Season of the Gladiatrix

by David Adkins

  We had now lived in this wonderful villa at Tibur for nearly three months and on the surface everything was paradise, but that was only one side of the coin. It was true that Aria was all I could ever have desired and that our lovemaking brought most days to a wonderful conclusion. My job was not a very taxing one and my two subordinates were both capable individuals. Also working for Corelia was rewarding except when Domitian came to call, which thankfully was not too often. However, I knew how unpredictable the Emperor could be and even though Corelia had taken every possible safeguard, the villa and her pension could be removed whenever it suited our mad Emperor. Her possessions would almost be safer with the Emperor dead. I knew that he could change his mind and renege on his word and Corelia could at any time end up back in the arena. Corelia had done her best to keep Aria away from the Emperor but it was inevitable they would meet and unfortunately when they did Domitian seemed to like her. I feared that Aria too could end up in the arena once again if the Emperor required it. I also kept out of his way for fear of him sensing my hostility.

  So at times the months at Tibur had seemed like bliss compared to my life as a guard at the palace but at other times it seemed like an unpredictable living hell. This was the situation I found myself in and joy and worry came in equal measure. There was unfortunately little I could do about it. The other concern was that Marcus Gracchus was steadily cementing his hold on the Emperor and his hold on power, and that could spell trouble for me. He had lifted the price from my head for now, thanks to the cajoling of Corelia, but I had little doubt that he still bore me a grudge and I in turn regarded him as an enemy.

  I had been lying in bed thinking on these things when I realized that time had passed. I needed to get up to see Aria and Corelia off and so I jumped out of bed and quickly put on my robe. They were in the courtyard about to enter the waiting carriage. “I thought you had gone back to sleep,” commented Aria indignantly.

  I kissed her on the lips. “I am sorry.”

  “You can make it up to me when I get home,” she said, laughing.

  “My pleasure,” I promised.

  “You get into the carriage,” Corelia instructed Aria, “and I will get in after you.”

  Aria climbed in. Corelia turned to me and discreetly thrust a scroll into my hand unseen by Aria. “This came very early this morning for you. Do not do anything rash while I am away,” she whispered and gave me a warning look, and then climbed into the carriage next to Aria.

  “We will be back in four days’ time, Hylas. Look after things and keep everyone in order.” Corelia smiled as she called out her final instructions.

  “See you soon,” Aria yelled as the carriage began to draw away.

  “See you soon,” I replied.

  I watched as the carriage disappeared from sight and then brought the scroll out from behind my back. I recognized the Mannox seal. I then knew it was from Solanus Fuscus as no doubt Corelia had realized. I hurried back to my room and opened it.

  Greetings Hylas from Solanus Fuscus.

  The time has come. Meet me at the Tibur Inn at dusk on the ides of March. It is only a short distance from your villa and is safer than meeting in Rome.

  Solanus.

  The ides of March, that auspicious day in our recent history, was the day after tomorrow. I felt the anticipation and excitement grow within me. I walked out onto the balcony and looked across at the Sabine Hills. What exactly did Solanus want?

  *

  I left the Villa Gladiatrix, for that was the name Corelia had jokingly bestowed upon our new abode, at dusk on the ides of March and made my way down the main thoroughfare towards the only inn in the small town of Tibur. I had never been to the inn or its tavern during my few months in Tibur but it was frequented by both my guards, Fabius and Caber, when they had an evening off duty. They described it as a respectable establishment and a good place to unwind and have a drink.

  I approached the tavern and saw a man who seemed familiar standing outside and about to enter. “Fruji, I believe,” I said as I drew close. He turned to greet me with a smile but I was not sure he recognized me. “You do remember me? We met on the Via Sacra after the trial of Marcus Gracchus,” I reminded him.

  “Of course, Hylas, Solanus said you may be coming.”

  “I thought there would be just Solanus and me,” I said nervously.

  “There will be four of us, I believe,” he corrected me as we entered the tavern. I saw Solanus with another man I did not recognize sitting at a table in the corner.

  We joined them and Solanus poured out four cups of wine. “I am glad to see you both. I thought it better to meet here than in Rome, which is awash with agents and spies and we do have a delicate matter to discuss. You seem to know each other.” He looked directly at Fruji and me.

  “We have met once before in Rome,” Fruji replied.

  “We have not met,” the fourth member of our group looked at me with his clear blue eyes.

  “This is Hylas. He was once a member of the Praetorian Guard under Paulinus,” explained Solanus. “This is Egil. He works for the senator, Oppius Rufus.” I felt alarm at the words of Solanus for I knew Rufus to be a supporter of Marcus Gracchus.

  Egil smiled as if he read my thoughts. “I spy for my master and my master spies for Valerius Massala.”

  Fruji was also smiling. “Marcus Gracchus is not the only senator who has spies. Rufus supports Massala but in the senate pretends to support Gracchus. It does get complicated, Hylas. Egil here is a German freeman who works in the household of Rufus. He does a job for Rufus similar to the job I do for Massala.”

  “I am not a German. I belong to the Suevi Tribe,” Egil corrected Fruji. “Everyone from the north is a German to these Romans.”

  “Perhaps we should get down to business,” interrupted Solanus. He sipped his wine. “It is a fairly short agenda. How and where do we assassinate Marcus Gracchus? Do we all agree on the agenda?”

  Fruji and Egil both nodded assent but I was not so sure. “Is that the only item on the agenda?” I asked.

  “Is that not enough?” said Solanus.

  “What happened to Macro? Does anyone here know?” I inquired, avoiding my main issue for the moment.

  “He was apparently captured by Casperius, the new Praetorian Prefect, and taken as a prisoner to the palace. He then seems to have disappeared. I think it extremely unlikely that he still lives. We cannot take Macro into consideration.”

  “He was a friend,” I said.

  “Yet another reason for disposing of Gracchus – Casperius Aelianus works for Gracchus,” said Solanus.

  Fruji looked thoughtful. “Is it enough to dispose of Gracchus? Do we also need to dispose of Casperius?”

  Solanus shook his head. “Gracchus needs to pay for his crimes. Justice was not administered at his trial and so we will do it now. His power continues to grow and even the Emperor will in due course be under threat from his ambition. It is enough that we rid the world of Marcus Gracchus.”

  “Domitian being under threat is not a bad thing,” I muttered, but my observation was ignored.

  “How personal is your grievance against Gracchus?” asked Egil.

  Solanus sighed. “It is very personal and I must admit it came to a head last month. Gracchus applied to the Emperor to receive all of my father’s assets, thereby disinheriting me. He was not satisfied with that and there was a failed attempt on my life in Singidunum which I am sure he was behind. With me out of the way it would make things easier for him. I have long harboured a desire for revenge on Gracchus as you all know but now it is him or me and to survive I must kill him.”

  “That explains the haste after you said you wished to spend time with Kotys,” I said.

  He nodded. “We all have other issues. Fruji and Egil work for Massala who, as the only effective opposition to Gracchus in the senate, is also under threat. You also both see Casperius as dangerous but without his paymaster, Gracchus, he is less so. Hylas and I have a desire for reveng
e because of the way Gracchus has treated us in the past. We would both like news of Macro, we both share animosity for a poisoner called Glyca, another Gracchus employee, and Hylas has no love for our Emperor, but we cannot let these other issues stand in the way of our main objective. With Gracchus dead much of what we all want falls into place. There is no need for other deaths. Our main objective is as I said at the start. How and where do we assassinate Marcus Gracchus? Are we agreed?”

  We all nodded agreement even if I did so somewhat reluctantly.

  *

  Solanus poured out a second cup of wine for each of us. “Drink slowly because there will be no more. We must all keep clear heads,” he advised.

  “Wine is not for us Suevi anyway,” grunted Egil.

  Solanus continued. “How it is done is not so much of an issue. We all have daggers and we all know how to use them. It is where and when that is not so easy. We must now explore our options. Do you have any ideas on this or do you wish me to continue?”

  “You continue for now,” said Fruji, and Egil and I nodded our agreement once again.

  “Gracchus spends most of his time at his villa in Rome. He tends to have guests and senators come to him rather than travel to others. It is a way of demonstrating his wealth and power – his villa is most impressive. I have been there.”

  “So have I and it is certainly that,” I agreed.

  Solanus continued. “It is surrounded by high walls and is well fortified and guarded for a private residence. It would be very difficult to assassinate him in his own home.”

  “It would be almost impossible,” muttered Fruji.

  Solanus nodded. “He does spend an increasing amount of time at the palace. He spends time with Domitian and extends his influence over our indecisive Emperor. He also goes there to consult with the new Praetorian Prefect, Casperius, who is on his payroll. Through these two men he manipulates the law and lines his already bulging pockets. Hylas knows the palace well because he worked there under Paulinus.”

  “I did but I doubt that would be of any help. While there Gracchus would be protected not only by his own bodyguards but by the Praetorian Guard. It would be equally impossible to murder him there,” I observed.

  “We do have a spy at the palace but not at his villa,” stated Fruji.

  I wondered who the spy might be but I did not ask. “It would still be impossible.”

  “How about the senate?” said Egil. “He would not be the first to be murdered when entering or leaving the senate.”

  “It would be in daylight in the centre of Rome and everyone would know who murdered him,” observed Solanus. “I would prefer it if the identity of his killers remained unknown to prevent any future revenge attempts. He has enough enemies to leave the matter in doubt if we are not discovered.”

  “How about doing the deed when he is on a visit to his other villa at Surrentum?” I suggested.

  “I thought of that too,” said Solanus. “We have both been to that villa, Hylas, and though he would still have his bodyguard with him it would be secluded and give us a better chance of success.” I nodded agreement.

  “I can supply manpower to overcome the bodyguard,” offered Fruji.

  “I know from my own experience that your men are efficient fighters and we would need them to be. The problem is that Gracchus is an increasingly busy man and his visits to Surrentum these days are few and far between. We could wait a long time for the opportunity.”

  “That may be so but it is better to wait and succeed than act now and fail,” observed Egil. My master would know when Gracchus is planning a visit to Surrentum so we need not be taken by surprise and could be ready when the time comes.”

  “That makes sense,” agreed Solanus. “Do you know the usual size of Gracchus’s bodyguard when he travels outside Rome?”

  “It is usually about a dozen men,” replied Egil.

  “I could supply at least a dozen men and with we four we would outnumber them and have the element of surprise on our side,” responded Fruji.

  “There are also servants and slaves in the villa but I doubt they would offer Gracchus much support.” Solanus stroked his chin pensively.

  “I could raise our number to twenty excellent fighters,” added Fruji.

  “That would be enough. Are we all agreed that we wait the required time and carry out the assassination at Surrentum?” We all voiced our assent. “Egil, inform your master Rufus that we need to know from him when Gracchus next plans a visit to Surrentum. I will then get prompt messages to you, Fruji, and to you, Hylas, that we are ready to act.”

  “I will have my men ready to ride at short notice,” said Fruji.

  “With Gracchus dead your masters will be two of the most powerful men in Rome,” Solanus said to Fruji and Egil. “I hope they use that power wisely. Hylas, you and I will feel safe again at last and we will have the revenge we both crave. Is there anything further we need to discuss?”

  “There is nothing,” we all agreed in unison. We grasped hands and the pact was made.

  I watched as my three companions and fellow conspirators rode out of Tibur. I walked the short distance back to the Villa Gladiatrix alone. I knew that Corelia and Aria would not approve of what I had done so I was relieved they were not in Tibur to question me on where I had been. I would not tell them of the plan that we had hatched because it was better that they did not know. I climbed into an empty bed that evening with thoughts of the conspiracy weighing on my mind.

  Surrentum – Spring AD89

  Chapter 30

  It was a month later on a chilly spring morning when I received the next communication from Solanus. It was handed to me by Caber who was on duty at the gate. I sought a secluded spot in the gardens, broke the seal and read it.

  Greetings Hylas from Solanus Fuscus.

  The time has come. We will meet at Cicero’s rock outside the town of Frusino on the road from Rome to Surrentum at midday tomorrow.

  Solanus.

  I was fortunate that Corelia and Aria were once again in Rome training a new group of gladiatrices, but not fortunate in that they were due back this very afternoon. If I left early the next morning I would have to explain my sudden departure to them and that was something I did not relish. I made a quick decision to leave immediately to avoid any such difficulties. I called Fabius over. “I have to leave Tibur immediately. I will only be away for a couple of days so you will take charge in my absence, though Corelia will be back this afternoon. Please make my horse ready while I get together a few things.”

  “Is there a message for Corelia when she returns?” he inquired.

  “There is no message but just tell her and Aria that I will be back in a couple of days.”

  “I will.” He looked puzzled but asked no further questions; he saw clearly that no more information would be forthcoming.

  In less than an hour I was riding out of the little town of Tibur and heading south-west to join up with the Rome to Surrentum road. My plan was to reach Frusino by mid-afternoon and purchase a room in an inn in the town. I would then join up with Solanus and the others the next day. It was a busy road because it was an outlet for many important towns along the picturesque coast but I made good time and reached Frusino by the middle of the afternoon. I managed to get a room for the night in an ordinary looking inn so it was now just a question of waiting for nearly a day before joining the other conspirators. It gave me time to dwell on the immensity of the task facing us and also to worry about whether we would achieve success.

  Just before midday, after a restless night, I left the inn and set off for the large rock just outside town known as Cicero’s rock. Cicero, the great lawyer and politician, had grown up on a farm close to Frusino and it was said that this large rock was where he used to go as a youth to meditate. I arrived early at the rock and to my surprise the others were already there.

  Solanus rode up to me. “We have only just arrived. Egil is not coming because despite being a Suevi he is not a fi
ghting man. He has done his bit in managing to give us advance notice of Gracchus going to Surrentum.”

  “He has done well,” I agreed.

  “Gracchus left for Surrentum yesterday and he is there now. He intends to stay at his villa for a few days before returning to Rome. He will have two senators who are guests staying with him plus his usual bodyguard. That is all Egil could tell me.”

  “I see we have plenty of men,” I observed.

  Fruji had joined us with another rider. “I have brought eighteen so all together there are twenty-one of us, which should be more than enough to deal with the Gracchus bodyguard.”

  “I can vouch that they are good men,” added Solanus. “This is Scolus, he is one of Fruji’s men but he is also my friend.”

  I nodded to Scolus. “So what is the plan?”

  “We ride for Surrentum and should arrive by dusk. We will raid the villa, possibly under cover of darkness, and take them by surprise. We will deal with the bodyguard and make Gracchus pay for his many crimes. We will not harm the servants and slaves and we will not kill the other senators but merely incapacitate them. We will be hooded so our faces are not seen and we could never be identified. It will be safer that way. Scolus here will appear to be in charge and do the talking because even our voices could be recognized by senators or servants who have seen us before.”

  “You take no chances,” I said. “Our voices could certainly be recognized – we both spoke in public at the trial.”

  “Fruji is also known to many senators,” Solanus added. “I want Gracchus dead but I do not want the death of any more people than is necessary and I want us to be able to feel safe whatever the turn of events in Rome after the death of Gracchus. Now we must make haste.” Scolus left us to instruct his men that we were about to leave