Glaucia : the Greek slave

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READING OF ST. PAULS EPISTLE.

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GLAUCIA,

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THE GREEK SLAVE

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BY THE AUTHOR OF

"Faithful, but not Famous," "Soldier Fritz," etc.

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THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY,

56, Paternoster Row; 65, St. Paul's Churchyard;

AND 164, PiCCADILLV,

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PREFACE.

IN the following pages an attempt is made to
illustrate some of the many difficulties with
ivhich Christianity had to contend at its first intro-
duction to the great centres of civilization. It was
opposed not merely by the dominant religion and
the prevalent philosophies of the world, but the
whole structure of society formed a barrier to its
progress which seemed insurmountable. It was an
age of atheism and of superstition, of tyranny and
slavery, of boundless wealth and abject poverty,
of reckless cruelty and selfish luxury. Faith and
hope had almost died out from amongst men.
Nothing is more remarkable in the literature of the
period than the tone of deep despair which every-
where prevailed. " Darkness covered the earth,
gross darkness the people."

Christianity entered into conflict with all these
evils armed with no other weapon than the simple
story of the cross, told in loving words by faithful,
prayerful men. That it should make any progress
in such a world of corrupt, luxurious pleasure-seekers,
or of proud, self-satisfied, disdainful philosophers,

vi Preface.

seemed impossible. For what chance of success
had a reHgion whose whole teaching ranged against
itself everything which the popular mind accounted
as worthy of regard ? It had no gorgeous ritual to
dazzle the senses. It held out no hope of wealth
or honour to its votaries. The powerful despised
its weakness. The wise sneered at its foolishness.
The lovers of pleasure shrank from the self-sacrifice
which it demanded. All, save the bravest, trembled
at the fearful perils which its profession involved.
And yet, scorned, hated, persecuted as it was, it
conquered. " The foolishness of God was wiser than
men, and the weakness of God was stronger than
men. . . God hath chosen the foolish things of the
world to confound the wise, the weak things of
the world to confound the mighty, and base things
of the world and things which are despised hath
God chosen ; yea, and things which are not, to
bring to naught things that are ; that no flesh
should glory in His presence."

Whilst many of the names and incidents of the
following story are fictitious, no pains have been
spared to make them accordant with the acknow-
ledged facts of history. A few of the persons
mentioned in the New Testament have been intro-
duced— Dionysius, the Athenian areopagite ; Phoebe,
the deaconess of Corinth ; and Paul, the prisoner
at Rome. If the sketch thus given of the suffer-
ings endured and the victories gained by the early
Christians should strengthen the faith and stimulate
the zeal of its readers, the object of the writer
will have been attained.

CONTENTS.

•K^

CHAP. P^^^

T. The Brother and Sister . . . . • i

II. The Despised Sect 12

III. Athens 24

IV. Laon's Escape ....... 35

V. The MvsterioI^ Prisoner 47

VI. The Feast of Bacchus S^

VII. At Sea .60

viii. An Ancient Dressing-Room .... 81

IX. The Athenian' Church 93

X. The Worship of the Gods .... 105

XI. The Delphic Oracle . . . • . . n?

XII. Decision 129

viii Contents.

THAP. rAOB

xiii. Laon's Search . . » 141

XIV. Friknus in Need ... ... 153

XV. Tidings ... ..... 165

XVI. The Riot 177

XVII. The Meeting ....... 189

XVIII. Tersecution ... .... 201

XIX. Light at Eventide . ' 213

XX. A Roman Funeral 225

XXI. The First Persecution 237

XXII. Conclusion 248

GLAU C I A,

THE GREEK SLAVE.

Si^o^^g.

CHAPTER I.

THE BROTHER AND SISTER.

HE morning sunshine was just gilding the
top of the Capitohne Hill, bringing into
view the parent temple of the imperial
city — the shrine of Jupiter Tonans — but
as yet the shadow still lay on the palaces and
temples below, and only the first faint bustle of
life was heard stirring this heart of the world —
this mistress of nations — Rome.

The slight noise that came, borne on the morning
breeze, did not arise from either temple or palace, but
away from these, down among the busy haunts cf
men moved a motley crowd of men, women, and chil-
dren— Britons, Greeks, and Egyptians for the most
part—whose groans and curses, in different languages,

2 Glancia, the Gi'cck Slave.

mingled with the crack of the whip and the oaths of
their Roman masters. They were a party of slaves
on their way to the market. There was to be a large
auction that day, and so before the rising sun had run
its course, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives,
might be parted for ever.

In the midst of this group walked a boy and girl,
clasping each other by the hand, while the tears occa-
sionally fell from their eyes, and they shuddered at
the oaths they did understand, although much of what
was said was utterly incomprehensible to them. They
had been placed near the middle of the crowd that
the driver's lash might not fall upg)n them, as it would
be likely to deteriorate their value, for these were no
ordinary slaves. The girl looked delicate, but gave
promise of being beautiful, and the boy's lithe, supple,
graceful figure spoke of refinement, such as few of the
rest could boast. They each wore long white linen
tunics, which bespoke their nationality ; and there was
little fear that any one would mistake the noble Greek
outline of the boy as he stooped to whisper some
word of encouragement to his little sister.

" Hush, my Glaucia," he whispered ; " I am
almost a man, and I will work for our freedom,
thine first, and then my own."

But the prospect of parting with her brother was
too near for her to take any comfort from this
promise yet.

"If they had only taken us to the slave-market
at Athens, Laon, some friend might have bought
us together," she sobbed.

The Brother and Sister. 3

" It may be that some one will buy us both now,"
said the lad ; but it was easy to see that the word
"buy" almost choked him as he uttered it, and his
eyes glowed and flashed defiantly at the thought of
his slavery. To Glaucia, however, separation from
her brother was all she could think of at present. She
knew nothing of slavery, for she had only been taken
from a luxurious home a short time before ; but Laon
was her only friend in the wide w^orld now, and she
clung to him with passionate affection.

The slave-market was reached at last, and the poor
creatures were ranged in groups according to their
value, and seated under the porticoes ready for the
inspection of purchasers, but the two young Greeks
were placed by themselves, and Glaucia was directed
to smooth her tumbled hair, and Laon to look less
angry and defiant.

" But I feel angry and defiant," said the boy ;
**thy laws are unjust to allow the Roman creditor
of my father to sell us for his debt."

The man who was arranging the different groups
merely shrugged his shoulders. "It were well for
thee not to question our laws," he said, " but make
thyself as happy as thou canst."

" Happy ! " repeated Laon ; " can a slave ever be
happy .''" and he dashed away the tears that, in spite
of all his efforts, would come welling up to his eyes.

It was Glaucia's turn to try and comfort her brother
now, and as the sunlight came stealing into the
market-place, and a gentle breeze from the Tiber
lifted her golden hair, she said, " See, Laon, our

4 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

goddess Athene hath not forgotten us here in Rome,
and it may be she will still let us be together."

But Laon shook his head sadly. "Athene is
angry. with us, Glaucia, and is punishing us for
what happened years and years ago, soon after
thou wert born.*'

"What was it .^" asked Glaucia. "What could
have made our goddess angry with us 1 Was not our
father one of the noblest Epicureans in Athens ?"

" He was accounted one of the richest," said Laon.

"Then he must have been a favourite with the
gods," said Glaucia.

" Then, dost thou not see, little sister, that as only
the rich are the favourites of the gods we cannot be,
for we are poor ? " said Laon.

" But — but thou saidst something had happened,
Laon — something that hath made our Athene angry
with us. Tell me what it is," she asked, coaxingly.

But Laon shook his head. " Nay, I know not what
it is myself," he said ; " but our old nurse told me
before we left Athens that our mother was not dead,
as we had always supposed, but had offended
Athene."

" Our mother 1 " repeated Glaucia ; " was she kind
to us, as our cousin Apecides' mother was to him }
Oh, Laon, where is she } for we should not be sold
to pay our father's debts if we could only find her,"
she suddenly added.

But Laon only shook his head. " I know nothing
but what our nurse told me ; but I mean to find out
all about it when I am a man."

THE MYSTERIOUS SCROLL.

^ V

TJie Brother and Sister. 5

Glaucia looked at her brother and then at the
tall Roman soldier who came lounging through
the market at this moment, as if measuring them
mentally.

" It will be a long time before thou art a man," she
said.

** I am a man now," said Laon, seriously. " I am
only sixteen, and was a boy a month since, but I shall
never be a boy again, Glaucia. Thinking of thee and
my mother, and how she offended all the gods of
Athens, has changed me, and I want to do a man's
work in the world — to free thee and find my mother,
if she lives."

" Oh, Laon, if we were only free we would go back
to Athens and begin our search. Hast thou any
clue.''" she suddenly asked.

Laon reddened and put his hand to his breast, and
then, after some hesitation, drew forth two small rolls
of parchment.

*' I have these," he said, " one for thee and one for
me ; our nurse Lepida gave them to me, and they
were left in her charge by our mother."

•' Oh, I^aon, let me see," said Glaucia, as he slowly
unrolled one of the slips. They looked at the writing
together, but neither being able to read they could
make nothing of it. " I wish I could understand it,"
said Glaucia. " I will learn to read if I can," she
added.

In a moment the parchment was snatched from her
hand, and Laon's face worked convulsively as he said :

" Glaucia, thou shalt not — must not ! No Greek

6 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

maiden of virtue ever learns that which would at once
defame her. Didst thou never hear why my father
would not let me learn anything — why he grew to
hate learning so much ? "

Glaucia opened her eyes in wondering amazement.
Laon was always so gentle with her, but now he spoke
po passionately that his frame trembled, and he
looked as though he were about to tear up her
precious manuscript.

" What is it — ^what is the matter ? " she asked.

"Glaucia, our mother wrote this," said Laon,
slowly and impressively.

But Glaucia did not seem to be greatly surprised,
and actually said :

** ^ wish I had learned to use the stylus."

ithene preserve thee from such a fate !" said

...cwi:, devoutly. "Glaucia, if I fulfil my mother's

-v's'^ and give thee one of these, mind, thou must keep

xret that our mother ever used the stylus — ever

these words, whatever they may be."

" But thou, Laon, will learn to read, wilt thou not V
asked Glaucia ; " thou wilt want to know what our
mother says to us here 1 "

Laon coloured and hesitated for a minute or two,
but at length he said ;

" Learning is good for a man, but for a woman it is
a shame and disgrace."

" And was it through this that our mother offended
Pallas Athene ?" asked Glaucia.

" Through that and something else," replied Laon,
moodily ; " what the other cause was Lepida would

The Brother and Sister. 7

not tell me, but — but — but, Glaucia, forget thou ever
hadst a mother," he added, quickly.

But the girl shook her head.

** I cannot, Laon," she said ; " that thou hast told
me I can never forget, and when I am a woman I
will take this parchment in my hand and go through
the world in search of my mother."

" I would that I had forgotten to tell thee this, or
tliat Lepida had not charged me so strictly to do so
before we were parted," said the boy.

This allusion to their coming separation brought
the tears to Glaucia's eyes again, but their owner
coming up at this moment she was told to dry them
quickly, as it might prevent him making so good a
bargain. He had brought a customer with him, a
young Roman patrician, who wanted a Greek dancing-
girl to supply the place of one who had died. Laon's
eyes flashed fire as he heard this.

" My sister has never learned to dance, most noble
Roman," he said, boldly.

The gay young Roman looked at Laon, but merely
murmured, "Impudence!" as he passed on. His
master, however, grew furious with passion.

"Is this the proper behaviour for a slave.-*" he
demanded. " Have I not lost enough by thy shame-
less spendthrift father } Ten thousand sesterces
would not pay me for all the trouble I have been at,
and now thou wilt cheat me by making thyself of as
little value as possible."

" My sister cannot dance," said Laon, " and she
shall not be sold for a dancing-girl."

8 Glaucia^ the Greek Slave.

" Ha ! sayest thou so, thou miserable Greek slave !•'
exclaimed the man, striking Laon as he spoke. " I
say she shall be a dancing-girl, for I will have her
taught that she may — "

But here he was interrupted by receiving a blow
it-om Laon that almost stunned him for a moment.
Pie quickly recovered himself, however, and dragging
the boy for^vard knocked him down and kicked him
as he might have kicked a dog, while \Glaucia
screamed and begged him to spare her ""brother,
receiving several blows herself as she tried to screen
him.

Her screams soon brought a crowd of people
together, for the market was fast filling now ; but
no one interfered when they heard the cause of
ihe uproar.

" A couple of young Greeks have turned upon their
master," was the explanation passed from lip to lip,
and by the young men it was laughed at as a good
joke. To poor Laon, however, it was no laughing
matter, for when his master's anger had sufficiently
cooled to allow him to leave off kicking he was quite
unable to rise or even to crawl back to his place
beside Glaucia, and lay groaning with pain until
another slave was ordered to pick him up and carry
him to a shed close at hand.

His master cursed himself for his folly in getting
into a rage with the boy, for he was quite unsaleable
now, and might be for some time, while Glaucia had
spoiled her good looks for the present, owing to her
grief on her brother's account.

The Brother and Sister. 9

She wanted to go with him when he was taken
away, and begged very hard to be allowed to do so,
for at first her master seemed inclined to relent
towards her. The fact was, he was debating the cost
of having Glaucia taught dancing, for as a dancing-
girl she would be of far more value than a waiting-
maid, which was all that she was fit for now, and so if
he decided to do this she might make herself useful
in trying to cure her brother's wounds.

At length, however, he decided to try the chances
of this day's sale, and if he could get a good price for
her at once he would take it and rid himself of any
further trouble in the matter. So Glaucia was told
to go back to her place and not shed another tear
unless she wished to be beaten worse than her brother
had been.

" These cursed Epicureans ! I will never lend them
another sesterce," muttered her master ; " they believe
in nothing but present enjoyment, and as they think
their soul dies with their body, so they seem to think
the whole world is coming to an end with them, and if
things can only be made smooth for them here, it
matters not what happens to others afterward."

Had Laon or his sister uttered this complaint, no
one could have felt surprised, for their father's mis-
deeds were being visited most heavily upon them ; but
Laon could think of nothing now but his poor bruised,
bleeding body, and Glaucia was too full of grief and
anxiety on her brother's account to think of anything
else. Her mind was so full of this all-absorbing
thought that she did not notice the little crowd that

10 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

gradually gatherea rouna ner, until an elderly freed-
man asked a second time what she was crying about.

Glaucia lifted her head then. " Oh, my brother !
my Laon ! " she sobbed; "they have killed him,
kicked him to death." But her master coming
back at this moment, most of the crowd moved
away, but the freedman still remained.

** Thou art a slave for sale .?" he said ; and turning
to her master, asked her price.

" A thousand sesterces, " said the slave-dealer,
shortly.

"A high price for a waiting-maid," remarked the
Roman.

" Too high for thee, I doubt not, for by the helmet
of Caesar thou lookest as though thou didst not
possess the half of that sum," said the man, in a
sneering tone.

^ The eyes of the Roman flashed angrily. " I came
not here to be insulted, but to ask the price of the
slave-girl."

" And I have told thee already — a thousand ses-
terces."

" And I say it is too high ; no one will give so
much for a waiting maid."

"Then I will make a dancing-girl of her ; she will
fetch as much again then," coolly remarked her owner.

" That is true enough, but thou wouldst have to
keep her awhile, so that it would not be all profit.
Wouldst thou not be willing to get the trouble off thy
hands at once for eight hundred sesterces .-* "

The man shook his head. " The debt she is to be

The Brother and Sister. 1 1

sold for is a heavy one, and I will not take less than
the thousand," he said.

The man looked at Glaucia again, and asked her
several questions. *' She is the only Greek girl in the
market this morning," he remarked.

"Yes, that she is, and there is not likely to be
another for some days."

** And my mistress leaves Rome to-morrow, and
will have a Greek waiting^maid before she goes,"
said the freedman, fingering the coins he carried in
his pouch. " Make out thy bill ; I will take the girl,
though I must say it is a high price to charge for
her."

Half an hour afterwards Glaucia left the slave-
market, weeping bitterly for her brother, and wonder-
ing whether they would ever meet again.

y^m^^

CHAPTER II.

THE DESPISED SECT.

GLAUCIA and her guide passed on through the
narrow, tortuous streets of the city, crowded
now with gay chariots, Htters, or silver-harnessed
horses, for the poorer streets v/ere soon left behind,
and they were in the neighbourhood of the Forum,
the aristocratic quarter of Rome. The poor girl
cried until she was almost exhausted, and deep
sobs still shook her slight frame, although her mind
had begun to occupy itself upon the important ques-
tion as to who her owner could be. She had heard
at the time of her purchase that she was to be a
waiting-maid, but beyond this she knew nothing,
and her guide had not once spoken to her since
they left the slave-market.

They passed the Forum, and pressed on with the
crowd through the vast arch of the Porta Capena.
Beyond the city walls, villas and gardens surrounded
them on all sides, and at the gate of one of these
they at last stopped. A crowd of freedmen and
clients, as well as several slaves, were loitering in the

The Despised Sect. 13

vestibule, but they moved aside as Glaucia and her
guide entered. As soon as they had reached the
atrium she was told to sit down, and a female slave
was despatched to inform her mistress of their arrival.

" My mistress is engaged now," said the girl, '* but
as soon as I am summoned to attend her I will tell
her that thou hast come back."

" Then I will leave the girl here," said the man.
" Thou hadst better rest awhile," he added, turning
to Glaucia, and pointing to a cushion lying near.

The poor girl needed no second bidding to rest
herself, for the long walk and previous excitement
had tired her quite out, and in spite of being in a
strange place and her anxiety on account of her
brother, she very soon fell asleep. Just before she
closed her eyes she put her hand into her bosom
to make sure she had not lost her precious manu-
script, and so fell asleep with it in her hand.

Meanwhile her mistress had heard such a glowing
account of Glauc-ia's beauty and sorrowful looks that,
hearing she had fallen asleep in the atrium, she went
to look at her as she lay, and while still standing
near one of her friends entered to pay her farewell
visit, as they were so soon to leave Rome.

*• I have come to look at my new purchase," said
the lady. " Valeria has been teasing me for the last
month to let her have a Greek slave girl, and so I
sent to the market this morning and bought one."

** She does not look like a slave," remarked the
visitor, stooping down and examining her features
more closely.

14 Glaticia^ the Greek Slave,

At the same moment Glaucia started, and the
manuscript fell from her hand at the lady's feet,
who at once picked it up. " What have we
here ? " she said, carelessly opening it as she spoke.
She read a few words, and then handed it
to her hostess, watching her countenance as she
read it.

" How did the girl get this, I wonder .'' " exclaimed
the lady. "But I need not ask," she added; "the
Athenians ever love that which is new and strange,
and so doubtless they were as willing to adopt this
new deity that appeared in Judaea as the Emperor
Tiberius himself, who would have added the name
of Jesus to the roll of our gods and goddesses, and
ven Him a place up in our Pantheon, if the Senate
d not remonstrated against such impiety." And
icing the roll of parchment close to Glaucia again,
i lady turned to her visitor and invited her to enter
: peristyle, where the other members of the family
.. ~re assembled ready to receive visitors, and discuss
the Roman gossip of the day, especially that con-
cerning the Palace, and the extravagant and infamous
Poppsea, who now occupied the throne of the noble-
minded Empress Octavia.

But their visitor knew very little of the doings at
court. " How is it, Julia, thou takest so little interest
in these things now ? " at length asked her hostess,
when, after several questions, the same answer had
been returned.

The lady coloured slightly as she answered, " Our
handsome emperor is less popular with every one

The Despised Sect. 15

than he used to be ; " and she turned to admire some
beautiful wreaths of flowers lying near.

"Valeria will be pleased that her work is admired,
for she is almost as devoted to the service of Flora
as my Claudia is to her tendance at the vestal-
fire of Rome."

" But it was scarcely Claudia's free choice to
become a vestal," remarked the visitor.

The mother's cheek flushed, for she knew it was
a piece of family ambition, as well as to get rid of
the expense of dowering her two daughters, that the
younger had been devoted to the service of the
goddess at eight years old. But a turn in the con-
versation took place now by the entrance of Valeria
to resume her work of flower-weaving, for which
her mother was not sorry.

"Our friend Julia hath been admiring thy woik,
my daughter," said her mother.

The girl looked pleased. " I was in the garden
gathering flowers soon after sunrise this morning,"
she said ; " no slave's fingers have touched these ; "
and she held up her flower-wreath as she spoke.

She was a tall, noble-looking girl of sixteen, with
dark, eager-looking eyes, and a wealth of raven
hair, that almost reached her waist when unbound
from the golden fillet that usually confined it.

Her friend smiled faintly at the earnestness of
the girl's manner, and yet it was easy to see that
deeper thoughts had been stirred within her as she
said : " The simple worship of Flora is certainly
less harmful than the gladiatorial shows, and yet — "

C

Glaiiciay the Greek Slave.

*' Have you any news concerning the arena ? Hath
our emperor appeared as a gladiator yet, for, as thou
knowest, my health will not allow me to mingle much
in the gay world now ? '' interrupted her hostess.

" I have not been to any of the games for some
time," replied Julia, *' not since the emperor shaved
his beard, and enclosing the hair in a box of gold,
dedicated it to Jupiter Capitolinus."

*' It is to be hoped our father of gods and men
valued the gift more highly than I should, for we
mortals are growing tired of his childish vanity."

** Even as he wearies of every one who does not
encourage it," said Julia. " Thou askest for news of
Poppsea, but though I know not anything of her
doings, I have heard the whisper that the emperor is
bent upon the destruction of his former tutor, the
noble philosopher, Seneca, even as he murdered his
mother, Agrippina."

"And Nero owed his throne to his mother's
plotting. Yet he has stained his hands with her
blood," said the hostess.

" Yes, Agrippina hath suffered for her crimes at
her son's hand, for whom they were committed, an3
those whose lives alone adorned his corrupt' 6ckJrt afc^
leaving Rome. The British princess, Claudia, 'anr^
her husband, Pudens, are going to Britain, as well as
Pomponia Graecina."'

" I heard a strange tale the other day concerning
Pomponia," interrupted her hostess. " It was
whispered that she had given up the worship of the
gods of Rome ind joined this miserable sect called

The Despised Sect. 17

Christians, that are hiding in some of the lowest
parts of the city."

Again came the tell-tale blush to her visitor's
cheek, and this time it did not escape notice. " Thou
hast heard the same story, I can see, and blush to
acknowledge that a Roman matron could so degrade
herself."

" There is nothing degrading in the religion of these
Christians," said Julia, timidly.

" Nothing degrading ! when they speak against all
the gods of Rome and every other nation — do not
even believe in their existence at all. Nay, nay, but
they are the pests of society ; and how thou canst
attempt to defend them, my Julia, I am at a loss to
understand."

"Thy judgment of these Christians is unjust, my
Romula ; they are not the pests of society thou
thinkest them ; instead of denying the existence of
all gods, they worship the one great God who made
heaven and earth, and — "

" And who would set Himself above our Jupiter,

if pFle^^couid. Had the God of these Christians been

aclimtted; to our Pantheon He would not have

^ee.n satisfied with any but the highest place," said

>.ornula', angrily interrupting her friend.

The gentle Julia knew not what to say, for, on the
eve of parting with her friend — it might be for ever —
she had no wish to quarrel, and yet truth demanded
that she should say something now : " I wish I could
make thee understand something of these Christians
and their religion."

i8 Glaiicia^ the Greek Slave.

'■' But I do not want to understand or to hear any-
thing about them ; it is like thee, my Julia, to try and
defend them for the sake of thy friend Pomponia ;
thou wouldst do the same for Valeria or Claudia,
I know, if any one spoke against their favourite
goddesses. But let me give thee a word of advice.
I am older and wiser than thou, and believe me,
this sect will bring upon themselves great trouble by-
and-by through their arrogance ; and to be known
as their friend may involve thee in the same diffi-
culty ; so be wise in time, and never give any one
the opportunity of calling thee a Christian."

"But I am a Christian," said Julia, quickly; and
as the words left her lips she grew as pale as the
marble Venus near which she sat.

" Thou — art — a — Christian ! " repeated Romula,
drawing aside her robe, as though the touching of
her friend's garments would contaminate her. She
spoke with bated breath, almost in a whisper, but
Valeria and every one else heard it.

She dropped the wreath she was weaving to gaze
at Julia, who sat with her face buried in her hands,
trembling almost as mucli as the mimosa leaves in
the porphyry urn close by.

" A Christian ! " repeated the girl ; " those evil
people are only fit to fight with wild beasts in the
a-rena."

No one else spoke for several minutes, and the
rustle of the leaves growing in the hanging baskets
between the marble columns could be heard in the
dread silence that followed Julia's confession. At

The Despised Sect k

length, however, she conquered her emotior
sufficiently to say, ** Thou wilt hold this confession <
secret for the present, Romula ? " as she rose to tak(
her departure.

Her hostess bowed, but did not reply, and Julia lefl
the peristyle in silence. As she reached the curtair
at the entrance she paused for a moment, and ther
turning towards her friends, said, in a firm, gentk
voice : " May the Lord Christ bless thee, Romula, and
thy children with thee;" and she passed on towards
her litter, which was waiting outside.

In the atrium, however, she was overtaken by
her friend. The love between them had been ver)
strong, and could not be killed in an instant
although Romula still shrunk from any contaci
with her visitor.

"One moment, Julia," she said, pausing near th(
centre where stood the images of the household gods
the Lares and Penates ; and glancing at them sh(
forbore to advance a step further, although he
visitor was near the opposite entrance and the slav(
in attendance had drawn aside the curtain. " A,
thou knowest, we leave Rome for Athens to-morrow
and it may be that trouble will come to thee by-and
by ; if it should be so, and thou needest a refuge
thou mayest be sure of my protection," said the lady
and without waiting to see the effect of her word
upon Julia, she returned to the peristyle. Her visit t
the atrium had brought to her mind what she ha^
almost forgotten in her conversation with Julia — th
arrival of her daughter's slave ; but seeing Glauci

20 Glaucia^ the Greek t>lave,

was awake, she sent for her as soon aS she reached
the peristyle.

" Now, Valeria, this is thy maid, and I hope thou
wilt be satisfied with her," said the lady, rather
testily, for the occurrence of the morning had
somewhat ruffled her temper.

Valeria looked up from her flowers, and beckoned
the slave to come nearer. " Canst thou weave
flower- wreaths for Flora.'*" she asked.

" I have woven them for Pallas Athene," replied
Glaucia.

" Dost thou worship Pallas Athene } " asked the
elder lady.

Glaucia looked as though she did not understand
the question. "Athene is the goddess of Athens,
the great goddess of light, and wisdom, and
knowledge," she said.

"And thou didst worship her when thou wast
in Athens 1 " asked her mistress.

" Yes, and I worship her in Rome, too," said
Glaucia.

" But thou hadst a roll of parchment in thy hand
to-day ; where didst thou get it } "

" My brother gave it me ; " and at the mention of
her brother Glaucia burst into a passionate flood of
tears.

The elder lady frowned as she said, " Girl, thou
forgettest thou art a slave."

Glaucia had forgotten it for a moment, but she
choked back her tears now and tried to restrain her
sobs as she said :

TJie Despised Sect, 21

" I shall never see my brother again."

" Perhaps not," coolly remarked the lady ; *' but tell
me about this manuscript now. Have you read it t "

Glaucia shook her head.

" I cannot read," she said.

" Then thou knowest nothing of the writing," said
the lady, "and the parchment had better be de-
stroyed."

But Glaucia seized it in a moment.
. " Oh ! no, no ! " she said, tears again rolling down
her cheeks ; " my brother gave it to me, and I must
keep it ; do, pray, do let me keep it," she added.

" Yes, let her keep it, my mother," interposed
Valeria at this moment ; " she is my slave, as thou
knowest, and I will take care that no one else shall
see this keepsake ; it is for slaves, I suppose," she
added, " and would make them dissatisfied if they
only read it."

The elder lady was annoyed, but being too indolent
to contest the point with her daughter, Glaucia was
allowed to keep her precious manuscript, and it being
time for the second daily bath she was handed over
to the care of a slave who was to instruct her how
to prepare the unguents and powders used by her
young mistress, as well as in the general duties
of a lady's maid.

A few hours later in the day Claudia, the vestal,
came to wish her parents and sister farewell, for their
stay in Athens might be for many years, and so it
was uncertain when or how they would meet
again.

22 GlaiicitXy the Greek Slave,

The meeting between the sisters w'as a very
affectionate one, for Valeria looked up with reverence
to her sister, although she was younger ; for the life
of a vestal was considered the noblest and holiest to
which a woman could aspire, and the sacred six were
chosen from the oldest and purest patrician families
in Rome. Highest among these were the Gracchi, a
fact never forgotten by either Romula or her two
daughters, for to the vestal the honour of her family
was as dear and sacred as the shrine she served,
and to Valeria no less so, although she looked upon
her father's study and love of philosophy as being
almost as sacred.

Sempronius Gracchus aspired to be a philosopher,
and that was why the family were now leaving Rome,
for Athens was to him greater than even Rome itself
— as much greater as mind and thought are than
mere brute strength and force of ai*ms : for these
different arenas of power, both now contending for
the mastery of the world, did the rival cities
represent. Athens ruled the world of mind and
thought, as Rome ruled the outer world by force of
arms.

To study in the academy and walk beneath the
shadow of the plane-trees where Plato and Socrates

■ taught, and Demosthenes uttered his soul-stirring
words, was the ambition of many a Roman mind just

] now ; and all the traditions of the past in which his
family had been foremost in promoting the advance-

, ment of the imperial city could not keep Sempronius

J from gratifying his longing to go to Athens. His

TJie Despised Sect. 23

younger daughter, the vestal, looked upon this as an
insult to Rome and a slight to her gods, and to
her sister Valeria she confided this feeling before
she left.

. ** Let Greece keep her philosophers, and Rome
her heroes, but let not the heroes seek to be philo-
sophers/' she said, " or the gods will be offended and
our name disgraced."

** Our noble father will never disgrace the name
of the Gracchi ! " said Valeria, warmly.

Her sister looked doubtful. " I am glad I am a
vestal and devoted to the service of our Rome — to
keep her hearth-fire burning when others are forsaking
her. For the sake of our family too I am glad, for
which of our ancestors ever forsook the gods or the
heroes of Rome t "

In vain Valeria protested that her father was
not likely to forsake either. The vestal shook her
head. '* The defection has begun, and who can tell
what the end may be !" and still lamenting this, she
returned to her duties at the temple, leaving Valeria
vaguely unhappy, for she looked upon her sister's
words as oracles that must be fulfilled.

CHAPTER III.

ATHENS.

A VESSEL had been chartered to conv^ey Sem-
pronius Gracchus and his family to Athens^
and when, after many days' sailing, they at length
came within sight of the numerous islands of the
Archipelago, the spirits of the whole party revived,
and Glaucia was eagerly asked by her fellow-slaves
whether they were within sight of Athens.

" No : we shall see the temple of Pallas Athene
first," answered Glaucia ; " it stands on the height
of Sunium, that sea and land alike may share the
goodness of our goddess in her gift of light."

**But there is a statue of Minerva on the Acro-
polis, that the sailors may worship without entering
her temple," said Valeria, who was standing near.

" Minerva ! " repeated Glaucia. " The Athenians
worship Athene, not Minerva."

Her mistress smiled at her ignorance. "We
Romans worship Athene under the name of
Minerva," she said. "Flora, the goddess of kind-
ness and beneficence, as well as flowers, and

Athens. 25

Minerva, the goddess of knowledge, are my favourite
deities."

Glaucia look pleased. " Knowledge is good," she
said, " at least for men, but for women it is only evil,
Laon told me."

She ventured to mention her brother's name to her
young mistress occasionally, and Valeria allowed her
to do it as a sort of reward for her industry and atten-
tion to her varied wants. Glaucia had striven hard to
learn the duties of her new station, although it had
been anything but easy to conform to the condition of
a slave, and but for Valeria's kindness and considera-
tion would have been almost intolerable. Deprived
of her usual occupation of preparing votive offerings
for her favourite deity, Valeria had been glad to talk
to her little Greek waiting-maid sometimes, and their
conversation had generally been upon Athens ; and
so they now stood together at the prow of the vessel
watching for the first glimpse of the temple and far-
famed statue of the Acropolis.

Glaucia burst into tears when she caught sight ol
the helmeted goddess, with her glittering brazen
spear, towering above all the surrounding temples,
columns, and statues, and attracting every eye by
its glowing brightness.

*' It is gold !" exclaimed Valeria, when she saw it.

But Glaucia shook her head. " It is more precious
than gold, Laon says, for it is made out of the
spears and shields our heroes took at the battle
of Marathon."

At last the landing was reached — the Piraeus, with

26 Glaitcia, the Gi'cek Slave.

its warehouses and covered porches, the all-dominant
eagles of Rome floating in the breeze from every flag-
staff along the shore. To walk the solid earth again
was a relief to all the wayfarers, but to Giaucia it was
more welcome than to any one else, when she reflected
that she was in Athens, though even her native land
could not be to her what it once was, since Laon was
not with her to share it. As they entered the city
itself, and Giaucia watched the admiration visible in
every face her heart glowed with pride and pleasure.

" Athens is more beautiful than Rome," whispered
Giaucia ; and truly they were surrounded with such
treasures of art as the world has never since equalled.
Statues of Neptune, Jupiter, Ceres, Minerva, Apollo,
Mercury, and the Muses met their eyes one after
another in quick succession. Porticoes, with battle-
pieces painted on their fronts, colossal figures of
Conon, Epaminondas, Demosthenes, and other illus-
trious Athenians, all gems of the sculptor's art, were
there in all their beauty and grandeur. " But our
Parthenon is the most beautiful of all," she continued,
with ' glowing cheeks, as she turned to her young
mistress.

" Yes, I have heard of it," said Valeria ; " thou shalt
guide me thither to-morrow, and we will together
present our votive offerings to Minerva, or Athene
as thou lovest to call her."

Glaucia's eyes slowly filled with tears. " Alas !
who will care for the votive offering of a slave } " she
said. "Our great Athene would be insulted by the
worship of such as I am now."

A thens. 27

Valeria looked at lier little waiting-maid pityingly.
" Is there no religion for slaves here in Athens ? " she
said.

** Which among our gods would accept the devotion
of slaves ? and yet — and yet I should like to go to the
Parthenon once more," said Glaucia, earnestly.

" Thou shalt go, Glaucia, and thy offering shall be
equal to mine, that the goddess may not be offended,"
said Valeria, impulsively.

The house that had been taken for them at Athens
was not unlike the Roman villas on the banks of
the Tiber, for Roman houses were becoming quite
the fashion in Athens, as Grecian manners and cus-
toms were the rage at Rome ; and, choosing a bath
and bedroom for herself, Valeria took care that there
should be one near her own for Glaucia, instead of
sending her to the slaves' apartments, near the atrium,
or entrance-hall. She was likewise careful that the
statue of Flora should be duly honoured immediately
upon her arrival; and as there were no flowers suit-
able in their own garden, which had been somewhat
neglected of late, Glaucia was at once sent to the
market to buv some.

How often Glaucia had walked in the agora or
market-place with Laon and her nurse in the happy
bygone days ! but looking back now it seemed years
since she had rested beneath those shady porticoes,
or ran races with Laon, while their nurse bargained
for fruit or flowers, or some articles of daily food.
There were the same things ranged in the diffe-
rent booths now — books and parchments on one

28 Glaticia, the Greek Slave.

side, and various luxuries on the, other. But the
booth that moved Glaucia most deeply was that
for the sale of slaves, for it brought back to her
mind more vividly than ever that awful morning
when she sat in the slave-market and saw her
brother beaten almost to death. Where was he
now ? What had happened to him since ? Had
he recovered from his injuries and been sold into
slavery, like herself, and had he found a master
as kind as Valeria, or was he still lingering in pain
and anguish, with no one to tend him or say a
word of comfort to him? If these questions could
only be answered — if she could only know what had
happened, or be sure that some one cared for her
brother still, she thought she should be satisfied.

But who was there to care for poor slaves ? The
gods would not notice them. Kind and pitiful as
Athene might be, she could not stoop to care for
the sorrows of the poor. They might share her
common gifts of light and air, and whatever scraps
of knowledge might fall in their way, but her special
favours could only be bestowed on the wealthy and
noble.

As she had her basket filled with the costly flowers
that were to decorate the shrine of Flora, she echoed
her mistress' words with a sigh : " Is there no religion
for the poor ? " and her words were uttered half aloud
— at least loud enough ft)r a venerable-looking man
who was passing to hear them, and pausing for a
moment he said, *' Hast thou never heard of the
religion that has been specially sent for the poor } "

Athens. 20

Glaucia lifted her large sorrowful eyes to the
stranger's face. " A religion for slaves ! " she uttered ;
" who would be the god of slaves ? "

" God Almighty and His Son, the Lord Christ,"
said the stranger, reverently.

Glaucia had never heard the name of Christ before.
''The Lord Christ," she repeated, "is He very
great?"

"Yes, greater than any of the gods worshipped in
Athens," said the old man.

But Glaucia shook her head. "Thou dost forget
our great Zeus, the father of gods and men, whose
statue guards the tribunal of the Pynx."

" He is greater than Zeus, and kinder than Pallas
Athene," said the stranger.

"Where is His statue ? " asked the girl. " Shall I
find it in the Parthenon or on the Acropolis } Tell me
where I shall find it ; for if He is the god of slaves I
will ask Him to befriend my brother, who is a slave
too."

"The Lord Christ hath no statue in Athens or
at Rome," replied the man ; " those who worship
Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."

They had been standing in the market while this
conversation took place, but glancing at the sun
Glaucia noticed that she had already been a long time
from home, and so, picking up her basket of flowers,
she said hastily, " I must not tarry longer now, for
these are for the shrine of Flora, which must be
decked befote sunset."

' If thou art sent on an errand I would not hinder

30 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

thee, although I would fain tell thee something of the
love of the Lord Christ," said the old man.

" I may come to the market to-morrow perhaps,
but I cannot stay longer now," said Glaucia ; and she
' hurried away, wondering who this new god could be
• that the old man had told her of, and half hoping,
half believing she should see his image in the Parthe-
non, in spite of what the stranger had told her to the
contrary.

A family so devoted to the service of Jupiter and
the gods as the Gracchi were, would not fail to
present a splendid offering at the shrine of the princi-
pal deity to celebrate their arrival in Athens, and so,
early the next morning, oxen, with gilt-tipped horns,
and decked with garlands of ribbon and flowers, were
led by white- robed priests to the place of sacrifice, in
presence of the Roman philosopher and his family.

The day following, Valeria ordered her litter early
in the morning, and attended by six of her father's
servants and Glaucia, paid her promised visit to the
Parthenon. The rocky crags of the Acropolis con-
trasting with, the dazzling whiteness of this polished
marble temple heightened the effect of its loveliness ;
but, splendid as its external appearance was, it paled
before the exquisite variety of its interior, with its
magnificent friezes, and that matchless work of art,
the statue of Minerva, sculptured by the hand of
Phidias, and glittering with gold and ivory.

An overpowering sense of awe bowed the heads
and hearts of both the girls as they paused at the
entrance of the Parthenon, and for a moment they

A tJiens, 3 1

>»ere equals, but only for a moment, for, with a rush
of feeling, Glaucia remembered that she was a slave,
and their great goddess Athene would not stoop to
accept the devotion of slaves.

She knelt beside Valeria, and burned the incense
with her, but still feeling that it was a vain service —
that there was an impassable gulf, that never could be
bridged, between her and the great goddess — that she
was a slave, and had nothing to do with all this sur-
passing beauty by which she was surrounded, and so,
instead of feeling happier for her visit, she felt more
restless than ever, and the longing grew more intense
to know something of the religion for slaves, that the
old man in the market-place spoke of.

She had looked in vain among the statues of the
gods for one of this new deity, but she did not tell
her mistress how disappointed she felt at not finding
another added to the roll. In fact, she had not spoken
of her meeting with the old man at all, but she began
to wish now for another opportunity of seeing him, to
hear more of the Lord Christ, who had come to be
the God of the poor and the enslaved. But several
weeks passed before Glaucia was again sent to the
market, for her time was fully occupied when not in
immediate attendance upon her mistress, in assisting
to prepare those unguents and perfumes so lavishly
used by the Roman ladies of that time. At length,
however, Valeria needed something that only Glaucia
could be trusted to fetch, and so she was sent.

With a beating heart and anxious gaze among
those who crowded the different booths did Glaucia

D

52 Glaucia, tJie Greek Slave.

press on, looking for the old man she had seen before.
But although she peered under every shady portico
she passed, and lingered at the entrance of the slave
booth, hoping to see him among them, he did not
appear, and at length she was obliged to make her
purchase, and turning her steps homeward was about
to leave the agora, when her attention was drawn to a
little crowd near the entrance, and on going nearer
she saw the old man she had been in search of
mounted on a stone, and speaking in a loud tone to
the little crowd before him.

" Fellow-citizens, ye remember the Jew of Tarsus,
who came a few years ago and spoke in the agora
here, as well as on Mars' Hill. Some who are listen-
ing to me now listened to him then, when he came to
make known to us the God whom the wisest and best
of our philosophers spoke of as the * Unknown God.'
Ye have altars in this our Athens to the great
Jehovah, but no one has dared to erect a statue, for
He is too great to dwell in any form or any temple
made with hands, for He created the heavens, and the
earth, and all nations and conditions of men dwelling
upon it ; and as our own poet said, we all are His
offspring, although we know it not, and grope for
Him Jike children in the dark. Plato and Socrates
stretched out weary hands in their search for Him, but
when the fulness of time had come the Unknown
made Himself known by His Son, the Lord Christ,
who took the nature of a man, and suffered all the
griefs and woes of a man, and at last even the death
of a slave, that He might declare fully the love God

Athens. 33

felt for His offspring still, and that after death there
was hope of eternal reunion with Him in heaven —
reunion with our lost but loved ones, whom the grave
has hidden from our view, but who will yet rise again
to immortal life through the power of Christ, who has
redeemed them.

** Paul of Tarsus declared this before the noblest of
our citizens, but I can only speak with a faltering
tongue of what I learned then, and would fain have
you remember still. I am not learned, as many of
the Athenians are. I never studied in the schools,
and know little of the philosophy that is accounted so
great. But I have learned what neither the Stoics nor
Epicureans could teach — the love of God shining in
the face of Jesus Christ. I know that He became
man that He might bear our sins and pity and soothe
our sorrows, and I would have you know and believe
in Him too, for life has many burdened and many
sorrows, especially for the poor and friendless, and He
would fain be the God of the poor and despised — the
slaves as well as free citizens."

Glaucia could not wait to hear more, but she had
heard enough to make her wish for this God to be her
God. If all were true that this old man said, what
good news it was for the world ! She had seen the
altar dedicated " To the Unknown God " spoken of by
the old man, and she had asked who offered sacrifice
here and to which of their gods it was dedicated, but
the only answer she had received was, that He had
never yet left the heights of Olympus or allowed
mortal or hero to see His form. But could it be true

34 Glauda, the Greek Slave.

that if He was so great He would condescend to
be the God of slaves ?

The old man said He would, but the news seemed
too great, too good to be received very readily, and
Glaucia went home in a maze of perplexing hopes
and fears that made her quite forgetful of the lapse
of time, and that the hour for preparing her mistress's
bath had already passed.

) CHAPTER IV.

laon's escape.

WE must return once more to the slave-market
of Rome, where we left Laon. When the
British slave who had carried him away from the
market to the shed at the back, and laid him on
the straw in the corner, saw how much he was
injured he did not think it necessary to close the
door.

** He will never move again, I expect," he said
softly to himself; "but he is a brave boy, though
a Greek, and would have made a hero if he had
only been a Briton ; " and he turned a pitying look
on the young Greek as he spoke.

Laon had not moved or given the least sign of
life, and when the slave went back he whispered to
another that the boy was dead, but no one dared
to mention this in the hearing of their master, lest
his anger should be turned against them ; and it
was not until after Glaucia was sold and the
Briton himself had found another master, that the
report reached his owner's ears.

^6 G/aucia, ihs Greek Slave.

Meanwhile Laon had slowly recovered from the
fainting fit and become sensible of a burning thirst
as Avell as the pain and stiffness of all his limbs.
How badly these were cut and bruised he did not
know until he attempted to turn round to look for
some water, and then with a deep groan he fell
back upon the straw, and did not attempt to move
again for some minutes, until the raging thirst over-
came even his pain and stiffness, and by a desperate
effort he at length succeeded in crawling to the
door in search of some water.

Not a jar or a pitcher could he see close at hand,
but at some distance away, across the strip of
waste ground that served for a slave-pen, he noticed
a tank at which a mule was drinking, and he resolved
to try and reach it, for water he must have or he
should die. His anxiety concerning Glaucia even
was swallowed up in his burning desire for a draught
of water, and he set off on the painful, toilsome
quest, sometimes creeping and then crawling on his
hands and knees until the tank was reached, and he
stooped down and drank and bathed his head and
face.

To get back to the shed, however, without resting
seemed an impossibility, and so he crept under a
pile of loose boards close by for shelter from the
blazing sun, and he had not been there long before
he was fast asleep. To his surprise and alarm the
sun had set before he awoke, and the first sounds
that met his ear were the voices of two men talking
over the market business of the day.

LaoiUs Escape. 37

"The Greeks are both gone," he heard him say
*' Fulvius sold the girl, and kicked the boy to
death ! "

** Kicked him to death ! " repeated the other.
" He has got away, or the demons have carried
off his body if he died, for no one has seen him
lately."

" Poor wretch ! I hope he will escape then, for
Fulvius will not give him another chance, I know.
I am glad the girl is sold," he added, " and I hope
she will have a good mistress."

" She was bought for one of the Gracchi ; I hear
it was their freedman who bought her."

Laon forgot everything as he lay and listened
with intense earnestness to these words. He was
thought to be dead, or escaped, and Glaucia was
sold. His mind was soon made up as to hovv he
would act now ; he would make good his escape or
die in the attempt, and the thought of being once
more free seemed to endue him with new strength
and courage, and his joy was so great that he fofgot
wounds and bruises, as well as the dangers by which
he was surrounded.

He felt inclined to shout his rejoicings as he lay,
but prudence warned him to keep perfectly quiet for
the present, and not to attempt to gef^irther until
the shadows of night had fallen. Lying there he
soon became sensible of feeling very hungry as well
as thirsty again, but his limbs were not so stiff as they
had been in the morning, and when at last it grew
dark enough for him to venture from his hiding-

38 Glaucia^ the Greek Slave.

place, he was able to walk, although with pain and
difficulty.

Once away from the slave-market, he had to
consider which road he should take. He was a
stranger in Rome, but he thought if he could find
its poorest quarter he might hide safely there for
a few days, and then go in search of Glaucia
and some employment for the future. Choosing
the loneliest roads, and avoiding every chance
passenger he met, Laon crept on his toilsome way
until he reached a narrow lane, at the corner of
which was a hostelry, and a group of gladiators
were sitting near the threshold watching a qua-
ternion of soldiers who, with a prisoner in charge,
had just passed.

*'What say you, my Lepidus, shall we see yonder
Jew in the arena t Criminals have not been so
plentiful of late that w^e can afford to let them
escape when we have a fine Numidian lion to be
tickled."

" How know you that the prisoner is a Jew } "
asked one of his companions.

" Oh ! 'tis easy enough to tell a Jew," said the
gladiator ; and he went on to talk of his supposed
combatant the ** Numidian lion."

"The games must be kept up and the people
amused, or they will grow dissatisfied and ask too
closely about the emperor's mother and her sudden
death, and why the Jewish proselyte Poppaea sits
on the throne of Octavia."

"Our Nero would know how to answer them as

Laoiis Escape. 39

well as how to play on the lute before them/*
replied another, carelessly.

'' Thou art a mole, Burbo, and by the helmet of
Csesar thou wilt never be any wiser. Didst thou
not hear to-day that Poppsea hated this Jew as
much as those who brought him from Judaea ?
Now couldst thou not see why he will be con-
demned } "

" To please Poppsea, thou wouldst say," replied
the other, sullenly.

"' To please Poppaea, and Rome too ; all men hate
this new sect called Christians, of which this prisoner
is the champion ; but to see him in the arena with
the lion will please them better than seeing Nero
himself! Indeed I have heard it whispered that
they have wearied somewhat of our emperor's per-
formances of late."

" 'Tis well they never weary of the sword and
cestus, or what would become of our trade } " And
the speaker stretched out his brawny arms as he
spoke, and almost knocked Laon down, who had
paused to rest rather too near the group.

" By Pollux, there is some one here ! " he said,
jumping up as he spoke ; and the next minute Laon
found himself in the vice-like grip of the brawny
gladiator, who dragged him out of the shadow into
the full glare of the light. " Now, then, who art
thou that comest creeping in the way of a gladia-
tor } " said the man, giving him a shake that almost
threw him down.

Laon was trembling with apprehension, but he

40 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

looked up boldly in the man's face as he answered,
" I am a Greek and a stranger in Rome."

" Greek or Roman, by the helmet of Caesar thou
wouldst make a fine gladiator," said the man, looking
at the boy's limbs admiringly.

" He looks as though he had been in the arena
already," said another, noticing the wounds and
bruises on his face, arms, and legs.

Laon was in an agony of terror lest his secret
should be discovered or they should suspect he was
a runaway slave, and so he said quickly, " Do
gladiators earn money.''"

A loud burst of laughter greeted this question.
"Dost thou think we train ourselves into beasts for
the love of it .'* " asked one.

" We come to love it at last, though," put in
another.

" Ah, when a gladiator has once seen blood, he
is like the tiger that tastes it — he is ever craving for
more and more ! 'Tis a glorious life, and a merry
one, I can tell thee, boy. Hast thou a mind to be a
gladiator } " he asked.

" I want to earn some money as soon as I can,"
said Laon, dubiously.

" And thou thinkest it can be done in the arena.
Well, thou crowest like a genuine rooster, though I
doubt not thou hast run away from home, and thy
mother is crying her eyes out for thee, and thou
yet bearest the marks of thy father's whipping."

"I have neither father nor mother," said Laon,
" but I have a sister I want to help."

Laoiis Escape, 41

" Gladiators are best without sisters. 'Tis the
thought of the weak women that is apt to make
cowards of them, when they should be brave and
face death with a shout as loud as the audience and
the emperor himself"

'' I should not like to die until I have saved
Glaucia," m.urmured Laon, half to himself and half
aloud.

" There is no favour shown in the arena, and thy
blood is as likely to soak the sand when thou art
dragged out as that thou shouldst tap a fresh wine
skin with the sesterces thou hast earned. What
sayest thou, boy, canst thou brave the chances and
enter the lists with us } Our master is in want of
a few more pupils ; and I'll promise thee entrance
at our school, and no questions asked either."

This last promise had more weight with Laon than
anything else, and he boldly answered, " We can but
die once, and I may live to see Glaucia free."

" Well done, youngster ; said I not he was a
genuine rooster } " added the man, turning to
his companions. " Pass down the drinking-cups,"
he commanded ; " he shall taste of the wme that
fires a true gladiator's blood ; " and the cup was
placed in Laon's hand.

He sipped a little, but, truth to tell, he would
greatly have preferred a draught of cold water and
a few green figs to the choicest wine in Rome, but
he was afraid to tell his rough hosts, and so he
tried to drink as much of their sour wine as he could.

" So thou art a stranger in Rome } " said the one

42 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

who had put most of the questions to him and
appeared to be the leader of the party.

" Yes, I came from Athens but a few weeks
since."

" And thought to find the imperial city paved
with gold, I'll warrant," said the man.

" I had rather it were strewn with green figs
just now," replied Laon ; " but neither figs nor
gold seems very plentiful here."

" Wait till thou winnest the purse of gold in the
arena," said one ; " thou wilt have something
better than green figs."

" But if I wait until then I shall not want
them at all," said Laon. Hunger was making him
bold, but his boldness pleased the men much better
than anything else could have done, and one of
them called to the landlord to bring some green
figs and bread at once, and Laon was ordered
to eat as much as he could.

" Eat like a gladiator, though it is not gladiator's
food," said one, pushing the supper towards the boy.

Laon needed no second bidding, for he had not
tasted food since the morning, and as he ate he
listened eagerly to the talk going on around him,
for it had turned upon the great families of Rome
who patronized and encouraged the games. He
hoped to hear that of the Gracchi ; he had not for-
gotten the name mentioned by the man when talk-
ing of Glaucia, and he resolved to ask some ques-
tions about them, where they lived, and whether
they were reputed to be kind to their slaves.

Laon^s Escape. 43

But, to his disappointment, although several
patrician families were talked about, this was not
one of them. These men, rough and coarse as they
were, gave instruction, it seemed, to some of the
proudest ladies of Rome in the use of boxing-gloves
and single-stick, and these were talked of quite
freely, but no one mentioned the name he was
longing to hear.

When the men had finished their carousal, and
rose to go home, one of them asked the landlord
of the inn to let Laon sleep under the benches, pro-
mising to call for him in the morning to take hifri
to the school and introduce him to the master.

The landlord looked suspiciously at Laon, ,but
did not like to offend his rough customers by a
refusal, especially when he heard that Laon himself
was to be trained for a gladiator, and so bade him
welcome to a heap of straw that lay in the back
part of the house, which was certainly better accom-
modation than Laon had expected to receive.

Early the next morning he was awakened by the
low growl of a dog, and springing to his feet as
quickly as his stiffened limbs would allow, he saw the
surly-looking landlord gazing earnestly at him.

"Well, my young bacchanalian, thou mayest
feast at the gladiator's expense, but thou shalt not
at mine, for if thou art not a runaway slave I
never saw one."

Laon turned crimson, but did not lose his pre-
*;ence of mind. " I am a Greek," he said, quickly,
* and how call ye one of my nation a slave ? '*'

^

44 Glaticia, the Greek Slave,

" Ye are all slaves," said the man, sneerlngly ;
"thy country is but a Roman province, subject to
the laws and will of the emperor, like all the rest
of the world."

Laon clenched his fist angrily. "Are there no
heroes but Romans ? " he asked ; then, remember-
ing that if it came to an open quarrel between
them he should inevitably get worsted and perhaps
lose his freedom again, he wisely turned away with-
out saying any more, and went out into the lane
to watch for his friend the gladiator.

The place was busy enough now in the early
morning sunshine, for the country people living in
the villages outside the city walls were bringing in
fruit and vegetables, ice and flowers, and were urging
on their pannier-laden mules with shouts and blows
quite as lustily bestowed as any street-seller of the
present day. Laon had to keep very close to the
threshold and occasionally dive inside the house
to avoid being run over, for the street was narrow and
the traffic considerable ; and there being no pathway
for the convenience of foot-passengers, they had to
thread their way in between the vehicles, or dive and
dodge along from doorway to doorway in a fashion
more exciting than agreeable. Some of the streets
of his native Athens were no better, so that the
sight was not altogether new to Laon, and yet he
stood idly watching one after another as they
passed him and went up the street, until he felt
positively interested in their various movements.

At last his attention was caught by a young girl

LAON AND THE BLIND GIRL.

LaoiCs Escape. 45

who came carefully picking her way along by the wall,
listening, as it seemed, rather than looking, at the
vehicles as they passed along. Moving a little closer,
Laon saw that her eyes were closed, and at the same
time a man called out to a clumsy market-woman
who was urging her mule close to the wall, "Mind
the blind girl ! "

Whether she heard or not she paid no heed to the
caution, and Laon darted out and dragged the girl
inside the door only in.': time to save her from being
run over.

'* I give thee thanks," said the girl, gently lift-
ing lier sightless but now widely-opened eyes to
Laon's face. They were lovely eyes, dark and
liquid^* in spite of their blindness.

'* Thou shouldst not come out alone," said Laon, as
he watched for an opportunity to place her in the
right direction.

" I am quite used to going about the city by
myself, but this morning errand is the worst I have
to perform," she said ; and then for the first time
Laon noticed that she carried a small basket in
her hand.

" Let me carry this and guide thee as far as thou
art going," said Laon, attempting to take the basket
out of her hand as he spoke.

But the girl would not give it up.

" No, no," she said, ** it is not heavy, I can carry it
myself; but if thou art not busy and can go with me
to the end of the lane, I shall feel thankful."

'* I will go with thee until thou art out of danger,""

E

4^ Glaiiciay iJie Greek Slave.

said Laon ; and he took the girl's hand as he spoke,
and she once more stepped out into the busthng
crowd.

They walked on to the end of the lane, Laon
carefully guarding and guiding his companion all the
way. She wanted him to leave her then, but he
refused, for the street they were now in was wider but
quite as crowded, and so this was passed and another,
and they began to draw near the military quarter of
the city. At one of the houses a soldier was posted,
plainly showing that a prisoner lodged there, and
before this the blind girl stopped.

" I am grateful for thy kindness to one so helpless
and friendless," she said, turning towards him before
she ascended the steps ; '* I cannot reward thee, but
the Lord will at the day of His appearing," she
added, and she was allowed to enter the house
without a word of question from the sentinel on
duty*,

CHAPTER V.

THE MYSTERIOUS PRISONER.

LAON stood looking at the house after the girl
had entered it, wondering who the prisoner
within could be, and half disposed to wait until she
came out again to question her. To speak to the
sentinel standing in front was useless — he might as
well question the statue of Apollo opposite, for the
result would be the same ; and so after a few minutes
he wandered back to the hostelry, just in time to
meet the gladiator who had come to take him to
the school.

" Hast thou had anything to eat, boy ? " he asked,
clapping him on the 'shoulder with rough good
humour.

" No ; I have been through the streets, but found
neither gold nor green figs," said Laon, smiling.

" Green figs ! " repeated the gladiator, con-
temptuously ; and he struck his giant-like fist on one
of the stands near, and called, in a stentorian voice,
"Serve us some meat quick, or, by Jupiter, I will
kill and eat thee ! "

48 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

The landlord was used to his customer, and came
forward with a dish of half-raw meat, smiling as
pleasantly as possible.

** There, boy, that's worth all the green figs in
the market," said the gladiator, seizing a piece
and pushing the rest towards Laon.

He looked as though he would dispute this
statement. Figs would have been much more to his
taste than such meat as this, but he was hungry,
and moreover very unwilling to offend his bene-
factor; but he could not wholly repress his disgust
as he looked at the half-raw, coarse food, and
the man noticed it.

" Come, my young rooster, thou wilt never make
one of our brave band if thou disdainest our food,"
he said, in a half-offended tone.

" I am not used to it," said Laon, and after he had
eaten a few mouthfuls he pushed the dish aside.
" Thanks for my first gladiator meal," he said ; " I
am now ready for the work."

" Thou'lt never be fit for our work unless thou dost
eat our food," said the man ; *' but thou shalt see
some of it this morning. Come along," he added,
striding out as he spoke.

The renowned school of the gladiators was not far
off^ and in a few minutes Laon was introduced to the
master of the establishment. He looked critically
at the new-comer, felt his joints, grunted at the cuts
and bruises about his arms and legs, and then told
him he might stand aside and see the exercises of
the men who were standing about in groups, while

TJie Mysterious Prisoner. 45

along the walls hung tridents, nets, swords, and
the various weapons used in the arena.

The master, who was himself a retired gladiator,
treated his big powerful pupils as though they were
veritable schoolboys. Commanding silence as he
advanced to the middle of the room, he ordered one
to take down the various appliances ready for use,
stamping, swearing, and threatening when one was
touched unscientifically or carelessly. Then two
were ordered to engage in apparently mortal combat,
the rest standing round watching and listening to the
directions of the master, who kept his eye on every
movement of the men, and shouted his commands to
close, to parry, to thrust, first to oiie and then to the
other, their companions commenting meanwhile on
every vigorous move or every false thrust, and which
the combatants knew would be brought against them
afterwards.

Laon stood and watched these exercises with great
interest at first, but still he felt no wish to join in
them — no desire to buckle on the cestus or throw
the net, and he began to weary of the whole before
they were over, and his thoughts had wandered off to
the blind girl and the words she had uttered when
leaving him : " I cannot reward thee, but the Lord
will at the day of His appearing."

Laon remembered the words and repeated them
several times to himself. " I do not want any
reward," he said, " but I wonder who she means by
* the Lord.' Is she the slave of some great Roman
who has a special favour towards her, and is expected

fo Glaucia, the Gree^ Slave.

to return by-and-by, or is it her master that is i
prisoner now, I wonder ? "

Thinking of this Laon quite forgot where he was
until the exercises for the day came to an end, when,
without further notice of him, the master walked
away, and the gladiators, like schoolboys, began
hectoring each other, or betting on the skill with
which they would kill each other the next time they
appeared in the arena. To hear them, one would
think they were of less value than the beasts of the
/ield, and hated each other like furies. And yet they
were good friends enough, only that every feeling
common to humanity, and which makes man better
than the brutes, had been debased, trampled upon,
and almost trodden out of these men, until they were
more brutish than the beasts with whom they often
fought.

Something of this feeling stole into Laon's heart
as he followed his friend out into the street. " I
shall never be a gladiator because I like it," he
said softly to himself; "but I will learn to use the
cestus and trident for the sake of Glaucia."

" Well, my young rooster, what is that thou art
saying ? " asked his friend, suddenly.

Laon coloured. " For my sister's sake I should
like to learn how to use the trident and net, as
well as the cestus," replied Laon.

The man shook his head. " The net and trident
are the most dangerous weapons," he said.

"Come, come, Appius, thou art wasting our time,
and by Venus, that is not needful when so many

The Mysterious Prisoner. 5^

brif^ht eyes are waiting for us," said one of his
companions, frowning at Laon as he spoke.

Appius saw the frown. *' I have taken the boy
under my protection," he said ; *' and he shall come
with us to drink of our next wine-skin, and if I
should by-and-by give him a mortal thrust and
send him to the fields of Elysium, he will forgive
me, and know it was done in fair fight."

" No one accuses thee of fighting unfairly, Appius,
any more than they believe in thy Elysium, or the
fable invented by the philosophers that death is not
the end of us."

" You believe as — "

" I believe in the gods, so let us hasten to pour
a libation to Bacchus," interrupted another ; and,
motioning Laon to keep close beside him, Appius
led the way to the hostelry where, by the appear-
ance of the wine-cups and half-cooked meat, they
were evidently expected.

Appius, as the leader of the party, took his seat
first, and taking up a wine-cup bowed reverentially
to the statue opposite, saying as he did so : " Be
propitious, O Bacchus!" and then sprinkling a
little of the wine on the table the meal began.

Appius considerately ordered a dish of green figs
to be brought for Laon, and when the meal was over,
and they were dispersing until the evening, he told
him he might come to share their meal then, and he
would take him to the school again in the morning.

Laon scarcely knew what to do with himself for
the remaining hours of the day. He felt half afraid

$2 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

of going- about the streets, for fear of being seen and
recognised by his late master or some of his fellow-
slaves, and yet he was anxious to discover where
Glaucia was living.

The point as to whether he should go out or stay
indoors was settled for him by the landlord of the
hostelry, who, seeing him still lingering near the door
after the gladiators had left, threatened to kick
him out if he did not go at once. So Laon wandered
up the lane, mechanically taking the same road he
had traversed with the blind girl in the morning,
until at length he again found himself standing
before the house with its sentinel in front. But for
this he might have failed to recognise it, for it was
not by any means distinguishable either by its luxury
or poverty, but a small, plain, middle-class residence,
such as respectable people might inhabit but the
wealthy would disdain.

Laon had a peep at its interior as he stood
loitering outside, and he noticed that the vestibule
was quite plain, and the atrium beyond was entirely
without ornament — or at least so far as he could
see from his post of observation, and this increased
his surprise when he saw a litter stop close to the
steps, and an elegantly dressed lady, attended by
a female slave, walk in.

" It must be a great nian imprisoned here," said
Laon softly to himself; "I wonder what his crime
can be."

In a few minutes two other people came up the
street and stole into the house, but they did not

TJie Mysterious Prisoner. 53

appear to be wealthy, and yet somewhat above the
dependent condition of freedmen. As Laon stood
there watching, a dozen people at least went in
unquestioned, unchallenged by the sentry, who,
nevertheless, looked at each he could see. Had
these been people of one rank in life this fact
would not have been so noticeable, but the first
lady was evidently a foreigner, and the dress ot
her lictors, still waiting about, proclaimed them to
be of Caesar's household. Then there were merchants
from his own country, two or thee stately-looking
Jews, some working people, both men and women,
and slaves of both sexes.

What a strange company for one such house to
contain at the same time ! Were they all going tc
visit the same person } would they all meet in that
undecorated atrium } Laon wished he could get
another glimpse of it, but the curtain had been
dropped betv/een that and the vestibule, and its
heavy folds sliut out all inquisitive glances, and
so at last he was obliged to go away, feeling very
curious as to this mysterious house and its strange
occupant.

He looked closely at the litter with its silken
curtains embroidered with silver, and bearing the
imperial arms of Nero. Could the lady he had
seen be the Jewish proselyte Poppsea, whom the
gladiators were talking of both last night and this
morning } She was said to favour the Jews, and
they enjoyed more freedom just r^ow in consequence
of it. Perhaps this prisonei was a Jew ; and then

54 Glaucia, the Gtrck Slave.

he suddenly remembered the blind girl, and that
she would know all about it, and so he resolved to
ask her the downright question, " Did she go to
visit the Jewish prisoner ? " the very next time he
saw her.

He wandered on up the street and down the lane,
past the hostelry, in hope of seeing her, but she
did not come in his way, and every effort he made
to discover the whereabouts of Glaucia was equally
unsuccessful.

He had his supper and spent the night at the
hostelry again, and the next morning had the
pleasure of seeing the blind girl come carefully
feeling her way as before. He went to meet her at
once, saying gently, '' I will lead thee past these
mules and carts ;" and he led her up the lane.

When they got to the more qujet neighbourhood,
Laon put the question which he thought would
startle and surprise, perhaps very much alarm, her ;
but he spoke in an under-tone, that no one else might
hear the whispered words, " Art thou going to the
Jewish prisoner again V

But, to his surprise, she answered quite calmly,
*'Yes; my mistress sends his morning meal by
my hands;" and then she asked, "Hast thou been
to see him ?"

" Been to see him — who } the Lord thou spakcst
of the other day .?" said Laon.

" No ; Paul, our great teacher, is not the Lord,
but His servant," said the blind girl ; " he would
welcome thee as he does all who desire to learn

TJie Mysterious Prisoner. 55

this great truth that hath so lately been made known
to the world."

" What is truth ?" asked Laon. " Tell me."

" God is love, and sent His Son to reveal it, and
die to redeem us from the power of sin and all evil,"
said the girl, reverently.

*' Then this prisoner is a messenger sent fron
Olympus, the dwelling of the gods," said Laon.
" It is passing strange that he should not first
have delivered it at Athens," he uttered, incredu-
lously.

*' Nay, but our teacher cometh not from Thessaly,
but from Tarsus, and is a Jew, as thou sayest ; how-
beit, he hath been to Athens, I have heard."

" Then he cometh v/ith a message from the God
of the Jews V*

"Yes, he bringeth a message from our God, but
it is to all people, not us Jews only," said the
girl.

"And thou art a Jewess," uttered Laon, in a tone
of surprise.

" I am," replied the blind girl ; and she said it
quite as proudly as a Roman dame would declare
her nationality.

Laon looked puzzled. "Thou sayest this teacher
is a Jew, and bringest a message to all people ; but
each nation hath its own gods."

" They are false gods, the work of men's hands,
v/ood and stone, that can neither feel nor under-
stand."

Laon looked hurt and surprised. "Hush! hush!"

56 Glaticis^ the Greek Slave.

he said, "we know they are the work of men's
hands, but they are men whom the gods have inspired
to make a dwelling-place meet for them to inhabit."

But the Jewess shook her head. "There is but
one God," she said, " and the idols He will utterly
abolish."

Laon looked offended. " What ! " he exclaimed,
" doth thy God claim to be greater than our Pallas
Athene, or Jupiter himself.?"

" These are but idols," said the blind girl.

"And this man hath corre to declare that the
gods of Athens and Rome are but idols, and that
only the Jews' God is worthy the name !" said
Laon, angrily. " I do not wonder he is a prisoner,"
he went on. " Could anything be more insulting to
us, to our heroes and philosophers } Would this
new teacher set himself above the wise men of our
Greece, who are learned in all the wisdom of the
world, and of the gods too ; who understand magic,
and charms, and all knowledge pertaining to the
sun, moon, and stars V

" They are but heathen, blind and ignorant,
worshipping they know not what," said the girl,
almost as warmly as Laon himself had been
speaking.

" Blind and ignorant," repeated Laon, passionately.
" Thou callest our Plato and Socrates blind and
ignorant, and wouldst have me believe in this new
teacher of thy Unknown God."

" Yes, I would have thee come and hear for thy-
self this truth that gives freedom to the world ;

The Mysterious Prisoner. 57

that makes all men equal in the sight of God,
whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free-born."

" I will not come," said Laon, decisively. " Do
you think I would listen while this vain, arrogant
man set himself up above our heroes and philo-
sophers, and even the gods themselves ? By the
helmet of Caesar he should be thrown to the wild
beasts in the arena if I were the emperor," he
added, energetically.

" I am sorry it should make thee angry," said
the blind girl, after a len<;;tliened pause. " I had
hoped thou wouldst have come to listen to the
gracious words that fall from our great teacher's
lips."

Laon shook his head. "What is this man's
name ? " he asked.

"He is called Paul now, but in former days he
was called Saul."

" I shall not forget the name," said Laon, as he
turned away. He could not help feeling disap-
pointed at the abrupt termination of this new
friendship, but the girl had insulted the gods
and how could he be friendly with one who spokt
slightingly of Pallas Athene?

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CHAPTER VI.

THE FEAST OF BACCHUS.

T AON wandered on after leaving the blind girl,
J — > quite forgetful of the danger he incurred of
being seen by his former master, thinking by turns
of what he had just heard and of his sister, wonder-
ing where she was.

'' I will find out to-day," he said at length. " I
will search all over Rome until I find this family
who have bought her ; " and he set off at once on
his quest, taking no heed of the splendid chariots
or elegantly dressed occupants any more than he
did of the foot passengers or the public notices
posted on the walls giving information of when the
games would take place, and what the spectacle
would be, the feasts of different gods to be observed,
as well as the edicts of the emperor.

Had Laon only paused to listen to the talk
going on around him, or noticed the eager rush all
the fashionable part of Rome was making in one
direction, he would have found that the feast of
I3acchus was to be observ^ed that day. and that he

TJie Feast of BaccJrus. 59

v/as hastening to the place appointed as well as
the rest. Had he known it he would certainly
nave gone in an opposite direction, for he was in
no mood for feasting and revelling just now, and
then he was more likely to meet some who knew
him at such a place of public resort ; but his first
intimation of this fact came when it was too late
for him to turn back.

The procession itself was near, but in advance of
all the rest walked, or rather skipped and danced, a
young Bacchante, L^i head and shoulders wreathed
with vine leaves, and madly intoxicated, or pre-
tending to be so, In honour of the god of which
she- was the priestess. In a moment she had
caught him in her arms, and went on whirling and
dancing with him, while merry shouts and laughter
greeted them on every side, and the music of the
procession seemed to urge her on to greater wild-
ness in her processional dance.

Laon tried to get away once or twice, but find-
ing this was impossible, he joined in the fun, like
the rest, though now and then the thought of what
the blind girl had said that morning came back to
his mind ; but there was less horror in it now in
the midst of all this revelry, for it was impossible
for the Jews' God to be worse than their Bacchus,
and if He were better, would it not be well to
allow Him a place in their Pantheon^^^that the
worship prescribed for Him might correct some of
the evil connected with these infamous feasts t

How infamous and abominable they were Laon

6o Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

never knew until he was dragged into partici-
pating in them, and his whole soul sickened and
revolted at the drunkenness and vile obscenity of
the whole.

What time the revel was at length over Laon
never knew, but he managed to get away soon
after the shadows of evening had deepened into
night, early enough for him to pass through the
streets without exciting attention, but too late to
get back to the hostelry where he had promised to
meet his friend the gladiator. So he crept into a
half-ruined house that he saw near at hand,
resolving to go to the training school early the
following day.

He awoke at daylight the next morning, and
after a draught of water from a neighbouring foun-
tain, set off on his way back to the part of the
city with which he was most familiar, and again
found himself before the mysterious house which
had already given rise in various ways to so many
perplexing thoughts. Again a litter stopped in
front, and a lady stepped from it, but instead of
hastening up the steps she stopped and looked
searchingly at Laon.

'* Art thou one to be trusted .'' " she asked.

The boy looked his surprise at the strange
question. " The only proof I can give is in the
performance of the service required, for I am a
stranger in Rome," he said.

** Then I am afraid thou wilt not be able to do
what I wish," she said, glancing at the waxen

The Fcasi of BaccJms. . 6 1

tablets she held in her hand and then at the slaves
who had borne her litter. '' No, I cannot spare
either of them to go," she said aloud, as if answer-
ing a mental question ; " and yet if they have not
left Rome, as I hear they have not, I should
like my Romula to receive this letter of thanks,
for it was kind, very kind, to make me the offer
she did."

She seemed to forget the presence of Laon as
she said this softly to herself, and he stood silently
wondering whether this lady was about to visit this
strange vain prisoner who claimed so much honour
for his God. At length she said :

" I think I can make thee understand how to
find the house of the Gracchi. It is just beyond
the Porta Capena," she said, delivering the tablets,
carefully bound together with scarlet silk, into his
hands as she spoke.

Laon started at the mention of the name, and
now looked up eagerly into her face. " Yes, I shall
be sure to find it," he said quickly ; " I would
search Rome all over to — to — " and then he
stammered and blushed.

But the lady did not notice his confusion.
"Thou hast but to ask for the Porta Capena/'
she said, " and just beyond the walls is the villa
of 'Plane Trees' — any little goat-herd thou mayest
meet can tell thee where it is ; ask to see the
noble Romula, and deliver this letter into her
hands, but to no other. Should the slaves seek to
take it from thee, tell them thou art the bearer of

Y

62 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

a message from Julia to their mistress, for I would
fain know whether they have in truth left the city,
or are detained, as my slave informed me."

Laon took the delicate white tablets, and clasp-
ing them tightly in his hands, walked quickly
away in the direction of the southern gate. The
lady may have been a little surprised at the eager-
ness of her messenger, but she would have been
more so had she followed him a short distance,
for along the next street there stood a statue of
Minerva, and when the boy reached it he stopped,
and bowing reverently said aloud, " Be propitious,
O Pallas Athene, and lead my steps to Glaucia
once more."

He then hurried on past the Forum, and by
the same route his sister had gone a day or two
before, until he passed through the Porta Capena,
and then he began to inquire for the villa " Plane
Trees." He had little difficulty in finding it, but
he heard, to his disappointment, that it was empty
before he reached it.

" The family are gone to Athens, and not likely
to return for some years," said an old slave who
lived in the neighbourhood, and who seemed to
know the whole of its affairs.

He noticed the look of disappointment that over-
spread Laon's face as he heard this.

*' Wert thou particularly interested in finding
them .^ " he said, glancing at the letter in his
hand.

" Yes," answered Laon, " my sister lived with

The Feast of BaccJuis. C\^

them, I hear." He could not bring himself to say
"sold" to them.

"Was she a fair-haired slave, bought for the
imperious Valeria the day before they left .'' "

" I know not for whom she was bought, but she
was sold three days since, and I am anxious to
find her," answered Laon.

The old man nodded. " It is the same, I doubt
not ; and she must beware not to displease her
mistress Valeria, or — " And the old man nodded
significantly towards a piece of ground opposite.

" What do you mean 1 " asked Laon.

" What ! your sister a slave in Rome, and you
don't know tJiatV said the man.

Laon shook his head. " What is it 1 " he asked.

" Come and see," said the old man, in a mys-
terious whisper, leading the way as he spoke.

Laon followed, looking intently in the direction
indicated, but it was not until a turn in the road
was reached that he could see anything ; but then
it burst upon his view all at once — the sickening,
agonizing view of five crosses planted in the earth,
and a dead, dying, or writhing victim upon each.
The boy covered his face with his hands, and
uttered a scream of horror. He could not ask
what crimes these men had committed, but a
group of travellers, who were evidently on their
way to Rome, asked this question in a foreign
accent.

To them the old man bowed, and replied, " They
are slaves."

64 Glaucia, the Gi'eek Slave.

" But their crime ? " demanded one of the
foreigners.

The old man shook his head. '^ They may be
guilty of crime, or they may have offended their
master — who can tell } 'Tis easy to get a slave
condemned to the cross."

*^ And this is the boasted Roman civilization ! "
said another, angrily ; ** truly this Rome is more
admirable in the distance than on a close view.
None can fail to admire her great works^her
roads and bridges, by which mountains are
levelled, valleys filled up, and the rivers made
fordable at all times ; and we thought the gods
must dwell with such a people, and we have
come from the land beyond the mountains to see
whether Rome is another name for Asgard."

"The gods dwell not at Rome, but on Mount
Olympus, in our Greece," said Laon, quickly.

"Are the Greeks greater than the Romans,
then 1 Do ye make better roads t Have ye
framed better laws t Are ye — "

" Greece is but a Roman province now," inter-
rupted the old slave. " I know nothing about its
roads or its laws, but I know it had to bow to the
arms of Rome like ev "y other nation," he added.

" And this — this is part of thy civilization ! " said
the stranger, glancing once more at the sickening
spectacle close at hand.

No one replied to this, and with a puzzled look
the strangers passed on, and Laon was left with
the old slave.

The Feast of Bacchus. 65

" They would not treat a woman — a girl in this
way!" he said, turning away that he might not
see the hideous crosses.

" No one knows what they will do next," said his
companion. "Rome is rotten, boy — rotten at its
core! The Romans of to-day are not heroes —
scarcely men ; the worship of the old gods is de-
caying, and everybody is looking out for a new
god and a new religion. The worship of the
Egyptian Isis is the fashion now, and who can tell
but this miserable sect, called Nazarenes, may be
in the ascendant next moon.-*"

"' Who are they t " asked Laon as he walked
back towards the gate of the city.

"Well, I have heard they are a sect of the
Jews, or at least the Jews' God is worshipped, and
that one pretending to be His messenger is even
now in prison here."

" Is he called Paul I " asked Laon quickly.

" Nay, I know not, but I would fain be glad
to find him, for there is a rumour that this re-
ligion is for slaves, and I have not heard of such
as that before."

" I have seen slaves ^^ to the house where
this same Paul is imprisoned," said Laon, "and
likewise merchants and great ladies."

"Yes, all classes are tainted with this desire to
find a new God ; but what He is to be when our
whole Pantheon will not satisfy us, I cannot tell.
But you said you knew where this same Paul was
to be found. I have an hour to spare now ; will

C6 Glmicia, the Greek Slave.

you guide me to him ? for I would fain ask him
a few questions about his God."

Laoa made no objection to the man's accom-
panying him back ; indeed he was rather glad of
the opportunity it gave him of asking some ques-
tions about the family of the Gracchi. The
account he received was not very encouraging, for,
judging by the various tales told by the old
man, they were a proud, stern, haughty family,
whom few could please and none satisfy.

The boy heaved a deep sigh. ** I must go to
Athens and find Glaucia," he whispered softly to
himself; and then for the first time he recollected
that, not being able to deliver the letter with
which he had been entrusted, he ought to return
it to the lady, but that he did not know her
name or where she lived, and had not even seen
her face, as she was closely veiled.

At last he said, " If thou dost go into the house
to speak to this prisoner, Paul, I will go with
thee."

" Very well ; I am a slave, and thy sister is a
slave, and so if there is good news for me there
will be for her," said the old man.

" And for me too," said Laon ; and then, sud-
denly recollecting that he ought not to betray the
secret of his escape to a stranger, he added, " I
love Glaucia as my own life."

Laon had half expected to see the litter still
waiting outside the door where he had left it,
but it was not there, and so he ventured to cross

The Feast of B ace hi is. t>y

the* threshold, after muttering a few magic words
that were to break the spell of any evil that the
strange prisoner might otherwise work upon him.

It was with a half-frightened, half-defiant feeling
that Laon passed through the vestibule, and en-
tered the atrium where Paul, the aged prisoner,
sat, chained by the wrist and ankle to a rough-
looking soldier, who nevertheless relaxed so far as
to smile a welcome to the boy when he saw him
inclined to run away again.

" Be not afraid, my son," said the prisoner him-
self, ill a voice of tenderness and yet of command.

Lifting his eyes to the venerable face, he saw
that it was pale, thin, and wrinkled, but with such
a look of sweet majesty upon it that Laon instinc-
tively bowed his head in reverence, while his heart
went forth in love towards the man who had been
such a puzzle to him. He was worthy to be the
messenger of any of the gods, he thought ; and
then his thoughts went back to the feast of
Bacchus, and he recalled the besotted, brutalized
faces of the wine-god priests, and compared them
witii the calm, spiritual grandeur of this man's,
who welcomed the old slave and himself with as
much polite courtesy as though they were the
highest patricians of Rome.

He was surprised at the size of the atrium, and
the accommodation it contained for a large number
of people to assemble in it. He judged that the
peristyle and viridarium had all been thrown into
this one large hall. His companion was evidently

68 Glaucia, the Grtck Slave.

as much surprised as himself at all he saw, but he
ventured to put the questions he had come to ask,
and which were kindly and graciously answered.

" I come as the messenger of God to all men,
whether bond or free, and my message is worthy
the acceptation of all — that Christ Jesus came into
the world to make known the love of God to all
men, and then died to redeem them."

"But this is the Jews' God," objected the old
slave.

" He is the God of the Gentile as well as the
Jew, the only true almighty, eternal, ever-present
God, the great One not to be equalled or ap-
proached by anything calling itself god in heaven
above or in the earth beneath."

"But our Jupiter and Mars, surely they are
gods .? " said the old slave.

The benign countenance looked pitiful at the
old man's evident pain and perplexity. "Men
have walked in darkness, serving vain idols instead
of the true God, but the light has come at last."

"And it needs must dazzle the eyes at first, I
judge," said the old slave. " I will come again if
I can, but I cannot hear more now;" and he went
out, leaving Laon to ask about the letter he still
held in his hand — how he should return it to the
lady who gave it to him.

" I will take charge of it and deliver it when she
comes again," said the prisoner; and with a parting
blessing he dismissed Laon, thinking he wished to
join his companion.

CHAPTER VII.

AT SEA.

LAON left the prison-house with a strange
feehng of mingled surprise and regret ; regret
that he had not been to see this strange mes-
senger from the gods before ; regret, too, that he
had seen him at all, for he must try and find
his way to Athens in search of Glaueia, so that
he was not likely to see him or hear anything of
his message again, and this visit had made him
more than ever dissatisfied with all the priests of
the favourite deities. He hastened to overtake
the old slave who had accompanied him, and ask
his opinion about what he had heard. But the
old man did not seem willing to talk about it.

" I must go again, my son, and hear more of
this strange doctrine," he said. " If our supposed
light has been darkness, then the true light will
dazzle at first. But is it the true light ? Is this
message from the Regenerator — the Freedom-giver
the world has been looking for so eagerly of late .? "

" Has the world been looking for such a messen-
ger.?" asked Laon.

JO Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

" Has it ? Ah ! boy, you are youn^ and I am a
slave, but I can interpret this rushing after every
new god which possesses our people. Some are
throwing themselves at the feet of the Egyptian
Isis, while others, like Sempronius Gracchus, are
seeking in the study of philosophy the answer to
this questioning and longing. But what if it should
come after all to slaves first, in words that they
and every man and woman can understand, instead
of through the wisdom and learning of the great
and wise ! This alone would dazzle, boy, and I
would think over in quiet what I have heard to-
day."

But Uaon wanted to find o\it all he could con-
cerning the family who had taken Glaucia away,
and so he still kept by the old man's side. " Thou
spakest of Gracchus and his love of philosophy ;
hath he gone to Athens to study in our Academy.?"
he said.

The old man nodded. " Sempronius is one of
the few Romans left who will not bow down and
worship Caesar. Patriotism hath ever been the god
and the worship of the Gracchi, and patriotism
is dead in Rome now — dead and buried ; and so
the heart of the proud Gracchus is hungering,
like many another here, for something higher
and purer than the blind bowing down before the
emperor."

Laon thought that the poor old man, being dis-
satisfied with his own condition, supposed every-
body else must be the same, and so he said.

At Sea. 71

rather abruptly, " Can you tell me the way to
Athens ? "

If he had asked the way to the moon the old man
could not have looked more surprised. "The way to
Athens, boy ? " he said ; " how will you get there ? "

Laon, who knew nothing of geography, and sup-
posed the world to be one vast plain, answered
quickly, '' I will walk there."

"Did you walk when you came here?" asked the
slave.

" No, we came in a galley ; but I have no money
to pay the master to take me back that way, and
so I must w^alk," said Laon.

" That is impossible. I have heard you can only
go by sea to the far-off Greece," said the old man,
in a compassionate tone.

A look of blank despair had come into Laon's
face as he heard these words. Was he never tc
see Glaucia again- — never have the opportunity ot
.whispering a word of warning to her about the
fate that might await her if she offended her
imperious mistress "i " O Pallas Athene, art thou
so angry that thou wilt not help me now } " he
exclaimed.

The old man shook his head. " I have prayed
to Jupiter and all the gods in turn to help me in
my misery, but no answer ever came. The happy,
careless, smiling gods cannot be troubled with the
tears of mortals ; they only accept our garlands
and sacrifices, and smile on our feasts — our woes
do not trouble them."

^2 Glatccia, the Greek Slave.

" Because we are only slaves, you would say,"
answered Laon, bitterly ; " then I will search for the
God who hears slaves." And without another word
he walked on, scarce knowing which road he took
until he found himself close to the school of the
gladiators, when it suddenly occurred to him that
he might ask his friend Appius to tell him how he
might earn a few sesterces to pay his passage back
to his native city.

The slave at the door recognised him again, and
so he had no difficulty in gaining an entrance, and
after watching the various exercises he followed
the gladiators into the street, and then gently touch-
ing the arm of his friend asked if he could speak
to him.

" What, my young rooster returned ! They said
thou hadst gone off with a Bacchante, and had left
Rome," exclaimed the man.

" I do want to leave Rome," said Laon ; " I
want to go back to my Athens. Wilt thou tell me
how I can earn some sesterces to pay the shipmaster
to take me } "

The gladiators laughed. "A very fine tale ! " two
or three exclaimed. "Thou wast at the feast of
Bacchus yesterday ; where is the Bacchante that
placed her garlands around thy head 1 "

Laon blushed as he recalled this scene. " I know
not," he answered.

"But thou art anxious to discover her again,
and so would fain consult the Delphic oracle ! "
exclaimed one.

At Sea. 73

" Nay, it is my sister I am anxious to find," said
Laon, quickly.

" I told thee gladiators must have no sisters, and
thou art to be one now, boy," said Appius.

" Nay, but I will not, unless it is to save Glaucia,"
said Laon.

" Say'st thou so ! Then come not near me again,"
said Appius, frowning darkly ; and as he spoke he
pushed Laon so violently that he fell to the ground,
while the rest laughed at his fall as they passed on
towards the hostelry for their evening meal.

Laon was not much hurt, and soon rose to
his feet, but he did not follow the gladiators. He
had learned the way to the landing-places on the
banks of the Tiber, and he went in that direc-
tion now, although his hopes and intentions were
as yet of the vaguest. He had a few sesterces,
which the lady had put into his hand when she
gave him the letter, and he resolved to offer
these to the first shipmaster he could find going
to Athens, in the hope that he would take
them and let him make up the deficiency by
assisting the sailors at their work.

The docks were reached at last, and Laon,
volunteering to assist in unloading a vessel, was soon
set to work, and from his companions he heard that
the galley had just arrived from Athens with a cargo
of corn and honey, and would return thither in a few
days. His heart beat high with hope as he heard it.
If he could only take the place of one of the sailors
—and he heard that one had already left the vessel

74 Glducia, the Greek Slave,

— he might reach his native city without any further
difhculty.

No one had any reason to complain of the v/ay he
performed his work that day, and when he was
leaving at night he was told to come again in the
morning, a command he very readily obeyed. In
the course of the day he contrived to speak to the
shipmaster about being taken as a sailor for the next
voyage. The man looked doubtful, but promised to
consider his request, and asked him some questions
about his friends, and how long since he had left
Athens.

Fortunately he was able to answer these without
betraying his secret — not that he would have
hesitated to tell a falsehood had it been necessary.
He knew nothing of the sin of lying — the gods
whom he looked up to with reverential awe were
themselves liars, thieves, and murderers, according
to the popular legends concerning them. The ship-
master seemed satisfied with the account Laon
gave of himself, and seeing he was able and willing
to make himself useful, he engaged him the next
day to go with them to Athens.

*' We shall see then whether thou art fit for a
sailor," said the man : " and if not, thou canst go
to thy friends."

How grateful Laon feH to the man, and how
slowly the remaining days seemed to pass, haunted
as he was by that awful scene he had witnessed
outside the gate of the city, and thinking it pos-
sible that his beloved sister m.ight be doomed to

At Sea. 75

a similar fate if she failed to please her mistress I
If he could only see her he might warn her to
be careful, and encourage her to be patient, as
he would speedily release her from her present
state of bondage.

The weary days, long as they were, came to an
end at last, and Laon was floating down the muddy
Tiber towards the blue sea that was to bear them
to the city of the temples, the dwelling-place of the
gods, the "Eye of Greece." The lad's heart beat
high with hope ; he would redeem his sister from
slavery or die in the attempt ; he would go and see
their old friends among the citizens and ask them
to help him do this, if he could not accomplish it
by himself.

"Be propitious, O Venus!" he exclaimed. "If
Pallas Athene be vengeful and angry, be thou
the more favourable ! "

" Who is that thou art beseeching, boy ? " asked
one of the sailors who happened to be standing near.
" The Dioscuri — the twin stars, these be the guardian
gods of sailors. Didst thou ever sacrifice to them } "

Laon was obliged to confess he had never done
so. " I thought Venus, who rose from the sea near
Cyprus, was the favourite god of sailors," he said.

The man looked contemptuous. ''Venus is all
very well for men of cities and women-kind, but the
Dioscuri is our God," and~he turned away, looking
as though he would like to throw Laon overboard
for his neglect.

Later in the day, when most of the work incident

76 Glancia, the Greek Slave.

upon first leaving dock had been done, and the
sailors were gathered in a group resting, and
watching for the appearance of their favourite twin
stars, one of them suddenly said :

*^ Ah ! shipmates, ye should have been with me the
last time I sailed from Sidon. It was about the
roughest passage I ever had, and I've had some
rough ones in my time. We had a cohort of the
Roman guard on board in charge of some prisoners,
and soldiers and sailors alike quailed at the violence
of the storm. We boasted of being brave men all
of us, but there was one prisoner on board who put
us all to shame. He was calm and unmoved through
it all, encouraged us to eat that we might be able
to work, begged the soldiers not to kill his fellow-
prisoners, as they proposed — they would never have
killed him, they had too much love and reverence for
him, so that it was not for himself that he begged
this favour — and did all he could to help us in every
way, assuring us that if we only did our duty and
trusted in God we should all be saved."

'^ Thou meanest the Dioscuri, the sailor's help and
guiding-star } " interrupted one.

But the man shook his head. " I mean the God
who made the stars, the Dioscuri, and all the host
of heaven, and gave men wisdom to guide their
vessels over the trackless deep by the motions of
the sun and stars."

" Pallas Athene is the goddess of wisdom and
knowledge," Laon ventured to sav.

At Sea. 77

But the sailor dissented. " The God whom Paul
preaches, and in whom I beheve, is the God of
wisdom as well as the Creator of the stars," he

said.

The group of men lifted their heads and looked
at the bold speaker.

"Thou believest in this new God and forsakest
our guiding stars 1 " exclaimed one.

" Shipmates, he is no new God — this great, wise,
almighty Creator, who can control the sea, and
say to its waves * be still ' at the prayer of His
messenger."

" Did He do that 1 " asked one, in an awe-struck
whisper.

The man nodded. " Nothing less than almighty
power saved us from a watery grave," he said,
solemnly. "Our ship broke up just after we left
her, but not a soul was lost. Some of us could
swim, those who could not clung to boards and
broken spars, and in this way all got safe to land,
even as Paul said."

"And thou behevest this Paul to be one of the
gods ! " said one, sneeringly.

" Nay, nay, but he is a messenger from God —
the only true God, who made the sea and stars
as well as the dry land. Shipmates, we need a
God such as this man came to declare — one who
needeth not a statue or temple for His worship ;
for what can sailors do with either .? We need a God
who is at hand when the wild wind lashes the waves

2$ Glaucia^ the Greek Slave.

into fury — a God who holds the winds in His fists
and the waters in the hollow of His hand."

"Then thy God doeth the work both of .^olus
and Neptune," said one.

" ^olus and Neptune are but idols ; there is but
one God/' said the man, boldly.

His companions looked at each other in mute
surprise. The speaker had already proved himself
the most capable man on the vessel, or they might
have doubted his sanity, but as it was they sat and
listened with breathless attention to all he said.

" This God whom Paul came to make known to
men is the Almighty God, who made heaven and
earth and all men dwelling upon it. He hath not
only made them., but redeemed them from sin and
the power of evil by the death of His only Son,
Jesus Christ the Lord."

" Then thou hast two gods after all," said one of
the men.

But the speaker shook his head. " Not so. Christ
came to make known the Father, and he who
worships the Son worships the Father also, for He
is the brightness of the Father's glory."

" Where is the temple of thy God t " asked two
or three together.

" He needeth no temple, for the heaven is His
throne and the earth is His footstool, and there is
no God but Him."

**Then thou would'st have us break down the
altars we have always believed were sacred, and

At Sea. 79

brand our fathers who worshipped these gods as
worse than fools. Truly thy God is a jealous
God, to claim the whole of man's worship."

"Yes, God is a jealous God," admitted the sailon
" He loveth not to see the worship that is alone
due to Him wasted on the shrine of a vain idol ;
and think ye this is strange .'' " he asked.

"Yes, so strange that few will embrace thy
religion, although thou dost love it so much."

" Ha ! I do love it," said the sailor, fervently ;
" for this God is just suited for us who are out here
at the mercy of the winds and waves, for He holds
the winds and controls the waves."

"Well, thou dost certainly talk as though thou
hadst felt His power, and would have all of us do
the same ; and if it would content Him to be wor-
shipped with the twin stars, well, I for one would
embrace this new faith."

But his companion shook his head. "Shipmates,
ye that are fathers and know what it is to love your
children, would ye be content with any but ih^ first
place in their hearts ? Would it please you to see
them hug the gifts ye took home, but turn from thee
the giver .? It is just so with our great Father. We
are His children, whether we know it or not, and
He desires our love and worship, and will not give
it to another."

The men were evidently puzzled, and knew not
v/hat reply to make to this ; but the brave Christian,
undaunted by their silence or the frowns of two

8o Glaiicia^ the Greek Slave,

or three, pressed his advantage, and with all the
eloquence that enthusiasm alone can give, besought
them not to turn from this God of love and
mercy.

Laon sat and listened in silent wonder. Turn
which way he would he was to meet with some
one who knew or had heard of this strange prisoner,
Paul, and the God whose messenger he was.

CHAPTER VIII.

AN ANCIENT DRESSING-ROOM.

VALERIA sat in her dressing-room, several
slaves around her, all engaged in some pre-
paration for the young lady's toilet, which did not
seem to progress to her satisfaction to-day.

*' How inconvenient these Athenian rooms are ! "
she exclaimed, petulantly ; " there is far too much
light here to be comfortable. Let down that
curtain," she said to one of the slaves.

The crimson silk curtain was unlooped, and only
a warm rosy light flooded the little room — for it
was small, although much larger than the adjoining
bedroom.

" I have not enjoyed my bath at all to-day through
Glaucia not returning in time with those unguents,"
said the lady, after a minute or two.

" Glaucia presumeth too much, kind mistress," said
the girl who was combing her hair, and who had a
special dislike to the pretty Greek girl.

" Thou thinkest so, Fulvia ! Well, I certainly
have taken a great liking to her, and she may have
seen it."

S2 Glaiicia^ the Greek Slave,

"Yes, and she boasteth of it, and presnmeth
upon it, saying the noble Valeria would not do with-
out her now, for her taste alone is consulted in the
dressing-room," said Fulvia, spitefully.

The lady's cheeks flushed, " Ha ! so she boasteth
of her classic Greek taste, does she ? " and Valeria
snatched up a small bunch of flowers that lay among
the combs and perfumes on the dressing-table, and
trampled them under her feet. Glaucia had placed
them there when she polished the bright steel mirror
that morning, and her mistress knew it, and would
fain have served everything her hands had touched in
the same way ; for, in vaunting her taste, Glaucia had
evidently underrated her own, her mistress thought,
and this was a slight she could not endure.

She sat before a dressing-table, on which her
favourite waiting-maid had arranged the combs and
jewels and ribbons to be worn that day, as well as
the bright steel mirror and cosmetics and perfumes,
while close at hand hung an amber-satin tunic, and a
broad pearl-studded girdle, with slippers similarly
embroidered lying near, all ready for her mis-
tress's use.

Valeria glanced at the robe angrily. " Put that
away," she said ; '' I bhall not wear that. Oh ! dear,
how thou art pulling my hair ! " she exclaimed.

** I am sorry, but I fear it hath been neglected of
late," said Fulvia, artfully.

*' Neglected ! I am sure it hath not," said Valeria,
sharply ; and the girl saw she was going a little too
far in her disparagement of Glaucia's work.

An Ancient Dressiiig-Room. 8j

** I do not mean that it hath not been duly brushed
and powdered each day, but this Greek fashion that
Glaucia persuades my mistress is so becoming is far
less trouble than — "

" I shall not have it done the Greek fashion to-day ;
our own Roman style of curls is quite as good,"
interrupted Valeria.

A bunch of small false curls was fetched and laid
upon the dressing-table, and these Fulvia proceeded
to weave in with her mistress's hair, so that it was
impossible to tell which was false and which was real
and these small curls were raised one above another
to an amazing height. Just as the last pin was
adjusted, Glaucia came in, looking hot and tired with
her quick walk from the market. She was surprised
to see that the work of dressing her mistress had pro-
ceeded so far, and stammered out a few words of
apology, looking somewhat frightened, however, as
she did so.

Valeria turned and looked at her angrily. ''Oh,
thou hast come back at last ! " she said. '* By sweet
Venus, I thought thou didst not intend returning at
all ; " and she took up a roll of papyrus, and began
reading the verses that had been sent to her by an
Athenian acquaintance a short time before.

Glaucia laid aside her cloak, and, taking up the
slippers, began adjusting the white thongs, ready to
fasten them on her mistress's feet.

" Put them down. Fulvia will do all that is
needed," said Valeria, coldly, when she saw Glaucia
approaching.

84 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

The poor girl laid aside the slippers, and although
she could scarce keep back her tears, for she wab
really sorry that she had not been back in time to
dress her mistress, she began the more lowly work of
clearing away the litter for the other slaves.

But Fulvia interfered now. " Do not touch my
things," she said, ^'for, by Ceres, I know not how
I shall dress my sweet mistress to-morrow if thou
dost."

"Thou mayest leave the dressing-room," said
Valeria, shortly ; and this, which was of course in-
tended as a command, Glaucia dared not disobey,
She went out silently and sadly, half wishing she had
not stopped to listen to the old man in the market,
and yet she could not feel altogether sorry, for it
was such good news for her and Laon, and every
slave in Athens.

Meanwhile Valeria was dressed according to the
taste of Fulvia, which was not very likely to be at all
Greek in its character, for, as she was often saying,
she hated Athens and all belonging to it ; and so,
instead of wearing the tunic of amber that so well
became her complexion, and with the plain classic
banding of her hair that set off the exquisite poise of
her head so effectively, the lady arrayed herself in a
dress of pink and white, and with numerous pins
and bands of ribbon interspersed with her curls,
looked an over-dressed Roman beauty rather than
an elegantly dressed lady.

Company was expected to supper that afternoon ;
but six or eight were considered a comfortable

An Ancient Dressing-Room. Sj

number for a dinner party in those days ; and in
Athens, where no modest woman ever appeared
at an entertainment, these were strictly confined to
the sterner sex.

Sempronius Gracchus, however, who had always
been accustomed to see his wife at the table, insisted
that she should not resign her place, but that Valeria
should likewise sit with the company, for if ladies
were present the wine did not circulate quite so
freely, or the company become so boisterous — for
even philosophers sometimes forget the bounds of
moderation. But, although Sempronius wished his
daughter to appear at all the entertainments given
at home, he very much disliked seeing her dressed
in the present style of Roman fashion, and had
commended her taste in adopting the plainer
Grecian style of wearing her hair. His surprise,
therefore, may be imagined when Valeria entered
the gallery where he sat to receive his guests.

"My daughter, thou hast changed thy dressing-
maid," said her father, looking at the ponderous pile
of curls and ribbons.

Valeria, who already felt very cross at Glaucia's
absence, and did not want to be reminded of the fact,
said, shortly, " Yes, my father ; as thou knowest, I
love a change sometimes."

*' But this change is not improving," observed the
philosopher, a remark which Valeria chose to inter-
pret as praise of Glaucia's taste and disparagement
of her own.

She did not, however, reply to it, for at the same

S6 Glaucm, the Greek Slave,

moment the slave in attendance drew aside the em-
broidered curtain that hung at the entrance, ani
their first visitor was announced.

Sempronius still clung to the old-fashioned Roman
toga, but no one wishing to be thought at all fashion-
able in dress wore that now. The Greek tunic had
replaced the toga even in Rome, and their visitor's
was of the richest Tyrian dye, and fastened with
buckles sparkling with emeralds. The sleeves were
loose and fringed at the wrist with gold. A broad
girdle at the waist, worked in arabesque designs, to
match the sleeves, answered the double purpose of
band and pockets, for in them were carried the hand-
kerchief, purse, stylus, or iron pen, and the waxen
tablets.

Sempronius received his visitor with all the
respect and courtesy of the grand old Roman time
that was so rapidly passing away, and very soon
they were lost in a philosophical discussion, and
wandered off to the library, whither they were
followed by other guests as they arrived.

Supper was at length announced, and a slave
led the way to the dining-room. Couches were
placed for the gentlemen to recline on during
meals, but elaborately carved chairs, studded with
gold and ivory, were set for the ladies. There were
three tables, placed so that the guests sat on one side,
and the slaves in attendance passed round the other.
One side of the room was open to the peristyle, in
the centre of which a fountain threw up tiny jets of
water, and the musical plash in the marble basin

An Ancient Dressing' Room. 87

sounded delightfully cool and refreshing. Between
the marble pillars that supported the roof hung
baskets of the choicest flowers, while the image and
shrine of Flora, which stood opposite, were wreathed
with garlands, the votive offerings of Valeria and her
m.other. To this, their favourite goddess, the ladies
bowed as they entered, as well as to the sacred
iares, or household gods, placed with the salt, at
the corner of each table.

As the guests seated themselves the slaves ap-
peared with the first course. Amid fresh figs, sweet
herbs strewed with snow, eggs and anchovies, were
cups of wine mixed with honey, and these were
handed round by the slaves to each of the company.
Sempronius then rose, and bowing to the images at
the corners of the table, sprinkled some of the wine,
saying, " Be favourable, O Vesta ! " words which
always carried Valeria's thoughts back to her sister,
who was dedicated to the service of this queen
of the household gods.

As the first course was cleared away other slaves
appeared, bearing a silver bowl of perfumed water
and fringed napkins, which were handed to the com-
pany, who, after refreshing themselves in this way,
were ready for the next course.

Spiced Faiernian wine was now brought on, and
the host, rising and sprinkling a few drops as before,
turned to the statue of the wine god and said, "Be
propitious, O Bacchus ! " A Phrygian attagen, a
dish of nightingales' tongues, and oysters from
far-off Britain, graced this part of the feast.

88 GlaiLcia^ the Greek Slave.

Then followed sweetmeats and drinks cooled with
snow, while the sound of music was heard slowly
approaching. ♦ The musicians, however, did not ap-
pear, but stationing themselves in the adjoining
gallery, played some sweet soft airs ; and after the
removal of the last course, and the performance of
the last lavation, several of the guests sang, and one
who was a poet read, from a roll of papyrus, his last
poem. Then the conversation drifted into the usual
channels. Sempronius talked of philosophy, his wife
of the last Roman fashions and the splendour of the
games in the arena, while Valeria was listening to
the account a young Greek was giving her of the
discourse in the market-place.

** We Athenians are accused of loving every
novelty that comes in our Avay, and truly that
old man's preaching was a novelty, only it was
so blasphemous."

Valeria started. "Nay, thou shouldst not listen
if our gods were insulted," she said.

'' But thou seest it was something new — some-
thing altogether so novel that the temptation was
too strong for an Athenian to resist ; " and taking
out his tablets from his girdle he said, " See, I have
been at the trouble of putting down some things
this old man said."

Valeria looked al" the white wax tablets curiously.
" May I read them } " she asked.

" Certainly, if thou canst ; but the stylus was some-
what out of order. I fear thou wilt not be able."

But Valeria slowly traced out the delicate Greek

An Ancient Dressing -Room. 89

characters and read, *' There is but one true God.
All the idols of the nations shall perish."

" Idols ! " repeated Valeria, looking up ; " what
did he mean ? "

" Oh ! he left us in no doubt as to his meaninof,"
said the young Greek, lightly. '* He said that Jupiter
and Pallas and Juno, and all the rest of our gods,
were but vain idols."

Valeria sat and gazed at him in horror. " Is it
possible there can be such wretches in the world 1 "
.she said ; and then suddenly recollecting the fare-
well visit of their friend Julia, she exclaimed, " Why,
there is a sect in Rome that proclaim the same
falsehoods."

" Ha ! the Nazarenes. I have heard of them, and
I doubt not this old man is of the same sect, although
he calls himself a Christian, after one whom he calls
the Lord Christ," replied her visitor.

" Yes, they are the same sect, I know ; " and she
was about to say that a friend of their own had
been deluded into joining them, but she reflected
that to own as a friend one of these miserable people
would be to incur almost lasting disgrace, so she
merely said, *' I heard something about them just
before I left Rome."

" Indeed, what didst thou hear 1 " asked her guest.
" Thou seest I try to make a study — collect all the
evidence I can about any new startling subject like
this. It is an amusement that passes away many
a weary hour, for since we cannot all be philo-
sophers, and ambition in the State is out of the

90 Giaticia, the Greek Slave.

question since we bowed to the mistress of nations
and adopted the laws of Rome, we are glad of
any new gossip, any slight change — "

** But this would be no ' slight change,' if these
people could have their will," interrupted Valeria,
" for they would destroy our gods if they could,
I doubt not."

" Yes, every statue would be broken, and every
altar would be thrown down," said the young Greek,
coolly.

" Oh, what impiety ! " exclaimed Valeria ; " truly
these people are not fit to live," she added.

" Thou wouldst have them all turned into the
arena with a few tigers for company," said her
guest, laughing.

" It would be the greatest kindness to the rest
of mankind, for it seemeth these impious people
are not content with keeping their belief or un-
belief to themselves," said Valeria.

" No ; they would have all men believe as they
do. I never saw any one more earnest in my life
than that old man in the agora," he added, in a
more serious tone.

" How very dreadful ! " said Valeria ; " will not the
Athenians put a stop to such doings, if the prefect
does not interfere ? "

**Thou forgettest the Athenians love any new
amusement, even to the abuse of Pallas Athene, if it
can only boast of being a novelty, as this is. It is
somewhat puzzling too," he said, " for thou hast
doubtless seen the altar dedicated * To the Unknown

Au Ancient Dressing-Rooiu, gi

God,' which many suppose our great Socrates
erected and worshipped at. There is no temple,
no statue of this God, but the old man said it was
the Unknown God who had made Himself known
in the person of Jesus Christ."

" Is he one of the disciples of Plato — a great and
learned philosopher — this old man .'* " asked Valeria.

" Nay, he looks like an old slave, who has per-
haps bought his liberty or had it given to him.
Certainly he cannot boast of being learned."

**And the Athenians would listen to the vain
babbling of an old slave ! " said Valeria, in a tone of
contempt.

"Nay, but that is the puzzle," said the Greek.
" how this old man could know such things."

" He does not know them ; it is but an old man's
foolish tale," said Valeria. "I have learned a little
of thy Plato and Socrates, and think ye that thej^
in their wisdom would not have discovered this
* Unknown God,' if He was ever to be known."

" Plato and Socrates were certainly very wise,"
said the Greek.

"Yes, as wise as this old man is foolish. It is
all a foolish tale — foolish and impious," decided
Valeria, " and I am greatly surprised that ye Greeks
do not think so."

" We do," answered the young man, quickly ;
" but still, foolish as the whole of this religion is,
it is amusing and somewhat puzzling, and so we
can afford to tolerate its votaries a little."

"But suppose with their zeal and wariness they

92 Glaucia, the Greek Slave,

should delude the people to believe in this impiety,"
said Valeria.

The young man shook his head. "They will
never do that," he said ; " we Greeks are too wise.
This new religion, like that of Isis, will attract
attention for a little while, just because it is new ;
but the world will never forsake the worship of
Jupiter and our gods."

" Sweet Vesta, guardian of our hearths and homes,
defend us from such an evil ! " said Valeria, devoutly ;
and then she went on to talk of her sister, still left
in Rome, to watch and wait at the sacred hearth-
fire of the world, representative of every household
and every heart, that they might never be forgotten
by the gracious queen who presided over every
household in the land.

CHAPTER IX.

THE ATHENIAN CHURCH.

AS soon as Valeria had left her dressing-room
Glaucia was sent for, and told to remove her
bed, and all that belonged to her, from the little
room adjoining her mistress's, while Fulvia's were
fetched to replace them. This degradation — for it
was nothing less — touched Glaucia very keenly, and
when the usual slaves' room was reached she burst
into a passionate flood of tears.

'* I wanted to tell my mistress, too, of the strange
things the old man talked of in the market-place,"
she sobbed, speaking softly to herself. " She is
wiser than I am, and would know whether I ought
to believe it, or whether he is only a deceiver ; but
now I have no one to talk to about it."

Between Glaucia and her fellow-slaves there had
never been much companionship. Her refinement
revolted at many things they did and said, and
this, with Valeria's undisguised preference for her,
had caused a feeling of bitter jealousy to spring up
in their minds against her, so that with one exception

H

94 Glaucia, the Greek Stave.

all her companions rejoiced at her downfall ; and
Fulvia determined, now that she could be near her
mistress again, to set her so thoroughly against
Glaucia that she should never regain her lost place.
She took care, too, that the work of preparing her
mistress's powders and unguents should be such as
to occupy her at a distance from Valeria's rooms^
and that she should be sent on the different errands,
so that she might never be likely to see her mis-
tress to speak to her.

Glaucia \vas very unhappy about this at first, but
the frequent visits to the market reconciled her to
the altered state of things more than anything else,
for she seldom failed to see the old preacher there
now, and he, too, had begun to look for the gentle
slave who listened with such eager, hungry eyes to
the good new^s of salvation he had to proclaim. At
length he said to her —

''My daughter, wouldst thou not like to be
present at our meeting this evening .? A few of the
faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ will meet
together to strengthen each other's faith and hope,
and we ever gladly welcome those who are anxious
to learn more of this wonderful truth, and thou
art one of these, I feel certain."

''Yes," answered Glaucia, with downcast eyes,
" I am anxious to learn all th's wonderful Gospel
can teach me, but I have been troubled of late
with the thought that this knowledge is not for
women, at least not for modest women," she added,
slowly.

The AiJicjiian Church, 95

The old man started, and for a moment seemed
puzzled, but at length he said —
- " Nay, thou needest not to fear, for this Gospel
is sent to men and women alike without difference :
all may learn its blessed truths, but all may not
alike teach them, for our Brother Paul, having regard
to the immodest women among us, who stand up
in the schools and declaim aloud to all who will
hear them, and who have thus made it a shame
and a disgrace for women of sobriety even to learn
aught but the duties of a matron — having these, I
say, in his mind, and being careful that no reproach
should be brought upon the Gospel through this —
he has given a command, saying, * Suffer not a
woman to teach ; ' but he would, I know, exhort all
women to learn."

Glaucia bowed her head. " I will strive to come
to this meeting," she said, " if thou wilt tell me
where it is. I know Athens very well, and so can
doubtless find it."

*' Nay, but I may not do that," said the man,
" for th :)ugh I preach publicly in the market-place,
the Jews among us so sorely hate this Gospel that
the lives of all who love it are in danger, and there-
fore it is deemed prudent to keep our meeting-place
a secret. If, however, thou wilt come, my wife
shalt lead thee. \s for myself, I deem it safer to
go alone, for even while preaching I am in danger
of being stoned, like our first martyr Stephen."

Glaucia shivered. " Is there, then, such danger
in following this new religion ? " she asked.

<)6 Glancia^ the Greek Slave.

"Nay, call it not new," said the old man, quickly.
"The God whom we serve is from everlasting to
everlasting ; but the idols of this city are but modern
inventions that must pass away before the power
of this Gospel and the might of Jesus Christ."

As Glaucia walked home, and, looking at the
exquisite statues and splendid temples, thought of
the old man's words, she shook her head sadly. " t
cannot hope this new religion will ever gain more
than the love of poor slaves like myself, for because
it comes as a message of mercy to the poor, the
rich and learned will never receive it. I wonder
what Laon would think if he heard these glad tidings
of great joy ! " and Glaucia heaved another deep
sigh as she thought of her brother, and how hope-
less their ever meeting again novv^ seemed.

The old slave, who alone had befriended Glaucia
in her late trouble and disgrace, had often tried to
persuade her to go out and see her former friends in
the city, but the poor girl had shrunk from walking
in the streets more than she could help, for fear of
meeting face to face any of these acquaintances,
for she had s.^^'si one or two in the agora, and had
noticed how their heads were turned aside that they
might not see her, or had hastened into a booth that
they mi-ght avoid speaking to her, and so she had
always replied —

"No, no, I cannot go where I am not welcome,
and no one wishes to see Glaucia the slave ! "

Sometimes she wondered whether it was the fact
of her being a slave only that made her friends so

The Athenian Church. 97

utterly discard her — whether the disgrace, whatever it
was. that Laon had hinted at as connected with her
mother's name, had not some weight in this matter.
But whatever it was, none had ventured to befriend
the orphaned girl, and so when she went home and
said she wanted to go out for an hour in the evening,
her companions were all very much surprised. Her
friend, however, who was the oldest slave in the
house in point of service, and therefore somewhat
looked up to by the rest, overruled all the objections
made to this by others.

" The girl knows the city very well, and hath
friends here, and it will do her good to go out.
Our noble Valeria would not object to her seeing a
little change, I am sure. I will ask her by-and-by."

But any appeal to her mistress was just what the
artful Fulvia was constantly labouring to prevent,
and so she said, " There is no occasion to trouble
Valeria about that insignificant slave girl, I am sure.
If thou thinkest she can go about the city by herself,
I suppose she can, though I should not like to do
so ; " and Fulvia tossed her head as she walked out
into the atrium.

No one thought or cared to ask Glaucia where
she was going, and so, when the time came, she
went out, and found her way to the house she
had been directed to call, at without any difficulty.
An elderly woman was already dressed in her long
cloak, the ample folds of which effectually concealed
her face as well as her whole figure, descending, as
!t did, from her head, and only leaving sufficient of

98 Giaiicia, iJie Greek Slave.

her face uncovered to enable her to see. Glaucia
had not thought it necessary to put on any disguise.
but the woman threw a cloak over her head beiore
they went out, and then they silently took their way
through the most unfrequented parts of the city
towards the coast. Soon after the city gates were
passed and they had entered the wall-begirt street,
that was some five miles in length, the woman
moved her cloak aside, and breathed more freely.

"We shall not be likely to meet any Jews now,"
she said in half a whisper, and very soon she turned
toward one of the houses that seemed to be falling
into decay, and giving a peculiar knock at the door
sat herself down on a stone to rest and wait.

Glaucia looked up at the deserted house and the
wall, which had been built in the glorious days of
Athens, but had proved powerless to keep out the
all-conquering soldiers of Rome. *^ This place is
empty," she said, shivering with fear.

But the woman shook her head, and the next
minute stealthy footsteps were heard approaching
the place, and two other closely enveloped figures
appeared.

" Hast thou knocked, Medea } " asked the elder
of the two, looking closely at Glaucia as she spoke.

" Yes, most noble Damaris, I doubt not the door
will be opened as soon as they have ascertained
that we are friends."

** Thy husband still preaches boldly in the
market-place, I see. Truly he is a brave soldier
of the Lord Jesus Christ"

TJie Athenian Church. 99

" We are but a feeble band here in Athens,"
said Medea ; " and so it behoveth all who can speak
to do so, especially those who heard our Brother
Paul himself, and learned the truth from his lips.
Only thou and Dionysius the Areopagite are left
as fruits of his ministry, except my husband," said
Medea.

" Nay, nay ; thou knowest not how many of the
Lord's hidden ones are dwelling with us here in
Athens," said Damaris, cheerfully.

" They are umvorthy the name of Christ if they
come not forward and declare their love for Him.
Nay, nay, noble Damaris, seek not to excuse their
cowardice — " but at this moment the heavy door
was slowly swung back, and the whole party en-
tered.

They followed their guide through several large
deserted chambers to one partly underground and
at the back of the building, where, as the door
opened, they were each in turn greeted with the
salutation, " Peace be with thee ! "

The women bowed in silent acknowledgment
of the greeting, but a man who had entered just
after them returned it with the words, '' Peace be
to all the faithful ! "

The chamber was dimly lighted by a small lamp
fixed in the wall, and Glaucia could see there were
about a dozen people already assembled, sitting in
silent thought, apparently waiting for some one
else to appear. At length the door opened again,
and this time the venerable-looking man, pausing

loo Glcmcia^ the Greek Slave.

on the threshold, Hfted his hands and said, *' Peace
be to the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ ! "

A fervent ''Amen" was breathed by all pre-
sent, and then the new-comer stepped into the
middle of the chamber, and saying a few words
to Medea's husband, took a roll of papyrus from
his girdle.

" This is the copy of a letter from our Brother
Paul to the Church of Ephesus," he said, unrolling
the papyrus. " He is still imprisoned at Rome,
waiting for his trial before Nero, but is allowed to
receive all who like to visit him, none hindering
him from preaching the Gospel, for which he is in
bonds. These letters he desires the messengers of
the churches to read aloud, and likewise to send
faithful copies to all the brethren round about, and
thus, as the messenger of this church, I have re-
ceived it from the Church at Ephesus."

After this explanation he read Paul's greeting,
addressed not only to the Ephesian Church but to
''all the faithful in Christ Jesus," so that the little
company at Athens could feel they had a share in
the greeting, although the letter was not sent direct
to them. Slowly and clearly, with the purest Greek
enunciation, did the minister read through the first
part of the epistle, and Glaucia sat and listened
with rapt attention to those wonderful words, so
new, so strange, so altogether unlike anything she
had heard before concerning the popular gods of
Athens.

" Having predestinated us unto the adoption of

The Athenian Church. lOl

children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the

good pleasure of His will In whom we have

redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of His grace."

These were the words that the reader afterwards
rendered into more simple language, suited to the
capacity of Glaucia and several others of the com-
pany like her.

'*It is now ten years since this message was first
brought to our city, by this noble messenger of the
then Unknown God, our Brother Paul. It was
delivered first to the Jews in their synagogue, and
afterwards in the market, where, as thou knowest,
he was accused, like our philosopher Socrates, of
setting forth strange gods, and might, like him,
have been condemned to drink the fatal hemlock
by the court of the Areopagus, before which he
was brought, and to the members of which he so
boldly preached the Gospel.

" Oh ! my friends, never shall I forget the day
when I was summoned to take the rock-hewn seat
of judgment with other noble citizens of Athens, to
hear'what this * vain babbler ' — as he was called — had
to say about this new Divinity. I was very angry
that any should question the claims of our gods ;
but as he went on to speak of the death of the
Lord Jesus Christ, and the signs in heaven that had
followed it, as well as His resurrection, I could no
longer resist the conviction that he was indeed the
messenger of a God greater than Jupiter. I too
had witnessed the things he spoke of. The super-

102 Glatcciay the Greek Slave.

natural darkness at mid-day had extended even
to Heliopolis, in Egypt, and when I saw it I ex«-
claimed, * Either the God of nature suffers, or the
frame of the world will be dissolved.'

" I was a young man when this happened, but I
had never forgotten it, and it returned to my mind
that day ; and, proud philosopher as I was, sitting in
judgment upon this messenger, I became a learner
and believer in Christ, and have since sought, as far_
as I could, to follow in the footsteps of my great
master, Paul."

Glaucia sat and listened in wondering amaze-
ment, gazing at the speaker with widely-dilated
eyes that could see nothing else but that calm,
grand, majestic face that ten years ago had been
seen among the Areopagites. Truly, this religion
was a marvellous one, to come with a message to
slaves, inviting them to accept the redemption that
had been paid for them — terms which they, as
slaves, might be glad to accept ; but, for this proud
philosopher of the very highest rank among the
citizens of Athens, how he could stoop to accept
the same terms, so humbling to his pride, and be-
come a lowly follower of the Saviour, was the
puzzle.

The very name " Saviour " was revolting to Greek
pride, she knew ; and yet he had conquered it all,
and gloried in the name of " Christian," and called
these slaves who were present his brethren. Be-
yond the fact of some others being slaves, Glaucia
knew nothing, saw nothing of the congregation.

The Athenian CJiitrch. ♦ 103

for as soon as Dionysius had done speaking, she
whispered to Medea —

"■ I must go now, or they will not let me come
again."

"Thou wilt come again, then?" said Medsa,
quickly.

" Yes, indeed, if I am welcome," said Glaucia.

" Welcome ! Nay, we are anxious that all should
learn the truth, and, forsaking their idols, cleave to
the Lord our God."

" Forsaking their idols ! " repeated Glaucia ; " what
dost thou mean ? "

"That none can serve the Lord Jesus Christ —
accept the redemption He has paid — unless they
give up the vain worship of the idols He hates."

"But cannot I serve God — pray to Him as I
have begun to do, unless I leave off weaving gar-
lands for Pallas Athene, and pouring out a libation
to Vesta and the lares } " asked Glaucia, slowly and
sadly.

" No, indeed thou canst not," said the matron ;
"thou must choose between Pallas Athene and
the Lord Jesus Christ, for thou dare not serve
both."

They had left the house while they had been
speaking, and gained the gate of the city, and now,
as Medea was about to leave her, Glaucia lifted her
troubled face, and said —

" I know not what I shall do ; wilt thou pray
for me 1 "

"Yes, dear child, and, what is better, the Lord

104

Glmicia, the Greek Slave.

will help thee," said Medea ; and with these words
she left her to return home alone, for if they were
again seen together it might excite suspicion against
Glaucia, for it was already known in Athens that
Medea and her husband, as well as Damaris and
Dionysius, •;vere of the hated sect of the Nazarenes.

CHAPTER X.

THE WORSHIP OF THE GODS.

WHEN Glaucia reached home she hurried in
without once raising her eyes to the garland
that hung over the door, or pausing to invoke the
lares as she crossed the threshold. On her way to
the atrium she had to ' pass the statues of Flora
and Vesta, but she did so without the customary
reverence, for she was only anxious to reach her
own room, where she might sit down and think
over all she had heard, especially the last words
that had been spoken by Medea at the gate of
the city.

She had ventured to kneel down and pray to this
" Unknown God," who had neither temple nor statue
in Athens, for none of the Olympian deities who
were worshipped here would help Laon any more
than they did her, as he was poor and friendless.
But the God who was willing to be the God of
slaves, willing to be her God and Father, would be
equally ready to help Laon, she argued ; and so for
him, her beloved brother, she had prayed again and

io6 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

again, although for herself she had not the courage
to offer a single petition.

Now, however, that Medea had told her that she
must entirely renounce the worship of Pallas Athene
and all her former deities, she knew not what to
do — what to think. They would not help Laon, but
might they not in their anger injure him if she failed
to propitiate them — failed to offer her customary
service ? To others these statues of marble, ivory,
and gold might be idols, but to Glaucia they were
very real — very terrible in their anger, when she
thought of Jupiter forging thunderbolts to hurl at
her defenceless brother for her neglect of service.

Thinking thus, not feeling quite sure that she
could give up the service of her old gods all at once,
however much she might wish to serve the Lord,
the hours passed slowly away while she lay tossing
sleeplessly on her little bed.

The old slave, who shared Glaucia's room with
her, lay listening to the girl's deep-drawn sighs, won-
dering not a little what it could be that troubled her,
and resolving to speak to Valeria the next day on
behalf of her former favourite, for she doubted not
the artful Fulvia had been doing something to
annoy her again.

This resolution, however, was forgotten the next
morning, for Pan himself seemed to have descended
upon the usually quiet household, and created such
a state of confusion that no one seemed to know
what they were about. For some time Glaucia joined
in the running backward and forward with the other

TJie Worship of tite Gods. 107

slaves, but could not understand what had caused
so much bustle and confusion.

At length, however, she heard that a messenger
had arriyed from Rome at daybreak bringing the
sad news that Claudia, the vestal, was dangerously
ill, and desired to see her father.

Sempronius was about to set off on his journey at
once, and his slaves were doing all they could to
help forward the preparation for his departure ; for
his wife and daughter could do nothing but lament
aloud the cruelty of the Fates in ordering this just
after they had left Rome.

Sempronius himself, although he tried to subdue
all outward sign of emotion, as became a philosopher
and a stoic, was nevertheless deeply moved at the
sight of his wife's grief; but he positively refused to
allow her to accompany him to Rome.

*' Nay, nay, my Romula, I cannot allow thee to
return at this season," said her husband, firmly ;
" thou art not strong, and the damps of our Roman
climate at this time will do thee much harm, even
if thou dost not take the sickness which hath fallen
upon our Claudia."

*' Thou wilt bring her home then for me to nurse,"
said his wife, tearfully.

But Sempronius looked doubtful. " Why, Romula,
thou dost forget she is a vestal," he said.

" She was my child before she was the servant
of Vesta," cried the mother, passionately. " Oh,
Sempronius, bring her back until she is restored to
health ! She cannot perform her duties in the temple

io8 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

if she is ill, and the Senate would not refuse thy en-
treaty to restore her to her mother for a short time."

" Thou speakest of the Senate, but, my wife, thou
dost forget the gods," said Sempronius, seriously.

Romula hid her face in her hands for a few
minutes, but when she lifted it again to her husband'*
it was white and rigid as the marble Juno opposite.

^' Sempronius, I will brave the anger of the gods,"
she said, in a whisper. " Bring my child home or I
shall die ! "

Her husband saw it would be useless to discuss
this point with her just now, and so he said, " I will
dispatch a messenger to thee bearing tidings of
Claudia's state as soon as I reach Rome. Are the
slaves ready ? " he asked.

Again the mother's grief and anxiety overcame
every other feeling. " O Claudia, Claudia, my child !
shall I ever see thee again 1 wilt thou ever recover
from this sickness } " she exclaimed, wringing her
hands in hopeless grief

The freedman, who came in at this moment to
say the slaves and mules were ready to start, looked
pityingly at the lady. "The Delphic Oracle might
be consulted for the relief of the noble Romula,"
he suggested.

The lady heard the words, and caught at once at
the suggestion. "Valeria and a few slaves could
go with me," she said, eagerly.

Sempronius looked perplexed. " Thou art forget-
ful of the dangers of such a journey, my Romula,"
he said.

The Worship of the Gods. log

" The messenger who hath just arrived from Rome
travelled with messengers from the Emperor and
Senate, and when their letters to the Prefect of
Athens are delivered they are to journey to Corinth,
and thence to take ship to consult the Oracle of
Delphi concerning the late troubles in Britain, and
the noble Romula might join the cavalcade, and
thus travel in safety," said the freedman.

" Certainly that might be done," said Sempronius,
musingly ; '* but what is the Oracle to be consulted
upon ? Art thou sure these messengers are going
to Corinth and Delphi ?" he asked.

"Yes, the Emperor is anxious to know whether
the barbarian islanders will ever be entirely con-
quered. Their queen, Boadicea, has been defeated,
it is true, but Camulodunum (Colchester), Veru-
lamium (St. Albans), and Londinium (London) have
been burned to ashes, and seventy thousand of our
people in these colonies have perished."

" And our Nero is so occupied with amusing the
people with his performances as an actor that he
intends to give up this mighty undertaking, which
cost our Caesar so much, and for which our great
road through Gaul was constructed," said Sem-
pronius, contemptuously. " But I forget — time wears,
and I may not stay gossiping with thee, Anicetus.
Let everything be prepared for this journey to
Delphi, and do thou go thyself to command the
slaves, and take charge of my Romula ; " saying
which the philosopher and his wife passed out of
the atrium into a little side-room to bid each other

I

no Glaucia, the Greek Slave,

farewell, for this journey was beset by so many
perils that they might never meet again.

They each tried to speak cheerfully and hope-
fully, now that the moment of parting had come,
but it was an utter failure on the part of the
lady, and Sempronius was at length obliged to
tear himself away, leaving her fainting in the arnis
of her attendant slaves whom he had summoned.

As the philosopher with his numerous slaves
and freedmen wended their way slowly through
the gate of the city towards the Piraeus, Romula
was gradually recovering from her swoon. Valeria
was standing by her mother's side when she opened
her eyes, and to her the lady turned instinctively
for comfort.

" My Valeria, I shall never see him again. My
Sempronius and Claudia are both summoned to the
all-embracing arms of Death. Would that it could
be appeased with a less costly treasure, or that we
knew more of the Elysian fields that await us
beyond — could be quite sure that there is an Elysium
beyond the funeral urn ; for this is by no means
certain, it seems, since our wisest philosophers know
not whether it is a fable or a truth ;" and the lady
heaved a deep sigh as she spoke.

Valeria wished she could speak words of com-
fort, and confidently assure her mother there was
another life beyond the tomb ; but though she and
her father were both studying the writings of the
wisest men in Greece to ascertain this point, it was
by no means clear to them yet. She knew well,

The Worship of the Gods, 1 1 1

too, the danger her father was likely to encounter
in going to Rome at this unhealthy season of the
year, when the malaria-laden breezes from the marshes
of the Tiber carried disease and death to so many
in the imperial city. All who were able to do
so left at this season, and retired to Pompeii or
Herculaneum. Nero himself had a most gorgeous
palace in the neighbourhood, and all fashionable
Rome flocked after their emperor when he left the
city, so that it would be almost deserted at this
time by all but the poorest and those who, like
Claudia, were compelled to stay behind.

This was an additional anxiety to Valeria and
her mother, but they resolved to send a sacrifice at
once to the shrine of Hygeia. The goddess was
often neglected, and almost forgotten, until sickness
entered the family; but they hoped she was not so
deeply offended that she would not restore her
precious gift of health to Claudia, or withhold it
from Sempronius. Talking of this, and carefully
abstaining from any mention of the capriciousness
of their gods, Valeria at last succeeded in soothing
her mother, while Anicetus made preparations for
their instant departure from Athens to join the
imperial cavalcade.

Greatly to the annoyance of Fulvia, Glaucia was
told to prepare herself for this journey, as well as the
old slave who had been so long the faithful attendant
of Romula ; and, after issuing this command, Valeria
went, as was her custom, to the shrine of Flora,
expecting to see it decked with fresh flowers as

112 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

usual, for this was not only Glaucia's duty, but her
delight, and had never before been neglected. But,
to Valeria's surprise and anger, the withered, half
dead flowers of the previous day had not been
removed this morning, and not a single fresh one
was to be seen.

" Why is this, Felicita ? " she angrily demanded,
turning to the old slave, who happened to be
passing through the peristyle ; and pointing to
the untidy-looking shrine, Valeria said, *' Send
Glaucia to me ; it is her duty to place fresh flowers
here."

'* Doubtless it hath been forgotten in the hurry
and confusion this morning," said Felicita, by way
of excuse.

" But the shrine of our goddess should be more
carefully tended than ever, now that we are in
trouble," said Valeria. " Send Glaucia at once."

The poor girl came forward a few minutes after-
wards, trembling with fear, not so much at the
thought of her mistress's anger, as that of the
goddess whose service she had wilfully neglected,
for it was not through forgetfulness the shrine had
remained untended this morning. The look of con-
sternation and fright in the poor girl's face was so
visible that Valeria would not scold her, however,
as she had purposed.

"I see thou art conscious of thy fault, and sorry
for it too, Glaucia, and doubtless our gracious Flora
will forgive it this once, as I do, but never let it
occur again, or I—-" Valeria did not say what she

The Worship of the Gods. 1 1 ^

would do, but the look that accompanied these
words was in itself so threatening, that Giaucia
shivered with unknown terror. " Now go and
gather fresh flowers, while I remove these faded
ones," she added ; and as she spoke the proud patri-
cian lady kneeled down and carefully removed every
faded leaf from the marble pedestal, while Giaucia
went hastily to the garden, and with trembling
fingers gathered the first flowers she saw, with-
out regard to the purpose for which they were
intended.

Half blinded with tears, the poor girl raised
her streaming eyes to the cloudless blue of the
morning skies. " I have done it ; I have oflended
the great God by gathering these for Flora, and
He will not help Laon ;" and she sobbed forth her
grief and wrung her hands in the anguish of her
soul.

She could not long indulge in this outburst, for
her mistress was waiting, she knew, in the peristyle,
and she hastily collected what she had gathered,
and hurried back with them.

The lady frowned as she looked at them. " Thou
art very careless this morning, Giaucia," she said,
severely. " There is not a flower here worthy of
our goddess ; thou hast gathered the most worth-
less rubbish our garden will produce instead of the
most costly."

The colour deepened in Glaucia's cheeks, but she
did not reply. In truth she did not know what sne
had gathered until she began to help her mistress

Ii4 Glaucia^ the Greek Slave.

to arrange them, and then she too saw that they
were almost useless.

" It is well thou art coming with us on our jour-
ney to Delphi, or I fear that not only would the
shrine of Flora be neglected, but even the custom-
ary offerings to our lares would also be forgotten if
left to thy care," said the lady, in a tone of dis-
pleasure.

It was the first intimation Glaucia had received
of this journey, for Fulvia had not told her of her
mistress's command, but she did not feel sorry when
she knew that they were to join the Roman guard
of the emperor. They had just come from Rome,
and as she had left Laon there, they might have
heard something about him. She ventured to men-
tion her hopes to her friend, Felicita, while they
were preparing to depart, but the old slave shook
her head.

*' I greatly fear thou wilt never hear of thy brother
again," she said, sadly.

Glaucia's face grew ashy white, and forgetting
everything else in her love for her brother, she said,
'* Tell me what thou meanest 'i Dost thou think the
great God is so very angry about the flowers that
He will not let me see Laon now t "

"Tush, child! the gods cannot be troubled with
the sorrows of slaves," said the woman, impatiently.

"No, not our gods who dwell on Olympus, but
the great God who made heaven and earth — the
God of all men, slave and frceborn. He cares for
poor Laon."

The Worship of the Gods. 115

The woman looked at her in open-eyed wonder.
" What art thou talking of, child ? There is
no god so poor that he will care for slaves," she
said.

" No, He is not poor, but rich, and He loves us
so much that He gave His Son Jesus Christ to die
for us," said Glaucia, quickly.

But before she had finished speaking the woman
had seized her by the arm, and looked at her with
dilating eyes. " Dost thou know what thou art talk-
ing about, child } " she asked, in a hoarse whisper.
"Where didst thou meet with these wicked Naza-
renes, these atheists, who say there is no God.''"

" Nay, if the old man who preaches in the market
is a Nazarene, he is not wicked, nor does he say
there is no God, for he tells of One greater than
our Jupiter, and kinder than Juno or our Pallas
Athene," said Glaucia, warmly.

"And thou hast been listening to him — that old
Nazarene, who preaches in the market. I see it
now ; thy neglect of Flora's shrine was wilful, and
thou too art half a Nazarene. Oh, wretched, miser-
able girl ! what thy fate will be when the noble
Valeria hears it I tremble to think."

Glaucia turned pale, and trembled too, but still
she did not lose her courage entirely. " My mistress
will not be so very angry when she hears that this
God is the only one for slaves."

" Angry, girl } Thou dost not know Valeria if
thou thinkest she will forgive any slight to the gods.
Forget "^hat thou hast heard in the market ; it wil/

Ii6

Glaucia, the Greek Slave,

be easy to do so, since thou wilt not go there again
/or some time. This journey to Delphi too will help
thee, and I will keep thy secret, so that no harm is
done if thou dost not tell that artful Fulvia about it."
" I will not tell Fulvia about it, but I cannot forget
what I have learned," said Glaucia, her eyes slowly
filling with tears. " Felicita, I have prayed to this
great God for my brother Laon, and I know He will
hear me, and let me see him once more ; " and the
poor girl smiled through her tears.

'^^^mm^mj%M

CHAPTER XL

THE DELPHIC ORACLE.

ROMULA and Valeria reclined in their litter,
around which 'were drawn curtains of em-
broidered silk, to shut out the inquisitive gaze of
foot passengers, and leave the ladies free to indulge
their grief or converse upon the slender hope they
had of Claudia's recovery. Immediately in front
of them Anicetus drove in a chariot of bronze,
upon the sides of which were wrought reliefs of
the Olympian games, for, as the representative of
Sempronius, he would travel in the same state as
his master ; and the train was now headed by his
chariot, drawn by two horses of the rarest breed of
Parthia, whose fiery speed could with difficulty be
brought down to the pace of the servants who
walked before to clear the road of all obstacles.

Behind the litter of the ladies came their female
slaves, and one or two Greek clients, who had
placed themselves under Sempronius's protection
since he had been at Athens, and who had volun-
teered to accompany Romula, to point out the

Ii8 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

best roads to be taken on their journey. They took
the road leading to the Marathon gate of the city,
which led them through the most fashionable
streets of Athens. Their progress was necessarily
very slow, for, in spite of the servants, some part of
the train was constantly being separated from the
rest by the rapidly driven car of some fashionable
young Greek, who, standing with the reins gathered
tightly in his hands, and his limbs exquisitely poised,
was not an unapt model of Phoebus himself, both in
beauty and skill.

At the portico of the temple of Fortuna there
was a general halt, while Anicetus went in to
place incense on the sacred tripod and sacrifice to
the blind goddess, on behalf of his mistress, for the
success of their journey. Then the cavalcade wound
slowly on past the gaily decorated open shops, the
sparkling fountains that at every vista threw up
their cooling spray in the summer air, past the
crowds of elegantly - robed loungers and bustling
slaves pacing to and fro with large bronze buckets
on their heads, past tiny exquisite gardens, where
they caught gleams of white marble and saw the
sacred tripod, that brought to Glaucia's mind her
trouble more vividly than ever. But for these gar-
dens and their elegant reminders of what the poor
girl would fain have forgotten, for a short time she
might have been as gay as Fulvia herself, for it
was impossible for a Greek to resist all these in-
fluences of brightness, beauty, and eager, brim-
ming life by which they were surrounded.

The DelpJiic Oracle. 119

Wlien the city gates were passed, and the streets
Glaucia knew so well had been left behind, they
pushed on more rapidly along the country road.
Quite as beautiful was the scene spread before
them here. In the distance rose Hymettus, its
sides covered with the chestnut, ilex, cypress,
and plane trees that grow so luxuriantly in that
climate. All along the road were copses of olive,
fig, and pomegranate trees, interspersed with
* green meadows, guarded by myrtle and oleander
hedges, or fallow fields, where the corn had been
cut in May, and where mint, thyme,, and rose-
mary were now springing up among less noxious
weeds.

There were fewer statues of Venus to be seen
in this country district. Ceres, with her bunch of
corn, was the favourite deity of the farmers, and
the hideous half-man, half-goat statue of Pan was
set up for the shepherds and bee-keepers, while-
Pallas Athene, in her character of light-giver, an
Jupiter, as the father of gods and men, shared with
these favourite deities the veneration of the country
people.

Glaucia had heard of all these, but when she
thought of the great God combining the attributes
of all the gods in Himself, and exercising all their
care and power, it seemed something too wonderful
for comprehension, and she bowed her head in
instinctive awe at the thought.

But the god each had been told to propitiate and
sacrifice to above all others; w^s Mercury, for he

¥

120 Glmicia, the (Jrcch Slave.

must bear the message from the gods that would
relieve their anxiety or plunge them into deeper
gloom — he must inspire the lips of the oracle at
Delphi ; and as none of their deities were remarkable
for their truth, Mercury might bear a false message
if not propitiated. So at each of the principal
temples of Mercury on their route incense was
offered to that god.

The Roman cavalcade had joined them soon
after leaving the gate of Athens, and as they wished
to push on to Corinth as quickly as possible, there
was only time for Anicetus to perform /this duty,
as he could drive more rapidly in his chariot
than the whole company could travel. At last,
after two days' weary march, the temple of Venus,
crowning the lofty Acro-Corinthus, two thousand
feet above the sea, burst upon their view. Here
they would rest for a day, while their Roman com-
panions transacted their business, before going on
to Delphi.

Corinth was as unlike Athens as a modern city
full of bustle and mercantile business is unlike
a seat of learning, where the arts and sciesices
are almost the sole study and occupation of its
inhabitants. Neptune here occupied the place of
Pallas Athene, but a statue of bronze had been
erected to her in the market-place scarcely less
splendid than that of the Acropolis at Athens.
Nor were the temples less splendid or numerous,
while, in addition to the gods and heroes, was a long
line of statues and busts erected along the road to

The Delphic Oracle, 121

the honour of the victors of the Isthmian games,
celebrated here every year, and attracting hundreds
of visitors to this, the most famous city for pleasure
and luxury.

To our visitors, however, there was little to attract,
and they were anxious to reach their destination as
soon as possible, where they hoped the terrible
suspense which they now endured would be at an
end. Of course they would have to wait until the
more important communication affecting the distant
barbarian island was given ; but, Mercury being
favourable, they hoped they should not be kept
long waiting for their message.

At length Delphi was reached, and the important
day arrived when the Oracle was to be consulted.
The whole family went up to the temple to wait,
in reverent silence, while Anicetus drew near with
the priest to listen to the sacred words that should
bring weal or woe to his mistress. When at last
the silence was broken, however, the message was
so enigmxatical that it brought but little comfort to
the anxious travellers.

"The reaper gathereth not flowers, but ripened
corn, into his sickle."

This trite saying was all the Oracle could be
induced to utter, and with this they were obliged
to commence their return journey, after spending
nearly a week in Delphi. As they drew near the
gates of Corinth, Glaucia was taken ill, and her illness
increased so rapidly in a few hours that it was
deemed advisable to leave her behind at Corinth,

122 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave,

in the care of the old slave, Felicita. Lodgings
were taken for them by Anicetus in a humble
quarter of the town, for living was so expensive here
that a fortune might soon be spent if no care was
used ; indeed, it was a common proverb at this
time, "Not every man can go to Corinth."

Anicetus had some difficulty in finding any one
who would take the two slaves under their roof,
but at last a poor widow, who got her living by
sewing at the rough hair-cloth manufactured in the
looms here, consented to take Glaucia and her
nurse into her house ; and here they were left while
the rest went on to Athens.

The widow's house at Corinth was very different
from the patrician house at Athens — a small hall
or atrium, and two tiny bedrooms on one side of
it, composed the whole ; but it was not the small-
ness of the house that struck Felicita as being so
peculiar, so much as its want of everything considered
so essential in other dwellings, even the poorest. In
the centre of the atrium stood the iinpliivium, or
reservoir for rain water — for this tiny hall was open
to the sky, like those of the wealthier dwellings —
but there was not a statue or image to be seen, not
the faintest attempt to present the household gods
for worship. In vain Felicita looked in every
corner of the atrium and little bedroom ; nothing
was seen of the lares and penates, nor was there
any image of Venus or Juno.

Felicita ventured to tell Glaucia of this when
they were left to themselves at night, for she was

The Delphic Oracle. 123

very much shocked at what seemed to her the
atheism this bespoke.

" Glaucia, it is dreadful," she said, " to think that
our Juno, the queen of heaven, and goddess of
married women, should not even have an image in
this house."

"But perhaps the woman does not worship our
gods," said Glaucia, wearily.

" Does not worship our gods ! " repeated Felicita.
" What dost thou mean ? Surely thou art not
thinking she is an atheist — one of those hateful
Nazarenes ! "

" I can't think of anything ; I only want to go to
sleep," said the girl, lying down on the little
mattress as she spoke.

"If I thought she was one of those Nazarenes
I would not stay in the house a single night,"
said Felicita ; " I would even now go after Ani-
cetus and — " but a deep groan from Glaucia
interrupted her, and the household gods as well as
the national deities were alike forgotten, and she
was glad to accept the services of the widow, who
offered to prepare some herb-tea for the sick
girl ; for instead of going to sleep, as she said,
Glaucia lay tossing restlessly on the bed, sometimes
groaning with pain, and at times delirious in her
speech.

The next day she was quieter, but did not
seem much better, and Felicita was glad to see
the widow bring her coarse, rough sewing into the
atrium, for kindness is stronger than any creed ;

124 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

and, in spite of her atheism, FeHcita's heart was
drawn towards the woman who had befriended
them. The widow had not been at work long,
however, before a vistor came in, a dehcate-looking,
plainly dressed woman, who seated herself by the
widow, and bade her go on with her work.

" So thou hast two visitors, I hear ! " she said,
in a gentle, musical voice. " That they are poor
and needy I need not ask ; but are they sisters
from another church } "

*' Nay, I know not that ; but they are slaves, and
one is sick, and none would take them in," said
the w'dow.

" And thou, mindful of the example of Him our
Master, who went about doing good both to the
bodies and souls of men, hast taken these poor
wayfarers under thy roof. That thou canst do,
and we will not grudge thee the privilege ; but the
Church must help thee in the rest, for thou hast
neither food nor raiment to spare."

" It is not food or raiment they need, noble
Hyrmina, but shelter only, for they are the slaves
of a wealthy Roman family, whose freedman
brought them hither."

** Because one was sick, thou sayest 1 Well, suffer
her not to want anything in her sickness that the
Church can supply. Our Sister Phoebe will visit
thee if I do not come again ; but should any need
arise, thou hadst better send to mc, as my house is
at hand."

The visitor then drew a papyrus-roll from her

TJie Delphic Oracle. 125

girdle, and read to the astonished ears of Felicita
a wonderful account of a starving multitude being
fed with five loaves and two small fishes."

" It was a God, and not a man, who could do
such^a work as that," exclaimed the slave half aloud,
as she sat within her little room listening.

" It is sweet to know the Lord Christ cared even
that His people should have daily bread," said the
widow, as the papyrus was rolled up again.

" Yes, and He has promised to reward even the
cup of cold water given for His sake ; and so we
should be thankful for the opportunity of minister-
ing to the necessity of strangers as well as saints,"
said the visitor, as she rose to leave.

How strange it all sounded to Felicita, who sat
listening close by. These people worshipped a God
who, unlike Jupiter and the rest of the Olympian
deities, took care of His worshippers, noting even
their smallest acts, instead of being taken up with
His own pleasure and amusement. She would have
liked to speak to Glaucia about this, but the poor
girl was unable to talk now.

As the days passed, instead of getting better,
she grew worse, and, living in Corinth being very
expensive, the sum of money which Anicetus had
left them was exhausted, and the widow was com-
pelled to ask for some help to keep her lodgers
from starving, as well as a change of linen for
Glaucia.

" Thy wants will all be supplied, for what the dea-
coness of our Church, Phoebe, cannot give me from

K

126 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

the treasury, will be supplied by the other, Hyrmina,
for she holdeth that her riches should be divided
between the poorer brethren, even as it is in some
of the churches."

*'My master, who is a noble Roman, will repay
thee for the care of us," said Felicita.

" Nay, nay, but we look not for payment," said the
widow; "it is true we are not rich in this world's
goods, but our God will never suffer us to want. He
is the Lord of heaven and earth, and can supply all
our need, and will do it, that we may minister to
others."

Certainly Glaucia had no need to complain of
the ministering. Had she been in her master's
house she could not have had her wants better
supplied or been more carefully tended, for the
widow came to sit with her whenever Felicita was
obliged to leave, for the fever ran high, and she
could not be left alone.

The deaconess Hyrmina sent an ample supply of
clothes and linen, and called every day, bringing
grapes and pomegranates and pleasant snow-cooled
drinks, but she never came beyond the entrance to
the atrium now, and rarely stopped five minutes with
the widow. Felicita wished she would read again
from the strange roll, but it had never been produced
since, and she heard her say one day —

" I dare not linger long, for fear this poor girl's
sickness should be infectious, and I should take it
to others whom I visit."

TJte Delphic Oracle. i 2^

What had brought on the attack the physician
could not tell, but he forbade any one to talk to
her, and so the weary days passed on, until at
length the fever had run its course. Now that
she began to get better she desired to thank one
who had done so much for a friendless stranger,
but she heard, to her disappointment, that she
now had been seized with a sudden illness. It
was not fever, though, but a weakness to which
she was subject, and which had been brought on
by trouble years before.

" Nay, but the gentle lady whom I heard read-
ing to you cannot have suffered from any trouble,
surely," said Felicita.

" She hath suffered very sorely, I have heard ;
nay, it hath cost her more than life itself to serve
the Lord Christ faithfully," said the widow.

^'And this Christ is your God, and you are
of this sect called Nazarenes," said the slave,
quickly.

" Nay, we are called Christians, as we strive
to follow in the footsteps of Christ," said the
widow.

" Christians or Nazarenes, I will not speak against
you again," said Felicita, warmly ; " and I hope this
deaconess will soon be better, that we may see
her before we return to Athens."

It had caused Felicita some uneasiness that no
tidings had come from thence, since they did not
return at the time they were directed ; but now

128 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

Anicetus, coming to ascertain the cause of their
delay, arrived too soon, for he came before
Hyrmina could leave the house or even see visitors,
and so Glaucia was obliged to return to Athena
without once seeing her friend.

^^

'^^MM

s^

M

^m

CHAPTER XII.

DECISION.

ANICETUS brought bad news with him to
Corinth. His master had returned from
Rome bringing Claudia with him ; but he was so
ill that their friend Julia and one of her slaves
had accompanied him back, and they were both
at Athens still.

Felicita had heard of Julia's change of faith —
had heard her called a Nazarene by Romula, and
she wondered whether it was this new, strange
faith that gave her courage to brave the pestilence,
for it was this from which Claudia had been
suffering, and her father had taken it likewise.
So destitute were they of all help, in spite of their
wealth, that but for Julia's energetic kindness they
must have perished, for every one but she and a
faithful slave had refused to go near the stricken
father and daughter.

*' This slave is a blind Jewess, too," said Anicetus,
when he was relating the account, " and devotedly
fond of her mistress,"

130 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

" And Claudia is better, sayest thou ? "

"Yes, by sweet Venus, or if the pestilence had
not left her she could not have come to Athens,"
said Anicetus.

"And my master is better?" said Glaucia.

" The gods defend us from such a sickness as
he has had. I fear he will never be better until
he reaches the abode of the shades," said Anicetus,
with a sigh.

Felicita shivered. The mention of death was
always avoided ; for there was such an u.ncer
tainty hanging over that dark future that none
knew what to hope or what to believe.

Glaucia would have liked to tell them what she
had heard of that future life, but she had not the
courage yet, and then she hardly knew herself
what to believe of tidings so wonderful, of a mes-
sage sent to slaves concerning matters that their
profoundest and most devout philosophers had
failed to penetrate.

When Athens was at length reached she found
that she was to resume her old place of personal
attendant on Valeria, while Fulvia waited on
Claudia and their guest, for the blind girl was not
able to do all that was required of a lady's maid.

They had travelled by slow and easy stages to
Athens, so that Glaucia's strength was now almost
entirely restored, and she was able to resume her
duties as soon as she reached home, and one
of the first of these was to decorate the shrine of
Flora.

Decisioji. 131

Slowly and hesitatingly she went to the garden
in search of the asphodel and iris her mistress
commanded her to gather, for her faith in the
God of the Christians had grown stronger, and
she was more than ever convinced that she ought
not to join in the worship of these false gods any
longer. But how could she tell her mistress of
this change of faith ? She had learned to love her,
and this made it far more difficult to do anything
likely to displease her. The punishment that might
be inflicted, the disgrace that would follow her
declaration, were not thought of; the question had
narrowed itself down to this — which was the
stronger — her love to Christ or love to her mistress ?

At last she laid down the flowers she was
gathering, and resolutely turned towards the house.
" The Lord Christ will help me," she said ; and she
turned towards the peristyle, where she knew that
her mistress was then sitting with her sister and
their guest. The lady looked surprised to see her
slave enter empty-handed, and she said, quickly,

*' By our sweet Flora, thou art ill again."

But Glaucia shook her head. "No, I am not
ill," she said, trying to speak steadily, " but I
cannot weave garlands for the gods now."

Valeria started.- " Cannot weave garlands for
our Flora ! " she exclaimed. " And wherefore art
thou thus disobedient } "

" Because — because I have learned to love the
Lord Jesus Christ," said Glaucia, in a trembling
whisper.

132 Glaucia, the Greek Slave

Valeria started to her feet as tnough a serpent
had stung her. "Slave, dost thou know what thou
art saying? dost thou dare to come to me and
say thou wilt not worship the gods of Rome and
thine own native Athens ? "

Lower and lower drooped Glaucia's head, while
her tears fell upon the mosaic pavement, and for
a minute or two she could not reply for the sobs
that shook her slight frame, but at length she
ventured to raise her eyes to her mistress's angry
face.

*'I am sorry, so sorry to displease, but I cannot
worship our false gods again, for I have learned to
know that there is but one true God," she said.

" And where didst thou learn this } " asked her
mistress. " By the gods, I will punish these people
as well as thee," she added ; and she glanced at
Julia as she spoke.

The lady, however, although she looked pityingly
at Glaucia, could not be accused of teaching her
this Christian faith, for there had not been either
time or opportunity for her to do it, however
willing or even anxious she might be to impart
her knowledge to others.

Glaucia, however, did not answer her mistress,
who repeated her question, commanding her to
reply to it immediately.

" I cannot tell thee who taught me," she said ;
*' but I thought thou wouldst be glad to hear there
was a religion for slaves."

" Ah ! truly, this Christian religion is only fit for

Decision, 133

slaves and malefactors, for the God they worship
was crucified — died the death of a slave and male-
factor."

"But He rose again from the dead, and thus
proved Himself greater than all the gods of Rome,
by bringing life and immortality to light," said
Julia, quickly.

Glaucia glanced toward the lady, and thanked her
silently with her eyes for thus defending their faith.

Again Valeria commanded the girl to tell her
who had taught her these things, but she again
refused to do this.

" I will bear any punishment, but I cannot tell
thee this," she said, firmly.

The lady, finding she could not extort this
information from her at present, dismissed her, and
then, turning to her sister, asked what she ought
to do in the matter. Claudia had taken no part
in the discussion before, and, now that she was
appealed to, a deep colour stole into her pale face,
and she glanced at Julia, as she said,

"What ought I to say, Julia.?"

But the lady only shook her head, while the
colour went and came in Claudia's face so quickly
that Valeria was puzzled to understand what this
strange manner of her sister could mean.

At length she said, "My sister, thy slave hath
almost convinced me of the truth and power of
this religion that she and our Julia hath learned.
At my desire she told me much concerning it on
our voyage from Rome^ but I needed something

r34 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

to convince me of its reality, although our Julia's
braving the terrible pestilence was in itself a great
puzzle, dreading, as we Romans do, going down
into the dark world of shades. But to believe in
a God who hath brought 4ife and immortality to
light' must take away this dread terror, and — "

But Valeria interposed with a passionate " Hush,
hush ! I cannot bear it ; the shame and disgrace
is too terrible. Oh, my father ! my father ! what
wilt thou say when thou hearest that thy daughter,
Claudia, the pure and holy vestal, hath declared
herself a Christian ? " and, with a burst of anguish,
Valeria hurried from the peristyle, and sought the
secrecy of her own room to indulge her grief
unmolested.

She drew the thick, embroidered curtain across
the entrance that separated it from her bathroom,
and, throwing herself on a couch, sobbed passion-
ately for some time. By degrees, however, she
became more calm, and when she heard Glaucia
enter the outward room to prepare her bath she
sat quite silent, so that the girl had no idea her
mistress was so near. If she had, she would
scarcely have dared to do what she did. Having
finished her preparations by pouring the perfume
into the bath, placing the unguents and powders
at hand, ready for her mistress's use, she kneeled
down beside the bath, and in the name of Christ
prayed that her mistress might bathe in the aton-
ing blood that had been shed for her sin, that she
might cast away the worship of the false gods,

Decision. 135

and trust only in the one true God who made
heaven and earth and all the nations of men.

Valeria sat and listened to her slave in silent
wonder. There was no petition for vengeance to
fall upon her, no anger or hatred in the prayer,
only she seemed to think she needed pardon for
something, and she asked that pardon might be
given.

When Glaucia had gone, Valeria left her room and
went back to the peristyle, but it was deserted now,
and, thinking that Julia and her sister had gone to
the garden to talk over this new faith, she passed on
to her father's chamber to sit with him for a short
time before taking her bath. But, to her surprise,
Claudia was sitting with her father reading one of the
manuscripts of Epicurus. She looked up as Valeria
entered, and smiled gravely, but at the same time
made a sign for her to be silent as to what had
passed in the peristyle.

" My sister, I have taken your place, I fear," she
said, rising as she spoke, and preparing to lay aside
the manuscript.

The invalid sighed deeply as his eyes fell upon
Valeria. " Claudia hath been reading to me on the
old subject ; but there is no light, Valeria ; it is all
dark, quite dark."

" What is quite dark, my father } " asked Valeria,
thinking that his mind must be wandering.

"Everything beyond the funeral urn. What the
realm of shades may be — whether we are even shades
we cannot tell ; " and the philosopher sighed wearily.

136 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

Claudia passed out of the room, and Valeria took
up the manuscript, but her father motioned her to put
it down.

" No more, now," he said ; " I shall know it all ere
long ; I must take this leap in the dark, as all my
ancestors have done."

Valeria shivered. " My father, art thou worse to-
day .-* " she asked.

" No, not worse, but no better. Have the sacrifices
been sent to the temple of Jupiter } " he asked,
anxiously.

" Yes, my father, and I have myself been many
times to the altar of Hygeia," said Valeria, " and yet
thou dost not gain health."

" I would that I could gain the knowledge I have
been seeking all my life," sighed the philosopher,
" and which I thought I should be sure to gain here
in Athens from the study of her various systems of
philosophy. Valeria, it is to be found," he said, with
sudden energy, " and do thou seek it — search for it
until thou find it, no matter in what direction the
search may lead thee."

Suddenly there flashed upon Valeria's mind the
words spoken by Julia in the peristyle a short time
before, but she put them from her in angry scorn.
''The God of those miserable Christians bring light
and immortality to light, when our noblest philo-
sophers have failed } Impossible!" muttered Valeria ;
and she went on carefully reading over the manu-
script to herself, hoping to find some clue that would
lead her to the light her father so earnestly longed

Decision. 137

for. But no clue could she find ; it was, as her father
said, dark, all dark, and, grope as she might, no ray
of light came to reward her.

When she saw that her father was sleeping, she
beckoned to the slave in the anteroom, and bade her
take her place, and then went for her bath. To her
surprise, Claudia sat in her dressing-room, and asked
her to dismiss Glaucia, as she wished to speak to her.

Valeria had not forgotten her sister's declaration of
the morning, and was very cold and haughty in her
manner.

" My sister, thou art thinking of my incautious
words so imprudently spoken this morning," she said.
" Forget them, I pray thee, as I shall strive to do, or,
if that is impossible, try to think that I knew not
what I said when they were spoken."

" Forget them ! " repeated Valeria, as if hardly
comprehending her sister's meaning ; " but, my
sister, thou art — "

" I am Claudia the vestal still, and shall ever
remain so," interrupted Claudia.

Valeria breathed a sigh of relief. "Sweet Flora
be praised ! " she uttered ; " I was afraid thou wert
about to act as rashly as Julia has d«ne."

Claudia shook her head, while her eyes went down
to the ground. '' There may be some truth in this
new religion. I believe there is ; but think of the
disgrace I should incur if I publicly declared this,
and openly joined this sect of people called Chris-
tians. Think of the scandal it would cause in Rome,
the disgrace that would fall upon our family when

15^ Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

the shameful tale was told that Claudia the vestal
had forsaken the old gods of Rome and become a
Christian."

Valeria kissed her sister in silent approval, and yet
while she did so those haunting words of Julia's
came back to her mind. *^ Life and immortality-
brought to light," linked this time with the charge
her father had given her to continue her search for
this truth in whatsoever direction it might be found.
But again she argued that Julia's vaunting assertion
could not be true, or her sister would not so lightly
give up what she already knew, and with this
thought she summoned Glaucia once more, and com-
menced her preparations for the bath.

How she should punish her waiting-maid for
daring to neglect the worship of the gods she
did not know. To recall Fulvia and send Glaucia
back among the household slaves did not suit her
personal convenience, for, in spite of her presumption,
she liked Glaucia, and no one could arrange her hair
or dress her to her father's taste but the Greek girl.
She did not, however, speak to her while she was at
her bath, or while she was dressing her afterwards, a
fact that Glaucia did not fail to notice, and she won-
dered what her punishment was likely to be. But
her mistress was dressed, and she was left to clear up
the dressing-room, and no word had been spoken
beyond a haughty command to go to the market for
some flowers when her present task was completed.

Glaucia's colour went and came, and her heart
beat with a feeling of ahiiost tumultuous joy at the

Decision. 1 39

thought ot seeing her friend once more, and she
forgot everything else for the time. Just as she was
starting for the market, however, she was vexed to
see Julia's maid, the little blind Jewess, coming
towards her.

" What can she want now ! " exclaimed Glaucia,
petulantly, as Drusilla said, in a plaintive tone, " Is
Glaucia near ? "

" Yes," answered Glaucia, shortly ; " but I am going
out."

*' My mistress told me thou wert going to the
market, and desired me to ask thee if I might go
also," said Drusilla.

Glaucia would have said " No," had she dared, and
as it was she only yielded a reluctant consent ; but
they set off together hand in hand, neither speaking
until the market-place was reached, when Glaucia
looked eagerly round for her friend, who so often
stood preaching at the entrance, and she could not
help heaving a sigh of disappointment when she saw
the empty space where a crowd had so often stood
before. The cause of this, however, they overheard
from the gossip of two market women.

" The Nazarene will not come to-day, by Ceres,"
said one.

" The gods forbid that he should until my pome-
granates are sold, for these fierce Jews are watching
for him, and there would be another riot," said her
neighbour.

Drusilla raised her head quickly. " Who is this
Nazarene?" she asked. •* Is he called Paul.?"

140 Gtaiicia, the Greek Slave.

" Hush ! hush ! " said Glaucia. " Let them not
hear thee talk of Paul, or they will know I used to
linger here to listen to the words of one who learned
the truth from his lips."

" The truth ! " repeated Drusilla. " Dost thou
believe that Paul preached the truth ? "

Glaucia looked into the sightless eyes of her com-
panion, as if asking whether she dare trust her secret
to her, and then she whispered, " I am a Christian."

For answer, Drusilla threw her arms round her
fellow-slave's neck, and, kissing her, said, "We are
sisters then — sisters in Christ, who hath made all one
in Himself."

Before Glaucia could recover from her astonishment
at this avowal, her arm was seized by the blind girl,
just as a piercing scream was heard, and she said
hastily —

"Glaucia, I know that voice — that scream — lead
me to him, for he is my friend, and I may be able
to help him, as he once helped me.*'

CHAPTER XIII.

laon's search.

WHEN Laon landed in Athens his first care was
to hasten to the city and inquire for a noble
Roman family who had lately come to reside there,
but to all his inquiries men only shrugged their
shoulders and told him so many noble Romans were
coming and going now that it would not be easy
to find the family he wanted, unless he knew what
quarter they were living in, and advised him to
commence his search at the fashionable end of the
city.

This advice he decided to follow, as being the
best course he could think of; and having received
a few sesterces as wages from the shipmaster, he
left the market-place, and went on to the other end
of the city, and commenced his inquiries, resolving
not to do anything else until Glaucia was found.
But, to his disappointment, no one had heard of the
name of Sempronius Gracchus here ; and although
he went on from one mansion to another, until
he had to give up the search from weariness, he

L

142 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

seemed no nearer his desired end than when he
landed.

In a few days his small stock of money was spent,
and then he resolved to go to some former friends of
his father's and ask their help and advice in his diffi-
culty. Laon was tired and hungry before he could
decide to take this step, for he had long since thought
that some of his father's friends might and ought to
have come forward to save Glaucia at least from
a life of slavery, and as they had not done so of
their own free-will he would never ask help from
them.

This resolution, so easy to keep when at a distance,
and while he felt sure of being able to find his sister,
had been gradually breaking down since the convic-
tion had grown upon him that he should never
succeed in his search by his own unaided efforts, and
so, at last, he stood at the door of a wealthy old man
who had known his family for many years, and who
had often shown him little acts of kindness during
his father's lifetime.

"Wilt thou tell thy master that Laon, the
Athenian, craves an audience } " he said, with some-
thing of the assumption of manhood, to the slave
who sat in the doorway and acted as porter.

Laon was careful to make the customary reverence
to the household gods as he crossed the threshold,
but the man eyed him suspiciously, for his dress was
not in accordance with the rank of his master's usual
guests, and he told him to stand aside for a client to
pass through the vestibule

Laop's Search. 143

The blood rose to Laon's cheek as this request
was enforced by a rude push, and he said, hastily —

''Slave, dost thou dare to touch a Greek and
an Athenian ? by the gods I — "

" I have no time to talk to boys," said the slave,
sneeringly ; " if thou desirest to see the noble
Agamos thou must wait thy turn, like the rest ; "
and the man took his seat by the door again to
question each new comer before he passed into
the vestibule.

Laon inwardly chafed at this treatment, but he
was obliged to submit, and so passed into the
vestibule, which was already nearly full of wait-
ing clients.

"Agamos is a genuine lover of fine jewels,"
said one, who carried a small casket, which he
was careful not to trust out of his hand.

"Jewels I know nothing of, but, by the gods,
if he is a judge of the true old Falernian he will
buy what I come to offer him," said a wine mer-
chant, whose rubicund face bespoke his own love
of the rich old wine. " It is a chance not to
be met with twice in a man's lifetime, I can
tell thee, and, by Bacchus, Agamos must not
miss it."

" Or thou wilt miss making a good bargain,'*
laughed the jeweller.

" Well, it may be so," said his companion.

" But what have we here ? " he added, as an-
other came pressing in with several rich robes and
tunics hans^ing over his arm.

144 Giaucia, the Greek Slave,

** These are all in the newest style," said the
fresh comer. *' I have but just made them up
from patterns received from Rome. This purple
silk, edged with silver fringe, is exactly like one
worn by the emperor the last time he played
upon the lute before his people."

" By the gods, it is handsome, and well became
Nero, I doubt not, for his long fair curls would
contrast with that rich purple," said the jeweller,
in a tone of admiration.

"Nero's taste is exquisite, from the colour of
a robe to a fight in the arena," said the man
milliner ; " and if I can only get our noble pa-
tron, Agamos, to think so, he will add a few of
these to his wardrobe, and I shall be tlie richer."

The others laughed. "And thou wilt persuade
him that his iron-grey locks will rival the golden
curls of Nero," said the jeweller.

" Ah ! and, by the helmet of Caesar, thou wilt
do the same — wilt tell the poor, withered old
dotard that thy finery will make him look as
fresh and blooming as Poppaea herself," retorted
the man of cloth.

" Hold there ! B}^ Bacchus, nothing but wine
can warm the blood, and make us feel young
again," said the wine merchant. "And since it is
needful for our patron to feel young before he
can look so, why I had better go in first, as you
gentlemen will have a better chance of disposing
of your finery after he has tasted my wine."

" By Jupiter, thou art a cunning fellow," said

Laofis Search. 145

the jeweller ; out since I have little business on
hand this morning thou mayest take my turn,
and thou canst tell me then whether the umbra
of Agamos is with him this morning."

"That is well spoken, my friend, and if I had
a skin of this same Falemian to spare it should
be at thy ser\dce, by the gods ; though I hope
this umbra is not with our patron to-day, for
he always protests that things can be bought
cheaper in the market than honest men can afford
to sell them in this part of Athens, so that it is
hard to drive a bargain when he is at hand."

" Thou art of my own mind," said the habit-
maker, "and yet I have sold this same fellow a
tunic for less than the silk cost me, that he might
help me to make a good bargain with our patron.
Ah ! times are not as they used to be when I was
a boy, like this one here ; " and as he spoke he
looked towards Laon, who had been pushed and
hustled into a corner.

Several others glanced towards him now, and
then there followed some mysterious nods and
shakes of the head between whispered communi-
cations that passed from one to the other.

All Laon could hear was, " Very strange," " Quite
disgraceful,'' " Never been heard of since ; " but he
knew from the glances directed towards him that
he was in some way connected with this " strange,"
" disgraceful " subject, whatever it might be. He
resolved, therefore, to speak to the wine mer-
chant, as he seemed to be so well acquainted

146 Glauciaf t/ie Greek Slave.

with him, and so, pushing his way nearer the front,
he said:

" Thou knowest me, I believe ; thou hast sold
many skins of wine to my father, I think."

But the man shook his head. ** Thou art quite
mistaken," he answered, quickly, looking at Laon as
thouo;h he had never seen him before. " I have
lived in Athens many years now, and I never
ser\-e any but the noblest citizens, so that I should
not be Ukely to know thy father."

The hot blood rushed to Laon's face at this
gratuitous insult, but he had begun to school his
heart to bear indignities in silence, if not in
patience, and he turned away without replying.

In a few minutes the slave posted at the door
of the atrium drew aside the curtain, and motioned
to the first of the crowd to go in. The next
minute the umbra, or toady, of the great man put
his head outside to see how many were waiting for
an audience.

" My patron, the noble Agamos, will not be able
to see you all to-day," he said, frowning at the
jeweller as he pressed forward.

Laon pushed his way to the front, too. " I
must see him to-day," he said, earnestly.

The umbra .looked at him. " If thou art in-
solent, boy, thou shalt not see him to-day, or to-
morrow either," he said.

" Wilt thou tell him that Laon, the son of a
very old friend, wishes to see him," said the boy,
taking no notice of this speech.

If.aotis Search. i47

" Laon, Laon," repeated the umbra. " Oh ! I
remember now," he suddenly added, with a grim
smile, "and, doubtless, my patron will remember
thee likewise."

" Yes, my father was an Epicurean as well as
Agamos," said Laon, with a touch of pride in his
tone.

A meaning smile passed over the faces of several,
and again there was that mysterious whispering,
which went on until the wine merchant passed on
into the atrium. Laon was disappointed that he
had not been summoned to go in before these
clients and the different people that were waiting
about, but he consoled himself with the thought
that the man had forced his way in, and that he
should be the next summoned. But he was not.
Another and another went in, until at last, feeling
sure that the umbra had forgotten he was there,
he persuaded the slave in attendance — whose duty
it was to lift the curtain on one side for each to
pass in and out — to go and tell him that " Laon
was waiting."

"Laon may wait," was the message brought
back, and not too civilly delivered, and so he sat
down with what patience he could muster, and
saw one after another pass in and out again, until
at last all had had an audience. Then he was
allowed to enter ; but the face of the old man
grew dark as he entered his presence.

" Insolent, presumptuous boy, how dost thou dare
obtrude thyself upon my notice ! " he said.

^4^ GlciJicia ilie Greek Slave.

Laon looked at him in silent wonder. " I know
not — I cannot tell," he stammered. " My fathei
was thy friend, and — and — "

" And the greatest rogue in Athens, not to speak
of thy mother and her disgrace," interrupted the
old man, angrily.

" My motlier ! " repeated Laon, and his face
grew pale as he spoke. ** Canst thou tell me what
she did 1 "

" She was a woman," said the old man, fiercely.

" Ah ! that she was," assented the umbra.

" But what crime did she commit t " asked the
boy.

" I tell thee she was a woman, and no better than
the rest of her sex, from Venus downward ; nay,
she was a great deal worse than other women,"
went on Agamos.

" Yes, much worse," corroborated the umbra.

" Well, since thou knowest so much about my
mother, perhaps thou wilt tell me what it is she is
accused of?" said Laon, turning upon the humble
companion of the great man.

He looked at his patron, and lifted his hands
deprecatingly, but did not utter a word. It was
not his duty to say a word on his own account,
but merely to reiterate what his master said.

" Thou art insolent, boy," said Agamos ; " where-
fore hast thou forced thyself into my pre-
sence .''

" I came to ask thy help as the friend of my
dead father," said Laon ; " but since all friendship

LaoiLs Search. 149

Seems to be forgotten, I will not press my suit
further."

" Xay, by the gods, I am not likely to forget a
friendship that cost me so dear," said Agamos.
"Thy father borrowed too many of my sesterces
for me to forget him quickly," he added.

"Yes, that he did," responded the umbra.

" I am sorr>^," said Laon ; and in this he spoke
truly. "And since my father borrowed so much, I
will not seek to add to the debt by asking thee to
give to his son either money or advice ; " saying
which, Laon bowed and hurried from the atrium
as quickly as his tottering limbs would carry
him.

He was faint with hunger before he came, and
now, after these hours of waiting, he could hardly
stand. As he walked through the vestibule one of
the slaves passed him with a basket of figs and
pomegranates, and he felt strongly inclined to take
some ; but he resisted the temptation, and walked
out into the street feeling hopeless as well as
hungry.

Which way he should turn or what he should do
now he did not know, and the thought of Glaucia
and her possible danger if she offended her mistress
made him groan aloud in agony of spirit. Then
there was his mother and the dark myster}- that
ficemed to enfold her. What had she done 1 Why
had his father married again ? Where was she at
this time } To all these questions Laon longed to
find an answer, but how he was to set about it —

150 Glaiccia, ihe Greek Slai)e.

what the first step even ought to be he was
puzzled to know — and what hope would he have
to commence such a search when he could not
find Glaucia, although he knew she was in Athens ?

Therfe was one question, however, that would
have to be answered before any of these — one
want that was clamouring to be satisfied, and
now, even before Glaucia could be searched for
again, he must have some food. He had thought
to obtain this from Agamos, but as he had given
him insults instead of help and advice, he resolved
to seek another of his father's friends.

He had to walk some distance before the house
was reached, for this friend Was by no means so
wealthy as Agamos, and did*not live in the fashion-
able part of Athens. Two or three slaves formed
the whole household here, and there was no crowd
of clients waiting for an audience, and Laon hoped
that this follower of Epicurus would receive him
more favourably than the last.

There was little difficulty in gaining an entrance,
and Laon was shown into the atrium, where the
would-be ^ philosopher was reclining on a couch,
with a silver cup by his side filled with sweet
wine. His brows were crowned with a garland,
and a soft perfume filled the air, and as he rose
languidly to gaze at Laon, his loose flowing robe
disclosed an embroidered tunic, such as Valeria
might have worn.

•' I do not remember thee," he said, lazily, as
Laon mentioned his name.

Laoiis Search. \\\

*' Nay, but thou knewest my father before he
passed to the realm of shades," said L'aon.

The man lifted his hand, as if to screen his eyes
fiom viewing some dreadful spectre.

" Nay, nay, talk not of such dull subjects to a
follower of Epicurus ; let us eat and drink while we
can, without troubling ourselves any further. Life
was given that we might enjoy it, and, by sweet
V^enus, I mean to do so too," he said, taking a
draught of wine as he spoke.

Laon looked perplexed. *' Thou wert a friend of
my father's," he said, " and I have come to ask
thee — " and there Laon hesitated.

" Go on," said the man, '' perhaps I can help
thee. I doubt not thou hast come to ask me to
supper, but scarcely know how to frame the invita-
tion. Make thyself easy, I am not one of those
who carp at the exact words an invitation is given
in, when the supper is good."

Laon's face grew crimson. '* By the gods, I have
no supper for myself," he said, speaking with a
desperate effort ; " indeed, it was that I might get
one I have come to thee now."

The languid-looking exquisite stared at him in
blank amazement. " Thou hast come to ask a
poor man like me to give thee a supper, when I
can scarcely get one for myself.'* It is an insult
— an outrage ! Begone from my presence, or, by
Bacchus, my slave shall kick thee out ; " and he
seemed so overcome by this display of energy that
he fell back on the couch, as if quite exhausted.

iS-

Glaucia, the Greek Stave.

Laon went out into the street, and, hungry as
he was, he felt he would rather starve than attempt
begging of friends again. He would look for some
work now, and earn a few sesterces, and go on with
his search for Glaucia in the best way he could,
without asking anybody's advice or help either.

i^

' 11 w^ffi^ii ^Vi

^^^

bii*** ^^A^a >^^^^^

IMK;

CHAPTER XIV.

FRIENDS IN NEED.

IT OW to earn a few sesterces was a question
A more easily asked than answered, and Laon
found himself wandering up and down the streets
of Athens, hungry and tired, without home and
without friends, not knowing where to obtain even
a meal.

Wandering on towards the Marathon gate, he
overtook a man slowly labouring along under a
load of empty baskets, honey jars, and snow
pitchers, cursing his ill luck, and calling upon all
the gods in turn to help him. The only response
he obtained to these adjurations was the laughter
and jeers of the passengers, with an occasional
shower of stones from the boys, until Laon over-
took him. He might have joined the ranks of his
tormentors at another time, but his own helpless,
friendless condition made him pity the poor man,
although he could not help smiling at his ludicrous
efforts to get along quicker with his load, and
evade the stones that were thrown at him.

1^4 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

At length Laon stepped up to the old man and
said, " I will carry one or two of thy baskets for
thee."

The man looked at him suspiciously, and shook
his head. '' If I were only Jupiter," he said, " I
would give you boys something to do."

** Well, I want to do something," said Laon. " I
want to earn some money, but I am willing to help
thee with the baskets for nothing."

"Nay, by the gods, if thou wilt help me carry
some of these jars and baskets home, I will give
thee as many ripe figs as thou canst eat," said the
man.

" I will carry them," said Laon ; and in a few
minutes he had taken his share of the load, and
was trudging on at the man's side listening to
his account of how his mule had fallen lame, and
the straps of the pannier had broken that morning
just as he got to the market.

They took the road leading to Corinth after
passing through the city gate, and Laon was not
sorry when they stopped, about a mile beyond, and
the old man announced that they had reached
home. The poor boy was so exhausted with his
long walk and the almost superhuman efforts he
had made to keep up, that when he put the jars
and baskets down upon the ground he sunk beside
them.

" By our sweet Ceres, thou art looking ill, boy,"
said the old man ; ** rest here awhile, and I will fetch
thee a little wine and honeycomb ; " and he threw

Friends in Need, 155

down his own load, and passed into the farm-house
close by.

In a minute or two a stout, rosy-looking matron
came out, bringing a cup of wine and a few figs,
but when she saw Laon she set down the cup, and,
kneeling by his side, exclaimed —

*' Laon, my boy, my own nursling ; why, what
ails thee ? what hath brought thee back from thy
rich kinsman in Rome ? "

The sound of the well-known kindly voice of his
nurse recalled Laon's fleeting senses, and he slowly
opened his eyes and looked in her face, and then
at the jars and baskets by his side.

" Am I dreaming, or is it really Lepida } " he said,
faintly, passing his hand before his eyes, and look-
ing up into her face.

She stooped and kissed him. '' Nay, nay, by our
own little Cupid, it is thy nurse, Lepida herself,"
she said, kindly.

Laon nestled against the supporting arm. " Oh,
Lepida, I am so hungry," he said.

" Hungry ! " she repeated, as though she could
not understand such a thing in connection with
Laon. " Ah ! ah 1" she said, *' thou hast often been
hungry before when we have been to the market,
and thou sawest my good man's pomegranates. I
could not give them to thee then," she added.
" but thou shalt have as many as thou wilt now."

" Nay, I would rather have a little millet 01
barley-cake,'' said Laon, *'for, by the gods, I am so
hungry I know not what to do."*

156 Giaticiay the Ureek Slave.

The poor woman's eyes filled with tears, but she
did not waste any time in useless words or grief
now. She got him to drink the wine, and then
half led, half carried him into the house, smiling
through her tears at his look of wondering per-
plexity.

" It is my house, my home," she said ; " Arno-
bius asked me to be his wife, and help him keep
his bees, so we were married, and I left the city
and came here ; " and she looked round the kitchen
with evident pride and pleasure.

There was no need for an atrium in a house
where the inhabitants spent the greater part of their
time out of doors, and so this space was taken
up by a large storeroom and kitchen all in one.
Only the centre was held sacred to the lares and
penates, the same as the ordinary atrium, and the
images of these household gods occupied the middle
of the floor, and under them was spread a tiny
square of costly carpet, woven in the looms of
Sardis, and of which Lepida was not a little
proud.

The rest of the floor or pavement was of clay,
baked hard, but there was an exquisite statue of
Ceres as well as of Pan, and a sacred tripod for
their worship, while round the room were shelves,
on which jars of honey stood ready to take to
market. The pots, pans, and buckets which were
arranged on a lower shelf were of bronze, and all
of a most elegant and graceful shape, although for
such homely uses.

Friends in Need. I57

Laon looked round the room, and heaved a
sigh of reHef, as he noticed these evidences of
comfort and easy competence. " Lepida, thou
wilt be able to give me a meal," he said, in an
eager whisper.

" Hush ! hush ! thou wilt break my heart, Laon,"
she said. " By our queen Juno, thou shalt have
a meal as long as I have one to share with
thee ; " and she seated him on the rough couch,
and proceeded to spread the evening repast at
once.

In a few minutes her husband came into the
room, and his wife explained who their visitor
was.

" He is right welcome, my Lepida," said the old
man, " for there was not a boy in Athens who
offered to help me with my baskets to-day save
him only. Give him the best of our cheese and
honeycomb, and the choicest morsels of the kid
thou art stewing."

Lepida shook her finger at her husband playfully.
''What right hast thou to go peeping into my
stew-pans 1 " she said ; " but hasten now and bring
in the baskets," she added, '' or Laon shall eat
all the kid ; " and she bustled out of the room
to finish her preparations, giving Laon a few figs
to eat while she prepared the supper and placed it
on the table.

Everything was plain and homely, but to Laon
it was the richest feast he had known for a long
time. The kid was delicious, and so were the

M

158 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

parched corn and barley bread, and the cakes
made of figs and nuts pressed hard. He ate
slowly and cautiously, for he was almost starved,
and Lepida, noticing this, gave him the most tender
morsels, telling him at the same time not to hurry
over his meal.

" My Arnobius must go and drive home the
goats by-and-by, but I have little to do, and so
I can sit by while thou art telling me all that has
happened to thee and Glaucia," said Lepida, when
the meal was almost over, so far as she and her
husband were concerned.

At the mention of Glaucia the tears slowly welled
up into Laon's eyes, as he said, " Alas, Lepida ! I
fear I shall never see her again."

" Never see thy sister again ! " repeated his nurse.
*' Nay, nay, if thou hast been rash in leaving thy
wealthy kinsman, he will not be so hard as to deny
thee speech with Glaucia when thou shalt wish it,
or, by the gods, he is — "

"Who told thee we were going to a wealthy
kinsman } " interrupted Laon.

" Nemesa, thy step-mother, ere she left Athens
with her son," replied Lepida.

" It was false, Lepida ! " said Laon, fiercely ; " we
were sold — Glaucia and I — sold to pay our father's
debts."

" Sold ! " repeated Lepida, starting from her seat ;
" my children, whom I took from their mother, and
promised to cherish as my own."

"Thou didst take care of us as long as thou

Friends in Need. 159

wert able," said Laon, laying his hand tenderly on
hers, and trying to soothe her agitation ; " thou
couldst not prevent us being taken to the slave-
market by our father's creditor."

''And ye were both sold as slaves!" said Lepida,
with a choking sob.

" No, I escaped — ran away from the market,
but Glaucia was sold and brought back to Athens,
and when I found it out I came to look for
her."

" My Glaucia is in Athens, then ! The gods be
praised for bringing her back to her friends. But
why didst thou not bring her with thee ? " she
suddenly asked.

" I cannot find her," said Laon, sadly ; " she is
waiting-maid to a noble Roman lady, but no one
seems to have heard of the Gracchi, although I
was sure they came to settle here."

"Well, if they are in Athens my Arnobius can
find it out, for, by the sceptre of Jupiter, he is
the greatest gossip in the market. I doubt not
the pannier straps were cut while he was discussing
the last bit of news from, the Areopagus," she
said, vvith a pleasant smile.

" Then thou dost not go to the market, Lepida t "
said Laon.

" Nay, who would look after the house if I
wasted my time at Athens ? " she said. " But
look not so anxious," she continued, " Arnobius
will find out Glaucia."

"It was not alone of Glaucia I was thinking,

fOo Glmicia, the Greek Slave.

but my mother," said Laon, with a deep-drawn
sigh.

The woman looked anxious and troubled too,
and shook her head sadly. " Thou hast forgotten
the advice I gave thee with the parchments," she
said. " I bid thee forget thou hadst ever had a
mother."

'* But I cannot forget it, Lepida," said Laon.
" I am not a child now, and I mean to find
my mother," he added, in a tone of deter-
mination.

The woman started. " Hast thou read what
is written on the parchment t " she asked, anxi-
ously.

" Alas ! thou knowest I cannot read yet, but I
mean to learn as speedily as may be," answered
Laon ; " for if this that my mother hath written
is a secret, no one should know it save her son,
therefore I have refrained from showing it to any
stranger. Dost thou know what this writing is?"
he suddenly asked.

The woman shook her head. " I have not even
looked upon it," she said. " Thy mother bound
me by a terrible oath, before she left Athens,
to deliver the parchments to her children so soon
as they should be grown up, and that no one
should look upon them or touch them until they
were delivered into thy hand."

"And thou hast kept thy promise faithfully. I
thank thee, Lepida, for it may be that when I
learn to read I shall be able to find my mother

Friends in Need. *<>i

through this writing — she may even be in Athens
now," he added.

** Nay, she may not come within the gates of
our city," said the woman, with a sigh.

'•' Then my mother was banished by the judges,"
said Laon, quickly. " What was her crime } " he
asked.

But Lepida could only shake her head. '* The
gods and men alike were offended," she said,
sadly.

" I will know what her offence was," said
Laon, in a determined tone. "I have heard her
spoken of this day as no Greek matron should
be, and I will know what cause she hath given
for it."

Lepida sighed, but did not reply, and shortly
afterward her husband came in to ask some
questions about the bee-hives. When these were
answered, she asked him if he had heard anything
of a noble Roman family named Gracchus, who
had recently come to Athens.

The subject, however, was not a pleasant one
to Arnobius. "Ask me not about these up-
starts," he said, "or, by Pan, I shall lose mv
temper."

"Nay, nay, but I must find out where these
Gracchi live, and thou must not lose thy temper,"
said his wife.

" I will have naught to do with Romans, not
even to ask about them," said the old man ; " if
thou art so anxious about the^ vain cox-

'02 Glaucia, ike Greek Slave.

combs who come here and ape the manners of
our Plato, as though that would give them his
wisdom, let Laon come with me to the market,
and he can ask in some of the booths ; some
of our gossips will have heard of them, I doubt
not"

**That will I do most gladly," answered Laon,
"and if I can help thee while we are there I will
do it also."

" By the gods, thou art a sensible lad," said
the old man, " too sensible for the life of a city ;
thou couldst drive a bargain, I doubt not, and
look after a market stall too."

"Yes, I think I could," said Laon.

" Well, by Bacchus, thou shalt try, and if thou
canst, and hast a mind to stay with us awhile,
thou shalt be welcome to bed and board and a
few sesterces besides. What sayest thou, Lepida ? "
he asked, turning to his wife.

She hardly knew what to say. That Laon was
pleased at the proposal and would be glad to
accept it, she could see ; but it was such a reversion
of all that she deemed right and proper — such a
humble position for one born to expect such a
different station in life — that she could only shake
her head dubiously.

" I know what thou art thinking of, Lepida,"
said Laon ; " but what am I to do if I take not
this kind offer of thy husband "i I have tried
Degging, and will never do that any more, and
starving, and hope to have no more of tiiat ; i

Friends in Need. 163

have no learning, therefore there is nothing but
work I can do."

"But thou, a noble-born Athenian, to be sell-
ing honey and grapes in the market ! " objected
Lepida.

"It is better to sell these than to be sold,"
said Laon. " And I have stood in the shambles
with barbarian Britons."

" I could see to thy comforts here, and take
care that thou hast no menial work to do in the
fields," debated Lepida.

"And I should have time to' learn the art of
reading and writing," said Laon. " Lepida, say
thou wilt agree to this plan, for my sake," he
urged.

She could not resist that pleading face and
voice. " Well, thou shalt try it, my Laon," she
said, " and I will be thy nurse still ; only thou
must not go to the market yet — not until thou
art stronger and more fit for work than thou art
now.*'

Laon objected to this delay at first, but was
obliged to yield the point, for he felt himself
more weak the next morning than he expected —
so weak, indeed, that he could scarcely creep about
the house and garden, and needed the kind offices
of his nurse in more ways than one.

He grew more reconciled to this, however, when
Lepida lent him a manuscript containing the first
rudiments of reading. With this in his hand he
went and sat under the shade of the mulberry-

'64 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

tree that sheltered one side of the house, and by
close application had learned to spell out a few
words before nightfall ; for the first step had
already been mastered — he knew the alphabet, and
so it would not be so difficult for him to learn ^o
read.

CHAPTER XV.

TIDINGS.

LAON was glad to go to the market and
commence his work, although it was some
days before Lepida would allow him to do so.
But he felt the wisdom of the restriction that had
been imposed upon him before he reached the
market, for he was so tired that he could scarcely
stand when the fruit-stall was reached at which
Ai.rnobius set out his wares.

Pomegranates and grapes, figs and honey, were
displayed in most tempting groups, and then
Laon was left to serve the customers for a short
time, while Arnobius went to another part of the
market to make some purchases for his wife.

Laon was to carry these home to her at mid-
day by himself, if the fruit was not all sold by
that time so that they could return together, an
arrangement that did not please Arnobius very
well, as he wanted to leave his stall in charge of
Laon while he went to listen to a learned dispu-
tation that was to take place between two philo-

1 66 GlauciUy the Greek Slave.

sophers, an Epicurean and a Stoic, on the im-
mortality of the soul.

Lepida, however, must have her merchandise,
whatever her husband's intellectual wants might
be, and so, as there had been but few customers
during the morning, Laon was despatched with
the laden basket in good time, so that he might
reach home before the sun attained its meridian
height.

The basket being heavy, and Laon tired, he
did not walk very fast, until, drawing near the
Marathon gate, he was overtaken by a cohort of
Roman cavalry, and he resolved to keep up with
these, both for company and protection, for robbery
was not infrequent even in broad daylight and
within sight of the city gates.

Laon had to walk fast, however, to keep up
with the Roman steeds, and he wondered several
times why they were going at such a moderate
pace. The reason, however, was explained just as
he turned into the lane leading to his new home,
for the soldiers suddenly halted, and, looking back,
Laon saw another cavalcade approaching, headed
by servants and an elegant chariot, so that he con-
cluded at once that the second party were going
to join the soldiers for safety.

He did not stay for them to come up, for he
knew Lepida would be wanting the contents of
his basket, and so he hurried into the house just
as Anicetus with his train passed. If he had only
known Glaucia was in that company, or if she

Tidings. 1 67

could have been told that the pretty, quaint brown
house she admired was the home of her old nurse,
and the dwelling-place of her beloved brother,
what a load would have been lifted from the heart
of each !

But neither knew that the other was so near,
and so Glaucia went on her way to Delphi, pray-
ing to her newly-found God to take care of her
brother and bring them together once more, while
Laon related to his friend and nurse how he had
inquired of the market people for the family to
whom his sister had been sold, but that no one
had heard of the name of Gracchus.

" Then, perhaps, they did not come to Athens
at all," said Lepida.

"Yes, I feel sure they did," answered Laon,
" for the old slave who told me would not tell a
lie. Yes, yes, they are here," he added, confidently,
"and, by the gods, I will find Glaucia, and then —
then — " and Laon stopped.

" What wouldst thou say 1 " asked Lepida.

" I have determined to free Glaucia," said Laon,
breathing hard ; " and I have heard news in the
market this morning, which, if true, will enable
me to do so, I think."

" Why, what hast thou heard ? Is Plutus going
to send showers of sesterces upon Athens ? " asked
Lepida, with a smile.

" Not exactly, but something like it," said Laon.
" The Roman cohort bringing letters from Rome
to our prefect hath likewise brought the news that

1 68 GlauaUy the Greek Slave.

the great Emperor Nero purposes to visit Athens
next spring. He is coming to witness the Isthmian
games at Corinth, and will bring with him his
favourite gladiators to instruct some Greek lads in
the use of the cestus."

Lepida looked scornfully. "We have altars to
Astrea and Ate ; but we have not yet thrown down
the altar of mercy," she said.

Laon looked as though he did not comprehend
what she meant. " The Emperor will not throw
down the altars of our gods ; all worships are per-
mitted at Rome," he said.

" Yes, and so are all cruelties, or, by the gods,
there would be no gladiators — not even the poorest
of our citizens will patronize these," said Lepida,
speaking quickly.

Laon looked down. " These gladiators are brave
men," he said, " or they would not be so careless
of death."

"It is the bravery of brute beasts, then, not of
wise men," said Lepida. "Think of our heroes who
fought at Marathon ; they were brave, for they died
that Athens might be free ; but these men dare
death for the sake of a few sesterces."

"But suppose they fought that somebody
they loved might be free," said Laon, in a
lower tone, " would they not be brave then } " he
asked.

Lepida started and gazed into the boyish face,
looking so earnest and so determined, and in
that moment she comprehended what he intended

Tidings. 169

Seizing his arm, she said, '' Laon, thou must not do
this."

A faint colour stole into his cheeks. " I must free
Glaucia," he said.

" But not in this way. The gods forbid that
thou shouldst become a gladiator," she exclaimed,
impulsively.

" But it is the only way I can ever hope to earn
money enough to ransom my sister," he said, with a
sigh.

" And suppose thou failest .'* " she asked. " Sup-
pose thou art the conquered instead of the con-
queror, and need the death-penny put into
thy mouth instead of receiving the sesterces in
thy hand ? "

'* But I must not — will not — fail," said Laon ; " the
gods will help me ; I will sacrifice to Fortuna each
time I pass through the city."

Lepida wrung her hands in anguish. ** Laon, thou
knowest not what thou art saying. Thou knowest
not what the life of a gladiator is."

"By the gods, I do, though. They were kind
to me in Rome, and offered to get me admittance
to their famous school ; and if Appius comes with
the Emperor he will teach me how to use the cestus
and net, and trident too, I doubt not," said Laon,
not in the least moved by his nurse's aversion to
the games.

Lepida grew pale, and her hands worked con-
vulsively, but at last she said : " Laon, for thy
mother's sake thou must not do this."

I/O Glaucia^ tlie Greek Slave.

" For my mother's sake ! " repeated Laon ; " tut
what would my mother say if she knew Glaucia was
a slave and I did not try to free her ? "

" Thou shalt try," , said Lepida, eagerly ; " thou
shalt do anything thou wilt to ransom her — any-
thing but become a gladiator," she added, repress-
ing a shudder.

" But why would my mother object to me be-
coming a gladiator ? " asked Laon, pettishly.

'' Canst thou, being a Greek — an Athenian — ask
such a question ? " said Lepida, evasively.

" It is considered a brave and noble profession
-in Rome," grumbled Laon ; ** and if thou canst not
tell me why my mother would object to it, I do
not see why I should not practise it."

Lepida could not stay to talk to him any longer,
and so he was left to vent his ill-humour alone,
while she went about her daily work.

The next day Laon renewed his inquiries among
the people he saw in the market, and at last met
with a slave who could tell him where Sempronius
Gracchus lived.

To leave the stall and go at once in search of
Glaucia again was the work of a few minutes ; but
when at last the house was reached, the slave sitting
at the door told him the family were away, and
most of the slaves were with them.

*'But perhaps there is one left behind. I want
my sister, a Greek girl, called Glaucia."

" Glaucia is on her way to Delphi, with the noble
Valeria, her mistress," said the slave.

Tidings. 171

When will she return ? " asked Laon, scarcely
able to restrain his tears.

" By the helmet of C^sar, that were a puzzle to
tell any one ; she went but yesterday, and, as thou
knowest, the journey is a dangerous one."

The old man seemed inclined to gossip, but Laon
was in no mood for this, and turned sorrowfully
away and went back to the market, resolving to
call at the mansion every day until his sister re-
turned, for fear she should come back and set off
on another journey at once, since it seemed these
Romans were so fond of travelling,

Lepida tried to dissuade him from adopting this
plan, saying the slave would grow weary of answer-
ing his inquiry so often, but Laon was wilful and
headstrong, as lads of his age frequently are ; and,
as Lepida had foreseen, he was told at last that
if he came there again he should be kicked down
the steps, and so he could only go and look at
the house and wonder when Glaucia would be back,
whether she had already arrived, and why she did
not come out sometimes as well as the other
slaves.

He ventured to ask one of these for her again
after some little time, and then he heard that she
was ill, and had been left behind at Corinth, and
he hurried home at once to inform Lepida of it

" At Corinth ! " repeated the woman, turning pale,
"why did they take her to Corinth.?"

" Nay, I cannot tell ; but I am going to search
for her now," said Laon.

1/2 Glaucia^ tlie Greek Slave.

But Lepida laid her hand upon his shoulder.
" Laon," she said, " thou must not go to Corinth.'

*' Why not } " he asked. " I am not a child now,
I can—"

" Dost thou remember what thou saidst the other
day about wishing thou hadst taken my advice .'' "
interrupted his nurse.

"Yes, it would have been better then, but now
I must—"

" Thou must follow my advice now, Laon," said
the woman, sadly. " I will go to Corinth myself
and search for Glaucia, and, if possible, bring her
back with me."

" Thou go to Corinth, J^epida ! " said Laon, open-
ing his eyes in astonishment.

" Yes ; I have been there many times," said the
woman, quietly. " I have other business that will
take me there now besides searching for Glaucia,"
she added.

" Then let me go with thee and search for
my sister while thou art about thy other business,"
said Laon.

But Lepida shook her head. " Nay, nay," she
said ; " thou must stay and take care of the house
and Arnobius, for I have not been to Corinth since
my marriage, and doubtless my husband will miss
me, but if he has thee with him it will not be so
bad."

" I had better go to Corinth with thee, I am sure,"
he said, in a discontented tone.

Lepida, however, was firm. She would start on

Tidings. 1 73

her journey at daybreak the next morning, and
return in a few days, as soon as she had found
Glaucia.

" But how art thou going to bring her back with
thee ? " asked Laon ; " she is a slave and ill."

" True, she is a slave, but her mistress may be
willing to sell her if I can only get sesterces enough,"
said Lepida ; but how she was going to obtain the
money, or whom she was going to see in the city,
she would not say, and Laon was obliged to see
her depart the next morning with her basket of
dried dates and leather bottle of sweet wine,
without having either his anxiety or curiosity
satisfied.

Arnobius had grunted and grumbled a good deal
at first over his wife's journey, but he assented at
last, although he declared he could not spare Laon
from the market now, and therefore the house
would have to take care of itself while she was
away. The fact was, Laon was left in charge of
the stall a good deal now, for his master went off
to another part of the market every day about the
sam.e hour, and when he came back he seemed too
preoccupied to know what price to ask for his honey
or grapes.

Knowing the old man's love of gossip, Laon did
not notice this much at first, but the day after
Lepida went to Corinth, having sold out his things
earlier than usual, he resolved to walk round the
market-place and see what it was that interested
Arnobius so mu6h. He went to where the philo-

N

174 Glmicia, the Greek Slave.

sophers usually held their debates, but the space
was deserted to-day, and, looking towards the
entrance, he thought they must have chosen another
spot for their disputations, for a dense crowd was
standing round a venerable-looking man, who seemed
to be haranguing them from an elevated stone in
the centre. He crossed over the intervening space
at once, and eagerly pushed his way to the front,
for the double purpose of seeing whether Arnobius
was there, and likewise hearing what was said.

" Jupiter, Apollo, Diana, and Pallas Athene, with
every lesser god and goddess, are but vain idols, in-
sulting to the one true God, who created all things
and all men," said the old man, boldly, as Laon
made his appearance in the very front rank of the
crowd.

He looked up, half expecting to see the statue
of their renowned goddess descend from its pedestal
and strike the offender dead ; and some such feeling
seemed to go through the crowd, which the old
man at once took advantage of.

*' Men and brethren, I affirm that the goddess is
an idol, dumb and helpless as the stone upon which
I am standing, and if I lie, let her now come down
from yonder pedestal and defend her own honour.'*

A stillness like that of death held the crowd for
a minute or two after these daring words were
uttered, and then there arose a murmur of men's
voices.

" He is an atheist and blasphemer," said some.

"Nay, nay, but the old man is right, Nazarene

Tidings. 175

though he be. Let Pallas Athene come down and
show us some of her mighty works, if she be indeed
a goddess/* said a voice that was raised above all
the rest. Laon recognised it in a moment, for it
was Arnobius who spoke.

" Well said, old fruit-seller," responded one ; " if
this * Unknown God ' has revealed Himself of late,
let us hear all about Him. Go on with thy reason-
ing ; we would hear more of this resurrection thou
wert speaking of," he added, turning to the preacher.

He was willing enough to continue his sermon,
and Laon stood and listened until the close ; and
the truths that the old man taught he recognised
as being the same for which Paul was now in
prison, and which the sailor-Christian had taught
his comrades on their voyage from Rome.

Arnobius looked somewhat confused when he
saw Laon, and on their way home he said, "Tell
not Lepida I have been listening to the old
Nazarene preacher, for she hateth this new sect
very sorely, I know."

" Does she .-* " said Laon, carelessly. " Well, I
think they speak truly, for I heard of wonderful
miracles performed by this * Unknown God' through
the prayer of the prisoner Paul," said Laon ; and
he went on to tell of his visit to him, and like-
wise of the brave, bold sailor who had been with
him when he was shipwrecked.

" Well, I have begun to doubt the power of the
gods lately," said Arnobius, *'and I should like to
put them to the test if I could."

176 Glaticia, tJie Greek Slave.

"Well, suppose, instead of pouring out a libation
to them this evening we spit on them and turn
their faces to the wall. If they are gods and not
idols, they will surely turn round again," said Laon,
quickly

Such a proposal shocked the old man at first,
but at length he consented to adopt it as a test,
while Lepida was out of the way. It was with
a trembling hand, however, that he turned his
marble deities to the wall. That, with the omis-
sion of the customary acts of worship would be
insulting enough, he thought, without the other
addition, and he wondered whether Pomona would
destroy all his fruit. Pan all his bees, and Ceres
blight his fields while he was sleeping.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE RIOT.

WITH the first dawning rays of light Arnobius
was up, anxiously examining the rows of
bee-hives that stood along the side of the house,
and he breathed a sigh of relief to find that they
were all safe. In the darkness and stillness of the
night he had half repented the dishonour he had
shown to his gods, but, finding that everything was
safe, his courage rose again, and, as he prepared to
set off to the market, he resolved to seek a private
audience with the Nazarene, to ask him some ques-
tions about the great God whose message he pro-
claimed.

Pan, Ceres, and Pomona, his favourite deities,
were still left with their faces to the wall when he
went to the market, and he was more thoughtful
and less talkative on his way there, a fact Laon
noticed, although his own thoughts were occupied
upon Lepida and her journey, wondering when she
would be back, and whether she would bring his
sister with her.

178 Glauciuy the Greek Slave.

The stall was set out, and the mule was tethered,
and scarcely a word was spoken by either of them
until the Christian preacher passed on his way to
his customary stand near the entrance. He ex-
changed a few words with Arnobius as he passed,
for he had learned to know him as one of his
most constant and attentive hearers.

Soon after he had passed a party of Jews came
along, looking fierce and angry ; and watching
them round the market, Arnobius saw that every
empty space was occupied by others of the same
nation.

" Laon, these proud, stiffnecked Jews mean mis-
chief, I can see," said the old man ; " thou shalt
guard the stall awhile, and if need be pack up
the things, but go not from the market until I
come back."

" Where art thou going } " asked Laon, growing
somewhat pale as he noticed the gathering crowd
of Jews. "Will there be a tumult, thinkest thou.?"
he asked, for he had heard of several riots in the
agora.

" I know not, but I fear some evil is intended
to the old Nazarene ; and if there is, I will be at
band to strike a blow for him, since he will not
strike for himself," said Arnobius.

" But the pomegranates and melons," said Laon ;
"suppose the crowd should rush upon the stall.''"

" If thou canst save them, do so, but I, at
least, must defend the brave old Christian ; his
life is worth more than a few baskets of fruit

T)te Riot. 179

and jars of honey ; " saying which Arnobius hur-
ried away, leaving Laon in a maze of doubt as
to the sanity of his master.

What would careful, thrifty Lepida say if she
knew that things were left to take care of them-
selves, while her husband went to take up the
quarrel of the leader of this despised sect of
Nazarenes ?

As the Jews entered the market in large num-
bers at every avenue, all the peace-loving cus-
tomers retired, and very soon all business was
suspended.

Laon was not long putting away his stores in
a place of safety, and then he went to see what
was going on near the entrance. He could see
nothing but a swaying crowd of angry people,
Jews and booth-keepers, with a few slaves, and
one or two of the more respectable citizens ; but
it was easy to distinguish, from the fierce, de-
nunciatory words of the Jews, that they were
trying to rouse the anger of these against the
Nazarenes as a sect, and the old preacher in
particular.

Loud words, violent gesticulations, and threat-
ening attitudes, with frequent appeals to the
statue of the popular goddess in the centre of
the market, were all that could be heard, until at
length a young man, more brave than prudent,
cried, " Sham.e upon the Jews ! ye are traitori
and cowards ! " and, in order to reach the front
rank, he fought his way forward with blows.

l8o Glauciuy the Greek Slave.

This was the signal for other blows to be
struck, and soon the market resounded with shrieks
and curses, and cries of " Down with the Naza-
renes ! down with the atheists ! " while blows fell
thick and fast, stalls were thrown down, and the
boards taken as missiles. These, used almost* aim-
lessly and in blind fury, struck down friend and
foe, and the groans and screams of those knocked
down and being trampled upon were heard on
every side.

At first Laon tried to reach his master, whom
he felt sure was near the Christian preacher ; but
he soon saw how hopeless this attempt was likely
to be, and so kept at a safe di.stance from the
scene of horror and confusion. Now and then
he was called upon to render some assistance, as
one after another was dragged out of the terrible
fray bleeding, wounded, insensible, almost dying.

The struggle grew fiercer as time went on, and
Laon sickened at the horrible spectacle ; for now
that the crowd had tasted blood, like the tiger, it
seemed to thirst for more, and all attempts to
quell the fray were useless.

At last a cohort of Roman soldiers marched
upon the scene of action, and the rioters were
threatened with the points of their spears, while a
few who obstinately refused to cease fighting were
arrested and sent off to the prefect.

By this means quiet was at length restored, and
Laon ventured once more in search of his master,
though how he might find him, whether wounded

The Riot. l8l

or even dead, he could not tell. He might be
among the prisoners, for if he had escaped either
of these fates why did he not come back, as he
had promised ?

Laon asked himself this question again and
again as the market was slowly cleared of the
combatants, and nothing remained to testify of
the fight but a few blood-stained rags torn from
the backs of Jews or Athenians, some broken
boards and shattered stalls. Thinking at last
that he had better take his fruit and honey out
of the booth, where he had placed them for safety,
and go home, he went in search of the mule,
but, to his alarm, found that someone had un-
tethered it, and, leaving the empty panniers in
its place, had taken it for his own use.

The fruit and honey, therefore, had to be left
in the booth and Laon turned his steps home-
ward, while a dread feeling began to take pos-
session of his mind that all this had happened
through the anger of the gods whom he and
Arnobius had insulted. He had always been
taught that they were cruel and vengeful in their
anger, and perhaps this was but a beginning of
the calamities that were to follow upon the daring
insult offered them the previous evening. They
might even visit his offence upon his innocent
sister, and the thought of this made him resolve
to appease them if he could as soon as he
reached home.

But other work awaited his arrival at the farm-

1 82 GlauciUy the Greek Slave.

house. Before he reached the door he saw the
mule quietly grazing beside the myrtle hedge, so
he knew that his master must have reached
home, and he hurried in to ask him how he
had escaped. But, to his surprise, the old Chris-
tian teacher, instead of Arnobius, was sitting in
the kitchen. He was very pale and bleeding
from a deep cut on his shoulder, from which
every vestige of clothing was torn ; but he smiled
as Laon entered — such a sweet, grave, peaceful
smile it was, that, coming after Laon's troubled,
anxious thoughts about the anger of the gods,
seemed to give assurance of rest, peace, and con-
fidence in his God, such as few enjoyed.

Arnobius came in just after Laon entered,
looking anxious and troubled. " I know not what
to do, Laon," he said. " He is sore wounded,
as thou seest, and yet he insists upon returning
to Athens to-night."

" My God will defend me," said the Christian,
calmly.

*' If they were men, and not wild beasts, thy
words would prevail with them, and there would
be no need of blows," said Arnobius, fiercely ;
" but since they — "

" Nay, nay, my brother, God will defend his
own," said the Christian ; " and the Lord Christ,
whom I serve, hath given commandment that if
thine enemy smite thee on one cheek thou shalt
turn to him the other also."

"And they would strike that, even as they did

ARNOBIUS AND HIS GUEST.

The Riot. 183

this day, and not only thy cheek but thy shoul-
der also, and as for talk about giving thy coat,
they have taken all thy garments, or torn them ; "
and Arnobius proceeded to wash the bruised and
bleeding shoulder, and then bind it up after pour-
ing in some choice olive oil that was kept only
for the service of the gods.

The old man smiled at seeing the sacred oil
used for his wound, and he glanced at the statues
turned with their faces to the wall. *' My brother,
thou art casting off the old idolatry, but art thou
seeking the one God, who can alone take the
place of these in thy heart ? "

"Ah! my father, I have long been seeking this
Unknown God, but I have found Him at last,"
said Arnobius, in a serious tone.

The Christian grasped his hand. ** The Lord
be thanked and praised," he said, in a triumphant
tone ; " what are wounds and bruises beside such
joy as this — to know that another hath embraced
this offer of mercy sent from our God } "

" I would that thou couldst tarry and teach me
somewhat more of the truths of this new faith. I
am ignorant, as thou knowest, and all that I can
tell thee is that my heart has been taken captive
by thy God, and I would that I could live or die
to serve Him, if such poor service as mine can be
accepted by One so great and holy."

Laon was startled to hear Arnobius say these
words in such a tone of earnestness that no one
could doubt their sincerity ; but he joined in

184 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

begging the old man to stay, saying that he had
a certain parchment that he greatly desired him to
read.

Laon had managed to master the art of reading
sufficiently to know something of the import of the
words written on the parchment given him by
Lepida ; but he was anxious to know fully what
this message of his mother's could be, for it might
help him to understand what her offence really
had been.

The prayer of two anxious to be instructed in
the divine life could not be resisted ; and, upon
Arnobius promising that he should depart the next
morning in time to appear before the judgment-
seat of the prefect to plead on behalf of the pri-
soners, the old man agreed to stay ; and when the
evening meal was over, Laon brought out his pre-
cious roll of parchment, that he might know the
all-important message it contained. He was care-
ful, however, not to mention his mother's name in
connection with it.

" Lepida had given it to him for a keepsake
before he went to Rome," he said, when asked
how it came into his possession. f''^

Slowly the little roll was unwound, but a look
of joyful surprise beamed in the old man's face as
he looked over the neatly written lines. It was
headed —

'' Good News from the Unknown God. I will
be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons
and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty . . . ,

The Riot. 185

who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ :
for God was in Christ reconciling the world unto
Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.
Be ye reconciled to God."

'' It is good news," said the old man, slowly and
fervently, as he laid down the parchment.

" And my mother was a Christian ! " exclaimed
Laon, impulsively ; " it was for this that she was
banished from her home and from Athens ; for
this that men speak of her as though she were
vile. O mother, my mother ! where art thou 1 let
me find thee, that I may tell thee that thy God
shall be my God. Thou wilt teach me to know
and love Him," he added, turning to the Christian
preacher, and bursting into tears.

The two old men had listened to his passionate
outburst in wondering surprise, but the old Chris-
tian rose from his seat, and spreading his hands
over Laon's bowed head, he said, slowly, " The
blessing of thy mothers God be upon thee ! May
He give thee richly of His grace and favour!
May He lead and guide thee in every step thou
takest, and bring thee at last to meet her at the
feet of Jesus on the eternal shore ! "

Laon lifted his head as he finished this benedic-
tion. " Didst thou know my mother } " he asked.

The old man shook his head. "She was doubt-
less one of the Lord's hidden ones here in Athens,"
he said.

" Then thou canst not tell me where she is —
syhither she was banished } " said Laon, sadly.

l86 Glauciay the Greek Slave.

" Nay, my son, but the Lord is with her wherever
she may be."

" I, too, must find her," said Laon ; " but I would
learn somewhat more of thy religion first," he added.

Far into the night did the old man sit expound-
ing the good news Paul had first brought to
Athens ; and each word seemed to fall as good
seed in a prepared soil ; and before they retired
to rest Laon and Arnobius had determined to join
the poor and despised sect of Nazarenes.

With the dawn of the day their teacher de-
parted, that he might be in time to appear before
the prefect on behalf of his brethren taken in the
market-place. He declined the company of either
Laon or his host.

" It may be ye were not recognised in the fray
yesterday, and it would be unwise to cast your-
selves into the jaws of the lion needlessly," he
said ; and so, after walking with him to the gate
of the city, while Arnobius scattered the fodder for
the goats and put up their own food for the day,
Laon came back to help his master with what they
had to take to the market.

They both felt anxious to know how the prefect
would deal with the prisoners ; and, in spite of the
old man's caution, Arnobius left the market soon
after the stall was arranged, and, mingling with
the crowd of gossips who were going to hear the
decision of their Roman judge and governor, passed
in without being recognised as one who had helped
several Nazarenes to escape.

The Riot. 1S7

There was ot course a great deal of contradictory
evidence as to the cause of the outbreak, but all
agreed that it was upon the matter of religion that
there had been so much fighting, the Athenians
alleging that these vain babblers were followers of
one Paul, who had introduced a new God into
Athens without permission of the Senate, about ten
years before. The Jews were far more bitter than
the Athenians in their complaints. These people
were followers of an apostate who had appeared
in Judaea and perished miserably as a slave and
malefactor, they said, and in spite of this they
taught that He had risen from the dead, and was
their only king, thus denying the power of the
emperor.

The prefect looked puzzled when the name of
the emperor was mentioned, but at length he said :
" Ye Jews and men of Athens, it seemeth to me
that ye know not the laws of Rome, by which this
province is now governed. Every nation hath gods
of its own, and men of that nation are free to
worship them. Ye Jews worship your God, whom
ye call Jehovah, without let or hindrance from
Roman law, therefore these Nazarenes are free to
worship Jesus Christ, so that the emperor receive
not damage."

"Nay, but these Nazarenes are not content with
the worship of their God, but speak evil of others,
calling them demons and idols, and saying that
their God is to be worshipped of all nations."

" Nay, nay, but they are not so arrogant," said

o

1 88 Glaucia, the Greeks Slave.

the prefect, trying to make peace. " To every
nation its own god — Apollo and Jupiter for Rome
and Athens, and — "

"Nay, nay, but our God is the God of the whole
earth," said the Christian preacher, boldly ; and he
proceeded to address the prefect and all that were
assembled, until the Jews began to create another
disturbance, when all were severely reprimanded,
and threatened if another breach of the peace oc-
curred they should be severely punished. After
which the prisoners were set at liberty, and the
court broke up, the Nazarenes thankful for the
toleration of their judge, and the Jews murmuring
against him for encouraging this new sect.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE MEETING.

LEPIDA came back weary, sad, and disap-
pointed, and Laon was not less so when he
heard that she had not been able to find Glaucia.

" My errand altogether was a failure," she added ;
" I could do little in the business I went upon, and
it seemed as though the very gods were against
me.

She had sat down wearily in the porch, and had
not yet entered the house to see the despite that
had been done to her household and national
deities in her absence, and Laon was too much
absorbed in thoughts of his sister to remember
these now. A short time afterwards, however,
she went into the kitchen, and the next minute a
half-suppressed cry of horror rang through the
house.

Laon hurried indoors in alarm, but in a moment
saw what had caused Lepida's trouble ; fcr she was
looking at the statues of her deities in bewildered
surprise and horror.

190

Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

«' Who — who has done this ? " she asked, in a
hoarse whisper, as Laon came in.

^•^^^'■i'«'

He hardly knew what to answer, for he did not
know whether Arnobius intended to inform his wife
of his change of faith at once ; and so he said, in
some perplexity,' " Lepida, my mother did not be-
lieve in these gods ; she was a Christian."
^ The woman started and looked at him earnestly,
" Where hast thou been to discover this t " she

The Meeting. 191

asked. "Thou hast followed me to Corinth," she
suddenly added.

" Nay, but I have been to the agora each day
with Arnobius," said Laon, "and I have learned to
read, and the parchment thou gavest me was a
message from the Christians' God."

" And the gods in anger have turned their
faces from one who dared to read the message
of another God," said Lepida, glancing at the
statues.

Laon could not forbear a smile. " Nay, nay,
but we have turned them to the wall, to see if
they were gods enough to show their faces again
without our help," he said.

Lepida was too angry and frightened to notice
the light tone in which this was said, but when
Arnobius returned she warned him never to leave
Laon in the house alone again, as she feared some
heavy calamity would already follow his daring act
of impiety,

"Nay, nay, but the boy is not to blame for this
fancied insult to Ceres and Pan. I turned them
round," said her husband, boldly.

•' Thou ! " uttered Lepida. " What could lead
thee to be so daring and so profane, Arnobius } "
she asked, in an angry tone.

She had less patience with her husband than
with Laon, and for a long time she would not be
pacified, refusing even to sit down in a room :
where her gods had been insulted ; and Arnobius
had the truth and sincerity of his convictions put

192 Glcmcia, the Greek Slave.

to a severe test by the bitter reproaches and tearful
protestations of his wife.

At length the matter was settled by the old
man consenting to let the national and family gods
occupy their accustomed places, provided Lepida did
not perform any act of worship in his presence, and,
at the same time, leaving him free to serve the God
of his choice. This of course involved the necessity
of his being absent at the commencement of every
meal ; and it was easy to see that domestic happi-
ness was at an end for both Arnobius and his wife.

Laon could not help noticing the coolness that
had suddenly arisen between the two. Lepida went
about her work in a fashion that seemed to say
she believed it was all in vain, that some dread
calamity must befall them ere long, while Arnobius
absented himself from every act of worship, yet,
at the same time, he studied his wife's comfort
and convenience more carefully in other matters
than he had ever done before.

Each day when he came home from the market
now, he brought her some trifle as a proof of his
affectionate thoughtfulness, and it was accepted
gratefully ; yet still it was easy to see that one
libation poured to the lares and penates, one scrap of
incense burned to Ceres or Pan, would have afforded
her more satisfaction than all the gifts in the
world. And so the days and weeks slipped by,
Laon still helping Arnobius in the market, and
listening by turns to the sermons preached at the
entrance of the agora.

TJie Meeting. 193

Sometimes the old preacher would stay at their
stall for a few minutes to give them a word of
counsel, or tell them when and where there would
be a meeting of the brethren for prayer and in-
struction, for both Laon and his master had decided
to join the Christian Church in Athens, From this
circumstance people had begun to guess that the
old fruit-seller was a Nazarene, and Laon likewise.

The Tews had not entered the market much
since the riot, until one morning a number of them
came in very early, and stationed themselves be-
hind the pillars and inside the booths in such a
manner that Arnobius and Laon were both con-
vinced that another riot was impending.

" Run, Laon, and warn our teacher that he come
not to the market to-day," said Arnobius, as he
noticed how several fierce-looking Jews had gathered
round a narrow passage by which they had managed
to escape the last time.

Laon needed no second bidding to do this. He
went with all speed to the home of the humble
teacher of the Gospel, and finding he had already
gone out to visit a member of the Church — Dionysius,
he sped thither as fast as he could, and met the
old man even then on the steps ready to depart
for his daily work in the agora. When he heard
Laon's tidings, however, he again entered the house
of Dionysius to give him warning likewise of the
impending danger; for these Christians, brave though
they were, had begun to learn that it was of little
use to preach to an angry mob, and so Laon had

194 Glaiicia^ the Greek Slave.

no difficulty in persuading him to keep out of the
way.

When Laon got back to the market, however,
an unforeseen trouble awaited him. During his
absence Arnobius had been accused of sending to
warn the Nazarene not to come ; and, just as Laon
appeared, one of the most violent struck the old
man such a blow that it felled him to the ground,
while at the same time the blood flowed from a
severe cut on his forehead.

Laon screamed for help, and a crowd soon began
to gather, round, but seeing the Jews near, and
hearing the cause of the disturbance, everybody
was afraid to help, until two young slaves came up
to see what had happened. One of them was
blind, but she managed to push her way through
the crowd of her countrymen gathered near, and
Glaucia kept so close beside her that looking round
Laon saw both girls at once.

" Glaucia ! Glaucia ! " was all he could say, as
he gently laid down the old man's head and clasped
his sister in his arms.

She was too much overcome to speak a word,
but lay panting and sobbing in his arms, while
Drusilla inquired of the bystanders the cause of the
disturbance.

One or two of the Jews slunk away as Laon
and Glaucia met, and their example was followed
by others, and then some of the market people
gathered courage enough to bind up the old man's
wound and give him some restorative to bring him

GI.AUCIA FOUND AT LAST.

The Meeting. 195

to himself again. In a few minutes he opened his
eyes, and saw Laon and Glaucia bending over him,
while his head rested in Drusilla's lap, who was
still bathing his temples.

*' My children," he said, in a bewildered tone,,
looking from one to another.

"This is Glaucia," said Laon, eagerly. He had
not noticed Drusilla sufficiently to recognise her
before, but he did so now.

" Arnobius, here is one who was honoured by
ministering to the noble Paul. I met her in Rome,
but thought not to see her in our Athens."

A faint colour stole into the blind girl's face,
for Laon's words were even more surprising than
his presence. " You showed me kindness in Rome,"
she managed to say at last.

" Nay, but thy kindness to me was greater than
mine to thee, for thou wast the first to tell me of
a God greater than Jupiter. Yes, Glaucia, and
kinder than Pallas Athene," said Laon, looking
affectionately at his sister.

" Yes, the God who has heard my prayers and
taught thee to love Himself," said Glaucia, in a
whisper.

Laon looked at his sister for one moment, as if
he scarce credited the evidence of his senses. ** Thou
knowest this God too, Glaucia ! " he uttered. " Then
we will go in search of our mother together, and
tell her that both her children are Christians."

"Thou art forgetting, Laon, that I am a slave,"
t,aid Glaucia, quickly.

igO Glaiiciay the Greek Slaze,

He had forgotten everything in the joy of seeing
her once more — forgotten that they were in the
market, where curious eyes were watching them and
many ears were Hstening to the dangerous words
they uttered. Glaucia came to a realization of
this fact before her brother.

" J must not stay here," she said ; " my mistress
will be angry if I tarry too long."

'* Thy mistress ! " repeated Laon ; " true, I had
forgotten that my sister was a waiting-maid. Thou
must be careful not to offend her, Glaucia," he said,
with sudden energy. " I have heard that these
Roman ladies are cruel to their slaves, that the
punishment they receive is — is — " He stopped, he
could not tell Glaucia of that horrible spectacle as
it rose before his mental vision, and she was in too
great a hurry to depart to ask him anything further.

She glanced at Arnobius as they raised him to a
seat beside the stall, and then said in a whisper,
" Art thou this old man's slave, Laon ? "

" Nay, nay, this is our Lepida's husband, who
has befriended me. I escaped from the man who
held us in bondage, and went in search of thee,
and followed thee to Athens, and now that I have
found thee I will free thee," he added, in a tone of
joyous confidence.

Glaucia could not but look joyful too, but she
took Drusilla's hand and hastened away, for they
had already been a long time in the market, and
Valeria might need her attendance, and she remem-
bered that she had already offended h_er mistress-

The Meeting. 197

She told La(;n something of this as he walked
by her side through the street towards home, for
he was loth to leave her so soon, and Arnobius
had declared he was quite able to mind the stall,
and that he had better go with his sister, or Lepida
would not be pleased.

So they walked together through the streets of
Athens, with the blind girl by their side, until the
stately mansion of the Gracchi was reached, and
then once more the brother and sister had to part.

"But only until to-morrow," said Laon. "Thou
wilt come to the market to-morrow, Glaucia 1 "

" I will if I can, but thou must not forget I am
a slave," she said, trying to smile as she spoke.

"Thou shalt not be a slave long, Glaucia," said
Laon, quickly, almost fiercely. " I have a plan by
which I hope to redeem thee next spring ; " and
with these parting words of comfort he hurried
away, while Glaucia and Drusilla went indoors, both
feehng as though the events of the last hour must
be the creation of some strange dream from which
they should awake to the reality all too soon.

Meanwhile Laon had hurried back to the market,
thinking of the change that seemed to have passed
over his sister since they had been separated. She
was a child then, clinging to him with all a child's
timidity of helplessness, but now it seemed she
was a woman, with her quiet, grave way of talking ;
and then he fell to wondering how it was Drusilla
was with her, and whether she had taught her
this Christian faith. From Drusilla to his former

IQ^ Glmicia^ the Greek Slave.

friend Appius, the gladiator, was an easy transition,
and he wished the emperor was coming sooner than
the spring, for he longed to buckle the heavy cestus
on his hand, and try his skill in us:ng it, for he
had quite resolved to enter the lists and free
Glaucia by means of the reward.

When he reached the market he found Arnobius
slowly packing up his goods ready to return home.
" I don't feel quite equal to contending for a pine-
leaf crown in an Isthmian game, and so we will
go home to Lepida, and tell her thou hast found
thy sister," said the old man, with a faint smile.

Laon saw that he was more bruised and shaken
than he cared to own, and so he readily agreed to
reload the mule and go home again, although
they had served very few customers that morning.
On their way there he ventured to tell Arnobius
his plan for redeeming his sister, and the old man
rubbed his hands with delight, and quite applauded
the undertaking.

" I ran in the Isthmian games when I was young,"
said the old man, "and though the prize was a
simple wreath of pine leaves, that would fade in an
hour, instead of a sister's freedom, I thought little
of the training that was needful to fit me for a
competitor."

" And didst thou gain the prize ? " asked Laon,
eagerly.

"Nay, nay, there were many competitors, but
only one crown," said Arnobius, "and I was not
able to reach the goal first."

TJie Meeting. 199

" And all the training was in vain, then ? " said
Laon.

" Nay, not quite in vain ; I had learned to
keep under my body — to bear hunger and fatigue
without flinching," said Arnobius ; " and thou wilt
have to do the same, doubtless, to join in this
Roman game, if thou hopest to win the prize."

" I must and will win the prize," said Laon ;
" Glaucia must be freed, and I am the only one to
do it."

A few weeks earlier they would both have stopped
at the temple of Fortuna on their way home to
propitiate the goddess, but now Arnobius only wished
him success in a few hearty words, at the same
time saying —

" I will ask counsel, my son, whether we may
not pray to our God on this matter, even as we
should to our goddess."

Arnobius himself evidently had no objection to
the games of the arena, which was no small comfort
to Laon, as he could now talk freely to him upon
this all-absorbing topic, as he could not to his
nurse.

When they reached home Lepida met them at
the door, looking pale and frightened. " It has
begun," she murmured, as she saw her husband's
head with a blood-stained bandage around it

" What has begun "i " asked Arnobius.

" The vengeance of the gods," said Lepida. ** I
feared it would be so," she added.

" Nay, it was not the gods, but the Jews, who

200 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

inflicted this wound," said Arnobius, with a faint
smile.

" Then it is known in the market that thou art
a Nazarene," said Lepida, with whitening lips.

" Yes, it is known, I doubt not," said Arnobius ;
" but forget that awhile, Lepida," he added, " Laon
will be in directly, and he hath some news for
thee."

His wife, however, took no notice of this. " Oh I
the disgrace that hath fallen upon me ! " she wailed.
" Would that Jupiter had smote this messenger,
Paul, before he came to our Athens, for he hath
shadowed all my life. The first victim w^as pure and
noble as Juno herself, and this did but hasten her
ruin, it seemed, and now there is my Arnobius, the
most honest fruit-seller in the agora, he has takeii
this evil plague of atheism."

She was interrupted at this point by the entrance
of Laon. " My Lepida," he cried, " I have found
Glaucia, she came to the market to-day, and she
is — " but there he stopped. It was a pity to dampen
the poor woman's joy by what she would think
such evil tidings, and in her delight she did not
notice how abruptly he left off speaking.

"My Glaucia is found — found at last!" she re-
peated over and over again ; and before she went
to bed she decided not to wait for a chance meet-
ing with the girl, but to go boldly to the house
and ask to see her, if only for a few moments.

CHAPTER XVIII.

PERSECUTION.

GLAUCIA stood in her little laboratory, where
so many unguents, cosmetics, and perfumes
were prepared for her mistress's use. A small marble
basin stood before her, in which she was pounding
barley-meal, honey, and goat's milk with attar of
roses into a sort of soap, but it was evident she was
thinking of other things than those by which she
was surrounded, and it seemed impossible to get
her preparation of the right consistency to-day, and
she heaved a deep sigh as she took a little more
meal from the jar standing close at hand.

" I wonder what it is Laon fears," she whispered
softly to herself. ^' He seems anxious and uneasy
since I told him Valeria was still very angry with me.
Will she punish me very severely, I wonder .? Dru-
silla only shakes her head when I try to talk to her
about it. She wishes they were going to stay here
all the winter, instead of going to Corinth to visit
the deaconess, Phoebe, whom Paul is anxious to

202 Glaticia, the Greek Slave.

hear of. I wonder whether she thinks my punish-
ment will begin when she is gone."

Glaucia mixed and pounded as she tlius talked,
but her work progressed very slowly, for it needed
a little more honey, and now and then more per-
fume had to be added. Presently the curtain was
lifted, and Drusilla came carefully stepping in among
her jars and vases.

" Glaucia is at work, I know," said the blind girl.
** Are we alone } " she asked, in a whisper, after
cautiously hstening for a minute or two.

"Yes, Fulvia hath gone to the market to-day,"
said Glaucia, with something of a sigh.

Several weeks had passed since she first saw
Laon, and she had not been allowed to go out but
twice since. Fulvia had been sent on all the busi-
ness to the market, and she had not been able
to see her friend, the old Nazarene, at all. Laon,
however, had taken a message for her to him, and
likewise a request to Dionysius, the minister of the
Church at Athens ; for, taught by Drusilla and her
noble mistress Julia, the slave-girl was anxious to
be recognised as a sister by being admitted as a
member of the Church.

The visit of the noble Roman lady bringing news
of Paul from his prison had greatly strengthened
the faith and hope of the little company, for she
had sought them out as soon as she arrived, and
met with them frequently for prayer.

She had often spoken of Glaucia, too, who bore
her captivity so patiently, that no fault could be

Pcrscnttion. 203

found with her by her mistress, excepting for her
continued refusal to worship the gods of Rome
again, so that a deep interest was felt for her, and
many prayers ascended to the throne of grace on
her behalf, although she knew nothing of it. The
Roman ladv often wondered too how she came to
be possessed of that little parchment -roll that had
slipped out of her bosom the first time she saw
her. She wondered, too, whether she possessed it
still, but she did not ask — indeed, Valeria took care
that Glaucia had no opportunity of seeing their
visitor often, and so the words of cheer and com-
fort she longed to speak to the desolate girl had to
be sent through Drusilla.

As Glaucia surmised, she did fear that some
heavy punishment would be inflicted upon her as
soon as she left, and so, hoping that time would
soften Valeria towards her little waiting-maid, she
prolonged her visit far into the winter, although
she had likewise promised to spend some time at
Corinth before returning to Rome.

Claudia had gone back to her duties, leaving her
friend sadly disappointed that she had not sought
further into Divine truth, and been more brave than
thus to return to a vain service. She had w^anted
Julia to sell Drusilla to her, that she might have
some one at hand should she ever be seized with
sickness again, but this the lady refused to do.
The little Jewess was not only a faithful servant, but
a sister in Christ, and therefore she dare not expose
her to such temptations as must await her in such

204 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

a service as Claudia's, even for the doubtful benefit
of further enlightening her mind.

Another thing, she could see that Drusilla was
a help to Glaucia, who had such a hard battle to
fight, such an unequal conflict to maintain in this
idolatrous family. All the household knew that
she had forsaken the worship of the gods — it was
not possible to conceal the fact for a single day
and be faithful to the command of God. Each
time the threshold was crossed, each meal that was
placed on the table, alm.ost every department of
household work, called for its special act of worship
to its presiding divinity. Literally and really, whether
they ate or drank, or whatsoever they did must be
done to the glory of one of the host of deities,
and so each omission was reckoned as an insult,
and Glaucia was treated as an outcast, despised
and often ill-treated by her fellow-slaves, while the
epithet, " Nazarene " and " Christian " served as an
excuse for giving her as much extra work as was
possible, and all this her mistress did not or would
not see.

She never spoke to her now, except to give a
command or find some fault with the way she
arranged her hair or prepared the bath, and the
poor girl often looked pale, weary, and disheartened,
in spite of the calm, restful peace that seemed to
shine in her face. It was little to be wondered at,
therefore, that she clung to the hope of release
Laon had given her. But for this, and her firm
faith in the love and power of God, she nmst have

Persecution, 205

yielded when one and another of -her companions
tried to persuade her to sacrifice to the gods again.

There was one, liowever, who never joined in these
persuasions, or the httle persecutions she had to
suffer, for Felicita herself, more than half convinced
of the truth of that religion that could bear such
beautiful fruit as that she had seen at Corinth,
silently admired the quiet bravery of the usually
timid girl in so steadily holding to her principles
in spite of all opposition. She was afraid she should
not be so firm, and yet the religion that could give
such strength of endurance had a great fascina-
tion for her, and she sometimes ventured to ask
Giaucia some questions when they were by them-
selves, and more than once she knelt down in
prayer to God.

So the weeks had slipped by since Glaucia's return,
and midwinter, with its feast to Saturn, that every
slave looked forward to with such delight, was
drawing near. Giaucia remembered what a holiday
this used to be in her old home. Every room
in the house was decorated with evergreens, and
dancing and revelry was the order of the day ; not
only for the rich, but for the poorest slave of the
household it was a season of rejoicing, when they
enjoyed more liberty than all the rest of the year
— a liberty that often went to the excess of licence.
Visits were paid and received, and Giaucia began
to look forward to this glad season, when she
hoped she should be able to pay a visit to Lepida,
and spend some hours with her and I.aon.

20& Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

She had talked to Drusilla about this, and tht
bhnd girl, who had learned to find her way to the
market by herself, had talked to Laon about it too,
and had carried sundry messages backward and
forward between them. She was a discreet mes-
senger, and kept the secrets of both when she knew
it would give pain to reveal everything, and so
Laon knew very little of what his sister was suffer-
ing ; for Glaucia had made Drusilla promise she would
not tell him anything beyond the bare fact that
her mistress would not allow her to come to the
market now.

That, however, was bad enough, he thought, and
he confided to Drusilla, under a promise of secrecy,
not to tell his sister how Lepida and he had both
called at the house to see Glaucia, and been re-
fused each time, although Lepida had made several
journeys to Athens on purpose.

"Never mind, the saturnalia is coming, and then
you will have a happy time together," said Dru-
silla ; " and my mistress says it would be well for
thee and Glaucia to be admitted to the Church
then, as thou art wishing it to be at the same
time as thy sister."

" Yes, I will wait for Glaucia," said Laon ; " and
I hope that very soon she will be able to go to
each meeting of the Church. Hast thou heard
that the emperor purposes visiting Corinth and
Athens next spring .!*" he asked.

"Yes, my mistress spoke of it, for we are going
to visit Corinth, and she would fain leave before

Ir^ersectUion. 207

the emperor arrives, because the city will be as
full of visitors," said Drusilla ; but she raised her
sightless eyes to his face, as though she did not
comprehend why this should interest him so
much.

He understood the look. "The coming of the
emperor will enable me to free Glaucia," he
said, and then he explained what he intended
to do.

But to his surprise Drusilla looked anything but
pleased, and at last she said, " Laon, thou must
not do this."

"Must not do it! Why.?" uttered Laon.

" Thou art a Christian," said the blind girl, slowly,
"and the games of Rome, like those of Greece,
are of the world that is enmity against God.
Thou wouldst not join the enemies of God 1 " she
said.

" It is not because I love the games of the arena,
but to save Glaucia," said Laon, quickly. " Surely
it cannot be wrong to want to save my sister,"
he added.

"It would be wrong if thou, her brother, did
not try to free her, since thou, thyself, art free,"
said Drusilla, "but the way thou art proposing
to do it is wrong."

"But it is for a great good, even the free-
dom of my sister, I would do it," said Laon,
earnestly.

For a minute or two the girl looked puzzled by
this argument, but at last she said, " No. Laon,

2o8 Glaiicia^ tJie Greek Slave.

it cannot be anything but evil, for I heard from
the epistle of our great teacher that we dare not
sin that grace might abound or that good might
come, and so — and so — " She did not finish her
speech, for she knew how deeply disappointed Laon
would feel.

How bitterly he felt it she did not know.
To have this hope taken from him was taking
all the zest from life — was dooming him to a
slavery worse almost than his sister's, for how
could he enjoy anything while she was a slave ?
Even the religious service, so helpful, so strength-
ening to his faith, would cease to be a joy and
delight, when he reflected that Glaucia would be
shut out.

Laon turned away silently and sadly, and
Drusilla went home feeling scarcely less sad ; for
how could she tell Glaucia that the hope she
clung to so fondly was but as a rope of sand ?
and yet she felt that Glaucia herself must decide
this question, or Laon would not give up his
meditated attempt.

Of the danger he incurred, of the possibility
that he might be killed, and thus leave his sister
hopelessly enslaved, she never once thought. The
attempt alone was wrong — a sin in the sight of
God, and no success and no good that might
follow could ever make it otherwise, and there-
fore it was Drusilla's duty to prevent it if pos-
sible.

So she went in search of Glaucia as soon as

Persecution. 209

she reached home, carefully asking if they were
alone. She noticed the sigh that followed Glaucia's
announcement of Fulvia having gone to the market,
and the tears rose to her eyes as she thought of
the task that was before her, but she tried to
speak cheerfully.

" I have been to the* market," she said, as she
seated herself in the corner.

Glaucia left off mixing her cosmetic. " Thou
hast seen Laon," she said ; and then noticing
the look of distress in Drusilla's face, she asked
anxiously, " Has anything happened } Is he quite
well .? "

''Yes, he is quite well," answered Drusilla.

But Glaucia was not satisfied. " What is it ?
what has happened } " she asked.

For answer the blind girl kissed her cheek
fondly, at the same time whispering, *' Our Lord
Christ said that all who were His disciples must
take up the cross and follow Him."

" I am not worthy, but I am trying so to follow
my loving Lord," answered Glaucia.

"And He who gives the cross gives the strength
to bear it," whispered the blind girl.

Glaucia bowed. " Even so," she said ; and then
she added, " but thou hast something more to tell
me — some evil tidings, Drusilla.'*"

" Couldst thou give up anything thou art pos-
sessed or ^or the sake — at the bidding — of the
Lord Christ t " asked Drusilla.

"Nay, I possess nothing,' answered Glaucia

210 Glaucia tJie Greek Slave,

" The Lord hath taken my empty heart and filled
it with His love, and I — I have nothing to give
but this love, His own gift, in return."

" But suppose the Lord should ask thee to give
thy life for Him, or something almost as dear as
life ? " said Drusilla.

Glaucia turned a shade paler, but she said in a
calm voice, " The Lord Christ gave His life for
mine ; therefore it is no longer mine, but His.
Hast thou heard what my punishment is to be ? "
she added.

" Thy punishment ! " repeated Drusilla.

" Yes, Valeria told me this morning I should
yet be punished for my obstinacy," said Glaucia ;
"and thou hast come to tell me what it is."

" Nay, I have not heard a word concerning thy
punishment," answered the blind girl. " I have
just returned from the market."

" Then it is something concerning Laon," said
Glaucia, quickly. " Oh ! tell me what it is," she
added. " I can bear anything for myself, but for
my brother — " And she stopped, for there came
a choking sensation in her throat at the thought
of trouble coming to him.

"Yes, it is something concerning Laon^ and thee
too," said Drusilla. "Didst thou know how he
proposed redeeming thee } " she asked.

"Nay, he told me it was a secret," rephed
Glaucia

"Yes, and a great sin." said the blind girl,
firmly.

Persecution. 2 1 1

Glaucia started. " The Lord Christ hath re-
deemed my soul with His own blood ; my body
must not be redeemed by sin," she said. " But
— but Laon is a Christian too," she added ; " he
would not do evil even for me."

" He thought not of its being evil," said Dru-
silla ; " he thought only of the prize — the bag of
sesterces that would redeem thee."

"And what would he do to gain this bag of
sesterces ? " asked Glaucia.

"Fight as a gladiator in the arena.'*

Glaucia had heard of the Isthmian and Olympic
games, but the arena, with its savage spectacles
of wild beasts fighting with almost equally brutal
men, or the men fighting with each other until
the death of one put an end to the sport, was
not known in Greece, and the family in which
she lived being more Grecian than Roman in
their habits, the word "gladiator" had to be ex-
plained to her, and from her long residence in
Rome Drusilla was able to do this.

Glaucia shuddered as she heard of the bloody,
brutal fights, but she said quickly, "Laon would
not do this."

" Not to please himself, but to free thee," said
Drusilla.

"Nay, nay, but I cannot be ransomed at such
a cost," she said, with a shudder. "What! have
a man killed that I might be free ! Nay, slavery
would be far, far better. And, then, if it should
be Laon who was killed, and the other gained

212

Glaucia^ the Greek Slave.

the prize — oh, Drusilla, thou hast told him it
must not be." she added, earnestly.

" Yes, I told him it was wrong — a sin against
God ; but I know not whether he felt it to be
so, and that is why I talked to thee — that thou
mayest persuade him to give up the plan."

"Oh, that I could see him and tell him what I,
think, what I feel about this ! " she exclaimed.
" Drusilla, thou must go again to the market
to-morrow, and tell him that I am grieved, dis-
tressed, that I cannot be redeemed by this means ;
tell him I will wait — "

"Wait the Lord's time," interrupted Drusilla.
"We will kneel and ask Him to help Laon yield
up his own way, and give him faith to believe
that He can set thee free at the right time."
And, securing the curtain with a loop and clasp,
the two girls kneeled down and poured out their
trouble before God, and then Drusilla went and
told her mistress all that had happened.

CHAPTER XIX.

LIGHT AT EVENTIDE.

THE saturnalia had begun, and Athens was
alive with gay revellers. Care, trouble, and
anxiety were for the time forgotten, and the most
hard-worked slave put on some appearance of joy
and festivity.

The household of Sempronius Gracchus were no
exception, although their master lay dying, for
every slave except Glaucia had some share in
the seven days' revelry ; but for her there was
no change, no holiday, nothing was to be allowed
to break the monotony of her life. This was to
be her punishment. If she would not worship the
eods she was to have no relaxation from toil
when their festivals came round, and, as only the
small band of Christians observed the first day
of the week as a day of rest, life had no Sabbaths
for Glaucia — it was all one long and monotonous
working -day.

Lepida and Laon were almost as much dis-
appointed as Glaucia herself, for they were not

214 Glaiicia, the Greek Slave.

allowed to see her, although Fulvia had her
friends to visit her, besides being allowed to
visit them, for Valeria contrived to give every
one extra liberty, and setting Glaucia to do their
work. She was even left in attendance on her
father while the usual slave went out, a change
of nurses that did not escape the philosopher's
notice, for, looking at Glaucia one day, he said :

'' How is it thou art so obstinate ? Thou dost
not look like one who could be wilfully bad."

Glaucia coloured. " I am striving to live blame-
lessly, as becometh a follower of one so holy and
pure as the Lord Christ," she said, in a gentle tone.

*'The Lord Christ!" repeated the philosopher;
"that is He whom Julia talked of, and she once
said something about His resurrection. Is it true
that He rose from the dead } "

"Yes, He appeared to many of His disciples,"
said Glaucia, " talked with them, and ate with
them, as He had done before His death, and
afterwards ascended up into heaven in their sight."

" And the writings of your religion treat of such
lofty themes as this," exclaimed the philosopher.
"I would that I had heard of it earlier, that I
might have compared it with the writings of Plato,
but it is too late now — too late," he repeated,
sadly.

" Nay, nay ; but it needeth not wisdom or learn-
ing to come to the Lord Christ," said Glaucia, hei
master's need giving her boldness to speak out all
she knew.

Light at Eventide. 215

'' But I am too near the land of shades to ex-
amine this new religion now," said Sempronius,
with a sigh.

" Nay ; but if thou art seeking the light, and
would fain turn from the darkness of the grave,
Christ will give thee light. He is Himself the
light," said Glaucia, earnestly ; and in simple lan-
guage, such as she would use if talking to Laon
or Drusilla, she told the world-wise philosopher the
story of the life and death of Christ, and how He
had brought life and immortality to light.

Gradually the dim eyes brightened, and a look
of intense interest overspread the pallid, wasted
face ; and when at length his wife came in and
would have sent Glaucia away, he begged her to
leave her with him still.

" The child amuses me," he said, by way of
excuse, seeing his wife's look of amazement.

A little later Valeria came, and, pausing at the
entrance, was startled to hear her father say :
"Thou art sure He will receive an old man who
has wearied himself in searching for some light to
shine on this darkness, but ever despised this sect
of Nazarenes V

What Glaucia's answer was she could not hear,
for she was kneeling beside the couch, and it was
in a low, reverent voice, almost in the tones of
supplication, she was speaking.

Presently there came another question : '* Hath
thy God no image, no statue, nothing by which v/e
can worship Him .'' "

2i6 Glancia, the Greek Slave.

" No," answered Ghucia ; " no image, na statue,
even of Phidias, could shadow forth His love or
His power, and He has forbidden us the use of
graven images, or to worship anything as the like-
ness of Himself."

"And that is why thou refusest to sacrifice to
the gods?" asked her master.

" It would be a grief and an insult to the Lord
Christ if I gave His glory to a graven image,"
said Glaucia, gently.

A slight noise gave them notice of Valeria's
entrance, and Glaucia retired to the farther end of
the room as the lady came forward.

" Shall I read to thee, my father } " she asked.

" What canst thou read } " asked the philosopher.

Valeria looked up in surprise. " We have not
finished all the writings of Plato," she said.

" Valeria, husks will not feed a hungry man,"
said the invalid, "and I am an hungered for the
knowledge thy slave Glaucia possesses. I would
that I had talked to Julia of this before she left
for Corinth."

"She only left yesterday," said Valeria, mechani-
cally, and with a faint smile. She was thinking
how useless all her precautions had been to keep
Julia from him, for fear she should introduce the
subject of her religion, and she should utter in his
hearing the words that had haunted her ever since
they had been spoken. She wcndered now whether
Glaucia had told him of this "life and immortality
brought to light."

Light at Eventide. 217

She was not left long in doubt. " There is a
life beyond the grave, and this new faith reveals
it," said the philosopher. " I must know how I can
attain it before I die," he added, looking earnestly
at his daughter.

She hardly knew what to' do, what to say ; was
her father's mind unhinged through his long illness t
Surely it must be so, or he would not speak thus.

His next words, however, were more alarming
still. "The leader of this sect in Athens is a
learned citizen, named Dionysius, dwelling near
the western gate ; wilt thou send for him, Valeria,
and ask him to bring the writings of his religion
that he may set my doubts at rest } "

Valeria dared not refuse her father's request ;
and yet to ask such a man to cross their threshold
would compromise the family honour so deeply,
that she shrank from doing it as long as possible,
wondering whom she could send, for the slaves
would be sure to talk of it among themselves, and
they might so exaggerate the matter that it might
be said that her father had forsaken the gods
before he died.

Thinking thus, she went to consult her mother,
who was more inclined to treat the matter as a
sick man's whim than her daughter ; but knowing
that it must be gratified, since her husband had
set his heart upon it, she counselled that Glaucia
should be sent with a letter to Dionysius desir-
ing his presence, and she took out her waxen
tablets at once, and wrote the request Binding

2i8 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

it with a silken cord, Glaucia was despatched with
it to Dionysius, Valeria and her mother both
hoping that he might not be at home, or would
refuse to come. But Dionysius, though surprised
at the message, promised to follow Glaucia at once,
and, indeed, he arrived almost as soon as she got
back.

The ladies were courteous, but received him
coldly, Romula stating that it was but to gratity
a sick man's whim that she had requested his
presence, as she conducted him to her husband*s
bedside.

Dionysius bowed, but did not reply, for tne
sick-chamber was reached, and the next minute
the minister of Christ stood beside the invalid.

The eager, anxious gaze of those earnest grey
eyes was in itself a refutation of his wife's asser-
tion, and time was now too precious to be wasted
in apologies and mere forms of politeness.

"Thou hast come to tell me of Christ, the light
of the world t " said the philosopher, as his visitor
seated himself beside the couch.

" Yes, that is the highest wisdom man can attain
unto in this life," said Dionysius.

" And I have been searching for it all my life,"
said the philosopher, "stretching weary hands into
the darkness."

" Striving to reach the Unknown God by the
help of this world's wisdom," said Dionysius.

" How else should He be sought for ? "' asked
the invalid.

LigJu ai Evenitde. 219

*' Even as thou art seeking Him now, weary and
Aeavy-laden, as a tired child seeks its mother's
arms for rest."

" Rest ! " repeated the philosopher. " Can thy
God give rest — satisfy all the wants of our craving
hearts when the host of deities we possess fail to
do so .? "

'• Yes, for our God made these hearts of ours,
and created the longings and cravings within them
on purpose that we might be satisfied with nothing
bMt Himself."

" But all the longings, all the cravings } " said
the philosopher. " One God could not combine
all the attributes of our Olympian deities in Him-
self"

"Yes, He is infinite, and therefore He can satisfy
the wants of every heart, diverse as they may be.
This is beyond our comprehension, and therefore
man has made a host of gods, that each may
worship the one answering best to his needs. One
who longs for wisdom and knowledge bows to
Pallas Athene ; Jupiter claims the votary of power ;
Apollo the lover of music, poetry, and science ;
but the wants of all are met in the fulness of God
our Creator. His heart is as the ocean, boundless,
illimitable in power, purity, and love."

" Ah ! our gods are not pure," said Sempronius.
" I have turned from some in sickening disgust,
for were they men they should not come within
my atrium, and how, then, could I worship such t
\ have longed for a purity and goodness above

220 Glaucia^ the Greek Slave.

and beyond my own, as well as for light to
shine upon the nether darkness of the land of
shades."

" And our God is pure with a spotlessness that
rivals the snowy crown of Hymettus, with a bright-
ness that is beyond the blaze of the noon-day sun.
No shadow of evil has ever dimmed the lustre of
His holiness, and sin and impurity can never enter
His presence."

" How, then, can mortal man essay to enter that
kingdom where He reigns in person beyond the
funeral urn } " asked the philosopher. ** There are
follies of youth, and manhood, and — "

"Nay, call them not follies, but sin," said the
minister ; " we have no Saviour for follies of youth ;
but for sin we have a sin-bearer — God's equal and
fellow, who through His mighty power became the
Atlas for the sin of the world, taking it as a heavy
burden upon His shoulder, and bearing it, every
man's share of the horrible load, that he might go
free. It is through Him — Jesus Christ — we can
enter this heavenly kingdom."

"And He, this God-man, has borne my sins!"
exclaimed Sempronius. " What shall I pay Him
for this?"

"Nay, there is no payment to be made, only
believe this record of His love — accept God's free
gift of eternal life."

" But I would fain give the half, nay, the whole
of my wealth to Him."

"What is thy wealth to One who has created

Light at Eventide. 221

and owns all this world, as well as the brilliant
stars in the heavens ? Eternal life is God's free gift
to rich and poor alike. All who enter heaven
must lay down their pride on this side the gate
and walk in lowly as little children."

The terms, so easy for the slave, were very hard
to this rich, proud philosopher ; and yet while
he demurred his heart went out to this God
WHO was so holy and so pitiful, so great and so
gracious.

"If He would only take a gift, a sacrifice at
m.y hands," said Sempronius ; " but I have never
accepted a favour in my life from the gods or
men. I ever sacrificed freely to the one, and gave
gifts to the others, and I would fain do so even
to the end."

" But it cannot be," said the minister. " Salva-
tion must be accepted by thee upon the same
terms as thy little slave Glaucia, without money
and without price. God gives royally, as a king,
and it were an insult to ofi"er a king payment for
his gifts."

" Yes," assented the philosopher, " and humbling
as the terms are, it is yet a joy and gladness to
hear of this salvation."

"But a greater joy to accept it," said Dionysius,
as he rose to take his departure. " I will come
again to-morrow, if it will please thee to receive
me ; thou art growing weary now, and — "

" No, not weary ; but I would fain be alone
to ponder over the wonderful tidings thou hast

^2^ Claucia, the Greek Slave.

brought/' said the invalid ; " thou wilt come again
to-morrow ? " he added, as his visitor left.

Romula thanked him for his visit, but did not
ask him to repeat it — a fact Dionysius could not
help noticing, although he resolved not to let it
influence him, since there was one weary soul
hungering for the words of eternal life ; and so
the next day he again presented himself at the
door of the mansion, and was admitted before
the ladies knew of his arrival, for Glaucia had
seen him enter the atrium, and conducted him
at once to her master's room.

Early as it was, Sempronius was anxiously ex-
pecting him, and welcomed him with a smile.
*^ Hast thou brought the record thou spakest of
yesterday } " he asked, eagerly.

" Yes," answered the minister, drawing a roll
from his girdle. " This is the witness of one
who went about with the Lord Christ, and saw
His works of mercy when He was on earth ; "
and he began reading the account of the cruci-
fixion, and then went on to that of the resurrec-
tion, adding but few words of his own to the
sublimely simple account given by the apostle of
these most wonderful events.

As he concluded, Sempronius laid his hand on
his arm. " I do, I must believe," he said ; " but
will thy God receive me now } Will He take
this weary, empty heart, and will He say to me,
as to the malefactor, 'Thou shalt be with Me in
paradise .-* ' "

Light at Eventide. 223

" Yes, He is willing — waiting to receive thee ;
asking thee to be reconciled to Himself," said
Dionysius.

"It is wonderful— astonishing. I would that I
could once more move among men to tell them
of this marvellous love of God, but the shadow
of death was upon me before this wonderful
dawn arose ; but thou wilt tell all men I died a
believer in Christ — that the gods of Rome could
not satisfy the sore hunger of my heart, and the
philosophy of Greece was but as husks instead
of bread. I will speak to my wife and daughter.
Pray to thy God — to my God — for my Valeria,
for I would that she, too, could accept this
salvation."

He could not say any more, but lay back on
his pillow exhausted ; and Dionysius, looking at
that pale, drawn face, could not but believe that
the eternal day would soon break for the old
man who had been seeking it in darkness all his
life long. He knelt at the side of the couch, and
commended his soul in prayer to God, and then
took an affectionate leave of his new convert.

" I am so weary, so tired, I want to rest —
rest — rest," and, still murmuring the word, like a
child sinking to sleep in its mother's arms, Sem-
pronius closed his eyes, and Dionysius left the
room.

As he passed through the atrium and vestibule
the slaves looked at him very curiously, wondering
not a little what their master could want with this

^24 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

Nazarene, for one or two had recognised him as
belonging to that sect, and had told their com-
panions.

Neither of the ladies presented herself to-day,
and Dionysius passed out wondering whether he
should ever see his new convert again. Seeing
Glaucia, he told her to go and tell her mistress
he had left, for he believed the angel of death
was even then at the door, and he knew how
anxious both wife and daughter would be to
catch the last breath — the parting soul of the be-
loved husband and father, and he judged truly
that they would hasten to the chamber as soon
as he had left.

Not one moment too soon was the message
delivered. Romula hastened to her husband's side,
not dreaming that the end was so near. He
roused as she came in, and a calm smile rested
on his face.

" The darkness is over at last, for I have found
the light. Meet me in the land of light," he mur-
mured, as his wife bent over him ; and the next
minute he was in the presence of God — so long
unknown, so lately found.

CHAPTER XX.

A ROMAN FUNERAL.

'^T^HE seven days of the saturnalia were not at
X an end when the solemn cypress bough was
laid at the threshold of the door, and men knew,
as they passed, that Sempronius Gracchus was
dead.

Dionysius saw it when he came the next day,
and in spite of the coldness evinced by the ladies
hitherto, he ventured to ask if he might see the
corpse, hoping that he might likewise see the wife
or daughter, and hear what had passed after he
left. Permission was given him, and he went into
the chamber where, bathed and anointed with the
sweetest perfumes, the corpse lay on an ivory bed,
arrayed in the richest festive robes.

Dionysius was disappointed to find that an old
slave had taken the place of Romula to watch the
corpse while he was there, for now he would have
no opportunity of speaking that comfort the Chris-
tian religion alone could give. He knew that these
mourners were sorrowing without hope, for the

226 Glaiicia, tlie Greek Slave.

world beyond the grave was a dark unknown
mystery to them, but he could not force himself
upon them now, and so, placing the amaranthine
wreath he had brought on the cold brow of the
corpse, he took his departure.

The sad offices to be performed while the corpse
remained in the house and the preparations for the
funeral occupied the time and attention of the
whole household, and this was to Glaucia a time
of rest and peace, such as she had not known for
some time, but she took no advantage of this, and
beyond seeing Laon in the market once or twice
she had little change in her mode of life.

It was arranged that the funeral should take
place just before sunset, for the Greeks, in their
love of symbol and poetry, timed their funerals
according to the age of the deceased, and Romula,
taking into consideration her husband's age and his
last words, wished that the last rays should shine
upon the funeral pyre.

So, in the afternoon, when the market people
were returning homeward after their day's work,
the hired mourners and musicians left the stately
mansion singing a solemn funeral dirge, that ar-
rested every footstep in the street. Then, as this
was concluded, the body, placed on a bier covered
with a purple pall, was carried out of the house,
the mourners arranging themselves at either side,
while the musicians went first, playing a slow
solemn march to which the females kept time with
their voices. In front of the corpse was carried his

A Roman Fjuieral. ^27

image and those of his Roman ancestors, while
close behind the bier walked the wife and daugh-
ter with bare bowed heads, and dishevelled hair,
making no moan, but mourning for their dead with
a grief that we can never know, since we have the
hope of meeting our beloved ones beyond the
grave.

Slowly the funeral procession passed through the
streets, all the slaves of the household bringing up
the rear. The city gates were passed, and outside
'the walls the pyre of pine-wood had been raised
and covered with fragrant incense. On this the
bearers placed the corpse, and then all stood aside
at a respectful distance while the two mourners
went to look their last on the husband and father,
and place the death-penny in his mouth that was
to pay the ferryman to row him over the fabled
Styx, for not yet had the soul gained the land of
shades, according to the popular belief

Romula pressed passionate kisses on the lips,
eyes, and brow, and then mechanically taking the
torch from the priest of Jupiter set fire to the
pile. As the flames leaped up the mourners com-
menced singing a funeral dirge, and this announced
to all that the sacred flame was wafting the soul
to its destination.

As the ruddy flames shot up between the
solemn cypress boughs that bent above them, the
last rays of the setting sun fell across the face of
the corpse, and Romula, with her daughter, turned
away to sit apart in their agony of sorrow while

228 Gtaticia, the Greek Slave.

the flames did their work, aided by the wind that
came sweeping over the plain. At last it wavered,
flickered, and then died out. The last sparks were
extinguished by the attendants, and then the
embers were collected, and after being steeped in
costly wine were placed in a silver urn, ready to
be carried to Rome, and deposited in the family
sepulchre.

Until this could be done it was placed in a
sepulchre close at hand. This was covered with
flowers and wreaths and hung round with lamps,
and then the mourners, being purified by sprinkling
from a bunch of laurel, slowly returned home under
the darkling sky, feeling that they were indeed
alone in a desolate world.

It was a matter of uncertainty now whether they
would continue to reside at Athens or return to
Rome, but at length the widow decided to remain
until after the emperor's visit, which would not be
until late in the spring, as he was going to Corinth
first, to witness the Isthmian games and to intro-
duce his Roman gladiators.

Laon had been induced to relinquish his plan
of going to Corinth and seeking Appius on his
arrival, but what it cost him to do so no one knew.
Glaucia herself had to persuade him, for it was hard
for him to believe that the object he had in view
would not sanctify the means used for its attain-
ment. His friends among the Christian converts
tried to make him see it as a sin in the sight of
God, but their efforts were not wholly successful.

A Roman Funeral. 229

Laon had not long cast off the worship of his
gods, and there had been little to try the sincerity
of the change until now, but that he could resign
this cherished project at all because of its being
displeasing to God was in itself a severe test to
one of Laon's ardent temperament. Opposition
such as Glaucia had to encounter would have been
less of a trial than an opportunity for him to dis-
play the native energy and combativeness of his
character, but to remain passive and let this oppor-
tunity of redeeming his sister by one grand stroke
slip by him for ever — this was a trial indeed.
Again and again, as the winter merged into spring,
did the temptation arise to go to Corinth, in spite
of all that had been said, and it was only after
earnest prayer and many battles with his own self-
will that he could resign this dearly cherished
plan.

Meanwhile Julia and Drusilla had reached
Corinth, and, as they anticipated, found the Chris-
tian Church much larger and more flourishing
than in the sister city of Athens. Phoebe, the
deaconess, who had laboured with Paul himself in
planting this infant church, could relate how the
accomplished scholar and learned Pharisee had
worked at tent-making with his own hands, in
company with Aquila and Priscilla, for more than
a year, while teaching and preaching to both Jews
and Gentiles.

Julia was a most welcome visitor, for she brought
news of their beloved teacher Paul, and could tell

230 Glmtciay the Greek Slave.

them how the time of his imprisonment was passed
in Rome — how converts, even from among the
rough soldiers and pleasure-loving courtiers of the
emperor himself, had been added to the growing
church in Rome. She had likewise heara while
in Athens that before the emperor paid his visit
to Corinth he would sit in judgment on this famous
prisoner, against whom his countrymen felt so
bitter, so that his imprisonment would be at an
end shortly ; but what that end would be none
could tell.

The Jewish proselyte Poppsea had great influ-
ence over Nero, and doubtless this would be used
to secure Paul's condemnation ; but even this was
less to be feared than Nero's own cruel, ruthless
disregard of human life. When he first ascended
the imperial throne his disposition was mild and
amiable, the chief fault of his character being an
inordinate vanity and love of pleasure. But he
had gradually developed into a tyrant, before whom
the stoutest heart quailed, for he regarded nothing
that stood in the way of his pleasure, or opposed
his despotic will ; and since his own mother had
fallen a victim to his cruelty, who could deem
himself secure ? In view of this coming trial
prayer was offered every day that God would spare
His servant and deliver him from this lion.

From speaking of Paul and Rome, Julia talked
of her lengthened stay in Athens, and then of
Glaucia, and how bravely she was fighting the
good fight of faith in the midst of an idolatrous

A Roman Funeral. 231

family, and how disappointed her brother was that,
being a Christian, he could not enter the lists as
a gladiator to free her.

At the mention of Athens and the name of
Glaucia, one of Phoebe's fellow-helpers started, and
a faint colour stole into her pale cheek.

*' Our sister Hyrmina once lived in Athens ! "
explained Phoebe.

"And I had a little daughter named Glaucia,
who is now in Rome with wealthy friends," said
the lady, with a deep-drawn sigh.

Phoebe knew the subject was a painful one to
her friend, and turned the conversation, but Hyr-
mina sat with a look of deep concern on her face,
and took but little interest in the remainder of
the conversation. It was evident she was thinking
more of the little slave-girl in Athens than of
her great teacher in Rome, and she came to
Fhcebe the next day with a proposal that rather
startled her, interfering, as she feared it would,
with the concerns of the Athenian Church.

" But our brethren are poorer in Athens," said
Hyrmina, " and this is not a matter of Church
discipline, or relieving the necessities of their
widows. We might make a collection here, and,
without defrauding our own poor, release this girl
from her cruel bondage."

" If it could be done I would gladly give a
hundred sesterces," said the Roman lady, "for is
she not our sister — one for whom Christ died } "

*^ I will give two hundred," said Hyrmina, "and,

232 Glaticia, the Greek Slave.

moreover, find a trusty messenger to carry it to
Dionysius, to make the purchase of Valeria."

"The Church will doubtless gladly contribute the
sum needful," said Phoebe. " It will be a thousand
sesterces, I think thou saidst ? " she added, turning
to Julia.

"A thousand was what Valeria paid for her,"
said Julia. And the next day, when the Church
met together to pray for the deliverance of Paul,
they were asked to contribute of their earthly
goods for the deliverance of Glaucia.

A liberal response was made to this appeal, and
before Julia left to return to Rome the whole sum
was made up and sent to Dionysius to transact
the business of setting Glaucia free.

When the letter of the Corinthian Christians was
read in the Church of Athens every one rejoiced,
not only that Glaucia would be rescued from her
hard mistress, but for the liberality and sympathy
thus expressed.

Dionysius went at once to see Valeria, and ask
the price she demanded for her little waiting-maid,
while Laon hastened home to tell Lepida the joy-
ful news. But, alas ! the rejoicing was soon at an
end. Valeria received the minister after several
refusals, but to his great sorrow she positively
refused to release Glaucia ; she would not sell her
for two thousand sesterces, she said.

In vain Dionysius pleaded her faithful service,
and her refusal to worship the gods, making it
undesirable to retain her among the other slaves.

A Roman Fmieral. 233

Valeria was inexorable. They would return to
Rome shortly, she said, and then she would find
means of compelling Glaucia's obedience, and with
this message he was obliged to return and acquaint
the messenger from Corinth of the failure of his
mission.

Laon's heart died within him when he heard
the dreadful news, and again arose that awful
spectacle before his vision which he had seen out-
side the city walls ; and in his distress he went to
Dionysius, telling him what he feared would be
his sister's fate when she went back to Rome.

"Our Lord Christ, who Himself tasted the
agonies of such a death, can alone save her," said
Dionysius, sadly ; " the Church will pray for her,
and thou must do the same, even as our brother
Paul hath bidden us to * be careful for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication to
let your requests be made known unto God.' "

And Laon did pray as he had never prayed
before — prayed with that cruel cross always before
him, and with but one thought of comfort — that
the Lord Christ had tasted of this deeper depth
of human agony and suffering, and therefore could
sympathize with him in his fear, and with her
likewise, if she was to glorify Him by such a
death

What Laon was suffering on her account, or of
the effort that had been made to redeem her,
Glaucia knew nothing. She had heard from Fulvia
and Felicita that they were to return to Rome

R

234 Glaucia, the Greek Slave,

shortly, and the preparations were nearly com-
pleted when a messenger arrived from Rome bring-
ing letters from Claudia and Julia, as well as to the
churches of Athens and Corinth. The news for
the churches was joyful indeed. Paul had been
acquitted, and was at liberty ; and hymns of praise
resounded on every side for the deliverance God
had wrought in answer to prayer.

The news received by Romula and Valeria, how-
ever, was anything but gratifying, it seemed, and
at once put an end to the preparations for their
return to the imperial city, though what it was
remained a secret for some time. At length orders
were given for a room to be prepared for the
reception of a lady, but the one chosen was far
removed from Valeria's or her mother's, and it was
furnished as plainly as possible.

A few days afterwards Claudia arrived alone and
unattended. Glaucia was in the peristyle with
Valeria when she came in, but instead of going
forward to greet her sister, she turned haughtily
away.

"Show that lady to her room," she said to
Glaucia, as she passed out to inform her mother of
her sister's arrival.

Claudia stood still, almost gasping for breath,
just where her sister had left her ; but at last she
saw Glaucia, and then remembering where she was,
she said, in a choking voice, "Wilt thou show me
to my room } "

An angry flush suffused her cheek when she saw

A Roman Fimeral. 235

the chamber, and noticed that it joined the slaves'
apartments.

"This is not fit for my father's daughter," she
said ; but the next minute, before Glaucia could
reply, she had conquered her wounded pride, and
said gently, " Never mind ; I can perhaps be more
comfortable here."

Glaucia helped her to unrobe, mentally asking
what Claudia could have done to displease her
mother and sister so much that she was to be
treated little better than a servant in her own
home; for while every luxury abounded in Valeria's
dressing-room, this was provided with the barest
necessaries, and Glaucia had heard the order given
to the cook to serve the expected guest at a
small table in her own room, as she would not
join the family meals. This, however, which
Glaucia thought such a humiliation, seemed to
please Claudia when she was told of the arrange-
ment.

" I am quite content," she said. " Wilt thou ask
if I may see my mother now.?" she said, when the
dust of travel had been removed and she had
changed her dress.

Glaucia went to ask if she might be admitted
to her mother's dressing-room, but brought back
such a message, that instead of delivering it the
poor girl burst into tears when she reached
Claudia's room.

" What is it > " said the lady, turning pale.
" Does my mother refuse ? " she asked.

zi6

Glazicia, the Greek Slave,

" I am commanded to tell thee that — that
thou hast no mother," said Glaucia, in a hoarse
whisper.

Claudia sank upon the couch near which she
was standing, and covered her face with her hands
for a few minutes. Then lifting her head she said,
" Glaucia, thou art braver than I am ; thou must
pray for me — for Claudia the vestal is now Claudia
the Christian."

CHAPTER XXL

THE FIRST PERSECUTION.

ATHENS was doomed to disappointment in her
expectation of entertaining the emperor this
year ; but w^^at was a disappointment to others was
a great relief to Romula and her eldest daughter ;
for the disgrace Claudia had brought upon the
family name in forsaking her vows was felt most
keenly, and the poor girl was made to suffer for it
accordingly. Her condition was little better than
Glaucia's, and it needed a faith as strong and a
love and zeal as warm as they possessed who
afterwards gained a martyr's crown from the midst
of the arena, to bear the little daily and hourly
persecutions that were heaped upon her. Her
mother and sister rarely spoke to her, and even
when she ventured to ask for some particulars
about her father's last hours, she was abruptly told
that as she had cut herself off from her family by
the profession of this infamous faith, it could be of
no moment to her what passed at that time.

238 Glaticia^ the Greek Slave

She discovered, however, where his sepulchre was
situated, and resolved to have her share in renew-
ing the flowers that adorned his tomb. But what
was her surprise to see among the wreaths and
garlands usually placed there a palm branch
occupying the most conspicuous place ! " What
right had my father to this distinguishing mark
of Christianity ? " She asked herself this question
again and again, and when she reached home she
ventured to question Glaucia.

The poor girl coloured deeply. The secret of
her master's change of faith was one his wife and
daughter wished to be buried and forgotten, and
Glaucia had not dared to mention it even to one
of her fellow-slaves, although she knew that they
suspected something of the kind. So now that
Claudia came with her questions about this she
knew not what to do, for she had no wish to rouse
her mistress's anger still more, and she was sure if
it came to her ears that the matter had been talked
of she w^ould be deeply incensed.

Claudia guessed this was why she continued
silent, and she said, " Trust me, Glaucia ; I will
not speak of this matter again. Are we not sisters
in Christ, and therefore it behoveth us to help and
defend each other.-* But tell me if thou knowest
aught concerning my father, for think what my
grief has been, fearing that he died without Christ
and without hope."

" He did not," answered Glaucia, quickly ; " for-
give me that I did not tell thee this before, but

The First Persecution. 239

I feared my mistress would be sorely grieved and
angry."

"I will not tell Valeria," said the lady; "but
thou wilt relate to me now all that passed before
my father's death ? "

Thus pressed, Glaucia told her of the visits of
Dionysius, and likewise what had been said con-
cerning the vanity of philosophy.

"And yet my noble sister hopes to find what
my father failed to discover in the writings of
Plato and Socrates — what I hoped to gain by
faithful watch and tendance at the sacred fire of
Vesta — rest for the unsatisfied longings of the soul.
O Valeria ! Valeria ! I weep to think of thy long,
vain, hopeless search, and how the prize is offered
thee, and yet is spurned, because it comes not in
the way thou expectest to find it."

" The noble Valeria will find it as her father
did," said Glaucia, gently.

"Thou thinkest so.?" said Claudia, quickly.

"I have prayed for her," replied Glaucia, with
downcast eyes.

Claudia started. " Didst thou ever pray for
me ? " she asked.

Glaucia's head drooped lower. " I could not
help it," she murmured ; " thou saidst thou couldst
almost believe, and I prayed the Lord Christ that
it might not long be almost, but altogether."

Claudia was deeply moved. " I was not worthy
of thy prayers," she said, "for I was base and
unfaithful, in that I turned away from this faith,

240 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

because of the shame and disgrace that would
follow. Thou hast been brave and true, Glaucia,
and the Lord hath honoured thy faith and courage ;
but I — it may be I have hindered my sister re-
ceiving this truth," she said, with a deep sigh.

"Then we will pray the more earnestly that
the Lord Christ will Himself convince her," said
Glaucia, hopefully.

It was not often that Glaucia and Claudia had
an opportunity of speaking to each other. Valeria
seemed to understand that the two Christians would
like to be together — that there now existed a mys-
terious bond between them stronger than that of
blood or kindred, and so, to prevent the mutual
strength to be obtained from converse together, she
took care to keep Glaucia employed about her
own person as much as possible.

And so the weeks of summer and autumn
slipped away, Valeria growing more and more rest-
less and dissatisfied, and yet returning to the study
of the philosophy her father had found so hopeless
with redoubled ardour, only to give it up v/ith an
aching sense of want and despair, little dream-
ing that her quiet, unobtrusive waiting-maid was
noticing the signs of the struggle going on in her
heart.

And so the bleak winter came round again,
and the slaves began once more to prepare for the
approaching saturnalia, for this feast was one looked
forward to with anxious care, and provided for
accordingly.

The First Persecution. 241

Tjie last days of November had come, and the
quiet household of Romula began to stir with some-
thing of the bustle to which it was accustomed
before her husband's death, when a sudden stop
was again put to these preparations by the hasty
arrival of a messenger from Rome — a faithful slave
of Julia's — who brought not letters from his mis-
tress, but the lady herself, prostrate with illness
and quite insane. She had not spoken a sensible
word for some days before they left the city, the
man said ; in fact, it was to that they owed their
escape, or she would probably have refused to
do so.

" Escape ! " repeated Valeria. *' What has hap-
pened, then } " she asked.

For answer the man covered his face with his
hands and shuddered. " The tidings of Rome
being burned have already reached Athens, I doubt
not," he said.

Valeria started. " Rome burned ! " she ex-
claimed ; " nay, nay, tell me what it is ; we have
heard naught concerning such a calamity."

'^ It is, alas ! too true," said the slave. " Half
the city hath been destroyed, and it is whispered
— nay, it is a well-known fact among many — that
the emperor set it on fire with his own hand."

" Nero set his own city on fire ! " repeated Valeria,
in astonishment.

" Yes, not only so, but sat and watched it burn-
ing, and played on his lyre the while," said the
man.

242 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

" And this is known, and Romans bear it ! " said
Valeria, passionately.

"It began to be talked about, and the emperor
saw that the Romans would not bear it, and so he
had to seek for some victim great enough to
satiate the popular fury, and at last the despised
sect of the Nazarenes were thought of, and the tale
was industriously spread that they were guilty of
doing this, and they were at once seized, and almost
without the form of a trial condemned to the most
horrible torture."

"And my Julia, having been deluded into join-
ing this miserable sect, hath been made to suffer
for this religion } " said Valeria.

" Nay, nay ; there hath been • no accusation
brought against her on account of her religion,"
said the slave ; " but I heard it testified that she
had with her own hands set fire to one of the
houses. In vain I pleaded that I had attended her
that night to another part of the city. No one
would listen to me, and she was condemned to be
burned the second night to illuminate the emperor's
garden."

"My Julia be burned — the gentle, loving woman,
who ever cared for the sorrows of others more than
her own ease — accused of setting fire to a house !
Nay, nay, I had rather believe it were the emperor
ten times over ! " exclaimed Valeria. " But how
did she escape ? Tell me everything, for in her
present condition it is needful we should know
all"

The First Persecution. 243

"Nay, nay, I could not tell thee «//," said the
man ; '' I am not a Christian, but when I saw
these people, many of them as good and gentle as
my mistress herself, condemned to a hideous death,
and compelled to witness friends and relatives put
to the most horrible torture, I felt a burning hatred
against the religion and the gods who could suffer
such things to be done ; " and again the man shud-
dered at the thought of what he had witnessed.

"And these Christians did not deny their faith
to escape the accusation ? " asked Valeria.

" Nay, they confessed to being of this sect, but
they denied the crime of which they were accused,
and many knew they were innocent ; but it pleased
Nero to turn the popular fury against them, and
provide himself with another illumination. It was
this that turned my mistress's brain, and doubtless
many others besides — the being compelled to wit-
ness friends rolled in garments soaked with pitch,
and then chained to posts and set on fire to illu-
minate the emperor's gardens at night."

*' Oh, hush ! hush ! " exclaimed Valeria. " My
poor Julia, what she must have suffered ! "

" She was condemned to the same suffering, was
being carried to the place where the pitched gar-
ments were lying in readiness, when I volunteered
to take the place of one who was suddenly called
away, and in the hurry and confusion I threw a
toga I had with me over her shoulders, and, by
the help of one of the guards whom she had be-
friended, we passed through unquestioned, and I

244 Glaucia, the Greek Slave,

at once took ship for Athens, for Drusilla had told
me of her visit here, and moreover, being a Jewess,
she was less likely to be suspected of holding a
faith which the Jews hate so much."

**Thou hast done well to bear her hither," said
Valeria ; " and now, since it will not be safe for
thee to return to Rome, I will consult with my
mother about sending our freedman Anicetus to
secure some part of her wealth, for she will have
to remain in Athens now."

Romula remembered what she had said before
leaving Rome when Julia was ctoied to the room
hastily prepared for her reception, and she was
glad the invitation had been given and that her
slaves knew of it, although it might bring some
trouble and inconvenience if the prefect heard that
they were concealing one who had been condemned
by the emperor.

The danger was mentioned both to Drusilla and
the slave, and they were warned not to talk of
the matter to any one — a warning scarcely needed,
since both shrank with horror from recalling that
hideous, appalling spectacle; for Drusilla, although
she could not see, had been compelled to hear
shrieks and groans that would resound in her ears
until her dying day, while hovering round her mis-
tress's prison.

In the new interest of nursing Julia, Valeria
seemed to forget her anger against her sister and
Glaucia, for her condition was so critical, and the
physicians ordered so much care and quiet, that no

The First Persecution. 245

slave but Drusilla was allowed to enter her cham-
ber, lest she should answer the questions Julia was
continually putting to her nurses in such a way as
to recall the scenes they were so anxious to oblite-
rate from her mind.

Valeria proved a more skilful nurse than her
mother, and the patient was quieter and more com-
posed while Valeria sat by her bedside, and one
day asked her to read, in a voice so rational that
she thought she must have recovered her reason,
only that the reading she asked for was such as
she knew nothing of, although she judged truly
enough that it concerned the Christian faith, and
could be obtained of Dionysius, even if Drusilla
had not secured it among the manuscripts that she
had brought with her.

The next day, when Valeria was again sitting by
her, she repeated her request, and the lady resolved
to gratify it if possible, for since hearing of this
terrible persecution against these people she felt
some curiosity to read some of their writings. Per-
haps the curiosity existed before and needed very
little to rouse it, for however she tried to forget it
or blind herself to the fact, she knew that her father
had embraced this despised faith before his death.
She remembered, too, the charge he had once given
her never to give up her search for light until she
found it, in whatever direction it might lead, and
she had heard from him, and from Julia too, that
this religion alone brought " life and immortality
to light."

246 Glaucia, tJte Greek Slaiw.

So Drusilla was asked for the casket containing
her mistress's parchments, and from two or three
small rolls Valeria took one and sat down to read
it aloud. It was the Sermon on the Mount, and
before she had read far Valeria became convinced
that it was no ordinary man who could utter such
words. She read on with earnest attention and
increasing interest, quite regardless of the fact that
the words, strange to her but familiar to the invalid,
had so soothed and refreshed her weary spirit that
she had fallen into a sleep so quiet and natural
that Valeria well-nigh forgot her presence, until she
came to the close of the manuscript.

" Truly this seemeth to be as a healing medicine
to thy mistress," she said, as she saw Drusilla keep-
ing her faithful watch at the foot of the bed.

" If my mistress could only hear and receive
once more these gracious words, it would heal her
troubled mind," said Drusilla, with a sigh.

" Then thou thinkest I should read to her every
day," said Valeria, with a slight start as she saw
her sister enter the room, while she still held the
manuscript in her hand.

Claudia noticed the heightened colour in her
sister's cheeks, and then saw that she had been
reading what Julia had often read to her, but she
felt afraid to speak of this now. Whenever she
felt inclined to mention her change of faith, there
came to her remembrance that time when she had
so basely stifled her convictions, and declared that
she was Claudia the vestal still, when she knew

The First Persecution.

247

she ought to have said that all faith in these old
superstitions had gone for ever. Had she done
this, and firmly declared her faith in Christ to her
father, he, and Valeria as well, might have received
the Gospel from her lips. Now this honour was
taken from her, as an unworthy servant, and she
must stand aside, and let others do the glorious
work that might and ought of right to be hers.

These were her thoughts as she stood and looked
at Julia and her sister, but when she heard Valeria
ask Drusilla to hand the casket of manuscripts over
to her care, and saw her take them to her own
room, she lifted her heart in praise to God that
He had not rejected her prayer.

An hour or two later there was a little gathering
in Claudia's room. She sent for Glaucia to tell
her the joyful news that Valeria had begun to study
the words of the Lord Christ, and they both with
Drusilla kneeled to pray that the Holy Spirit might
be given to enlighten her, that she too might give
her heart to Christ, and cast in her lot with His
people.

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CHAPTER XXII.
CONCLUSION.

THE news brought by Julia's slave of the cruel
persecution of the Christians in Rome was
made known to the little Church at Athens, and
they resolved to send the warning to their brethren
at Corinth, for it might be they had not yet heard
of it, though what they would do in the matter
they could not tell.

Laon had so approved himself to the members
of the Church, that now a trusty messenger was
wanted who could journey to Corinth with speed and
discretion, he was unanimously chosen to carry letters
from Dionysius to the Corinthian congregation.

Arnobius was greatly pleased that his young
favourite had been selected for the difficult duty,
and readily agreed to dispense with his services in
the market, although he was so useful now, and had
made himself so popular with the customers by his
kindness and readiness to oblige, that his business
had increased very much, and it would be difficult
to carry it on by himself

Conclusion. 249

Lepida, however, strongly opposed this under-
taking, talked of the dangers of such a journey,
and Laon's unfitness for it, until both he and
Arnobius began to think she must have some ulterior
motive for wishing him to refuse it. This, however,
he was not likely to do, for her present unwilling-
ness for him to go to Corinth brought to his mind
several things connected with her visit there, and
he resolved to make some inquiries about his mother
when he delivered the letters of the Church.

There was little need to urge him to secrecy or
despatch. As soon as the rolls were written and
sealed, he was ready to set off with them, in spite
of the light flakes of snow that were gently descend-
ing as he passed through the gate of the city. It
was not often that snow was seen in Athens, and
the people thought no one should be abroad when
it did fall, so it was not likely he would meet many
passengers during his forty-five miles* walk ; but
this would save him from the inconvenience of
answering questions he might be troubled with, and
the loneliness he did not mind, for he had one
important matter to settle — how he should begin
his inquiries for his mother. The letters to the
Church must be delivered first, and then he would
cautiously put questions to some of the people he
met, or call upon the deaconess, Phoebe, who had
sent the money for Glaucia's redemption, and tell
her some portion of his story, and ask her help to
enable him to find his mother.

This last plan seemed the best he could adopt,

s

250 Glaucia, the Greek Slave.

and when at length he reached Corinth, weary and
footsore, after his two days' march, he went to the
house of the minister, and, after delivering the
letters, asked for Phoebe, the deaconess.

" Nay ; but tarry awhile, and rest and refresh
thyself while I break these seals," said the minister,
as he heard the inquiry ; " unless thou art the
bearer of tidings to our sister," he added.

" Nay ; but I would fain hear tidings of one who
came to Corinth, as I believe, many years ago, and
hath not been to Athens since," said Laon.

The minister looked at Laon very earnestly.
" Thou art in search of one who formerly lived at
Athens," he said ; "tarry until I have read these
letters, and then I will talk further upon this
matter ; " and he carried the rolls into his own
private room, for he knew not what important news
they might contain,

Laon sat down in the undecorated atrium to
wait, but he had not been there two minutes when
the curtain was drawn from the entrance, and two
plainly-dressed ladies entered. One of them started
as her eyes fell upon Laon, and she stood still
with heaving breast, and a face from which it seemed
the eyes would start in the intensity of her gaze.

" What is it, my sister ? " asked her companion,
noticing her emotion, while, by some strange, far-off
remembrance or fascination, Laon never moved his
eyes from her face.

For a minute or two they stood thus looking
at each other, and then, in a quick, panting

Conclusion. 251

whisper, came the words, " It is — it must be my
Laon ! "

For answer, Laon stumbled forward, and caught
the reehng figure.

" My mother ! " he gasped, and the two were
locked in an embrace so passionate, so long, that
Phoebe feared for her friend's over-taxed powers,
and gently touching Laon's shoulder, she said —

" Be careful — she is not strong."

He needed no second hint. Mastering his emotion,
he partly led, partly carried his mother to a couch
close at hand, and, gently placing her upon it,
kneeled down to look at the face from which every
particle of colour had faded, while Phoebe went in
search of some restorative. The minister's wife,
a gentle matron, came in, bringing a cup of spiced
wine, and handed it to Laon, who pressed his mother
to drink a little before she attempted to speak
again.

She managed to swallow a little, and then
whispered, " You are faint, my son, you need it."
Then her eyes wandered to the peasant's garment
he wore, travel-stained and dusty, and she seemed
to -ask some explanation of this.

But Laon saw it would not be wise to tell her
too much of his story until she was better. Drink-
ing some of the wine, he said, " I am weary ; I
have travelled many miles to-day, my mother."

"Thou hast escaped from Rome as best thou
couldst," said the lady ; ** but — but my little
Glaucia ! " she whispered.

252 Gla?icia, the Greek Slave

*' Glaucia is safe, my mother," said Laon ; " she
is in Athens."

For a minute or two the mother lay with closed
eyes, while a radiant smile beamed over her face,
and, turning towards Phoebe, she said, "Did I not
cell thee that God would bring my children to my
arms again ? " Then, looking at Laon, she said,
" But, my son, how knewest thou where to search
for me ? "

" I truly came in search of thee, for I judged
thou must be in Corinth from what Lepida once
said ; but I also came as a messenger from the
Church at Athens, to bring tidings of the persecu-
tion of the Christians in Rome."

" Thou camest from the Church at Athens 1 "
said Hyrmina, passing her hand over her forehead,
as if her senses were growing confused. " Dost
thou know the Christian Church at Athens .? " she
asked.

" I am a Christian ; I am a member of the
Athenian Church," said Laon.

A look of almost ineffable joy, that was too great
to find utterance in words, for a few minutes shone
in her tearful eyes ; but at last she managed to
whisper, " And my Glaucia } "

Laon understood the question. " Glaucia is a
Christian too — the noblest Christian in Athens," he
added, warmly.

" It is enough. Phoebe, my sister, praise God for
me, or I shall die before I can give thanks ; " and
indeed it seemed as though the overwhelming joy

Concliisio7i. 253

would prove too much for her feeble strength, and
a physician had to be sent for almost immediately.

Laon was greatly alarmed ; for to lose his mother
in the very moment of their reunion was a trial
so uniooked for, that he almost forgot to thank
God for this mercy in his anxious prayer for her
speedy restoration. He was so taken up with his
own immediate concerns, that he forgot to relate
the fuller details of the calamity that had befallen
their brethren in Rome, which he had received from
Drusilla, until reminded of his duty by hearing that
news of the fire had already reached Corinth,
although they knew nothing of the accusation
brought against the emperor. They only knew
that the charge against their brethren must be
false, and prayer had already been offered on their
behalf and collections made to send to the relief
of those who would be left orphans through this
cruel persecution.

Whether it would be wise to advise their brethren

to leave Rome and come to Corinth they could

not tell, for it might be that an edict had been

issued by the emperor to persecute them in every

part of his dominion as well as Rome. It was,

therefore, an anxious company that met in the

minister's house that evening to thank God for

his mercy to Hyrmina ; for perhaps the soldiers

were even then on their way to arrest them, for

an imperial messenger had been seen in the city,

and doubtless had brought despatches from Rome

to the prefect.

S 2

254 GLaucia, iJie Greek Slave.

But the evening passed without anything oc-
curring to alarm them, and they began to take
courage when the next day passed and no one had
been molested, and on the third day a messenger
was despatched to Athens to inform the Church
of Laon's arrival, and carry letters to Dionysius
informing him of what had happened to Laon,
and requesting him to make another effort to
secure Glaucia's release, and to send her with all
speed to her mother at Corinth.

As yet Hyrmina did not know of her daughter's
condition. But as Dionysius again failed to induce
Valeria to release her, and Hyrmina began to grow
stronger, they resolved to tell her the full reason
why she could not leave Athens — that it was not
alone the difficulty of travelling that prevented
Glaucia from coming to her bedside, but because
she w^as a slave.

" My — Glaucia — a — slave — in — Athens ! " she re-
peated slowly ; " was it to her, then, that my heart
was strongly drawn in sympathy when Julia visited
us last year } "

** Yes, it was thy daughter thou didst so earnestly
try to release, although we little knew it at that
time," said Phoebe.

" And I must try again," said Hyrmina. " This
Roman lady, hard as she may be, cannot resist a
mother's prayers. The Lord Christ will plead with
her for me — I will go to Athens and redeem my
child."

No one attempted to dissuade her, for it seemed

Conditsion . 255

the only way by which Glaucia could be released,
and from this time it was marvellous to notice how
rapidly she regained health and strength. In a few
weeks she was able to undertake the journey, and,
accompanied by Laon, she set off in a litter for the
house of Dionysius, who had offered to entertain
her during her visit to Athens.

Laon stopped to see Lepida, and inform her of
all that had happened, quite expecting she would
be very angry when she heard it. But to his sur-
prise she met him with such a pale, weary, anxious
face that he asked if she had been ill.

" Nay, nay, not ill but unhappy, wretched, and
miserable. But how is my noble mistress, thy
mother ? " she asked, anxiously.

" Better," answered Laon ; and he could not help
adding, '' Oh, Lepida, why didst thou not tell me
where to find my mother before .? "

" Because thy father made me swear by the gods
that I would ever try to keep thee from her. I
tried to keep my oath, even when I broke it by
giving thee those parchments, and now the gods
have forsaken me, and I am friendless and alone in
the world."

" Nay, nay ; my mother will be thy friend," said
Laon, ** and thou shalt learn to love our God and
Saviour, and then thou wilt be happy w^ith Arno-
bius again," he added, in a whisper.

She did not repulse him or refuse the comfort
he tried to give her, but she shook her head sadly
as she said, " I am not worthy to look in th;-

256 Glaticia, tJie Greek Slave.

mother's face again, and thy God would surely
reject an old woman who has given the best of
her days to the service of those thou callest idols."

Laon could not stay long, for his mother's litter
had passed, and he was anxious to overtake it, but
he whispered, as he bade her farewell, " My mother
will forgive thee, and the Lord Christ will receive
thee ; " and then he turned his horse's head once
more towards Athens, and rode after his mother.

As soon as they reached the house of Dionysius
Hyrmina alighted, and securing a change of bearers
for her litter, she only stayed long enough to put
on a costly tunic and robe, such as she wore in
the old days before her banishment, and then
she went on at once to present herself before
Valeria.

She sent a message by the slave to say that
Hyrmina, a noble Athenian matron, desired to
see Valeria, the Roman maiden. The mian wae
evidently impressed by the gentle majesty of hei
bearing, and ushered her into the atrium at once,
and sent a message to his mistress.

Valeria was reading to Julia, who was slowh'
regaining her health, and reason too, but was too
weak to be left to the care of slaves entirely. She
looked annoyed when this visitor was announced,
and sent Drusilla in search of Glaucia to take a
message of excuse, but Glaucia was not to be
found, and so the lady was obliged to lay aside
her reading to go and see her visitor.

She was evidently impressed when sJie saw

Conclusion. 25/

Hyrmiiia, and received her with a reverence as her
equal in rank but superior in years, but what was
her astonishment to see the tall, stately, elegantly-
dressed lady fall on her knees, and, with clasped
hands, implore her to give her back her child.

" Thy child ! " repeated Valeria, looking down at
the agonized face, and thinking that she, too, must
be insane. Fearing this was certainly her con-
dition, she was about to summon Anicetus and
some of the slaves, when Glaucia stepped out oi
the alcove leading to Claudia's room.

"My Glaucia! my child! my long-lost daughter!"
exclaimed the kneeling suppliant, rushing towards
the girl and clasping her in her arms. For a
minute or two mother and child were clasped in
a fond embrace, but Hyrmina was the first to
recover herself and remember she was in Valeria's
presence.

" Kneel with me, Glaucia, and pray thy mistress
to suffer me to ransom thee," she said, again falling
on her knees at Valeria's feet. " I care not what
sum thou dost ask," she said, appealing again to
the lady, " I am rich, and my children are of noble
birth."

" Rich and of noble birth ! " repeated Valeria.
** Dost thou know, then, that Glaucia has disgraced
thee, and calls herself a Christian } "

Hyrmina lifted her head and looked at Valeria.
" I, too, am a Christian," she said ; " for this I
had to give up husband, children, kindred, and
country, for twelve years, since I was banished

2^S G/aucia, the Greek Slave.

from Athens because I would not deny my Master ;
and thinkest thou it is a disgrace to be called by
the sacred name of Christ, who is King of kings
and Lord of lords ? Nay, nay ; it is the highest
honour to which we can aspire, and I would rather
have my daughter what she is, a Christian slave,
than an idolatrous queen."

" Glaucia is no longer a slave," said Valeria, as
soon as she could recover from her astonishment
sufficiently to speak ; " when her mother claims her
she is free. Nay, nay, rise to thy feet," she said,
as Hyrmina bent in lowly thanks before her.

Glaucia herself was in such a state of joyful
bewilderment that she knew not what to do until
her mother took her hand to lead her to her litter.
Then she remembered Claudia and Drusilla, and
ran to tell them what had happened.

*' Glaucia, God hath heard thy prayer ; will it
be answered likewise for Valeria t "

A few months later that question was answered.
Glaucia and Laon had gone to Corinth with their
mother ; but most of the other actors in this story
were gathered in a large, plainly-furnished hall
outside the gates of Athens. This was a special
gathering of the Athenian Church, and they had
met to receive two new converts from idolatry.
There were nearly forty people assembled, sitting
in a semicircle, with their minister Dionysius in
the midst. All were silently praying for the pre-
sence and help of God's Holy Spirit, when the
door opened, and Arnobius entered, leading his wife

Co7tchisio7i. 259

by the hand, and immediately behind him came
the old preacher leading Valeria.

" Men and brethren," he said, advancing to the
front, between the two candidates, " these who
once were blind hath the Spirit of God enlightened,
and given them the desire to join us, that they
may see and know and understand more of His
truth."

"Let them come," said each in turn, Julia and
Claudia being of the number, and then they were
led to the seat occupied by the catechumens.

A prayer and exhortation followed, after which
some little children were led in, and placed before
Dionysius, who exhorted them in language suitable
to their age. Then, after blessing them, he turned
to the rest of the congregation, and said, " Except
ye be converted, and become as little children, ye
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

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