Our Eternal Curse I

by Simon Rumney

  Money was now the only thing standing between her and the security of her “lions” and it was so frustrating to know that something as mundane as cash was preventing her from possessing the one thing in the world that could bring her happiness.

  Hispania

  Young Gaius was an accomplished writer and his exquisite words allowed Julia to visualize his journey from the army camps in the North to the strategic seaport in the center of Hispania’s east coast. In her mind’s eye she stood with him on the quay at Saguntam and watched Gavius walking down a much stressed gangplank. As though greeting the fat man herself, Julia watched her future husband shake the hand of Gavius and greet him with the words, Welcome to Hispania my dear uncle. Then just as it was written on the parchment, You don’t mind if I call you uncle do you?

  Not at all, but please I would prefer it if you called me by my name Gavius.

  Of course uncle, I will call you Gavius. Please follow me I have some of my men here who will carry your things, do you have much in the way of baggage?

  Six trunks they will be ready to unload shortly they tell me.

  Six? By the Gods that’s more trunks than Hannibal carried when he crossed the Alps and he had elephants.

  Julia was delighted by the account of their instant accord as she imagined them standing in the dry heat of Hispania. It was one of those inexplicable things that happen between men from time to time and Julia instinctively knew that their bond was going to work in her favor. She was going to be blatantly choreographing their every move and their friendship would make her task easier. Of course Julia felt her usual shame but simply had no other way of affording her “lions”.

  She would have much preferred to avoid the stress that maneuvering two good men was going to cause her but her leaving Rome to take care of the logistics herself would alert Sulla and she was not yet ready for that. The next best thing to being there was controlling the men who fate had seconded to do her bidding. A lot of wine would have to be consumed in order to dull her feelings of guilt that were now everywhere and unavoidable.

  Even the fat man’s trip to Hispania was a connivance involving another very good man. Gaius Marius unknowingly inspired it when he innocently mentioned that Roman armies only fight during summer. It was at one of their regular dinners, just like that, out of the blue. Julia had instantly realized that the next fighting season would not commence for another six months and she had grasped the chance to use her fiancé’s free time productively. Gavius had been sent to accompany him simply because she believed that Gaius lacked sufficient interest in agriculture and would need an added incentive. Gavius would remind him that he was pleasing her and as she read the results of her wicked connivances in his love-filled letters Julia gulped more wine and searched for the mental tranquility that only alcohol could provide.

  As the two puppets traveled southwards, Gavius repeated the lies he had rehearsed so often with Julia. He was a merchant for all kinds of foodstuffs who was fed up with the prices and poor supply from the East. He was looking to buy in bulk from Hispania with the intention of shipping his cargo directly to Rome.

  How fortuitous that the joining of our two families should also provide a profit for us both, was how Julia had couched it and reading her words conveyed from the mouth of Gavius to the parchment of Young Gaius caused both satisfaction and appalling guilt.

  The manipulative woman who controlled these men’s actions could not really be her. She was simply not strong enough or even capable of achieving something so intricate and in that quandary her doubting subconscious found an acceptable answer. It had been Marius who came up with the idea really; she was merely carrying out his instructions and using that fabulous act of denial Julia built an imaginary amphitheatre from where her mind could deny responsibility as she watched the Hispanic play unfold.

  Traveling the newly repaired road Julia’s players followed the coast down towards the south which according to Marius was a place where the weather remained hot all year round. Following Julia’s instructions Gavius wrote detailed letters at every opportunity because she needed to know what was happening as soon as possible in order to discuss progress with Marius then instruct their actions as situations changed.

  Because of his bulk and the heat of the sun Gavius rode in a covered wagon seconded from the supply divisions of the army and for peace of mind more than protection Young Gaius also seconded fifty legionaries and two mounted officers to accompany them on their journey. There was no real danger but however hard they tried to calm the fat man he could not be shaken out of his constant state of terror. Even when the young officers told him that their legions had personally been involved in the suppression of all resistance within the regions they were traveling through, he could not be convinced.

  Despite his cowardly misgivings Julia was relieved to read that they were never attacked and progress was good because the Roman army had fixed the roads. Gaius Marius had explained in great detail about the engineers who accompany every army in order to move mountains, cut down forests and span impossible rivers in the interest of connecting two points by the shortest distance. Julia understood his explanation of how the system of making roads as straight as an arrow gave Rome the ability to deliver an army to any trouble spots in the minimum of time but more importantly she grasped how this masterstroke of strategic genius was also going to serve her needs perfectly.

  It was pleasing to read that Gavius was always embellishing the information which Julia wanted Young Gaius to hear. Even her imaginary family tree had been rehearsed and their conversations were conveyed in the scrolls which arrived regularly. By reading the information in both of their letters Julia was able to piece together conversation like the one which began with Gavius saying, “Julia’s father, my dead brother, would be very proud of her betrothal to you.”

  Young Gaius would have asked, “How did your brother die Gavius?”

  Gavius would have replied, “Killed by the Italians in that horrible war.”

  Julia was relieved to see that her plan was working and everything between them was as it should be. In keeping with his script Gavius also asked a number of questions designed to help Julia understand how Sulla had influenced the Marsic war and using a tack that fitted with the Marius family ethos, Julia orchestrated another conversation for Gavius to pursue:

  “The irony is my brother was very much for allowing the Italian tribes access to Roman citizenship,”

  She remembered making Gavius practice an innocent tone for this one. She already knew what the reply would be:

  “I believe that citizenship is the only way myself.”

  “Yet you fought in the war?” She had even made Gavius practice feigning surprise for that one.

  “I have no choice I am a Roman soldier if Rome tells me to fight then I must fight.”

  “Even when you disagree with the principle of the war.”

  “It is the lot of a fighting man; my father was also opposed you know? He argued in the Senate against war with Italy for many years. He believes that Sulla had a great deal to do with the war; my father thinks that Sulla could have prevented it.”

  This was the information Julia needed and her puppet knew to push gently:

  “How can that be?”

  “My father has no proof but he believes that Sulla deliberately played down the abilities of the Italian tribes.”

  “Why would he do that? What could he possibly gain by the devastation that has happened to us all?”

  “My father believes that Sulla did it for reasons of greed and his obsession with fame, just like Achilles he wants to be remembered throughout time as a great warrior. He also confiscated a great deal of land from the Italians in the south you know?”

  As each conversation was relayed to Julia the doubts about Sulla’s intentions formed the cornerstone of a plan that she would use against him when the time was right. Everything was becoming clear because she had been in possession of two pieces of information for some time but
only this understanding of his motive connected them together.

  As she read about their arrival at the first of the Marius estates Julia felt one step closer to her beautiful “lions”. The letters were written one week after Gavius arrived in Hispania but because of the sailing time between Hispania and Rome the events described on the parchment were already over a month old. Even though the time lag was frustrating Julia could feel that things were beginning to come together and soon she would be able to get her teeth into the business of importation.

  According to both of their letters the overseer of the estate, a man by the name of Quintus, came out to meet his guests as they arrived in front of his humble home. Julia read of a brilliant blue sky full of powdery clouds as they described meeting the wrinkled old man.

  As they all sat eating that evening they talked of the old days and Young Gaius found out things about his father that he had never heard before. As a young Proconsul he had performed feats of great bravery while leading his army and Julia pieced together the scene as Quintus told stories of valor late into the night:

  “Your father was the reason Hispania was tamed you know?” he explained. “Many Roman peacocks had tried before Gaius Marius but none of those so-called generals ever succeeded as he did. He had the most uncanny ability to turn defense into attack. As you know all Roman armies build fortifications at the end of every day to defend themselves while they sleep but Marius used these wooden fortifications as part of his offensive strategies. Instead of leaving our camps to go looking for the enemy he simply waited for them to find us.”

  “We simply ignored our attackers because they could not cross the deep trench which surrounded our fortifications, if they tried to cross we simply killed them with arrows. The tribes of Hispania were unsophisticated and ignorant of siege techniques so when the undisciplined barbarians became bored enough to return to their families we pounced.”

  “At the moment they turned to leave, Marius ordered us to pour out of our fortifications and attack. It proved such an effective method that he won Hispania in a few short years. By and large we have enjoyed peace since the days of those long distant campaigns. Thanks to your father we have not had a serious uprising until this recent one.”

  Julia understood how proud this praise would make Young Gaius feel as she read about his father’s achievements but it was of little interest to her.

  Moving down the scroll Julia skipped any further niceties until she found more information about the slaves taken during the fighting. Julia had sent the subtle suggestion that Young Gaius buy them all below market price. She had mentioned, seemingly in passing, if he paid for the slaves in Hispania the state would save itself the cost of transporting them back to Rome and the Senators would probably jump at the chance of saving money.

  Julia was now delighted to read that her suggestion had been acted upon, there were many thousands of slaves all in very good condition, and they had arrived ahead of time.

  Quintus kept five hundred slaves for himself and sent the rest, with their military escorts, to the homes of his seven sons. Each had his own family and they lived in various parts of the great estate which supported them.

  Gavius and Gaius took over two months to survey the first estate. Julia was disappointed because this was far longer than she had expected but they were seriously hampered by the wagon that had to go everywhere because of Gavius and his six trunks.

  There were no Roman roads on the estate and the soldiers were all fed up with digging the wagon out of riverbeds and bogs. Almost every day these poor legionaries would have to work like donkeys to free the heavy wagon while Gavius just sat there giving instructions and waiting to be moved.

  Gavius was simply too fat to walk or be trained how to ride a horse. He conveyed the animosity this caused among the soldiers in his letters, but what could Julia do? She had clearly sent the wrong man for the job but she simply had no one else to send.

  In general the condition of the olive groves and the vineyards was as good as could be expected. A little rundown but, considering their lack of help, the families and the few remaining slaves had maintained them well. Julia was delighted to learn that each year the families had been harvesting as many of the grapes from the vineyards, wheat from the fields and olives from the groves as they could. Everywhere Gavius traveled he found barns full of good quality wine, olive oil, wheat and even milled flour yet there were still vast numbers of olive trees, grape vines and wheat fields which had not been harvested for years. The potential was truly enormous.

  Feeling very frustrated Julia realized that neither of her marionettes had given any thought to transporting the stockpiles to the galleys which should be arriving in less than three months. Fearing a disaster Julia sent instructions for Gavius to ask Young Gaius a question:

  How will you move the wine and oil in your barns to my ships? Then after a trained pause, as she had instructed he, added with more than just a little overacting, I know, why not borrow more supply wagons from the army? Manipulation was becoming second nature for Julia.

  After leaving the first estate behind, Young Gaius and Gavius traveled to a number of other estates in turn. It became clear they did not have enough time to see everything on this trip. The land that Marius owned was truly massive and during his five months of traveling Gavius reported news of many more vast stocks of oil, wine and wheat flour. He also wrote of oranges, lemons and limes just lying on the ground beneath millions of trees, rotting by the ton.

  At the end of the tour Young Gaius wrote that it was time to return to his legion because the season for fighting would soon be upon them and he must get back in time for the march to the West.

  Reading these words Julia realized that Young Gaius would no longer be under her control but took comfort in the knowledge that Gavius was not yet free of her coercive powers.

  Quoting from Julia’s letters verbatim Gavius proposed a purchase price for everything that was ready to be moved. It was a good deal lower than market rates but Julia insisted it was fair. She surmised correctly that Gaius would be more interested in war than profit and anyway he lacked any desire to move his stock to market.

  Gavius also recommended paying for the produce back in Rome not Hispania, but of course, once again, this was Julia’s idea not his. She had no means of paying for so much stock in advance so Julia wrote down the exact words that Gavius had to repeat.

  Young Gaius agreed because this was Julia’s uncle after all he was completely beyond reproach.

  As luck would have it the request for wagons had been heeded and with the roll of parchment in hand Julia read and re-read how over one hundred wagons were fully laden and trundling toward the port of Saguntum. It was far too much cargo for the first ten galleys but the surplus could be stored at the port while more ships were found. This letter was already two months old so everything should be well on its way to Rome, if Bromidus had come through with the galleys that is.

  This stage was completely out of Julia’s hands and the lack of control frustrated her greatly. Her thoughts drifted angrily to the inevitable problems that would be happening because of the incompetence of Gavius. In her mind’s eye, so many things would go wrong and she could do nothing to change things. Why was everyone so incompetent? She asked herself entirely unaware that her subconscious was using this ever increasing anger as a defense against feelings of shame. Painting others as incompetent fuelled a rage which allowed her to dehumanize them and this process of devaluation allowed her to deal with the constant remorse that manipulating good people caused.

  The Greek Captain

  Julia’s next communication with Gavius was verbal because he beat any further letters home. While he gave his report Julia watched with delight as the galleys tied up at Ostia, unloaded their cargo. Tons of oil and wine came ashore but more importantly for Rome hundreds of sacks of flour and wheat were also piled on the quay.

  Carried on the shoulders of white-powder-covered slaves this flour could have prov
ided much needed bread for the hungry citizens of Rome. It was one of the biggest single shipments to enter the capital in two years and could have eased shortages while bringing prices down but much to Julia’s frustration all of the cargo was moved directly into warehouses under the complete control of Bromidus. Even though she would be paid for her produce Julia believed that holding back much needed food was wrong.

  Gavius had a great deal to say but Julia barely paid attention because she already knew most of his story. When he spoke of his arrival at the dock at Saguntum she listened politely in case there were any surprises but as she anticipated none were forthcoming.

  Apparently Gavius had rented a cabin near the warehouses while waiting for the fleet he knew would arrive any day. There he lived happily by the water’s edge for the most pleasant three weeks of his life. He had employed two young girls as housemaids and they were, “divine little things,” as he put it. They had the most wonderful bodies with skin as soft as duck down and both as brown as his leather sandals.

  They cooked and cleaned for him they also gave him sensual massages and both slept in his bed at night. All of the weight he lost during his expedition through Hispania was put back on because of their cooking. “But they did not seem to mind my size so why should I?” he said though his laughter.

  Raising an eyebrow Julia indicated that this was just too much unnecessary detail.

  Realizing his mistake Gavius wiped the smile off his face and changed the topic to the galleys arriving from the East.

  “The first of the cargo galleys arrived one afternoon signifying the end of my dream life,” he said in a more somber voice. “Resigning myself to fate I walked down to meet the vessel as it pulled alongside.”