d will accept it. People will forget
Jupiter, and there will be no God except Christ, and no other temples
but Christian. Who would not wish his own happiness? Ah! but I heard
Paul's conversation with Petronius and dost thou know what Petronius
said at the end? 'That is not for me'; but he could give no other
answer."

"Repeat Paul's words to me," said Lygia.

"It was at my house one evening. Petronius began to speak playfully and
to banter, as he does usually, whereupon Paul said to him: 'How canst
thou deny, O wise Petronius, that Christ existed and rose from the dead,
since thou wert not in the world at that time, but Peter and John saw
Him, and I saw Him on the road to Damascus? Let thy wisdom show, first
of all, then, that we are liars, and then only deny our testimony.'
Petronius answered that he had no thought of denying, for he knew
that many incomprehensible things were done, which trustworthy people
affirmed. 'But the discovery of some new foreign god is one thing,' said
he, 'and the reception of his teaching another. I have no wish to know
anything which may deform life and mar its beauty. Never mind whether
our gods are true or not; they are beautiful, their rule is pleasant for
us, and we live without care.' 'Thou art willing to reject the religion
of love, justice, and mercy through dread of the cares of life,' replied
Paul; 'but think, Petronius, is thy life really free from anxieties?
Behold, neither thou nor any man among the richest and most powerful
knows when he falls asleep at night that he may not wake to a death
sentence. But tell me, if Caesar professed this religion, which enjoins
love and justice, would not thy happiness be more assured? Thou art
alarmed about thy delight, but would not life be more joyous then? As to
life's beauty and ornaments, if ye have reared so many beautiful temples
and statues to evil, revengeful, adulterous, and faithless divinities,
what would ye not do in honor of one God of truth and mercy? Thou art
ready to praise thy lot, because thou art wealthy and living in luxury;
but it was possible even in thy case to be poor and deserted, though
coming of a great house, and then in truth it would have been better for
thee if people confessed Christ. In Rome even wealthy parents, unwilling
to toil at rearing children, cast them out of the house frequently;
those children are called alumni. And chance might have made thee
an alumnus, like one of those. But if parents live ac