▁long ▁ins cription ▁he ▁had ▁written ▁to ▁be ▁put ▁on ▁the ▁wall ▁under ▁the ▁image . ▁ ▁By ▁explaining ▁how ▁he ▁intended ▁the ▁visitors ▁to ▁understand ▁the ▁image ▁over ▁the ▁alt ar , ▁Paul inus ▁provided ▁rare ▁insight ▁into ▁the ▁intent ions ▁of ▁a ▁patron ▁of ▁art ▁in ▁the ▁later ▁Empire . ▁He ▁explained ▁his ▁project ▁in ▁a ▁Po em ▁dedicated ▁to ▁another ▁great ▁c ate ch ist , ▁St ▁Nic et as ▁of ▁Rem es iana , ▁as ▁he ▁accompanied ▁him ▁on ▁a ▁visit ▁to ▁his ▁bas il icas : ▁" I ▁now ▁want ▁you ▁to ▁cont em plate ▁the ▁paint ings ▁that ▁unfold ▁in ▁a ▁long ▁series ▁on ▁the ▁walls ▁of ▁the ▁painted ▁port icos .... ▁It ▁seemed ▁to ▁us ▁useful ▁to ▁port ray ▁sacred ▁them es ▁in ▁painting ▁throughout ▁the ▁house ▁of ▁Felix , ▁in ▁the ▁hope ▁that ▁when ▁the ▁pe as ants ▁see ▁the ▁painted ▁figure , ▁these ▁images ▁will ▁aw aken ▁interest ▁in ▁their ▁aston ished ▁minds ." ▁ ▁In ▁later ▁life ▁Paul inus , ▁by ▁then ▁a ▁highly ▁respect ed ▁church ▁authority , ▁participated ▁in ▁multiple ▁church ▁syn ods ▁investig ating ▁various ▁ecc les iast ical ▁controvers ies ▁of ▁the ▁time , ▁including ▁Pel ag ian ism . ▁ ▁Leg end ▁Gregory ▁the ▁Great ▁rec ount s ▁a ▁popular ▁story ▁that ▁alleg es ▁that ▁when ▁the ▁V and als ▁ra ided ▁Camp ania , ▁a ▁poor ▁wid ow ▁came ▁to ▁Paul inus ▁for ▁help ▁when ▁her ▁only ▁son ▁had ▁been ▁carried ▁off ▁by ▁the ▁son - in