This is Post #4 of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s historical
novel, Quo Vadis.
You can find Post #1 here.
Post #2, here.
And Post #3 here.
Chapters 21 thru 27
Summary
Vinicius at the sight of Lygia is frozen and feels an immense feeling of love and desire. Chilo pulls him away and suggests they go to the cemetery gate to encounter her as she leaves. But Vinicius, knowing that Croton will be his protection, insists they follow her home and grab her there. Chilo does not approve of this plan out of fear and he and Croton bicker. Croton assures them he will protect them all. After a very long walk following Lygia they arrive at a house. Vinicius and Croton approach the house while Chilo hides in an ally to watch.
The house is large with many apartments and inside a courtyard they spot Ursus. They follow Ursus and Vinicius commands Croton to attack and kill him. In a quick moment Croton puts Ursus in a wrestling lock. Vinicius leaves them fighting while he barges into the room to find Lygia. Also in a quick moment he grabs Lygia and forcibly pulls her out but when he goes out the door he finds that Ursus has smashed Croton’s head and is dead. Ursus seeing Vinicius abducting Lygia springs toward him. But Lygia screams to “Kill not!”
Meanwhile Chilo outside is wondering what is happening. If something has happened to Vinicius, he ponders, he will get the authority of Caesar upon the house. Then he sees Ursus come out to dispose of Croton’s body, and Chilo runs in fear. He concludes that Vinicius has been killed. After a time, he decides it is best to find out what has happened to Vinicius and he decides to go. But he encounters Ursus in front of his own house as he was about to leave. Ursus beckons Chilo to go to Vinicius.
What had happened to Vinicius when Lygia prevented Ursus from killing him was that Ursus had pushed him and knocked him unconscious. When he came to there were people standing above him and he found his left arm broken to the point of distortion. It had come out of the shoulder socket. Vinicius thinking they were torturing him asked to be killed. They did no such thing but tried to heal him. The Christians Crispus and Glaucus were trying to put his arm back into place. Lygia too brought in water and dressings for his wounds. The Christians worry that some retribution will be taken against them but Vinicius hoping not to lose Lygia promises that his authority will prevent that. He tells them to bring Chilo so he could arrange it. Lygia convinces Crispus to let them all stay until Vinicius is nursed back to health.
Ursus takes Chilo on that long walk to the house where Lygia is staying. On the walk the two talk about Christianity and Chilo continues to maintain the charade he is a Christian. Finally they get to the bed where Vinicius lay. Vinicius tells him a lie that Croton had tried to kill Vinicius and the Christians had protected him. Then suddenly Glaucus, who Chilo had betrayed years ago, makes himself known. Chilo now convinced he will be killed in revenge drops to his knees to beg. But to Chilo’s shock Galucus forgives him, and Ursus helps him up and leads him out.
Vinicius too is shocked that the Christians should treat Chilo with mercy. It doesn’t make sense to his pagan understanding. As he lay in bed recovering Vinicius ponders the values of the Christian people. As he is being nursed, Lygia explains how Christians are supposed to act in accordance to God. In a fever Vinicius goes in and out of dreams, dreaming of Lygia, the Apostle Peter, and the other Christians. The dreams feel like some heavenly state of goodness. When he wakes he could hear Peter telling the stories of Christ. At one point Vinicius feels his soul in a state of upheaval. Finally he dreams of drowning and being pulled into a boat navigated by Peter. And when in the dream that boat lands, Lygia takes his hand and leads him into a glow of light. When he wakes he finds Lygia on her knees praying.
The next day Vinicius awakes with Ursus nursing him. Vinicius inquires about Ursus’ homeland and Lygia’s history. She was a king’s daughter and had been given as a child to a Roman commander who in several transfers was given to Pomponia to raise. Ursus’ country was beyond the Danube filled with heavy forests, and their people are pagan. He and Lygia became Christian through Pomponia. Ursus’ awkwardness in feeding Vinicius leads him to get Lygia to take over. In feeding Vinicius while he is in bed, the closeness between he and Lygia stirs desires in both of them. Vinicius tells her that he will no longer attain her by force. She tells him that she believes Caesar is angry with her and does not think it wise to be returned to Pomponia. He asks about her Christianity and her happiness. At that moment he could see the difficulties of a relationship with her, he a patrician Roman, she a Christian. In speaking to him, she was filled with love for him. But she too realizes the difficulties of such a relationship.
She tries to not go near him as much, but when she sees him delight fills her heart. She notices that Vinicius has subtlety changed for the good. He has begun to see all the household as human beings and not slaves. Slowly he is returning to health. Christianity still seems absurd to him but the figure of Christ is paramount. He concludes that he must either love him or hate him, there could be no indifference. Lygia notices how Christianity is breaking Vinicius and she has pity for him in his struggle. When he expresses love for her, she rushes away with her heart aflame.
The next day she reveals to Crispus that she could not trust herself any longer near Vinicius. Crispus, a presbyter, severe in nature, was indignant. How could she give in to these passions? He was visibly angry and told her he was disappointed with her. Crispus’ loud, angry voice brings the attention of Peter who is then walking into the house with another apostle, Paul of Tarsus. Sobbing, Lygia explains what had happened, and to Crispus’ surprise, Peter takes the side of Lygia. He explains that Christ had forgiven many women, and that marriage was a normal thing between men and women. Crispus expresses his contrition, and he too is forgiven.
###
My
Comment:
When Ursus tells about his homeland of Lygia, I became curious to see exactly where this place is located. As it turns out Lygia was the region of the Germanic tribe the Lugii or sometimes referred to as the Lygii, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugii inhabiting central Europe “north of the Sudetes mountains in the basin of upper Oder and Vistula rivers, covering most of modern southern and middle Poland (regions of Silesia, Greater Poland, Mazovia and Lesser Poland).” That’s in Poland, Sienkiewicz’s homeland. I guess that should not be a surprise but it did surprise me. It’s quite natural for an author to integrate his homeland into a story. In modern Poland, the region would be I think Lower Silesia, whose capital is Wroclaw, and on the modern map bordering Czech Republic and eastern Germany. Sienkiewicz in the novel mentions the Lygians having battled other Germanic tribes. The Suevi and the Marcomani are mentioned. The Lygii, the Suevi, and the Marocmani are all real Germanic people. Sienkiewicz did his research well.
Kerstin
Replied:
The Suebi are the modern day Swabians. I am Swabian :-) They migrated further over the next centuries finally settling roughly south of the Limes (red line) by the 6th century, if I remember correctly.
Part of the Swabians were a people called Alamanni, and they settled the furthest south and west into modern day Switzerland and what is now Alsace in France. This is why the French call Germany Allamagne. The dialects of both are very similar.
My
Reply to Kerstin:
How cool is that Kerstin.
Italians also call Germans similarly.
By the way, I have some
background in the novel as well. The Romans keep talking about going to a city
called Beneventum. That is the modern day city of Benevento. The town in Italy
where my family is from is not very far from there, maybe a half hour drive and
it's only that long because it's winding roads in hilly areas. I've been to
Benevento and looked at the Roman ruins.
If you look at a good Italian map (and you can find it on the internet) my home town is mid way between Benevento and another small city named Avellino. Actually I was born in a hospital in Avellino.
Frances
Reply to Me:
I found it, Manny. East of Naples, on the Sabato River, in a landscape beautiful with rivers, lakes, mountains and boundless plains. What a heritage!
Michelle’s
Reply:
That's terrible!
My
Reply to Michelle:
My father’s brother? Yes. It’s hard to think of him as an uncle since I never met him. I think he was in his twenties and my father must have been some ten years younger I’m guessing. My mother still has a picture of Uncle Federico on her wall. He was supposedly a strong swimmer too, which supports the claim that more people who know how to swim drown than those who don’t. Those that know how to swim either take more chances or come across conditions they misjudge (like under currents) that might lead to drowning. My father at the beach would swim way out there, sometimes where lifeguards had to call him in, which is crazy knowing what happened to his brother. But he never drowned or needed rescue. Me, I am a poor swimmer and I tell myself every time I’m confronted with bodies of water. I no longer swim in anything but a swimming pool, and even that has become rare.
My
Comment:
I'm having a brain
freeze. Who is Bronzebeard or in some translations called Redbeard? For some
reason my memory is failing me.
Wait, is that just another name for Nero? Is that only a slang for Nero between Petronius and Vinicius?
Michelle’s
Reply:
I think someone else later on in the book referred to Nero as Bronzebeard as well.
Kerstin’s
Reply:
Yes, it's Nero. In my translation he is referred to as "Redbeard" all the time by Petronius.
###
Excerpt
from Chapter 21, Vinicuis catching sight of Lygia, the end of the ceremony, and
Vinicius, Chilo, and Croton following Lygia to her home.
Every drop of blood
quivered in the young patrician at sight of her. He forgot the crowd, the old
man, his own astonishment at the incomprehensible things which he had heard,—he
saw only her. At last, after all his efforts, after long days of alarm, trouble,
and suffering, he had found her! For the first time he realized that joy might
rush at the heart, like a wild beast, and squeeze it till breath was lost. He,
who had supposed hitherto that on "Fortuna" had been imposed a kind
of duty to accomplish all his wishes, hardly believed his own eyes now and his
own happiness. Were it not for that disbelief, his passionate nature might have
urged him to some unconsidered step; but he wished to convince himself first
that that was not the continuation of those miracles with which his head was
filled, and that he was not dreaming. But there was no doubt,—he saw Lygia, and
an interval of barely a few steps divided them. She stood in perfect light, so
that he could rejoice in the sight of her as much as he liked. The hood had
fallen from her head and dishevelled her hair; her mouth was open slightly, her
eyes raised toward the Apostle, her face fixed in listening and delighted. She
was dressed in a dark woollen mantle, like a daughter of the people, but never
had Vinicius seen her more beautiful; and notwithstanding all the disorder
which had risen in him, he was struck by the nobility of that wonderful
patrician head in distinction to the dress, almost that of a slave. Love flew
over him like a flame, immense, mixed with a marvellous feeling of yearning,
homage, honor, and desire. He felt the delight which the sight of her caused
him; he drank of her as of life-giving water after long thirst. Standing near
the gigantic Lygian, she seemed to him smaller than before, almost a child; he
noticed, too, that she had grown more slender. Her complexion had become almost
transparent; she made on him the impression of a flower, and a spirit. But all
the more did he desire to possess that woman, so different from all women whom
he had seen or possessed in Rome or the Orient. He felt that for her he would
have given them all, and with them Rome and the world in addition.
He would have lost
himself in gazing, and forgotten himself altogether, had it not been for Chilo,
who pulled the corner of his mantle, out of fear that he might do something to
expose them to danger. Meanwhile the Christians began to pray and sing. After a
while Maranatha thundered forth, and then the Great Apostle baptized with water
from the fountain those whom the presbyters presented as ready for baptism. It
seemed to Vinicius that that night would never end. He wished now to follow
Lygia as soon as possible, and seize her on the road or at her house.
At last some began to
leave the cemetery, and Chilo whispered,—"Let us go out before the gate,
lord, we have not removed our hoods, and people look at us."
Such was the case, for
during the discourse of the Apostle all had cast aside their hoods so as to
hear better, and they had not followed the general example. Chilo's advice
seemed wise, therefore. Standing before the gate, they could look at all who
passed; Ursus it was easy to recognize by his form and size.
"Let us follow
them," said Chilo; "we shall see to what house they go. To-morrow, or
rather to-day, thou wilt surround the entrances with slaves and take her."
"No!" said
Vinicius.
"What dost thou wish
to do, lord?"
"We will follow her
to the house and take her now, if thou wilt undertake that task, Croton?"
"I will,"
replied Croton, "and I will give myself to thee as a slave if I do not
break the back of that bison who is guarding her."
But Chilo fell to
dissuading and entreating them by all the gods not to do so. Croton was taken
only for defence against attack in case they were recognized, not to carry off
the girl. To take her when there were only two of them was to expose themselves
to death, and, what was worse, they might let her out of their hands, and then
she would hide in another place or leave Rome. And what could they do? Why not
act with certainty? Why expose themselves to destruction and the whole
undertaking to failure?
Though Vinicius
restrained himself with the greatest effort from seizing Lygia in his arms at
once, right there in the cemetery, he felt that the Greek was right, and would
have lent ear, perhaps, to his counsels, had it not been for Croton, to whom
reward was the question.
"Lord, command that
old goat to be silent," said he, "or let me drop my fist on his head.
Once in Buxentum, whither Lucius Saturnius took me to a play, seven drunken
gladiators fell on me at an inn, and none of them escaped with sound ribs. I do
not say to take the girl now from the crowd, for they might throw stones before
our feet, but once she is at home I will seize her, carry her away, and take
her whithersoever thou shalt indicate."
Vinicius was pleased to
hear those words, and answered,—"Thus let it be, by Hercules! To-morrow we
may not find her at home; if we surprise them they will remove the girl
surely."
"This Lygian seems
tremendously strong!" groaned Chilo.
"No one will ask
thee to hold his hands," answered Croton.
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