Then he tore apart the tunic on his breast, laid bare the
scars left by wounds received in the Armenian war, and
stretched out his hands to the audience.

Then the enthusiasm of the multitude passed everything 10
seen in a circus before. The crowd stamped and howled.
Voices calling for mercy grew simply terrible. People not
only took the part of the athlete, but rose in defense of the
soldier, the maiden, their love. Thousands of spectators
turned to Cæsar with flashes of anger in their eyes and with 15
clinched fists.

But Cæsar halted and hesitated. Against Vinicius he
had no hatred indeed, and the death of Lygia did not
concern him; but he preferred to see the body of the maiden
rent by the horns of the bull or torn by the claws of beasts. 20
His cruelty, his deformed imagination and deformed desires,
found a kind of delight in such spectacles. And now the
people wanted to rob him. Hence anger appeared on his
bloated face. Self-love also would not let him yield to the
wish of the multitude, and still he did not dare to oppose 25
it, through his inborn cowardice.

So he gazed around to see if, among the Augustans at
least, he could not find fingers turned down in sign of death.
But Petronius held up his hand, and looked almost challengingly
into Nero's face. Vestinius, superstitious but 30
inclined to enthusiasm, a man who feared ghosts but not
the living, gave a sign for mercy also.

Then Nero turned to the place where command over the
pretorians was held by the stern Subrius Flavius, hitherto
devoted with whole soul to him, and saw something unusual.
The face of the old tribune was stern, but covered with
tears, and he was holding his hand up in sign of mercy. 5

Now rage began to possess the multitude. Dust rose
from beneath the stamping feet, and filled the amphitheater.
In the midst of shouts were heard cries: "Ahenobarbus!
Matricide! Incendiary!"

Nero was alarmed. The people were absolute lords in the 10
Circus. He wanted their favor on his side against the
senate and the patricians, and especially after the burning
of Rome he strove by all means to win it, and turn their
anger against the Christians. He understood, besides,
that to oppose longer was simply dangerous. A disturbance15
begun in the Circus might seize the whole city, and have
results incalculable. And seeing everywhere frowning brows,
moved faces, and eyes fixed on him, he gave the sign for
mercy.

—Quo Vadis.

1. At about what time is this story laid? Where? Compare its setting with that of "The Lists at Ashby," page 363.

2. Who are the chief characters? What was the general situation with respect to the Christians?