One after another – the humbler folks in parties together – the visitors were led from the atrium into the carpeted reception-room, where the master of the house stood to welcome them in robes of dazzling whiteness135 and wearing his priestly head-gear.136 He had already dismissed a considerable number of important personages, when a tall officer, stout almost to clumsiness, was announced and at once admitted, interrupting as he did the strict order of succession. This was no less a person than Clodianus, the adjutant of Caesar himself. He came in noisily, embraced and kissed the priest and then, glancing round at the slaves, asked if he might be allowed a few words with Titus Claudius in private. The priest gave a sign; the slaves withdrew into a side room.
“There is no end to it all!” cried Clodianus, throwing himself into a large arm-chair. “Every day brings some fresh annoyance!”
“What am I to hear now?” sighed the high-priest.
“Oh! this time it has nothing to do with the outbreak among the Nazarenes and all the troubles of these last weeks. We can detect here and there extraordinary symptoms, and fabulous rumors … for instance … but, your word of honor that you will be silent…!”
“Can you doubt it?”
“Well, for instance, it sounds incredible … but Parthenius137 brought it all from Lycoris the fair Gaul… It is said that this Nazarene craze has seized the very highest personages… They even name…”
He stopped and looked round the room, as if he feared to be overheard.
“Well?” said the high-priest.
“They name Titus Flavius Clemens,138 the Consul…”
“Folly! a relation of Caesar’s. The man who spreads such a report should be found out and brought to condign punishment…”
“Folly! that is what I said too! Infernal nonsense. Still the story is characteristic, and proves what the people conceive of as possible…”
“Patience, patience, noble Clodianus! Things will alter as winter approaches. The wildest torrent may be dammed up. But we are digressing – what new annoyance?”
“Ah! to be sure,” interrupted Clodianus. “Then nothing of it has reached your ears?”
“No one has mentioned anything to me.”
“They dare not.”
“And why?”
“Because your views are well known. They know that you hate the populace – and the populace yesterday achieved a triumph.”
“And in what way?” asked Claudius frowning.
“In the circus.139 I can tell you, my respected friend, it was a frightful scandal, a real storm in miniature! Caesar turned pale – nay he trembled.”
“Trembled!” cried Claudius indignantly.
“With rage of course,” said Clodianus in palliation. “The thing occurred thus. One of the charioteers140 of the new party – those that wear purple – drove so magnificently, that Caesar was almost beside himself with delight. By Epona, the tutelary goddess of horses!141 but the fellow drove four horses that cannot be matched in the whole world. Incitatus,142 old Caligula’s charger, was an ass in comparison, and the names of those splendid steeds are in every one’s mouth to-day like a proverb: Andraemon, Adsertor, Vastator and Passerinus143– you hear them in every market and alley; our poets might almost be envious. And the charioteer too, a free Greek in the service of Parthenius the head chamberlain, is a splendid fellow. He stood in his quadriga144 like Ares rushing into battle. In short it was a stupendous sight, and then he was so far ahead of the rest – I tell you, no one has won by so great a length since Rome was a city. Scorpus145 is the rascal’s name. Every one was fairly carried away. Caesar, the senators, the knights – all clapped till their hands were sore. Even strangers, the watery-eyed Sarmatians146 and Hyperboreans147 shouted with delight.”
“Well?” asked Titus Claudius, as the narrator paused.
“To be sure – the chief point. Well, it was known that Caesar would himself grant the winner some personal favor, and every one gazed at the imperial tribune in the greatest excitement. Caesar ordered the herald to command silence. ‘Scorpus,’ said he, when the uproar was lulled, ‘you have covered yourself with glory. Ask a favor of me,’ and Scorpus bowed his head and demanded in a firm voice, that Domitian should be reconciled to his wife.”
“Audacious!” cried Titus Claudius wrathfully.
“There is better still to come. Hardly had the charioteer spoken, when a thousand voices shouted from every bench: ‘Dost thou hear, oh Caesar? Leave thy intrigue with Julia!148 We want Domitia!’ There was quite a tumult,149 a scandalous scene that defies description.”
“But what do the people mean? What has so suddenly brought them to make this demand?”
“Oh!” said Clodianus, “I see through the farce. The whole thing is merely a trick on the part of Stephanus, Domitia’s steward. That sly fox wants to regain for his mistress her lost influence. Of course he bribed Scorpus, and the gods alone know how many hundred thousand sesterces the game must have cost him. The spectators’ seats were filled on all sides with bribed wretches, and even among the better classes I saw some who looked to me suspicious.”
“This is bad news,” interrupted the high-priest. “And what answer did Domitian give the people?”
“I am almost afraid to tell you of his decision.”
“His decision could not be doubtful, I should suppose. By giving Scorpus leave to ask what he would, he pledged himself to grant his prayer. But how did he punish the howling mob that stormed around him? I too regret our sovereign’s connection with his niece, but what gives the populace the right to interfere in such matters?”
“You know,” replied the other, “how tenderly these theatre and circus demonstrations have always been dealt with. Domitian, too, thought it prudent to smother his just anger and to show clemency. When the herald had once more restored order, Caesar said in a loud voice: ‘Granted,’ and left his seat. But he was deeply vexed, noble Claudius.”
“Well and then?” asked the Flamen in anxious suspense.
“Well, the matter is so far carried out, that in the secretary’s150 room to-day an imperial decree was drawn up, calling upon Domitia151 to return to her rooms on the Palatine, and granting her pardon for all past offences.”
“And Julia?”
“By Hercules!” laughed Clodianus. "With regard to Julia, Caesar made no promises."152
“Then I greatly fear, that this reconciliation will only prove the germ of farther complications.”
“Very possibly. It has been the source of annoyance enough to me personally. Caesar