Jovinian: A Story of the Early Days of Papal Rome Read online

  CHAPTER TWO.

  ROME IN THE FOURTH CENTURY.

  The two pontiffs had proceeded some way, when Coecus stopped. "Whathave you done, Gaius, with this young nephew of yours?" he asked. "Haveyou managed by this time to teach him the worship of the gods?"

  "As to my success, I can say but little," answered Gaius. "A strictwatch is, however, kept over him; for I believe that he would escapefrom me even now, could he obtain the opportunity. I have an affectionfor him, and hope in time, as he grows older and gains moreintelligence, to make him see the folly of the faith his mother adopted,and to induct him into our mysteries. I have already endeavoured tomake him understand that he need not believe in the gods more than wedo, or in the tricks of the augurs, of whom Cicero wittily observes, `Itis a wonder they can ever look each other in the face withoutlaughing.'"

  "If you care for his welfare you will follow the plan you have adopted,and we may have the lad elected some day as a member of our college,"said Coecus. "We must be very careful of our interests, and I doubt notthat if we are wise we shall still retain the management of the sacredaffairs of the city, and may even extend our influence over the wholecountry, whatever changes time may bring about. For my part, I haveconfidence that our system will endure, and that we shall still retainthe power we have hitherto enjoyed."

  "May the gods favour us!" answered Gaius. "Happily, the people areeasily deceived and led, though the patricians may give us sometrouble."

  "We can manage them by showing that it is to their interest to supportus," observed Coecus: "I have not studied human nature withoutdiscovering the follies and absurdities to which the minds of men, nomatter their rank, are ready to submit. Think what a vast amount ofintellect and skill, aided by the labours of the abject toilers fortheir daily bread, has been employed in erecting these superb templesand magnificent statues of the gods; and yet we despise both one and theother, except for their external beauty, which we can appreciate evenbetter than they do."

  The pontiff, as he spoke, stretched his right hand over the scene ofarchitectural magnificence which, as he and his companion lookedwestward, was displayed to their eyes. They had just passed through thearch of Titus, on the top of the Summa Sacra Via, when the Capitol, withall its glories, suddenly burst on their view. On the summit of thehill was seen the vast and magnificent temple of Jupiter OptimusMaximus, with those of Juno and Minerva on either side, its roof ofgilded tiles vying in splendour with the eastern sun now shining on it,and deriving additional lustre from the background of that deep blueItalian sky against which its outlines were sharply defined. A completeforest of high pillars, perfect examples of the art of the greatestsculptors of Greece, supported the lofty roof. The pediment andacroterium were adorned with statues--scarcely, however, to bedistinguished at that distance. Near the temple stood a colossal statueof Jupiter, the majestic features of the face, turned towards them,being clearly discerned. Not far off was another gigantic statue ofApollo; while around the principal temple were clustered others oflesser size, as if to do it homage, the intervals and the space in frontbeing adorned with statues, which appeared at that distance like livingmen and women. A depression of short extent separated the Capitol fromanother abrupt elevation, on the summit of which stood the citadel, oracropolis, crowned by the magnificent temple of Juno Moneta, alsosurrounded by similar temples,--the elegant one of Jupiter Tonans,another, that of Fortuna, and the temple of Honour et Virtus. On eachside the ground was covered, almost to the verge of the Forum, withthickly-clustered dwellings, but of no great height, so that the viewfrom the sumptuous mansions on the Palatine of the sacred and triumphalprocessions which passed that way should not be obstructed. Close tothem was the dwelling of the Rex Sacrificulus, while on the leftappeared the temples of Vesta and of Castor, behind which ran the NovaVia, directly at the base of the Palatine. Descending a steepdeclivity, beneath the arch of Fornix Fabian us, on the left, stood theRegia, or house of the Pontifex Maximus, and at the corner of the Forumbeyond it rose the superb temples of Antoninus and Faustina, and that ofDivus Julius, as the first Caesar was called when he took rank among thegods. The temple stood on the spot where his body had been consumed athis apotheosis. The Forum, which they had now reached, was surroundedby magnificent buildings, many others crowning the neighbouring hills toa hundred feet in height, giving it an air of extraordinary grandeur.On looking eastward, on the crest of the Aria Capitolina was seen, linedby a double row of porticoes one above the other, the Tabularium ofCatullus. Below it, to the north, stood the Temple of Concord, and on alower level, nearer the Forum, rose the temple of Saturn, its pedimentsurmounted with figures of Tritons blowing horns. In front of it wasthe Milliarium Aureum, or gilded milestone, set up by Augustus as astandard for distances within the walls. Behind it lay another smalltemple--that of Ops; and visible from the Forum, on the eastern face ofthe hill, was the ill-famed Tarpeian Rock, whence criminals condemned todeath were wont to be precipitated. At the upper end of the Forum,under the Capitoline Hill, was the Comitium, adorned with frescopaintings, and covered with numerous statues surrounding the tribunalsof the Praetor Urbanus. Here also was the sacred fig-tree, the FicusRuminalis, under which Romulus and Remus were nursed by the wolf, so thepopulace believed. On the south-western extremity of the Forum was theBasilica Julia, and not far off the still more magnificent temple ofCastor, from its position on a lofty terrace visible on all sides.Farther on, at no great distance from the arch of Severus, in front ofthe Curia, was another celebrated temple, the last we shall mention, ofbronze--that of Janus Bifrons, the two-faced deity, the index of peaceor war. Many more buildings surrounding the Forum might be mentioned,--the Aedes Vesta, encircled by a grove, near the temple of Castor, andthe column of Phocas,--while to the north was the Forum Augusti, withits Curia. A fine road between the Capitoline and Quirinal Hills ledinto the Campus Martius, through the splendid Forum of Trajan. Numerousother temples of equal grandeur were visible, the porticoes, or chiefentrances, looking, whenever possible, westward, which side was at thesame time faced by the divinity within, so that persons offering prayersor sacrifices at the altar looked towards the east; the eastwardposition being considered of the greatest importance by thesuperstitious idolaters of old. The custom, originating among theworshippers of the Sun, who were wont to watch for the appearance oftheir divinity above the horizon, had been generally imitated by theheathen world, though the source whence it had been derived wasforgotten. When it was impracticable to build a temple in the favouriteposition, it was placed, like that of Jupiter Maximus, in such a mannerthat the greater portion of the city could be seen from it; and whenerected by the side of a street or road, it was always so situated thatthe passers-by might look in to salute the divinity, to obtain asprinkling of holy-water, and to leave their votive offerings in theeager hands of the watchful flamens.

  The two pontiffs, little regarding the magnificent scene which has beendescribed, hurried into the Regia, or house of the Pontifex Maximus--forthough the office had long been held solely by the emperors, thebuilding was inhabited by the chief pontiff and several of his principalcoadjutors. It stood hard by the house of the vestal virgins, who wereespecially committed to the care of the pontiffs. They had, indeed, thelives and liberties of the fair damsels under their complete control,and could, should a vestal be found guilty of breaking her vows, punishher with imprisonment, or put her to death by entombing her while stillalive. Entering by the ostium, the two pontiffs passed onwards throughthe several courts known as the atrium and the cavum coedium into thetablinum, where, having thrown themselves upon couches surrounding thecentral table, ready slaves removed their sandals and head-gear, whileothers brought water to wash their hands and feet. A third partymeantime spread the table for the prandium with various dishes, hot aswell as cold, fish, eggs, and refreshing beverages, light wines, and theseductive calda. The pontiffs took good care, whatever the outsideworld might say about the matter, to live well on "what the godsprovided."
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  "We have had a fatiguing walk, and require something to restore ourexhausted strength, while a hard day's work is before us; but I havenever prepared with greater zest to engage in a spectacle such as isabout to take place, convinced as I am that it will repay us for all ourtrouble," remarked Coecus.

  They were soon joined by several other pontiffs, who came to hear theresult of their visit to the Curia Hostilia, and to make finalarrangements concerning the order of the procession.