priestesses ran to and fro with hair dishevelled, crying on their
goddess, only to fall into the hands of Syrians, Africans, and
Gauls--vile allies, a part of Nero's guard, sent with the regular Roman
troops, to act as drunken jackals; and each of these, so far as he
could, took a virgin priestess for his mate, and no restriction was put
on them by Acratus.

The beautiful veil concealing the image of the holy goddess was pulled
down. The gold and the jewels adorning it and the great statue were torn
from their strong settings, and piled up on the marble floor.

On the sacred altar the soldiers lit their fires and cooked their
rations, and washed themselves with the water of the holy fountain
Hypelaeus--the fountain ornamented by Thrason, and the altar sacred to
the genius of Ionia. What cared those brutal marauders? Had not he who
sent them desecrated everything, even the statue of the Syrian goddess,
and laughed at it? What harm if they should do the same?

Within, the Temple was one horrible scene of lewd riot and plunder;
without, the people were rising in masses, and thousands from adjacent
towns were gathering around the city walls, and all crying loudly for
revenge; but none could enter. The Romans held the gates, and every
tower and battlement along the great red-brick walls, hard as adamant,
was crowded with glistening spears. Nothing could be done from without,
and there was little chance of help to come from within. A scheme was
proposed to burn the fleet, but this got noised abroad too early, and
the ships were moved from the wharves to the centre of the city port.

The day wore on in tumult and distress, and the people, seeing no chance
of saving the treasures of their holy place, gave way to grief, loudly
charging Saronia as the cause of all. The murder of the High Priest, her
blasphemy in the Temple, and the want of action in not killing her right
away, was the cause of the desertion of the goddess from her home.

CHAPTER XLV

REVELATION

In the Temple Varro, the Proconsul, and Acratus held counsel. They were
standing near the altar, with the last light of evening falling upon
them.

Near to the fallen image of the goddess Diana were the smaller statues
in marble, bronze, silver, and gold--lamps and paterii, vases richly
chased and candelabrii, instruments of the Temple, costly golden,
jewelled things, all were piled up in heaps.

Fro