i was away on the mediterranean seaside for the weekend, which was very good. today was a sort of extended weekend because we didn't have classes. my friend and i decided to walk the appian way, an ancient roman road strewn with tombs and old ruins. as we walked along it i realized i had read about it in a novel, long ago. the novel was called "quo vadis", and i read it because l. m. montgomery had written about it in her journals. in the novel, st. peter runs away from rome to avoid the fate of many early christians - death - , and is confronted by a vision of jesus asking reproachfully, "quo vadis (where are you going?)". a love story involving an arrogant roman falling in love with an early christian girl also stems from the story. it was a very memorable book, and ever i experience ultimate joy in finding the places i found in literary imagination.