on which the centurion lived. At the sight of a centurion in the armour of the Prætorians, and a boy who wore a golden bulla, and whom some of them recognised as a son of the brave general Vespasian, the crowd made way. As they passed by, Titus noticed the youth's distress, and, compassionate as usual, begged Pudens to ask what was the matter. The vigiles briefly explained how they had seized their prisoner, who must have been guilty of the lead-stealing complained of, for the axe was in his hand, and no one else was near.

'What have you to say for yourself?' asked the centurion. 'I am innocent,' said the prisoner, in Greek; 'the axe is not mine. I only picked it up to look at it. It must have been a young student who was using it, for I saw him run out of the Forum with his slave.'

Pudens and Titus exchanged glances, for they had met the student and slave still hurrying rapidly along. He was the real culprit, but he had heard the silversmiths call for the police, and had taken to his heels. Pudens had seen him stop at the house of a knight a street or two distant, and run up the steps with a speed which a Roman regarded as very undignified.

'Come with me,' he said to the police, and I think I can take you to the real offender. This youth is innocent, though things look against him.'

Followed by the crowd, who grumbled a little at losing the enjoyment of watching the trial, Pudens led them to the knight's house. The little slave was amusing himself with hopping to and fro under the vestibule.

'Keep back, Quirites,' said the head vigil. The centurion and I will ask a question here.'

'Do you know this axe, my small salaputium1?' said Pudens.

'Yes,' said the child with alacrity, for he was too young to understand the situation. 'It is ours. We dropped it not long ago.'

The case is clear,' said Pudens. I will be witness;' and he offered his ears for the officer to touch.2 Meanwhile you

can set this youth free.'

1 Salaputium, hop-o'-my-thumb.'

2 To offer the ears to be touched was a sign of willingness to give witness. See Hor. Sat. ix. 77; and for the reason of the custom, Pliny, N. H. xi. 103.

The officer touched his ear with the recognised formula. 'Remember, you will be my witness in this case.'

The student was arrested, but his father got him off by a large secret bribe to the police and to the silversmiths. The crowd dispersed, and Pudens and Titus, without waiting to watch the issue of the affair, turned their steps towards the Vicus Apollinis, which led to the Palace.

Soon afterwards they heard footsteps behind them, and, turning round, saw the youth whom they had rescued.

'What more do you want?' said Pudens, in answer to his eager, appealing look. I have got you out of your trouble; is not that enough?'

'I am weak, and hungry, and a stranger,' said the youth, humbly.

'He wants money,' whispered Titus, and drawing a denarius from the breast of his toga, he put it into his hand.

But, kneeling down, the stranger seized the hem of the scarlet sagum which Pudens happened to be wearing, and kissing it, exclaimed, 'Oh, sir, take me into your household! I will do anything!'

'Who are you?'

'My name is Onesimus.'

A good name, and of good omen.1 What are you? You look like a slave. Not a runaway slave, I hope?'

'No sir,' said Onesimus, to whom a lie came as easy as to most of his race. 'I lived at Colossæ. I was kidnapped by a slave-dealer, but I escaped.'

'And you want to go back to Colossæ ?'

'No sir. I am left an orphan. I want to earn my living here.'

'Take him,' said Titus. You have plenty of room for an extra slave, and I like his looks.'

But Pudens hesitated.

'A Phrygian slave!' he said;' why even proverbs warn me against him.' He quoted two, sotto voce, to Titus 'Worst of the Mysians,' used of persons despicably bad; and More cowardly than a Phrygian hare.'

'Well,' said Titus, I will give you proverb for proverb; Phrygians are improved by scourging."

"2

1'Ovhouos, profitable.' St. Paul plays on the meaning of the name in Philemon, 10, 11.

2 Cic. Pro Flacco, 27: Phrygium plagis solere fieri meliorem.'

'Yes,' answered Pudens; but I am not accustomed to rule my slaves by the whip.'

The boy had not heard them, for they spoke in low tones, but he marked the hesitation of Pudens, and, still crying bitterly, stooped as though to make marks with his finger on the ground. His motion was quick, but Pudens saw that he had drawn in the dust very rapidly a rude outline of a fish, which he had almost instantaneously obliterated with a movement of his palm.

Pudens understood the sign. The youth was, or had been, a Christian, and knew that if Pudens happened to be a Christian too his favour would be secured.

'Follow me,' he said. 'My household is small and humble, but I have just lost my lacquey, who died of fever. I will speak to my head freedman. Perhaps, when we have heard. something more about you, he will let you fill the vacant place.'

CHAPTER XIII

THE ADVENTURES OF A RUNAWAY

Εκαστος δὲ πειράζεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας ἐξελκόμενος καὶ δελεαζόμενος. -S. JAC. Ep. i. 14.

THE real history of Onesimus was this. He had been born at Thyatira; his parents had once been in a respectable position, but his father had been unfortunate, and when the boy became an orphan he had sunk so low in the world that, to save him from the pangs of hunger, the creditors sold him as a slave to the purple-factory of which Lydia- who afterwards became St. Paul's convert at Philippi-was part-owner. There he had learnt a great deal about the purple-trade and the best way of folding and keeping purple robes. But he was wild and careless and fond of pleasure, and the head workman, not finding him profitable or easy to manage, had again offered him for sale. He was a quick, good-looking boy, and Philemon, a gentleman of Colossæ, touched with his forlorn look as he stood on the slave-platform (catasta) with his feet chalked and a description (titulus) round his neck, had felt compassion for him and had bought him. Not long after this, Philemon, with his wife Apphia, his son Archippus, and several slaves of their household, had been converted by St. Paul. The Apostle had not, indeed, visited the strange Phrygian city, where the Lycus flows under its natural bridges of gleaming travertine; but Philemon and his party had gone down to witness the great Asian games at Ephesus, and to view the treasures of the famous Temple of Artemis, which was one of the wonders of the world. There they had heard Paul preach in the hall of the rhetorician Tyrannus, and, being of sweet and serious disposition, had been profoundly impressed by the message of the gospel. The grace of God had taken possession of their hearts. They exulted in the purity, the hope, and the gladness of Christianity, and under the fostering care of Epaphras, to whose charge St. Paul

had entrusted the churches of the Lycian valley, they had finally been led to the full acceptance of the gospel, and had been baptised in the waters of their native river.

Onesimus had not been baptised with them, though he had learnt something of Christianity as a young catechumen. He had lived in daily contact with these good people from early boyhood, and they had treated him with a kindness and consideration which was in marked contrast to the brutal manner of most Pagans towards the human beings whom they regarded as chattels of which they were the indefeasible owners. But Colossæ was a sleepy and decaying city. It offered none of the pleasures and excitements which Onesimus had tasted at Thyatira and Ephesus. He longed to escape from the narrow valley of the dull town; to hear in the streets of Ephesus the shrill wail of the priests of Cybele; to gaze at the superb Artemisian processions; to sit palpitating with enthusiasm as he watched the chariots dash past him in wild career in the circus, or the gorgeous spectacles of the amphitheatre. Above all he sighed and yearned for Rome, for he had often heard of its glory, its magnificence, its unchecked indulgencies. He was only a slave- only one of those Phrygian slaves, who were the least esteemed; but he had been free born. The passions of the Asiatic Greek were strong in him. Other slaves had made their way—why should not he? He was strong, clever, good-looking-was he not certain to secure some fortune in the world?

·

The tempting opportunity' met the susceptible disposition.' Philemon was engaged in the wool-dyeing which formed the most prosperous industry of Colossæ, and on a certain day after the great fair of Laodicea considerable sums were paid to him. He had never had any reason to distrust Onesimus, and the youth knew where the money was kept. One day, when Philemon had been summoned by business to Hierapolis and was likely to be absent for a week, Onesimus abstracted some of the gold coins- enough, he thought, to take him safely to Rome if necessary- and absconded to Ephesus. There, for a few days, he enjoyed himself in visiting the marvels and amusements of the city. But a fair youth, in servile dress, alone, in a crowded town, could hardly escape falling among companions of the lowest type. Fain would they have plunged him into vice and dissipation :