uted, in a voice so piercing that not only the Augustians but
the multitude heard him,--

"Roman people! I swear by my death, that innocent persons are perishing
here. That is the incendiary!"

And he pointed his finger at Nero.

Then came a moment of silence. The courtiers were benumbed. Chilo
continued to stand with outstretched, trembling arm, and with finger
pointed at Nero. All at once a tumult arose. The people, like a wave,
urged by a sudden whirlwind, rushed toward the old man to look at him
more closely. Here and there were heard cries, "Hold!" In another place,
"Woe to us!" In the throng a hissing and uproar began. "Ahenobarbus!
Matricide! Incendiary!" Disorder increased every instant. The bacchantes
screamed in heaven-piercing voices, and began to hide in the chariots.
Then some pillars which were burned through, fell, scattered sparks, and
increased the confusion. A blind dense wave of people swept away Chilo,
and bore him to the depth of the garden.

The pillars began to burn through in every direction and fall across the
streets, filling alleys with smoke, sparks, the odor of burnt wood and
burnt flesh. The nearer lights died. The gardens began to grow dark. The
crowds, alarmed, gloomy, and disturbed, pressed toward the gates.
News of what had happened passed from mouth to mouth, distorted
and increased. Some said that Caesar had fainted; others that he had
confessed, saying that he had given command to burn Rome; others that he
had fallen seriously ill; and still others that he had been borne out,
as if dead, in the chariot. Here and there were heard voices of sympathy
for the Christians: "If they had not burned Rome, why so much blood,
torture, and injustice? Will not the gods avenge the innocent, and what
piacula can mollify them now?" The words innoxia corpora were repeated
oftener and oftener. Women expressed aloud their pity for children
thrown in such numbers to wild beasts, nailed to crosses or burned in
those cursed gardens! And finally pity was turned into abuse of Caesar
and Tigellinus. There were persons, too, who, stopping suddenly, asked
themselves or others the question, "What kind of divinity is that which
gives such strength to meet torture and death?" And they returned home
in meditation.

But Chilo was wandering about in the gardens, not knowing where to go or
where to turn. Again he felt himself a weak, helpless, sick old man.

Now he stumbled against partly burnt bodies; now he s