foul dust, and,
scattering it on his head, began to groan despairingly.

But Vinicius shook him by the shoulder: "My house too is on the Carinae,"
said he; "but when everything is perishing, let it perish also."

Then recollecting that at his advice Lygia might have gone to the house
of Aulus, he inquired,--

"But the Vicus Patricius?"

"On fire!" replied Junius.

"The Trans-Tiber?"

Junius looked at him with amazement.

"Never mind the Trans-Tiber," said he, pressing his aching temples with
his palms.

"The Trans-Tiber is more important to me than all other parts of Rome,"
cried Vinicius, with vehemence.

"The way is through the Via Portuensis, near the Aventine; but the heat
will stifle thee. The Trans-Tiber? I know not. The fire had not reached
it; but whether it is not there at this moment the gods alone know."
Here Junius hesitated a moment, then said in a low voice: "I know that
thou wilt not betray me, so I will tell thee that this is no common
fire. People were not permitted to save the Circus. When houses began to
burn in every direction, I myself heard thousands of voices exclaiming,
'Death to those who save!' Certain people ran through the city and
hurled burning torches into buildings. On the other hand people are
revolting, and crying that the city is burning at command. I can say
nothing more. Woe to the city, woe to us all, and to me! The tongue of
man cannot tell what is happening there. People are perishing in flames
or slaying one another in the throng. This is the end of Rome!"

And again he fell to repeating, "Woe! Woe to the city and to us!"
Vinicius sprang to his horse, and hurried forward along the Appian
Way. But now it was rather a struggling through the midst of a river of
people and vehicles, which was flowing from the city. The city, embraced
by a monstrous conflagration, lay before Vinicius as a thing on the palm
of his hand. From the sea of fire and smoke came a terrible heat, and
the uproar of people could not drown the roar and the hissing of flames.

Chapter XLIII

As Vinicius approached the walls, he found it easier to reach Rome than
penetrate to the middle of the city. It was difficult to push along the
Appian Way, because of the throng of people. Houses, fields, cemeteries,
gardens, and temples, lying on both sides of it, were turned into
camping places. In the temple of Mars, which stood near the Porta Appia,
the crowd had thrown down the doors, so as to find