ce had seemed to him more wonderful than any face
which the gifted Phidias had ever carved in stone. But never in
after days could he worthily tell to Lucretia the vision he had
seen. Only in one poor sentence could he sum it up: "I have seen
for myself the risen and ascending Lord."

VI

CHRIST'S WITNESSES AT ROME

"A great multitude."--_Tacitus_.

With jubilation Quintus sees again the shores of Italy rise over
the Adriatic, and finds himself once more in his beloved Rome. The
center of magnificence and power it seems. Alter clamorous public
greetings in the Forum, there comes another welcome which happens
only in a returning soldier's life. In the palace of Marcus the
kindred of Quintus are gathered, and Lucretia also is in the
circle, to hear his great adventure.

"How wonderful it seems," the knight begins: "so many times have
your faces come to me in my dreams, but now I am fully awake and
see them once again. Hail to you all! When I was sailing away
from Brundisium, the augur foretold for me an unusual experience.
In the Jewish life beyond the Sea I have learned much, if that were
the fulfillment. But, most of all, I have come back with a new
religious faith. In Judaea, as you must have heard, a certain
Galilaean has called himself the Son of the one true God. He has
spoken of a future life for men; and he has now risen from the
grave, after his torture on a cross, to prove his doctrine true. I
now believe in him, as the interpreter of the future life.
Forevermore he is my High Priest, and not the great pontifex in the
temple of your Jupiter."

Brave words they are. There in the great hall of Marcus, with the
sunlight shining on the gorgeous palaces of the Caesars, the Temple
of Apollo, and all else which crowns the Palatine, the noble
Quintus confesses his new belief. Come what will the consequences!

Then, while they hear in amazement, he further says; "Most inviting
is this new creed. Our wise Roman scholars, as well as those in
Greece, have only been guessers about the future life. But the
Christus speaks as one who has come from the heavens. Those who
keep his commandments are to dwell with him forevermore in eternal
joy. Everywhere through Judaea men are becoming his followers, and
the wide world is to believe on him. Perhaps you also, my
cherished ones, will come to accept his teaching of the future
life."

So Quintus speaks, with his vibrant voice and with a strange l