by David Adkins
“Enter,” I commanded imperiously, and moved from the bed to a couch. Maximus entered and stood near the door, nervously waiting to be invited in. “Come in and sit down,” I encouraged him.
He placed his burley frame on a chair. “Thank you.”
“I understand that you and Drucilla run things for me,” I began.
He nodded.
“I will need your help to show me how everything works”.
“We will both do our best to help you settle in,” he assured me.
“For example, who orders supplies for the palace such as food and materials?”
“Drucilla is very good at that. She works from an office in this corridor which will now be your office.”
“She orders for the whole palace?”
“She orders for the Emperor and Empress and Julia Flavia, with a little help from Petronilla, as Julia lives here permanently with her husband. Stephanus tends to look after the requirements of Flavius Clemens and Flavia Domitilla and the Praetorian Guards look after themselves.”
“I see. And what do you do Maximus?”
“I look after discipline and make sure that everyone is doing their job.”
“Are you a strict disciplinarian?” I asked.
“I have to be but any punishments that I hand out would be nothing to what would happen to a servant who displeased the Emperor.”
“So it is for their own good?” I smiled.
“Yes, and for the smooth running of the household.”
“Is there anything else that I should be made aware of?” I inquired.
“With what regard do you mean?” he asked.
“It is the royal family and that probably means there are comings and goings, if you get my meaning. Tell me about them.”
“It is not my place.” He was reluctant.
“It is your place if I am asking you. It is best I know now rather than receive unpleasant surprises later. For example, I have heard that Julia visits her uncle’s bed.”
He looked uncomfortable. “Julia is a regular visitor to the Emperor’s chamber. The servants take no notice for he is the Emperor and it is not their concern.”
“Does he have any other regular visitors?”
He began to open up. “He has two other regular visitors; the wife of the senator, Volusuis Saturninus, though her visits have become less frequent of late, and the former gladiatrix, Corelia. Other wives of prominent senators have made visits but are not regulars, as have prostitutes from the nearby taverns.”
“Does he not fear for his safety?” I asked.
“He does and each female visitor, apart from the three regular ones, does have to be thoroughly searched before they are admitted to the Emperor.”
“Does the Empress or his two nieces have such visitors?” I asked.
“No, they do not,” he stated firmly.
“You have been a great help Maximus. I want you to carry on with your duties as if I were not here. For the time being, I will be content to observe and learn. You are dismissed.”
“Drucilla is waiting outside.”
“Then send her in as you leave,” I smiled.
He nodded agreement and left.
Drucilla entered and I indicated that she sit on the chair just vacated by Maximus. At closer inspection she was perhaps slightly older than I had first thought. She was tall but slim and she had an attractive serenity about her. I found myself wondering if that calm was ever ruffled and if a temper lurked hidden below the surface. Perhaps one day I would find out. “Thank you for coming.” She did not answer. “I hear we have an office where you conduct business and which I must share with you. You do not mind if I look over your shoulder from time to time; my way of learning palace affairs?”
She shrugged. “As you wish.”
“I will not interfere, well not initially. I will just observe and learn. Where did you learn your business acumen?”
“Here in the palace. It came naturally to me, particularly in the recent absence of a chamberlain.”
“I hope you do not resent my appointment, Drucilla.”
“Not at all, and I will be happy to help you become acquainted with the work here.”
“Have you worked in the palace long?” I inquired.
“All my life; I was born here, the daughter of a freedman and servant.”
“How long is that?”
“I am twenty eight.”
I nodded. “Do you get on well with Maximus?”
“Yes, we work well enough together. I have known him all his life for he too was born in the palace when I was just a young girl. The Empress has been good to both of us.”
“She is a remarkable lady considering what she has to put up with,” I observed, hoping for a reaction.
I did not get one. “She runs the palace,” was her only comment.
“As you run palace business; perhaps she is not the only remarkable lady here.” I thought I detected a sparkle in her striking golden eyes. It was just a pity that such impressive eyes were set in a face that was quite plain, though she had a pleasing frame. She started to look slightly less composed under my lingering gaze.
“Will that be all?” she asked.
“It will be for now but I will want you to show me the office tomorrow.”
“I will be happy to do that,” she replied, and stood up.
“Then you are dismissed, Drucilla.” As the door closed behind her I relaxed on my couch and I started to make plans for the next day. After a walk in the gardens I would start with the office. I did not have to wait long before my third visitor arrived.
I opened the door at the sound of a soft knock. “You must be Petronilla,” I said, looking with some admiration at my red-headed caller.
“I am,” she replied demurely, though the shyness had the appearance of an act.
“Then come in and sit down,” I invited.
Once again I was sitting on the couch studying my visitor. She was the most attractive woman I had seen in the palace so far. I smiled. “Good of you to come, Petronilla.”
“You are the chamberlain,” she said smiling. “I know my place.”
“Your place is steward to Julia Flavia,” I said.
“Hardly, I am just her maid,” she corrected me.
“Is she a good mistress?”
“She treats me very well,” she replied.
“Do you help her with her clandestine activities?”
“I really do not know what you mean.” Her smile belied her words.
“I think you do. I understand she is a regular visitor to the Emperor’s bed. You must surely assist her with such intrigues.”
“I assist my lady with everything that she requires, for that is my job.”
“I am the new chamberlain and I need to know what is going on in the palace because it might save embarrassment later. We will talk again on this subject when perhaps you might be more specific. What are your other duties?”
“I do not have other duties. My job is to serve my lady and all that that entails. I am her maid. I dress her, wash her, attend to her and help her with her intrigues.” She was grinning.
“Have you ever shared the Emperor’s bed?”
My direct question momentarily wiped the grin from her face but it soon returned. “Fortunately, not for some considerable time,” she said.
“I am pleased to hear it,” I responded. “Thank you Petronilla, that will be all for now.” I watched the sway of her body as she made her way to the door.
A few minutes later there was another, surprise fourth knock on my door. “Yes, come in.”
It was Drucilla. “Would you like your dinner to be brought to your room, chamberlain?”
“Yes I would, and breakfast an hour after dawn.”
“I will arrange it.” She turned to leave.
“Drucilla, thank you and please do not call me chamberlain. My name is Parthenian.”
She nodded and left. I was beginning to feel that I could well enjoy my tim
e here in the palace.
Chapter 2
The next morning after breakfast I thought I would start my day with a walk in the gardens before beginning the task of observing palace routine. It was another beautiful spring morning and the gardens were enjoying an explosion of colour as the spring blooms unleashed a riot of reds and yellows. I walked slowly around the large space enjoying the fresh air and luxurious plants and fountains when I saw a young woman sitting alone on a garden bench.
I strolled over to her. “May I sit with you?” I inquired.
“If that is what you wish.” She seemed indifferent to my request.
I sat down anyway. “The gardens are very pretty in the spring.” She was very pretty too, with long dark hair and stunning black eyes.
“Indeed they are,” she replied.
“I am Parthenian, the new chamberlain,” I announced.
She looked at me for the first time. “I thought you must be.”
“You do not look like a member of the royal family, but equally you do not look like a servant,” I observed.
“I am neither so you are right.” She smiled at my curiosity.
“So who are you?” I asked.
“Is that your business?” She smiled again.
“I am the new chamberlain so I would think it is my business and I am also persistent.”
“In that case you will probably drag it out of me. I am Marcella and I work for Casperius, the Praetorian Prefect.”
“You work for the Head of the Praetorian Guard.” I could not disguise my amazement. “I did not realize he employed women in his guard.”
She laughed. “I am not a guard but I do jobs for him that his guardsmen cannot do.”
“What would those jobs be?” I was intrigued.
“I am hardly going to divulge my talents to a stranger.”
“We need not remain strangers,” I suggested.
She ignored my proposal. “I must go, for I have a meeting with Casperius and I was just taking some fresh morning air first as I was early.”
“Does that mean that you and Casperius are together?”
She laughed. “No, Casperius is only in love with his ambition and that is his driving force.”
“There is hope for me then,” I joked. “I did hear how, over a year ago now, he conspired against Paulinus, the then Head of the Praetorian Guard, and contrived to replace him.”
“And to eliminate him and so you see, Parthenian, that he is not a man to be kept waiting.” She stood up and walked away without looking back. I decided that I would have to get to know her better, for she fascinated me.
I re-entered the palace heading for the office in the hope that I might find Drucilla there. As I headed down the corridor into the west wing I saw Maximus hurrying towards me holding his face. On drawing close to him it was obvious that he had a facial injury and was bleeding. He was using his hands to try to stop the blood dripping on to the carpet. “What happened?” I asked.
He was reluctant to stop but he could not ignore the direct question of the new chamberlain. “I walked into a door. It was stupid of me. I will get it attended to.”
His answer was hardly convincing. “Is Drucilla in the office?”
“Yes, it is just two doors down from your chamber,” he mumbled, still trying to stifle the bleeding. He continued on his way before I could question him further.
I walked past my chamber and knocked on the door of what had to be the office and went in. Drucilla sat at a large desk and looked up as I entered. “I wondered if you would come or whether I should come and get you,” she hesitated, “Parthenian.”
I smiled. “It was not difficult to find. Before I start my observing I should tell you I received a surprise in the corridor.”
“What was that?” she inquired.
“Maximus passed me clutching his face. I saw blood but he seemed reluctant to explain what had happened to him.”
She shook her head with a pained expression on her face. “It is happening too often.”
“What is?” I pressed for an explanation.
“The Emperor has struck him again.” She shook her head sadly.
“Why would he do that? If he had done something wrong then why not come to me?” I was aghast.
“He is the Emperor and therefore he does not need a reason. Maximus had done nothing wrong.”
“I do not understand,” I said.
“The only reason I can think of is this. Maximus, as you will have noticed, is young, well built and very strong with a mass of hair. Everything the Emperor is not. The Emperor enjoys putting him in his place and humbling and humiliating the strong man. He has a very cruel streak as well.”
“Does this happen often?”
“Increasingly so, I saw him striking Maximus a few weeks ago and he was laughing maniacally. He knows Maximus dare not strike back if he wants to continue living.”
“I will endeavour to keep Maximus out of his way. Now if you do not mind I will observe what you are doing.” I said thoughtfully, and took a seat next to Drucilla. The day passed slowly as I tried to absorb the intricacies of the running of the household and to understand the household accounts. Drucilla was a conscientious and efficient manager and it soon became obvious to me that she could manage things with or without my help. By the middle of the afternoon I had learnt as much as I was going to that day for I was getting tired and bored.
Drucilla noticed my yawn. “Are you finding it difficult, Parthenian?” she smiled.
“I am,” I admitted.
“Tomorrow evening there will be a grand dinner so it may be of use to you if you watch the preparations and then oversee the serving of the meal.”
“Will you be there, Drucilla?” I asked.
“Yes I will be; it is better if I go than Maximus.”
“Who will be attending?”
“I believe the six members of the royal family and six guests.”
“Who are the guests?” I asked.
“I have not been told.”
I smiled. “Thanks for your help Drucilla, and as you have realized I have had enough for now. It looks like tomorrow is sorted out for me so I will see you in the morning.” I left the office with Drucilla still working.
Next I went to my aunt’s chamber and rapped on the door. She came out promptly. “I was about to go for a walk in the garden. Would my new chamberlain like to accompany me?”
“I would be delighted,” I smiled.
It was much warmer than the morning but the spring heat was still not oppressive. “The gardens are lovely at this time of year, Parthenian,” she remarked as we strolled through the flower beds.
“The gardeners do a good job,” I observed.
“Shall we sit down and you can tell me your latest news,” she suggested.
“I have little as yet.” We sat down on the same bench that I had shared with Marcella that very morning. Two guardsmen walked past and bowed to the Empress.
“My husband is ruining the gardens by recruiting too many guardsmen. They clutter up the place.”
“I suppose he fears for his safety,” I offered.
“They number about a hundred. There is hardly room for them all in the barracks. Not so long ago in the time of Paulinus there was just half that number.” She sighed. “Now what have you to tell me?”
“I have very little. I have spoken with Petronilla regarding the visits of her mistress, Julia, to your husband’s bed. She confirms that she goes often but you already knew that. The other two guests that he is prone to seeing are Corelia, the gladiatrix, and the wife of Volusuis Saturninus. They are the three I must focus on but first and most pressing I will endeavour to find out the ambitions of Julia Flavia. I understand that the Emperor is having a dinner party tomorrow night which I will observe for I have not yet seen the Emperor’s two nieces or their husbands.”
“It is another one of his mad schemes for the Colosseo. The six guests are three of the wealthiest senators in Rome and three of
Rome’s finest engineers. Would you believe that he plans to stage a sea battle in the Colosseo?”
“How on earth would he do that?” I gasped.
“He would flood the arena, apparently; hence the need for the engineers.”
“And the senators to help finance it,” I suggested.
She nodded. “Plus he wants to entice that gladiatrix out of retirement and bring in the top gladiators and gladiatrices from across the Empire.”
“Quite an undertaking,” I responded.
“Now let us walk back to the palace, Parthenian.” I helped her up. “There is no need to kneel in public,” she teased as two more guardsmen walked past and bowed.
“As you wish, Empress,” I replied, and I escorted her back to her room and was about to leave her.
“Parthenian, for now you are forbidden to leave the palace without my permission.”
“Not even to the tavern across the road,” I replied.
“Particularly the tavern across the road; if you remember Nerva warned me of your propensity for women and wine. I would not want to have you flogged for disobedience.” She entered her chamber and closed the door behind her. As I walked back to my room I wondered if she would really have me flogged.
*
The dinner party proved most interesting. I stood in the background virtually unnoticed by the family and their guests except perhaps by the Empress who glanced in my direction a few times. I left the servants to get on with serving the many courses and the drinks and I simply observed. There was much good natured chat, mostly coming from the Emperor and his two nieces, though the senators and engineers were more than willing to compete for Domitian’s attention. This was the Emperor holding court and he obviously enjoyed it as his guests were hanging on his every word. It was not, however, the guests that interested me and I took it in turns to study each member of the royal family. Domitian himself was jovial and pleasant though I had the feeling that his good nature may be subject to change in just a moment if he were to be riled. Perhaps that was why his guests were careful not to say anything that he might disagree with.