Roma

The unlikely friendship that had developed between the two young men was a great puzzlement to Pinaria. Two mortals could hardly be more different. Gaius Fabius Dorso was a pious, upright patrician warrior; he was oddly likeable, despite being more than a little vain and self-important. Pe

Pinaria stepped forward and laid her hand on Dorso’s arm. “Please, I implore you, don’t do this thing! Forgo the ritual. The gods—if they still have any love for us—will understand and forgive.”

Her touch humbled Dorso. He lowered his eyes. “Please, Vestal, I need your blessing, not words of discouragement. The truth is this: I returned to the city from the battle at the River Allia and I remained here, despite the coming of the Gauls, for the express purpose of performing this ritual. I am…” He drew a deep breath and lowered his voice to a whisper. “I am all too aware of the role played by my kinsmen in drawing the wrath of the Gauls, and perhaps the wrath of the gods, upon Roma. I ca

Pinaria was so moved that for a long moment she could not speak. She fought back tears, and finally said, “If the Virgo Maxima were here, she would bless you—but the Virgo Maxima is gone, and so are the other Vestals. I’m the only one left in Roma, so I will bless you, Gaius Fabius Dorso. Go and make the sacrifice—and come back safely!”

Dorso bowed his head to her, then turned and strode toward the barricade, carrying the vessels of wine and oil.

Pe

“Come back safely, Pe

Pe

With Dorso leading and Pe

Heads turned and a hush fell over the spectators as Pinaria climbed up to join the soldiers. They drew aside to make room for the Vestal. She gazed at the receding procession of two and began to move her lips without making a sound. Thinking to join her in prayer, men muttered pleas to the god Quirinus for the safekeeping of his worshippers, but the words shaped by Pinaria’s lips were not addressed to any god.

“Come back!” she begged silently. “Come back to me, Pe

The hours passed slowly. The afternoon sun suffused the smoky sky with a lurid glow, and began to descend toward the distant hills beyond the Tiber. On the barricade, sharp-eyed lookouts kept a watch on the Quirinal, but saw nothing to indicate the fate of Dorso and Pe

Pinaria paced back and forth across the open spaces of the Capitoline. Reflexively, she muttered prayers to Vesta, but in her heart she felt she was speaking to empty air. The hearthfire of the goddess was gone from Roma and her temple had been desecrated by godless savages. Vesta must be far, far away, thought Pinaria, beyond the reach of even the most devoted Vestal. Even if the goddess was still present, and could hear her, would she not see into Pinaria’s heart and know that her prayer was profane? For a Vestal to pray for the safe passage of Dorso was one thing; he was a Roman citizen on a holy mission. But the prayer that came unbidden to Pinaria’s lips was not for Dorso, and had nothing to do with the fulfillment of sacred rites. What would the goddess think, to hear one of her virgins plead so desperately for the return of a slave? It was better that the goddess was absent, unable to hear Pinaria’s prayer, than that Vesta should hear it and perceive the longing in Pinaria’s heart.

She was shaken from her gloomy reverie by a shout from one of the lookouts.

“There! At the foot of the Capitoline! I see them! Dorso and the slave—and Gauls, hundreds of Gauls…”

The words gave Pinaria a momentary flash of hope, then plunged her into despair. She imagined Dorso and Pe

“There!” said the lookout. “On the path, coming toward us.”

What she saw was the last thing she expected. Walking proudly erect, bearing in their upturned hands the now empty sacrificial vessels, Dorso and Pe

The officer in charge of the barricade shook his head. “These Gauls and their cruel games! They’ll wait until Dorso is almost to the barricade, then strike him down while we watch. Vile creatures! We should fire upon them now, while Dorso still has a chance to break and run. Archers! Raise your bows!”

“No!” cried Pinaria. “Can’t you see their faces? It’s just as Dorso predicted. The Gauls are in awe of him. See how they hang back? See how they whisper among themselves and jostle one another, trying to get a better look at him? He’s put a kind of spell on them. If you fire on them, you’ll break the spell. Lower your bows! Do nothing! Say nothing!”

The men on the barricade u

Following the winding path, Dorso and Pe

The two men reached the barricade. Hands stretched down to take the vessels and help them climb up. Dorso clambered atop the barricade and looked over his shoulder. “Stupid Gauls,” he muttered. “Archers! Here’s your chance to kill a few of those fools. Take aim and fire at once, before they can run!”