Category: Historical Novels
“But woe to hill, and woe to vale, Against them shall go forth a wail! And woe to bridegroom, and to bride, For death shall on the whirlwind ride! And woe to thee, resplendent shrine, The sword is out for thee and thine!” CROLY.
“But woe to hill, and woe to vale, Against them shall go forth a wail! And woe to bridegroom, and to bride, For death shall on the whirlwind ride! And woe to thee, resplendent s...
2. CHAPTER II.“Night is the time for care; Brooding on hours misspent, To see the spectre of despair Come to our lonely tent, Like Brutus, midst his slumbering host, Startled by Cæsar’s stalw...
3. CHAPTER III.“The Jews, like their bigoted sires of yore, By gazing on the clouds, their God adore: Our Roman customs they contemn and jeer, But learn and keep their country rites with fear....
4. CHAPTER IV.The magnificent apartment into which the manly step of Lucius Claudius intruded was darkened with painted blinds, and yet further veiled from the beams of day by curtains of ros...
5. CHAPTER V.The horrors of conscience so lately endured by Nero were still visible on his ghastly brow, and his gloomy eye glared ferociously upon Julius Claudius as he entered his presence...
6. CHAPTER VI.VOL. “Do you know this lady?” COR. “The noble sister of Poplicola, The moon of Rome: chaste as the icicle That’s curdled by the frost from purest snow, And hangs on Dian’s templ...
7. CHAPTER VII.Adonijah, through the courteous kindness of his preserver, viewed the sumptuous buildings and edifices of Rome. There was much in the survey to delight and interest a stranger,—...
8. CHAPTER VIII.The anxious solicitude of affection made Lucius Claudius desirous of imparting his better knowledge to his sister, though he knew her to be not only devoted, but bigoted, to the...
9. CHAPTER IX.“Leaves have their time to fall, And flowers to wither at the north wind’s breath, And stars to set—but all, Thou hast all seasons for thine own, O death.” HEMANS.
10. CHAPTER X.The return of the emperor did not allay the discontent of the public. His frivolous pursuits, his ridiculous triumphal entry, disgusted all; and, far from curbing by his own aut...
11. CHAPTER XI.Where the Christian Church was at this period, was a question naturally occurring to the mind of the Gentile then, and the believer now. Rome anciently stood within the broken c...
12. CHAPTER XII.Unconscious of her danger, because unconscious of the vast influence the Hebrew captive held over her mind and affections, Lucia Claudia, though aware of his hatred to Christian...
13. CHAPTER XIII.The measure Lucia Claudia was compelled to adopt was one of necessity rather than choice. She would willingly have remained in her brother’s house, if that house had been a safe...
14. CHAPTER XIV.“Whose is that sword, that voice and eye of flame, That heart of unextinguishable ire? Who bears the dungeon keys, and bonds, and fire? Along his dark and withering path he came...
15. CHAPTER XV.If the death-pangs of hope prevailed over the haughty spirit and manly strength of the Hebrew, how did they rend the softer bosom of the newly wedded bride united to the cruel,...
16. CHAPTER XVI.“From the last hill that looks on thy once holy dome I beheld thee, O Zion! when rendered to Rome: ’Twas thy last sun went down, and the flames of thy fall Flashed back on the l...
17. CHAPTER XVII.“Tribes of the wandering foot and weary breast, How shall ye flee away and be at rest! The wild-dove hath her nest, the fox his cave, Mankind their country—Israel but the grave!...
18. CHAPTER XVIII.“The dying Other from the gloom she drew, Supported on his shorten’d arm he leans, Prone agonizing; with incumbent fate, Heavy declines his head; yet dark beneath The suffering...
19. CHAPTER XIX.——“The dead cannot grieve; Not a sob, not a sigh, meets mine ear, Which compassion itself could relieve; Ah! sweetly they slumber, nor hope, love, or fear; Peace, peace, is the...
20. CHAPTER XX.“But Heaven had gifts for sinful men, I little knew or thought of then; And on my night of fear and sin A ray of peace at last broke in: A blessed, bright, benignant ray, The he...
21. CHAPTER XXI.“——Woman all exceeds In ardent sanctitude and pious deeds: And chief in woman charities prevail That soothe when sorrows or disease assail. As dropping balm medicinal instils He...
22. CHAPTER XXII.“Thou living wonder of Jehovah’s word! Thou, that without a priest or sacrifice, Ephod or temple, lone ’mid human kind, Cleav’st to thy statutes with unswerving mind, As though...
23. CHAPTER XXIII.The manumission of Adonijah preceded his baptism. His dark clustering locks were closely shaven, and the cap of liberty was placed upon his head with the usual ceremonies. He wa...
24. CHAPTER XXIV.Adonijah and Lucia Claudia remained in the environs of Jerusalem with the Church and its apostolic bishop, Simeon, for many years. They were the parents of a lovely family, who...