Catholic Thought discussion

Summary

On returning home, Vinicius finds Petronius sleeping in the tent of Petronius’s entourage. Petronius tells him that Caesar and the aristocracy will be going to Antium in a couple of days. He tells him how Nero is composing poetry and music, and how bad it is. They go inside to have dinner and talk. Vinicius tells Petronius that he is engaged to Lygia. Petronius is astonished but wishes him happiness. He warns him about Poppaea’s crush on him that could turn vindictive. But Vinicius tells him the Apostle Peter as said not a hair on his head will be harmed. Petroinus asks him if he’s become a Christian, and Vinicius says not yet. He still has to undergo instruction from Paul of Tarsus. Tired, Petronius leaves and Vinicius writes a letter to Lygia that he will have to go to Antium.

Nero’s huge entourage travels up to Antium in luxury and glittering opulence, including wild animals. The locals look on in awe. In the crowd was the Apostle Peter, Lygia, and Ursus who wanted a gaze at the emperor. Nero drove up in a chariot and loved the adulation from the crowd. Some voices in the crowd ridiculed Nero. As Nero perused the crowd his eyes were locked with that of Peter. At the end of the long retinue was Vinicius who seeing Peter and Lygia sprang from his chariot to greet them. Vinicius invites them to his home and they walk through the opulence of the city. Peter offers a humble prayer. Lygia observing the sunset over the city, Lygia thought it seemed like the city was on fire. Peter said the wrath of God was upon it.

Sometime later, Vinicius writes a letter to Lygia. He tells her about Caesar and the goings on at Antium. He writes about their future and living away on a shore. He writes about an event on a boat where Popaea flirted with him again but Petronius redirected the attention. He tells her that Paul is there to instruct him in the faith.

Later, Vinicius writes another letter to Lygia. He tells her about his lessons with Paul. He tells her of his talks with Nero, and how Nero speaks about the burning of Troy and how a spectacle the burning of Rome would be. He warns her to be on guard and to go stay at the house of Aulus.

With Caesar shutting himself up for days to compose songs, Vinicius makes his way down to Rome to spend time with Lygia. Being with her on a beautiful evening, Vinicius feels total happiness. She returns his love with complete joy. He tells her that Paul has not finished with the lessons, and so not baptized yet, but he looks forward to it. He reiterates the fundamental Christian teachings and finds it convicting. In Christ’s love their love flourishes. Vinicius relates an exchange between Paul and Petronius, both philosophers of their worldviews. Paul points out the deficiencies of Petronius’s Epicureanism, and Petronius points out the pleasures of moderate sensuality. Vinicius suggests once he and Lygia are married they move down to Sicily to get away from Rome’s politics. Lygia welcomes it. As they are about to depart, they hear a series of what appear to be thunder but then recognize it as the roar of lions who are held captive for the games.

Back in Antium, Petronius is gaining Nero’s trust more and more, especially over his aristocratic rival Tigellinus. Petronius has the right touch of wit to praise Nero’s poetry and song without appearing obsequious. From the flattery, Nero’s ego swells even larger than before. Nero’s poetry tries to describe the burning of Troy, but Nero feels it falls flat because he has never seen a city burning. Tigellinus offers to burn Antium, but Nero says Antium is too small a town to simulate a burning city. Later, Petronius talks to Vinicius about Nero’s poetry and his growing madness. He tells of how Paul’s philosophy would bore him. Vinicius responds that Petronius doesn’t understand the joy that Christianity brings.

After singing a number of his compositions, Nero makes Petronius and Vinicius go for a walk with him. Nero wants to talk about his talents, and Petronius continues to respond in the vein of flattery and yet not obsequious. Nero just loves this, pointing out how different Petronius is from Tigellinus. In trust of Petronius, Nero whispers the bizarre reason for having his mother and first wife murdered. Petronius, feeling that he is in Nero’s total trust, suggests that Nero publically approve Vinicius’s marriage to Lygia. Nero agrees, and going inside in front of his court with Poppaea present, asks for a valuable necklace. He gives it to Vinicius as a wedding gift and tells him to go to Rome to Lygia. Directly thwarted, Poppaea is angered. Just then a servant comes in telling that Rome is ablaze in fire.

I finally looked up Nero's Wikipedia's entry. He only lived to thirty years old. So he's thirty when the events of the novel occur and he has been emperor for 14 years. So he was very young when first made emperor. There were some accomplishments during his reign but he was not regarded as a stable man. His mother, the wife of the Emperor Claudius was suspected of killing Claudius so that her son could become emperor, and given his youth she expected to be the real power ruling the empire. It did work out for a time until Nero had her killed to be in complete control. He also had his stepbrother killed and then had his first wife killed to marry Poppaea. The Wikipedia entry summarizes what his contemporary historians thought of him:

Most Roman sources offer overwhelmingly negative assessments of his personality and reign. Most contemporary sources describe him as tyrannical, self-indulgent, and debauched. The historian Tacitus claims the Roman people thought him compulsive and corrupt. Suetonius tells that many Romans believed the Great Fire of Rome was instigated by Nero to clear land for his planned "Golden House". Tacitus claims Nero seized Christians as scapegoats for the fire and had them burned alive, seemingly motivated not by public justice, but personal cruelty. Some modern historians question the reliability of ancient sources on Nero's tyrannical acts, considering his popularity among the Roman commoners. In the eastern provinces of the Empire, a popular legend arose that Nero had not died and would return. After his death, at least three leaders of short-lived, failed rebellions presented themselves as "Nero reborn" to gain popular support.

The most shocking thing I read in his bio was that he was born on December 15th! That's my birthday...lol. We share a birthday. What is shocking is that no one famous is born on that day. I have no one to look to for a bond of a birthdate. There isn't even a saint's feast day for me to identify with for December 15th. There are some obscure historical people born on that day and there are some obscure saints who are given that day as a feast day, but really no one of any note. Except now Nero!

Awesome summary, Manny! Quite a bit happened in these chapters. That scene with the fire was upsetting!

Quite a cliffhanger to leave us with ! :-)

Manny wrote: "He tells of how Paul’s philosophy would bore him. Vinicius responds that Petronius doesn’t understand the joy that Christianity brings."

What is also made clear now is that Petronius enjoys the daily thrills in staying on Nero's good side when he knows full well that one faux pas can mean his death. Being at this high level and in the near constant presence of the Caesar Petronius has no life of his own left. So he tries to be the best of Nero's advisers and at the same time gets his kicks for besting him on a regular basis. Converting to the Christian faith is really no option for him, for the personal demands of the faith would not allow him to operate successfully at the place where he is at. It would mean certain death. Staying a Pagan means he has a fighting chance.

Yes, one stumble will mean Petronius's death.