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L'ENVOI 583
Thine the liberty, thine the glory, thine the deeds to be celebrated ;
Thine the myriad-rolling ocean, light and shadow illimitable,
Thine the lands of lasting summer, many- blossoming Paradises,
Thine the North, and thine the South, and thine the battle-thunder of God.'
The old king CARADOC lived with them for a time in the
charming villa which they had built. He had fancied at first
that, after the disgrace of defeat and betrayal, he would never
be able to show his face among the warlike Silures whom he
had led to victory. But Christianity softened his soul. He
received a warm welcome from many of his friends and former
subjects, and it was no little due to his conversion and his
teaching that Christianity secured a footing among the Cymry
long before its truths had been accepted in other portions of
the British Isles.
POMPONIA crowned a life of love and gracious kindness
with a death of perfect peace. She recovered from the
virulent fever which she had caught in the prisons, and
consoled the drooping years of her husband, Aulus Plautius.
He died in the reign of Titus, and she did not long survive
him. She was happily spared the spectacle of the reign of
Domitian and the martyrdom of Flavius Clemens. All who
were in sorrow sought her for consolation. Even the imperial
Titus came gladly to her when his dark hour was upon him,
and his heart was broken by the cruel ingratitude of his
brother. She heard often from Pudens and Claudia, and
from all whom she had loved. She fostered by every
means in her power the struggling community of the catacombs,
and when she lay upon her deathbed St. Clement,
the fourth Bishop of Rome, administered to her the last
sacrament. Her example had been of high benefit even to
the Pagans of Eoman society. It was her influence which
told in the improved manners of the reign of Vespasian, and
no vestal was more honoured for her official sanctity than
Pomponia Grsecina for her Christian holiness. When the ear
heard her it blessed her, and when the eye saw her it gave
witness to her. The blessings of those that were ready to
perish came upon her, and she caused the widow's heart to
sing for joy.
The close of the life of ONESIMUS was as peaceful as its
youthful years had been full of trouble and storm. After the
martyrdom of the Apostle Paul, and the all-but-extinction of