Zenobia | Page 7

to my necessities. 'Probus,' said he, 'I
know your sorrows, and I know your wants. I have perceived that
neither your own thoughts, nor all the philosophy of your venerable
father, have brought you peace. It's not surprising: ye are but men, and
ye have but the power and the wisdom of men. It is aid from the
Divinity that you want. I will not discourse with you; but I leave with
you this book, which I simply ask you to read.' I read it--and read
it--again and again; and I am a Christian. As the Christian grew up
within me, my pains were soothed, and days, once days of tears and
unavailing complaints, are now days of calm and cheerful duty: I am a
new man.'

I cannot describe to you, my Curtius, the effect of this little narrative
upon myself, or upon those who, as he spoke, had gathered round,
especially those hard-featured soldiers. Tears flowed down their
weather-beaten faces, and one of them--Macer, as I afterward
learned--cried out: 'Where now are the gods of Rome?' Probus started
from his seat, apparently for the first time conscious of any other
listener beside myself, and joined the master of the vessel at the helm. I
resigned myself to meditation; and that night fell asleep, thinking of the
Christian and his book.
Leaving now Ostia and its fleet, greater even than that of the Tiber, five
days brought us in sight of the African shore, but quite to the west of
Utica. So, coasting along, we presently came off against Hippo, and
then doubling a promontory, both Utica and Carthage were at once
visible--Utica nearer, Carthage just discernible in the distance. All was
now noise and bustle, as we rapidly drew near the port. Many of our
passengers were to land here, and they were busily employed, with the
aid of the sailors, in collecting their merchandise or their baggage. The
soldiers destined to the African service here left us, together with the
Jew Isaac and the Christian Probus. I was sorry to lose them, as beside
them there was not one on board, except the governor of the ship, from
whose company or conversation I could derive either pleasure or
knowledge. They are both, however, destined to Palmyra, and I shall
soon expect them to join me here. You smile at my speaking thus of a
travelling Jew and a despised Christian, but in the issue you will
acknowledge your as well as my obligations to them both. I confess
myself attached to them. As the Jew turned to bid me farewell, before
he sprang on shore, he said:
'Most noble Piso, if thou forsakest the gods of Rome, let it be for the
synagogue of the children of Abraham, whose faith is not of yesterday.
Be not beguiled by the specious tongue of that heretic Probus. I can tell
thee a better story than his.'
'Fear not, honest Isaac,' I cried; 'I am not yet so weary of the faith of my
ancestors. That cannot be altogether despicable, which has had power
to bind in one mass the whole Roman people for so many ages I shall

be no easy convert to either you or Probus. Farewell, to meet in
Tadmor.'
Probus now passed me, and said: 'If I should not see you in the Eastern
capital, according to my purpose, I trust I shall in Rome. My dwelling
is in the Livian way not far from the Pantheon, opposite the
well-known house of Vitruvius, still so called; or, at the shop of the
learned Publius, I may be seen every morning, and may there be always
heard of.'
I assured him, that no affairs could be so pressing, after I should return
to Rome, as not to allow me to seek him, but that I hoped the fates
would not interpose to deprive me of the pleasure of first seeing him in
Palmyra.
So we parted. And very soon after, the merchandise and passengers
being all landed, we set sail again, and stood out to sea. I regretted that
we were not to touch at Carthage, as my desire had always been strong
to see that famous place. An adverse wind, however, setting in from the
North, drove us farther toward the city than the pilot intended to have
gone, and I thus obtained quite a satisfactory glimpse of the African
capital. I was surprised at the indications of its vastness and grandeur.
Since its attempted restoration by Augustus, it has advanced steadily to
almost its former populousness and magnificence. Nothing could be
more imposing and beautiful, than its long lines of buildings, its towers,
walls, palaces, and columns, seen through the warm and rosy mist of an
African sky. I could hardly believe that I was looking but