by Simon Rumney
Julia also ordered Gavius to write a letter to Quintus asking him to move as much wine, oil, olives, wheat flour, oranges, apples, and lemons to the docks as soon as wagons became ready. “Tell him that I will pay for as many wagons as he can manufacture, but do not wait for them all to be made. Send each one as it is completed; my agents in Saguntum will receive everything he can deliver. At the end of the summer harvest, send everything he has grown to Saguntum I will purchase it all.”
Leaving Gavius to take care of delivering her letters Julia left his shop. The most crucial time had arrived, everything was in place and completely ready for her next step. Walking eagerly through the crowded streets of Rome, Julia was on her way to find Antonius her chosen food wholesaler who at this time of the morning could usually be found at the fruit and vegetable markets. Sure enough, he was standing by his sad little pile of boxes which, as always, contained the poorest quality vegetables.
Julia enjoyed the noise of barrows laden with boxes of vegetables being trundled along the cobbled floor. She liked the ruddy faces of the tired men who lived their lives at night under the constant droning of the auctioneer’s voice. These men were fighting to survive in a world of shortages every day of their lives and Julia identified with them because that was how she saw her life.
Antonius was a tall thin fellow with a long face short cropped hair and just like all of the men who worked at the market wore his leather apron over the top of his grubby tunic, seeing her approach he waved a happy greeting.
“Good morning Antonius how are you?” Julia spoke in what had become her business tone.
“I am well thank you ... I am sorry to say that I do not know your name.”
“That is the way it must remain,” replied Julia.
“Am I not allowed to know the name of my supplier?”
“In time you will know who I am but until then you have no reason to know my name. I will not see you again, my instructions will come to you via a fat man by the name of Gavius. Whatever he tells you to do will be what I want you to do.” Pausing for effect, Julia wanted to make absolutely sure that he was taking her seriously and the look in his eyes told her that he was absorbing what he was being told. So she continued, “It is important to know that you will be doing nothing illegal. Within two months a fleet of ships will arrive in Ostia laden with best quality produce of all kinds. Everything on those ships will have been purchased legitimately. You Antonius, will have sole access to the cargo, you will have to pay no money until you have sold it here at the market. You will keep ten per cent of the money you raise and pay Gavius the remainder.”
Julia paused again because his mouth had dropped open. “Please close your mouth you are drawing attention to me.” Then pulling her hood closer Julia went on, “If you do not do exactly as I say or if you do not pay me in full you will lose access to my shipments, am I making myself clear?”
“I feel as though I am back in the legions doing my national service,” replied Antonius. “The centurions used to speak to me like you are now. The difference between you and them is you are doing it to make me successful.”
“Could it be that the centurions were doing it for the same reason?’ asked Julia. Then acknowledging his smile with a fleeting one of her own, Julia turned and walked out of the market.
Stopping at a local tavern she slurped a goblet of strong wine because such displays of bravado always took so much out of her and she was in urgent need of fortification.
Later that same morning, Julia returned to the oil shop and, as she walked in, said in a slightly slurred voice, “Have the letters gone yet?”
“The courier has just left for Ostia,” replied Gavius.
“Good now I have one more message for you to deliver.”
He could see it in her eyes something was coming. Every time Julia involved him in one of her plans she always had the same look. “What now?” he said with a suspicious tone in his voice.
“Is that how you wish to treat me? The very person who has made you so much money and, in time, a lot more?”
The hurt in her cloudy eyes was genuine and Gavius felt rare sympathy for his benefactor.
“I need you to talk to an old friend of mine,” Julia tottering a little.
“In which remote part of the world will I find your friend?” asked Gavius sarcastically. He had ended up in Hispania the last time she sent him to talk to a friend.
“In Rome at the Cuppedenis market.”
“That’s not so bad,” he said adding, “How will I recognize this person?”
“He has a stall selling spices at the end of the market nearest the Forum. His name is Joseph; he is a Jew.”
“What must I tell your friend Joseph?”
“That you will pay for him to return to his home in Judea with enough money to support him and his family.”
“I take it that you are going to fund this wonderfully benevolent act?”
“Yes I will be funding his future,” said Julia. “But he must never know the money came from me!”
Intrigued as always Gavius asked, “What must he do for this money?”
When the answer came he stood aghast. The way her mind worked was by no means normal and as Julia spoke he was obviously trying to think of an escape from her grip but he knew there was no way out because it was he who traded on the black-market; it was he who conspired with pirates; and it was he who deceived Young Gaius. Julia held his life in the palm of her hand, Gavius couldn’t even tell his friend Young Gaius the truth because he would not be believed over her. The girl had him over one of her many wine barrels and there was nothing he could do but accept his fate.
Reluctantly following Julia’s orders Gavius left what used to be his small business and set off for the Cuppedenis market. Her instructions were as clear as always and he had no trouble finding the Jewish trader who was in exactly the place she said he would be and for some reason he looked very sad as he stood behind an almost empty stall.
“Are you Joseph?”
“Yes I am Joseph.”
“You don’t seem to have much to sell my friend.”
“Have you come to taunt me?”
Gavius was clearly surprised; he wondered why the Jew was angry with him. “No Sir I have not come to taunt you and I apologize for anything I may have said in poor taste.”
Seeing that the fat man’s apology was sincere Joseph said, “Please forgive me, times have been very hard for me lately and I am under a great deal of pressure.” Then by way of starting again Joseph asked, “How can I help you?”
“I am sorry to hear of your predicament.” Gavius had genuine feelings of sympathy, “By a strange coincidence I might be in a position to resolve your dilemma. I have been instructed to make you an offer.”
Looking at the spice seller Gavius could feel the involvement of Julia. He knew that she had something to do with this poor man’s plight but as always he was too interested in self preservation to make any inquiries so he obediently delivered the first part of her message. “My client, who must remain anonymous, has instructed me to offer you significant funds.”
Turning his head to one side Joseph looked surprised as he asked, “What must I do to earn this money?”
“Before I tell you, you must be aware of the condition that accompanies this gift.”
“Condition?”
“You must leave Rome never to return.”
When Joseph accepted Julia’s stipulation, Gavius repeated her words and watched his face fill with shock and surprise.
Julia had known that Joseph would have no problem with her proviso because she had researched his life in great detail and knew that he did not want to be in Rome. The only reason for him living here in the first place was because it was the only place in the empire where he could make enough money to support his wife and children in the manner to which they were accustomed. She knew that Joseph had married above his station many years before and his father-in-law had only agreed to the wedding if he prom
ised to maintain his daughter’s standard of living.
Julia knew that the Jew had been home only six times in twenty years but had seven children. Apparently his wife assured him that they were all his, the first one being conceived on the wedding night, or so she said.
Manipulating Young Gaius
My dearest darling Gaius.
Each day we spend apart seems to linger endlessly. From the moment I awake until the moment I sleep I hold an image of you at the very forefront of my mind.
As she penned this opening of her weekly letter Julia lifted her head from the scroll and struggled to remember anything about Young Gaius. Current events occupied her mind totally and she had to think of the statue to even recall his face. Pangs of guilt moved deep within as the cold-blooded realization shook her out of denial. She was going to cause the boy terrible pain and the shame of it sent chills through her flesh. Fighting to silence her conscience Julia reasoned that she was just a victim of circumstance and this illogical conclusion provided sufficient justification to proceed.
Lowering her head Julia pushed his image from her mind and continued to move the stylus across the page to create her weekly work of fiction:
How are you my love? I was delighted to read in your wonderful letter that your fighting season has gone so well. Your victories are so great and you are sending so many new slaves to Rome that uncle Gavius is having problems storing them all. He is so clever though, he has purchased and converted warehouses for slave storage. The people from the slave auctions pay him a fee to keep them there until they find time to sell them all and he is renting the slaves out to the people who unload ships.
The market stalls are alive with the things you are growing on your estates. The smell of your oranges and lemons is wonderfully overpowering and the figs and dates that you send are so popular with everyone in Rome. How clever you are to find them growing on your southern estates. Gavius tells me that your wheat flour has met with the highest approval of the millers and the bakers say that it makes bread of the finest quality.
The cheese made from goat’s milk has an extraordinary flavor. Gavius gave Cecilia and I some to try and he tells us it is fetching the best prices at the cheese markets. You are so clever to think of it my darling.
Lifting her head from the scroll once more Julia realized that Young Gaius would have no idea that his estates were producing cheese until he read it in this letter but it made for interesting reading so she left it in.
In truth it had been Julia’s idea to press the wild goats into service after Gavius had mentioned that they were running wild in great abundance wherever they traveled in Hispania.
She had found out how to make the cheese, which the Greeks at the cheese market, called feta by talking to them during one of her many visits. Then she had simply instructed Gavius to write to Quintus and tell him what to do. It was a great money spinner as the cost of production was minimal. All Quintus had to do was allocate a few slaves to the task of herding and milking the wild goats; then once a small quantity of the product was made, Gavius took a shipment and tested it in the market. It had proven so popular that she was recommending full scale production for the following year.
Letting the thought of cheese production pass Julia got down to the main objective of her letter:
I am so proud of your success, you will save Rome from shortages my darling and Gavius says that you should be considered a hero of Rome. I know how modest you are and how embarrassed this praise would make you but Gavius tells me that galleys are arriving every day from Hispania all laden with your produce.
Whilst I am on this subject of galleys I feel it my duty to tell you that Gavius has voiced a secret concern about the integrity of the people who ship your goods from the port of Saguntum. He would never tell you himself for fear of causing you upset but he believes they are somehow connected with pirates.
Looking up from the paper Julia stared into the distance deep in thought. This was a critical step in her plan and it required meticulous wording:
Gavius met them when he was in Hispania, it was just after you returned to your military duties. They told him that they were simple shipping agents but he felt there was more to them than met the eye.
Anyway darling, I am sure you will find out if they are legitimate when you meet them.
Having re-read and approved the content of the letter Julia ended it with:
As always my darling I miss you terribly and love you completely.
As she blotted the words Julia wondered if she would ever live with Young Gaius. It was very unlikely she concluded because she was becoming quite rich now and no longer needed anyone for financial security. She still craved much more money of course but that was to purchase the power required to bring Sulla down, not for herself.
Crucifixion
Gaius Marius stood in his courtyard supported by young Julius Caesar as he exercised his damaged limbs. The boy did not play like the other children of his age because his mother saw an opportunity in the Father of Rome’s affliction. She had offered the services of her son in the hope that the already bright young lad might learn invaluable lessons from one of the cleverest men Rome had ever produced. She was a very ambitious woman who held great hopes for the boy’s future and Marius thoroughly enjoyed his company because he could talk lucidly about all subjects. Paying particular attention to the many wars that Marius had fought young Caesar instinctively understood the subtleties of strategy and he loved to hear of the deceptions that Marius had used on his enemies over his years of fighting.
Marius marveled at the intelligence of the lad; Julius always asked such shrewd, searching questions about his various campaigns and sometimes suggested astute alternative courses of action which took Marius by surprise.
For some time he had been helping Marius get to and from the Curia and young Caesar loved to talk about the things he heard in the Senate. Sitting quietly at the great man’s feet, he listened to the Senator’s heated debates with total concentration. At the end of each day he would express his opinion of what had occurred with such an understanding that Marius began to find himself relying on the boy’s analysis. They were in the middle of one of these deep discussions when a servant came into the courtyard, apologized for his interruption, and said, “You have a visitor Sir.”
“Who is it?”
“He said his name was Joseph. He would not tell me why he wishes to speak with you other than it is a private matter. Shall I send him away my Lord?”
“No, show him in. Let us see what he has to say.” Marius looked forward to the interaction with another adult.
A short time later the same servant returned escorting a man who Marius instantly recognized as a Judean. “Good afternoon,” he said, dismissing his servant and looking at the stranger. “I believe your name is Joseph.”
“That is correct.” Joseph was steeling himself for the words he must deliver.
“You have something to tell me?” Marius could tell the man was nervous so in an attempt to help him relax he gestured to a marble bench. “Please take a seat, join me over here by the fountain, feel free to speak in front of the boy he understands the importance of confidentiality.”
“Thank you Sir, I shall sit down and if you tell me that I can speak freely and in confidence I am greatly relieved. What I am about to tell you is very delicate and if my name were linked with it I will most certainly be killed.”
Joseph could see the effect his sentence had on the odd looking couple sitting before him and both the crippled man with the contorted face and the fresh-looking boy possessed stares that seemed to look into his very soul. He felt they would be able to sense a lie but what choice did he have? Anyway, as far as he was concerned he was telling the truth the fat man had made what he was about to say the absolute truth simply by telling it. “I am the elected representative of a delegation of market traders within Rome. I have been asked to approach you by these traders for help.”
“Go on,” said Mariu
s very interested.
“We are being held to ransom by the black-market. Almost everything that comes into Rome these days is being controlled by racketeers. It is then sold to us at exorbitant prices. Rome is suffering inflated prices and artificially created shortages because of a few greedy men.”
Marius was all ears. The whole of Rome knew that something was happening, the shortages caused by the war should have been resolved by now but none of the shopkeepers or market traders would ever speak out about what was going on. They obviously feared being driven out of business, even killed, but now Marius had the leader of a delegation no less, he could hardly believe his luck.
Like an actor reading one of Julia’s many scripts Joseph delivered his lines to an attentive audience. The fact that he repeated a string of words which held absolutely no meaning for him was the beauty of her plan. Joseph destroyed the black-market with no knowledge of how the plot had been hatched and she could never be implicated.
A full legion of soldiers loyal to Marius surrounded the Subra within three days of the meeting and simultaneous raids on many hovels and taverns turned up hundreds of the most shocking scoundrels. Killing two birds with one stone as it were, Marius used this opportunity to reduce the criminal population of Rome and a vicious cleansing took place over the course of many days.
Thousands of crosses usually reserved for insubordinate slaves lined the roads leading out of Rome each one holding a man from the Subra all of them guaranteed a slow, cruel and extremely painful death.
Bromidus who Joseph had said was the ringleader could not be arrested and crucified like the others because he had used his hapless men as a diversion while he escaped over the rooftops of the Subra. According to reports he fought like a wild animal and killed at least five legionaries during his escape.
Some days later Marcus informed Julia that the big man had been badly wounded but managed to board a galley and was crossing the great ocean bound for Cyprus. This was not how she had planned things. Bromidus was supposed to die with the others but she felt sure that he would pose no threat because he could never return to Rome.