World on Fire

by Christian Kachel

  We passed through the enormous wood and iron ingress into the spacious receiving hall of the Achaemenid Palace where we were greeted by three regally dressed attendants. They followed the lead of the foremost steward and bowed deferentially in the Persian custom.

  “Valued guests, we are honored by your unexpected presence,” the lead steward began. “Had we been made aware of your arrival, a more formal receiving party would have been assembled that is more worthy of your station. Please do not be offended by our lack of a proper welcome.”

  “Nonsense,” Vettias replied in a commanding tone that filled the elevated voids of the vaulted ceilings. “Satrap Seleucus is an old friend and we Macedonians do not require such pomp in gilded halls filled with perfume. I understand I have arrived unexpected and therefore am happy to wait for my host to receive me. If he is not within these walls, I will happily come back at a time of his convenience. For now, please inform him Vettias of Amphipolis has arrived in the capacity of envoy, serving under General Antigonus, Lord of Asia. He will have known me as aide-to-camp for General Polyperchon during the campaigns of Alexander.”

  “Right away, sir,” the lead steward answered and scurried away with one of the other royal attendants. The third attendant escorted us to an ante-room where we were encouraged to recline on opulent couches and plied with wine and exotic fruits.

  “Do you think Seleucus will feel slighted by your unannounced presence?” I asked. “These palace eunuchs are running around as if they’ve been shot out of a catapult.”

  “I want him to be a little off guard when we first meet – it will give him less time to confer with Apama. Any resentment felt toward our unexpected arrival can be explained away by wanting to come directly to him personally rather him hearing we are here from someone else.”

  We waited one half-hour before the chief steward returned with four palace guards and informed us Seleucus would receive us presently. We were led through the grand entrance hall, past a guarded archway where a massive cedar door engraved with the Achaemenid crest was opened to the palace throne room. The vast chamber was lavishly decorated with intricate marble floors and twenty-foot columns supporting a massive, gem-studded vaulted ceiling. Several statues and busts of Persian gryphons and gods were scattered throughout. Strong incense billowed near the golden throne where Seleucus solemnly sat awaiting our entrance. He was flanked by several advisers and Macedonian guardsmen. Standing directly to his left was his wife, Apama, and standing next to her was a boy of ten years, exuding the same regal confidence as his parents. We were brought within fifteen feet of the throne and were officially announced by the palace steward.

  “Satrap Seleucus, I present to you Vettias of Amphipolis, official envoy to General Antigonus, Lord of Asia.”

  “Greetings Vettias, it has been many years old friend since you served under General Polyperchon on Alexander’s Far East campaign. It is heartening to see familiar Macedonian faces from that time still walking these Persian halls after so many years. Had you given me the courtesy of forewarning, I would have ensured you were received in a manner befitting your new station and that honored General Antigonus’ recent victory.”

  Seleucus was clothed in the most magnificent attire I had ever witnessed in close proximity – even more than my memory of Alexander during his march through the Ionian coast. He wore full Macedonian bronze armor over an extravagantly woven white tunic with red accent patterns. His bronze decorative cuirass and greaves were polished to the point of mirrors. Over his armor he wore the finest silk purple cloak with gold inlay. He was of average height but his comfortable surroundings hadn’t softened his physique. He still retained a defined musculature, earned through years of hard campaigning and toil. It was also clear Seleucus was comfortable with the trappings of Persian extravagance.

  “My sincere apologies General Seleucus,” Vettias answered deferentially. “The importance of my charge and my preference to meet personally before word of my arrival reached you through another means is to blame. Though my status may be elevated since our last encounter, I am still of Macedon and do not require pomp and circumstance, especially with a valued ally and friend.”

  “I understand your reasoning – we’re a long way from the simple hills of home aren’t we?” Seleucus replied with a lighthearted smile. His demeanor quickly recovered to the stern satrap as he continued: “And what news does General Antigonus bring to Babylon?”

  The Lord of Asia wishes to give notice that he will march his army from winter quarters in Ecbatana to Babylon at first thaw. He comes in peace and in recognition of your allegiance during his war with Eumenes.”

  Seleucus remained stoic while listening to the unwelcome news. “General Antigonus is an ally to this satrapy and to the Argeads. Babylon will be honored to call him valued guest. Is this the extent of your urgent message?” Seleucus asked, unamused.

  “That is the official message I have been charged to deliver. There is much to discuss as fellow veterans, however, that I believe you will think a valuable use of your time. Such discussions would only tarnish the regal veneer of a chamber such as this, however.” Vettias finished this last sentence while looking around to the other occupants who he intended to exclude from whatever additional information he was to deliver. Seleucus nodded to Vettias’ subtle recommendation.

  “Very well,” Seleucus acquiesced. “We will share drink and honor our time serving under Alexander.” Seleucus stood up and motioned Vettias to approach him. “Allow me to introduce my wife, Apama, daughter of Spitamenes, and my son, Antiochus.”

  Vettias bowed in respect to his hosts.

  “I knew your father as adversary, my lady,” Vettias greeted. “He was a cunning strategist and fierce warrior. I am happy to now make your acquaintance and call you ally. Peace be on you and your house.”

  “Thank you for the kind words, Vettias of Amphipolis,” Apama answered in perfect Macedonian Greek. “And tell me, how long does Antigonus plan to stay in Babylon as our valued guest?” she asked with a sarcastic condescension.

  “I have only been tasked with delivering the courtesy of announcing his impending arrival, my lady. I apologize for my ignorance.”

  “Very convenient. Farewell Vettias. I hope to call you honored guest in the palace during your stay. Enjoy Babylon.”

  “Follow me,” Seleucus commanded as his personal bodyguard escorted us out of side exit of the throne room. We walked through a dark corridor and up a steep narrow stone staircase rising thirty feet. A door was opened in front of us, letting in a rush of bright sunlight, causing me to squint. The four guards halted at the door while Seleucus, Vettias and I passed through the threshold and found ourselves on a small balcony overlooking the entire city.

  “We’ll be free to converse here without worry,” Seleucus announced while enjoying the effect the towering view of the city was having on us. “Let us speak plainly, Vettias. You were an agent of Eumenes and no doubt have eyes and ears throughout the empire. What are Antigonus’ designs for Babylon?”

  “The blunt truth is Antigonus means for you to allow his army to encamp outside the city while you openly submit your satrapy under his authority as Lord of Asia. And my humble advice is that you comply. I’ve begun to know the man while serving him and he means to organize the Asian satrapies under his overall authority.”

  “Insolent bastard!” Seleucus blurted out as if he knew this was the case all along but still could not believe it until hearing it voiced aloud. “He was made General of Asia by all of us at Triparadeisus so he would defeat the outlaw Eumenes – the same agreement that made me Satrap of Babylon. That task is now complete. The man has no satrapies and should be licking my fucking boots so I may graciously support a small carve-out for him as reward for his victory.”

  “Might I offer counsel, sir?” Vettias interjected. “Antigonus will march to Babylon at first thaw, fresh from securing all eastern satrapies under his authority, at the head of the largest Greek army ever assembled. It is
not my place to take sides as to who gets what in the aftermath of Alexander’s succession. I will happily serve whichever Macedonian carries on Alexander’s legacy. Whatever your future desires are, I plead with you to grant Antigonus what he wants now so that you remain ready to again lead this satrapy autonomously once the timing is right. And, if I might add, I recommend not simply complying with Antigonus’ demand of subordination. I would advise that you go beyond this requirement and welcome him into Babylon as conquering hero and Lord of Asia. This will give him little cause to remove you from Babylon and would make it more difficult to bring a grievance against you in the future. This is your best way to achieve what you want in the long run.”

  Seleucus remained quiet as he listened to Vettias’ argument and mulled over his options. “And what if I don’t comply? What if I do not recognize his manufactured authority over this satrapy?”

  “He will lay siege and decimate the city to rubble. He did not accompany us on Alexander’s great campaign. He was not exposed to the rich history of Egypt, the splendor of Persia, the hardships of Bactria or the enormity of India. He is a contemporary of Philip II and cares little for anything not of Macedon. He would just as quickly burn this city to the ground as incorporate it under his authority. Such ignorant barbarism is the antithesis of everything Alexander fought for and, if I may add, it would destroy everything you’ve accomplished in Babylon through your skilled leadership over the past years.”

  “And I am to just supine myself like some whore while he marches through my satrapy, my city, and publicly humiliates me?”

  “Yes,” Vettias answered soberly. “I have not been instructed to divulge all that I have to you just now but I do so out of respect for our friendship and a desire to see you continue your role as Babylonian Satrap.”

  “You are a valued adviser, Vettias, and I thank you for your welcome candor on this matter. For now I will agree to your proposal. I will inform you if I change my mind.”

  “Very good, sir. There is one last thing. In the unlikely eventuality that I need to contact you in case of emergency, I will send someone to the palace delivering an urgent message to the royal residence from Amphipolis. You must instruct your staff to allow this messenger through to you immediately.”

  “Very well, I will inform them. Now that you are here in your official capacity, you will allow me to formerly recognize you with a banquet at the palace in the near future. Where are your lodgings?”

  “I reside as guest of an old friend – the Jew, Malick.”

  “Yes, Malick. Send him my warm regards. Word will be sent regarding the arrangements of the official reception. Goodbye for now, friend.”

  Seleucus remained on the balcony, looking over his city while he opened the door and instructed the guards to see us out. We returned to Malick’s lodging and informed him of our official announcement and received invitation to his Jewish New Year observance in the coming days when Vettias would be introduced to Gilad. The days running up to the event were ones of leisure and indulgence on a level I had never experienced. Our large budget, coupled with Malick’s hospitality, allowed us to attend spas, baths and pleasure houses by day and hostelries by night that served the finest wine and cuisine. I was starting to see how some of Alexander’s contemporaries began choosing Persian affluence over Macedonian austerity.

  CHAPTER 24

  After several days of ease, the Jewish New Year arrived. Vettias and I donned our best attire and met in the foyer of Malick’s lodging before making our way to his residence.

  “This is a great honor for gentiles to be invited to a Jewish ritual,” Vettias casually mentioned as we walked across the courtyard. “I want you to remain inconspicuous tonight since I’m going to be using you to collect information on Gilad before our next encounter with him. Be polite but forgettable – you’re going to be shadowing him in the near future.”

  Malick’s front door was opened by the Babylonian servant and we were ushered through the receiving hall into the main dining room. The room was filled with three dozen members of Malick’s family as well as other influential Babylonian Jews and their families. All eyes turned to us as two pagans entered this holy gathering. Sensing the slight tension, Malick announced our presence to all assembled.

  “I present to you my dear friend, Vettias and his associate, Andrikos. Vettias arrives in Babylon as official envoy to General Antigonus, Lord of Asia.”

  The condescending glares rapidly turned warm and hospitable to our intrusion once Vettias’ title was announced and those in attendance saw an opportunity to further their positions with an ambassador to the most powerful man in the world.

  “A portion of my family’s fortunes can be attributed to my good friend during his time in Babylon serving within Alexander’s regime,” Malick continued. “Despite his pagan ways I still hold out hope he will someday become one of God’s chosen people. Who knows, tonight could turn into a bris,” Malick joked to the delight of all in attendance while holding a knife near Vettias’ mid-section. Malick embraced both of us and his guests resumed conversing with one another.

  “Good of you to come, brother,” Malick stated while still holding Vettias. “I will introduce you to my nephew as promised but remember not to embroil him in any intrigue; he doesn’t have the mind for it and holds a promising career within the satrapal administration.”

  “Yes brother,” Vettias replied. “You Jews drink at these ceremonies don’t you? You let a guest as distinguished as I wait this long without filling my cup?”

  “Gilad!” Malick, barked merrily. “Bring Vettias a cup of wine.”

  “Yes uncle,” answered a mild mannered young man several feet away. He was slight and unassuming; Malick was likely correct in his assessment that the boy did not have a temperament for espionage. When Gilad returned, Malick introduced us.

  “Vettias, this is my nephew, Gilad, son of Isaac, the husband of my sister.”

  “An honor to meet you son,” Vettias replied. “Your uncle speaks highly of you and holds great promise for you to further your family’s good fortune. I have no doubt you will rise to these expectations.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Gilad answered nervously while avoiding eye contact. Sensing his shyness, Vettias purposely held an awkward pause while looking directly at him to solidify his dominance. “I will be in Babylon until General Antigonus’ arrival in the coming months and expect to have frequent contact with the satrapal administration. I wish us not to be strangers during my time here.”

  “Very good, sir,” Gilad replied while his eyes pleaded to be released from the conversation.

  “Nice meeting you, son. Please do not let me keep you from celebrating this night with your family.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Gilad concluded while scurrying away before finishing the mumbled utterance. Vettias and I remained silent observers toward the back of the large room next to the bottles of strong wine. Malick recited many traditional prayers in the Hebrew language while periodically blowing on an ornate ram’s horn they called a shofar. Despite their seemingly strict adherence to the ancient traditions of Judaism, it was clear their people’s decades of exile in Babylonia had influenced their traditions, since they incorporated many Babylonian words and culture into the ancient rite. At the ceremony’s conclusion most of Malick’s family departed and Vettias and I lingered to finish off a large jug of wine with our host before returning to our quarters.

  I was allowed to sleep in the following morning to allow recovery from the copious amount of wine drank the previous evening. When I did rise, I entered Vettias’ room to find him awake, bathed and finishing a morning meal.

  “Good, I was going to wake you shortly,” Vettias announced upon my entrance. “You’re going to begin shadowing Gilad today when he returns to his home near dusk from duties within the palace. You should be able to pick him up outside of the main palace entrance after he departs the grounds. There’s always enough activity outside the main gate to make yourself scarse while
waiting for him. My suspicion is his personal life is devoid of scandal and your task should be a rather straightforward affair. Nonetheless, the stakes are too high and we have the time to do proper research on our target so we are going to take it. I’ve received word that Seleucus will hold a welcoming banquet for me tonight. Best if you remain unseen by the majority of the palace entourage. I want you to follow Gilad from his home to the palace tomorrow morning as well. We’ll talk when you get back.”

  I returned to my room to drink some water and sleep off the rest of my hangover before making my way toward the palace.

  ****

  I departed two hours before dusk and got lost in the sea of vendors and human activity just outside the main gate where resourceful Babylonians hawked their wares to the steady flow of officials and dignitaries with an abundance of coin entering and exiting the palace grounds. As the sun set, I watched emissaries, diplomats, bureaucrats, sheikhs, eunuchs, slaves and servants moving in and out of the main gate. Eventually I spied a slight figure nimbly traversing the confusion, passing unnoticed by the palace entourages. I saw then why Gilad would be so valuable to us – he had ready access to the palace and moved through it like an unseen specter. He had access to the satrapy’s official documents and ledgers and knew the administration’s inner workings. I thought his loyalties and personal responsibility would prove hard to sway to our purposes, however, which made me nervous for whatever scheme in which Vettias was planning to ensnare him.

  I let Gilad walk past me before stalking my unsuspecting target. From the moment I shadowed him it was clear he held no mindset for treachery. He maneuvered through the streets deftly enough, but only because of repetition and routine. My guess was he had taken this same route for years, never once switching his course to mitigate any risk someone with ill designs might have on a member of the palace administration. His eyes remained down toward his feet and he had no awareness of his surroundings. I could have been standing directly in his path and he would absent-mindely walk around me without recognition.