Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

whole Roman : People in behalf of those, who of all nations, are
now unjnstly hated and aspersed. I, Justin, sou of Prisons,
grandson of Bacchius, of Flavia Neapolis, in Syria of Palestine,
one of their number, presents this volume and address.
When Metella read this long title, she immediately guessed
from whom the present came. But she was still more astonished
to find that it was written by Lydia Lersclf. Her Christian
slave had already made a deep impression on her mind, since the
time she discovered her on her knees before her cross, in her
little room praying for one, who had just treated her so cruelly.
She then formed a high opinion of her exalted virtue, and this
opinion was not lessened, when she received this last proof of
her noble revenge.
" If the Christians thus reward injuries done them," said she
to herself," they cannot possibly be guilty of those crimes, which
are attributed to them."
Metclla then ordered the writer to be called into her presence,
and assured her that she admired more the motive whence the
gift proceeded, than the gift itself.
" This writing," said she, " I have long wished for, but
never could procure it till now. We must read it together in a
quiet hour: I value Justin so much, because he had the courage
to proclaim his convictions. Although Plato stands higher in
my estimation than all the other philosophers, still there is one
thing in which he is blameworthy, and that is that, notwith-
standing his belief in the great Creator of the world, he sought
in a speech delivered to the Athenians, to inculcate the popular
belief in the plurality of gods, fearing that like Socrates he might
lose his life.*
"
Would you like to know the doctrine we hold? Perhaps it
approaches nearer to yours than you suspect. We believe that
Jupiter is the Beginning and the End, and that all things proceed
from him.f Our school accepts also that Jupiter has subordinate
gods, like messengers, who execute his commands. We therefore,
are widely separated from the doctrines of the lower
classes,
stand
and from the flighty Romans. Their folly cannot
The poets have no right to make new gods, to embellish the
history of their lives, and to force them on the people as truths.
Homer and Hesiod ought to have been branded as impostors and
sent into exile. Each one after, according to them, invented
new gods, so that now we have trouble enough to remember
even their names. There is no such thing as a god with goat's
feet."
LTD I A.
After a short pause, she said: "With respect to this, do you
"
know that very important oracle of the dead Pan?
"
Certainly," replied Lydia.
"What do you know about it? "
"
In the reign of the Emperor Tiberius Epitherses, the father
of the orator Aurelian, together with many others, found him-
self on board a merchant's ship, in the vicinity of the islands
called the Echinades. The sun had gone down, when not far
from the island of Paxos, a voice was suddenly heard which
called to Thamus the helmsman, who was an Egyptian, and
whose name was scarcely known on board. A general astonishment
seized all present, and the helmsman remained silent to the
first and second call: the third time he answered, whereupon
the voice swept loudly along the surface of the waters, and said :
' When
you arrive at Palodes announce that the great Pan is
dead.'
" Not far from Palodes, Thamus turning his face towards the
land, called out from the far end of the ship: 'Great Pan is
dead!' Scarcely had he uttered these words, when a general
lamentation issued from a multitude of voices on shore.:): It is
remarkable," added Lydia, " that this extraordinary circumstance
took place, just at the time of Christ's death."
Metella listened to her slave with pleasure. After a few words
of praise, she said: " It would be more in comformity wilh your
in culls this a punishable denial of Plato's better convictions. Virgil /.
1 '
rtutions to the Greeks.
t Doctrine of Orphiger.
} Ptntarch upon the fill of the Oracle.
attainments, if for the future you attend to my head rather than
'. I have therefore, resolved from this day forward, to
make you my reader." This advancement filled Lydia with anxi
fly. being convinced that every preference excites envy, and
that this would also draw down discontent. She, therefore de-
termined, from that moment, to be more obliging and friendly
than ever, towards her fellow slaves, well knowing, that an
obliging manner blunts the arrows of envy.
"I know, also," continued Metella, "that I have to make
reparation in some way for my unkindness towards y>u, a
little time back. But to show you that I am not insensible to
fine traits of character, accept this silver mirror, as your own
property and dispose of it as you please." Lydia was too sensitive
not to feel receiving payment for the trifling pleasure
had afforded her mistress in the parchment roll. To refuse
she
the
valuable present would offend Metella, therefore she accepted it
with humble thanks, and gave her mistress to understand that
she knew how to value the gift.
Seliua witnessed this interview from an adjoining apartment,
and could scarcely refrain, when she saw Lydia leave the room
with her present, from recalling her late awkwardness again to
the mind of her mistress, and from adding her charitiililc
remarks.
The next day, Lydia entered upon her new office, and commenced
by reading the Apologia.
"Is it not true," said Metella, "that the philosopher, Justin,
was a follower of Epicurus? "
"Justin," replied Lydia, "is a philosopher, and if I do not
err, he wears, at the present moment in Rome, his philosopher's
cloak, and gives instruction in the Christian doctrine. He is a
native of Neapolis in Samaria, and formerly gave himself to the
study of Plato; but as it did not content him, he became a con-
vert to the Christian religion. As such, he wrote his Apologia for
the Christians, to the Emperor Antoninus Pius and the Senate "
" We'll now read. But first of all impart to me Justin's Chris-
tian ideas of God."
She commenced *
:
"We acknowledge the true God, the Father of Justice and of all
virtues, in whom there is no mixture of evil. We reverence and
worship Him and His Son, who came down to instruct us, and
also the Holy Spirit."
" This faith," interrupted Metella, " is without doubt, very
different from ours. But still more unlike, and it is said even
immoral, are the customs of the disciples of Jesus Christ."
Lydia read in answer, the following passage:
" Now let us relate in what manner we have dedicated ourselves
to God, having been created anew by Christ. Those who
promise to live according to the precepts of Jesus Christ are
taught to pray and to fast, and to entreat from God the remission
of their past sins, we praying and fasting with them.
Then they are conducted by us to a place where there is water,
and are regenerated, being washed in that water, in the name of
God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour
Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Ghost. We there pray earnestly
for them in common; and salute one another with a kiss: after
which, to him who presides over the brethren, bread is brought,
and a cup of wine mixed with water. And he having taken them
sends up praise and glory to the Father of all things, through the
name of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and employs mucli time
in offering up thanks for having been deemed worthy of these
things by Him: when he hath ended the prayers and the thanks-
giving, all the people present express their assent by saying,
Amen, which in the Hebrew tongue, signifies *> be tt. Then
they who are called among us Deacons, give to each of those
present, a portion of the bread and wine mixed with water over
which the thanksgiving has been made, and carry away a por-
tion to those who are absent. This food is called amongst us,
Eucharist, of whicli no one is alk/wed to partake, but he who be-
lieves that what we teach is true, and has been washed in the
laver (of baptism), which is for irmlssion of sins and unto rcgen
eration. and who lives us Christ lias delivered.
* \\hut follow arc but frusrmpnt* from 8t. Japtin' renowned Apologia.