Maximus
Page 4
David sensed Liora was starting to feel the need to be espoused. It was difficult for a young woman without a father or mother to get proper introductions to acceptable suitors, and he was finding it a difficult task to provide one. As obedient as Liora was to the Law, this was an area she felt differently about, and she would want to have a say in the choice of her husband. David hoped during this visit they could ask their aunt and uncle’s guidance on these matters.
◆ ◆ ◆
Their arrival at the house of their uncle and aunt was celebratory. Even though they lived only a morning’s journey away, their visits were too few, and their cousins delighted in their company. Sariah, the oldest daughter, was a year younger than Liora and the first to see them approaching. “Mother!” she yelled, “David and Liora are here.” She took off running toward them, not waiting for her mother’s response. “Liora, David!” she shouted as she ran. Upon reaching them, Sariah and Liora hugged and giggled. David smiled as Sariah reached for him and hugged him affectionately too. The three of them laughed together. Esther, the younger girl, age eleven, and her mother, Naomi, were not far behind. Esther ran and leapt into David’s arms. He lifted her high into the air, causing her to scream with delight. David’s arms felt like iron to her.
Naomi walked as fast as her short legs would carry her, the hem of her robe kicking up dust from the road. “My precious children, what a surprise,” she said as she hugged and kissed each of them on the cheek. She held Liora by the shoulders. “My child,” she said looking into her eyes, “you are the living image of your mother from head to toe. Your eyes are the same color and full of the same mischief.” Tears streamed down Naomi’s face into the corners of her smile as she thought about her beloved sister. She hugged Liora again tightly and then waved for them to follow her back to the house. “We have fresh bread and honey in the house,” she said over her shoulder. “The men went out early this morning, so they’ll return soon. They will be excited to see you—especially you, David.” She raised her hand as if pointing back to him. “They will enjoy your help in the boat.” She laughed heartily, which made the four cousins laugh. David pulled the donkey along, Esther perched on top. Liora and Sariah walked together hand in hand, already whispering the secrets that girls whisper between themselves.
When they reached the house, Liora and Sariah followed Naomi inside. David lifted Esther off the donkey, letting her hang on his arm as if it were a tree limb. She squealed with glee but finally dropped to the ground and ran into the house. When David finished unloading the animal, he led it to a small wood-railed enclosure attached to one side of the house. There was a cistern of water and a pile of hay that it quickly began to nibble.
Rather than go inside to the talking and giggling of the women, David made the short walk to the shoreline to await the return of his uncle Jershon and his two cousins, Lamech and Seth. Lamech, the eldest son, was three years senior to David. Lamech was married and worked with his father as a fisherman. Seth was six years younger than David and had arms like an oak. Despite being just fourteen, he had the stature of a warrior. He had visited David a year before and helped him with a small project. Seth had wielded the heavy hammer as if it were a light stick and made it sing loudly as he crashed it down on the forming anvil. David couldn’t help but admire his natural strength. He wondered again if his uncle would consider letting Seth come home with him for a season to learn blacksmithing. He would worry about that conversation when it arose. For now he was content to watch the fishermen at various tasks on the beach.
Small waves lapped at the shore. He counted nearly twenty boats either pulled up on the shore or moored in the shallows. He found shade under a poplar, sat down, and relished watching the men at work. Some repaired nets; others repaired sails. Some boats had already returned, the men hastily loading and carrying baskets of fish to tables where others sorted. Inside large, open stalls covered with palm fronds, carpenters cut wood, pounded nails and dowels, and planed upturned boat hulls. It was a noisy place, active and smelling of fish. Seagulls hovered on invisible currents of air and gathered on boats, piers, and roofs everywhere. Two small boys threw rocks into the water and ran back and forth to break up the flocks of standing birds. From his vantage point under the tree, he saw the same scenes repeated up and down the shore. He marveled at the industry of the people and the sea that provided the bounty to support so many of them. This seemed a much more appealing lifestyle than pounding iron next to a hot fire all day. He stretched out his legs and closed his eyes. Sleep quickly overcame him.
“David!” Seth shouted his name and kicked the bottom of his foot. “Get up, cousin. There’s work to do.”
David awoke a little disoriented but grinned broadly at seeing his young cousin. He reached his hand upward to Seth, who grasped it and nearly yanked him out of his sandals. “Whoa, brother. You’ll tear my arm off!”
David stood and opened his arms to embrace his cousin. Seth reached around him with both arms, embracing him and at the same time lifting him off the ground. David gasped as the air in his lungs was forced out.
“Come on, cousin,” Seth said as he set David down. “Father spotted you sleeping and told me to kick sand on you. If you’ll help unload our haul, you’ll see what real work is like.” He shoved David and took off running toward the boat.
David chased him all the way to the boat that was nosed into the beach at the shoreline. They were out of breath and laughing. David’s uncle stood in the middle of the boat, separating the fish from the net and draping it in folds over the side. He had girded up his tunic to expose his muscular legs. Except for the gray in his uncle’s beard, it was hard to tell Jershon from his son Lamech, who was working next to him.
“David, my son,” his uncle said cheerfully, not stopping his work for an instant. “It’s good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you, uncle,” David responded. “You are still better looking and work harder than the lump of fish bait standing next to you.” He smiled toward Lamech, who promptly plucked a fish from the pile at his feet and hurled it at David, hitting him squarely in the chest. An enthusiastic Seth splashed water on David, who caught him by the wrist. As Seth pulled back to escape his cousin’s iron grip, David let go, and Seth fell headlong into the water. Everyone laughed.
Jershon kept working. “My sons, your mother wants us home for the midday meal. We have a lot of work to do. Seth, take your cousin to fetch the baskets, and let’s begin unloading.”
David and Seth walked back up the beach to fetch as many baskets as they could carry.
David felt a happiness and security here with his uncle and cousins that he never felt at home. He realized that in coming to Capernaum he had let the burdens, responsibilities, and daily decisions of life imperceptibly pass to his uncle. David quickly returned to being a twenty-year-old son of a strong, worthy, and wise father in the person of Jershon. He was more at peace than he had been in many months.
Jershon kept his arm around David’s shoulders the entire walk back to the house. David relished the attention. His uncle gave him advice and direction and encouragement for the future. His aunt made him feel like a prince, nearly smothering him with affection and attending to his every need.
The midday meal was joyous. Lamech’s wife, Raisa, was with child and would give birth soon. David thought she was beautiful. She and Lamech were deeply in love, as evidenced by the attention they lavished on each other. Lamech acted more like a servant than a young patriarch as he quickly took care of any little thing she requested of him. Soft-spoken Raisa had a glow about her. David watched her quietly and longed for a wife just like her.
“David, you need to get a full night’s sleep. We are headed to the eastern shore tomorrow for a long day of fishing. I hope you can keep up. We hear that fish are schooling there, and we expect to come home with a large catch.”
Before David could respond to the challenge of his uncle, his aunt broke in. “Oh, stop the talk of fishing. David didn’t com
e here to be a slave on your fishing boat.” She stood and poured more wine into her nephew’s cup. “These two children came to visit and rest, and you want to put them to work as if they were servants.” She playfully tapped Jershon on the back of the head as she passed.
Liora and Raisa talked intimately as they prepared the midday meal. Raisa placed Liora’s hand on her stomach to feel the movement of the baby. Liora had little knowledge of childbirth. Her aunt Naomi had spoken plainly to Liora and Sariah on their last visit about the intimacy of consummating a marriage and bearing children. Liora pondered these things quietly at times. There was so much more she wanted to ask. When Naomi had shared those intimate womanly details, Liora realized how much she missed not having a mother. She longed to become a mother herself. She was envious of the attention paid to Raisa and wished that her aunt would encourage Jershon to help David arrange an introduction with a suitable young man. Liora would talk to her directly about it as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
6
Sunrise found Maximus in the ornate courtyard of Gaius Valerius’s house eating a hearty breakfast.
“Maximus! My dear young man.” It was the booming voice of the rotund senator. He entered the courtyard and sat down next to Maximus at the table with a great release of air from his lungs and the popping of overburdened joints in his hips and knees.
“Thank you for your generous hospitality, Senator. The accommodations have been glorious. I hope my staying here hasn’t inconvenienced you,” Maximus said politely.
“No, not at all. This is just a little place I keep for special guests,” Gaius answered. “I assume your good father mentioned that I wanted to speak with you.”
“Yes. I have been curious what you wanted to talk about. It has occupied too much of my mind,” Maximus said with a smile.
“As well it should. It is understandable a young man would want to know what fate the gods have in store for him, especially when that fate, many times, lies in the hands of mere mortals.”
Maximus interpreted the senator’s words as an expression of modesty. “That is the lot we’ve chosen, sir.”
“Yes, Maximus, it is. But there are times when a good man has the opportunity to change his course.”
“Change course?” Maximus hoped he was the good man Gaius referred to.
“Sometimes the gods place circumstances and the desires of one’s heart at a crossroads. At that point a well-prepared man can take the better road.” Gaius looked straight at Maximus.
Maximus’s heart leapt. “Forgive my boldness, sir, but what does the emperor desire of his legate?”
“Our good emperor Tiberius is supportive but had little to do with this decision,” Gaius responded.
Maximus’s heart sank. “My father?” he asked nervously.
“No.”
“Is he aware of it?”
“Yes, and he approves. The assignment, my son, is the result of a request of mine.” Gaius straightened up in his seat. “I have the greatest respect for your father. He has sired a fine son. I have watched you since you were a boy. You have obediently carried out your duties without complaint or second-guessing. You moved forward with confidence, whether you agreed or not, and accomplished the things asked of you better than all the other military leaders at Rome’s command.”
“You flatter me, sir,” Maximus interjected.
“No, my son. I speak the truth. I know the difficulties you have faced in years of fighting in foreign lands. I don’t think the citizens of Rome understand the life of a warrior. We sit and get fat on the bounty of good food and wine—all supplied to us by the blood of good men like you, Maximus.” He squeezed Maximus’s shoulder with genuine affection and respect.
Maximus was speechless. After a few moments of silence he managed to blurt out, “What is your request, Gaius Valerius?”
For the better part of an hour the senator spelled out a most intriguing assignment. Maximus had a thousand questions. Gaius had a thousand answers. Maximus was most definitely at a crossroads. He wondered if he was as prepared as the senator thought he was.
Gaius stood at times and spoke as if he were giving an oration to the entire Senate. Maximus sat quietly, listening intently. He had always been cautious and distrustful of the pompous senator, but their lengthy discussion had shown him that Gaius did have in mind the best interest of the citizens of Rome. He too was tired of the conquests, the bloodshed, and the loss of the best young men in the empire. Maximus didn’t share his innermost thoughts, but he felt Gaius understood him in principle. The senator was masterful in his description of his vision of the future for the empire, the peaceful melding of cultures and trade, the sharing of philosophy and invention. He felt the emperor Tiberius was sympathetic to these ideas and hoped he would live long enough to promote some of the progressive policies they had discussed. Gaius expressed again his great respect for Quintus, Maximus’s father. They laughed together about the loyal and impetuous Androcles. A new bond was struck. A new campaign was launched.
“Then we have an agreement, my son?” Gaius Valerius put out his arm to grip Maximus’s forearm in the formal manner. Maximus smiled and sealed the agreement. They embraced as mentor and student, father and son.
7
David was dressed and eating before his uncle and cousins appeared. He looked forward to fishing. He enjoyed being out on the water in the company of his family. As a blacksmith he spent the entire day at home alone. He would break for the midday meal that Liora prepared and then after a short rest return to work until sundown. His life was filled with work and loneliness. To spend a day working with others and being able to talk and laugh—the thought of it invigorated him.
“Good morning, good nephew,” his uncle said as he entered the room. “Eat up. You will need all the energy you can muster today—it will be a long one.” Jershon took a small loaf of bread from the wooden bowl on the table. He combined it with a small slab of raw honeycomb, poured a cup of water, and sat down to eat.
Seth stormed into the kitchen full of life and mischief. Lamech was last, walking tiredly and expressionless. A good night’s sleep had obviously escaped him. His eyes were dark, and he shuffled like an old man as he entered the kitchen.
Jershon watched Lamech prepare his morning meal. “Should we leave you with the women today, my son?” he said with a smile. “I’m sure David will be a suitable replacement.”
“No, my father. I will be fine,” Lamech quietly responded. Jershon left it at that.
“We have a long sail this morning to the eastern edge of the sea. If we are fortunate and God looks favorably on us, we might be home early, depending on the direction of the winds.” Jershon tore off another large piece of bread.
The meal was simple. Not much was said. Jershon read a passage from the Torah as the boys finished their morning meal. Prayers were offered to bless their efforts, bless their home, bless their wives, and most important, bless them with safety as they sailed across the treacherous and unpredictable sea. Naomi arose just before the men left. She hugged each one, reserving a tender hug and kiss for her husband, whom she loved dearly. She would worry and pray for them all day, as she did every day. Too many fishermen over the years had left home never to return, lost to the capricious winds of the sea. It was the lifestyle her husband had chosen and a reality she had learned to live with.
As the men departed, Naomi began her ritual of prayers: praising God for his bounty and asking blessings for the safety of her husband, sons, and nephew. She called down the power of God upon her daughters and pleaded for the safe birth of her grandchild. Today, especially, she asked God to guide her as she counseled her niece, Liora, whom she sensed carried a burden of uncertainty in her life. She finished her prayers and cleaned up after the men’s breakfast. It would be a couple of hours before the girls awakened.
The men walked quietly in the early morning darkness to the boat. They had taken time the day before, as they did every day, to repair and refold the net.
Jershon’s sons complained of the extra work after the long day fishing, but they understood the wisdom of having everything prepared for the morning. They always enjoyed a headstart on many who left the preparation for the morning.
Lamech loaded the food and water Naomi had prepared and inspected the boat thoroughly. He checked the hull, tested the stiffness of the mast, and raised the sail to check again for tears or rips. The sail was sound. He lowered it again and folded it neatly in the bottom of the boat. David watched with pleasure as they smoothly went about their morning routine, helping when he was asked and learning as he observed. Jershon always said it was better to repair and prepare on shore than in cramped quarters on a choppy sea. It was even more disheartening to see fish escaping out of a hole in a net that had gone unchecked. Or worse, having the fish surround you and be sitting in the boat repairing bad netting, unable to cast. His routine and attention to detail were the reason he was one of the most successful fishermen in the area.
It was easy work launching the boat with the extra help of burly David. The boat was soon in the water and pointed away from the shore. After a short prayer, Jershon sat ready at the raised tiller. Lamech manned the ropes of the sail. David found a seat in the bow of the boat and tried to stay out of the way. From the shallows, Seth pushed the boat to deeper water and then climbed into the stern, sitting on the small bench opposite his father. Jershon lowered the tiller as Lamech raised the sail. It snapped taut in the mild breeze and caused the boat to plow forward. The day had officially begun.