trusted. And now, when a new blow struck her, when the tyrant's command
took from her a dear one,--the one whom Aulus had called the light of
their eyes,--she trusted yet, believing that there was a power greater
than Nero's and a mercy mightier than his anger.

And she pressed the maiden's head to her bosom still more firmly. Lygia
dropped to her knees after a while, and, covering her eyes in the folds
of Pomponia's peplus, she remained thus a long time in silence; but when
she stood up again, some calmness was evident on her face.

"I grieve for thee, mother, and for father and for my brother; but I
know that resistance is useless, and would destroy all of us. I promise
thee that in the house of Cæsar I will never forget thy words."

Once more she threw her arms around Pomponia's neck; then both went out
to the œcus, and she took farewell of little Aulus, of the old Greek
their teacher, of the dressing-maid who had been her nurse, and of all
the slaves. One of these, a tall and broad-shouldered Lygian, called
Ursus in the house, who with other servants had in his time gone with
Lygia's mother and her to the camp of the Romans, fell now at her feet,
and then bent down to the knees of Pomponia, saying,--"O domina! permit
me to go with my lady, to serve her and watch over her in the house of
Cæsar."

"Thou art not our servant, but Lygia's," answered Pomponia; "but if they
admit thee through Cæsar's doors, in what way wilt thou be able to watch
over her?"

"I know not, domina; I know only that iron breaks in my hands just as
wood does."