Standard Selections | Page 3

493
Rip Van Winkle, Act I, Scene I; Act II, Scene I Irving. 449
Rivals, The, Act I, Scene 2; Act II, Scene I; Act III, Scene I; Act IV,
Scene 2 Sheridan. 454
Set of Turquoise, The, Act I, Scene I; Act I, Scene 2 Aldrich. 478
She Stoops to Conquer, Act II, Scene I Goldsmith. 486
INDEX OF AUTHORS 509

STANDARD SELECTIONS

I
NARRATIVE, DESCRIPTIVE, PATHETIC

THE ARENA SCENE FROM "QUO VADIS"[1]
HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ
The Roman Empire in the first century presents the most revolting
picture of mankind to be found in the pages of history. Society founded
on superior force, on the most barbarous cruelty, on crime and mad
profligacy, was corrupt beyond the power of words to describe. Rome
ruled the world, but was also its ulcer, and the horrible monster, Nero,
guilty of all hideous and revolting crimes, seems a fit monarch for such
a people.

A few years ago appeared "Quo Vadis?" the story from which this
selection is made. The book attained so great a popularity, that it was
translated into almost every tongue. In spite of its many faults, it
invited the attention, and, although it shocked the sensibilities, when its
great purpose was understood it melted the heart.
The author drew a startlingly vivid and horrible picture of humanity at
this lowest stage, and in conflict with it he showed us the Christ spirit.
The extract is the story of how the young Vinicius, a patrician, a soldier,
a courtier of Nero, through the labyrinth of foul sin, of self-worship and
self-indulgence, with love for his guide, found his way home to the feet
of Him who commanded, "Be ye pure even as I am pure."
It is the love story of Vinicius and the Princess Lygia, a convert to
Christ. The girl's happy and innocent life was rudely disturbed by a
summons to the court of the profligate emperor. Arrived there, she
found that Nero had given her to Vinicius, who had fallen passionately
in love with her; but on the way to Vinicius' house she was rescued by
the giant Ursus, one of her devoted attendants and a member of her
own faith. They escaped in safety to the Christians, who were living in
hiding in the city.
The imperious nature of the youthful soldier for the first time in his life
met resistance. He was so transported with rage and disappointment
that he ordered the slaves from whom Lygia had escaped to be flogged
to death, while he set out to find the girl who had dared to thwart his
desire. His egotism was so great that he would have seen the city and
the whole world sunk in ruins rather than fail of his purpose. For days
and days his search was unceasing, and at last he found Lygia, but in
making a second attempt to carry her off was severely wounded by the
giant Ursus. Finding himself helpless in the Christians' hands, he
expected nothing but death; but instead he was carefully and tenderly
nursed back to health. Waking from his delirium, he found at his
bedside Lygia--Lygia, whom he had most injured, watching alone,
while the others had gone to rest. Gradually in his pagan head the idea
began to hatch with difficulty that at the side of naked beauty,
confident and proud of Greek and Roman symmetry, there is another in

the world, new, immensely pure, in which a soul resides. As the days
went by, Vinicius was thrilled to the very depths of his soul by the
consciousness that Lygia was learning to love him. With that revelation
came the certain conviction that his religion would forever make an
inseparable barrier between them. Then he hated Christianity with all
the powers of his soul, yet he could not but acknowledge that it had
adorned Lygia with that exceptional, unexplained beauty, which was
producing in his heart besides love, respect; besides desire, homage.
Yet, when he thought of accepting the religion of the Nazarene, all the
Roman in him rose up in revolt against the idea. He knew that if he
were to accept that teaching he would have to throw, as on a burning
pile, all his thoughts, ideas, ambitions, habits of life, his very nature up
to that moment, burn them into ashes and fill himself with an entirely
new life, and from his soul he cried that it was impossible; it was
impossible!
Before Vinicius had entirely recovered Nero commanded his presence
at Antium, whither the court was going for the hot summer months.
Nero was ambitious to write an immortal epic poem which should rival
the "Odyssey," and in order that he might describe realistically a
burning city, gave a secret command while he was in Antium that
Rome