length and breadth of the entire city, including the outskirts, had never seen another. Never had he seen anything in all of Rome that was so different, so shiny, so strange.
It was a small, tubular object, approximately 7 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, with a black metal body, and a silver tip at both the bottom and top, and a knob like bump on its side, a thin metal circle on one end, and beyond all wonders, a transparent hard shiny substance on the other end with a small eye surrounded by silver inside of it.
âBy Jupiter, this is a wondrous thing, though yet, I know not what it is for. Iâm sure it is mysterious and wonderful. Perhaps a lost gift of tribute for Nero, or perhaps the lost booty of a Praetor. I think it best I make no mention of this to anyone, even my Father and Motherâ.
As he concealed his new found curiosity beneath his garments, he heard from afar his name being called aloud. For the first time in many minutes, he realized that the crowds were gone, as was his Mother. He recognized his motherâs voice and began to run toward it, calling in return, âIâm coming, Iâm comingâ.
He reached his Mother who was weeping from worry and exhaustion as she stood in the middle of the road.
âIâm sorry I caused you worry, Mother. I just stopped to tie my sandal and I saw many curious rock formations and merely stayed to examine themâ.
âI was frightened that you might have been run over by those wildly charging horses and chariot. Those rich young madmen from the city care not for the lives of a few poor people as they enjoy themselves while killing usâ.
âIâm all right, Mother. Let us start for home lest it get dark before we get thereâ.
As they walked along with swift pace, Domitius was driven not by a fear of the dark, but by a desire which deepened with ever stride he took, for underneath his outer garment there beat against his side with every step toward home, the hardness and coldness of that strange metal tube he had picked up at the side of the road. His curiosity began to slip ordinary bounds as his mind was frantically thinking of things that this metal tube might be.
Just as the dark grey of falling night was giving way to ebon darkness, they reached their small, hut-like home, where Casua, the lord and master of their little swelling, sat surrounded by leather goods and sewing equipment, making wine skins for Domitius to sell in the city.
Casua was crippled, hacked down by a sword in the Gallic wars so many years before. He was unable to walk, and had to be carried from place to place. As they entered, he addressed his small family in an annoyed voice.
âDid Nero gorge himself on the sufferings of those poor Christians? I wish to Jupiter he would stop this barbaric pastime. I care not for Christians, but ye gods, Iâve seen enough suffering, as has all Rome, to enjoy this spectacle. I wish I had the power to stop itâ.
The family sat down without further talk, and began to eat of the meal Meverina, wife of Casua and mother of Domitius, had just prepared. It was a simple repast of fowl and herbs, with a thick sweet sauce that Casua liked so much for the after-meal sweet.
Domitius ate little during the meal, and that which he did eat, he ate quickly, for he wished to spend as little time as possible in the house. He wanted to get out to the small clump of trees that had been the place of boyhood fantasies, where he knew he would be alone, and there examine the tube with more care.
Once out of the house, he ran, lantern in one hand, the other holding tight the spot where the tube was, so it would not bang against his body too hard, to the hidden place. There, he flung himself upon the ground, and with gasping breath, removed the tube from its hiding place.
âWonder of wonders, this is a most marvelous thing, whatever it is. It must be a scepter of the godsâ. He held it sideways, upside-down,
It was a small, tubular object, approximately 7 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, with a black metal body, and a silver tip at both the bottom and top, and a knob like bump on its side, a thin metal circle on one end, and beyond all wonders, a transparent hard shiny substance on the other end with a small eye surrounded by silver inside of it.
âBy Jupiter, this is a wondrous thing, though yet, I know not what it is for. Iâm sure it is mysterious and wonderful. Perhaps a lost gift of tribute for Nero, or perhaps the lost booty of a Praetor. I think it best I make no mention of this to anyone, even my Father and Motherâ.
As he concealed his new found curiosity beneath his garments, he heard from afar his name being called aloud. For the first time in many minutes, he realized that the crowds were gone, as was his Mother. He recognized his motherâs voice and began to run toward it, calling in return, âIâm coming, Iâm comingâ.
He reached his Mother who was weeping from worry and exhaustion as she stood in the middle of the road.
âIâm sorry I caused you worry, Mother. I just stopped to tie my sandal and I saw many curious rock formations and merely stayed to examine themâ.
âI was frightened that you might have been run over by those wildly charging horses and chariot. Those rich young madmen from the city care not for the lives of a few poor people as they enjoy themselves while killing usâ.
âIâm all right, Mother. Let us start for home lest it get dark before we get thereâ.
As they walked along with swift pace, Domitius was driven not by a fear of the dark, but by a desire which deepened with ever stride he took, for underneath his outer garment there beat against his side with every step toward home, the hardness and coldness of that strange metal tube he had picked up at the side of the road. His curiosity began to slip ordinary bounds as his mind was frantically thinking of things that this metal tube might be.
Just as the dark grey of falling night was giving way to ebon darkness, they reached their small, hut-like home, where Casua, the lord and master of their little swelling, sat surrounded by leather goods and sewing equipment, making wine skins for Domitius to sell in the city.
Casua was crippled, hacked down by a sword in the Gallic wars so many years before. He was unable to walk, and had to be carried from place to place. As they entered, he addressed his small family in an annoyed voice.
âDid Nero gorge himself on the sufferings of those poor Christians? I wish to Jupiter he would stop this barbaric pastime. I care not for Christians, but ye gods, Iâve seen enough suffering, as has all Rome, to enjoy this spectacle. I wish I had the power to stop itâ.
The family sat down without further talk, and began to eat of the meal Meverina, wife of Casua and mother of Domitius, had just prepared. It was a simple repast of fowl and herbs, with a thick sweet sauce that Casua liked so much for the after-meal sweet.
Domitius ate little during the meal, and that which he did eat, he ate quickly, for he wished to spend as little time as possible in the house. He wanted to get out to the small clump of trees that had been the place of boyhood fantasies, where he knew he would be alone, and there examine the tube with more care.
Once out of the house, he ran, lantern in one hand, the other holding tight the spot where the tube was, so it would not bang against his body too hard, to the hidden place. There, he flung himself upon the ground, and with gasping breath, removed the tube from its hiding place.
âWonder of wonders, this is a most marvelous thing, whatever it is. It must be a scepter of the godsâ. He held it sideways, upside-down,
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