CHAPTER II.
THE PRETORIAN CAMP.
"Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feared God."
Marcellus was born in Gades, and had been brought up in the sterndiscipline of a Roman army. He had been quartered in Africa, in Syria,and in Britain, where he had distinguished himself not only by braveryin the field but also by skill in the camp. For these reasons he hadreceived honors and promotions, and upon his arrival at Rome, to whichplace he had come as the bearer of dispatches, he had so pleased theemperor that he had been appointed to an honorable station among thePretorians.
Lucullus had never been out of Italy, scarcely indeed out of the city.He belonged to one of the oldest and most noble Roman families, andenjoyed corresponding wealth and influence. He was charmed by the boldand frank nature of Marcellus, and the two young men had become firmfriends. The intimate knowledge of the capital which Lucullus possessedenabled him also to be of service to his friend, and the scene which hasbeen described in the preceding chapter was one of the first visitswhich Marcellus had made to the renowned Coliseum.
The Pretorian camp was situated close to the city wall, to which it wasjoined by another wall which inclosed it. The soldiers lived in roomslike cells made in the wall itself. They were a numerous and finelyappointed body of men, and their situation at the capital gave them apower and an influence so great that for ages they controlled thegovernment of the capital. A command among the Pretorians was a sureroad to fortune, and Marcellus could look forward with well-groundedprospects of future honors.
On the morning of the following day Lucullus entered his room. After theusual salutation he spoke of the fight which they had witnessed.
"Such scenes are not to my taste," said Marcellus. "They are cowardly. Ilike to see two well-trained men engage in a fair combat, but suchbutchery as you have in the Coliseum is detestable. Why should Macer bemurdered? He was a brave man, and I honor his courage. And why shouldold men and young children be handed over to wild beasts?"
"It is the law. They are Christians."
"That is always the answer. What have the Christians done? I have seenthem in all parts of the world, but have never known them to be engagedin disturbances."
"They are the worst of mankind."
"So it is said, but what proof is there?"
"Proof? It is too well known. Their crime is that they plot in secretagainst the laws and the religion of the state. So intense is the hatredwhich they bear toward our institution, that they will die rather thanoffer sacrifice. They own no king or monarch but the crucified Jew whothey believe is alive now. And they show their malevolence to us byasserting that we shall all hereafter be tortured in Hades for ever."
"This may be true. I know not. I know nothing at all about them."
"The city is swarming with them; the empire is overrun. And mark this.The decline of our empire, which all see and lament; the spread ofweakness and insubordination, the contraction of our boundaries, allthis increases as the Christians increase. To what else are these evilsowing if not to them?"
"How have they produced this?"
"By their detestable teachings and practices. They teach that fightingis wrong, that soldiers are the basest of men, that our gloriousreligion under which we have prospered is a curse, and that the immortalgods are accursed demons. In their teachings they aim to overthrow allmorality. In their private practices they perform the darkest andfoulest crimes. They always keep by themselves in impenetrable secresy,but sometimes we overhear their evil discourses and lewd songs."
"All this is indeed serious, and if true they deserve severe punishment.But according to your own statement they keep by themselves, and butlittle is known of them. Tell me, did those who suffered yesterday seemlike this? Did that old man look as though he had passed his life invicious scenes? Did those fair young girls sing lewd songs as theywaited for the lions?"
"'Unto Him that loved us; To Him that washed us from our sins:'"
And Marcellus sang in a soft voice the words which he had heard.
"I confess, my friend, that I mourned for them."
"And I," said Marcellus, "could have wept had I not been a Romansoldier. Consider for a moment. You tell me things about theseChristians which you confess only to have learned from those whothemselves are ignorant. You assert that they are infamous and base, theoffscouring of the earth. I see them confronted with a death that triesthe highest qualities of the soul. They meet it nobly. They die grandly.In all her history Rome can produce no greater scene of devotion thanthat of yesterday. You say they detest soldiers, yet they are brave; youtell me that they are traitors, yet they do not resist the laws; youdeclare that they are impure, yet if purity is on earth it belonged tothose maidens who died yesterday."
"You are enthusiastic for those outcasts."
"Not so, Lucullus. I wish to know the truth. All my life I have heardthese reports. But yesterday for the first time I suspected that theymight be false. I now question you earnestly, and I find that yourknowledge is based upon nothing. I now remember that throughout all theworld these Christians are peaceable and honest. They are engaged in noriots or disturbances, and none of these crimes with which they arecharged can be proved against them. Why, then, should they die?"
"The emperor has good reasons no doubt for his course."
"He may be instigated by ignorant or malicous advisers."
"I think it is entirely his own design."
"The number of those that have been put to death is very large."
"O yes, some thousands; but plenty more remain. These, however, are outof reach, and that reminds me of my errand here. I bring you theimperial commission."
Lucullus drew from the folds of his military mantle a scroll ofparchment, which he handed to Marcellus. The latter eagerly examined itscontents. It appointed him to a higher grade, and commissioned him tosearch out and arrest the Christians in their hiding-places, mentioningparticularly the Catacombs.
Marcellus read it with a clouded brow, and laid it down.
"You do not seem very glad."
"I confess the task is unpleasant. I am a soldier, and do not like tohunt out old men and weak children for the executioner; yet, as asoldier, I must obey. Tell me something about these Catacombs."
"The Catacombs? It is a subterranean district that extends to unknownbounds underneath the city. The Christians fly to the catacombs wheneverthere is danger, and they also are in the habit of burying their deadthere. Once there, they are beyond the reach of the utmost power of thestate."
"Who made the Catacombs?"
"No one knows exactly. They have existed for ages. I believe that theywere excavated for the sake of getting building sand for cement. Atpresent all our cement comes from there, and you may see workmenbringing it into the city along any of the great roads. They have to gofar away for it now, for in the course of ages they have excavated somuch beneath us that this city now rests upon a foundation like ahoneycomb."
"Is there any regular entrance?"
"There are innumerable entrances. That is the difficulty. If there werebut few, then we might catch the fugitives. But we cannot tell fromwhich direction to advance upon them."
"Is any district suspected?"
"Yes. About two miles down the Appian Way, near the tomb of CaeciliaMetella, the large round tower, you know, bodies have frequently beendiscovered. It is conjectured that these are the bodies of theChristians which have been obtained from the amphitheater and carriedaway for burial. On the approach of the guards, the Christians havedropped the bodies and fled. But, after all, this gives no assistance,for after you enter the Catacombs you are no nearer your aim thanbefore. No human being can penetrate that infinite labyrinth withoutassistance from those who live there."
"Who live there?"
"The fossors, who still excavate sand for the builders. They are nearlyall Christians, and are always at work cutting out graves for the deadof the Christians. These men have lived there all their lives, and a
renot only familiar with the passages, but they have a kind of instinct toguide them."
"Were you ever in the Catacombs?"
"Once, long ago, a fossor guided me. I remained but a short time. Myimpression was that it was the most terrible place in all the world."
"I have heard of the Catacombs, but never before knew anything aboutthem. It is strange that they are so little known. Could not thesefossors be engaged to lead the guards through this labyrinth?"
"No. They will not betray the Christians."
"Have they been tried?"
"Certainly. Some comply, and lead the officers of justice through anetwork of passages till they get bewildered. Their torches becomeextinguished, and they grow terrified. Then they ask to be led back. Thefossor declares that the Christians must have fled, and so takes backthe soldiers to the starting point."
"Are none resolute enough to continue on till they find the Christians?"
"If they insist upon continuing the search the fossor will lead them onforever. But he merely leads them through the countless passages whichintersect some particular district."
"Are none found who will actually betray the fugitives?"
"Sometimes; but of what use is it? Upon the first alarm, every Christianvanishes through the side ways, which open everywhere."
"My prospect of success seems small."
"Very small, but much is hoped from your boldness and shrewdness. If yousucceed in this enterprise it will be your fortune. And now, farewell.You have learned from me all that I know. You will find no difficulty inlearning more from any one of the fossors."
So saying, Lucullus departed. Marcellus leaned his head on his hands,and lost himself in thought. But ever amid his meditations came floatingthe strains of that glorious melody which told of triumph over death:
"Unto Him that loved us, To him that washed us from our sins--"