LUCIUS
Ephesus was a scene of gaiety.
Great arches decorated with choice foliage and festooned with lovely
flowers spanned the public way; banners of strange beauty waved on the
morning breeze; jubilant strains of martial music floated on the
perfumed air.
The day was young, yet vast crowds were astir. This was a festive
day--the day of the home-coming of Lucius, whose wife was Venusta.
Yes, he was to arrive in port to-day in command of a Roman squadron. Had
he not been to far-off Britain and brought a British chieftain captive
to Rome?
Already the powerful ships were seen between the Isle of Samos and the
main. Soon they drew nearer. Their great square sails set to catch the
favouring gale urged them onwards like homesick birds until they drew
close to the entrance of the port, and the people flocked to meet them.
For Lucius was a valiant commander, and he should have a hearty welcome.
Besides, had he not from time to time made costly offerings to their
city protectoress, and was there not a tablet in the great theatre
recounting the noble deeds of Lucius Erastus?
The fleet had entered the channel leading up to the city port. First
came, like flying scouts, groups of gaily painted boats and splendid
barges, with sails of many hues, vermilion, azure, golden-coloured, and
white, some with stripes, and many-formed devices, others with curious
mystic signs.
Streamers hung lazily aloft from masts and yards, prows and sterns,
whilst flutes and lyres, syrinx and clarionet, kithra and aulos sent
forth the soft Ionian music until the shores were wrapt in softest
harmony. Some of the welcomers had ventured beyond the margin of the
strand, and now returned in haste to lead the way.
Then came the biremes with their double rows of oars, and clewed-up
sails, swinging on the yards. Then the triremes followed with their
treble banks of oars, and one among the last of those great ships was
greatest. She was commanded by the Roman favourite. Yes, there she comes
with beaked prow, projecting ram, castellated cabin, and great oars
sweeping the silver sea. Above her gunwale rose a line of polished
shields and rows of glittering spears--spears handled by warriors who
knew their work.
Flags flew out from end to end, blazoning in wild profusion along the
yards and up the mast, gambolling with the cordage and the mighty sail.
Following the warships came a host of vessels and boats, and along the
banks of the great canal multitudes hastened, shouting as they went
great shouts of welcome.
The Roman fleet with its hosts of followers moored within the harbour
with the city full in view, and Lucius thought he saw a silvery scarf
waving from a house on Mount Coressus.
When he had landed and was near the great theatre, many were the friends
who surrounded him, giving greeting; foes also, with envy at heart,
time-servers, cried 'Welcome!'
Just then the joyous acclamations for a moment ceased. A cluster of
priestesses going from temple to temple passed that way, and the hardy
sailor bared his head as the little procession went by. Two eyes met
his, and a feeling as if the dead were there crept through his soul;
they were dark unfathomable eyes, and the girl was tall and beautiful,
with clustering hair. And he said within him: 'Where have I seen that
face ere now?'
When she had passed he went his way, but his brow was dark with
thought; something had crossed his track leaving a trail of gloom, why,
he could not say. Again sweet voices chimed pleasantly, and the softest
Ionian cadences floated out from the roofless Odeum. A carpet of bruised
and dying roses strewed the ground.
He had soon forgotten the girl with the dark eyes and clustering hair,
and entered his princely home on the slopes of Coressus. Around it the
pine-trees waved a greeting, and the wind sighed through the branches of
the cypress.
That evening the residence of Lucius was a scene of gaiety and
splendour.
Venusta welcomed her husband with the true feelings of a loyal wife, and
Nika was glad at the return of her father; she could now repose on his
protective presence.
Many of the nobles of Ephesus had gathered there--artists and sculptors,
philosophers and warriors, lovely women, Greeks and Romans, maidens of
Caria, Priene, and girls from Samos blended in one great mass of power
and beauty.
The sweet day still cast its soft light, and lit up the lovely flowers
and beautiful trees of olive, cypress, pine, and myrtle. The sun had
lost its power, the atmosphere was deliciously cool, and many came from
within to breathe the refreshing air ere the dew bathed the grass and
the night-birds sang from the grove, or the twilight heralded the night
and the stars encircled the moon.
Nika, leaning on the arm of Lucius, stood by a great white marble
fountain--he the bronzed sea-warrior, and she like a dream of spring.
'Tell me, child--for many seasons have rolled away since I left thee and
thy mother to visit those lovely isles in the far-off west--is thy young
heart sound like thy father's barque after the battling of the stormy
seas, or has Cupid laid siege and thou capitulated?'
'Nay, father, Nika's heart is free, neither could it be otherwise, for
it is hard as the marble of this fountain, colder than the water which
springs from each chaste design.'
'Ah, girl, thou art, I fear, like others of thy sex, prone to sail under
false colours when a lover is in chase. Tell me, where is Chios? I
thought he would have been here. Was he not bidden?'
'He was, but there is no written law for him. He moves in his own
eccentric orbit. He will come when most unexpected, suddenly, like an
eagle from the clear blue depths of the sky, or as a comet from out the
midnight gloom.'
'Why, daughter, there he is, conversing with that sweet maid of Smyrna!
Let us crowd all sail, and bear down on his weather. Quickly! I like
that boy, and, if my reckoning be correct, thou dost not dislike him. Am
I right?'
'Well, I like him, and I like him not. He has mixed much with the people
of the new faith, and ever as he goes that way his mind becomes
o'erclouded with gloom. He is strangely abstracted, scarce a word
escapes his lips. Were it not for this strange faith which spells him, I
should say he loved, and, if 'twere love, I should not be the idol of
his choice.'
'Who, then?'
'I know not;' and a painful sorrow passed across her brow, but Lucius
saw it not.
The night came down, and beacon fires glared out on every hill and
mountain-top. Coressus and Pion were aflame, great torches whirled and
rushed wildly up and down the mountain-side, and moved in fiery lines
throughout the city streets.
The lamps were lit within, and windows made of richly-coloured glass,
amber, blue, and ruby, shone forth in lovely harmony and glorious hues,
until the myrtle-trees, with their great white blossoms and perfumed
breath, seemed quivering with delight. Merry songs, with laughter and
rippling music, floated on the lazy air. Joy ran riot in the house of
Lucius, and the meanest slave had for a time a share of happiness. The
hours rolled on in pleasure, like a stately ship on a sunny sea.
Down deep in the heart of Nika joy was mockery.
The guests departed, and she retired to her chamber. Throwing herself on
a couch, she wept great tears of anguish, a tide of tears no joy could
stay.
She arose and gazed out into the darkness, and saw the looming of the
great Temple rearing its majestic form in sable gloom, darker than the
night; and she looked into the great unfathomable depths of the skies,
and sighed like the deep moaning of the wind. But the heavens were as
brass, and the great sigh died without becoming a prayer.
Moving back silently to her couch, she lay down, but not to sleep, for
she heard strange sounds arise from the sacred grove, and she knew the
songs of the night came up from the Temple of Hecate.
The morning came, and with it the springs of life revived, and she said:
'Why this sadness? why this harvest of gloom? I will awaken myself, tear
this veil of night from around my spirit. I will lay bare my soul to the
glorious sunlight, drink in its glory until I am saturated with delight.
I will not weep; I will not mourn; I defy this spell; I challenge this
curse--this brand of hell! Oh that it were always day, that the sun
never set, and my mind were as strong as now!' and she flung the great
masses of wavy hair back from her stately forehead, and it fell to the
ground, enshrouding her form till she looked like a goddess on earth.
* * * * *
'Why art thou so late, dear, to thy morning meal?' said Venusta. 'Come,
sit by my side, and tell me what thinkest thou of last night's innocent
revelry? Was it not a right hearty welcome to thy father, most fitting
to receive him? and didst thou note that noble Roman who stood next but
one to thee when those dancing-girls came forward to dance to us? I know
thou sawest him, Nika, for I saw your eyes meet. Well, he has come from
Rome to govern. He is the new Proconsul. His influence in the imperial
city is great. Besides, he is positively a favourite with the Emperor. I
tell thee all this that thou mayest know of him. Moreover, Lucius has
bidden him to spend this evening here, and thou wilt have ample time to
satisfy thy curious mind respecting him, and, fortunately or
unfortunately, as the Fates may determine, Chios also will be here.
Nika, take care; this Roman is not a child or a fool! They say he is
impetuous, firm, resolute when need be. Now let us join my husband. I
see him yonder gathering flowers.'
Lucius came to them, smiling as he came. He offered a rose to Nika, but
Venusta said: 'No, no; let me choose first! I will take the rose. Give
her an unthorned flower; the emblem of evil and good, pleasure and pain,
shall be mine, for we twain are one, husband, and if this flower
presages aught than happiness, then may I, thy loving wife, rest on thy
strong arm, as this rose clung to the oak from which thou pluckedst it.'
Nika was walking solitary, alone.
'Give her a bloom which speaks the language of hope;' and he approached
and gave her the pink-white almond flower.