had taken place. That the chief pontiff ofRome, who had clung to her idolatries, and even defied the emperor afterhe had expressed himself openly in favour of the new faith, should thussuddenly declare his intention of becoming a Christian, seemed to them athing altogether incomprehensible.
The first rejoiced under the idea that they had gained a great accessionto their strength, since the chief of their opponents had thus openlydeclared himself willing to become one of their number; while to thecrowd of heathens it was a matter of indifference, so long as theyshould receive their accustomed doles of food, and could enjoy thespectacles with which they had so long been indulged.