Aurelian passed on quickly as if he had not heard these words. But he was influenced like most Romans by the superstition which from the gestures and flight of birds would trace the adverse or prosperous course of futurity. Once only did he pause, as a Greek clad in sable tunic carolled in broken Latin a ditty, the burden of which, as it may throw some light upon our story, we shall attempt to inadequately render:
"She loved her lord as her lord loved her;
But him she will not love any more;
To-night to the feast she will not stir,
But she'll sup with the Christian called Theodore,
She will sup with the Christian called Theodore,
And her lover Aurelian she'll love no more;
Another, another has got him before—
A Christian, a Christian whom she'll adore!"
"What now, slave! Again taking liberties with noble names! Do you want to publish me to the whole city, Zoilus?"
"I admit it. Zoilus is my cognomen, master. It was an ugly mishap, considering my poetical turn, that made me namesake of the man who maligned Homer and got burned for his criticism. What a pity they did not give me the cognomen Homerus or Virgilius. By the lyre of Orpheus! if they did, I would write an epos like the Iliad or the AEneid, of which you, Aurelian, would be the hero, and Flavia Domitilla the heroine. You would see into what hair-breadth 'scapes you would be brought to be rescued by the sharp end of my poetical stylus. The only thing to be regretted now is that you will, likely enough, be brought into scrapes and find no escapes from them."
"Be silent, slave! I have no time for your jokes," exclaimed the nobleman in an excited tone.
"All right, then," said the imperturbable slave, "as you have no time to receive, I cannot have time to communicate news that does not concern me."
"Excuse my hasty temper, good Zoilus! I am going to the emperor's feast, and I fear I am after the appointed hour. Take this," and he slipped into the other's hand a silver denarius, "it will help to buy a pallium to cover your unkempt tunic. What about Flavia?" he said in lower but more earnest tones.
The silver piece had worked its effect upon the slave's manner, who replied: "She will not go to the imperial feast. She dislikes the emperor, though she is his adopted child; and naturally, on account of her uncle's execution. Moreover, she will not partake of meats blessed in the name of Jupiter, the father of gods and men, nor of wine poured out in libation to Bacchus. I suspect she has lost her attachment to you, and is falling in love with one of those Christians whom she is never done admiring. Look to it, my noble master! For, from expressions she has let fall, my informant suspects she has already been espoused to this admirer."
"And she engaged to me by the emperor himself?"
"Even this, notwithstanding; she has given herself over to this Christian, whom she declares she adores."