to live and die, and what more they will be
able to do is unknown."

These words struck Vinicius; and when he returned home, he began to
think that in truth, perhaps, the goodness and charity of Christians was
a proof of their incompetience of soul. It seemed to him that people
of strength and temper could not forgive thus. It came to his head that
this must be the real cause of the repulsion which his Roman soul
felt toward their teaching. "We shall be able to live and die!" said
Petronius. As to them, they know only how to forgive, and understand
neither true love nor true hatred.

Chapter XXX

Caesar, on returning to Rome, was angry because he had returned, and
after some days was filled anew with a wish to visit Achaea. He even
issued an edict in which he declared that his absence would be short,
and that public affairs would not be exposed to detriment because of it.
In company with Augustians, among whom was Vinicius, he repaired to the
Capitol to make offerings to the gods for an auspicious journey. But on
the second day, when he visited the temple of Vesta, an event took place
which changed all his projects. Nero feared the gods, though he did not
believe in them; he feared especially the mysterious Vesta, who filled
him with such awe that at sight of the divinity and the sacred fire his
hair rose on a sudden from terror, his teeth chattered, a shiver
ran through his limbs, and he dropped into the arms of Vinicius, who
happened there behind him. He was borne out of the temple at once, and
conveyed to the Palatine, where he recovered soon, but did not leave the
bed for that day. He declared, moreover, to the great astonishment of
those present, that he deferred his journey, since the divinity had
warned him secretly against haste. An hour later it was announced
throughout Rome that Caesar, seeing the gloomy faces of the citizens, and
moved by love for them, as a father for his children, would remain
to share their lot and their pleasures. The people, rejoiced at
this decision, and certain also that they would not miss games and
a distribution of wheat, assembled in crowds before the gates of
the Palatine, and raised shouts in honor of the divine Caesar, who
interrupted the play at dice with which he was amusing himself with
Augustians, and said:

"Yes, there was need to defer the journey. Egypt, and predicted dominion
over the Orient, cannot escape me; hence Achaea, too, will not be lost.
I will give