Companions (The Parthian Chronicles)

by Peter Darman

  ‘I too have often found this courtyard a haven from the bustle of the world.’

  We turned to see a woman no more than five feet in height standing next to one of the fountains. She was dressed in a blue silk gown adorned with gold brooches, her dark brown hair arranged on top of her head and held in place with scented wax. She wore gold rings on her fingers and long, thin strips of gold dangled from her ears. Surrounding her dark brown eyes was shadow made from olive oil mixed with ground charcoal. Her bare arms were tanned and shiny, probably due to having olive oil rubbed on them. I detected a whiff of myrrh perfume coming from her. She clearly had very expensive tastes.

  She smiled, her teeth white and complete. ‘Welcome King Pacorus and Queen Gallia. I have been expecting you. Talaos, bring wine for our guests.’

  She took Gallia’s arm and led her towards the banqueting room that contained daybeds woven in leather standing at the same height as the tables to allow guests to recline as they took refreshments.

  ‘So this is the famous Queen Gallia that Samahe has told me so much about. I am indeed pleased to meet you.’

  ‘And you, lady,’ said Gallia.

  ‘Please,’ insisted the seer, ‘call me Julia. We are all friends here.’

  Talaos reappeared with slaves holding beautiful silver drinking cups. He poured wine into them and served us after we had reclined on the daybeds. I sipped at the wine. It was one of the best I had tasted.

  ‘So, lord king,’ Julia said to me, ‘you go to Ephesus on an heroic quest to rescue your friend from Roman slavery.’

  ‘I do, Julia.’

  She smiled at Gallia. ‘And you have come here seeking my help in this noble venture.’

  ‘Samahe said that you might be able to offer me aid,’ I said.

  She smiled and looked at Gallia. ‘It is most auspicious that you, Queen Gallia, are to visit Ephesus, the site of the sanctuary of Artemis and a city that was founded by the Amazons.’

  She turned her head and snapped her fingers at Talaos standing near the entrance.

  ‘Bring the gift.’

  He bowed his head and left the room as a slave came forward to refresh my cup.

  ‘How is it that a member of the Scythian sisterhood came to live on Cyprus?’ I asked.

  ‘The members of our order go where they will, King Pacorus,’ she answered evasively. ‘You are indeed fortunate that one of the highest of our order has made your palace her home.’

  Gallia looked at her. ‘One of the highest?’

  ‘It is no coincidence that Dobbai was the adviser of King of King Sinatruces. And now she lives at Dura.’

  She looked at me, examining me closely and not speaking. I found her gaze uncomfortable and felt awkward.

  ‘I have found princes to be mostly boorish and stupid,’ she said at length. ‘They usually destroy what their fathers have built. I have had many of them visit me here, fawning over me like desperate slaves.’

  ‘They ask you to reveal their futures?’ I asked.

  She nodded. ‘Mostly I tell them what they want to hear. That they will achieve fame and glory and make their father’s achievements look pitiful. They pay me my fee and leave happy.’

  ‘Is that not dishonest?’ I said.

  She raised a well-manicured eyebrow at me. ‘Dobbai wrote that you are an incurable romantic. There are many futures, Parthian king, of which the gods reveal but a few. But I do not need the assistance of the gods to know what the future holds for some hapless individuals.’

  She rose from her daybed. ‘If a fat, idle prince of some meaningless minor kingdom under the heel of the Romans asks me what his future holds, then I tell him that he will live a long, happy life filled with riches and glory. It is not a lie but neither is it the whole truth. The fact that he will die in middle age of heart failure after sodomising one of his male slaves, or choking on a bone at a feast, is largely irrelevant.’

  ‘Not to him,’ I remarked.

  She waved over a slave who refilled her cup. ‘To be able to see the future is a precious gift from the gods. I would be abusing their benevolence if I indulged the whims of every idiot who presents himself to me. Only the deserving should benefit from divine knowledge.’

  I did not know what to make of this woman who dressed and lived like a queen, but Gallia was clearly fascinated by her.

  ‘What of princesses who visit you?’ she asked.

  Julia regained her daybed. ‘I try to help them as much as I can, as I do with the other women who ask for my assistance. Women have a hard enough time in this life. I see no reason to add to their misery.’

  ‘Are princesses miserable?’ I asked, thinking of my own sisters, Adeleh and Aliyeh, both pampered princesses at Hatra.

  ‘Inevitably,’ said Julia, looking at Gallia as she spoke. ‘Given by their fathers to foreign princes to secure alliances, they invariably either die in childbirth or live lonely lives in their dotage far from their homelands.’

  Talaos returned carrying something wrapped in a red cloth. I stood in anticipation of receiving it. He bowed to Julia and handed the parcel to her. The seer stood and passed it to Gallia.

  ‘For you, Queen Gallia.’

  Somewhat surprised, Gallia stood and took it. She unwrapped the cloth to reveal a leather quiver filled with silver flight arrows. She pulled one of the arrows from the quiver and I saw that its shaft was painted silver and its three-winged point was also burnished to resemble silver. It was most striking.

  ‘The head looks like it is made of silver,’ I said.

  ‘That is because it is silver,’ replied Julia as Gallia slipped it back into the quiver.

  She laid a hand on Gallia’s arm. ‘You must listen closely, young Amazon. You must keep this quiver close at all times. The fate of you and your husband rests on you using these arrows when the time comes.’

  ‘My wife is not fighting in the arena,’ I stated.

  Julia turned, frowning at me. ‘I did not say she was. But her bow and these arrows will have an influence on what happens at Ephesus.’

  She looked back at Gallia. ‘Keep your bow and these missiles with you at all times. Artemis will ensure that each one will find its mark.’

  Gallia seemed pleased with her gift and all that remained was for me to receive mine. I looked at Talaos who had returned to his station by the door. I then looked at Julia in expectation. She returned to her daybed and ignored me.

  ‘What about me?’ I enquired.

  ‘What about you?’ said Julia.

  ‘Am I to receive any assistance?’

  ‘No.’

  I was not amused. ‘I have come all the way here for nothing.’

  ‘I thought you came here because Cyprus is on the route to your destination of Ephesus,’ remarked Julia. ‘However, as I can see that you are disappointed that your wife has received a gift and you have not, I offer this advice. When you have done with Ephesus seek the lions at the island of Lemnos. And afterwards strike when the silver man glitters.’

  I was now totally confused. ‘I do not understand.’

  ‘You will at the time. What did I just say?’

  I repeated her words.

  ‘Good,’ she said, ‘remember them. They will save your life.’

  ‘I have one thing to request of you,’ I said.

  Julia looked at me in anticipation. ‘Speak, King Pacorus.’

  I placed my hands behind my back. ‘There is aboard the ship we are travelling on a slave named Adad who was injured most grievously at the start of our voyage. As a result his arm is withered and he requires rest and recuperation. I would ask that you give him refuge here as the sailors believe his presence on their ship is an ill omen and it may lead to difficulties.’

  ‘What use is a one-armed slave?’ said Julia.

  ‘We will pay you of course,’ I emphasised.

  Julia smiled at Gallia. ‘I have no wish to offend the king and queen of Dura, the latter especially as Dobbai speaks most highly of you. Therefore I wil
l take the slave. Talaos will collect him this afternoon. I will add him to my fee.’

  I relaxed and sat on the daybed. ‘If you write to my treasurer at Dura he will see that the funds are sent forthwith.’

  ‘The fee is five thousand drachmas.’

  I nearly dropped my cup. ‘Five thousand drachmas?’

  ‘You hearing is impeccable,’ remarked Julia.

  An unskilled worker could perhaps earn half a drachma a day and even though I did not trade in slaves I knew that even the most highly prized rarely cost more than three hundred drachmas each.

  ‘Much as I find your company interesting, King Pacorus,’ said Julia, ‘I am a businesswoman with large overheads.’

  I looked around at her rich furniture and fittings. ‘I can imagine.’

  ‘So you will appreciate that my services do not come cheaply.’

  ‘We will be happy to pay the fee,’ said Gallia firmly.

  Talaos escorted us back to the docks with another slave riding on a horse-drawn cart to enable Adad to be taken back to Julia’s villa. Gallia was delighted with her gift but I felt duped. And to compound my sense of being cheated I had no idea where Lemnos was. The only positive result of our visit to Julia was that Adad would have a place of sanctuary where he could regain his strength.

  His eyes were filled with tears of gratitude as he thanked me for saving his life. Alcaeus helped him down the gangplank to the waiting cart as I said farewell to Talaos. I raised my hand to Adad, whose salvation was included in the king’s ransom I had paid for a miserable quiver of silver arrows.

  Chapter 8

  It took four days to reach Ephesus, the ships hugging the coast of Cyprus before heading northwest into open waters. I thanked Dobbai that she had insisted that our party numbered seven to appease the gods of the oceans because the Mediterranean was peaceful like a sleeping blue giant. The crew was happy that we were rid of Adad and the lions seemed content and well fed in their cages, Athineos fussing over them like a mother hen. We saw other ships during the passage to the coastline of Asia Minor, mostly corbitas like our own but sometimes a Roman trireme on patrol, its oars dipping into the water in perfect unison.

  Athineos joined me one morning as one of these vessels passed our starboard side, around five hundred yards away, sailing towards the southeast.

  I leaned on the gunwale to watch it pass. ‘No more Cilician pirates in the Mediterranean now, then?’

  ‘That’s right,’ said Athineos, ‘Pompey cleared them from the sea so the Mediterranean is now a Roman lake.’

  ‘It must have been a bloody business sinking all those Cilician ships.’

  Athineos laughed. ‘Pompey is a wily old fox. It is true that he had a lot of ships and men and did take the main pirate stronghold at Corecesium, but when he had captured most of the Cilician coast he bribed the pirates with promises of land outside of towns far away from the sea.’

  ‘And did he keep his word?’ I asked.

  ‘Of course. The Cilician pirates are now farmers, though no doubt they indulge in cattle thieving from time to time.’

  He stretched out an arm. ‘But there are no Cilician pirates sailing the seas any more.’

  He pointed at the trireme disappearing on the horizon. ‘If the Romans capture you when you and your companions walk ashore at Ephesus you can expect to be crucified and your pretty wife similarly condemned, either that or sold into slavery. You want that?’

  ‘Of course not, Athineos, but we have come too far to turn back. Anyway, perhaps we might be condemned to be galley slaves.’

  He shook his head. ‘Not much chance of that. Roman warships use only volunteers to row their oars.’

  I was shocked. ‘Surely not?’

  ‘In a naval battle you want skilled oarsmen to power your ship not surly, half-dead slaves. So no being a galley slave for you, King Pacorus.’

  ‘In any case we have the help of sorceresses.’

  He looked at to sea. ‘So you visited the old witch at Paphos. I was speaking to a few of the port officials and they said that she is a charlatan, a very rich charlatan.’

  ‘She provided us with valuable aid,’ I replied, not wishing to reveal the price of a quiver full of arrows.

  He eyes me. ‘Did she give you cloaks of invincibility, perhaps?’

  I shook my head.

  ‘Or the ability to summon giant birds to swoop down and rescue you from the clutches of the Romans?’

  ‘No.’

  He breathed in the sea air, turned and slapped me on the shoulder before walking off. ‘Then you should pray for a speedy death, Pacorus.’

  As we hugged the coast we passed many coves, inlets and tree-covered peninsulas but saw few people on the land and none on the plethora of small islands that dotted the sea just off the coast of Asia. Athineos informed me that the inhabitants had been seized and sold in the slave markets by the Cilician pirates many years before. Even though the Romans had cleared the seas of pirates, locals were still fearful of living too near the coast.

  The islands and coast may have been deserted but as we got nearer to Ephesus the sea began to fill with vessels. They were mostly corbitas filled with food and supplies to sell in the city’s markets but we also saw Roman warships and small fishing boats operating from Ephesus itself. As we neared the city Domitus appeared from the hold, having changed into the clothes of a lanista, or what he considered the owner of a gladiator school should wear: red boots, white tunic and a blue cloak secured to his left shoulder by means of a gold brooch. Around his waist he wore his sword belt, his gladius at his left hip and his dagger on the opposite side.

  Drenis and Arminius burst into laughter when they saw him and Gallia frowned but Domitus was having none of it.

  ‘You may mock but we are about to enter Roman territory and so all of you need to have a care. Henceforth you will all address me as dominus.’

  Surena smiled in mockery. Domitus was facing him, their faces inches apart in seconds.

  ‘You think this is a joke, boy. A loose word and we could all end up nailed to crosses. You want that for your king, your queen?’

  Surena’s smile disappeared. ‘No, sir, that is dominus.’

  Domitus turned to face all of us. ‘And that goes for all of you. Watch what you say and keep your heads down. And Gallia, keep your head covered. You are already one of the most famous women in the East so we don’t want people to see your blonde hair. Hopefully we can get hold of Burebista and leave Ephesus before the cat’s out of the bag.’

  To which end I pulled Athineos aside and requested a quiet word with him in his cabin. He knew the purpose of our mission but I told him that I wanted to be away from Ephesus as soon as we had secured Burebista.

  ‘Shouldn’t be a problem. I will be paid as soon as the lions are offloaded and after that there will be nothing to keep me here.’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘How are you going to rescue your friend, bearing in mind that there are a lot of Roman soldiers in Ephesus?’

  ‘I will decide that when we get there.’

  He scratched his head and went over to the small table at the bottom of the single cot in the cabin. He bent down to pick up a small chest and placed it on the table, the legs of which were fastened to the floor. He opened the lid, took out a roll of papyrus and held it out to me.

  ‘Do you want to make a will before we reach Ephesus?’

  ‘A will. Why?’

  He gave me a rueful smile. ‘Because you have as much chance of succeeding as those lions out there have of dying of old age.’

  I declined his generous offer.

  The next day we entered the harbour of Ephesus. The Romans called the city Lumen Asia, the ‘Light of Asia’, whereas the locals termed it the ‘Market of Asia’. Both were right for Ephesus was a wonder to behold. We all stood on the deck with awe in our eyes as the sailors furled the sails and Athineos guided his vessel towards one of the great stone wharfs that projected out from the dockside, one of four in the
spacious harbour that was enclosed by two long breakwaters. Alcaeus had told me that the harbour at Ephesus was the largest in Asia, perhaps the world, and looking at it now I considered it to be the latter.

  Either side of the wharfs were docked merchant vessels of various sizes and a row of warships moored stern first. The aroma of spices and animals came from the great wooden warehouses lining the docks and which were filled with goods for shipment to Italy and Greece.

  ‘I had heard of the great prosperity of Ephesus,’ said Alcaeus as sailors jumped from the ship to secure the vessel to wooden posts on the wharf with ropes, ‘but it has exceeded my expectations. You may be interested to know, Pacorus, that it is a great trading city not only because its hinterland is extremely fertile, but also because it forms the end of one leg of the Silk Road.’

  ‘His name is Nikephorus,’ hissed Domitus.

  ‘Well, Nikephorus,’ continued Alcaeus, frowning at Domitus, ‘the soil around the city, irrigated by the River Cayster that flows into the sea here at Ephesus, supports huge numbers of vineyards and olive trees, plus fine grazing lands. The wines and olive oil from Ephesus are known throughout the civilised world.’

  He looked at Domitus. ‘Though I doubt they have heard of them in Rome itself.’

  ‘Not just wine and olive oil, doctor,’ said Athineos who placed his large hands on top of the gunwale, ‘but also marble that is quarried a short distance from the city. It makes the city a lot of money. As do the markets where grain, pottery and metals such as iron, copper, lead, gold and tin are traded.’

  ‘The city levies taxes on the markets just as we do at Dura?’ I asked.

  Athineos wiped his nose on the back of his hand. ‘But Dura misses out on taxing the most lucrative trade of all. Slavery.’