The Senator's Assignment

by Joan E. Histon

  ‘Do I look as though I’m joking?’ Vivius forced his fierce glare to wipe the sneer from Dorio’s face. It did.

  Lucanus’s eyes widened. ‘It’s not dangerous, is it?’

  ‘No. I’ve been given the address of Pilate’s former bookkeeper. A Greek by the name of Nikolaos. I’m looking for a discrepancy in the taxes.’

  Dorio gave a snort. ‘You, looking for a discrepancy in the taxes?’

  ‘Not me personally, no. That’s why I want you along?’

  Dorio moodily wiped the empty soup bowl with a crust of bread. ‘I don’t know what use you think I can be, I only have one arm.

  ‘And losing an arm affects your head for figures, does it?’

  ‘That’s not funny, Vivius.’

  ‘It’s not meant to be. As you sneeringly indicate, I’m no bookkeeper. I pay someone to do my finances. I need someone who knows what to look for and understands what the bookkeeper is talking about. That’s why I need you.’

  Dorio’s laugh was harsh. ‘You need me? Since when did you need anyone? You use people, Vivius; you don’t need them.’

  Vivius was uncomfortably aware of how close to the truth that jibe was. ‘You keep the records for your estate. You’d know what to look for, wouldn’t you?’ he persisted.

  ‘I might.’ Dorio drummed irritatingly on the empty bowl with his spoon. ‘For Rome, eh?’ He turned to Lucanus. ‘What do you think?’

  Lucanus shrugged. ‘Keep me out of this. I’m Greek, remember, and I’m not too sure I want to be involved in anything dangerous.’ He twisted the edge of the towel around his finger. ‘Besides,’ he added. ‘I don’t know if you’re well enough.’

  ‘I think I should know how well I am, don’t you?’

  ‘You can’t even make the effort to go out,’ Lucanus persisted.

  Resting his good arm on the table, Dorio rose unsteadily to his feet, his chair scraping across the wooden floor. ‘Help me get dressed, Greek, and I’ll show you who’s well enough to go out!’

  ‘As your physician I think I should advise against too much physical exertion.’

  Dorio limped across to the bedroom. ‘Advise all you like. If I want to go out, I’m going!’

  Lucanus feigned an exaggerated sigh, but as he followed his patient into the bedroom, he turned to Vivius and winked smugly. Vivius curbed a smile.

  It took the best part of an hour for Lucanus to dress his argumentative patient in his uniform, and for both of them to escort him to the stables, and hoist him astride a horse. But once settled on his mount, Vivius didn’t miss the excited gleam in the Decurion’s eyes.

  ‘Are you sure you can manage?’ Lucanus asked anxiously. ‘I’ve brought my medical case, wads of bandages and drugs to kill the pain if you need it.’

  ‘I won’t need your wretched medical case, Lucanus. I’m a little unbalanced but that’s all.’

  Snatching the reins from Vivius with his good right hand he dug his heels into the animal, and with Vivius and Lucanus walking on either side of the mount, set the pace. Both men watched him cautiously for a while, but Dorio’s profession as a cavalry Decurion soon shone through as his body settled into a comfortable rhythm of riding.

  They only stopped when they reached the crowded marketplace. Vivius noticed the hint of a smile threatening to emerge on Dorio’s face when he saw stall-holders waving their arms, loudly promising fine things from bright clothes to leatherwear, polished copper pots, unknown spices, baskets, jewellery and painted pottery jars. His eyes drifted over to a group of attractive women arguing over fresh commodities; others fought for the best produce or chattered with neighbours while their children played in the market square.

  Vivius watched him breathe in deeply as if absorbing the mix of smells from the food stalls: chicken braising, lamb roasting, fish and vegetables grilling. A trader roasting sparrows on a stick eyed them hopefully. ‘Two for a copper,’ he bellowed. ‘Special deal, five for two coppers.’

  ‘Senator,’ Lucanus moved in front of the horse, his face averted from Dorio. ‘I think we’re being followed,’ he whispered.

  Vivius turned full circle. ‘Where?’

  ‘I can’t say exactly. Of course I could be imagining it, all this talk of assignments and danger, and then having a break-in. It’s all pretty upsetting for a simple-minded Greek like me. I’m not used to that type of lifestyle.’ He gave Vivius a sideways glance. ‘If you don’t mind me saying so, Senator, being around you can be rather intense.’

  ‘You told me you wanted adventure?’

  ‘I’m rapidly going off the idea.’

  ‘Don’t worry; we’re only going to see a bookkeeper. There’s nothing dangerous in examining a book of figures, is there? Not in the middle of the afternoon, and not in the middle of a city.’

  ‘I hope you’re right, Senator.’ Lucanus didn’t appear to be convinced.

  ‘I’m a senator. I’m always right, trust me.’

  When Vivius judged Dorio had exhausted watching the activities in the market, he turned off the main highway and following the clerk’s rough map, led them through a maze of narrow streets. When they reached the Greek quarter of the city, they found the row of squalid dwellings. Barefooted children using sticks as swords stopped in surprise to ogle at them. Vivius asked them in Greek where Nikolaos lived, and it took a while before one small boy overcame his nervousness of Romans to point to a house squashed in the middle of five brick-and-mud dwellings with thistles growing out of the walls.

  As they made their way towards it, Vivius grimaced at the thought of anyone living in such squalor. He knocked firmly on the door, although he considered one good push might save the occupant the bother of answering it.

  The most outstanding characteristic of the weedy little man who inched it open was the startling blue saucer eyes, like pools, which regarded his visitors with fear rather than pleasure. His receding hairline gave the appearance of intelligence, and his grey tunic barely covered his thin bandy legs.

  Vivius stepped forward, and forcing a smile attempted to put the little man at his ease. ‘We have a mutual friend in the clerk at the fort, I believe. He said you might be able to help me with my enquiries. My name is Senator Vivius Marcianus. This is Decurion Dorio Suranus and his Greek physician, Lucanus.’

  The little man glanced nervously up and down the lane before opening the door wider; it shuddered on the floor. ‘Forgive me. I need to be cautious. Yes, I’m Nikolaos. I was told you might call. Come in. You are welcome.’

  Vivius entered living quarters that were shabby, clean but smelled of poverty. Looking around he judged from the quality of the threadbare couch Dorio was settled on, and the contents of the house, that Nikolaos hadn’t always been poor. An exquisitely shaped pot stood on a hand-made shelf, four goblets, and a matching jug on the table, and a woman’s hand had embroidered cushions with colourful silks which had faded with age. All were a reminder of a former life more comfortable than this one.

  While pouring his guests refreshments Nikolaos conversed with Lucanus in their native tongue. But when Vivius asked about his former occupation as bookkeeper, Nikolaos moved easily back to Latin.

  ‘I trained as a bookkeeper when I was a young man,’ Nikolaos told them wriggling on his hard wooden stool to make himself comfortable. ‘Like many Greeks, after twenty-five years of service to Rome I was given Roman citizenship. A few years ago I was transferred to Jerusalem and assigned as bookkeeper to the Procurator of Judea. That was when my troubles started.’ He clasped his hands tightly together. ‘I was aware from the onset that Pilate’s records were not as they should be. There were errors; nothing tied up, monies went missing, on paper and in coins. I tried broaching the subject with him. At first he dismissed my findings as errors on my part, but when I persisted he got angry. That was when he tried to bribe me. When he realised he couldn’t he began making false accusations against me. Incompetent he called me; incompetent, a bad bookkeeper. Then came the threats.’ Nikolaos dropped his head and other
than the sound of children playing outside there was silence. ‘The stress was too much for my dear wife,’ he said quietly. ‘After she died I was forced to send my son, his wife and my grandchildren back to Greece for their own safety.’ The Greek bookkeeper paused to address Vivius. ‘May I ask; why do you want to know all this?’

  ‘I’m…investigating a case of embezzlement.’

  Nikolaos regarded him strangely before rising to his feet to refill their goblets. ‘When I first suspected fraud in the Treasury Office I decided to keep my own records. I began listing monies received from tax collectors, the percentage that should have been sent to Rome, against the amount that was actually sent. I listed Pilate’s expenditures…’ Nikolaos shrugged. ‘Everything.’

  ‘Do you still have these records?’ Vivius didn’t wait for a reply but added, ‘Of course you do. The clerk wouldn’t have insisted I bring a bookkeeper with me if you didn’t.’

  Nikolaos’s gaze drifted over to Dorio. ‘Wait here.’

  He disappeared through an archway with a curtain draped in front and Vivius heard what sounded like floorboards being removed, but higher, below ceiling level. A minute or so later, Nikolaos emerged with two ledgers and an armful of rolled of parchments which he dropped on to the table. ‘I don’t normally keep them here. I had them brought when I was told of your visit.’

  Vivius got to his feet and opening the first ledger rested his hands on either side of it and studied the contents. As expected, it was simply a jumble of figures to him. Picking it up he laid it on Dorio’s lap and watched him run his finger down the pages.

  Nikolaos joined him on the couch and Vivius listened while he explained where the discrepancies and falsifications had occurred on the original ledger. Without having the ledger in front of him the explanations sounded complicated so Vivius was left drumming his fingers on the edge of the couch. He only stopped drumming when Dorio asked, ‘What’s this third column marked “S” for?’

  ‘It is money going to Prefect Sejanus,’ Nikolaos said quietly. ‘The Procurator siphons off this amount for him each month.’ Nikolaos’s finger pointed to a set of figures. ‘And this,’ his hand swept across the page. ‘He siphons off for himself.’

  ‘Why didn’t you report what was going on?’ Vivius asked.

  ‘And who would I report it to, Senator? My superiors were the guilty ones. And remember, to the Jews I may be a Greek national but I have Roman citizenship and I work for Rome. Besides, I also had an ailing wife and a son and his family to consider. I didn’t want trouble.’ Nikolaos spread his hands. ‘Don’t think me a coward, Senator. I was in a difficult position. After my wife died and my son had left for Greece, I tried again. This time I broached a member of the Sanhedrin; Benjamin they called him, a trustworthy man. I thought the Sanhedrin might put pressure on Pilate, or report the discrepancies directly to Rome. But within days of involving Benjamin, accusations of treason were brought against him and he was crucified.’ Nikolaos shook his head. ‘I couldn’t bear being responsible for the death of another Jew after that. Besides, who would listen? Shortly after that I was, shall we say, forced to retire because I’d made the wrong noises.’

  ‘Why didn’t you join your son in Greece?’

  ‘Travelling costs money, Senator. I’d already used my savings for medication for my wife, and I’d sold what valuables I had to send my son and his family back to Greece.’

  ‘If they crucified this Jew, er…Benjamin, why not you?’ Vivius asked.

  Nikolaos hedged a smile. ‘I’m only alive because Pilate knows that if anything happens to me, proof of his embezzlement will be sent to Rome. You can call it blackmail if you like. I see it as a way of protecting myself. These ledgers are my protection. Pilate wouldn’t want to upset Sejanus; he was only made governor because of him, and he certainly wouldn’t want to upset the emperor.’ Nikolaos shook his head. ‘Pilate keeps an eye on me. His men regularly search my premises but they never find anything because’—he pointed to the ledgers—’they’re usually in the safekeeping of…friends. I’m taking a risk talking to you, Senator, and I’m only doing it because you’re the only one who can help.’

  ‘Can’t these friends help?’

  Nikolaos hesitated. ‘They help me financially and they hide my ledgers. But as long as Pilate lives in Caesarea, and as long as I keep my mouth shut, Pilate will leave me alone. It’s an uneasy peace you might say.’

  ‘I see.’ Vivius made a steeple of his fingers as he pondered the next step. ‘Would you consider returning to Rome with me, bringing your ledgers, giving evidence in our courts? I guarantee you’d be well paid and I could promise you safe passage to your son in Greece afterwards.’

  Nikolaos’s expression momentarily lit up, but then fell again. ‘There may be more freedom to move around the empire these days, Senator, but all Pilate has to do is denounce me as a troublemaker and I’d be arrested as soon as I tried leaving Jerusalem, even if it is with a senator.’

  Vivius already knew what the answer would be to his next question, but he asked it anyway. ‘Then can we take your ledgers when we return to Rome?’

  Nikolaos shook his head. ‘As I said, they’re insurance against anything happening to me.’

  ‘We could make copies,’ Lucanus suggested.

  ‘It’ll take days to copy all this,’ Dorio said. ‘Do we have days?’

  ‘No.’ Vivius took the ledger from Dorio and pursed his lips at the thought of this valuable information slipping out of his control. ‘You said you wanted my help, then how if you won’t let me take you or the ledgers to Rome?’

  Nikolaos gently removed the ledger from his hands. ‘I thought perhaps I could make a note of the relevant dates the treasury should investigate. That’s the best I can do I’m afraid.’

  ‘So you’ve given up trying to get justice?’

  Nikolaos shook his head. ‘No, but…’ he clasped the ledger to his chest and dropped his eyes, and Vivius could see it was useless pushing him further; this was a broken man.

  It was early evening by the time they took their leave of the bookkeeper without anything being fully resolved other than they would call again for a list of the relevant dates the treasury in Rome should investigate. Vivius’s depression over the outcome of the visit was not helped by Lucanus complaining that they’d stayed too long, and could he not see, the Decurion was perspiring with weariness? Being in no frame of mind to argue, Vivius assisted Dorio on to his horse and led the way down the lane. He found it uncannily quiet without the noise of the children playing, and although faces peered curiously out of windows at them, no one passed by.

  But then, at the junction, three armed men stepped deliberately into their path.

  Vivius heard a squeak of alarm from Lucanus; Dorio brought his horse up sharply, and Vivius made contact with his sword. The men were dark skinned, wore dark clothing, had turbans concealing their faces, and carried clubs and short swords. Vivius gave a brief recognisance of their battleground. The lane was narrow; too narrow for their assailants to spread out. He decided to take advantage of that.

  ‘Uh! There’s another two behind us, Senator,’ Lucanus murmured.

  Vivius deliberately withdrew his sword. One sword against five; he didn’t need to be told the odds were not in their favour. With a slight movement of the head he murmured, ‘Dorio, at my command, I want you to charge straight through them; get back to the fort.’

  ‘Forget it,’

  ‘Damn it, Dorio! Do as I tell you. That’s an order.’

  ‘You’re not in the army now, Vivius.’

  ‘Can you two argue some other…? Aahh!’ Lucanus gave a cry of alarm as the three men ahead of them charged forward.

  Dorio backed his horse, leaving Vivius room to strike at their first assailant. Their swords clashed. The second assailant edged forward, his body alert, waiting for the space to attack. Withdrawing his dagger, Vivius slashed it in his direction, keeping him at bay. Still he pressed forward, dodging the dagger. He was so clo
se Vivius could smell his foul breath. Seeing an opening Vivius thrust his sword at the first assailant. Slightly wounded the man backed off, giving Vivius the chance to swipe at assailant two with sword and dagger. The sword sliced the man’s arm leaving a crimson streak; he staggered back, dropping his weapon. Assailant three picked it up and armed with two swords, he advanced.

  That was when Vivius heard the rallying call to arms from behind; it was Dorio. The shout was closely followed by a clatter of hooves. Vivius knew instinctively what Dorio was up to. Timing his move with the approach of the horse, he pressed himself back against the wall as Dorio charged past.

  Using the strength of his legs, the Decurion delivered a sharp kick with the toe of his boot to the head of one of the assailants. There was a crunch; the man seemed to rise into the air before landing with a thud on his back. Vivius glimpsed the opponent with the two swords being knocked off balance by the charging animal. A loud bellow resounded from up the lane. In the split second given him, Vivius checked their rear.

  These two assailants were being attacked by an unarmed physician with only yells, foul language and his medical case as weapons. Even Vivius winced as the leather case came into contact with the assailant’s jaw. The man stumbled back against the wall. But Vivius was aware Lucanus would be no match for these thugs; he winced again as the physician received a resounding thud across the head with a club and slumped to the ground.

  Knowing there was little he could do to help him, Vivius turned back to Dorio. The Decurion was struggling to keep his seat as he manoeuvred his horse in the narrow lane. But cavalryman that he was, he kept upright, and as he urged the animal back into the fray. Vivius moved into the attack, forcing attacker one into the line of the charging horse. He heard a crack as Dorio’s boot came into contact with the man’s skull.

  Dorio took longer to line up his horse for a third charge. Exhaustion was making it difficult for him to stay astride his mount. Working on the same tactic as before, Vivius forced his assailant into the line of the charging horse. A quick glance behind told Vivius that Lucanus was still out cold and that although they had injured two of their assailants, three remained standing.