And she had wept many nights through already, she had passed many nights in prayer, imploring grace and mercy.

But she offered her suffering to God, and waited and trusted.

And now, when a new blow struck her, when the tyrant's command took from her a dear one,--the one whom Aulus had called the light of their eyes,--she trusted yet, believing that there was a power greater than Nero's and a mercy mightier than his anger.
And she pressed the maiden's head to her bosom still more firmly.

Lygia dropped to her knees after a while, and, covering her eyes in the folds of Pomponia's peplus, she remained thus a long time in silence; but when she stood up again, some calmness was evident on her face.
"I grieve for thee, mother, and for father and for my brother; but I know that resistance is useless, and would destroy all of us.

I promise thee that in the house of Caesar I will never forget thy words." Once more she threw her arms around Pomponia's neck; then both went out to the oecus, and she took farewell of little Aulus, of the old Greek their teacher, of the dressing-maid who had been her nurse, and of all the slaves.