Dialis. He was a
wealthy, easy-going man, generally popular, with no appetite for
persecution at all, but still no desire to be persecuted. He had more than
tolerated the Christians, and had at this time a Christian among his
slaves. This was a Greek, a splendid cook and perfumer, and he would not
have lost him for a large sum of money. However, life and limb were nearer
to him even than his dinner, and a Jonah must be cast overboard to save
the ship. In trepidation, yet with greater satisfaction, his
fellow-domestics thrust the poor helpless man out of the house, and
secured the door behind him. He was a man of middle age, of a grave
aspect, and he looked silently and calmly upon the infuriated and yelling
multitude, who were swarming up the hill about him, and swelling the
number of his persecutors. What had been his prospects, had he remained in
his earthly master's service? his fill of meat and drink while he was
strong and skilful, the stocks or scourge if he ever failed to please him,
and the old age and death of the worn-out hack who once has caracoled in
the procession, or snorted at the coming fight. What are his prospects
now? a moment's agony, a martyr's death, and the everlasting beatific
vision of Him for whom he died. The multitude cry out, "To the ass or to
the lion!" worship the ass, or fight the lion. He was dragged to the ass's
head and commanded to kneel down before the irrational beast. In the
course of a minute he had lifted up his eyes to heaven, had signed himself
with the cross, had confessed his Saviour, and had been torn to pieces by
the multitude. They anticipated the lion of the amphitheatre.

A lull followed, sure to be succeeded by a fresh storm. Not every
household had a Christian cook to make a victim of. Plunder, riot, and
outrage were becoming the order of the day; successive messengers were
sent up in breathless haste to the capitol and the camp for aid, but the
Romans returned for answer that they had enough to do in defending the
government buildings and offices. They suggested measures, however, for
putting the mob on a false scent, or involving them in some difficult or
tedious enterprise, which would give the authorities time for
deliberation, and for taking the rioters at disadvantage. If the
magistrates could get them out of the city, it would be a great point;
they could then shut the gates upon them, and deal with them as they
would. In that case, too, the insurgents would stra