Callista : a Tale of the Third Century

by John Henry Newman

  CHAPTER IX.

  JUCUNDUS BAITS HIS TRAP.

  Agellius is busily employed upon his farm. While the enemies of his faithare laying their toils for him and his brethren in the imperial city, inthe proconsular _officium_, and in the municipal curia,--while Jucundus isscheming against him personally in another way and with otherintentions,--the unconscious object of these machinations is busy about hismaster's crops, housing the corn in caves or pits, distilling the roses,irrigating the _khennah_, and training and sheltering the vines. And hedoes so, not only from a sense of duty, but the more assiduously, becausehe finds in constant employment a protection against himself, against idlethoughts, wayward wishes, discontent, and despondency. It is doubtlessvery strange to the reader how any one who professed himself a Christianin good earnest should be open to the imputation of resting his hopes andhis heart in the tents of paganism; but we do not see why Agellius has notquite as much right to be inconsistent in one way as Christians of thepresent time in another, and perhaps he has more to say for himself thanthey. They have not had the trial of solitude, nor the consequenttemptation to which he has been exposed, of seeking relief from his ownthoughts in the company of unbelievers. When a boy he had received hiseducation at that school in the Temple of Mercury of which we heard in theforegoing chapter; and though happily he had preserved himself from thecontagion of idolatry and sin, he had on that very account formed nofriendships with his schoolfellows. Whether there were any Christiansthere besides himself he did not know; but while the worst of hisschoolfellows were what heathen boys may be supposed to be, the lightestcensure which could be passed on any was that they were greedy, orquarrelsome, or otherwise unamiable. He had learned there enough to openhis mind, and to give him materials for thinking, and instruments forreflecting on his own religion, and for drawing out into shape his ownreflections. He had received just that discipline which makes solitudemost pleasant to the old, and most insupportable to the young. He had gota thousand questions which needed answers, a thousand feelings whichneeded sympathy. He wanted to know whether his guesses, his perplexities,his trials of mind, were peculiar to himself, or how far they were sharedby others, and what they were worth. He had capabilities for intellectualenjoyment unexercised, and a thirst after knowledge unsatisfied. And thechannels of supernatural assistance were removed from him at a time whennature was most impetuous and most clamorous.

  It was under circumstances such as these that two young Greeks, brotherand sister, the brother older, the sister younger, than Agellius, came toSicca at the invitation of Jucundus, who wanted them for his trade. Hisnephew in time got acquainted with them, and found in them what he hadsought in vain elsewhere. It is not that they were oracles of wisdom orrepositories of philosophical learning; their age and their callingforbade it, nor did he require it. For an oracle, of course, he would havelooked in another direction; but he desiderated something more on a levelwith himself, and that they abundantly supplied. He found, from hisconversations with them, that a great number of the questions which hadbeen a difficulty to him had already been agitated in the schools ofGreece. He found what solutions were possible, what the hinge was on whichquestions turned, what the issue to which they led, and what the principlewhich lay at the bottom of them. He began better to understand theposition of Christianity in the world of thought, and the view which wastaken of it by the advocates of other religions or philosophies. He gainedsome insight into its logic, and advanced, without knowing it, in theinvestigation of its evidences.

  Nor was this all; he acquired by means of his new friends a great dealalso of secular knowledge as well as philosophical. He learned much of thehistory of foreign countries, especially of Greece, of its heroes andsages, its poets and its statesmen, of Alexander, of the Syro-Macedonicempire, of the Jews, and of the series of conquests through which Romeadvanced to universal dominion.

  To impart knowledge is as interesting as to acquire it; and Agellius wascalled upon to give as well as to take. The brother and sister, withoutshowing any great religious earnestness, were curious to know aboutChristianity, and listened with the more patience that they had no specialattachment to any other worship. In the debates which ensued, though therewas no agreement, there was the pleasure of mental exercise andexcitement; he found enough to tell them without touching upon the moresacred mysteries; and while he never felt his personal faith at allendangered by their free conversation, his charity, or at least hisgood-will and his gratitude, led him to hope, or even to think, that theywere in the way of conversion themselves. In this thought he was aided byhis own innocence and simplicity; and though, on looking back afterwardsto this eventful season, he recognized many trivial occurrences whichought to have put him on his guard, yet he had no suspicion at the timethat those who conversed so winningly, and sustained so gracefully andhappily the commerce of thought and sentiment, might in their actualstate, nay, in their governing principles, be in utter contrariety tohimself when the veil was removed from off their hearts.

  Nor was it in serious matters alone, but still more on lighter occasionsof intercourse, that Aristo and Callista were attractive to the solitaryAgellius. She had a sweet thrilling voice, and accompanied herself on thelyre. She could act the _improvisatrice_, and her expressive features werea running commentary on the varied meaning, the sunshine and the shade, ofher ode or her epic. She could relate how the profane Pentheus and theself-glorious Hippolytus gave a lesson to the world of the feebleness ofhuman virtue when it placed itself in opposition to divine power. Shecould teach how the chaste Diana manifests herself to the simple shepherdEndymion, not to the great or learned; and how Tithonus, the spouse of theMorn, adumbrates the fate of those who revel in their youth, as if it wereto last for ever; and who, when old, do nothing but talk of the days whenthey were young, wearying others with tales of "their amours or theirexploits, like grasshoppers that show their vigour only by theirchirping."(3) The very allegories which sickened and irritated Arnobiuswhen spouted out by Polemo, touched the very chords of poor Agellius'sheart when breathed forth from the lips of the beautiful Greek.

  She could act also; and suddenly, when conversation flagged or suggestedit, she could throw herself into the part of Medea or Antigone, with aforce and truth which far surpassed the effect produced by the male andmasked representations of those characters at the theatre. Brother andsister were OEdipus and Antigone, Electra and Orestes, Cassandra and theChorus. Once or twice they attempted a scene in Menander; but there wassomething which made Agellius shrink from the comedy, beautiful as it was,and clever as was the representation. Callista could act Thais as truly asIphigenia, but Agellius could not listen as composedly. There are certainmost delicate instincts and perceptions in us which act as firstprinciples, and which, once effaced, can never, except from somesupernatural source, be restored to the mind. When men are in a state ofnature, these are sinned against, and vanish very soon, at so early a datein the history of the individual that perhaps he does not recollect thathe ever possessed them; and since, like other first principles, they arebut very partially capable of proof, a general scepticism prevails both asto their existence and their truth. The Greeks, partly from the vivacityof their intellect, partly from their passion for the beautiful, lostthese celestial adumbrations sooner than other nations. When a collisionarose on such matters between Agellius and his friends, Callista keptsilence; but Aristo was not slow to express his wonder that the youngChristian should think customs or practices wrong which, in his view ofthe matter, were as unblamable and natural as eating, drinking, orsleeping. His own face became almost satirical as Agellius's became grave;however, he was too companionable and good-natured to force another to behappy in his own way; he imputed to the extravagance of his friend'sreligion what in any but a Christian he would have called moroseness andmisanthropy; and he bade his sister give over representations which,instead of enlivening the passing hour, did but inflict pain.

  This friendly
intercourse had now gone on for some months, as the leisureof both parties admitted. Once or twice brother and sister had come to thesuburban farm; but for the most part, in spite of his intense dislike ofthe city, he had for their sake threaded its crowded and narrowthoroughfares, crossed its open places, and presented himself at theirapartments. And was it very strange that a youth so utterly ignorant ofthe world, and unsuspicious of evil, should not have heard the warningvoice which called him to separate himself from heathenism, even in itsmost specious form? Was it very strange, under these circumstances, that asanguine hope, the hope of the youthful, should have led Agellius tooverlook obstacles, and beguile himself into the notion that Callistamight be converted, and make a good Christian wife? Well, we have nothingmore to say for him; if we have not already succeeded in extenuating hisoffence, we must leave him to the mercy, or rather to the justice, of hisseverely virtuous censors.

  But all this while Jucundus had been conversing with him; and, unless weare quick about it, we shall lose several particulars which are necessaryfor those who wish to pursue without a break the thread of his history.His uncle had brought the conversation round to the delicate point whichhad occasioned his visit, and had just broken the ice. With greater tact,and more ample poetical resources than we should have given him creditfor, he had been led from the scene before him to those prospects of amoral and social character which ought soon to employ the thoughts of hisdear Agellius. He had spoken of vines and of their culture, _apropos_ ofthe dwarf vines around him, which stood about the height of acurrant-bush. Thence he had proceeded to the subject of the more commonvine of Africa, which crept and crawled along the ground, the extremity ofeach plant resting in succession on the stock of that which immediatelypreceded it. And now, being well into his subject, he called to mind thehigh vine of Italy, which mounts by the support of the slim tree to whichit clings. Then he quoted Horace on the subject of the marriage of the elmand the vine. This lodged him _in medias res_; and Agellius's heart beatwhen he found his uncle proposing to him, as a thought of his own, thevery step which he had fancied was almost a secret of his own breast,though Juba had seemed to have some suspicion of it.

  "My dear Agellius," said Jucundus, "it would be a most suitableproceeding. I have never taken to marrying myself; it has not lain in myway, or been to my taste. Your father did not set me an encouragingexample; but here you are living by yourself, in this odd fashion, unlikeany one else. Perhaps you may come in time and live in Sicca. We shallfind some way of employing you, and it will be pleasant to have you nearme as I get old. However, I mean it to be some time yet before Charonmakes a prize of me; not that I believe all that rubbish more than you,Agellius, I assure you."

  "It strikes me," Agellius began, "that perhaps you may think itinconsistent in me taking such a step, but--"

  "Ay, ay, that's the rub," thought Jucundus; then aloud, "Inconsistent, myboy! who talks of inconsistency? what superfine jackanapes dares to callit inconsistent? You seem made for each other, Agellius--she town, youcountry; she so clever and attractive, and up to the world, you so freshand Arcadian. You'll be quite the talk of the place."

  "That's just what I don't want to be," said Agellius. "I mean to say," hecontinued, "that if I thought it inconsistent with my religion to think ofCallista--"

  "Of course, of course," interrupted his uncle, who took his cue from Juba,and was afraid of the workings of Agellius's human respect; "but who knowsyou have been a Christian? no one knows anything about it. I'll be boundthey all think you an honest fellow like themselves, a worshipper of thegods, without crotchets or hobbies of any kind. I never told them to thecontrary. My opinion is, that if you were to make your libation to Jove,and throw incense upon the imperial altar to-morrow, no one would think itextraordinary. They would say for certain that they had seen you do itagain and again. Don't fancy for an instant, my dear Agellius, that youhave anything whatever to get over."

  Agellius was getting awkward and mortified, as may be easily conceived,and Jucundus saw it, but could not make out why. "My dear uncle," said theyouth, "you are reproaching me."

  "Not a bit of it," said Jucundus, confidently, "not a shadow of reproach;why should I reproach you? We can't be wise all at once; _I_ had myfollies once, as you may have had yours. It's natural you should grow moreattached to things as they are,--things as they are, you know,--as time goeson. Marriage, and the preparation for marriage, sobers a man. You've beena little headstrong, I can't deny, and had your fling in your own way; but'nuces pueris,' as you will soon be saying yourself on a certain occasion.Your next business is to consider what kind of a marriage you propose. Isuppose the Roman, but there is great room for choice even there."

  It is a proverb how different things are in theory and when reduced topractice. Agellius had thought of the end more than of the means, and hadhad a vision of Callista as a Christian, when the question of rites andforms would have been answered by the decision of the Church without histrouble. He _was_ somewhat sobered by the question, though in a differentway from what his uncle wished and intended.

  Jucundus proceeded--"First, there is _matrimonium confarreationis_. Youhave nothing to do with that: strictly speaking, it is obsolete; it wentout with the exclusiveness of the old patricians. I say 'strictlyspeaking'; for the ceremonies remain, waiving the formal religious rite.Well, my dear Agellius, I don't recommend this ceremonial to you. You'dhave to kill a porker, to take out the entrails, to put away the gall, andto present it to Juno Pronuba. And there's fire, too, and water, andfrankincense, and a great deal of the same kind, which I thinkundesirable, and you would too; for there, I am sure, we are agreed. Weput this aside then, the religious marriage. Next comes the marriage _excoemptione_, a sort of mercantile transaction. In this case the partiesbuy each other, and become each other's property. Well, every man to histaste; but for me, I don't like to be bought and sold. I like to be my ownmaster, and am suspicious of anything irrevocable. Why should you commityourself (do you see?) for ever, _for ever_, to a girl you know so littleof? Don't look surprised: it's common sense. It's very well to buy _her_;but to be bought, that's quite another matter. And I don't know that youcan. Being a Roman citizen yourself, you can only make a marriage with acitizen; now the question is whether Callista is a citizen at all. I knowperfectly well the sweeping measure some years back of Caracalla, whichmade all freemen citizens of Rome, whatever might be their country; butthat measure has never been carried out in fact. You'd have very greatdifficulty with the law and the customs of the country; and then, afterall, if the world were willing to gratify you, where's your proof she is afreewoman? My dear boy, I must speak out for your good, though you'reoffended with me. I wish you to have her, I do; but you can't doimpossibilities--you can't alter facts. The laws of the empire allow you tohave her in a certain definite way, and no other; and you cannot help thelaw being what it is. I say all this, even on the supposition of her beinga freewoman; but it is just possible she may be in law a slave. Don'tstart in that way; the pretty thing is neither better nor worse for whatshe cannot help. I say it for your good. Well, now I'm coming to my point.There is a third kind of marriage, and that is what I should recommend foryou. It's the _matrimonium ex usu_, or _consuetudine_; the great advantagehere is, that you have no ceremonies whatever, nothing which can in anyway startle your sensitive mind. In that case, a couple are at length manand wife _praescriptione_. You are afraid of making a stir in Sicca; inthis case you would make none. You would simply take her home here; if, astime went on, you got on well together, it would be a marriage; ifnot,"--and he shrugged his shoulders--"no harm's done; you are both free."

  Agellius had been sitting on a gate of one of the vineyards; he started onhis feet, threw up his arms, and made an exclamation.

  "Listen, listen, my dear boy!" cried Jucundus, hastening to explain whathe considered the cause of his sudden annoyance; "listen, just one moment,Agellius, if you can. Dear, dear, how I wish I knew where to find you!What _is_ the matter? I'm not treating her ill, I'
m not indeed. I have nothad any notion at all even of hinting that you should leave her, unlessyou both wished the bargain rescinded. No, but it is a great rise for her;you are a Roman, with property, with position in the place; she's astranger, and without a dower: nobody knows whence she came, or anythingabout her. She ought to have no difficulty about it, and I am confidentwill have none."

  "O my good, dear uncle! O Jucundus, Jucundus!" cried Agellius, "is itpossible? do my ears hear right? What is it you ask me to do?" and heburst into tears. "Is it conceivable," he said, with energy, "that you arein earnest in recommending me--I say in recommending me--a marriage whichreally would be no marriage at all?"

  "Here is some very great mistake," said Jucundus, angrily; "it arises,Agellius, from your ignorance of the world. You must be thinking Irecommend you mere _contubernium_, as the lawyers call it. Well, I confessI did think of that for a moment, it occurred to me; I should have likedto have mentioned it, but knowing how preposterously touchy and skittishyou are on supposed points of honour, or sentiment, or romance, or ofsomething or other indescribable, I said not one word about that. I haveonly wished to consult for your comfort, present and future. You don't dome justice, Agellius. I have been attempting to smooth your way. You_must_ act according to the received usages of society! you cannot make aworld for yourself. Here have I proposed three or four ways for yourproceeding: you will have none of them. What _will_ you have? I thoughtyou didn't like ceremonies; I thought you did not like the establishedways. Go, then, do it in the old fashion; kill your sheep, knead yourmeal, light your torches, sing your song, summon your flamen, if he'llcome. Any how, take your choice; do it either with religion or without."

  "O Jucundus!" said the poor fellow, "am I then come to this?" and he couldsay no more.

  His distress was not greater than his uncle's disappointment, perplexity,and annoyance. The latter had been making everything easy for Agellius,and he was striking, do what he would, on hidden, inexplicableimpediments, whichever way he moved. He got more and more angry the morehe thought about it. An unreasonable, irrational coxcomb! He had heard agreat deal of the portentous stubbornness of a Christian, and now heunderstood what it was. It was in his blood, he saw; an offensive, sourhumour, tainting him from head to foot. A very different recompense had hedeserved. There had he come all the way from his home from purelydisinterested feelings. He had no motive whatever, but a simple desire ofhis nephew's welfare; what other motive could he have? "Let Agellius go tothe crows," he thought, "if he will; what is it to me if he is seized fora Christian, hung up like a dog, or thrown like a dead rat into the_cloaca_ of the prison? What care I if he is made a hyaena's breakfast inthe amphitheatre, all Sicca looking on, or if he is nailed on a cross forthe birds to peck at before my door? Ungrateful puppy! it is no earthlyconcern of mine what becomes of him. I shall be neither better nor worse.No one will say a word against Jucundus; he will not lose a singlecustomer, or be shunned by a single jolly companion, for the exposure ofhis nephew. But a man can't be saved against his will. Here am I, full ofexpedients and resources for his good; there is he, throwing cold water oneverything, and making difficulties as if he loved them. It's hisabominable pride, that's the pith of the matter. He could not have behavedworse though I had played the bully with him, and had reproached him withhis Christianity. But I have studiously avoided every subject which couldput his back up. He's a very Typhon or Enceladus for pride. Here he'd givehis ears to have done with Christianity; he wants to have this Callista;he wants to buy her at the price of his religion; but he'd rather beburned than say, I've changed! Let him reap as he has sown; why should Icoax him further to be merciful to himself? Well Agellius," he said aloud,"I'm going back."

  Agellius, on the other hand, had his own thoughts; and the most urgent ofthem at the moment was sorrow that he had hurt his uncle. He was sincerelyattached to him, in consequence of his faithful guardianship, his manyacts of kindness, the reminiscences of childhood, nay, the love he bore tothe good points of his character. To him he owed his education and hisrespectable position. He could not bear his anger, and he had a fear ofhis authority; but what was to be done? Jucundus, in utter insensibilityto certain instincts and rules which in Christianity are first principles,had, without intending it, been greatly dishonouring Agellius, and hispassion, and the object of it. Uncle and nephew had been treading on eachother's toes, and each was wincing under the mischance. It was Agellius'splace, as the younger, to make advances, if he could, to an adjustment ofthe misunderstanding; and he wished to find some middle way. And, also, itis evident he had another inducement besides his tenderness to Jucundus tourge him to do so. In truth, Callista exerted a tremendous sway over him.The conversation which had just passed ought to have opened his eyes, andmade him understand that the very first step in any negotiations betweenthem was her _bona fide_ conversion. It was evident he could not, heliterally had not the power of marrying her as a heathen. Roman mightmarry a Roman; but a degradation of each party in the transaction was theonly way by which a Roman could make any sort of marriage with a Greek. Ifshe were converted, they would be both of them under the rules of theCatholic Church. But what prospect was there of so happy an event? Whathad ever fallen from her lips which looked that way? Could not a clevergirl throw herself into the part of Alcestis, or chant the majestic versesof Cleanthes, or extemporize a hymn upon the spring, or hold an argumenton the _pulchrum_ and _utile_, without having any leaning towardsChristianity? A calm, sweet voice, a noble air, an expressive countenance,refined and decorous manners, were these specific indications of heavenlygrace? Ah, poor Agellius! a fascination is upon you; and so you arethinking of some middle term, which is to reconcile your uncle and you;and therefore you begin as follows:--

  "I see by your silence, Jucundus, that you are displeased with me, you whoare always so kind. Well, it comes from my ignorance of things; it doesindeed. I ask your forgiveness for anything which seemed ungrateful in mybehaviour, though there is not ingratitude in my heart. I am too much of aboy to see things beforehand, and to see them in all their bearings. Youtook me by surprise by talking on the subject which led to ourmisunderstanding. I will not conceal for an instant that I like Callistavery much; and that the more I see her, I like her the more. It strikes methat, if you break the matter to Aristo, he and I might have some talktogether, and understand each other."

  Jucundus was hot-tempered, but easily pacified; and he really did wish tobe on confidential terms with his nephew at the present crisis; so hecaught at his apology. "Now you speak like a reasonable fellow, Agellius,"he answered. "Certainly, I will speak to Aristo, as you wish; and on thisquestion of _consuetudo_ or prescription. Well, don't begin looking queeragain. I mean I will speak to him on the whole question and its details.He and I will talk together for our respective principals. We shall sooncome to terms, I warrant you; and then _you_ shall talk with him. Come,show me round your fields," he continued, "and let me see how you will beable to present things to your bride. A very pretty property it is. I itwas who was the means of your father thinking of it. You have heard me sayso before now, and all the circumstances.

  "He was at Carthage at this time, undecided what to do with himself. It sohappened that Julia Clara's estates were just then in the market. Anenormous windfall her estates were. Old Didius was emperor just before mytime; he gave all his estates to his daughter as soon as he assumed thepurple. Poor lady! she did not enjoy them long; Severus confiscated thewhole, not, however, for the benefit of the state, but of the _resprivata_. They are so large in Africa alone, that, as you know, you areunder a special procurator. Well, they did not come into the market atonce; the existing farmers were retained. Marcus Juventius farmed a veryconsiderable portion of them; they were contiguous, and dovetailed intohis own lands, and accordingly, when he got into trouble, and had to sellhis leases, there were certain odds and ends about Sicca which it wasproposed to lease piecemeal. Your employer, Varius, would have given anymoney for them, but I was beforehand with him. Nothing like
being on thespot; he was on business of the proconsul at Adrumetum. I sent off Hispainstantly to Strabo; not an hour's delay after I heard of it. The sale wasat Carthage; he went to his old commander, who used his influence, and thething was done.

  "I venture to say there's not such a snug little farm in all Africa; and Iam sanguine we shall get a renewal, though Varius will do his utmost tooutbid us. Ah, my dear Agellius, if there is but a suspicion you are not athorough-going Roman! Well, well,--here! ease me through this gate,Agellius; I don't know what's come to the gate since I was here.Indeed!--yes! you have improved this very much. That small arbour isdelicious; but you want an image, an Apollo or a Diana. Ah! do now stopfor a moment; why are you going forward at such a pace? I'll give you animage: it shall be one that you will really like. Well, you won't have it?I beg you ten thousand pardons. Ha, ha! I mean nothing. Ha, ha, ha! Oh,what an odd world it is! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Well, I am keeping you fromyour labourers. Ha, ha, ha!"

  And having thus smoothed his own ruffled temper, and set things right, ashe considered, with Agellius, the old pagan took his journey homewards,assuring Agellius that he would make all things clear for him in a veryshort time, and telling him to be sure to make a call upon Aristo beforethe ensuing calends.