Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero Page 31

  Chapter XXXI

  PRETORIANS surrounded the groves on the banks of the pond of Agrippa,lest over-numerous throngs of spectators might annoy Caesar and hisguests; though it was said that everything in Rome distinguished forwealth, beauty, or intellect was present at that feast, which had noequal in the history of the city. Tigellinus wished to recompense Caesarfor the deferred journey to Achaea, to surpass all who had ever feastedNero, and prove that no man could entertain as he could. With thisobject in view, while with Caesar in Naples, and later in Beneventum, hehad made preparations and sent orders to bring from the remotest regionsof the earth beasts, birds, rare fish, and plants, not omitting vesselsand cloths, which were to enhance the splendor of the feast. Therevenues of whole provinces went to satisfy mad projects; but thepowerful favorite had no need to hesitate. His influence grew daily.Tigellinus was not dearer than others to Nero yet, perhaps, but he wasbecoming more and more indispensable. Petronius surpassed him infinitelyin polish, intellect, wit; in conversation he knew better how to amuseCaesar: but to his misfortune he surpassed in conversation Caesar himself,hence he roused his jealousy; moreover he could not be an obedientinstrument in everything, and Caesar feared his opinion when there werequestions in matters of taste. But before Tigellinus, Nero never feltany restraint. The very title, Arbiter Elegantiarum, which had beengiven to Petronius, annoyed Nero's vanity, for who had the right tobear that title but himself? Tigellinus had sense enough to know hisown deficiencies; and seeing that he could not compete with Petronius,Lucan, or others distinguished by birth, talents, or learning, heresolved to extinguish them by the suppleness of his services, and aboveall by such a magnificence that the imagination of Nero himself wouldbe struck by it. He had arranged to give the feast on a gigantic raft,framed of gilded timbers. The borders of this raft were decked withsplendid shells found in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, shellsbrilliant with the colors of pearls and the rainbow. The banks ofthe pond were covered with groups of palm, with groves of lotus, andblooming roses. In the midst of these were hidden fountains of perfumedwater, statues of gods and goddesses, and gold or silver cages filledwith birds of various colors. In the centre of the raft rose an immensetent, or rather, not to hide the feasters, only the roof of a tent, madeof Syrian purple, resting on silver columns; under it were gleaming,like suns, tables prepared for the guests, loaded with Alexandrianglass, crystal, and vessels simply beyond price,--the plunder of Italy,Greece, and Asia Minor. The raft, which because of plants accumulated onit had the appearance of an island and a garden, was joined by cords ofgold and purple to boats shaped like fish, swans, mews, and flamingoes,in which sat at painted oars naked rowers of both sexes, with forms andfeatures of marvellous beauty, their hair dressed in Oriental fashion,or gathered in golden nets. When Nero arrived at the main raft withPoppaea and the Augustians, and sat beneath the purple tent-roof, theoars struck the water, the boats moved, the golden cords stretched,and the raft with the feast and the guests began to move and describecircles on the pond. Other boats surrounded it, and other smaller rafts,filled with women playing on citharae and harps, women whose rosy bodieson the blue background of the sky and the water and in the reflectionsfrom golden instruments seemed to absorb that blue and thosereflections, and to change and bloom like flowers.

  From the groves at the banks, from fantastic buildings reared forthat day and hidden among thickets, were heard music and song. Theneighborhood resounded, the groves resounded; echoes bore around thevoices of horns and trumpets. Caesar himself, with Poppaea on one side ofhim, and Pythagoras on the other, was amazed; and more especially whenamong the boats young slave maidens appeared as sirens, and were coveredwith green network in imitation of scales, he did not spare praises onTigellinus. But he looked at Petronius from habit, wishing to learn theopinion of the "arbiter," who seemed indifferent for a long time, andonly when questioned outright, answered,--"I judge, lord, that tenthousand naked maidens make less impression than one."

  But the "floating feast" pleased Caesar, for it was something new.Besides, such exquisite dishes were served that the imagination ofApicius would have failed at sight of them, and wines of so many kindsthat Otho, who used to serve eighty, would have hidden under water withshame, could he have witnessed the luxury of that feast. Besides women,the Augustians sat down at the table, among whom Vinicius excelled allwith his beauty. Formerly his figure and face indicated too clearlythe soldier by profession; now mental suffering and the physical painthrough which he had passed had chiselled his features, as if thedelicate hand of a master had passed over them. His complexion hadlost its former swarthiness, but the yellowish gleam of Numidian marbleremained on it. His eyes had grown larger and more pensive. His bodyhad retained its former powerful outlines, as if created for armor; butabove the body of a legionary was seen the head of a Grecian god, or atleast of a refined patrician, at once subtle and splendid. Petronius, insaying that none of the ladies of Caesar's court would be able or willingto resist Vinicius, spoke like a man of experience. All gazed at himnow, not excepting Poppaea, or the vestal virgin Rubria, whom Caesarwished to see at the feast.

  Wines, cooled in mountain snow, soon warmed the hearts and heads of theguests. Boats shaped as grasshoppers or butterflies shot forth from thebushes at the shore every moment. The blue surface of the pond seemedoccupied by butterflies. Above the boats here and there flew doves, andother birds from India and Africa, fastened with silver and blue threadsor strings. The sun had passed the greater part of the sky, but the daywas warm and even hot, though in the beginning of May. The pond heavedfrom the strokes of oars, which beat the water in time with music;but in the air there was not the least breath of wind; the groves weremotionless, as if lost in listening and in gazing at that which washappening on the water. The raft circled continually on the pond,bearing guests who were increasingly drunk and boisterous.

  The feast had not run half its course yet, when the order in which allsat at the table was observed no longer. Caesar gave the example, for,rising himself, he commanded Vinicius, who sat next to Rubria thevestal, to move. Nero occupied the place, and began to whisper somethingin Rubria's ear. Vinicius found himself next to Poppaea, who extended herarm and begged him to fasten her loosened bracelet. When he did so, withhands trembling somewhat, she cast at him from beneath her long lashesa glance as it were of modesty, and shook her golden head as if inresistance.

  Meanwhile the sun, growing larger, ruddier, sank slowly behind thetops of the grove; the guests were for the greater part thoroughlyintoxicated. The raft circled now nearer the shore, on which, amongbunches of trees and flowers, were seen groups of people, disguised asfauns or satyrs, playing on flutes, bagpipes, and drums, with groups ofmaidens representing nymphs, dryads, and hamadryads. Darkness fell atlast amid drunken shouts from the tent, shouts raised in honor ofLuna. Meanwhile the groves were lighted with a thousand lamps. From thelupanaria on the shores shone swarms of lights; on the terraces appearednew naked groups, formed of the wives and daughters of the first Romanhouses. These with voice and unrestrained manner began to lure partners.The raft touched the shore at last. Caesar and the Augustians vanishedin the groves, scattered in lupanaria, in tents hidden in thickets,in grottos artificially arranged among fountains and springs. Madnessseized all; no one knew whither Caesar had gone; no one knew who was asenator, who a knight, who a dancer, who a musician. Satyrs and faunsfell to chasing nymphs with shouting. They struck lamps with thyrses toquench them. Darkness covered certain parts of the grove. Everywhere,however, laughter and shouts were heard, and whispers, and pantingbreaths. In fact Rome had not seen anything like that before.

  Vinicius was not drunk, as he had been at the feast in Nero's palace,when Lygia was present; but he was roused and intoxicated by the sightof everything done round about, and at last the fever of pleasure seizedhim. Rushing into the forest, he ran, with others, examining who of thedryads seemed most beautiful. New flocks of these raced around him everymoment with shouts and with songs; these flocks were pursued b
y fauns,satyrs, senators, knights, and by sounds of music. Seeing at last a bandof maidens led by one arrayed as Diana, he sprang to it, intending toexamine the goddess more closely. All at once the heart sank in hisbosom, for he thought that in that goddess, with the moon on herforehead, he recognized Lygia.

  They encircled him with a mad whirl, and, wishing evidently to inclinehim to follow, rushed away the next moment like a herd of deer. But hestood on the spot with beating heart, breathless; for though he saw thatthe Diana was not Lygia, and that at close sight she was not even likeher, the too powerful impression deprived him of strength. Straightwayhe was seized by such yearning as he had never felt before, and love forLygia rushed to his breast in a new, immense wave. Never had she seemedso dear, pure, and beloved as in that forest of madness and frenziedexcess. A moment before, he himself wished to drink of that cup, andshare in that shameless letting loose of the senses; now disgust andrepugnance possessed him. He felt that infamy was stifling him; thathis breast needed air and the stars which were hidden by the thickets ofthat dreadful grove. He determined to flee; but barely had he movedwhen before him stood some veiled figure, which placed its hands on hisshoulders and whispered, flooding his face with burning breath, "I lovethee! Come! no one will see us, hasten!"

  Vinicius was roused, as if from a dream.

  "Who art thou?"

  But she leaned her breast on him and insisted,--"Hurry! See how lonelyit is here, and I love thee! Come!"

  "Who art thou?" repeated Vinicius.

  "Guess!"

  As she said this, she pressed her lips to his through the veil, drawingtoward her his head at the same time, till at last breath failed thewoman and she tore her face from him.

  "Night of love! night of madness!" said she, catching the air quickly."Today is free! Thou hast me!"

  But that kiss burned Vinicius; it filled him with disquiet. His soul andheart were elsewhere; in the whole world nothing existed for him exceptLygia. So, pushing back the veiled figure, he said,--

  "Whoever thou be, I love another, I do not wish thee."

  "Remove the veil," said she, lowering her head toward him.

  At that moment the leaves of the nearest myrtle began to rustle; theveiled woman vanished like a dream vision, but from a distance her laughwas heard, strange in some way, and ominous.

  Petronius stood before Vinicius.

  "I have heard and seen," said he.

  "Let us go from this place," replied Vinicius.

  And they went. They passed the lupanaria gleaming with light, the grove,the line of mounted pretorians, and found the litters.

  "I will go with thee," said Petronius.

  They sat down together. On the road both were silent, and only in theatrium of Vinicius's house did Petronius ask,--"Dost thou know who thatwas?"

  "Was it Rubria?" asked Vinicius, repulsed at the very thought thatRubria was a vestal.

  "No."

  "Who then?"

  Petronius lowered his voice. "The fire of Vesta was defiled, for Rubriawas with Caesar. But with thee was speaking"--and he finished in a stilllower voice, "the divine Augusta."

  A moment of silence followed.

  "Caesar," said Petronius, "was unable to hide from Poppaea his desire forRubria; therefore she wished, perhaps, to avenge herself. But I hinderedyou both. Hadst thou recognized the Augusta and refused her, thouwouldst have been ruined beyond rescue,--thou, Lygia, and I, perhaps."

  "I have enough of Rome, Caesar, feasts, the Augusta, Tigellinus, andall of you!" burst out Vinicius. "I am stifling. I cannot live thus; Icannot. Dost understand me?"

  "Vinicius, thou art losing sense, judgment, moderation."

  "I love only her in this world."

  "What of that?"

  "This, that I wish no other love. I have no wish for your life, yourfeasts, your shamelessness, your crimes!"

  "What is taking place in thee? Art thou a Christian?"

  The young man seized his head with both hands, and repeated, as if indespair,--"Not yet! not yet!"