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_ PRETORIANS surrounded the groves on the banks of the pond of
Agrippa, lest over-numerous throngs of spectators might annoy
Caesar and his guests; though it was said that everything in Rome
distinguished for wealth, beauty, or intellect was present at that
feast, which had no equal in the history of the city. Tigellinus
wished to recompense Caesar for the deferred journey to Achaea,
to surpass all who had ever feasted Nero, and prove that no man
could entertain as he could. With this object in view, while with
Caesar in Naples, and later in Beneventum, he had made
preparations and sent orders to bring from the remotest regions of
the earth beasts, birds, rare fish, and plants, not omitting vessels
and cloths, which were to enhance the splendor of the feast. The
revenues of whole provinces went to satisfy mad projects; but the
powerful favorite had no need to hesitate. His influence grew
daily. Tigellinus was not dearer than others to Nero yet, perhaps,
but he was becoming more and more indispensable. Petronius
surpassed him infinitely in polish, intellect, wit; in conversation he
knew better how to amuse Caesar: but to his misfortune he
surpassed in conversation Caesar himself, hence he roused his
jealousy; moreover he could not be an obedient instrument in
everything, and Caesar feared his opinion when there were
questions in matters of taste. But before Tigellinus, Nero never felt
any restraint. The very title, arbiter elegantiarum, which had been
given to Petronius, annoyed Nero's vanity, for who had the right to
bear that title but himself? Tigellinus had sense enough to know
his own deficiencies; and seeing that he could not compete with
Petronius, Lucan, or others distinguished by birth, talents, or
learning, he resolved to extinguish them by the suppleness of his
services, and above all by such a magnificence that the
imagination of Nero himself would be 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 with splendid shells
found in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, shells brffliant with
the colors of pearls and the rainbow. The banks of the pond were
covered with groups of palm, with groves of lotus, and blooming
roses. In the midst of these were hidden fountains of perfumed
water, statues of gods and goddesses, and gold or silver cages
filled with birds of various colors. In the centre of the raft rose an
immense tent, or rather, not to hide the feasters, only the roof of a
tent, made of Syrian purple, resting on silver columns; under it
were gleaming, like suns, tables prepared for the guests, loaded
with Alexandrian glass, crystal, and vessels simply beyond price, --
the plunder of Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor. The raft, which
because of plants accumulated on it had the appearance of an
island and a garden, was joined by cords of gold and purple to
boats shaped like fish, swans, mews, and flamingoes, in which sat
at painted oars naked rowers of both sexes, with forms and
features of marvellous beauty, their hair dressed in Oriental
fashion, or gathered in golden nets. When Nero arrived at the main
raft with Poppae and the Augustians, and sat beneath the purple
tent-roof, the oars struck the water, the boats moved, the golden
cords stretched, and the raft with the feast and the guests began to
move and describe circles on the pond. Other boats surrounded it,
and other smaller rafts, filled with women playing on citharae and
harps, women whose rosy bodies on the blue background of the
sky and the water and in the reflections from golden instruments
seemed to absorb that blue and those reflections, and to change
and bloom like flowers.
From the groves at the banks, from fantastic buildings reared for
that day and hidden among thickets, were heard music and song.
The neighborhood resounded, the groves resounded; echoes bore
around the voices of horns and trumpets. Caesar himself, with
Poppaea on one side of him, and Pythagoras on the other, was
amazed; and more especially when among the boats young slave
maidens appeared as sirens, and were covered with green network
in imitation of scales, he did not spare praises on Tigellinus. But
he looked at Petronius from habit, wishing to learn the opinion of
the "arbiter," who seemed indifferent for a long time, and only
when questioned outright, answered, -- "I judge, lord, that ten
thousand 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 of
Apicius would have failed at sight of them, and wines of so many
kinds that Otho, who used to serve eighty, would have hidden
under water with shame, could he have witnessed the luxury of
that feast. Besides women, the Augustians sat down at the table,
among whom Vinicius excelled all with his beauty. Formerly his
figure and face indicated too clearly the soldier by profession; now
mental suffering and the physical pain through which he had
passed had chiselled his features, as if the delicate hand of a
master had passed over them. His complexion had lost its former
swarthiness, but the yellowish gleam of Numidian marble
remained on it. His eyes had grown larger and more pensive. His
body had retained its former powerful outlines, as if created for
armor; but above the body of a legionary was seen the head of a
Grecian god, or at least of a refined patrician, at once subtle and
splendid. Petronius, in saying that none of the ladies of Caesar's
court would be able or willing to resist Vinicius, spoke like a man
of experience. All gazed at him now, not excepting Poppaea, or the
vestal virgin Rubria, whom Caesar wished to see at the feast.
Wines, cooled in mountain snow, soon warmed the hearts and
heads of the guests. Boats shaped as grasshoppers or butterflies
shot forth from the bushes at the shore every moment. The blue
surface of the pond seemed occupied by butterflies. Above the
boats ftere and there flew doves, and other birds from India and
Africa, fastened with silver and blue threads or strings. The sun
had passed the greater part of the sky, but the day was warm and
even hot, though in the beginning of May. The pond heaved from
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 were
motionless, as if lost in listening and in gazing at that which was
happening 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
all sat at the table was observed no longer. Caesar gave the
example, for, rising himself, he commanded Vinicius, who sat next
to Rubria the vestal, to move. Nero occupied the place, and began
to whisper something in Rubria's ear. Vinicius found himself next
to Poppna, who extended her arm and begged him to fasten her
loosened bracelet. When he did so, with hands trembling
somewhat, she cast at him from beneath her long lashes a glance
as it were of modesty, and shook her golden head as if in
resistance.
Meanwhile the sun, growing larger, ruddier, sank slowly behind
the tops of the grove; the guests were for the greater part
thoroughly intoxicated. The raft circled now nearer the shore, on
which, among bunches of trees and flowers, were seen groups of
people, disguised as fauna or satyrs, playing on flutes, bagpipes,
and drums, with groups of maidens representing nymphs, dryads,
and hamadryads. Darkness fell at last amid drunken shouts from
the tent, shouts raised in honor of Luna. Meanwhile the groves
were lighted with a thousand lamps. From the lupanaria on the
shores shone swarms of lights; on the terraces appeared new naked
groups, formed of the wives and daughters of the first Roman
houses. These with voice and unrestrained manner began to lure
partners. The raft touched the shore at last. Caesar and the
Augustians vanished in the groves, scattered in lupanaria, in tents
hidden in thickets, in grottos artificially arranged among fountains
and springs. Madness seized all; no one knew whither Caesar had
gone; no one knew who was a senator, who a knight, who a
dancer, who a musician. Satyrs and fauns fell to chasing nymphs
with shouting. They struck lamps with thyrses to quench them.
Darkness covered certain parts of the grove. Everywhere, however,
laughter and shouts were heard, and whispers, and panting breaths.
In fact Rome had not seen anything like that before.
Vinieius 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 sight of everything done round about, and at last the fever of
pleasure seized him. Rushing into the forest, he ran, with others,
examining who of the dryads seemed most beautiful. New flocks
of these raced around him every moment with shouts and with
songs; these flocks were pursued by fauns, satyrs, senators,
knights, and by sounds of music. Seeing at last a band of maidens
led by one arrayed as Diana, he sprang to it, intending to examine
the goddess more closely. All at once the heart sank in his bosom?
for he thought that in that goddess, with the, moon on her
forehead, he recognized Lygia.
They encircled him with a mad whirl, and, wishing evidently to
incline him to follow, rushed away the next moment like a herd of
deer. But he stood on the spot with beating heart, breathless; for
though he saw that the Diana was not Lygia, and that at close sight
she was not even like her, the too powerful impression deprived
him of strength. Straightway he was seized by such yearning as he
had never felt before, and love for Lygia rushed to his breast in a
new, immense wave. Never had she seemed so dear, pure, and
beloved as in that forest of madness ana frenzied excess. A
moment before, he himself wished to drink of that cup, and share
in that shameless letting loose of the senses; now disgust and
repugnance possessed him. He felt that infamy was stifling him;
that his breast needed air and the stars which were hidden by the
thickets of that dreadful grove. He determined to flee; but barely
had he moved when before him stood some veiled figure, which
placed its hands on his shoulders and whispered, flooding his face
with burning breath, "I love thee! 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
lonely it 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,
drawing toward her his head at the same time, till at last breath
failed the woman 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
and heart were elsewhere; in the whole world nothing existed for
him except Lygia. 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; the veiled woman
vanished like a dream vision, but from a distance her laugh was
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
the atrium of Vinicius's house did Petronius ask, -- "Dost thou
know who that was?"
"Was it Rubria?" asked Vinicius, repulsed at the very thought that
Rubria was a vestal.
"Who then?" Petronius lowered his voice.
"The fire of Vesta was defiled, for Rubria was with Caesar. But
with thee was speaking" -- and he finished in a still lower voice,
"the divine Augusta."
A moment of silence followed.
"Caesar," said Petronius, "was unable to hide from Popp~xa his
desire for Rubria; therefore she wished, perhaps, to avenge herself.
But I hindered you both. Hadst thou recognized the Augusta and
refused her, thou wouldst have been ruined beyond rescue, -- thou,
Lygia, and I, perhaps."
"I have enough of Rome, Caesar, feasts, the Augusta1 Tigellinus,
and all of you!" burst out Vinicius. "I am stifling. I cannot live
thus; I cannot. 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, your
feasts, 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 in despair, -- "Not yet! not yet!" _
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