Jovinian's position became excessively trying. He was more strictly
watched than before; it was evident that Gaius had lost all confidence
in him. Still he did not abandon the hope of escaping; he did not wish
to commit Eros, who, should he connive at his escape, would be severely
punished; he had, however, hopes that the mind of the Numidian was
gradually opening to spiritual truth. Whenever Gaius was abroad, and
Eros had no fear of being interrupted, he entered Jovinian's room, and
begged him to read from the wonderful book he possessed. This Jovinian
gladly did, and the humble slave gradually began to comprehend the faith
which his proud master rejected. Though Jovinian was convinced that
Eros had become a true Christian, yet still he would not tempt him to
assist in his escape. Eros had early become interested in his young
captive; he was now deeply attached to him. He observed with an eye of
affection that the confinement to which he was subjected was injuring
his health. "He requires fresh air and exercise, and the society of
those of like mind," Eros said to himself. "I must persuade the pontiff
to let him go out as before, or, if my petition is refused, I will run
all risks, and give him his liberty. He has not asked me to set him
free, because he believes I should be the sufferer; but, as he has given
me the greatest blessing I can enjoy on earth, I am bound, in gratitude,
to enable him to do what his heart desires."
With these thoughts in his mind, Eros went to his master, and strongly
urged that, unless the young Jovinian were allowed to go out and breathe
the pure air, he would fall sick, and very likely die. His request was
granted much more easily than he had expected.
"Take him forth, then," answered Gaius; "but beware, slave, lest the
youth escape your vigilance; you will be answerable with your life for
his safe custody."
"The life of the slave is in the hands of his master," answered Eros.
"The air is fresh and cool; a walk into the country will restore vigour
to his limbs and the colour to his pale cheek."
"See to it, and let me hear a better account of him," observed the
pontiff, as the slave left his presence.
"Joyful news I bring!" said Eros, as he entered the chamber; "we may set
off without delay. Let me advise you not to leave your gospel behind,
nor any article that you value."
Jovinian did not enquire why Eros gave this advice, but gladly
accompanied the slave into the open air.
"In what direction shall we go?" he asked.
"We will take the way at the foot of the Palatine, and along the banks
of the Tiber," answered Eros; "then round by the Aventine hill, and
return home by the Flavian amphitheatre."
"That seems a somewhat long circuit to make," replied Jovinian.
"The fresh air will enable you to enjoy it, and possibly you may be
induced to prolong your walk," replied the Numidian. Every step they
took Jovinian felt inclined to proceed farther and farther. Instead,
however, of following the road along the bank of the river, Eros turned
off to the left, and passing through the nearest gate of the city,
struck directly across the country. They had gone on for some distance,
when a female was seen approaching them. She stopped as she observed
Jovinian. "Surely I know you!" she exclaimed, taking his hands, "though
grown so much and become so manly. Have you forgotten Rufina?"
"No, indeed! never can I forget one who was ever so faithful to my
beloved mother," answered Jovinian: "but how happens it that we have
thus met?"
"I have long been watching for you," answered Rufina, in a low voice,
drawing Jovinian aside. "There are some friends not far off who greatly
desire to embrace you--one especially, by whom your mother Livia was
greatly beloved: Eugenia, now the wife of the presbyter Severus--and
should you desire to escape from the thraldom in which you are held,
they will afford you a secure asylum where the pontiff Gaius can never
find you. Fear not," she added, as she observed Jovinian glance towards
Eros; "the Numidian will not stop you. I have communicated with him,
and promised to secure his safety. Though he may not accompany you, he
can no longer willingly serve a heathen master, and the price of his
freedom has been provided."
"Can you assure me of this?" asked Jovinian. "Much as I desire to
obtain my liberty, I would not risk the safety of Eros, now that he is a
Christian; and terrible would be his punishment were Gaius to discover
that he had willingly allowed me to escape."
"I will speak to him, and his answer shall convince you that I am not
mistaken," said Rufina; and, advancing towards Eros, she told him what
Jovinian had said, adding, "I will now bid you farewell."
"I desire not to impede you from going whithersoever you wish, though
grieved that I may not accompany you," said Eros. "My prayer is that we
shall soon meet again, and that I may serve you as a freedman; and I
rejoice to know that no longer as a slave shall I be compelled to act
the guard and spy upon you. Farewell, Jovinian: Rufina forbids me to
follow your footsteps, or I would thankfully accompany you. But do not
be alarmed about my safety; she has provided a refuge where I can remain
concealed, for I would avoid the enmity of Gaius,--he is aware that I
know too many of the secrets of the college to allow me to retain my
liberty, or even my life, could he get me into his power."
Jovinian, satisfied on hearing that Eros was cared for, followed Rufina,
who hastily led him along over the uncultivated country, which even in
her palmiest days surrounded the city, till they reached one of the
entrances to those subterranean labyrinths which have already been
described. Jovinian followed her without hesitation; he had been well
acquainted with them in his younger days, when he had dwelt in
concealment with his mother and many other Christians. A well-trimmed
lamp, which Rufina found within, enabled her to guide him through the
intricate turnings of the labyrinth. Although several years had elapsed
since he had entered them, he recognised, as they went along, many of
the tombs of those who had departed in the faith. She stopped suddenly
before one of them; he read the inscription on it. "Livia, the
well-beloved! She rests in Christ." The symbol above it was a dove,
with an anchor carved on its breast. He gazed at it earnestly, and knew
at once that it indicated his mother's tomb.
"They brought her here to rest in peace, as she desired. And may I ever
possess that sure and certain hope, the anchor of the soul, which
enabled her to endure without wavering the storms and trials of life,"
he mused.
Rufina stopped to throw a light on the slab, unwilling to interrupt his
meditations, and remained without speaking. At length she observed, "We
must hurry on, or the oil in the lamp may be exhausted before we reach
our destination."
They continued their course, proceeding along several galleries,--now
descending some flights of steps, now ascending others,--till they
reached a slab of stone, which resembled many they had passed, let into
the wall, with rude inscriptions on them. Rufina knocked three times on
the slab with a small mallet which she carried in her basket. Placing
her ear against the slab, she listened, when, in the course of a few
minutes, she heard the sound of a bolt being withdrawn, and the stone
slowly swung back, allowing an opening sufficiently large for a person
to pass through. Rufina taking the hand of her young companion, they
entered, when the slab was immediately closed behind them. So rapid had
been their movements, that to any one following them they would seem to
have vanished. The janitor, a humble fossor, after saluting Rufina as a
sister, led them on to the end of a long passage, when another door, of
a similar character to the first, being opened for them to pass through,
they found themselves, after advancing a short distance further, at the
entrance of a small hall, from the roof of which hung a silver lamp, its
rays casting a pale light on several persons assembled within. Jovinian
hung back, not recognising those he saw before him; but no sooner had
Rufina stated who he was than he heard himself greeted by friendly
voices.
"Welcome, son of our well-beloved: thou hast been faithful as she was!"
said the aged Gentianus, who was seated at a table in the centre of the
hall. He drew Jovinian towards him, and placing his hand on the lad's
head, gazed into his face as he spoke. "We indeed rejoice that you have
escaped from the power of the pontiff Gaius, and still more that you
have resisted the temptations he offered you to depart from the faith.
May the Holy Spirit ever strengthen and support you in the fiery trials
you may be called on to go through. The mystery of iniquity doth
already work, and who shall escape its toils? Those alone who cling
fast to Christ. May you be among them, my son!"
Much more to the same effect was said by the patrician Gentianus, when
his daughter Eugenia, and her husband Severus, advancing, welcomed
Jovinian. His mother's dearest friend was well disposed to treat him
with affection. By her side was a young girl--her daughter Julia. As
the maiden took his hand, Jovinian gazed at her with admiration. Her
lovely features beamed with intelligence, and the light of Christian
virtue. Firm in the faith, had the days of persecution returned she
would have been ready to suffer martyrdom rather than renounce the
Saviour who had bought her. Since their childhood Jovinian and Julia
had not met, for Gentianus and his household had resided far away to the
south, on the sunny slopes of the Apennines, where he and Severus had
devoted themselves to the spreading of the truth among their heathen
neighbours of all ranks. They had lately returned, called by important
business, both secular and on matters relating to the Church; but,
warned of the undying hostility of Coecus the pontiff, they had judged
it prudent to take up their residence in their former abode, whence,
undiscovered, they could communicate freely with their friends in the
city, and afford an asylum to those Christian converts who might be
compelled to escape from the malice of their idolatrous relatives.
There was persecution even in those days; for though heathenism, as a
system, was crumbling away, and few of the better educated or wealthy
believed in the myths of the gods of Olympus, yet many clung to the
ancient faith, or rather to its form, simply because it was ancient, and
their ancestors were supposed to have believed in it. These persons in
most instances treated with supreme contempt, and often with great
cruelty, any of their relatives or dependents who openly professed a
belief in Christ, refusing to have any transactions with them, and
endeavouring to ruin or drive them into exile. Still more terrible were
the penalties inflicted by the sacerdotal orders on any of their number
who, abandoning idolatry, embraced the truth. If unable to escape from
Rome, the dagger or poison too generally overtook them. Their safest
place of refuge was in the subterranean galleries in which Jovinian now
found himself. Thus it happened that he met numerous visitors at the
abode of Gentianus. He had been conversing with his old friends, when
he saw emerging into the light a lady of radiant beauty, habited in
white, without the slightest ornament on her dress or head, a purple
band round her forehead confining her close-cut hair. A second glance
convinced him that he had seen her before, seated in a silver chariot on
the day of the procession.
"Who is she?" he asked of Julia.
"She is the vestal Marcia," was the answer. "Already the light of truth
has entered the dark recesses of the temple; Marcia has received it, and
would escape from the thraldom in which she is held, but that she has a
young sister, Coelia, also a vestal, who is yet undecided. Coelia has
heard the Gospel, and imbibed many of its truths, but the shackles of
superstition are still around her; and while she dreads the malignity of
Coecus should he discover that her faith in the false goddess has been
shaken, she cannot resolve on flight. Marcia has come to seek counsel
of Gentianus on the matter."
"Surely he will advise her to urge her sister no longer to delay!" urged
Jovinian. "Would that I could tell her all that I know of that fearful
man! He will hesitate at no deed, however dark, so that he may attain
his ends."
Taking Jovinian's hand, Julia, rapid in all her actions, made him known
to Marcia. He, being under no vow of secrecy with regard to the aims of
the pontiffs, briefly explained them to her.
"And are such the men who have so long directed the rites and ceremonies
of the time-honoured religion of Rome!" she exclaimed. "Alas! how have
we been duped. They themselves do not even believe in the false gods
they pretend to worship."
"Not only have they long held sway over the religious affairs of
idolatrous Rome, but will continue to lead and govern in our future
Rome, unless her sons and daughters adhere to the simple truths of our
holy faith as taught by the apostles in the blessed Gospel," said
Gentianus, solemnly.
These words sank deeply into Jovinian's mind. He never forgot them.
The vestal Marcia, having a dark robe thrown over her white dress,
conducted by the guide--a Christian slave like Rufina, who had brought
her to the abode of Gentianus--returned to the temple of Vesta.