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  ANDIVIUS HEDULIOAdventures of a Roman Nobleman in the Days of the Empire

  BYEDWARD LUCAS WHITE

  Mirum atque inscitum somniavi somnium. --PLAUTUS

  THE ROMAN EMPIRE IN THE SECOND CENTURY A.D.To Show The Wanderings Of ANDIVIUS HEDULIO]

  THE CITY OF ROME UNDER THE EMPIRE]

  THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSONWHO, IN READING FICTION, LOVED "THE OPEN ROAD AND THE BRIGHT EYES OFDANGER"

  CONTENTS

  BOOK I. DISASTER

  HEDULIO'S PREFACE

  CHAPTER

  I. AN UNEXPECTED GUEST

  II. A COUNTRY DINNER

  III. TENANTRY AND SLAVERY

  IV. HOROSCOPES AND MARVELS

  V. ENCOUNTERS

  VI. A RATHER BAD DAY

  VII. A RATHER GOOD DAY

  VIII. THE WATER GARDEN

  IX. THE SQUALL OF THE LEOPARD

  BOOK II. DISAPPEARANCE

  X. ESCAPE

  XI. HIDING

  XII. SUCCOUR

  XIII. THE LONELY HUT

  XIV. WINTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

  XV. THE HUNT

  XVI. THE CAVE

  XVII. THE FESTIVAL

  XVIII. GALLOPING

  XIX. MARSEILLES AND TIBER WHARF

  XX. CHARIOTEERING

  XXI. MISADVENTURES

  BOOK III. DIVERSITIES

  XXII. THE MUTINEERS

  XXIII. THE EMPEROR

  XXIV. THE MASSACRE

  XXV. THE OPEN COUNTRY

  XXVI. THE OUTLAWS

  XXVII. THE POINT OF VIEW

  XXVIII. MOONLIGHT

  BOOK IV. DISSIMULATIONS

  XXIX. FELIX

  XXX. FESTUS

  XXXI. RECOGNITION

  XXXII. PHORBAS

  XXXIII. IMPOSTURE

  XXXIV. PALUS THE INCOMPARABLE

  XXXV. MURMEX

  XXXVI. ANXIETY

  XXXVII. ACCUSATION

  XXXVIII. TORTURE

  XXXIX. THE TULLIANUM

  XL. SEVERUS

  EPILOGUE

  NOTES

  ANDIVIUS HEDULIO

  HEDULIO'S PREFACE

  (PRAEFATIO HEDULIONIS)

  By no means absurd, it seems to me, but altogether reasonable, is theimpulse which urges me to write out a detailed narrative of my years ofadversity and of the vicissitudes which befell me during that wretchedperiod of my life. My adventures, in themselves, were worthy of record andmy memories of them and of the men and women encountered in them are clearand vivid. It is natural that I should wish to set them down for theedification of my posterity and of any who may chance to read them.

  For my experience has been, I believe, unique. Since the establishment ofthe Principate in our Republic many men, even an uncountable horde of men,have incurred Imperial displeasure. Of these not a few, after banishmentfrom Italy or relegation to guarded islands or to some distant frontieroutpost, have survived the Prince who exiled them and have, by the favorof his successors, been permitted to return to Rome and to the enjoymentof their property. But I believe that no Roman nobleman implicated, justlyor unjustly, in any conspiracy against the life of his Sovereign, everescaped the extreme penalty of death. Some, by their own hands,forestalled the arrival of the Imperial emissaries, others perished by theweapons or implements of those designated to abolish the enemies of thePrince. Except myself not one ever survived to regain Imperial favor in alater reign; except myself not one ever recovered his patrimony andenjoyed, to a green old age, the income, position and privileges to whichhe had been born. If such a thing ever occurred, certainly there is norecord of any other nobleman domiciled in Italy, except myself, havinggrasped at the slender chance of escape afforded by the device ofarranging that he be supposed dead, of disguising himself, of vanishingamong the populace, of passing himself off for a man of the people. I notonly was led, by my clever slave, to attempt this histrionic feat, but Isucceeded in the face of unimaginable difficulties. An experience sonotably without a parallel seems peculiarly deserving of such a record asfollows.

  BOOK I

  DISASTER