After the contest in which Lupus had been defeated there was a
pause. The gladiatorial part of the show was now over, but there
was greater excitement still awaiting the audience, for they knew
Nero had ordered that some of the Christians were to be given to
the lions. There was a hush of expectation as the door was opened,
and a procession, consisting of a priest of Jupiter and several
attendants of the temple, followed by four guards conducting
an elderly man with his two sons, lads of seventeen or eighteen,
entered. They made their way across the arena and stopped before the
emperor. The priest approached the prisoners, holding out a small
image of the god, and offered them their lives if they would pay
the customary honours to it. All refused. They were then conducted
back to the centre of the arena, and the rest, leaving them there,
filed out through the door. The old man laid his hands on the
shoulders of his sons and began singing a hymn, in which they both
joined. Their voices rose loud and clear in the silence of the
amphitheatre, and there was neither pause nor waver in the tone
as the entrance to one of the cages at the other end of the arena
was opened, and a lion and a lioness appeared. The animals stood
hesitating as they looked round at the sea of faces, then, encouraged
by the silence, they stepped out, and side by side made the circuit
of the arena, stopping and uttering a loud roar as they came upon
the track along which the bleeding bodies of those who had fallen
had been dragged. When they had completed the circle they again
paused, and now for the first time turned their attention to
the three figures standing in its centre. For a minute they stood
irresolute, and then crouching low crawled towards them.
Beric turned his head. He could view without emotion a contest
of armed men, but he could not, like the population of Rome, see
unarmed and unresisting men pulled down by wild beasts. There was
a dead stillness in the crowded amphitheatre, then there was a low
sound as of gasping breath. One voice alone continued the hymn, and
soon that too ceased suddenly. The tragedy was over, and the buzz
of conversation and comment again broke out among the spectators.
Certainly these Christians knew how to die. They were bad citizens,
they had doubtless assisted to burn Rome, but they knew how to die.
A strong body of guards provided with torches now entered. The
lions were driven back to their dens, the bodies being left lying
where they had fallen. Four batches of prisoners who were brought
out one after another met with a similar fate. Then there was
another pause. It was known that a girl of noble family was to be
the last victim, and all eyes were turned to Norbanus, who, with
his wife and Aemilia, sat in the front row near Nero, with two
Praetorian guards standing beside them. Norbanus was deadly pale,
but the pride of noble blood, the stoicism of the philosopher, and
the knowledge of his own utter helplessness combined to prevent his
showing any other sign of emotion. Lesbia sat upright and immovable
herself. She was not one to show her emotion before the gaze of
the common people.
Aemilia, half insensible, would have fallen had not the guard beside
her supported her. She had seen nothing of what had passed in the
arena, but had sat frozen with horror beside her mother. Again the
doors opened, a priest of Diana, followed by a procession of white
robed attendants, and six virgins from the temple of Diana, entered,
followed by Ennia between the attendants of the temple, while a band
of lictors brought up the rear. Even the hardened hearts of the
spectators were moved by the youth and beauty of the young girl,
who, dressed in white, advanced calmly between her guards, with
a gentle modest expression on her features. When the procession
formed up before the emperor, she saluted him. The priest and the
virgins surrounded her, and urged her to pay reverence to the statue
of Diana.
Pointing to her parents, they implored her for their sake to recant.
Pale as death, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, she shook
her head quietly. "I cannot deny the Lord who died for me," she
said.
Nero himself rose from his seat. "Maiden," he said, "if not for your
own sake, for the sake of those who love you, I pray you to cease
from your obstinacy. How can a child like you know more than the
wisest heads of Rome? How can you deny the gods who have protected
and given victory to your country? I would fain spare you."
"I am but a child, as you say, Caesar," Ennia replied. "I have no
strength of my own, but I am strong in the strength of Him I worship.
He gave His life for me--it is not much that I should give mine
for Him."
Nero sank back on his seat with an angry wave of his hand. He saw
that the sympathy of the audience was with the prisoner, and would
willingly have gained their approval by extending his clemency
towards her. The procession now returned to the centre of the arena,
where the girls, weeping, took leave of Ennia, who soon stood alone
a slight helpless figure in the sight of the great silent multitude.
Nero had spoken in a low tone to one of his attendants. The door of
another cage was opened, and a lion, larger in bulk than any that
had previously appeared, entered the arena, saluting the audience
with a deep roar. As it did so a tall figure, naked to the waist,
sprang forward from the group of attendants behind a strong barrier
at the other end of the arena. He was armed only with a sword which
he had snatched from a soldier standing next to him. Deep murmurs
of surprise rose from the spectators. The master of ceremonies
exchanged a few words with the emperor, and a body of men with
torches and trumpets ran forward and drove the lion back into its
den. Then Beric, who had been standing in front of Ennia, advanced
towards the emperor.
"Who are you?" Nero asked.
"I am Beric, once chief of the Iceni, now a British captive. I
received great kindness on my way hither from Norbanus, the father
of this maid. As we Britons are not ungrateful I am ready to
defend her to the death, and I crave as a boon, Caesar, that you
will permit me to battle against the lion with such arms as you
may decide."
"Are you a Christian?" the emperor asked coldly.
"I am not. I am of the religion of my nation, and Rome has always
permitted the people that have been subdued to worship in their
own fashion. I know nought of the Christian doctrines, but I know
that this damsel at least can have had nought to do with the burning
of Rome, and that though she may have forsaken the gods of Rome,
in this only can she have offended. I pray you, and I pray this
assembly, to let me stand as her champion against the beasts."
A burst of applause rose from the spectators. This was a novelty,
and an excitement beyond what they had bargained for. They had been
moved by the youth of the victim, and now the prospects of something
even more exciting than the rending to pieces of a defenceless
girl enlisted them in favour of the applicant. Moreover the Romans
intensely admired feats of bravery, and that this captive should
offer to face single handed an animal that was known to be one of
the most powerful of those in the amphitheatre filled them with
admiration. Accustomed as they were to gaze at athletes, they were
struck with the physique and strength of this young Briton, with
the muscles standing up massive and knotted through the white skin.
"Granted, granted!" they shouted; "let him fight."
Nero waited till the acclamation ceased, and then said: "The people
have spoken, let their will be done. But we must not be unfair
to the lion; as the maiden was unarmed so shall you stand unarmed
before the lion."
The decision was received in silence by the spectators. It was a
sentence of death to the young Briton, and the silence was succeeded
by a low murmur of disapproval. Beric turned a little pale, but he
showed no other sign of emotion.
"Thanks, Caesar, for so much of a boon," he said in a loud, steady
voice; "I accept the conditions, it being understood that should
the gods of my country, and of this maiden, defend me against the
lion, the damsel shall be free from all pain and penalty, and shall
be restored to her parents."
"That is understood," Nero replied.
With an inclination of his head to the emperor and a wave of his
hand to the audience in general, Beric turned and walked across
the arena to the barrier. Scopus was standing there.
"You are mad, Beric. I grieve for you. You were my favourite pupil,
and I looked for great things from you, and now it has come to
this, and all is over."
"All is not quite over yet, Scopus. I will try to do credit to
your training; give me my cloak." He wrapped himself in its ample
folds, and then walked quietly back to the centre of the arena. A
murmur of surprise rose from the spectators. Why should the Briton
cumber his limbs with this garment?
On reaching his position Beric again threw off the cloak, and stood
in the short skirt reaching scarce to the knees. "I am unarmed,"
he cried in a loud voice. "You see I have not as much as a dagger."
Then he tore off two broad strips from the edge of the garment and
twisted them into ropes, forming a running noose in each, threw
the cloak, which was composed of the stout cloth used by the common
people, over his arm, and signed to the attendants at the cage to
open the door.
"Oh, Beric, why have you thrown away your life in a useless attempt
to save mine?" Ennia said as he stood before her.
"It may not be useless, Ennia. My god has protected me through
many dangers, and your God will surely assist me now. Do you pray
to Him for aid."
Then as the door of the den opened he stepped a few paces towards
it. A roar of applause rose from the vast audience. They had appreciated
his action in making the ropes, and guessed that he meant to use
his cloak as a retiarius used his net; there would then be a contest
and not a massacre. Enraged at its former treatment the lion dashed
out of its den with a sudden spring, made three or four leaps
forward, and then paused with its eyes fixed on the man standing
in front of it, still immovable, in an easy pose, ready for instant
action. Then it sank till its belly nearly touched the ground, and
began to crawl with a stealthy gliding motion towards him. More
and more slowly it went, till it paused at a distance of some ten
yards.
For a few seconds it crouched motionless, save for a slow waving
motion of its tail; then with a sharp roar it sprang through the
air. With a motion as quick Beric leaped aside, and as it touched
the ground he sprang across its loins, at the same moment wrapping
his cloak in many folds round its head, and knotting the ends
tightly. Then as the lion, recovering from its first surprise,
sprang to its feet with a roar of anger and disgust, Beric was on
his feet beside it.
For a moment it strove to tear away the strange substance which
enveloped its head, but Beric dropped the end of a noose over one
of its forepaws, drew it tight, and with a sudden pull jerked the
animal over on its back. As it sprang up again the other forepaw
was noosed, and it was again thrown over. This time, as it sprang
to its feet, Beric struck it a tremendous blow on the nose. The
unexpected assault for a moment brought it down, but mad with rage
it sprang up and struck out in all directions at its invisible foe,
leaping and bounding hither and thither. Beric easily avoided the
onslaught, and taking every opportunity struck it three or four
times with all his force on the ear, each time rolling it over and
over. The last of these blows seemed almost to stun it, and it lay
for a moment immovable.
Again Beric leaped upon it, coming down astride of its loins with
all his weight, and seizing at once the two ropes. The lion uttered
a roar of dismay and pain, and struck at him first with one paw
and then with the other. By his coolness and quickness, however,
he escaped all the blows, and then, when the lion seemed exhausted,
he jerked tightly the cords, twisting them behind the lion's back
and with rapid turns fastening them together. The lion was helpless
now. Had Beric attempted to pull the cords in any other position
it would have snapped them like pack thread, but in this position
it had no strength, the pads of the feet being fastened together
and the limbs almost dislocated. As the animal rolled over and
over uttering roars of vain fury, Beric snatched the cloth from its
head, tore off another strip, twisted it, and without difficulty
bound its hind legs together. Then he again wrapped it round the
lion's head, and standing up bowed to the spectators.
A mighty shout shook the building. Never had such a feat been seen
in the arena before, and men and women alike standing up waved their
hands with frantic enthusiasm. Beric had not escaped altogether
unhurt, for as the lion struck out at him it had torn away a piece
of flesh from his side, and the blood was streaming down over
his white skirt. Then he went up to Ennia, who was standing with
closed eyes and hands clasped in prayer. She had seen nothing of
the conflict, and had believed that Beric's death and her own were
inevitable.
"Ennia," he said, "our gods have saved me; the lion is helpless."
Then she sank down insensible. He raised her on his shoulder, walked
across the arena, passed the barrier, and, ascending the steps,
walked along before the first row of spectators and handed her over
to her mother. Then he descended again, and bowed deeply, first to
the emperor and then to the still shouting people.
The giver of the games advanced and placed on his head a crown of
bay leaves, and handed to him a heavy purse of gold, which Beric
placed in his girdle, and, again saluting the audience, rejoined
Scopus, who was in a state of enthusiastic delight at the prowess
of his pupil.
"You have proved yourself the first gladiator in Rome," he said.
"Henceforth the school of Scopus is ahead of all its rivals. Now
we must get your side dressed. Another inch or two, Beric, and the
conflict would not have ended as it did."
"Yes, if the lion had not been in such a hurry to strike, and had
stretched its paw to the fullest, it would have fared badly with
me," Beric said; "but it was out of breath and spiteful, and had
not recovered from the blow and from the shock of my jumping on it,
which must have pretty nearly broken its back. I knew it was a risk,
but it was my only chance of getting its paws in that position, and
in no other would my ropes have been strong enough to hold them."
"But how came you to think of fighting in that way?" Scopus asked,
after the leech, who was always in attendance to dress the wounds
of the gladiators, had bandaged up his side.
"I never expected to have to fight the beasts unarmed," Beric said,
"but I had sometimes thought what should be done in such a case,
and I thought that if one could but wrap one's cloak round a lion's
head the beast would be at one's mercy. Had I had but a caestus
I could have beaten its skull in, but without that I saw that the
only plan was to noose its limbs. Surely a man ought to be able to
overcome a blinded beast."
"I would not try it for all the gold in Rome, Beric, even now
that I have seen you do it. Did you mark Caesar? There is no one
appreciates valiant deeds more than he does. At first his countenance
was cold--I marked him narrowly--but he half rose to his feet
and his countenance changed when you first threw yourself on the
lion, and none applauded more warmly than he did when your victory
was gained. Listen to them; they are shouting for you again. You
must go. Never before did I know them to linger after a show was
over. They will give you presents."
"I care not for them," Beric said.
"You must take them," Scopus said, "or you will undo the favourable
impression you have made, which will be useful to you should you
ever enter the arena again and be conquered. Go, go!"
Beric again entered the arena, and the attendants led him up to
the emperor, who presented him with a gold bracelet, saying:
"I will speak to you again, Beric. I had wondered that you and
your people should have resisted Suetonius so long, but I wonder
no longer."
Then Beric was led round the arena. Ladies threw down rings and
bracelets to him. These were gathered up by the attendants and handed
to him as he bowed to the givers. Norbanus, his wife, and daughter
had already left their seats, surrounded by friends congratulating
them, and bearing with them the still insensible girl. Having made
the tour of the arena Beric again saluted the audience and retired.
One of the imperial attendants met them as they left the building.
"The emperor bids me say, Scopus, that when Beric is recovered from
his wound he is to attend at the palace."
"I thought the emperor meant well towards you," Scopus said. "You
will in any case fight no more in the arena."
"How is that?" Beric asked in surprise.
"Did you not hear the shouts of the people the last time you entered,
Beric?"
"I heard a great confused roar, but in truth I was feeling somewhat
faint from loss of blood, and did not catch any particular sounds."
"They shouted that you were free from the arena henceforth. It
is their custom when a gladiator greatly distinguishes himself to
declare him free, though I have never known one before freed on
his first appearance. The rule is that a gladiator remains for two
years in the ring, but that period is shortened should the people
deem that he has earned his life by his courage and skill. For a
moment I was sorry when I heard it, but perhaps it is better as it
is. Did you remain for two years, and fight and conquer at every
show, you could gain no more honour than you have done. Now I will
get a lectica and have you carried out to the hills. You are not
fit to walk."
They were joined outside by Porus and Lupus. The former was warm
in his congratulation.
"By the gods, Beric, though I knew well that you would gain a great
triumph in the arena when your time came, I never thought to see
you thus fighting with the beasts unarmed. Why, Milo himself was
not stronger, and he won thirteen times at the Olympian and Pythian
games. He would have won more, but no one would venture to enter
against him. Why, were you to go on practising for another five years,
you would be as strong as he was, and as you are as skilful as you
are strong it would go hard with any that met you. I congratulated
myself, I can tell you, when I heard the people shout that you were
free of the arena, for if by any chance we had been drawn against
each other, I might as well have laid down my net and asked you to
finish me at once without trouble."
"It was but a happy thought, Porus: if a man could be caught in
a net, why not a lion blinded in a cloak? That once done the rest
was easy."
"Well, I don't want any easy jobs of that sort," Porus said. "But
let us go into a wine shop; a glass will bring the colour again to
your cheeks."
"No, no, Porus," Scopus said. "Do you and Lupus drink, and I will
drink with you, but no wine for Beric. I will get him a cup of hot
ass's milk; that will give him strength without fevering his blood.
Here is a place where they sell it. I will go in with him first,
and then join you there; but take not too much. You have a long
walk back, and I guess, Lupus, that your head already hums from the
blow that Briton gave it. By Bacchus, these Britons are fine men!
I thought you had got an easy thing of it, when boom! and there
you were stretched out like a dead man."
"It was a trick," Lupus said angrily, "a base trick."
"Not at all," Scopus replied. "You fought as if in war; and in war
if you had an opponent at close quarters, and could not use your
sword's point, you would strike him down with the hilt if you could.
As I have told you over and over again, you are a good swordsman,
but you don't know everything yet by a long way, and you are so
conceited that you never will. I hoped that drubbing Beric gave
you a few days after he joined us would have done you good, but I
don't see that it has. There are some men who never seem to learn.
If it had not been for you our ludus would have triumphed all round
today; but when one sees a man we put forward as one of our best
swordsmen defeated by a raw Briton, people may well say, 'Scopus
has got one or two good men; there is Beric, he is a marvel; and
Porus is good with the net; but as for the rest, I don't value them
a straw."
The enraged gladiator sprang upon Scopus, but the latter seized
him by the waist and hurled him down with such force that he was
unable to rise until Porus assisted him to his feet. As to Scopus,
he paid him no farther attention, but putting his hand on Beric's
shoulder led him into the shop. A long draught of hot milk did
wonders for Beric, and he proposed walking, but Scopus would not
hear of it.
"Sit down here for five minutes," he said, "till I have a cup
of wine with the others. I should think Lupus must need it pretty
badly, what with the knock on the head and the tumble I have just
given him. I am not sorry that he was beaten by your countryman, for
since he has had the luck to win two or three times in the arena,
his head has been quite turned. He would never have dared to lay
his hand on me had he not been half mad, for he knows well enough
that I could strangle him with one hand. The worst of him is, that
the fellow bears malice. He has never forgiven you the thrashing
you administered to him. Now I suppose he will be sulky for weeks;
but if he does it will be worse for him, for I will cut off his
wine, and that will soon bring him to his senses."
Scopus had gone but a few minutes when he returned with a lectica,
which was a sort of palanquin, carried by four stout countrymen.
"Really, Scopus, it is ridiculous that I should be carried along
the streets like a woman."
"Men are carried as well as women, Beric, and as you are a wounded
man you have a double right to be carried. Here is a bag with all
those ornaments you got. It is quite heavy to lift."
The bearers protested loudly at the weight of their burden when they
lifted the lectica, but the promise of a little extra pay silenced
their complaints. They were scarcely beyond the city when Beric,
who was weaker from loss of blood than he imagined, dozed off to
sleep, and did not wake till the lectica was set down in the atrium
of the house on the Alban Hills.
Next morning he was extremely stiff, and found himself obliged to
continue on his couch.
"It is of no use your trying to get up," Scopus said; "the muscles
of your flank are badly torn, and you must remain quiet."
An hour later a rheda or four wheeled carriage drove up to the door,
and in another minute Norbanus entered Beric's cubicle. There were
tears in his eyes as he held out both hands to him. "Ah, my friend,"
he said, "how happy you must be in the happiness you caused to us!
Who could have thought, when I entertained, as a passing guest,
the friend of Pollio, that he would be the saviour of my family?
You must have thought poorly of us yesterday that I was not at the
exit from the amphitheatre to meet and thank you. But I hurried
home with Ennia, and having left her in charge of her mother and
sister came back to find you, but you had left, and I could learn
no news of you. I searched for some time, and then guessing that
you had been brought home by Scopus, I went back to the child, who
is sorely ill. I fear that the strain has been too much for her,
and that we shall lose her. But how different from what it would
have been! To die is the lot of us all, and though I shall mourn
my child, it will be a different thing indeed from seeing her torn
to pieces before my eyes by the lion. She has recovered from her
faint, but she lies still and quiet, and scarce seems to hear what
is said to her. Her eyes are open, she has a happy smile on her
lips, and I believe that she is well content now that she has done
what she deems her duty to her God. She smiled when I told her this
morning that I was coming over to see you, and said in a whisper,
'I shall see him again, father.'"
"Would she like to see me now?" Beric said, making an effort to
rise.
"No, not now, Beric. I don't think somehow that she meant that. The
leech said that she must be kept perfectly quiet; but I will send
a slave with a letter to you daily. Oh, what a day was yesterday!
The woes of a lifetime seemed centred in an hour. I know not how
I lived as I sat there and waited for the fatal moment. All the
blood in my veins seemed to freeze up as she was left alone in the
arena. A mist came over my eyes. I tried to close them, but could
not. I saw nothing of the amphitheatre, nothing of the spectators,
nothing but her, till, at the sudden shout from the crowd, I roused
myself with a start. When I saw you beside her I thought at first
that I dreamed; but Aemilia suddenly clasped my arm and said, 'It
is Beric!' Then I hoped something, I know not what, until Nero said
that you must meet the lion unarmed.
"Then I thought all was over--that two victims were to die instead
of one. I tried to rise to cry to you to go, for that I would die
by Ennia, but my limbs refused to support me; and though I tried
to shout I did but whisper. What followed was too quick for me to
mark. I saw the beast spring at you; I saw a confused struggle; but
not until I saw you rise and bow, while the lion rolled over and
over, bound and helpless, did I realize that what seemed impossible
had indeed come to pass, and that you, unarmed and alone, had truly
vanquished the terrible beast.
"I hear that all Rome is talking of nothing else. My friends, who
poured in all the evening to congratulate us, told me so, and that
no such feat had ever been seen in the arena."
"It does not seem much to me, Norbanus," Beric said. "It needed
only some coolness and strength, though truly I myself doubted,
when Nero gave the order to fight without weapons, if it could be
done. I cannot but think that Ennia's God and mine aided me."
"It is strange," Norbanus said, "that one so young and weak as Ennia
should have shown no fear, and that the other Christians should all
have met their fate with so wonderful a calm. As you know, I have
thought that all religions were alike, each tribe and nation having
its own. But methinks there must be something more in this when
its votaries are ready so to die for it."
"Do not linger with me," Beric said. "You must be longing to be
with your child. Pray, go at once. She must be glad to have you by
her, even if she says little. I thank you for your promise to send
news to me daily. If she should express any desire to see me, I
will get Scopus to provide a vehicle to carry me to Rome; but in
a few days I hope to be about."
"Your first visit must be to Caesar, when you are well enough to
walk," Norbanus said. "They tell me he bade you come to see him,
and he would be jealous did he know that he was not the first in
your thoughts."
Norbanus returned to Rome, and each day a letter came to Beric. The
news was always the same; there was no change in Ennia's condition.
Beric's wound healed rapidly. Hard work and simple living had
so toughened his frame that a wound that might have been serious
affected him only locally, and mended with surprising rapidity.
In a week he was up and about, and three days later he felt well
enough to go to Rome.
"You would have been better for a few days more rest," Scopus said,
"but Nero is not fond of being kept waiting; and if he really wishes
to see you it would be well that you present yourself as soon as
possible."
"I care nothing for Nero," Beric said; "but I should be glad, for the
sake of Norbanus, to see his daughter. It may be that my presence
might rouse her and do her good. I want none of Nero's favours; they
are dangerous at best. His liking is fatal. He has now murdered
Britannicus, his wife Octavia, and his mother Agrippina. He
has banished Seneca, and every other adviser he had he has either
executed or driven into exile."
"That is all true enough, Beric, though it is better not said.
Still, you must remember you have no choice. There is no thwarting
Nero; if he designs to bestow favours upon you, you must accept
them. I agree with you that they are dangerous; but you know how
to guard yourself. A man who has fought a lion with naked hands may
well manage to escape even the clutches of Nero. He has struck down
the greatest and richest; but it is easier for one who is neither
great nor rich to escape. At any rate, Beric, I have a faith in
your fortune. You have gone through so much, that I think surely
some god protects you. By the way, what are you going to do with
that basketful of women's ornaments that I have locked up in my
coffer?"
"I thought no more about them, Scopus."
"I should advise you to sell them. In themselves they are useless
to you. But once turned into money they may some day stand you
in good stead. They are worth a large sum, I can tell you, and I
don't care about keeping them here. None of my school are condemned
malefactors. I would never take such men, even to please the wealthiest
patron. But there is no use in placing temptation before any, and
Porus and Lupus will have told how the Roman ladies flung their
bracelets to you. I will take them down to a goldsmith who works
for some of my patrons, and get him to value them, if you will."
"Thank you, Scopus, I shall be glad to get rid of them. How would
you dress for waiting on Caesar?"
"I have been thinking it over," Scopus said. "I should say well,
and yet not too well. You are a free man, for although Nero disposed
of you as if you had been slaves, you were not enslaved nor did you
bear the mark of slavery, therefore you have always dressed like a
free man. Again, you are a chief among your own people; therefore,
as I say, I should dress well but quietly. Nero has many freedmen
about him, and though some of these provoke derision by vying with
the wealthiest, this I know would never be done by you, even did
you bask in the favour of Nero. A white tunic and a paenula of fine
white cloth or a lacerna, both being long and ample so as to fall
in becoming folds, would be the best. As I shall ride into Rome
with you, you can there get one before going to see Nero."
On arriving at Rome Beric was soon fitted with a cloak of fine
white stuff, the folds of which showed off his figure to advantage.
Scopus accompanied him to Nero's palace.
"I know several of his attendants," he said, "and can get you passed
in to the emperor, which will save you waiting hours, perhaps,
before you can obtain an audience."
Taking him through numerous courts and along many passages they
reached a chamber where several officials of the palace were walking
and talking, waiting in readiness should they be required by Nero.
Scopus went up to one with whom he was well acquainted. After the
usual greetings he explained to him that he had, in accordance with
Nero's order, brought the young Briton, Beric, who had conquered
the lion in the arena, and begged him to ask the emperor whether
he would choose to give him audience at present.
"I will acquaint his chief chamberlain at once, Scopus, and will
ask him, for your sake, to choose his moment for telling Nero. It
may make a great difference in the fortunes of the young man whether
Caesar is in a good temper or not when he receives him. It is not
often at present that he is in bad humour. Since the fire his mind
has been filled with great ideas, and he thinks of little but making
the city in all respects magnificent, and as he loves art in every
way this is a high delight to him; therefore, unless aught has
gone wrong with him, he will be found accessible. I will go to the
chamberlain at once, my Scopus."
It was half an hour before he returned. "The chamberlain said that
there could not be a better time for your gladiator to see Caesar,
and therefore he has spoken to him at once, and Nero has ordered
the Briton to be brought to him. These two officials will conduct
him at once to his presence."
Beric was taken in charge by the two ushers, and was led along several
passages, in each of which a guard was on duty, until they reached
a massive door. Here two soldiers were stationed. The ushers knocked.
Another official presented himself at the door, and, beckoning to
Beric to follow him, pushed aside some rich hangings heavy with
gold embroidery. They were now in a small apartment, the walls of
which were of the purest white marble, and the furniture completely
covered with gold. Crossing this he drew another set of hangings
aside, entered with Beric, bowed deeply, and saying, "This is the
Briton, Caesar," retired, leaving Beric standing before the emperor.
The apartment was of moderate size, exquisitely decorated in Greek
fashion. One end was open to a garden, where plants and shrubs of
the most graceful foliage, brought from many parts of the world,
threw a delicious shade. Statues of white marble gleamed among
them, and fountains of perfumed waters filled the air with sweet
odours. Nero sat in a simple white tunic upon a couch, while a
black slave, of stature rivalling that of Beric, kneeled in front
of him holding out a great sheet of parchment with designs of some
of the decorations of his new palace. Nero waved his hand, and the
slave, rolling up the parchment, took his stand behind the emperor's
couch. The latter looked long and steadily at him before speaking,
as if to read his disposition.
"Beric," he said, "I have seen you risk your life for one who was
but little to you, for I have spoken to Norbanus, and have learned
from him the nature of your acquaintance with him, and found that
you have seen but little of this young maiden for whom you were
ready to risk what seemed certain death. Moreover, she was but
a young girl, and her life can have had no special value in your
eyes; therefore, it seems to me that you are one who would be a true
and faithful friend indeed to a man who on his part was a friend
to you. You have the other qualities of bravery and skill and
strength. Moreover, you belong to no party in Rome. I have inquired
concerning you, and find that although Pollio, the nephew of
Norbanus, introduced you to many of his friends, you have gone but
little among them, but have spent your time much, when not in the
ludus, in the public libraries. Being myself a lover of books, the
report inclines me the more toward you. I feel that I could rely
upon you, and you would find in me not a master but a friend. Of
those around me I can trust but few. They serve from interest, and
if their interest lay the other way they would desert me. I have
many enemies, and though the people love me, the great families,
whose connections and relations are everywhere, think only of their
private aims and ends, and many deem themselves to have reasons
for hatred against me. I need one like you, brave, single minded,
resolute, and faithful to me, who would be as simple and as true
when raised to wealth and honour as you have shown yourself when
but a simple gladiator. Wilt thou be such a one to me?"
"I am but ill fitted for such a post, Caesar," Beric said gravely.
"I have been a chief and leader of my own people, and my tongue
would never bring itself to utter the flattering words used by those
who surround an imperial throne. Monarchs love not the truth, and
my blunt speech would speedily offend you. A faithful guard to
your majesty I might be, more than that I fear I never could be,
for even to please you, Nero, I could not say aught except what I
thought."
"I should expect and wish for no more," Nero said. "It is good
to hear the truth sometimes. I heard it from Seneca; but, alas! I
did not value it then as I should have done. I am older and wiser
now. Besides, Seneca was a Roman, and necessarily mixed up in the
intrigues that are ever on foot, and connected with half the great
families in Rome. You stand alone, and I should know that whatever
you said the words would be your own, and would not have been put
in your mouth by others, and even when your opinions ran counter
to mine I should respect them. Well, what do you say?"
"It is not for me to bargain with the master of Rome," Beric said.
"I am ready to be your man, Caesar, to lay down my life in your
defence, to be your guard as a faithful hound might be; only, I
pray you, take me not in any way into your confidence as to state
affairs, for of these I am wholly ignorant. My ideas are those of a
simple British chief. Rome and its ways are too complicated for me
to understand, and were you to speak to me on such matters I should
soon forfeit your favour. For we in Britain are, as it were, people
of another world--simple and straightforward in our thoughts and
ways, and with no ideas of state expediency. Therefore, I pray you,
let me stand aloof from all such matters, and regard me simply as
one ready to strike and die in your defence, and as having no more
interest or knowledge of state affairs and state intrigues than
those statues in the garden there."
"So be it," Nero said. "You are modest, Beric, and modesty is a
virtue rare in Rome; but I appreciate your honesty, and feel sure
that I can rely upon you for faithful service. Let me see, to what
office shall I appoint you? I cannot call you my bodyguard, for this
would excite the jealousy of the Praetorians." He sat in thought
for a minute. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "you are fond of books, I will
appoint you my private librarian. My libraries are vast, but I
will have a chamber close to mine own fitted up with the choicest
books, so that I can have ready at hand any that I may require.
This will be an excuse for having you always about my person."
"I do not speak Greek, Caesar."
"You shall have under you a Greek freedman, one Chiton, who is
now in my library. He will take charge of the rolls, for I do not
intend that you should remain shut up there. It is but a pretext
for your presence here."
He touched a bell and a servant entered. "Tell Phaon to come to
me." A minute later Phaon, a freedman who stood very high in the
confidence of Nero, entered.
"Phaon," the emperor said, "this is Beric the Briton, he has entered
my service, and will have all my trust and confidence even as you
have. Prepare for him apartments close to mine, and appoint slaves
for his service. See that he has everything in accordance with his
position as a high official of the palace. Let one of the rooms
be furnished with sets of books, of which I will give you a list,
from my library. Chiton is to be in charge of it under him. Beric
is to be called my private librarian. I wish him to be at all times
within call of me. You will be friends with Beric, Phaon, for he
is as honest as you are, and will be, like you, a friend of mine,
and, as you may perceive, is one capable of taking part of a friend
in case of need."
Phaon bowed deeply and signed to Beric to follow him; the latter
bowed to Nero, who nodded to him pleasantly, and left the room with
Phaon. The freedman took him to his private apartment.
"Nero has chosen well this time, methinks," he said after a close
scrutiny of the newcomer. "It is no easy post on which you have
entered, Beric. Nero is changeable in his moods, but you carry
your heart in your face, and even he can have no suspicions of you.
Take my advice, make friends with no man, for one who stands high
in court favour today may be an exile or condemned tomorrow, and
then all connected with him in any way are apt to share his fate;
therefore, it is best to stand quite alone. By tomorrow morning
you will find everything in readiness for you here."