He did
what for him was a novel thing. He made an offering to Jupiter. After
all, there might be something in this worship of the gods; it was
safer to be on the right side.
It was a gift of money that he made, a large gift, for Lucanus was
prosperous and received many sesterces of gold from the imperial
treasury, besides having a lucrative practice. Being so large a gift,
he decided to present it in person and get full credit for his piety
and devotion to the gods.
So, on a morning, a week later, accompanied by Alexis, the Greek
slave, who followed Christus--though this was not known--he went to
the main door of the temple in the Forum and boldly asked for the
Lycidon, chief priest of Jupiter.
"Wait thou here," he commanded, and Alexis seated himself on the
steps, watching the busy crowds passing by.
It was a feast-day, and a white bull, hung with flowers was being led
through the Sacred Way to a shrine where the people would worship him
as possessing the spirit of a great god. Everything was a god to the
Romans, even trees and animals were possessed of spirit.
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