"The maiden is a Christian, lord," cried the Greek.

"Stop, Chilo. Thou art not a dull man. We know that Junia and Calvia
Crispinilla accused Pomponia Græcina of confessing the Christian
superstition; but we know too, that a domestic court acquitted her.
Wouldst thou raise this again? Wouldst thou persuade us that Pomponia,
and with her Lygia, could belong to the enemies of the human race, to
the poisoners of wells and fountains, to the worshippers of an ass's
head, to people who murder infants and give themselves up to the foulest
license? Think, Chilo, if that thesis which thou art announcing to us
will not rebound as an antithesis on thy own back."

Chilo spread out his arms in sign that that was not his fault, and then
said,--"Lord, utter in Greek the following sentence: Jesus Christ, Son
of God, Saviour." [Iesous Christos, Theou Uios, Soter.]

"Well, I have uttered it. What comes of that?"

"Now take the first letters of each of those words and put them into one
word."

"Fish!" said Petronius with astonishment. [Ichthus, the Greek word for
"fish."]

"There, that is why fish has become the watchword of the Christians,"
answered Chilo, proudly.

A moment of silence followed. But there was something so striking in
the conclusions of the Greek that the two friends could not guard