Beric the Briton : a Story of the Roman Invasion

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER XV: THE CHRISTIANS TO THE LIONS

  After the contest in which Lupus had been defeated there was apause. The gladiatorial part of the show was now over, but therewas greater excitement still awaiting the audience, for they knewNero had ordered that some of the Christians were to be given tothe lions. There was a hush of expectation as the door was opened,and a procession, consisting of a priest of Jupiter and severalattendants of the temple, followed by four guards conductingan elderly man with his two sons, lads of seventeen or eighteen,entered. They made their way across the arena and stopped before theemperor. The priest approached the prisoners, holding out a smallimage of the god, and offered them their lives if they would paythe customary honours to it. All refused. They were then conductedback to the centre of the arena, and the rest, leaving them there,filed out through the door. The old man laid his hands on theshoulders of his sons and began singing a hymn, in which they bothjoined. Their voices rose loud and clear in the silence of theamphitheatre, and there was neither pause nor waver in the toneas the entrance to one of the cages at the other end of the arenawas opened, and a lion and a lioness appeared. The animals stoodhesitating as they looked round at the sea of faces, then, encouragedby the silence, they stepped out, and side by side made the circuitof the arena, stopping and uttering a loud roar as they came uponthe track along which the bleeding bodies of those who had fallenhad been dragged. When they had completed the circle they againpaused, and now for the first time turned their attention tothe three figures standing in its centre. For a minute they stoodirresolute, and then crouching low crawled towards them.

  Beric turned his head. He could view without emotion a contestof armed men, but he could not, like the population of Rome, seeunarmed and unresisting men pulled down by wild beasts. There wasa dead stillness in the crowded amphitheatre, then there was a lowsound as of gasping breath. One voice alone continued the hymn, andsoon that too ceased suddenly. The tragedy was over, and the buzzof conversation and comment again broke out among the spectators.Certainly these Christians knew how to die. They were bad citizens,they had doubtless assisted to burn Rome, but they knew how to die.

  A strong body of guards provided with torches now entered. Thelions were driven back to their dens, the bodies being left lyingwhere they had fallen. Four batches of prisoners who were broughtout one after another met with a similar fate. Then there wasanother pause. It was known that a girl of noble family was to bethe last victim, and all eyes were turned to Norbanus, who, withhis wife and Aemilia, sat in the front row near Nero, with twoPraetorian guards standing beside them. Norbanus was deadly pale,but the pride of noble blood, the stoicism of the philosopher, andthe knowledge of his own utter helplessness combined to prevent hisshowing any other sign of emotion. Lesbia sat upright and immovableherself. She was not one to show her emotion before the gaze ofthe common people.

  Aemilia, half insensible, would have fallen had not the guard besideher supported her. She had seen nothing of what had passed in thearena, but had sat frozen with horror beside her mother. Again thedoors opened, a priest of Diana, followed by a procession of whiterobed attendants, and six virgins from the temple of Diana, entered,followed by Ennia between the attendants of the temple, while a bandof lictors brought up the rear. Even the hardened hearts of thespectators were moved by the youth and beauty of the young girl,who, dressed in white, advanced calmly between her guards, witha gentle modest expression on her features. When the processionformed up before the emperor, she saluted him. The priest and thevirgins surrounded her, and urged her to pay reverence to the statueof Diana.

  Pointing to her parents, they implored her for their sake to recant.Pale as death, and with tears streaming down her cheeks, she shookher head quietly. "I cannot deny the Lord who died for me," shesaid.

  Nero himself rose from his seat. "Maiden," he said, "if not for yourown sake, for the sake of those who love you, I pray you to ceasefrom your obstinacy. How can a child like you know more than thewisest heads of Rome? How can you deny the gods who have protectedand given victory to your country? I would fain spare you."

  "I am but a child, as you say, Caesar," Ennia replied. "I have nostrength of my own, but I am strong in the strength of Him I worship.He gave His life for me--it is not much that I should give minefor Him."

  Nero sank back on his seat with an angry wave of his hand. He sawthat the sympathy of the audience was with the prisoner, and wouldwillingly have gained their approval by extending his clemencytowards her. The procession now returned to the centre of the arena,where the girls, weeping, took leave of Ennia, who soon stood alonea slight helpless figure in the sight of the great silent multitude.Nero had spoken in a low tone to one of his attendants. The door ofanother cage was opened, and a lion, larger in bulk than any thathad previously appeared, entered the arena, saluting the audiencewith a deep roar. As it did so a tall figure, naked to the waist,sprang forward from the group of attendants behind a strong barrierat the other end of the arena. He was armed only with a sword whichhe had snatched from a soldier standing next to him. Deep murmursof surprise rose from the spectators. The master of ceremoniesexchanged a few words with the emperor, and a body of men withtorches and trumpets ran forward and drove the lion back into itsden. Then Beric, who had been standing in front of Ennia, advancedtowards the emperor.

  "Who are you?" Nero asked.

  "I am Beric, once chief of the Iceni, now a British captive. Ireceived great kindness on my way hither from Norbanus, the fatherof this maid. As we Britons are not ungrateful I am ready todefend her to the death, and I crave as a boon, Caesar, that youwill permit me to battle against the lion with such arms as youmay decide."

  "Are you a Christian?" the emperor asked coldly.

  "I am not. I am of the religion of my nation, and Rome has alwayspermitted the people that have been subdued to worship in theirown fashion. I know nought of the Christian doctrines, but I knowthat this damsel at least can have had nought to do with the burningof Rome, and that though she may have forsaken the gods of Rome,in this only can she have offended. I pray you, and I pray thisassembly, to let me stand as her champion against the beasts."

  A burst of applause rose from the spectators. This was a novelty,and an excitement beyond what they had bargained for. They had beenmoved by the youth of the victim, and now the prospects of somethingeven more exciting than the rending to pieces of a defencelessgirl enlisted them in favour of the applicant. Moreover the Romansintensely admired feats of bravery, and that this captive shouldoffer to face single handed an animal that was known to be one ofthe most powerful of those in the amphitheatre filled them withadmiration. Accustomed as they were to gaze at athletes, they werestruck with the physique and strength of this young Briton, withthe muscles standing up massive and knotted through the white skin.

  "Granted, granted!" they shouted; "let him fight."

  Nero waited till the acclamation ceased, and then said: "The peoplehave spoken, let their will be done. But we must not be unfairto the lion; as the maiden was unarmed so shall you stand unarmedbefore the lion."

  The decision was received in silence by the spectators. It was asentence of death to the young Briton, and the silence was succeededby a low murmur of disapproval. Beric turned a little pale, but heshowed no other sign of emotion.

  "Thanks, Caesar, for so much of a boon," he said in a loud, steadyvoice; "I accept the conditions, it being understood that shouldthe gods of my country, and of this maiden, defend me against thelion, the damsel shall be free from all pain and penalty, and shallbe restored to her parents."

  "That is understood," Nero replied.

  With an inclination of his head to the emperor and a wave of hishand to the audience in general, Beric turned and walked acrossthe arena to the barrier. Scopus was standing there.

  "You are mad, Beric. I grieve for you. You were my favourite pupil,and I looked for great things from you, and now it has come tothis, and all is over."

  "All is not quite over yet, Scopus. I will
try to do credit toyour training; give me my cloak." He wrapped himself in its amplefolds, and then walked quietly back to the centre of the arena. Amurmur of surprise rose from the spectators. Why should the Britoncumber his limbs with this garment?

  On reaching his position Beric again threw off the cloak, and stoodin the short skirt reaching scarce to the knees. "I am unarmed,"he cried in a loud voice. "You see I have not as much as a dagger."Then he tore off two broad strips from the edge of the garment andtwisted them into ropes, forming a running noose in each, threwthe cloak, which was composed of the stout cloth used by the commonpeople, over his arm, and signed to the attendants at the cage toopen the door.

  "Oh, Beric, why have you thrown away your life in a useless attemptto save mine?" Ennia said as he stood before her.

  "It may not be useless, Ennia. My god has protected me throughmany dangers, and your God will surely assist me now. Do you prayto Him for aid."

  Then as the door of the den opened he stepped a few paces towardsit. A roar of applause rose from the vast audience. They had appreciatedhis action in making the ropes, and guessed that he meant to usehis cloak as a retiarius used his net; there would then be a contestand not a massacre. Enraged at its former treatment the lion dashedout of its den with a sudden spring, made three or four leapsforward, and then paused with its eyes fixed on the man standingin front of it, still immovable, in an easy pose, ready for instantaction. Then it sank till its belly nearly touched the ground, andbegan to crawl with a stealthy gliding motion towards him. Moreand more slowly it went, till it paused at a distance of some tenyards.

  For a few seconds it crouched motionless, save for a slow wavingmotion of its tail; then with a sharp roar it sprang through theair. With a motion as quick Beric leaped aside, and as it touchedthe ground he sprang across its loins, at the same moment wrappinghis cloak in many folds round its head, and knotting the endstightly. Then as the lion, recovering from its first surprise,sprang to its feet with a roar of anger and disgust, Beric was onhis feet beside it.

  For a moment it strove to tear away the strange substance whichenveloped its head, but Beric dropped the end of a noose over oneof its forepaws, drew it tight, and with a sudden pull jerked theanimal over on its back. As it sprang up again the other forepawwas noosed, and it was again thrown over. This time, as it sprangto its feet, Beric struck it a tremendous blow on the nose. Theunexpected assault for a moment brought it down, but mad with rageit sprang up and struck out in all directions at its invisible foe,leaping and bounding hither and thither. Beric easily avoided theonslaught, and taking every opportunity struck it three or fourtimes with all his force on the ear, each time rolling it over andover. The last of these blows seemed almost to stun it, and it layfor a moment immovable.

  Again Beric leaped upon it, coming down astride of its loins withall his weight, and seizing at once the two ropes. The lion uttereda roar of dismay and pain, and struck at him first with one pawand then with the other. By his coolness and quickness, however,he escaped all the blows, and then, when the lion seemed exhausted,he jerked tightly the cords, twisting them behind the lion's backand with rapid turns fastening them together. The lion was helplessnow. Had Beric attempted to pull the cords in any other positionit would have snapped them like pack thread, but in this positionit had no strength, the pads of the feet being fastened togetherand the limbs almost dislocated. As the animal rolled over andover uttering roars of vain fury, Beric snatched the cloth from itshead, tore off another strip, twisted it, and without difficultybound its hind legs together. Then he again wrapped it round thelion's head, and standing up bowed to the spectators.

  A mighty shout shook the building. Never had such a feat been seenin the arena before, and men and women alike standing up waved theirhands with frantic enthusiasm. Beric had not escaped altogetherunhurt, for as the lion struck out at him it had torn away a pieceof flesh from his side, and the blood was streaming down overhis white skirt. Then he went up to Ennia, who was standing withclosed eyes and hands clasped in prayer. She had seen nothing ofthe conflict, and had believed that Beric's death and her own wereinevitable.

  "Ennia," he said, "our gods have saved me; the lion is helpless."Then she sank down insensible. He raised her on his shoulder, walkedacross the arena, passed the barrier, and, ascending the steps,walked along before the first row of spectators and handed her overto her mother. Then he descended again, and bowed deeply, first tothe emperor and then to the still shouting people.

  The giver of the games advanced and placed on his head a crown ofbay leaves, and handed to him a heavy purse of gold, which Bericplaced in his girdle, and, again saluting the audience, rejoinedScopus, who was in a state of enthusiastic delight at the prowessof his pupil.

  "You have proved yourself the first gladiator in Rome," he said."Henceforth the school of Scopus is ahead of all its rivals. Nowwe must get your side dressed. Another inch or two, Beric, and theconflict would not have ended as it did."

  "Yes, if the lion had not been in such a hurry to strike, and hadstretched its paw to the fullest, it would have fared badly withme," Beric said; "but it was out of breath and spiteful, and hadnot recovered from the blow and from the shock of my jumping on it,which must have pretty nearly broken its back. I knew it was a risk,but it was my only chance of getting its paws in that position, andin no other would my ropes have been strong enough to hold them."

  "But how came you to think of fighting in that way?" Scopus asked,after the leech, who was always in attendance to dress the woundsof the gladiators, had bandaged up his side.

  "I never expected to have to fight the beasts unarmed," Beric said,"but I had sometimes thought what should be done in such a case,and I thought that if one could but wrap one's cloak round a lion'shead the beast would be at one's mercy. Had I had but a caestusI could have beaten its skull in, but without that I saw that theonly plan was to noose its limbs. Surely a man ought to be able toovercome a blinded beast."

  "I would not try it for all the gold in Rome, Beric, even nowthat I have seen you do it. Did you mark Caesar? There is no oneappreciates valiant deeds more than he does. At first his countenancewas cold--I marked him narrowly--but he half rose to his feetand his countenance changed when you first threw yourself on thelion, and none applauded more warmly than he did when your victorywas gained. Listen to them; they are shouting for you again. Youmust go. Never before did I know them to linger after a show wasover. They will give you presents."

  "I care not for them," Beric said.

  "You must take them," Scopus said, "or you will undo the favourableimpression you have made, which will be useful to you should youever enter the arena again and be conquered. Go, go!"

  Beric again entered the arena, and the attendants led him up tothe emperor, who presented him with a gold bracelet, saying:

  "I will speak to you again, Beric. I had wondered that you andyour people should have resisted Suetonius so long, but I wonderno longer."

  Then Beric was led round the arena. Ladies threw down rings andbracelets to him. These were gathered up by the attendants and handedto him as he bowed to the givers. Norbanus, his wife, and daughterhad already left their seats, surrounded by friends congratulatingthem, and bearing with them the still insensible girl. Having madethe tour of the arena Beric again saluted the audience and retired.One of the imperial attendants met them as they left the building.

  "The emperor bids me say, Scopus, that when Beric is recovered fromhis wound he is to attend at the palace."

  "I thought the emperor meant well towards you," Scopus said. "Youwill in any case fight no more in the arena."

  "How is that?" Beric asked in surprise.

  "Did you not hear the shouts of the people the last time you entered,Beric?"

  "I heard a great confused roar, but in truth I was feeling somewhatfaint from loss of blood, and did not catch any particular sounds."

  "They shouted that you were free from the arena henceforth. Itis their custom when a gladiator greatly distinguishes h
imself todeclare him free, though I have never known one before freed onhis first appearance. The rule is that a gladiator remains for twoyears in the ring, but that period is shortened should the peopledeem that he has earned his life by his courage and skill. For amoment I was sorry when I heard it, but perhaps it is better as itis. Did you remain for two years, and fight and conquer at everyshow, you could gain no more honour than you have done. Now I willget a lectica and have you carried out to the hills. You are notfit to walk."

  They were joined outside by Porus and Lupus. The former was warmin his congratulation.

  "By the gods, Beric, though I knew well that you would gain a greattriumph in the arena when your time came, I never thought to seeyou thus fighting with the beasts unarmed. Why, Milo himself wasnot stronger, and he won thirteen times at the Olympian and Pythiangames. He would have won more, but no one would venture to enteragainst him. Why, were you to go on practising for another five years,you would be as strong as he was, and as you are as skilful as youare strong it would go hard with any that met you. I congratulatedmyself, I can tell you, when I heard the people shout that you werefree of the arena, for if by any chance we had been drawn againsteach other, I might as well have laid down my net and asked you tofinish me at once without trouble."

  "It was but a happy thought, Porus: if a man could be caught ina net, why not a lion blinded in a cloak? That once done the restwas easy."

  "Well, I don't want any easy jobs of that sort," Porus said. "Butlet us go into a wine shop; a glass will bring the colour again toyour cheeks."

  "No, no, Porus," Scopus said. "Do you and Lupus drink, and I willdrink with you, but no wine for Beric. I will get him a cup of hotass's milk; that will give him strength without fevering his blood.Here is a place where they sell it. I will go in with him first,and then join you there; but take not too much. You have a longwalk back, and I guess, Lupus, that your head already hums from theblow that Briton gave it. By Bacchus, these Britons are fine men!I thought you had got an easy thing of it, when boom! and thereyou were stretched out like a dead man."

  "It was a trick," Lupus said angrily, "a base trick."

  "Not at all," Scopus replied. "You fought as if in war; and in warif you had an opponent at close quarters, and could not use yoursword's point, you would strike him down with the hilt if you could.As I have told you over and over again, you are a good swordsman,but you don't know everything yet by a long way, and you are soconceited that you never will. I hoped that drubbing Beric gaveyou a few days after he joined us would have done you good, but Idon't see that it has. There are some men who never seem to learn.If it had not been for you our ludus would have triumphed all roundtoday; but when one sees a man we put forward as one of our bestswordsmen defeated by a raw Briton, people may well say, 'Scopushas got one or two good men; there is Beric, he is a marvel; andPorus is good with the net; but as for the rest, I don't value thema straw."

  The enraged gladiator sprang upon Scopus, but the latter seizedhim by the waist and hurled him down with such force that he wasunable to rise until Porus assisted him to his feet. As to Scopus,he paid him no farther attention, but putting his hand on Beric'sshoulder led him into the shop. A long draught of hot milk didwonders for Beric, and he proposed walking, but Scopus would nothear of it.

  "Sit down here for five minutes," he said, "till I have a cupof wine with the others. I should think Lupus must need it prettybadly, what with the knock on the head and the tumble I have justgiven him. I am not sorry that he was beaten by your countryman, forsince he has had the luck to win two or three times in the arena,his head has been quite turned. He would never have dared to layhis hand on me had he not been half mad, for he knows well enoughthat I could strangle him with one hand. The worst of him is, thatthe fellow bears malice. He has never forgiven you the thrashingyou administered to him. Now I suppose he will be sulky for weeks;but if he does it will be worse for him, for I will cut off hiswine, and that will soon bring him to his senses."

  Scopus had gone but a few minutes when he returned with a lectica,which was a sort of palanquin, carried by four stout countrymen.

  "Really, Scopus, it is ridiculous that I should be carried alongthe streets like a woman."

  "Men are carried as well as women, Beric, and as you are a woundedman you have a double right to be carried. Here is a bag with allthose ornaments you got. It is quite heavy to lift."

  The bearers protested loudly at the weight of their burden when theylifted the lectica, but the promise of a little extra pay silencedtheir complaints. They were scarcely beyond the city when Beric,who was weaker from loss of blood than he imagined, dozed off tosleep, and did not wake till the lectica was set down in the atriumof the house on the Alban Hills.

  Next morning he was extremely stiff, and found himself obliged tocontinue on his couch.

  "It is of no use your trying to get up," Scopus said; "the musclesof your flank are badly torn, and you must remain quiet."

  An hour later a rheda or four wheeled carriage drove up to the door,and in another minute Norbanus entered Beric's cubicle. There weretears in his eyes as he held out both hands to him. "Ah, my friend,"he said, "how happy you must be in the happiness you caused to us!Who could have thought, when I entertained, as a passing guest,the friend of Pollio, that he would be the saviour of my family?You must have thought poorly of us yesterday that I was not at theexit from the amphitheatre to meet and thank you. But I hurriedhome with Ennia, and having left her in charge of her mother andsister came back to find you, but you had left, and I could learnno news of you. I searched for some time, and then guessing thatyou had been brought home by Scopus, I went back to the child, whois sorely ill. I fear that the strain has been too much for her,and that we shall lose her. But how different from what it wouldhave been! To die is the lot of us all, and though I shall mournmy child, it will be a different thing indeed from seeing her tornto pieces before my eyes by the lion. She has recovered from herfaint, but she lies still and quiet, and scarce seems to hear whatis said to her. Her eyes are open, she has a happy smile on herlips, and I believe that she is well content now that she has donewhat she deems her duty to her God. She smiled when I told her thismorning that I was coming over to see you, and said in a whisper,'I shall see him again, father.'"

  "Would she like to see me now?" Beric said, making an effort torise.

  "No, not now, Beric. I don't think somehow that she meant that. Theleech said that she must be kept perfectly quiet; but I will senda slave with a letter to you daily. Oh, what a day was yesterday!The woes of a lifetime seemed centred in an hour. I know not howI lived as I sat there and waited for the fatal moment. All theblood in my veins seemed to freeze up as she was left alone in thearena. A mist came over my eyes. I tried to close them, but couldnot. I saw nothing of the amphitheatre, nothing of the spectators,nothing but her, till, at the sudden shout from the crowd, I rousedmyself with a start. When I saw you beside her I thought at firstthat I dreamed; but Aemilia suddenly clasped my arm and said, 'Itis Beric!' Then I hoped something, I know not what, until Nero saidthat you must meet the lion unarmed.

  "Then I thought all was over--that two victims were to die insteadof one. I tried to rise to cry to you to go, for that I would dieby Ennia, but my limbs refused to support me; and though I triedto shout I did but whisper. What followed was too quick for me tomark. I saw the beast spring at you; I saw a confused struggle; butnot until I saw you rise and bow, while the lion rolled over andover, bound and helpless, did I realize that what seemed impossiblehad indeed come to pass, and that you, unarmed and alone, had trulyvanquished the terrible beast.

  "I hear that all Rome is talking of nothing else. My friends, whopoured in all the evening to congratulate us, told me so, and thatno such feat had ever been seen in the arena."

  "It does not seem much to me, Norbanus," Beric said. "It neededonly some coolness and strength, though truly I myself doubted,when Nero gave the order to fight without weapons, if it could bedone. I cannot but think that Ennia
's God and mine aided me."

  "It is strange," Norbanus said, "that one so young and weak as Enniashould have shown no fear, and that the other Christians should allhave met their fate with so wonderful a calm. As you know, I havethought that all religions were alike, each tribe and nation havingits own. But methinks there must be something more in this whenits votaries are ready so to die for it."

  "Do not linger with me," Beric said. "You must be longing to bewith your child. Pray, go at once. She must be glad to have you byher, even if she says little. I thank you for your promise to sendnews to me daily. If she should express any desire to see me, Iwill get Scopus to provide a vehicle to carry me to Rome; but ina few days I hope to be about."

  "Your first visit must be to Caesar, when you are well enough towalk," Norbanus said. "They tell me he bade you come to see him,and he would be jealous did he know that he was not the first inyour thoughts."

  Norbanus returned to Rome, and each day a letter came to Beric. Thenews was always the same; there was no change in Ennia's condition.

  Beric's wound healed rapidly. Hard work and simple living hadso toughened his frame that a wound that might have been seriousaffected him only locally, and mended with surprising rapidity.In a week he was up and about, and three days later he felt wellenough to go to Rome.

  "You would have been better for a few days more rest," Scopus said,"but Nero is not fond of being kept waiting; and if he really wishesto see you it would be well that you present yourself as soon aspossible."

  "I care nothing for Nero," Beric said; "but I should be glad, for thesake of Norbanus, to see his daughter. It may be that my presencemight rouse her and do her good. I want none of Nero's favours; theyare dangerous at best. His liking is fatal. He has now murderedBritannicus, his wife Octavia, and his mother Agrippina. Hehas banished Seneca, and every other adviser he had he has eitherexecuted or driven into exile."

  "That is all true enough, Beric, though it is better not said.Still, you must remember you have no choice. There is no thwartingNero; if he designs to bestow favours upon you, you must acceptthem. I agree with you that they are dangerous; but you know howto guard yourself. A man who has fought a lion with naked hands maywell manage to escape even the clutches of Nero. He has struck downthe greatest and richest; but it is easier for one who is neithergreat nor rich to escape. At any rate, Beric, I have a faith inyour fortune. You have gone through so much, that I think surelysome god protects you. By the way, what are you going to do withthat basketful of women's ornaments that I have locked up in mycoffer?"

  "I thought no more about them, Scopus."

  "I should advise you to sell them. In themselves they are uselessto you. But once turned into money they may some day stand youin good stead. They are worth a large sum, I can tell you, and Idon't care about keeping them here. None of my school are condemnedmalefactors. I would never take such men, even to please the wealthiestpatron. But there is no use in placing temptation before any, andPorus and Lupus will have told how the Roman ladies flung theirbracelets to you. I will take them down to a goldsmith who worksfor some of my patrons, and get him to value them, if you will."

  "Thank you, Scopus, I shall be glad to get rid of them. How wouldyou dress for waiting on Caesar?"

  "I have been thinking it over," Scopus said. "I should say well,and yet not too well. You are a free man, for although Nero disposedof you as if you had been slaves, you were not enslaved nor did youbear the mark of slavery, therefore you have always dressed like afree man. Again, you are a chief among your own people; therefore,as I say, I should dress well but quietly. Nero has many freedmenabout him, and though some of these provoke derision by vying withthe wealthiest, this I know would never be done by you, even didyou bask in the favour of Nero. A white tunic and a paenula of finewhite cloth or a lacerna, both being long and ample so as to fallin becoming folds, would be the best. As I shall ride into Romewith you, you can there get one before going to see Nero."

  On arriving at Rome Beric was soon fitted with a cloak of finewhite stuff, the folds of which showed off his figure to advantage.Scopus accompanied him to Nero's palace.

  "I know several of his attendants," he said, "and can get you passedin to the emperor, which will save you waiting hours, perhaps,before you can obtain an audience."

  Taking him through numerous courts and along many passages theyreached a chamber where several officials of the palace were walkingand talking, waiting in readiness should they be required by Nero.Scopus went up to one with whom he was well acquainted. After theusual greetings he explained to him that he had, in accordance withNero's order, brought the young Briton, Beric, who had conqueredthe lion in the arena, and begged him to ask the emperor whetherhe would choose to give him audience at present.

  "I will acquaint his chief chamberlain at once, Scopus, and willask him, for your sake, to choose his moment for telling Nero. Itmay make a great difference in the fortunes of the young man whetherCaesar is in a good temper or not when he receives him. It is notoften at present that he is in bad humour. Since the fire his mindhas been filled with great ideas, and he thinks of little but makingthe city in all respects magnificent, and as he loves art in everyway this is a high delight to him; therefore, unless aught hasgone wrong with him, he will be found accessible. I will go to thechamberlain at once, my Scopus."

  It was half an hour before he returned. "The chamberlain said thatthere could not be a better time for your gladiator to see Caesar,and therefore he has spoken to him at once, and Nero has orderedthe Briton to be brought to him. These two officials will conducthim at once to his presence."

  Beric was taken in charge by the two ushers, and was led along severalpassages, in each of which a guard was on duty, until they reacheda massive door. Here two soldiers were stationed. The ushers knocked.Another official presented himself at the door, and, beckoning toBeric to follow him, pushed aside some rich hangings heavy withgold embroidery. They were now in a small apartment, the walls ofwhich were of the purest white marble, and the furniture completelycovered with gold. Crossing this he drew another set of hangingsaside, entered with Beric, bowed deeply, and saying, "This is theBriton, Caesar," retired, leaving Beric standing before the emperor.

  The apartment was of moderate size, exquisitely decorated in Greekfashion. One end was open to a garden, where plants and shrubs ofthe most graceful foliage, brought from many parts of the world,threw a delicious shade. Statues of white marble gleamed amongthem, and fountains of perfumed waters filled the air with sweetodours. Nero sat in a simple white tunic upon a couch, while ablack slave, of stature rivalling that of Beric, kneeled in frontof him holding out a great sheet of parchment with designs of someof the decorations of his new palace. Nero waved his hand, and theslave, rolling up the parchment, took his stand behind the emperor'scouch. The latter looked long and steadily at him before speaking,as if to read his disposition.

  "Beric," he said, "I have seen you risk your life for one who wasbut little to you, for I have spoken to Norbanus, and have learnedfrom him the nature of your acquaintance with him, and found thatyou have seen but little of this young maiden for whom you wereready to risk what seemed certain death. Moreover, she was buta young girl, and her life can have had no special value in youreyes; therefore, it seems to me that you are one who would be a trueand faithful friend indeed to a man who on his part was a friendto you. You have the other qualities of bravery and skill andstrength. Moreover, you belong to no party in Rome. I have inquiredconcerning you, and find that although Pollio, the nephew ofNorbanus, introduced you to many of his friends, you have gone butlittle among them, but have spent your time much, when not in theludus, in the public libraries. Being myself a lover of books, thereport inclines me the more toward you. I feel that I could relyupon you, and you would find in me not a master but a friend. Ofthose around me I can trust but few. They serve from interest, andif their interest lay the other way they would desert me. I havemany enemies, and though the people love me, the great families,whose con
nections and relations are everywhere, think only of theirprivate aims and ends, and many deem themselves to have reasonsfor hatred against me. I need one like you, brave, single minded,resolute, and faithful to me, who would be as simple and as truewhen raised to wealth and honour as you have shown yourself whenbut a simple gladiator. Wilt thou be such a one to me?"

  "I am but ill fitted for such a post, Caesar," Beric said gravely."I have been a chief and leader of my own people, and my tonguewould never bring itself to utter the flattering words used by thosewho surround an imperial throne. Monarchs love not the truth, andmy blunt speech would speedily offend you. A faithful guard toyour majesty I might be, more than that I fear I never could be,for even to please you, Nero, I could not say aught except what Ithought."

  "I should expect and wish for no more," Nero said. "It is goodto hear the truth sometimes. I heard it from Seneca; but, alas! Idid not value it then as I should have done. I am older and wisernow. Besides, Seneca was a Roman, and necessarily mixed up in theintrigues that are ever on foot, and connected with half the greatfamilies in Rome. You stand alone, and I should know that whateveryou said the words would be your own, and would not have been putin your mouth by others, and even when your opinions ran counterto mine I should respect them. Well, what do you say?"

  "It is not for me to bargain with the master of Rome," Beric said."I am ready to be your man, Caesar, to lay down my life in yourdefence, to be your guard as a faithful hound might be; only, Ipray you, take me not in any way into your confidence as to stateaffairs, for of these I am wholly ignorant. My ideas are those of asimple British chief. Rome and its ways are too complicated for meto understand, and were you to speak to me on such matters I shouldsoon forfeit your favour. For we in Britain are, as it were, peopleof another world--simple and straightforward in our thoughts andways, and with no ideas of state expediency. Therefore, I pray you,let me stand aloof from all such matters, and regard me simply asone ready to strike and die in your defence, and as having no moreinterest or knowledge of state affairs and state intrigues thanthose statues in the garden there."

  "So be it," Nero said. "You are modest, Beric, and modesty is avirtue rare in Rome; but I appreciate your honesty, and feel surethat I can rely upon you for faithful service. Let me see, to whatoffice shall I appoint you? I cannot call you my bodyguard, for thiswould excite the jealousy of the Praetorians." He sat in thoughtfor a minute. "Ah!" he exclaimed, "you are fond of books, I willappoint you my private librarian. My libraries are vast, but Iwill have a chamber close to mine own fitted up with the choicestbooks, so that I can have ready at hand any that I may require.This will be an excuse for having you always about my person."

  "I do not speak Greek, Caesar."

  "You shall have under you a Greek freedman, one Chiton, who isnow in my library. He will take charge of the rolls, for I do notintend that you should remain shut up there. It is but a pretextfor your presence here."

  He touched a bell and a servant entered. "Tell Phaon to come tome." A minute later Phaon, a freedman who stood very high in theconfidence of Nero, entered.

  "Phaon," the emperor said, "this is Beric the Briton, he has enteredmy service, and will have all my trust and confidence even as youhave. Prepare for him apartments close to mine, and appoint slavesfor his service. See that he has everything in accordance with hisposition as a high official of the palace. Let one of the roomsbe furnished with sets of books, of which I will give you a list,from my library. Chiton is to be in charge of it under him. Bericis to be called my private librarian. I wish him to be at all timeswithin call of me. You will be friends with Beric, Phaon, for heis as honest as you are, and will be, like you, a friend of mine,and, as you may perceive, is one capable of taking part of a friendin case of need."

  Phaon bowed deeply and signed to Beric to follow him; the latterbowed to Nero, who nodded to him pleasantly, and left the room withPhaon. The freedman took him to his private apartment.

  "Nero has chosen well this time, methinks," he said after a closescrutiny of the newcomer. "It is no easy post on which you haveentered, Beric. Nero is changeable in his moods, but you carryyour heart in your face, and even he can have no suspicions of you.Take my advice, make friends with no man, for one who stands highin court favour today may be an exile or condemned tomorrow, andthen all connected with him in any way are apt to share his fate;therefore, it is best to stand quite alone. By tomorrow morningyou will find everything in readiness for you here."