Jovinian was treated with much consideration by his uncle Gaius. He
enjoyed the privilege of a room to himself, in which he could read
without interruption, and to which his meals were generally carried.
When, however, he went to the door, he found the Numidian, or another
slave who acted as his assistant, stretched on a mat at the entrance, or
seated on a stool close at hand. He had thus evidence that he was
treated as a captive, and suspected of being desirous of making his
escape. He was abundantly supplied with books,--Horace, Virgil, and
Ovid for lighter reading, and translations of the works of Plato and his
disciples for his more serious studies. But beautiful as was the
language, he turned from them with disgust, so full of sophistries did
they appear. There was one book which he took up with greater
satisfaction than all the others. He had obtained it when out walking
one day with Eros, and the Numidian's watchful eye was for a short
period averted from him. While gazing at a spectacle exhibited in one
of the temples, Jovinian had recognised his friend the presbyter
Amulius, who was coming quickly towards him. Before Eros had looked
round, Amulius had slipped into his hand a roll of parchment; he
immediately concealed it in his bosom. He was on the point of
whispering, "Oh, take me with you!" and stretching out his hand to his
relative, when Eros turned round. The Numidian seemed to have suspected
his design, for he immediately grasped him by the arm, and took care for
the remainder of the walk not to withdraw his eye from him.
On reaching home, Jovinian eagerly examined the roll. He discovered, to
his delight, that it was the Gospel written by the apostle John. The
roll contained another small piece of vellum, on which were written some
lines from Amulius, urging him to practise the gift of patience, and to
remain firm to the principles delivered to him by his beloved mother.
Henceforth the book was his constant study, and from its page he drew
consolation and instruction. One morning Eros, entering his chamber,
inquired whether he was disposed to go out and enjoy the air. He
thankfully agreed to the proposal, and having concealed his precious
volume beneath his dress, he accompanied the Numidian. It was a day on
which one of the numerous festivals held in honour of the gods was being
celebrated in the city. The streets were thronged by persons of all
ranks and ages, the shrines as usual lighted up and decorated with
flowers, the lower order of priests were going about collecting
contributions for their temples, and holding up the small images of
their gods. They were passing the temple of Bellona, the Isis of the
Egyptians, when Eros, grasping Jovinian's arm, pulled him in.
"Here is a scene worth witnessing," he observed; "see how devoted are
the worshippers of the great goddess."
Unlike most of the other temples, it was enclosed by walls to exclude
the light of day. Following the windings of a narrow passage, the
Numidian and the reluctant youth found themselves in a gallery within
the temple, which appeared shrouded in gloom, except at the further end,
where, above the altar, was seen, surrounded by pale lights, the statue
of the goddess standing on a crescent moon, holding a globe in her hand;
while before her were several closely-shorn, bare-footed priests,
habited in linen garments, now bending low before her, now lifting up
their hands in the attitude of prayer, while the whole area was filled
with a multitude of persons in rapid motion, from whom issued cries and
groans, above which could be distinguished the sound of the whips
echoing through the edifice.
For some minutes, Jovinian's eye, unaccustomed to the darkness, could
not see what was taking place; but at length he perceived that all the
persons below him were armed with whips, with which they were
unmercifully flagellating, not each other, but their own bodies stripped
naked to the waist. Some, from their dark skins, were apparently
Egyptians, but many among them were evidently Romans. Now some of the
priests, throwing off their robes, and seizing whips, which lay beside
the altar, joined the mad throng, shouting and encouraging them to
perseverance in the extraordinary performance. While this scene was
enacting, several other persons appeared, issuing from doors on either
side of the altar. Among them, Jovinian, to his surprise, distinguished
his uncle Gaius, with Coecus and other pontiffs, who stood by, while a
flamen, with his back to the people, lifted up his hands above his head,
as if offering sacrifice to the goddess.
"What can induce those people thus to torment themselves?" asked
Jovinian. "It appears to me as if they had all gone mad together!"
"Know you not that we stand in the temple of the Queen of Heaven, the
most ancient goddess known to mortals?" exclaimed the Numidian. "These,
her votaries, are thus inflicting pain on their bodies to purify
themselves from sin, and be able to approach her shrine and merit her
approval and affection."
"Can it be possible that people are so ignorant as to suppose that any
being of a divine nature can take pleasure in mortal suffering?" asked
Jovinian. "How different must she be to the true God, so full of mercy
and loving-kindness, who delights in showering blessings on His
worshippers! Let us go hence; I can no longer stay to witness such
egregious folly and wickedness."
Still the Numidian seemed inclined to linger; but Jovinian, breaking
from him, made his way towards the passage by which they had entered,
and Eros was compelled to follow for fear of losing sight of his charge.
Jovinian breathed more freely when he got into the open air. He was
too much lost in thought to make any further remark to his companion.
As they proceeded on their walk they passed numerous shrines, before
each of which Eros stopped, and lifting up his hands, invoked the idol,
seeming to care very little which of the gods or goddesses it
represented.
"Can those marble figures render you any service, think you?" asked
Jovinian, as they walked on.
"I know not; but my betters say so, and it is as well to be on the safe
side," answered the Numidian, with a shrug of his shoulders.
"But suppose they represent demons instead of divine beings, if you
invoke them they are more likely to do you harm than good; and knowing,
as I do, that there is but one true, all-powerful God, I am sure that He
does not allow any inferior creatures to interfere between Him and man,"
replied Jovinian. "We, who are His children through faith in His Son,
can go direct to Him in prayer, requiring no other intercessor but our
Lord and Master, nor any symbol to aid us in worshipping Him."
"Yours seems a very simple faith; and if I thought that the one great
and all-powerful God of whom you speak would hear my prayers and grant
them, I would cease to worship all the gods and goddesses, whose very
names I have a difficulty in remembering, and would trust only to Him,"
answered Eros.
"You would act most wisely and happily for yourself," said Jovinian.
"Come with me into yonder building; I see several persons entering who,
by their dress and demeanour, I know to be Christians."
Eros made no objection. The edifice was enclosed by a wall, which shut
out those within from public gaze. Passing through a door, they entered
a spacious hall capable of containing several hundred persons. No
statues nor pictures were to be seen; at the further end was a raised
desk, at which stood a lector or reader, while a higher desk at the same
part of the building, formed like a rostrum, served for the preacher who
was to address the congregation. In the centre stood a long table, with
seats round it, while the remainder of the area was filled with benches
in rows, so arranged that their occupants could look towards the lector
and preacher. The building was filling fast; in a few minutes all the
seats were occupied. Shortly afterwards an aged man, habited in a toga,
entering, took his seat on a chair close to the rostrum; then, standing
up, after a minute of silent prayer, he gave out a hymn, in which the
whole of the congregation joined. Portions of the Gospel and Epistles
were read; a prayer was then offered up, in which all the congregation
joined. After another hymn, the presbyter ascended the rostrum, and
delivered an address. It explained simply the principles of the
Christian faith, and the plan of salvation offered by God to sinful man.
Eros listened attentively, and drank in every word. He sighed when it
terminated. Another hymn having been sung, the congregation began to
separate.
"Would that I could hear more of it!" the slave observed to Jovinian;
"after this I can never again pray to the stocks and stones which I have
hitherto called my gods."
"You can come as often as you like; and there are several other places
in Rome where assemblies of the faithful are wont to be held, thanks to
the liberality of the emperor, who allows the Christians to meet
everywhere as they desire," said Jovinian. "But I would urge you to
speak forthwith to the presbyter who delivered the discourse, or to the
venerable overseer who presided; or, if you would prefer it, I would
take you to the house of my relative Amulius. He is always ready to
give instruction; and there are some, I fear, holding false doctrines,
who would mislead you as to the principles of our holy faith."
"What, do you Christians differ from each other in your belief?" asked
the Numidian, in a tone of surprise.
"Alas! I am told that there are many who call themselves Christians,
holding opinions contrary to those taught by the Holy Scriptures," said
Jovinian; "but they differ greatly one from the other. Such was the
case even in the time of the apostles, and we cannot expect it to be
otherwise at present, when men in their pride of reason refuse to submit
themselves to the plain teaching of Christ."
"You appear to have thought much on these subjects, for one so young,"
observed the Numidian.
"I have been well instructed by those who know the truth, and have ever
sought guidance from God's Holy Spirit," answered Jovinian.
Eros was silent; he was pondering deeply on what he had heard.
Jovinian, on his return to the college, retired to his room. Gaius was
still absent; he was too much engaged when he returned, fortunately for
Jovinian, to question him as to where he had been during his walk. The
pontiff was acute enough to discover that he was not likely to win his
nephew over to a belief in idolatry; but he hoped, by giving him the
writings of the Greek philosophers, and of their numerous disciples and
imitators of the present time, so to draw his mind away from the truth
that he might be willing to enter into his schemes, and to become in
reality a sceptic in all religious matters, as he was himself, with one
exception: if, indeed, he had any belief, it was in the great goddess of
Babylon--Astarte or Ashtaroth, the Queen of Heaven--whose worship,
having spread through Asia into Egypt, had, with that of her son Horos,
long been established in Italy under different names. In Egypt she was
known as Isis, in Rome as Bellona. He, as was the case with the other
pontiffs, had long been initiated into her mysteries, and he trusted
that in time his nephew would be qualified to become one of her
votaries. Her worship had, indeed, ever been the most popular, and
provided that could be maintained, he felt sure that it would
successfully oppose the two principles of the Christian faith, which he
understood to consist in the belief of one God and one mediator between
God and man. He was not aware of the power of simple faith when he thus
entertained hopes of winning over his nephew, or that Jovinian went
daily to the fountain-head to seek for that strength he so much needed
in order to resist the temptations presented to him. Jovinian soon
discovered the tendency of the works his uncle gave him, and as he read
he sought for grace to refute their sophistries; nor did he seek in
vain. He found, however, that it was wise not to enter into discussions
with Gaius, who fully believed that ere long his nephew's faith would be
completely overcome. The pontiff now began to open his views to
Jovinian, and to excite his ambition with the prospect, should he follow
his advice, of becoming great and powerful, and ruling his
fellow-creatures through their superstition, he frequently invited him
out, taking the precaution to have a slave following close at hand to
stop him should he attempt to escape, though he believed that there was
now little probability of his doing so. At length, so complete was the
confidence he placed in him, that he allowed him to be present at the
councils of the pontiffs, where, seated, his book in hand, at the
further end of the hall, his presence was not observed. Jovinian, very
naturally, did not object to this, nor could he fail to be interested in
the discussions he frequently overheard.