by David Adkins
“Surely this is not true,” gasped the Empress.
“Yes wife, it is, and it is the greatest betrayal of all because it is within my own family. There was a collective gasp from everyone present. I glanced at Titus Clemens and his wife Flavia Domitilla and they were looking distinctly worried.
“I was suspicious when my fellow consul tried so hard to dissuade me from persecuting the Christians and so I had him watched.” Members of the Praetorian Guard had moved close to Clemens. “Norbanus was tasked with finding out if my suspicions were justified. They were, for he was followed to a Christian gathering where it was discovered he was not only a worshipper but a leader.” He stared hard at Titus Clemens. “You will go to your room where you will commit suicide. The guards will accompany you and will be posted outside. They will give you one hour and if you have not done the deed they will enter and do it for you.”
Flavia Domitilla let out a stifled scream as a silent Clemens was led ominously from the room. The rest of us looked on in disbelief at what had just passed.
Domitian was not finished. “It is bad enough when a member of my family, a man I had elevated to the highest rank, betrays me but when my own niece also betrays me it is even worse.”
All eyes fell on Flavia Domitilla and she responded by meeting the Emperor’s stare with pride and dignity.
“At first, niece, we believed that you were simply not betraying Clemens out of misguided loyalty to an errant husband. Then we found that you too were occasionally attending Christian gatherings which I must point out is a treasonable offence. You are also a practicing Christian, is that not so?”
“It is,” she said calmly. “Shall I go and commit suicide too?”
“I have a different punishment for you, niece. You will be banished to the island of Pandataria for the rest of your life. Enjoy your little piece of volcanic rock, niece. Step forward Stephanus.”
Domitilla’s steward stepped anxiously forward and Domitian glared at him.
Flavia Domitilla spoke. “I am a Christian but Stephanus is not. He should not have to pay for the crimes of his master and mistress.”
Domitian turned to Stephanus. “Are you a Christian?”
“No, I am not.”
“Did you know that your master and mistress were practicing Christians.”
“No, I did not but I will happily accompany my mistress to Pandataria and continue to serve her there.”
“You will not, Stephanus. You will remain here in the palace and serve me. You will be, from now on, just an ordinary servant under my chamberlain, Parthenian, and no longer will you be a steward. Now bid farewell to your mistress for you will never see her again.”
I knew how fond Stephanus was of his mistress and I thought he was going to cry. Domitian looked most amused as tears welled in his eyes. I felt sorry for this humourless man who had been the first to greet me on my arrival in the palace. Flavia Domitilla walked over to him and kissed him on the forehead. “Farewell, Stephanus,” she said and proudly walked out of Domitian’s chamber. Stephanus simply stood rooted to the spot.
“That is it,” said Domitian. “Justice has been dispensed and so you can all go about your duties.”
I felt so relieved that the Christian allegiance of Drucilla had not been discovered and she was safe, at least for now. We all filed out of the room in solemn silence. “I am so relieved that you are safe,” I said to Drucilla.
“It is terrible that Clemens has to die and Domitilla is to be banished,” she offered with tears welling in her eyes.
“Terrible indeed but they knew they were playing with fire as are you so please be even more careful from now on, Drucilla.”
She nodded. “I will return to my room and try to come to terms with what has happened.”
“I will go back to my room too,” I said and walked away from her.
“Parthenian, wait.” It was the Empress calling my name. She took me to one side. “Did you have any idea that this Christian thing was going on within the confines of the palace?”
“I had no idea,” I lied.
“It is a bad business,” she said and walked away.
That seemed to bring the Christian matter to a close. Clemens took his own life by falling on his sword. It was a messy business as I found out when I had to help clear up the mess and dispose of his body. Domitilla was swiftly banished to Pandataria and this left just two members of the royal family residing at the palace, Domitian and his wife.
Stephanus seemed like a moribund individual who had almost lost his will to live. He had never been the happiest of people but his distress was so evident that I felt I had to speak with him. I caught him in the garden one morning soon after the banishment of his mistress. “You have got to get a grip of yourself,” I advised. “You cannot continue in this melancholy state.”
“I denied my God and my Lord Jesus. I denied my mistress and my master. I lied to survive. I deserve to be dead.”
I was rendered speechless and he just walked away. He was a broken man and I was not sure that he could be mended.
Chapter 27
Rome – AD96
Life at the Imperial Palace continued without any further incidents of note for almost a year after the death of Clemens and the banishment of Domitilla, until the next summer. The Emperor spent more and more time at the residence of Manius Glabrio which all of us at the palace welcomed, though we wondered quite what the appeal of the senator’s mansion might be. He also still regularly visited Tibur but none of us were in doubt about the nature of the appeal of Tibur. Manius Glabrio had been promised the consulship in the near future after he had accompanied Domitian on the arduous Danube campaigns. He was still a very good friend of the Emperor but was that really reason enough to keep the Emperor from the luxury of his newly renovated and plush Imperial Palace?
It was the month of Junius when Domitian called me and Stephanus to attend a meeting in his chamber to receive new instructions. Stephanus was still wretched and prone to fits of self recrimination but he had recovered to some extent and did his work well enough. I was also downcast at times, missing Corelia who I had not seen for such a long time. Hylas occasionally visited the palace and we went for drinks in the taverna and he even brought Aria on a couple of occasions. I liked her company for she was both lively and fun loving. They both encouraged me to be patient, telling me the situation would inevitably change, but I had begun to despair of that ever coming about. The Emperor had summoned two unhappy servants into his august presence.
We both bowed and waited to receive these new orders. Domitian first addressed me. “Has Stephanus performed his duties well, as just a mere servant, Parthenian?”
“He has and he goes about his duties diligently and without complaint,” I confirmed.
He turned to Stephanus. “It seems you have performed well since your demotion and my disgraced niece always spoke highly of you.”
At the mention of Flavia Domitilla I thought I saw a flash of hatred cross the face of Stephanus. “Thank you, your majesty.”
“Perhaps it is time for you to be promoted again to steward and serve a new master and mistress.”
Stephanus looked as surprised as I felt. “Who would that be?” he inquired.
“I am giving my good friend and colleague, Manius Glabrio, his wife Livia and his daughter Tertia and son young Manius rooms in the palace. This will be their second home. The royal chambers have been empty for too long. You will be their steward and look after them when they are here and you had better do a good job.”
Stephanus looked bewildered and not able to make his mind up as to whether he should be pleased or not. “Yes, your majesty.”
I was astonished for my mind was already weighing up the implications of this announcement. Why was Domitian doing this?”
“That is all I wanted to say. Off you both go” he waved us away.
We left Domitian’s chamber and walked along the corridor back towards our own rooms. “Why has he invited Gla
brio to reside for some of his time in the palace?” asked Stephanus.
“I do not know,” I replied.
I wondered if the Empress knew but when I asked her she was as much in the dark as me, and like me highly suspicious of the Emperor’s motives.
When they arrived a week later to occupy their rooms it soon became obvious why Domitian had offered such a generous invitation. He was all over Glabrio’s daughter, Tertia, and it was not hard to see why. She was extremely beautiful and one of those young women that drew a man’s eyes and demanded his adoration. She was young, perhaps about eighteen, but she had a quiet confidence that belied her age. My mind went back to the many times that Domitian had stayed in the Glabrio household prior to the Danube campaigns. She could only have been about fifteen at that time but maybe he already had his eye on her even then, and was just waiting for her to reach adulthood and mature. I saw in this stunning young woman from a very noble aristocratic family a deadly challenge to the Empress.
Having fawned over Tertia and shown the rest of her family to their new quarters, which had previously been occupied by Clemens and Domitilla, he beckoned me over. “Come to my chamber, Parthenian, I want a word with you.” I followed him to his room, keeping a few steps behind him and entered after him. “Shut the door, Parthenian.”
I closed the door as instructed. “How can I help, your majesty?”
“As you know I have given Stephanus the job of looking after Glabrio and his family but I am a little worried for he has looked very sullen of late.”
“That is just his nature,” I assured the Emperor. “He will look after them well when they are here and do a very good job.”
“Make sure that he does, Parthenian, for I will hold you responsible. Make especially sure that Tertia has everything that she wants.”
“She is a very beautiful young woman,” I ventured.
He put his arm around me as if I were his confidante. “Do not get any ideas, Parthenian.” There was a threat in his embrace. “She belongs to me.”
“Has her father Manius agreed to that?” I inquired.
“He is honoured,” he said grinning.
“Honoured, I do not understand your majesty.”
“When some adjustments have been made Tertia will be more than just a concubine,” he confided.
My fear that Tertia was a threat to the Empress seemed justified. “Does that mean that you will no longer visit Tibur?” I risked asking.
He looked at me intently and his demonic eyes flashed anger but then he laughed. “The situation remains the same, Parthenian. I will still visit Tibur on a regular basis, for a man needs some relaxation away from home.”
I was disappointed, for Corelia was not to be free of him and now also the Empress had much to fear. “I understand, your majesty.”
“Now, Parthenian, go and tell Stephanus that he is on trial and I expect him to do an excellent job of looking after the Glabrio family.” I bowed and departed. A few hours later I received a summons from the Empress.
When I entered the chamber of Domitilla Longina I found her storming around her room, and not the usual composed Empress I had come to expect. “I am furious,” she screamed at me.
I approached nervously and tried to place a comforting hand on her dainty shoulder. “I understand,” I muttered.
“No you don’t, Parthenian. Kneel when you speak to me,” she blustered.
I fell to my knees. “I am sorry, your majesty.” She walked away from me seething and then slowly returned. I was still on my knees.
She placed my face in her small hands and looked down at me. “I am sorry, nephew. None of this is your fault and so I should not take it out on you.”
“If it helps, you can,” I offered. “I am here for you as always, my aunt.”
Her face softened and she smiled. “Get up and come and sit with me on the couch.”
I did as she requested. “I do really understand, aunt. I have seen the Emperor with Glabrio’s daughter, Tertia, and I realize the implications and inherent dangers.”
“Moving his new whore into the palace is outrageous. Julia already lived here but to move this new one in under my nose is insufferable.”
“I am surprised that Manius Glabrio has gone along with it. He seemed like a virtuous man to me,” I offered.
“He may be virtuous but I fear the promise of being the father of the next Empress and the grandfather of the next Emperor is too difficult to resist, even for this honourable man.”
“Do you fear for your life?” I gasped.
“Tertia is very dangerous because, unlike his gladiatrix, she is an aristocrat from a very noble family and her father is an eminent senator and general. She is also very young and brings with her the promise of many heirs. I do fear for my life.”
I did not want to alarm her further but I decided to be honest. “I agree that you have much to fear, for Domitian confided to me that Tertia was to be more than just a concubine and that some adjustments would have to be made at the palace, but surely your life is not in danger.”
“If he does not have me killed then he will probably banish me on some trumped up charge. Perhaps I will end up joining Domitilla on her rock. If I were disposed of Tertia would become a legitimate choice of wife for our Emperor.”
“I will not let that happen, aunt,” I assured her.
She laughed bitterly. “What can you do about it, Parthenian?”
I shook my head. “I do not know but I will think of something.”
“You had best try to stay close to Domitian and monitor the situation. I do not intend to die and I do not intend to leave the palace. I am the Empress.”
“I will,” I assured her.
“Then go, Parthenian, and see what you can find out and I will do the same. I must act before he does.”
I knelt briefly and hurried from her chamber.
*
Soon after that Domitian showed his ruthlessness by having the eminent scholar Epaphroditus executed. Epaphroditus had been guilty of writing some articles critical of the Emperor’s recent actions and conduct. He was convicted on the laughable charge of failing to prevent Nero’s suicide nearly thirty years earlier. Domitian followed this up with treason trials for two more senators and then by expelling all philosophers from Rome. It seemed as if he was now completely out of control and had proved once again just how merciless and cruel a tyrant he could be.
Domitian, in the ensuing weeks, hardly bothered to disguise his intention to make Tertia his wife. She was already rarely out of his bed. He was quite outspoken on the subject as if he had forgotten the existence of Domitilla Longina. It was as if he expected the Empress to give way gracefully because it was the wish of her esteemed husband. I knew the Empress was made of sterner stuff than that and probably deep down so did Domitian. She would not go willingly and he would have to give her a push. The only thing in doubt was the nature and timing of the push.
It was the first day of the new month of September when I received a summons from the Empress. Domitian was away in Tibur visiting Corelia and the Glabrio family had left the palace and were spending some time at their mansion near the forum. It was with a feeling of dread that I answered her call, for I felt that something very serious was afoot. Before he left Domitian had declared that Tertia was mistress of the palace, a position that demoted the Empress and was a gross insult to her. It now seemed that I was chamberlain to the Emperor and his aristocratic whore.
When I entered the chamber of Domitilla Longina I was surprised to see that Stephanus and Maximus were already in attendance. I bowed low and joined my two fellow servants.
The Empress smiled serenely which surprised me considering her very recent slight and the precariousness of her situation. “Good, you are all here, so I can begin.” She turned first to me. “Parthenian, you are totally loyal to me and would do whatever I commanded. Is that so?”
“That is true,” I replied.
Next she turned to Stephanus and Maximu
s. “You both hate our Emperor with a vengeance. Is that not true?”
“It is true,” confirmed Stephanus with feeling.
Maximus hesitated. “It is true,” he finally agreed.
The Empress continued. “Secundus, our Praetorian Prefect, whose word I trust entirely, has informed me that Domitian plans to divorce me and have me banished like Domitilla or, if that proves difficult, have me murdered. This will apparently happen very soon.”
I saw Stephanus wince, for it reminded him of an old wound. “That is terrible news, your majesty,” I said shaking my head.
“I wish to prevent that happening, so have you any ideas on how I might do that?”
We all shook our heads not daring to give voice to the unthinkable. I had always been suspicious regarding the death of Julia and so I guessed at what the Empress was intimating. “There is only one way the Emperor can be stopped,” I offered.
“How would that be, Parthenian?” she asked.
“Perhaps the same way as Julia,” I suggested. I locked eyes with Domitilla Longina while Stephanus and Maximus looked most uncomfortable. After a minute or two the Empress broke into a knowing smile. “That is impossible for he never eats or drinks a thing that is not first tested by his food tasters.”
I gasped inwardly for the Empress was almost admitting that she had had Julia poisoned. “Then I do not know,” I sighed.
“Come now, my three trusty servants. How would it normally come about?”
“By the use of the dagger,” Stephanus was getting braver.
“Correct, Stephanus, and are you brave enough to plunge that dagger into the heart of your mad and vicious Emperor? Do you hate him enough, Stephanus?” The Empress studied him intently.
“I hate him intensely but I still do not know if I could do it,” he replied.
“How about you, Maximus, can you do it?” The big man looked terrified. “He has given you enough beatings so here is your chance for sweet revenge.”
Maximus shook his head. “I do not think I could.”