_ VINICIUS had barely time to command a few slaves to follow
him; then, springing on his horse, he rushed forth in the deep night
along the empty streets toward Laurentum. Through the influence
of the dreadful news he had fallen as it were into frenzy and
mental distraction. At moments he did not know clearly what was
happening in his mind; he had merely the feeling that misfortune
was on the horse with him, sitting behind his shoulders, and
shouting in his ears, "Rome is burning!" that it was lashing his
horse and him, urging them toward the fire. Laying his bare head
on the beast's neck, he rushed on, in his single tunic, alone, at
random, not looking ahead, and taking no note of obstacles against
which he might perchance dash himself.
In silence and in that calm night, the rider and the horse, covered
with gleams of the moon, seemed like dream visions. The Idumean
stallion, dropping his ears and stretching his neck, shot on like an
arrow past the motionless cypresses and the white villas hidden
among them. The sound of hoofs on the stone flags roused dogs
here and there; these followed the strange vision with their
barking; afterward, excited by its suddenness, they fell to howling,
and raised their jaws toward the moon. The slaves hastening after
Vinicius soon dropped behind, as their horses were greatly
inferior. When he had rushed like a storm through sleeping
Laurentum, he turned toward Ardea, in which, as in Aricia,
Bovilhr, and Ustrinum, he had kept relays of horses from the day
of his coming to Antium, so as to pass in the shortest time possible
the interval between Rome and him. Remembering these relays, he
forced all the strength from his horse.
Beyond Ardea it seemed to him that the sky on the northeast was
covered with a rosy reflection. That might be the dawn, for the
hour was late, and in July daybreak came early. But Vinicius could
not keep down a cry of rage and despair, for it seemed to him that
that was the glare of the conflagration. He remembered the
consul's words, "The whole city is one sea of flame," and for a
while he felt that madness was threatening him really, for he had
lost utterly all hope that he could save Lygia, or even reach the city
before it was turned into one heap of ashes. His thoughts were
quicker now than the rush of the stallion, they flew on ahead like a
flock of birds, black, monstrous, and rousing despair. He knew not,
it is true, in what part of the city the fire had begun; but he
supposed that the TransTiber division, as it was packed with
tenements, timber-yards, storehouses, and wooden sheds serving as
slave marts, might have become the first food of the flames.
In Rome fires happened frequently enough; during these fires, as
frequently, deeds of violence and robbery were committed,
especially in the parts occupied by a needy and half-barbarous
population. What might happen, therefore, in a place like the
Trans-Tiber, which was the retreat of a rabble collected from all
parts of the earth? Here the thought of Ursus with his preterhuman
power flashed into Vinicius's head; but what could be done by a
man, even were he a Titan, against the destructive force of fire?
The fear of servile rebellion was like a nightmare, which had
stifled Rome for whole years. It was said that hundreds of
thousands of those people were thinking of the times of Spartacus,
and merely waiting for a favorable moment to seize arms against
their oppressors and Rome. Now the moment had come! Perhaps
war and slaughter were raging in the city together with fire. It was
possible even that the pretorians had hurled themselves on the city,
and were slaughtering at command of Caesar.
And that moment the hair rose from terror on his head. He recalled
all the conversations about burning cities, which for some time had
been repeated at Caesar's court with wonderful persistence; he
recalled Caesar's complaints that he was forced to describe a
burning city without having seen a real fire; his contemptuous
answer to Tigellinus, who offered to burn Antium or an artificial
wooden city; finally, his complaints against Rome, and the
pestilential alleys of the Subura. Yes; Caesar has commanded the
burning of the city! He alone could give such a command, as
Tigellinus alone could accomplish it. But if Rome is burning at
command of Caesar, who can be sure that the population will not
be slaughtered at his command also? The monster is capable even
of such a deed. Conflagration, a servile revolt, and slaughter! What
a horrible chaos, what a letting loose of destructive elements and
popular frenzy! And in all this is Lygia.
The groans of Vinicius were mingled with the snorting and groans
of his horse; the beast, running on a road which rose continually
toward Aricia, was using the last of its breath. Who will snatch her
from the burning city; who can save her? Here Vinicius, stretching
himself entirely on the horse, thrust his fingers into his own hair,
ready to gnaw the beast's neck from pain.
At that moment a horseman, rushing also like a whirlwind, but in
the opposite direction, toward Antium, shouted as he raced past,
"Rome is perishing!" and on he went. To the ears of Vinicius came
only one more expression: "Gods!" the rest was drowned by the
thunder of hoofs. But that expression sobered him, -- "Gods!"
Vinicius raised his head suddenly, and, stretching his arms toward
the sky filled with stars, began to pray.
"Not to you do I call whose temples are burning, but to Thee! Thou
Thyself hast suffered. Thou alone art merciful! Thou alone hast
understood peopie's pain; Thou didst come to this world to teach
pity to mankind; then show it now. If Thou art what Peter and Paul
declare, save for me Lygia, take her in Thy arms, bear her out of
the flames. Thou hast the power to do that! Give her to me, and I
will give Thee my blood. But if Thou art unwilling to do this for
me, do it for her. She loves Thee and trusts in Thee. Thou dost
promise life and happiness after death, but happiness after death
will not pass away, and she does not wish to die yet. Let her live.
Take her in Thy arms, bear her out of Rome. Thou canst do so,
unless Thou art unwilling."
And he stopped, for he felt that further prayer might turn to a
threat; he feared to offend Divinity at the moment when he needed
favor and mercy most. He was terrified at the very thought of that,
and, so as not to admit to his head a shade even of threat, he began
to lash his horse again, especially since the white walls of Aricia,
which lay midway to Rome, gleained up before him in the
moonlight.
After a time he rushed at full speed past the temple of Mercury,
which stood in a grove before the city. Evidently people knew of
the catastrophe, for there was an uncommon movement in front of
the temple. While passing, Vinicius saw crowds on the steps and
between the columns. These people holding torches were
hastening to put themselves under protection of the deity.
Moreover the road was not so empty or free as beyond Ardea.
Crowds were hurrying, it is true, to the grove by side-paths, but on
the main road were groups which pushed aside hurriedly before
the on-rushing horseman. From the town came the sound of voices.
Vinicius rode into Aricia like a whirlwind, overturning and
trampling a number of persons on the way. He was surrounded by
shouts of "Rome is burning!" "Rome is on fire!" "May the gods
rescue Rome!"
The horse stumbled, but, reined in by a powerful hand, rose on his
haunches before the inn, where Vinicius had another beast in relay.
Slaves, as if waiting for the arrival of their master, stood before the
inn, and at his command ran one before the other to lead out a
fresh horse. Vinicius, seeing a detachment of ten mounted
pretorians, going evidently with news from the city to Antium,
sprang toward them.
"What part of the city is on fire?" inquired he.
"Who art thou?" asked the decurioni.
"Vinicius, a tribune of the army, an Augustian. Answer on thy
head!"
"The fire broke out in the shops near the Circus Maximus. When
we were despatched, the centre of the city was on fire."
"And the Trans-Tiber?"
"The fire has not reached the Trans-Tiber yet, but it is seizing new
parts every moment with a force which nothing can stop. People
are perishing from heat and smoke; all rescue is impossible."
At this moment they brought the fresh horse. The young tribune
sprang to his back and rushed on. He was riding now toward
Albanum, leaving Alba Longa and its splendid lake on the right.
The road from Aricia lay at the foot of the mountain, which hid the
horizon completely, and Albanum lying on the other side of it. But
Vinicius knew that on reaching the top he should see, not only
BoviIlae and Ustrinum, where fresh horses were ready for him, but
Rome as well: for beyond Albanum the low level Campania
stretched on both sides of the Appian Way, along which only the
arches of the aqueducts ran toward the city, and nothing obstructed
the view.
"From the top I shall see the flames," said he; and he began to lash
his horse anew. But before he had reached the top of the mountain
he felt the wind on his face, and with it came the odor of smoke to
his nostrils. At the same time the summit of the height was
becoming gilded.
"The fire!" thought Vinicius.
The night had paled long since, the dawn had passed into light, and
on all the nearer summits golden and rosy gleams were shining,
which might come either from burning Rome or the rising
daylight. Vinicius touched the summit at last, and then a terrible
sight struck his eyes.
The whole lower region was covered with smoke, forming as it
were one gigantic cloud lying close to the earth. In this cloud
towns, aqueducts, villas, trees, disappeared; but beyond this gray
ghastly plain the city was burning on the hills.
The conflagration had not the form of a pillar of fire, as happens
when a single building is burning, even when of the greatest size.
That was a long belt, rather, shaped like the belt of dawn. Above
this belt rose a wave of smoke, in places entirely black, in places
looking rose-colored, in places like blood, in places turning in on
itself, in some places inflated, in others squeezed and squirming,
like a serpent which is unwinding and extending. That monstrous
wave seemed at times to cover even the belt of fire, which became
then as narrow as a ribbon; but later this ribbon illuminated the
smoke from beneath, changing its lower rolls into waves of flame.
The two extended from one side of the sky to the other, hiding its
lower part, as at times a stretch of forest hides the horizon. The
Sabine hills were not visible in the least.
To Vinicius it seemed at the first glance of the eye that not only
the city was burning, but the whole world, and that no living being
could save itself from that ocean of flame and smoke.
The wind blew with growing strength from the region of the fire,
bringing the smell of burnt things and of smoke, which began to
hide even nearer objects. Clear daylight had come, and the sun
lighted up the summits surrounding the Alban Lake. But the bright
golden rays of the morning appeared as it were reddish and sickly
through the haze. Viriicius, while descending toward Albanum,
entered smoke which was denser, less and less transparent. The
town itself was buried in it thoroughly. The alarmed citizens had
moved out to the street. It was a terror to think of what might be in
Rome, whcn it was difficult to breathe in Albanum.
Despair seized Vinicius anew, and terror began to raise the hair on
his head. But he tried to fortify himself as best he might. "It is
impossible," thought he, "that a city should begin to burn in all
places at once. The wind is blowing from the north and bears
smoke in this direction only. On the other side there is none. But in
every ease it will be enough for Ursus to go through the Janiculum
gate with Lygia, to save himself and her. It is equally impossible
that a whole population should perish, and the world-ruling city be
swept from the face of the earth with its inhabitants. Even in
captured places, where fire and slaughter rage together, some
people survive in all cases; why, then, should Lygia perish of a
certainty? On the contrary, God watches over her, He who
Himself, conquered death." Thus reasoning, he began to pray
again, and, yielding to fixed habit, he made great vows to Christ,
with promises of gifts and sacrifices. After he had hurried through
Albanum, nearly all of whose inhabitants were on roofs and on
trees to look at Rome, he grew somewhat calm, and regained his
cool blood. He remembered, too, that Lygia was protected not only
by Ursus and Linus, but by the Apostle Peter. At the mere
remembrance of this, fresh solace entered his heart. For him Peter
was an incomprehensible, an almost superhuman being. From the
time when he heard him at Ostrianum, a wonderful impression
clung to him, touching which he had written to Lygia at the
beginning of his stay in Antium, -- that every word of the old man
was true, or would show its truth hereafter. The nearer
acquaintance which during his illness he had formed with the
Apostle heightened the impression, which was turned afterward
into fixed faith. Since Peter had blessed his love and promised him
Lygia, Lygia could not perish in the flames. The city might burn,
but no spark from the fire would fall on her garments. Under the
influence of a sleepless night, mad riding, and impressions, a
wonderful exaltation possessed the young tribune; in this
exaltation all things seemed possible: Peter speaks to the flame,
opens it with a word, and they pass uninjured through an alley of
fire. Moreover, Peter saw future events; hence, beyond doubt, he
foresaw the fire, and in that ease how could he fail to warn and
lead forth the Christians from the city, and among others Lygia,
whom he loved, as he might his own child? And a hope, which was
strengthening every moment, entered the heart of Vinicius. If they
were fleeing from the city, he might find them in Bovillae, or meet
them on the road. The beloved face might appear any moment
from out the smoke, which was stretching more widely over all the
Campania.
This seemed to him more likely, since he met increasing numbers
of people, who had deserted the city and were going to the Alban
Hills; they had escaped the fire, and wished to go beyond the line
of smoke. Before he had reached Ustrinum he had to slacken his
pace because of the throng. Besides pedestrians with bundles on
their backs, he met horses with packs, mules and vehicles laden
with effects, and finally litters in which slaves were bearing the
wealthier citizens. Ustrinum was so thronged with fugitives from
Rome that it was difficult to push through the crowd. On the
market square, under temple porticos, and on the streets were
swarms of fugitives. Here and there people were erecting tents
under which whole families were to find shelter. Others settled
down under the naked sky, shouting, calling on the gods, or
cursing the fates. In the general terror it was difficult to inquire
about anything. People to whom Vinicius applied either did not
answer, or with eyes half bewildered from terror answered that the
city and the world were perishing. New crowds of men, women,
and children arrived from the direction of Rome every moment;
these increased the disorder and outcry. Some, gone astray in the
throng, sought desperately those whom they had lost; others fought
for a camping-place. Half-wild shepherds from the Campania
crowded to the town to hear news, or find profit in plunder made
easy by the uproar. Here and there crowds of slaves of every
nationality and gladiators fell to robbing houses and villas in the
town, and to fighting with the soldiers who appeared in defence of
the citizens.
Junius, a senator, whom Vinicius saw at the inn surrounded by a
detachment of Batavian slaves, was the first to give more detailed
news of the conflagration. The fire had begun at the Circus
Maximus, in the part which touches the Palatine and the Caelian
Hill, but extended with incomprehensible rapidity and seized the
whole centre of the city. Never since the time of Brennus had such
an awful catastrophe come upon Rome. "The entire Circus has
burnt, as well as the shops and houses surrounding it," said Junius;
"the Aventine and Caelian Hills are on fire. The flames
surrounding the Palatine have reached the Carinae."
Here Junius, who possessed on the Carinae a magnificent "insula,"
filled -with works of art which he loved, seized a handful of foul
dust, and, scattering it on his head, began to groan despairingly.
But Vinicius shook him by the shoulder: "My house too is on the
Carinx," said he; "but when everything is perishing, let it perish
also."
Then recollecting that at his advice Lygia might have gone to the
house of Aulus, he inquired, --
"But the Vicus Patricius?"
"On fire!" replied Junius. "The Trans-Tiber?"
J unius looked at him with amazement.
"Never mind the Trans-Tiber," said he, pressing his aching temples
with his palms.
"The Trans-Tiber is more important to me than all other parts of
Rome," cried Vinicius, with vehemence.
"The way is through the Via Portuensis, near the Aventine; but the
heat will stifle thee. The Trans-Tibet? I know not. The fire had not
reached it; but whether it is not there at this moment the gods
alone know." Here Junius hesitated a moment, then said in a low
voice: "I know that thou wilt not betray me, so I will tell thee that
this is no common fire. People were not permitted to save the
Circus. When houses began to burn in every direction, I myself
heard thousands of voices exclaiming, 'Death to those who save!'
Certain people ran through the city and hurled burning torches into
buildings. On the other hand people are revolting, and crying that
the city is burning at command. I can say nothing more. Woe to the
city, woe to us all, and to me! The tongue of man cannot tell what
is happening there. People arc perishing in flames or slaying one
another in the throng. This is the end of Rome!"
And again he fell to repeating, "Woe! Woe to the city and to us!"
Vinicius sprang to his horse, and hurried forward along the Appian
Way. But now it was rather a struggling through the midst of a
river of people and vehicles, which was flowing from the city. The
city, embraced by a monstrous conflagration, lay before Vinicius
as a thing on the palm of his hand. From the sea of fire and smoke
came a terrible heat, and the uproar of people could not drown the
roar and the hissing of flames. _