them. He is persuaded that by
using the same extreme and summary measures with the Christians, which
he has been accustomed to employ in the army, he can root out this huge
evil from the state, as easily as those lesser ones from the
camp;--without reflecting that it must be impossible to discover all, or
any very large proportion of those who profess Christianity, and that
therefore his slaughter of a half or a quarter of the whole number, will
be to no purpose. It will have been but killing so many--there will be
no other effect; unless, indeed, it have the effect to convince new
thousands of the power, and worth, and divinity of that faith, for which
men are so willing to die.'

'I mourn,' said Portia, 'that the great head of the state, and the great
high priest of our religion should have taken the part he has. Measures
of moderation and true wisdom, though they might not have obtained for
him so great a name for zeal and love of the gods, nor made so sudden
and deep an impression upon the common mind and heart, would have
secured with greater probability the end at which he has aimed.'

'It is hard.' said I, 'to resist nature, especially so when superstition
comes in to its aid. Aurelian, by nature a savage, is doubly one through
the influence of his religion and the priesthood. Moderation and
humanity are so contrary to every principle of the man and his faith,
that they are not with more reason to be looked for from him than
gentleness in a famished wolf.'

Portia looked as if I had assailed the walls and capitol of Rome.

'I know not, Greek,' she quickly said, 'on what foundation it is you
build so heavy a charge against the time-honored faith of Rome. It has
served Rome well these thousand years, and reared men whose greatness
will dwell in the memory of the world while the world lasts.'

'Great men have been reared in Rome,' I replied; 'it can by none be
denied. But it has been by resisting the influences of their religion,
not by courting them. They have left themselves in this to the safer
tutelage of nature, as have you, lady; and they have escaped the evils,
which the common superstition would have entailed upon them, had they
admitted it to their bosoms. Who can deny that the religion of Rome, so
far as it is a religion for the common people, is based up on the
characters of the gods, as they through history and tradition are held
up to them--especially as they are painted by the poets? Say if there b