The Accusers

by Lindsey Davis

  'I have no idea.' I could see that she did know, but she was not going to tell me.

  I changed tack. 'You are very well organised. There must have been hectic activity to find you somewhere to live so fast.' Briefly, I even wondered if Calpurnia had had a hand in this.

  'Oh, dear old Lutea sorted it all out for me.'

  I raised an eyebrow, half amused. 'Your ex-husband?' I guessed. She blushed slightly at being outwitted. It was an unusual name. I would soon track him down. I smiled. 'Let's be frank. Do you believe Rubirius Metellus killed himself?'

  But Saffia Donata knew nothing of those matters either. She had had enough of me. I was asked to leave.

  At the door, I paused. Since I had already put away my stylus, I chewed a fingernail instead. 'Damn! I meant to ask Calpurnia something... I don't want to keep annoying her in her time of grief - would you happen to know, what poison was it that Metellus took?'

  'Hemlock.' This was good, from a woman who had not been in the house when the poisoning occurred and who was estranged from the family.

  'Hades, we're not in the wilds of Greece, and Metellus was not a philosopher. Nobody civilised takes hemlock nowadays!'

  Saffia made no comment.

  'Do you know where he would have acquired it?' I asked.

  Saffia looked more wary. She merely shrugged.

  I had now interviewed two matrons from the same family, in my opinion both deeply devious. My brain ached. I went home for lunch to my own open and uncomplicated womenfolk.

  VIII

  'How could you do that to me, Falco?'

  Justinus was chomping his way through a bowl of chicory, olives and goat's cheese. He looked morose. I asked what I had done, knowing he referred to Ursulina Prisca. His brother, who was reading a scroll as if he despised lunch, smirked.

  'Vulcan's breath,' Justinus went on. 'Your widow is so demanding. She goes nattering on about agnates -'

  'Agnates?' Helena looked sceptical. 'Is that a disease or a semiprecious stone?'

  'Close relatives, other than children, who are next in line to inherit.' Aelianus, for once more efficient than Justinus, must actually be learning up the finer points of inheritance law. Was that in his scroll?

  'Ursulina has some claim on the estate of a brother,' I confirmed. 'Or she thinks she does.'

  'Oh I'm taking her word!' Justinus marvelled. 'Ursulina Prisca has a firm grip on her rights. She knows more law than all the barristers in the Basilica.'

  'Why does she need our help then?' Helena managed to put in.

  'She wants us to be, as she puts it, the instruments of her legal challenge.'

  'Go to court for her?'

  'Go to Hades for her!' Justinus moaned, in deep gloom.

  'So you accepted the client,' I surmised, laughing at him. 'You are a public-spirited soul. The gods will think well of you.'

  'Even his wife doesn't think well of him,' Aelianus told me, in a curt tone. The two of them never stopped. They would be wrangling to their graves. Whoever first had the task of pouring the funeral oils over his brother's bones would be obnoxious in the fraternal elegy. 'But your litigious old widow fancies the boots off him, so he fell for it.'

  I shook my head, ignored the scrapping, and gave instructions for our next move.

  'Right. We have done some preliminary exploration, and identified the chief personnel. Now we have to grill the key people, and not let up. With luck we are going in before the witnesses have any more time to confer. There are two Metellus daughters and a son. We have two Camillus sons and a daughter, so I wish I could match you up neatly with opposites - but I cannot send Helena Justina to interview an aedile.'

  'We have no evidence that Birdy is a womaniser,' Helena protested. 'You don't have to protect me.' Senators' daughters cannot knock on strangers' doors. Her rank barred Helena from visiting strange men.

  It had not stopped her visiting me in my seedy informer's apartment - but I knew where that had led. 'Metellus Negrinus is a high-placed official,' I countered. 'As a responsible citizen, I am protecting him!'

  'You're saving the best for yourself,' she muttered.

  'Wrong. I hate corrupt state servants, especially when they hide behind feeble cries of "I had no choice; I was unfairly influenced". No wonder our roads are blocked with dead mules' carcasses and the aqueducts leak. So Helena, can you try to visit Carina, the daughter who is supposed to have stayed aloof from the tricky business?'

  'If I can do her sister too. I want to compare them.'

  I nodded. 'All right. You take Carina and Juliana. Then Justinus, you can apply your charm to their two husbands and do a similar comparison. Their names are Canidianus Rufus and Verginius Laco. I'll take on Saffia's husband.'

  'Which?' demanded Helena.

  'Both.' I had no intention of letting anyone else interview Metellus Negrinus, whose role in his father's downfall had been so significant; there were curious questions hanging over 'good old Lutea' as well. His full name, I had discovered from sources at the Curia, was Lucius Licinius Lutea, and he was thought to be something of a social entrepreneur. I believed it. Not many divorced husbands would personally find a new apartment for a wife who had been married again and who was carrying the new man's child. Either the good old marital discard was risk-obsessed and looking for a scandal, or he was up to something.

  'What about me?' wailed Aelianus.

  'Stick with researching agnates. I have a hunch that inheritance plays some part in whatever is going on here.'

  'What was in the Metellus will?'

  'That's been kept rather quiet. Presumably the seven tame senators who witnessed the "suicide" had also previously witnessed the will being signed. I asked the ones I interviewed what was in it. I got nothing. Only the Vestal Virgins with whom the document was lodged during Metellus' lifetime will know details of bequests.'

  'If they read it,' Helena said demurely. She pretended to be shocked that I had suggested this.

  I grinned. 'Sweetheart, Vesta's holy handmaidens devour an aristocratic will within a heartbeat of accepting it for safe keeping.'

  'Ooh, Marcus! You don't mean they break the seals?'

  'I'll take bets on it.'

  Aelianus decided to have lunch after all, like a good son of a patrician house - that is, back at home with his mother. He was learning. He had few useful contacts for our business, but Julia Justa was one he could always call on. His noble mama knew at least one senior Vestal. Julia Justa would never help me in my work, but her favourite son was different. Off he trotted to ask her.

  If this failed, I knew one of the more junior Vestal Virgins myself Constantia was a game girl. So friendly, in fact, that in the confines of my home, I preferred not to mention her.

  We all worked the case for several days. At the end of that time, we knew what had happened - and what had not happened.

  At least, we thought we did.

  So, wanting a quick payment into our bank account, we prepared a summary and presented it to Silius Italicus as a job well done:

  Evidence Reports in the Accusation against Rubirius Metellus

  Interviews with formal witnesses post-death (M. Didius Falco and Q. Camillus Justinus)

  Four interviews successfully conducted. Results inconclusive. Metellus was seen dead in his bed, with a pillbox on a side table. Nobody spoke with him about his intentions prior to death. All interviewees claimed suicide was in character, with intent to discommode recent prosecutors and avoid compensation fees.

  All seven witnesses are senatorial, so 'above suspicion'.

  Attempts to interview remaining three were abandoned; it is believed they would all tell the same story.

  Interview with Calpurnia Cara (M. D. Falco)

  C.C., wife to Metellus: strong-willed, hostile, resistant to questioning. Claimed to have discussed suicide with deceased; threw burden of proof on to witnesses (see above for flaws in their testimony).

  Interview with Saffia Donata (M. D. Falco)

  S.D., rec
ently divorced from Metellus Negrinus, son of deceased, and pregnant by him. Not present on day of death. No direct knowledge of event, but maintained the poison used was hemlock.

  [Note: Unreliable witness?]

  Approach to Rubiria Carina (Helena Justina, for Falco and Associates)

  Known as Carina. Younger and allegedly favourite daughter of Metellus, though believed to be distanced at time of his death. Aged thirty or under; mother of three children; holds office as priestess of Ceres in husband's family's summer residence at Laurentum; benefactress of local community at Laurentum (endowed and built a granary); was awarded statue in forum and laudatory plaque by town. These are unusual honours for a woman of her age - unless she controls great personal wealth and is thought to be of impeccable moral character.

  Carina appears oddly colourless. This may be the effect of grief for a recently deceased father - or just a dull personality.

  R.C. received H.J. briefly in her home, but on learning the purpose of the house call, declined to be interviewed.

  Approach to Rubiria Juliana (H.J.)

  Known as Juliana. Aged approximately thirty-five; mother of one infant; regular attendee at festival of the Good Goddess with her mother Calpurnia Cara; no known community good works.

  Refused to receive H.J.; declined to be interviewed.

  Interview with Gnaeus Metellus Negrinus, son of deceased, aka 'Birdy' (M.D.F.)

  Approached at his place of work, subject agreed to be interviewed. Questioning took place at length at the aediles' secretaries' office, adjacent to the Rostra.

  Negrinus aged about thirty, middle child of the deceased and Calpurnia Cara. Sandy hair, almost studious appearance. A senator since twenty-five (honourably elected 'in his year', with strong family backing to enhance his chances; came second in the field and was highly popular at home.) [Private Note: just shows how dumb the electorate are!] Acted as quaestor in province of Cilicia, nothing known against him. Senate career unremarkable, perhaps due to his rarely attending. With this clean record was elected a curule aedile and appointed to supervise road maintenance. Implicated in corruption trial of his father, though not himself prosecuted, hence failure to remove him from office despite charges of profiteering and contract swindles.

  Against expectations, subject responded well to interview. Pleasant, affable, and helpful to our enquiry. Answered all questions put to him. (Interviewer unable to detect whether answers were honest.) Admitted father's 'rather carefree' business practices, denied own involvement in sale of contracts, claimed no knowledge of corruption. Suggested that trial charges were based on technical misunderstandings and exaggeration of minor errors; said witnesses were acting out of jealousy; declined to comment on the motives of the prosecution.

  Gave statement that father's suicide was exactly that. Son was present in the bedroom shortly before death, dismissed by father. Denied that the poison used was hemlock, but believed that the cause of death was due to deliberate overdose of some medicine, obtained by father for the purpose of self-destruction (i.e. pills in sardonyx box). Thought medicine would probably have been purchased from family's herbalist, Euphanes [see below].

  Calendar of events obtained from Negrinus runs: Rubirius Metellus senior convicted. One week later invoice for compensation arrives from prosecutor, Silius Italicus. One further week of consultation with Paccius Africanus, defence lawyer, results in negative possibilities for evading payment. Simultaneously a clemency appeal to the Emperor is turned down. Metellus determines on suicide. Informs wife and son in morning; death occurs in afternoon; formal witnessing of the body in early evening. Funeral held next day. Will formally read to close family and friends, including the original witnesses, on afternoon of funeral.

  Negrinus declined to give details of will. Appeared upset when asked.

  Interview with Euphanes, herbalist (M.D.F.)

  Subject is a freedman of oriental origin, with usual physical traits of his profession: pallid, spotty, unhealthy looking. Sniffed throughout interview.

  Euphanes regularly supplied herbs, spices and medicinal commodities to the Metellus household. Most were for the kitchen. Hemlock never supplied. Normal delivery would be alexanders, mustard seed, poppy seed, small quantities of long pepper, and Greek herbs (rosemary, thyme, cicely, catmint, wild savory). None of these is poisonous. Denied knowledge of Metellus senior's pills. Denied supplying them.

  [Accountancy note: a small expense item for a gratuity arises from this interview.]

  Approach to Verginius Laco, husband of Carina (Q. C. Justinus, for Falco and Associates)

  Subject refused to be interviewed, citing citizen's right to privacy.

  Approach to Canidianus Rufus, husband of Juliana (Q. C.J. for Falco Assoc)

  Subject refused to be interviewed. Door porter commented, citing filthy temper of subject.

  [Item: a quadrans to porter.]

  Interview with Claudius Tiasus, undertaker, of the Fifth Region (Aulus Camillus Aelianus)

  Tiasus runs a busy professional firm, operating out of a street below the Embankment. They were hired to carry the body of Rubirius Metellus to the family tomb, a mausoleum on the Via Appia, which Tiasus described as a dank old shack with a mock pyramid on the roof. There they performed the usual obsequies. They had previously acted for the family on the death of the grandfather (died of old age, about five years ago).

  Metellus Negrinus presided at cremation of his father, assisted by Canidianus Rufus, a brother-in-law, together with another man, said to be a close friend of Negrinus. The body was burned, in accordance with custom, then its ashes gathered by the son and placed in an urn within the mausoleum (the urn was provided by the family, not purchased from Claudius Tiasus; it was a large green glass funerary jar, with a lid.)

  They had ordered the full ceremonials: a master of ceremonies, flutes and tubas, a procession of female mourners, men carrying the masks of ancestors, and satirical clowns abusing the memory of the dead man.

  Interviewer was refused access to staff or attendants from the funeral. Attempt to gain communication was viewed as bad taste and scandalmongering; there was a loud hint that officers of the Watch would be called. Interviewer withdrew.

  Interview with Biltis, a professional mourner (A.C.A.)

  Biltis is a specialist funeral mourner, available for hire. A large, slovenly woman of overbearing friendliness. At a 'chance' meeting in a bar engineered by A.C.A., she responded to tactful probing with the information that the Metellus event had been 'one for your memoirs'. First, Biltis said that Tiasus hates having to take on convicts, even though committing suicide had secured Metellus the right to a proper funeral. The public can be abusive in such cases, and it had been hard work persuading the family that Metellus' conviction made it a bad idea to have the bier displayed in the Forum. Then the undertakers' staff 'wet their loincloths' over the son's insistence that the script for the comedians must concentrate on personal traits of his father, while omitting all reference to the recent trial over his business practices. Although Tiasus had given the impression that this part of the funeral procession took place, Biltis said that it was omitted. This caused a huge upset with the chief mime, who lost his chance to show his mettle as a satirist - and lost his fee.

  The affair was characterised by more than usual frostiness between the family mourners. At one stage, the daughter Carina had had to be restrained by her husband Laco, after loudly accusing her brother and elder sister of killing the dead man. She left early, before the ashes were collected up.