“Good idea, but we don’t know how it will help us defeat Veii”
“Maybe we will when we drain it?” Mella said with bright eyes.
“I’m not sure that is what the gods have planned” Marcus replied as he returned his gaze to the table. He watched Potitus trace his finger along the sand on the table, then again leaving two faint lines.
“These are the two largest Cuniculi” he said, a thought coming to his mind. “There must be fifty” he looked to Mella and then to Marcus “no eighty of the channels out there.” He walked around the table again.
“What are you thinking?” Marcus asked.
Mella stepped forwards and looked interested.
“I don’t know what the prophecy says, but let’s suggest it says the walls will not fall as long as the lake is there and the spirits of the water protect the city.” He shrugged, as good a guess as any without any further knowledge of the prophecy.
“Agreed” Marcus said, his eyes starting to twinkle as the conversation continued.
“We could invoke the spirits to join our cause?” Potitus said. “We could drain the lake, but that would take a very long time” he looked to Mella. “We could fill these Cuniculi with water and see if that makes any difference?” he added with a look to Marcus.
“Or” Mella said, a sudden strength coming to his voice as he stared as if a great light had suddenly been shown to him. “We could dig under the walls” he said. “I bet these things go right under the city. Look” he said as Marcus felt as if a door had suddenly been opened and he saw the future rolling out in front of him.
He stood. ‘Under the walls’ his mind said as Mella started to talk but he didn’t hear the words, visions flashing through his mind of tunnels, men in armour crashing into the city of Veii. Mella was speaking but Marcus wasn’t listening, the silence causing him to look, blankly, at his old friend before shaking his head slightly and staring at him before saying “sorry, repeat that.”
Mella grinned, his teeth showing through the trimmed beard.
“I think these things feed the city its water supply. From memory each of these trenches goes right up to the walls, disappearing maybe ten feet from the stone. Who’s to say that they don’t disappear to an underground water system or some other tunnels which go right into the city.”
All three men stood in silence as Marcus started to grin, the corners of his mouth splitting his face and his dark eyes growing in intensity as he looked to Mella and said “Genius.”
“Hold your horse” Potitus said before the conversation went any further, the other two looking to him with surprise.
“Camillus” Potitus said. “We must test this before we do anything else.” He looked to Mella. “Give me five of your best men and I will check the Cuniculi” he said before turning to Marcus. “I suggest we keep this to ourselves for a while. I still don’t trust half of the officers, the other half are liars and thieves” he added the old saying with a smirk as Mella laughed at the words.
“Agreed” nodded Marcus as he stared at the walls of the fort. “Under the walls” he said with a smile “why did no-one think of that before?”
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Chapter 14
The drill had taken longer than Narcius had expected, a sudden, warm, shower of rain turning the topsoil of the field into a sticky quagmire as the troops struggled to hold their footing during the move from phalanx to maniple and back, their full kit causing them to sink heavily into the soft ground. His drill master, Silus, had berated everybody and called them a number of choice names but the shouting didn’t improve their footwork.
“Halt” cried the Centurion, his face red with anger. “Rest” he ordered, knowing that taking out his displeasure on the men wasn’t fair, until the rain had come they had completed the manoeuvres adequately.
“Silus” he called as the man trotted across. “What’s that?” he asked, pointing to a movement by the city gates.
“School children” said the clean shaven legionary with his slight lisp, his nose twisted to the side and a deep scar on his left cheek.
Narcius looked across at the group as it left the gate and started to walk slowly along the front of the city. “I’ve never seen that before” he stated as he watched a group of ten or more children, each carrying a wax tablet, walk along as if they were out for a stroll in the forum to catch the mid-day sun.
“Do they do that every day?” he asked.
“Most” came the un-interested reply.
At the distance Narcius couldn’t be sure but there was something familiar about the teacher, his beard overly long for any sensible man. He strained his eyes. “Silus, is that man with them every time they come out?” he asked.
The drill master shrugged, looking back over his shoulder. “No idea, Sir. Can’t say I’ve taken much interest to be honest” he said. “Problem?” he asked after a second or two of watching his Centurion stare at the man and the children.
“That man is familiar” Narcius replied, “but I don’t know why.”
“It’s the old sage from the walls” said the short legionary who had been with Narcius the previous day. “He must make his money from teaching, like a lot of them do” he shrugged.
Narcius looked at the face of the man, who suddenly stood straight and looked apologetic for speaking to his officer without being spoken to first.
Narcius saw his stare had sent a shiver up the legionary’s spine and smiled. “I’ve got a job for you” he said with a deep grin as he winked to Silus, the older man grinning back.
****
Marcus was alerted to the commotion in the Comitia outside the command centre by the cheering and shouting of the men, a momentary fear of attack suppressed by the lack of trumpets which would have announced such an occurrence. Rushing to the door he watched as Narcius and two soldiers appeared thronged by a troop of soldiers all cheering and clapping. He looked to the left and right, but it was clear that none of the men around him knew what this was about. Whatever it was it seemed to be creating great joy amongst the men. Stepping forward Marcus checked he had his sword in the correct position and readjusted his tunic.
Narcius beamed, his drill master, Silus, at his side and a smaller man carrying what looked like a sack over his shoulder, although the sack had legs and was thrashing about making a great deal of noise.
Marcus half-laughed as the comic scene approached him.
Coming to a standstill in the Comitia Narcius saluted briskly and turned to the two men. “Legionary, release the prisoner” he said with a smirk as the short man let the legs fall to the floor and pulled a brown sack cloth off the head of a long-bearded, dark skinned man, his Etruscan features plain for all to see as he cursed everyone who was staring at him, his legs wobbling as he tried to find his feet and caught his breath.
“What is this? Who is this?” asked Marcus, unsure what the commotion was about.
Narcius gripped the right arm of the fugitive and marched him across to his Tribune. “Marcus Furius Camillus” he said loudly “this is the sage of Veii, the man who holds the answer to the mystery of the lake.”
Marcus caught his breath as he stared at the old man, his legs thin and wiry and his white hair and beard tangled from being within the sack. The man’s eyes locked on his and he spat on the floor, a glob of phlegm landing with a splat in the dirt.
“I know you Marcus Furius Camillus” he said, his voice gravelly and deep. As he spoke he pushed the hair back from his face with an angry swipe as he swirled his head around the watching soldiers, some grinning and leering, others avoiding his gaze as if he held the evil eye. “They say the gods favour you” he called, his eyes roving the scene around him before adding “as they do me.” His meaning was clear, do not harm me or the gods will punish you. Marcus smiled at his theatrical words and pose but didn’t speak, his mind running through how to maximise this opportunity.
“What is your name soothsayer?” he asked loudly.
“Then Gerittix I have some questions for you. Answer them truthfully under the eyes of the gods and I will release you unharmed.”
Gerittix lowered his head and his eyes squinted slightly as if he was trying to focus on Marcus’ face before he spoke. “I trust you Marcus Furius because they tell me that you follow the rituals of the gods and are dear to their hearts. Ask” he demanded.
“Inside there is food and wine. You will be treated as a guest until you leave the camp” Marcus replied, stepping aside and waving his arm towards the wooden building behind him. “The Centurion and his men will join us” he added as an after-thought “to ensure that the gods are satisfied that all those involved in this discussion are content” he added to Narcius’ confused face. Marcus was already thinking ahead. Having two of the common soldiers in the room to tell everyone in the camp what had been discussed would be as good as having the conversation out in the open. He smiled at Gerittix and waved again as the man scoffed at the soldiers, dusting his arm as he walked forwards and nodded as he passed Marcus.
“Optio, fetch Mella, Potitus and Caelio please” Marcus asked as he saluted to the soldiers and turned to enter the room.
Inside the room was stuffy but tolerable and Marcus moved to the right corner where two eating couches and a series of low tables were sited. Gerittix had already lay upon one seat, clearly used to being treated well in any household, Marcus smiled; this was something he could use to his advantage. He nodded to the two soldiers and waved to the wooden chairs around the campaign table, at which the two men began moving the chairs into the area around the couches, the legionary looking hungrily at the wine jug which sat just beyond on Marcus’s desk.
“Gerittix” Marcus started. “Would you do me the honour of lighting the candles to the gods so that they may oversee our discussions and ensure that we speak with honesty, integrity and truthfulness?” Marcus nodded to his right, where a small wooden chest sat on a low-legged table, the candles and ointments set out perfectly, as he always liked them to be.
“Hmmm” said the old man, his finger twisting his beard as he looked at the votive candles and back to Marcus. Marcus noted his nervous eyes and slight twitch at the question and wondered how long the man had been a soothsayer or whether he had been trained at all.
He sat forward and bowed his head, a long smile stretching his bearded face. “This is your camp, Camillus. Please, you light the candles and say your Roman words. As you will know from my name I am a Gaul, we have Etruscan training, but our gods are somewhat different to yours” he replied, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke.
A knock at the door made the man jump slightly, the young legionary also almost jumping from his chair, at which the drill master stifled a laugh and Narcius coughed, staring the man down angrily.
Marcus laughed to himself at the tension in the room, knowing that the stories the legionary would tell would be better than anything he could try and create on his own. As he turned to the door he saw the Optio wave in a number of slaves with plates of meat, stuffed olives and bread, the two soldiers licking their lips at the arrival and smiling to each other. Marcus winked at Narcius and raised his eyebrows with a smile, the man suddenly relaxing at the gesture and nodding his understanding.
As Marcus took his white hooded robe from the desk and started to light the candles and intone the words of the prayers Narcius whispered to the two men loudly enough for all to hear “you’ve done well today lads, eat and drink your fill and you’re both excused duties tomorrow.” At this Marcus noted great grins splitting both men’s faces and an equally quizzical look from Gerittix. By the time the prayers were completed the remaining officers had arrived and were seated next to the couches, the soldiers moving behind the officers but closer to the food and wine.
The food lay untouched and Marcus noted the hungry looks on the faces of the men, two slaves standing at the rear looking to the floor. “Pour some wine for the guests” Marcus ordered “and fetch more food, there is hardly enough here for my own tastes and I eat like a dormouse” he added with a curt shake of the head. One of the slaves instantly rushed out of the room as the other took to pouring the watered wine, both the soldiers faces were now split from ear to ear in great wide grins, Narcius shaking his head at Marcus’ mischievousness.
“Gerittix, please do me the honour of taking some of this poor soldiers food. I am sure that in your city you have not had such a feast for some time as you struggle under the siege.”
Gerittix composed himself, licking his lips as his stomach rumbled and he looked slightly ashamed for a few moments before adding a small mountain of food to the simple dish he had taken from the pile. “Narcius, your men next as they deserve to help themselves for bringing the very man I wished to see to me, almost as if you heard the gods calling you, Gerittix” he smiled as the two men looked to Narcius before stepping forward and adding a few crumbs to the plates.
“Lads” said Marcus “you will do me dishonour if you are not stuffed to the last belt of your tunics within the half hour” he said “take as much as you want” he added with a friendly smile, the two men stopping to check he wasn’t joking before adding handfuls to their plates and disappearing back to their seats.
“Please Centurion” Marcus said as he stifled a laugh at the two soldiers and the confused look on Mella’s face, “explain how Gerittix has come to be here” he asked.
Narcius cleared his throat and saluted, a little overdone, Marcus thought.
“Sir. Whilst drilling with the men along the front of the defences at fort three, I saw” he looked at the soothsayer “Gerittix, here” he said “with a group of children taking a stroll around the city as part of their lessons. It was legionary Vestus who saw that he was the sage from the walls who called to us about the lake.” At the words Vestus had tried to sit taller in his chair and a large drop of oil had dripped off his chin onto his tunic, Marcus looking away before he started to laugh at the fury in Narcius’ face. “And so I decided that we should capture him and bring him here for questioning, Sir, as I knew you wanted to know the prophecy of Minios” he finished.
Gerittix continued to scoff food noisily, almost as if he wasn’t listening to any of the words the men around him were speaking. The slaves refilled the soldier’s cups, Narcius staring angrily at them and Marcus trying to use his eyes to tell him to relax.
“I hope they didn’t harm you in any way, Gerittix?” he asked, breaking the man’s focus on his food as he looked up at the use of his name.
Gerittix looked back at the soldiers and sneered. “They couldn’t hurt me if they tried, I am chosen as a messenger of the gods and am beyond human pain” he said as he returned his gaze to the plate of food. Marcus waited until he had taken another mouthful of fish cooked in lemon before he spoke again.
“We welcome you Gerittix and under the candles of the gods I offer you the hand of friendship. I will ensure no harm comes to you whilst you are the Roman camp and will give you escort to the city when we are finished” he added as he scrutinised the man’s face for any reaction to the words. As expected the words created a twitch in the man’s left eye which suggested he didn’t want to return to the city. “Alternatively” he asked slowly “if you do not wish to return to the city I can make arrangements for you to spend some time in Rome, maybe at the Temple of the Salii where I have some friends?” he asked as he saw the man’s eyes narrow as he watched him.
After a moment Gerittix took a long, deep gulp of wine, almost emptying the cup in one go. As the slave moved forwards to fill the cup Marcus noted the speed at which the two soldiers upped their cups and drank them dry, their eyes looking to catch the slave as he stepped back from the old sage. Marcus looked to their pleading faces and turned to the slave, his voice angry but his face soft as he said “why have these men got empty cups? Polythenes, keep up man” at which the slave bowed several times and re-filled the cups of the n
odding and grinning men, Narcius still glowering at Marcus and Mella positively holding his sides to stop himself laughing out loud.
“I have never been to Rome.” Gerittix said.
“Then I will arrange it” smiled Marcus. “But pray, my friend” he asked as he leant forwards, almost as if talking just to the old man himself “what is this prophecy of Minios you speak of? We poor Romans have not heard the great words of the sage.”
Gerittix slurped more wine, a small drop falling to the floor before he spoke. “Camillus, you are beloved of the gods. They say you follow the rituals and that the gods love you for your devotion. The men of Veii guard this secret with their lives, it is forbidden to talk of it to anyone who is not a true Veienteine.”
Marcus looked long and hard at the face of the man sat across from him, his eyes not catching his own as he had started the bargaining. Marcus caught his eye for a moment, seeing that he was trying to be clever, but also admiring him as he knew that with so many men around the table he must be careful not to give away Veii’s secrets too easily.
“I understand, Gerittix, for it is the same in Rome” he added as all eyes watched him. “Yet we have a dilemma that you are here as a guest under the candle of truth and so must answer truthfully.” He paused as if a thought had suddenly come to him. “You are a Gaul” he said “so as a Gaul the men of the City could not tell you their secret, you are not a Veienteine” he said quietly as the man’s eyes widened at the thought. “So you cannot give away a secret if this secret was given freely to you. In fact it cannot be a secret at all” he added.
The Gaul smiled as he glanced to the two soldiers, both nodding at their Tribunes logic. “Indeed” said Gerittix “exactly as I was thinking. And surely the fact that I was placed in front of the city at just such a time as these fine men were training is a sign from the gods that I am to act as their messenger” he said as he looked at Marcus.
“And this Salii Temple, will I be fed there?” he asked as Marcus’ heart beat quickly in his chest, he had netted his fish and he was almost bursting to shout at the man and ask what the prophecy was.
The Fall of Veii- Part 2 Page 16