incendiaries."

"Not true!"

"And enemies of the human race."

"Not true!"

"And poisoners of water."

"Not true!"

"And murderers of children."

"Not true!"

"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?"

But Chilo answered with a question,--

"What kind of torches are to burn in the gardens? Hast thou heard what
Caesar said?"

"I heard, and I know. Those torches are called Sarmentitii and Semaxii.
They are made by arraying men in painful tunics, steeped in pitch, and
binding them to pillars, to which fire is set afterward. May their
god not send misfortune on the city. Semaxii! that is a dreadful
punishment!"

"I would rather see it, for there will not be blood," answered Chilo.
"Command a slave to hold the goblet to my mouth. I wish to drink, but I
spill the wine; my hand trembles from age."

Others also were speaking of the Christians. Old Domitius Afer reviled
them.

"There is such a multitude of them," said he, "that they might raise a
civil war; and, remember, there were fears lest they might arm. But they
die like sheep."

"Let them try to die otherwise!" said Tigellinus.

To this Petronius answered, "Ye deceive yourselves. They are arming."

"With what?"

"With patience."

"That is a new kind of weapon."

"True. But can ye say that they die like common criminals? No! They die
as if the criminals were those who condemned them to death,--that is, we
and the whole Roman people."

"What raving!" said Tigellinus.

"Hic Abdera!" answered Petronius.

[A proverbial expression meaning "The dullest of the dull"--Note by the
Author.]

But others, struck by the justice of his remark, began to look at one
another with astonishment, and repeat,--

"True! there is something peculiar and strange in their death."

"I tell you that they see their divinity!" cried Vestinius, from one
side. Thereupon a number of Augustians turned to Chilo,--

"Hai, old man, thou knowest them well; tell us what they see."

The Greek spat out wine on his tunic, and answered,--

"The resurrection." And he began to tremble so that the guests sitting
neare