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366 DARKNESS AND DAWN
CHAPTER XLIII
A NOTABLE PRISONER
' He that hath light within his own clear breast,
May sit i' the centre, and enjoy bright day ;
But he that hath a dark soul, and foul thoughts,
Benighted walks under the mid-day sun ;
Himself is his own dungeon.'
MILTON, Comus.
A ROMAN centurion, whose armour gleamed in
the sun, was
walking at the head of the decuria of soldiers, several of
whom were attached by a loose coupling chain to the arms of
various prisoners. The spectacle was common enough, and
in the varied turmoil of the principal thoroughfare, with the
stream of travellers which swept to and fro about the capital
of the world, there was nothing in it to attract notice. But
the interest felt in one of the prisoners had induced a throng
of people mostly foreigners, slaves, and artisans to go and
meet him.
Titus recognised in the centurion an old friend. 'Ha,
'
'
Julius ! he cried so ; you have returned from Caesarea. You
will have long stories to tell us about those curious and turbulent
Jews. Will you sup with my father to-night ? You
will be welcome.'
'
'
Yes !
march.'
said Julius, '
gladly, for I am tired with a long day's
'
You know our frugal ways. You will have to recline on
couches made only by Archias, and sup mainly on vegetables
off earthenware plates,' said Titus laughing, and quoting
Horace.
'
It will be a supper of the gods after our fare in the nights
and days of storm on the Adramyttiau ship off Clauda and
'
Malta,' said Julius. But I must hurry on now to hand over
my prisoners to the Praetorian Praefect.'
'
Who are your prisoners ? '
'They are of the ordinary sort except
one. He is the
strangest, bravest, wisest man I ever met; and yet he is a