Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-08-26
THE CHIEF VESTAL.
By NORA E. RECTOR.

In the middle of the fourth century
A. D. the struggle between paganism
and ChristLnia at Rome WAS draw
ing to close. The Emperor Constan-
tine still maintained the worship OK
the immortal gods, but his wife. the
empress, secretly pract,rd the rites
of the new religion. Nevertheless. since
pagunism was as vet the pelblished
worship of the state. those who openly
avowed Christianity were still ane-
nable to the terrible punishnents in
tiictcd by the earlier elnlerors.
Even the virgins appointed to keep
up the sacred fire IN the temple OF
Vesta. located in the center of the
Roman forum. were becoming diSaf-
fectcd toward the religion under
which for II thousand years their or
der had enjoyed lnestimable privi
leges. So great was the honor attached
to the position of vestal that every
Roman girl aSpired to the appoint
ment. There were but six of them.
dwelling In Il marble house near the
temple. served by numerous attend
ants and slaves. They were free to
go anywhere Unattended and in the
Coliseum II special box opposite that of
the emperor was provided for them.
If. then. the religion Of Jesus was be-
ginning to affect these most honored
Of l.oman women. II 1t had already
Won over the empress wouS II not
soon carry with it the emperor. the
senate and the Roman people?
OHe morning Claudia. the chief
ves!al. riding in her carriage for an
airing. saw the sun SliStening on the
brea StplatcS and helmets Of a knot OF
soldiers When they came near they
halted and reverently made way for
her to pass. A prisoner whom they
We're conducting alone stood erect in
the presence Of the sacred parsonage
He was julius Favius. II young Chris
tian. who had openly refused to bow
his head at the sacrifices to Jupiter
and was being taken to the Mamertine
prison 70 be stranged.
The vestal sat looking at the man.
whose glance. rebellious at tn" rever-
ence paid her pagan office. was lighted
over which she presided-lOve. In the
two the conflicting religions met and
Claudia. touched also by the only I'M
mortal pagan god. spiritually yielded
mastery to this servant OF new
deity.
Take Off his chains" said the vestal
to the officer in command.
bn ln1
the officer hestatingly.
"No-by the privilege vested In me
as one Of the six virgins appointed to
keep up the sacred fire. Whence came
you that you do not know that any
prisoner meeting one OF our number
goes free? Let fall his chains"
Pardon" said the officer. bowing
the knee humbly before her. For
years have served in Gaul. and many
of our home customs are unknown to
me- Your sacred word is enough"
Approaching the prisoner. he took
off his chains, and julius Flavius stood
before his hberator II free man.
"You have deprived me Of the bless
ings Of martyrdom." he said to her.
but you have prolonged my life that
l may spread the faith Of Jesus the
Christ. MAY he win you. too. into the
true church"
Claudia made no reply.
She ordered her charioteer to drive on.
Flavius stood looking after her. hop
ing that she would turn her head. but
she did not. When he came back to
his surroundings he stood alone.
Above the house of the vcstals tow
cred wing of the imperial palace.
That night Claudia. climbing. the
height. ent red the chamber of the
empress an1. tearing the fet from her
brow, threw herself into her imperial
mistress arms and poured into her
ear a renuLciation of paganism. a con-
fession of the new religion.
Aided by the new ally, Flavus ap-
preached the empero: and besought
him to declare as the religion of the
state that Nth which he had already
adopted in his heart. The appeal was
successful When the morning came
an edict went forth banishing the
heather goGs.
The edict was all that saved Claudia
from terrible death. But paganiSm.
though it had received its deathblow,
was not dead and Claudia. before free
and honOred among women. now dared
not show her face on the streets OF
Rome. But julius Flavius. whom she
had saved from martyrdom, was taken
up by the emperor and advanced as
a concession to the Christian faction.
In the imperial palace he again met
the woman who had saved his life
and whose immortal soul he had
turned In the way of salvation. How
different the meeting from that when
Claudia was Vestala Mnxima and
julius. loaded with CHAINS, was on his
way to the prison where Jngartha and
the CatiIine conspirators had perished.
She whom he could not revere rs
pagan he worshiped as his Christian
love.
In the ruins OF the house Of vestals
at Rome there are number q pedes-
tails on which are the remains OF
statues OF the last Of the virgins who
lived there On one Is an inscription
in Latin praisng the Vestala Maxima
for her many virtues and her pro-
fciency in the tenets Of the pagan re-
ligion. One WORD Of the inscription
has been chiseled from the marble
the name Of her whose praises are
sounded But the first and last letter
remain. the first and last OF the word
Claudia 1t is known that at the time
of this story Vestala Maxima went
over to the new religion Was the
Claudia who saved Julius Flavius the