Volume I Part 60 (1/2)
”But at the same time he could replace it by new despotism,” interrupted Calpurnius.
”That he shall not, if daggers can still kill, as in the time of Brutus!” cried Scaevola.
”Bloodshed is not necessary. Consider; the nearer the tyrant, the more oppressive the tyranny; the farther the ruler, the more bearable his government. The power of the Prefect must be balanced by the power of the Emperor.”
”Yes,” affirmed Albinus, who had received large sums from Byzantium, ”the Emperor must become master of Italy.”
”That is,” said Silverius, restraining Scaevola, who would have interrupted indignantly, ”we must keep down the Prefect by means of the Emperor, and the Emperor by means of the Prefect. See, we have arrived at the door of my house. Let us enter. I must tell you in confidence what will be made known to the a.s.sembly to-night. It will surprise you; but other people still more.”
Meanwhile the Prefect had also hurried home from the banquet, to prepare for his important work by lonely meditation.
He did not think over his speech; he knew long ago what he had to say; and, a splendid orator, to whom words came as readily as thoughts, he willingly left the mode of expression to the impulse of the moment, knowing well that words which issue spontaneously from the heart, have the liveliest effect.
But he sought for inward composure; for his pa.s.sions were vividly excited.
He thought over the steps which he had taken in order to reach his goal, since first he had been drawn towards it with demoniac force. He measured the short s.p.a.ce which he had still to tread; he counted the difficulties and hindrances which lay upon his path, and measured the strength of mind with which he could overcome them; and the result of all this examination awakened in him a certainty of victory which filled him with youthful enthusiasm.
He measured his room with rapid strides; the muscles of his arms swelled as if in the hour of battle; he girded himself with the broad and victorious sword of his former campaigns, and convulsively grasped the hilt as if he were about to fight for his Rome against two worlds: against Byzantium and the barbarians.
He paused before the statue of Caesar, and looked long at the silent marble face.
”Farewell!” he cried, ”give me thy good fortune upon my way. More I do not need.”
He turned quickly, and hurried out of the room and through the atrium into the street, where the first stars were already s.h.i.+ning. The conspirators had a.s.sembled in the Catacombs on this evening in greater numbers than ever, for urgent invitations had been sent through all Italy.
According to the wish of the Prefect, all strategically important places were represented at this meeting. Deputies had been sent from the strong warders of the frontiers, Tridentum, Tarvisium, and Verona, which behold the ice of the Alps; from Otorantum and Consentia, which are laved by the tepid waves of the Ausonian Sea; from all the celebrated towns of Sicily and Italy, with the proud, beautiful, and historic names: Syracuse and Catana, Panormus and Messana, Regium, Neapolis and c.u.mae, Capua and Beneventum, Antium and Ostia, Reate and Narnia, Volsinii, Urbsvetus and Spoletum, Clusium and Perusia, Auximum and Ancona, Florentia and Faesulas, Pisa, Luca, Luna and Genua; Ariminum, Casena, Faventia, and Ravenna; Parma, Dertona and Placentia; Mantua, Cremona, and Ticinum (Pavia); Mediolanum, Comum, and Bergamum; Asta and Pollentia; and from the northern and eastern coasts of the Ionian Gulf: Concordia, Aquileja, Iadera, Scardona, and Salona.
There were grave senators and judges, who had grown grey in the councils of their towns, where their ancestors had been leaders for centuries; wise merchants, broad-shouldered proprietors, disputing jurists, mocking rhetoricians, and in particular a great number of clergy of all ranks and all ages: the only firmly organised party, and which was implicitly obedient to Silverius.
As Cethegus, still concealed behind the corner of the narrow entrance, overlooked the groups a.s.sembled in the rotunda of the grotto, he could not restrain a contemptuous smile, which, however, ended in a sigh.
Excepting the general dislike to the barbarians--which, however, was by no means strong enough to support the sacrifices and self-denial necessary to the accomplishment of difficult political plans--what different and often what small motives had led these men together!
Cethegus knew exactly the motives of each individual: had he not been able to influence them by taking advantage of their foibles? And, after all, he could not but rejoice at this, for he could never have brought true Romans so completely under his influence as he had done these conspirators.
But as he now looked at the a.s.sembled patriots, and reflected how one had been induced to join the discontented, in the hope of a t.i.tle from Byzantium; another by bribery; another from revenge or on account of some personal offence, or even from tedium, or debts, or some foolish dilemma; and when he told himself that with _such_ colleagues he must meet the warriors of the Gothic army--he almost shrank from the temerity of his plan.
It was some relief to him, when the clear voice of Lucius Licinius attracted his looks to the troop of young ”knights,” whose truly martial courage and national enthusiasm were expressed on their features; there at least he had a few trustworthy weapons.
”Welcome! Lucius Licinius,” he said, as he stepped out of the darkness of the pa.s.sage, ”Ha, ha! you are mailed and armed as if we were going straight from hence to meet the barbarians!”
”I can scarcely contain myself for joy and hate!” cried the handsome youth. ”Look here, all these I have won for you, for the cause of the fatherland.”
Cethegus looked round and greeted the others.
”You here also, Kallistratos? you merry son of peace!”
”h.e.l.las will not desert her sister Italia in the hour of danger,” said the Greek, and laid his white hand upon his elegant, ivory-hilted sword.
Cethegus nodded to him and turned to the rest; Marcus Licinius, Piso, Ma.s.surius, Balbus, who, completely won for the Prefect since the feast of the Floralia, had brought with them their brothers, cousins, and friends.