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Their deity gives them an easy death, but he may be vengeful." "It was not I who arranged the games, but Tigellinus," replied Nero, quickly. "True! it was I," added Tigellinus, who heard Cæsar's answer, "and I jeer at all Christian gods. Vestinius is a bladder full of prejudices, and this valiant Greek is ready to die of terror at sight of a hen with feathers up in defence of her chickens."
People were sated with blood; they showed growing weariness, and increasing alarm because of the unparalleled conduct of the condemned. Fears like those of the superstitious Vestinius seized thousands of people. Among the crowds tales more and more wonderful were related of the vengefulness of the Christian God. Prison typhus, which had spread through the city, increased the general dread.
If ye think that after every spectacle the Christians do not increase, become coppersmiths, or go to shaving beards, for then ye will know better what people think, and what is happening in the city." "He speaks pure truth, by the sacred peplus of Diana," cried Vestinius. But Barcus turned to Petronius. "What is thy conclusion?" "I conclude where ye began, there has been enough of bloodshed."
"From this last man not much will result to Piso," replied Petronius. "Vestinius is afraid of his own shadow." "Vestinius fears dreams and spirits," answered Scevinus, "but he is a practical man, whom people wish wisely to make consul. That in his soul he is opposed to persecuting Christians, thou shouldst not take ill of him, for it concerns thee too that this madness should cease."
Nigidia, stripping herself to the waist, dropped her drunken childlike head on the breast of Lucan, who, drunk in like degree, fell to blowing the golden powder from her hair, and raising his eyes with immense delight. Vestinius, with the stubbornness of intoxication, repeated for the tenth time the answer of Mopsus to the sealed letter of the proconsul.
"Spectacles in which people appear sine armis et sine arte last almost as long and are less entertaining." "I will command to give them weapons," answered Nero. But the superstitious Vestinius was roused from meditation at once, and asked in a mysterious voice, "Have ye noticed that when dying they see something? They look up, and die as it were without pain. I am sure that they see something."
At the last exhibition he himself feared the words of Crispus; and when he had returned to the Palatine, he could not sleep from rage and shame, but also from fear. Then Vestinius, who heard their conversation in silence, looked around, and said in a mysterious voice, "Listen, lord, to this old man. There is something strange in those Christians.
"How?" inquired Vestinius, with astonishment. "Thou hast said so thyself, and given them into the hands of Tigellinus." "Therefore night has surrounded me, and death is coming toward me. At times it seems to me that I am dead already, and ye also." "No! it is they who are dying; we are alive. But tell me, what do they see when they are dying?" "Christ." "That is their god. Is he a mighty god?"
"Too narrow in the hips," answered Nero, blinking. On Petronius's lips appeared a scarcely perceptible smile; but Tullius Senecio, who till that moment was occupied in conversing with Vestinius, or rather in reviling dreams, while Vestinius believed in them, turned to Petronius, and though he had not the least idea touching that of which they were talking, he said, "Thou art mistaken!
But Vestinius, thinking that the question was of dreams, exclaimed, "But I believe in dreams, and Seneca told me on a time that he believes too." "Last night I dreamt that I had become a vestal virgin," said Calvia Crispinilla, bending over the table.
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