“Then, my friend, the essential point is to agree on a spot, where we may all quietly meet again. Let that spot be Rodumna,[334] the native town of Afranius. It is in every respect favorable--at only a short distance from Lugdunensis, and yet so small as to be out of the turmoil of the world. There will we meet, rouse the legions to our support, and march upon Rome!” “Good, good!” cried Cornelius Cinna. “Rodumna!” echoed the rest. Nerva rose. “One word!” implored Caius Aurelius. Nerva, who had already grasped their host’s hand in leave-taking, turned enquiringly to the young man. “Worthy friends,” the Batavian went on. “Allow me to say, that down at Ostia lies my trireme. The captain and the crew are all men, whom we may blindly trust. If anything should occur to drive us hence, we could not do better than meet on board my bark and reach Gallia by sea.” “That is a good idea,” said Nerva. “But still one question arises. Does any one in Rome know of the existence of this trireme?” “Hardly a soul. The high-priest’s family, it is true, were on board with me, when I came from Baiae. But here, in Rome, where there is so much to distract the attention, so trivial a circumstance would scarcely dwell in their minds.” “But the slaves!” cried Cinna. “If you are suspected at the palace, they have been cross-examined ere now....” “I do not honestly believe, that I have been considered worthy of so much attention at the palace.” “And even if it were so,” Nerva added, “there is a way of escape. To-morrow morning, spread a report among your friends and acquaintances, that your vessel is on the point of starting to return to Trajectum. Go to Ostia yourself, and let her set sail with all ceremony; then, at night, when she is well out at sea, order the captain, instead of steering southwards, to make a detour to the left and sail past the islands of Pontia[335] and back to Antium, as if he had come direct from Messana.[336] There he may wait till we need him. By the Appian Way and Aricia[337] and Lanuvium,[338] it is not more than twice the distance to Antium, that it is to Ostia. Give your captain the name of Rodumna as a password; whoever goes on board with that token is to be received unquestioned. What do you think of my plan?” “Nothing could be better arranged, it seems to me,” exclaimed Cinna. “In this way we need neither fit out a vessel for ourselves, nor yet travel by land. The one would excite suspicion, and the other would be both dangerous and expensive. So let it stand: if the situation should seem in any way perilous, we meet on board the trireme in the harbor of Antium.” The conspirators rose and slowly dispersed. FOOTNOTES: