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140 DARKNESS AND DAWN
have a fascination for him. But he was as credulous about the
Jews as the rest of his race, and believed the vague scandals
that they were exiles from Crete, and a nation of lepers, and
about Moses and the herd of asses which afterwards found a
place in Tacitus and later historians.
Another subject about which he liked to talk was Stoicism.
He thought nothing so grand as the doctrine that the ideal
wise man was the most supreme of kings. He was full of
high arguments, learnt through Epictetus, to prove that the
wise man would be happy even in the bull of Phalaris, and he
quoted Lucretius and Virgil to prove that he would be always
happy
' If to know
Causes of things, and far below
His feet to feel the lurid flow
Of terror, and insane distress,
And headlong fate, be happiness.'
At all of which propositions Britannicus was inclined to laugh
good-naturedly, and to ask much to the indignation of his
friend if Musoiiius was happy when he had a bad toothache.
Finding him unsympathetic on the subject of the Christians,
Britannicus ceased to speak of them. On the other hand, he
soon discovered that Clemens knew more about them than
himself.
'
Are you a Christian, Flavins ? ' asked Britannicus, when
they were alone, after one of these conversations.
'
'
I have not been baptised,' he answered. No one is regarded
as a full Christian until he has been admitted into their
church by baptism.'
'
?
Baptism What is that ?
'
It is the washing with '
pure water,' said Clemens. Our
Roman ceremonies are pompous and cumbersome. It is not
so with the Christians. Their symbols are the simplest things
in the world. Water, the sign of purification from guilt ;
bread
and wine, the common elements of life, taken in remembrance
of Christ who died for them.'
'
And are the elders of these Christians the presbyters, as
they call them the same sort of persons as our '
priests ?
'
I should hope not '
'
said Clemens. They are simple and
!
blameless men more like the best of the philosophers, and
more consistent, though not so learned;