‘Get a bigger house,’ Paetus suggested, in the manner of a man who did not have to worry about money.
‘I’ve got the biggest one that I can afford at the moment,’ Sabinus replied gloomily. ‘And having failed this year, yet again, to get elected as a quaestor I’m forced to wait until next year when I surely will be elected and be able to use the position to bulk up my finances.’
‘Quite so; but until then you’re stuck, eh? Unless you would consider a loan,’ Paetus offered. ‘I wouldn’t miss a hundred thousand or so for a couple of years; I wouldn’t charge you much interest, say ten per cent for the duration of the loan.’
‘That would be most kind, Paetus.’
Vespasian was shocked by the proposal. ‘Sabinus, you can’t!’
‘Why not?’
‘Well, for a start senators aren’t allowed to participate in banking and I’d say that charging interest on a loan breaks that rule.’
Paetus guffawed. ‘Vespasian, old chap, I don’t know of one senator who’s taken any notice of that since Marcus Crassus’ excesses; he had almost everyone in the Senate in debt to him at one time or the other and his rates of interest were exorbitant. Besides, this is just a private agreement between friends.’
‘What happens if you can’t repay it?’
‘You let me worry about that,’ Sabinus said tersely, ‘it’s nothing to do with you. As Paetus said: it’s a private agreement. If the idea of taking a loan offends your miserly scruples then fine, don’t ever take one out; I, on the other hand, have no problem with it. I intend to live comfortably and at the moment that means taking advantage of Paetus’ kind offer, which I accept with thanks.’
‘Live comfortably, yes, but live within your means. How will you be able to sleep at night knowing that you owe so much money?’
‘I’ll worry about that when I can’t hear Flavia mewling.’
They walked in silence through the Gate of Fontus, in the shadow of the Capitoline Hill with the Temple of Juno towering on the Arx above them; here Vespasian bid a sullen farewell to his brother and Paetus, leaving them to go on to Paetus’ house on the Esquiline Hill to draw up the agreement.
Walking quickly up the Quirinal to dissipate his anger he reached Gaius’ house soon after. Upon entering the atrium he found his uncle sitting by the impluvium eating sweet pastries.
‘Ah, there you are, dear boy,’ Gaius boomed, spraying crumbs all over his lap. ‘Have you heard the news?’
‘No, Uncle, I’ve been at the baths.’
‘Then I’m surprised that you haven’t heard; it’s finally happened, Tiberius has gone really mad.’ Gaius wiped his moist lips with a napkin. ‘He’s asked the Senate to meet at dawn tomorrow at the Temple of Apollo. I think that I’ll feign an illness.’
‘Why, Uncle?’
‘Because, dear boy, I don’t want to be seen opposing a motion that I cannot in all conscience vote for; the rumour is that Tiberius has written to ask the Senate to confirm tribunician power upon Sejanus.’
An hour later, Vespasian and Gaius had just been called to dinner when there was a knock on the front door. After a quick look through the viewing slot the attractive new doorkeeper opened up; into the vestibule stepped Pallas and, much to Vespasian’s surprise and delight, Caenis.
‘Pallas, what brings you here at the dinner hour?’ Gaius exclaimed, as always happy to see Antonia’s steward but slightly nervous lest it should mean that she required a difficult favour. ‘And in such beautiful company,’ he added, casting a sidelong, knowing look at Vespasian.
‘Good evening, masters,’ Pallas replied bowing, ‘we’re here, as you may well guess, on our mistress’s business.’
‘Then we shall discuss it over dinner,’ Gaius replied, keen not to be parted for too long from his repast.
‘Would that be appropriate, master?’
‘Pallas, my friend, you know as well as I that now you’ve passed the age of thirty Antonia will reward you with your freedom sooner rather than later. When that day comes I have no doubt that you will become a man of considerable influence and it’ll be I who will be honoured by your presence at my table; so dine with me this evening as a friend and let us forget our relative status.’
‘In that case, master, it would be an honour that I shan’t forget,’ Pallas replied sincerely.
‘And I’m sure that Vespasian could make room on his couch for you, my dear,’ Gaius said, smiling at Caenis.
A vision of Caligula and his sisters flashed across Vespasian’s mind; he banished it immediately.
‘Thank you, master,’ Caenis replied sweetly, ‘although I’m sure that it’ll be a bit of a tight squeeze.’
Gaius roared with laughter. ‘Oh, very good, my dear, but shouldn’t that have been Vespasian’s line?’
‘Only if he was thinking what I was thinking.’
Vespasian reddened and looked lovingly at Caenis: she really was perfect.
‘So, my friend,’ Gaius boomed, full of good cheer as the pretty slave boy Aenor filled his cup yet again, ‘what is it that Antonia requires of me?’
The meal had been cleared away and fruit and sweet wine had been laid out on the table. Vespasian had eaten his fill and felt a sense of wellbeing steal over him. The hairs on his arm stood erect as it brushed against Caenis next to him and he was unable to resist subtly running his hand down her back. She smiled at him and popped a grape into her mouth.
‘There are two things, master,’ Pallas replied, sipping his wine rather than quaffing it in the manner of his host. ‘Firstly: tomorrow the Senate meets at the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine; she naturally assumes that you will be present.’ Pallas looked meaningfully at Gaius’ now half-empty cup.
Gaius looked at his cup regretfully and put it down. ‘At dawn, yes, I’ll be there if she wishes, although I was planning on absenting myself through sickness.’
‘She does indeed wish you to be there. She also wishes that Vespasian wait outside the temple in his official capacity.’
‘But I’m due to be in the Forum,’ Vespasian objected. ‘There are three trials for treason to be held tomorrow, I may have some unpleasant duties to perform.’
‘They will be suspended first thing in the morning. Antonia wants you near the Senate; Caenis will be with you.’
‘Why?’
‘All in good time; but seeing as Caenis will be accompanying you Antonia feels that it would be more convenient if she spends the night here. She hopes that it won’t be too much of a problem.’
‘I could always sleep on this couch,’ Caenis said innocently.
Vespasian smiled at her, stroking her beautiful thick hair.
‘Good,’ Pallas continued, turning back to Gaius. ‘The second thing she requires is that you make notes.’
‘Notes? She can read the transcripts of the Senate’s meetings and the results of the votes any time she wants, surely?’
‘It’s not what will be said that interests her, she already knows that; it’s where senators sit and how long for.’
‘I’m intrigued, Pallas,’ Gaius said, taking just a sip of wine.
Vespasian managed to tear his attention away from Caenis and focus on what Pallas had to say.
‘No doubt you have heard the rumour that Tiberius will ask the Senate to confirm tribunician power on Sejanus?’
‘Of course, it’s the talk of Rome,’ Gaius replied. ‘That’s why I didn’t want to be present.’
‘Which I quite understand; however, it’s no mere rumour, it’s a strategy thought up by Caligula and adopted by Tiberius and my mistress.’
‘To see who doesn’t share my uncle’s scruples?’ Vespasian ventured, immediately seeing the beauty of the scheme.
‘Exactly, master.’ Pallas looked impressed that Vespasian had caught on so quickly. ‘Tomorrow all Sejanus’ known supporters will enthusiastically attend the meeting expecting to vote tribunician power for their patron and reap whatever rewards he has promised them. However, this rumour will also fl
ush out the senators who have been a little more circumspect in their support for him; if they think that the man that they have been secretly backing is finally in a position to gain supreme power then they will want to be a part of that so as not to miss out on his favour.’
‘And Antonia wants me to note who sits close to him?’ Gaius asked, getting the gist of the ploy.
‘In part, yes, but what really interests her is how long they sit with him.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’ll come to that. For a start she wants the list, as soon as possible, of who is surrounding him at the beginning of the meeting. Caenis will be in the crowd outside the temple with Vespasian; once you have noted the names you will come out and dictate them to her.’
‘But there may be as many as a hundred, perhaps even more,’ Gaius complained.
‘Don’t worry about his open supporters, she already knows their names, just memorise the ones who don’t usually associate themselves with him. Once Caenis has written down the list a slave will take it to Antonia.’
‘Why does she want it so quickly?’ Vespasian asked.
‘I’m afraid that I’m not privy to all of my mistress’s reasoning, she tells me only what I need to know.’ Pallas turned back to Gaius. ‘However, what I do know is that as Tiberius’ letter is read out it will start by heaping praise on Sejanus but then it will, by degrees, become more and more critical and my mistress expects people to start moving away from him; note the order in which they do and at what point during the letter. Vespasian, as a triumvir capitalis, is allowed to enter the Senate if a member has summoned him; send for him regularly and pass on the names to him. Once Caenis has the complete list she’ll return to Antonia’s house.’
‘But how will we know when the list is complete?’ Gaius asked.
‘Because by the time that the Senior Consul has finished reading the Emperor’s letter there will be no one near Sejanus,’ Pallas replied confidently.
‘Shouldn’t I escort Caenis back?’ Vespasian asked.
‘No, master, you will stay outside the temple. My mistress is hopeful that you will soon be busy as she believes that Tiberius will finish by asking the Senate to condemn Sejanus to death.’
‘So Tiberius’ vacillations have been no more than a ruse to unearth all of Sejanus’ supporters,’ Vespasian said to Caenis who lay, covered in sweat, in his arms. His bedroom was dark and the sweet smell of sex surrounded them.
Caenis nuzzled his neck gently. ‘Not entirely. My mistress thinks that it was mainly because he was fearful that if he did act against Sejanus, his supporters would have their revenge on him. She dictated a letter to Caligula at Misenum — she’s unable to get letters to Capreae without them being read by Sejanus’ men — telling him that the names of all his supporters were well known. Caligula wrote back saying that Tiberius was fearful that there were more who as yet had not gone public with their support and suggested this scheme for rooting them out. My mistress thought it ingenious and told him to suggest it to the Emperor who embraced it wholeheartedly because he could carry on doing exactly what he had been doing since you left.’
Vespasian smiled in the darkness. ‘Changing his mind, you mean.’
‘Worse than that; he’s actually written to Sejanus, a couple of times, saying that he’s ill and on the point of dying and asking him to return to Capreae. Luckily, Caligula seems to have a lot of influence over him and on both occasions persuaded him, by reminding him of Thrasyllus’ prophecy, to write again to say that he’s now feeling much better and is in fact preparing a trip to Rome, and that Sejanus should stay to meet him when he arrives.’
‘I saw how Caligula deals with him; he’s not having the easiest of times, one word out of place and he could be dead.’
‘Yes, but he’s managing to do the most important thing: keeping Tiberius away from Sejanus.’
‘And tomorrow that’ll be over.’
‘Yes, my love, one way or another.’
‘What do you mean? Tomorrow Tiberius will ask the Senate to condemn Sejanus to death.’
‘Perhaps; I copied Caligula’s latest letter for my mistress’s records yesterday and in it he said that Tiberius didn’t consult him whilst he was writing his address to the Senate nor did he get a chance to look at it; so no one can be absolutely sure what will be read out tomorrow.’
‘But Pallas was confident that Antonia knew the contents.’
‘Pallas only knows what she tells him; other than my mistress, only you, Caligula and I know the full truth.’
Vespasian sat up. ‘Shit! He could’ve just as easily changed his mind and where would that leave Antonia and all of us?’
‘We should sleep, Vespasian; it’ll be a long and dangerous day tomorrow.’
Vespasian kissed her on the lips and lay back on the pillow. He closed his eyes but he knew that sleep would be difficult to find; tomorrow would be a bloody day — one way or another.
CHAPTER XVIIII
The early-morning mist still clung to the lower reaches of the city along the shores of the Tiber, shrouding the island opposite the Campus Martius, as Vespasian, Caenis and Gaius climbed the Palatine in the fresh dawn light. All around them, groups of senators, carrying their folding stools, made their way in the same direction, towards the Temple of Apollo on the southern side of the hill; the mood amongst them was generally buoyant but, here and there, small clusters of less exuberant senators walked slowly with grim faces, the future weighing heavily upon their shoulders.
The crowds grew thicker as they approached the Temple of Apollo because the ordinary people of Rome, drawn by the rumour of Sejanus’ elevation, were gathering to witness the day’s unfolding events. Gaius’ senatorial toga was enough to clear a path for them as the deferential crowd parted to let the senators through to the beautiful, octagonal temple set on a podium, built by Augustus in thanks to his guardian god for his victories.
Paetus met them at the foot of the steps leading up to the temple doors and quickly got them through the security cordon of a century of togate Praetorians. Gaius went ahead with Caenis to find a place under the portico where he would be able to find her again in a hurry.
‘Why aren’t you in the Forum, Vespasian?’ Paetus enquired as they mounted the steps.
‘I’ve been asked to come here,’ Vespasian replied simply as scores of senators flooded past them into the building.
Paetus looked at him shrewdly. ‘I needn’t ask who by. So things may not be going the way the rumours suggest, eh?’
‘Perhaps not, Paetus. I really don’t know. I’m in the rather unpleasant position of being used as a tool for a purpose that I don’t fully understand.’
‘It was ever thus for us junior magistrates. This is not a day to be in Rome, wouldn’t you say, old boy?’
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd below and Vespasian turned to see both the Consuls, each preceded by twelve fascesbearing lictors, cut two different swathes through the milling citizenry as if competing to reach the temple first.
‘Well, this will be fun,’ Paetus observed dryly. ‘It’s the first time the two Consuls have attended a meeting of the Senate together since Memmius Regulus took over from Faustus Sulla as Senior Consul at the beginning of this month; his junior colleague, Fulcinius Trio, hates him because he’s the Emperor’s man not Sej-’ Paetus stopped abruptly and looked at Vespasian. ‘Oh! I see,’ he said slowly. ‘This has been planned well in advance, hasn’t it?’
‘Yes, it has, but nobody except Tiberius knows what the outcome will be.’
‘Well, Memmius Regulus must be pretty confident that he knows; he cancelled the three treason trials in the Forum this morning, all of which had been brought by Sejanus.’ He turned to go. ‘I’d better go in before the Consuls; I’ll see you later in what will be a different Rome, one way or another.’
Vespasian watched him go with that uncertain phrase echoing in his head.
Regulus had won the race to be the first Consul to arrive and h
e mounted the steps with all the dignity befitting his rank, followed, a few paces behind, by a sour-faced Fulcinius Trio. As they disappeared into the temple Gaius returned, having left Caenis between the first two of the Luna marble columns of the portico, just to the right of the main door.
‘I’d better be going in, my dear boy,’ he said, sounding more than a little nervous. He indicated Caenis’ position. ‘You’d best go and join her. Good luck.’
Vespasian did not need a second invitation to vacate the entrance; as his uncle turned to leave, a mighty cheer broke out from the crowd and it parted to reveal Sejanus walking, in amongst a large group of his supporters, directly towards him.
Vespasian skipped behind the column to find Caenis ready with a wax tablet and bronze stylus in hand, but looking worried.
‘Are you all right, Caenis?’
‘I can’t see the slave that I’m meant to hand the first list to,’ she replied, scanning the crowd.
‘Keep looking, I’m sure he’ll turn up,’ Vespasian assured her as Sejanus’ party mounted the steps; when they reached the top Sejanus stopped.
‘Friends,’ he said, addressing the senators around him, ‘go on in and reserve a place of honour for me; I’ll stay out here a while until everyone is in and then I shall enter last, for maximum effect.’
His supporters cheered him and then began to make their way inside.
Vespasian peered out from behind the column and caught a glimpse of Sejanus; he did not look like a man confident of high honour. His square-jawed face seemed strained and he wore a heavy frown; his hands were fidgeting. He turned suddenly, feeling that someone close by was watching him, and caught sight of Vespasian as he ducked back behind the column.
‘You there, what are you doing?’ he shouted, moving towards Vespasian’s and Caenis’ position.
‘Prefect!’ A voice called from the bottom of the steps, stopping Sejanus in his tracks.
‘Macro, thank the gods,’ Sejanus exclaimed with relief in his voice. ‘Has there been a message from the Emperor? I’ve heard nothing from him for eight days now; I don’t want to go into the meeting unless I’m absolutely sure that he is favouring me and this isn’t a trap.’
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