The King of Rome

by Francis Mulhern

  “When will they be released?”

  “As soon as the documents for release are signed. Istros” he said, as the Thracian appeared from behind the two visitors. “Take the bribe and move the boys to the safehouse. As soon as they are safe, return here to collect Decius and his wife.”

  Istros bowed deeply before turning and exiting the room.

  It took twenty minutes for documents to be signed and Decius and his wife to retire to await Istros’ return. Alone, Javenoli turned to Pompeia, her returned smile showed just how good a deal they had brokered. “Those boys could make us a small fortune” he said as he gripped her in a warm embrace.

  “That bastard Decius beats Festia every day, he deserved to pay more” she said without warmth.

  “They’re lucky that the boys were still alive” replied Javenoli. “And I’m lucky to have you here with me” he said more affectionately. She laughed at his words and kissed his cheek.

  “You’re a special man” she said with feeling. “a little bulky” she said as she patted his stomach, “but still with a good appetite for his age” she stroked his inner thigh and gave him an alluring look. Javenoli laughed, bringing her closer for a long kiss.

  Standing back and picking up the document he sealed it in a leather case and placed it on a long table which ran along one side of the room. “I’ll have half the land deeds changed to your name tomorrow” he said. “Our little businesses are growing well my dear. I can get at least three thousand per Jugera for that land once the senate agree to my plan to set up a new colony outside Satricum.”

  “Will they agree?” she asked lightly.

  “I’ve spoken to Camillus and Cossus, they seemed to be in agreement.”

  “And the guards who free the boys?”

  “Istros has that in hand, there will be no-one who knows that they’ve been freed” came the quick reply.

  “I do feel for Festia” Pompeia said as she sighed slowly and turned to lift her feet onto the reclining couch near the fire, the golden flames lighting her eyes like sparkling jewels. Javenoli moved closer and sat on the edge of the couch, his hands clasping hers.

  “Maybe a good beating will make you feel differently” he smiled.

  “Ha” she laughed loudly as she batted his hands away. “Your wrists are still chaffed from the last time” she said with a smile as Javenoli took her hand again and kissed her fingers. “And you enjoy it too much” she grinned.

  Javenoli relaxed and turned to stare at the fire. “Our star continues to rise, my love. So does that of Marcus Furius.” He stood and walked to the end of the couch, placing a hand on the ornately carved oak. “I like his views for the future of Rome, but I think he is too much for the common man. I wonder if I could support his cause whilst also advancing our own.”

  “He is a statesman, Gaius. His view of the future is to promote the state and reduce the role of the individuals within it. His love of the Republic is too strong to corrupt him. There are many who agree with him.”

  “Yes, but there are also many who feel that the plebeians are given too much freedom. They don’t forget that the plebeian guards slept on the Capitol when the barbarians came to kill us all. If it hadn’t been for me…and Capitolinus” he added grudgingly, “we’d have all been slaughtered.” He released his hand from the couch and walked across the floor to the table, taking a wooden cup and sipping at the watered wine. “This is very weak” he said as he screwed up his face and looked into the cup.

  “Just water and lemon” replied Pompeia, a half-smile creeping over her face. “You’ve taken my cup” she added, holding out her hand for it. “From what I’ve seen of Rome, and what I’ve heard from the women, the future is expansion. The new army to take new lands, re-building the city, new colonies. Rome is expanding and there is money to be made, you know that as well as I do” she smiled.

  “Profit for profits sake” said Javenoli with a modicum of sadness in his voice.

  Pompeia shifted in the seat and patted the cushion for Javenoli to take a place next to her. “There will always be profit to be made, and those with the skills to take it will always be at the top of the hill looking down on the rest. Anyway” she said, “we’ll need profits” she said as she patted the seat again.

  Javenoli’s eyebrows rose in question. “You have a new scheme in mind?” he asked.

  “This is a scheme that will grow from a small acorn into a mighty oak.”

  A moment later Istros arrived back at the house to hear a scream and a crash from the room, he raced to the door, thrusting it open and rushing inside, knife drawn. His eyes darted around the space expecting to see attackers. Instead all he saw was Javenoli on his knees, his head on Pompeia’s stomach as his arms gripped her waist and tears fell from his eyes.

  ********

  Having received the invitation from Iulius to attend his house, Marcus and his brother Lucius had dressed and ridden across the city at the appointed hour. The message had been short and to the point. There was to be a discussion of leading families to review the plebeian situation and the increasing problems of fights, fires and attacks on leading citizens in the streets of Rome. Following the usual pleasantries and the arrival of the last family heads due to attend, the meeting was called to order by Iulius.

  “Friends, welcome to my home. I wish it were in happier circumstance that I was bidding you such a greeting, but sadly it is not. We must talk today of the recent problems in the city and the longer-term impact such divisive actions will have on the stability of Rome.” Taking a moment to read from a slate he had prepared in readiness, he turned to a large man, whose thick eyebrows had turned white whilst his head hair remained, mostly, black. The effect was to extenuate the angry look in his deep brown eyes. “Gaius Papirius Crassus”, who nodded sternly at the mention of his name, his long eyebrows dancing in the sunlight, “has some words to say.”

  Crassus stood, his eyes like slits as he pursed his lips. “Friends, in the past month we have seen several incidents involving plebeians of the lowest order” at which mutterings of agreement shot around the room. “These men are known to be followers of Capitolinus. I have it on oath that these men have been plotting with him to bring down the senate and to put a people’s forum in charge of the city. Here” he placed a wax tablet on the table in front of him, “are the names of every man that I have found to be attending Capitolinus’ house to listen to his seditious speeches. My men” he said more forcefully “have infiltrated his gang and they tell me that these” he searched for a word momentarily, “plotters, are looking to burn olive groves which are owned by patrician families in the coming weeks in an attempt to drive us out of business.” Gentlemen, we must act now, we must call Capitolinus to account for the treachery he is preaching to these base-born men who have nothing to lose beyond the clothes they stand in.” He sent a thunderous slap to the table in front of him. “These are the names of every man noted at his house, we must call them all in and demand that they admit to their crimes. All plebeians should be called to order, every man out there should be asked to swear an oath to the gods, to the Republic and to the senate. This cannot be allowed to continue. Attacks at night against leading families, people too frightened to attend the markets for fear of being set-upon and robbed by gangs of thugs claiming to be the people’s representatives. This is all Capitolinus’ doing. He needs bringing to order, the people who follow him need to be called to account as well. This cannot continue, my friends. I call for decisive action. My businesses are losing profits, my family is frightened to leave the house and my servants are too scared to visit the forum to do the daily chores.” At this he sat, heavily, into his seat.

  Following a brief silence Marcus rose and, with a pained expression spoke. “Crassus, I, too, have heard that these plebeians have spoken openly of bringing down the senate and turning the Republic into a new world where every man has a voice and a vote, and the patrician families hold no power. I also hear though” and at this he turned to two of th
e other family heads, “that there are plebeian families who are also fearful of these gangs, who are also becoming prey to the street attacks.” The two men nodded in agreement. “So, this isn’t as simple as it may sound. What we must decide, gentlemen, is what the cause of theses seditious actions is, and deal with that. Without taking off the head of the beast it will continue to thrive. I” and at this he looked to Crassus, “am unsure whether the issue is truly Capitolinus, or whether his words, and those of others, have furthered the anger that many of the families in Rome already hold against the senate as they feel that we are not doing enough to support them as Rome rebuilds.” At this many of the people in the room began muttering. Holding up a hand, Marcus continued.

  “We, gentlemen, have just conquered the largest army any man in living memory has ever seen. An army of giants from the north. Gauls who stood a head taller than even our largest men. Rome was devastated, the plebeian families were driven from their homes, their men killed because of our mistakes and our lack of piety towards the gods. You cannot deny this, Crassus, as much as it pains me to say it.” Further whispers raced around the room. “And now that we are rebuilding Rome, many of the people who have returned are without a home as others have taken the land that was once theirs. Our records and laws, written over hundreds of years, have been destroyed and not replaced. Decisions are made for money; the plebeian tribunes have complained of this openly. People come to the us, as patricians, for agreements, loans, land grants. Yet we turn away more than we can grant as we cannot be certain that every claim is genuine. Each decision creates one winner and one loser. Inevitably” and at this he shook his head and sighed, “we create enemies with every decision we make. But one thing remains true, gentlemen. The love of the gods for our city and the will of the senate to make a better Republic for every man, plebeian or patrician. The gods give the strength of leadership to some, and the role of follower to others, as it has always been. Crassus is right to demand answers” he said to the room at large. “But answers to what? Is Capitolinus really the leader of these gangs? Who else could be leading these gangs? What do they really want? Are there Volscans in the city leading seditious acts against us? Without knowing the enemy, we cannot find a solution to the issues we face. Attacks in the streets could be opportunists trying their luck. It’s always been the way in large cities. As we rebuild the city new gangs are inevitably going to arise, trying to gain leverage over their districts. Is it really any different to previous street fighting?” he shrugged. “Since I was a child there’ve been fights in the streets by rival groups. If these thugs are now over-stepping the mark, then I agree with Crassus we need to resolve the issue. But is it Capitolinus? I’m yet to be convinced. I know he has made accusations against me personally, but I harbour no ill will to a man of his family or standing. If his words are supportive of the common man for the good of Rome, then I applaud him. I have seen no specific evidence of Capitolinus raising gangs to overthrow the senate.”

  “He’s stood out there on the steps and shouted that the senate is hoarding gold from the barbarians” said Crassus in reply. “Called out to Jupiter to hear his words and claimed that we are holding our foot on the throat of every Roman freeborn man. I say that his words have started this problem, and I say that we call him to account for his sedition, his treachery.”

  Agreement and argument rumbled around the room before Iulius stood and waved for silence. “If there are men who want to further their own interests, get rich quickly and grab as much land as possible in these turbulent times who hear the words of Capitolinus, will they take actions of their own against the senate? That is the true question. If these gangs are aligned to Capitolinus and we can prove this, then, surely, he must be brought to account. Yet, his family are one of the oldest in Rome, a true descendant of the fore-fathers who founded the city. I cannot account for a man of his standing suddenly turning against the laws and ways of life that his father, and his father before that, honoured. Why, only a handful of years ago he was a leading man in the Legion, gaining decorations of valour. He stood head and shoulders above us all on the Capitol hill in our darkest times. His actions against the Gauls on that night were god-given, we cannot challenge that. What does he have to gain from inciting riots in the streets? I cannot see it. These acts must be the work of criminal gangs looking to somehow benefit whilst we are at our weakest as we re-develop the city. It can be nothing more than this, surely?”

  Another senator stood, his thin face lined with age. He raised a hand, three fingers missing from an old war wound. “Crassus is correct” said Furius Fussus, one of the oldest senators and former consular tribune. “I have heard this man speak of the senate keeping the gold from the Gauls and distributing it amongst the leading families. Such words make me very angry. I served with Manlius’ grandfather and father, I know them to be true Romans. I will not call him by this name that he’s been given.” He shook his head as he continued. “He is a Manlius and his own family should look to him to stop his sedition. It will end badly for all of them if they do not” his voice had risen now as others began to mumble agreement. “Let his own family resolve this issue. They should hold his tongue or cut it out. The laws are the laws, gentlemen. If this meeting cannot see that he is wrong in his accusations and that we should force his own family to resolve this issue, then there is no point being here. I will have my say” he shouted as others began to rise and call for him to be silent. “Manlius needs to be called to order by his own family clan and then by the law if he is in the wrong. If he is inciting these riots by appearing to condone the actions of these thugs, then his own family should stop it or they should all pay for his crimes. If not, then it is as Camillus says, we need another solution.”

  Marcus stood again and called for order as Quirinus also got to his feet and raised his hand to be given a chance to be heard. Staring at the younger man, Marcus tightened his jaw and lowered his chin as he glared at him, daring Quirinus to speak before he had a chance to reply to Fussus.

  “Senator” Marcus said with a nod to the old man. “Your wisdom is welcomed, and you have made a valid point. If Capitolinus” at which Fussus hissed, “is speaking against the senate, why haven’t his own family been called to speak to him? Why are none of them here today?” he asked the room.

  Iulius stood as Marcus regained his seat. “The simple truth is that I had not invited them” he replied. “It was felt by the few of us who hold the civil authority this term that we should debate the issue with some of the leading families first, and then choose a course of action.”

  “Then we clearly have our plan, Iulius” snapped Fussus. “Call the family to the authorities and put this claim to them. Let them sort their own puppy and put him back on a leash.”

  “But you miss the point, Fussus” said Marcus. “If the Manlii speak to their man and the violence continues we have wasted our breath here today. I believe that the constant wars since we retrieved the city from the Gallic invaders have made many plebeian families desperate. Desperate to rebuild homes that have been destroyed, desperate to feed families which have no food, desperate for jobs which will pay their debts. In desperation it is the way of men to seek the shortest path to fulfil their needs. It is my view that the senate should consider a series of measures to support those leading plebeian families who have shown their loyalty and support to a greater Rome, a Rome which the gods would be proud of. Give them senate approved handouts, bring them into the fold and let them resolve the issues which face the lower orders. Let the leading plebeian families, those that have served us all well over the years, begin to rebuild. Let them have some measure of power and let them advise and be a part of our new Rome. By supporting the people, we will truly support the principles of the Republic.”

  “And let them fall asleep on guard as they did on the Capitol” said Fussus, his words gaining vocal agreement from most of the audience. “The majority of plebeian families will only take what we have and turn it against us. You know tha
t Camillus. How many came to support you when you were thrown out of Rome? How many of the plebeian tribunes stood in your defence? Most of them are no better than the Etruscan slaves I have in my fields” He waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t talk to me of reforms for the plebeians. These street brawls show that they need a strong hand to guide them or knock them into line. You’re a military man, Camillus, you know that better than any of us. And Manlius, what of him? He is the like the legionary who puts the thought of stabbing the centurion in the back to all his men, and then sits back and waits for others to do his dirty work” he shrugged, his point made.

  Marcus took a slow breath, noting that the argument for support to the plebeian families was waning amongst the group. Taking a moment to compose himself before he spoke he said, “I agree with much of senator Fussus’ points. We must ask the Manlii family-clan to resolve the issue with Capitolinus, they will have the backing of the senate to do so. But we must also put in place plans to support those families who have been the staunchest supporters of the city, the leading plebeians…”

  “No” said a strong voice. “That is not enough. Marcus Manlius Capitolinus has caused the death of three of my workmen, his gangs have burned two of my stores and he’s openly called for every senator to be removed and replaced by a new plebeian council. A council that will report to him, and only him.” All faces turned to Quirinus, his eyes bristling with anger. “I’ve heard him speak openly of destroying the senate, of putting himself in charge of the city. He’s out there telling the people that they have enough power to overthrow the senate and be led by one man, himself. Did our fathers create this Republic for us to throw it away when a man such as Manlius comes and has clear designs on becoming a tyrant? A rule over all as he says Jupiter is over the gods”

  “You have no proof of his kingly desire” said Iulius.

  “I have heard him. Fussus has heard him. Crassus has heard him. Our families have been attacked by the very men that follow him around the city. He is a traitor to the state, gentlemen. Nothing more, nothing less. He has designs on installing himself as King, and he will not be stopped by his own clan. We” at which he turned and stared at the faces in the room “must act decisively now, before we find ourselves with a knife in the back and a plebeian boot stamping on our necks, as Fussus has alluded to.” Several men clapped loudly and voiced their agreement as Quirinus finished his short outburst.