Maximus

by Richard L. Black

  Ezra picked up his sack and staff and in a fluid motion turned and walked toward the wharf. Jacob and Levi followed obediently. They both felt less self-conscious with the head coverings. It gave them a sense of warding off curious stares.

  Ezra walked confidently at a fast pace toward the Egyptian ship. He turned his head a couple of times to be sure his charges were close behind. Jacob and Levi had to pick up their normal pace to keep up with the energetic old man as he dodged and weaved through the hectic crowd surrounding the dock.

  A burly seaman carrying a large chest and smelling of hard work bumped into Jacob. “Watch your step, Jew!” he barked.

  Levi wanted to smash him with his fist. Jacob once again hustled his friend along and smiled that the surly workman had identified him as a Jew.

  They continued to follow close behind Ezra, who stopped about fifty yards short of the Egyptian ship. There wasn’t much activity on the dock next to the ship, which was mostly loaded and nearly ready to set sail. Slaves were moving quickly about the deck arranging rigging and cargo. Two officials stood by the gangplank chatting quietly with the Egyptian soldier they had seen earlier as he checked what appeared to be documents.

  Ezra spoke softly to Jacob and Levi. “As of this moment you are no longer Romans. You are Jews. You walk like Jews. You talk like Jews. You are humble and nonconfrontational, no matter what anyone may say or do to you. You will pray when I pray and how I pray. You will eat what I eat and not eat what I tell you not to eat. We will keep to ourselves and talk quietly at all times. I will teach you some short phrases in Hebrew as there will be times when you will need them on this journey. Your use of Greek should be very limited. In addition, we must draw no attention to ourselves. Egyptians don’t like Jews.”

  Ezra stopped for a moment. “It’s a long story. I will tell you the whole of it one day. They don’t like Romans much either. If they discover a Roman on their ship disguised as a Jew, as superstitious as most mariners are, they will most likely feed you to the fish.” Jacob and Levi laughed. Ezra didn’t. “For now, just be careful to stay away from them as best you can.”

  Jacob thought Ezra sounded like a general issuing orders before a battle. He listened intently to the instructions. He knew his life might depend on it.

  “Remaining inconspicuous may be a little difficult on a long journey like this in a relatively small space,” Levi quietly observed.

  “Judging by your size, Levi,” Ezra smiled, “remaining unnoticed could be a challenge for you, but you must be as inconspicuous as you can.”

  Ezra looked over their shoulders and into the distance. “Your friend wants to wish you well.”

  The two Romans turned and followed his gaze. A hundred yards down the wharf they could see Tatius standing by the coach, looking in their direction. Tatius stood beside the coach, his right forearm across his chest with his fist covering his heart in the honored salute of Roman soldiers.

  “Do not salute him back,” Ezra cautioned. “Leave all things Roman here.” He emphasized his point by pounding his staff hard on the wooden dock as he turned toward the ship. Levi slowly and defiantly raised his staff into the air to acknowledge the salute by Tatius Lucianus.

  Jacob looked at Levi. This was not the flamboyant and boisterous send-off for legions heading to a campaign, but it was an honorable one. They watched as Tatius stepped into the coach and the horses pulled away quickly. Jacob and Levi turned to follow Ezra. Levi clutched the amulet around his neck—the medallion that had been his mother’s. He would never part with that piece of Rome.

  The two younger men followed Ezra up the wooden ramp and onto the deck of the ship. Sailors and slaves were double-checking rigging and lashing cargo that remained on deck. Others stood at various positions waiting for commands. All of them looked curiously at the robed passengers. Jacob and Levi followed Ezra to a point forward near the bow and out of the way. A small ledge there could be used as a bench. They sat down and, like the crew, stared at the captain to anticipate his orders, even though they had no duties.

  “Raise the gangway! Push off,” the captain bellowed. “To sea, men!” A cheer went up, and everything and everyone seemed to go into motion at once. The gangplank was pulled aboard and secured to the side of the ship quickly and efficiently. Workers on shore untied the large ropes securing the ship to the dock at the bow and stern. Sailors collected and coiled the ropes on deck. About ten men standing on the dock placed the point of long staffs against the side of the ship and began to push it away from the wharf. As the ship drifted slowly out into the harbor, commands were heard from below decks. Oars from portholes on either side of the ship began protruding like legs of an awakening centipede. The men on deck remained poised at their stations.

  An order was barked to the oarsmen below. The ship responded with a perceptible turn as the rowers on one side pulled and the rowers on the other pushed. Then both sides began to pull in unison, sending the ship straight into the outer harbor and away from the crowded dock. Jacob marveled at the crew’s ability to work together to move the ship in the exact direction commanded.

  “Hoist sail!” shouted the captain on deck. Men worked ropes, and the large square sail hanging from the center mast began to unfurl. Another smaller, rectangular sail was hung from a diagonal mast facing forward on the ship. Ropes were lashed and pulled tight as sails snapped taut upon catching the light afternoon breeze. The two large tillers flanking the rear of the ship were manned. The captain and the sailor who appeared to be his second in command stood by the rail, watching each movement of the bustling crew on deck. The oars, as if on cue, disappeared into the bowels of the ship, and soon the ship was gliding smoothly and quietly through the center of the channel and out into the blue waters of the sea.

  Chatter ceased as each man became consumed with his duty. The captain stood with a satisfied look as his ship surged forward. Jacob felt a slight spray on his face and smelled the warm salt air. He caught the sense of what drew men to the sea, the adventure of the horizon. There was an odd quietness about setting out on a ship, different from the sounds of men walking, armor clanking, and horses and oxen plodding down a stone or dirt road heading to battle. There was a muffled reverence to the sounds of the ship cutting through the water and the wind rippling through the broad white sails. Jacob remarked that there was no dust, and Levi finally smiled.

  A few men double-checked ropes securing cargo on the deck; others adjusted ropes attached to the great sails. The captain and his officers took their seats between the tillers. Everyone settled in for the long voyage ahead. The ship tilted slightly as the sails became taut under the sudden strain of the wind when they reached open water and tacked southeast. Jacob understood they would follow the coastline to Messina for a couple of days before entering the waters of the Great Sea. It would take about three weeks to arrive at their destination in the port of Caesarea in Judaea.

  Jacob, Levi, and Ezra had no duties during the long journey. Their assignment as passengers was to stay out of the way and not interfere with the workings of the ship. They inspected the small quarters below that had been assigned to them, but Jacob and Levi refused to be penned up below decks. They told Ezra they would find a place on deck out of the way where they could sleep and pass the time. Ezra cautioned them against staying on deck and bringing too much attention to themselves. A quiet but heated debate ensued, and Ezra knew he would not prevail. He resigned himself to sleeping below each night and teaching his two students in full view of the crew during the day.

  They left their meager belongings below and returned to the bench-like protrusion near the bow. The noise of the wind and the sea splashing off the bow of the ship allowed them some privacy in talking. No one could hear their conversation, even a few feet away from the Jewish imposters.

  Ezra counseled Jacob and Levi not to stare at the sailors. “Do not return their gaze. We must remain as invisible to them as possible. Mariners by nature are very superstitious. We do not want to give them a
ny reason to distrust or fear us. Be sure you keep your daggers hidden in your robes. Don’t display anything that might attract attention.” For that reason he told Levi to keep his amulet under his tunic. Their staffs must always be stowed in their quarters below. It would not be a good idea to allow a staff to roll across the pitching deck and interfere with the work of any of the crew—that could be deadly.

  After a long silence Levi asked Ezra, “Who do they think we are? We are obviously the only passengers aboard.”

  “The captain knows me as an emissary from Judaea to Rome. I am returning with two of my countrymen who are acting as my escorts.” He pursed his lips at Jacob and Levi and continued. “We have paid a fair passage, and the captain has a vested interest in my safe arrival in Caesarea—he will receive a bonus if I do.”

  “You mean our safe arrival?” asked Levi.

  “No,” said Ezra. “The bonus applies only to me. You two are ballast to him.” Jacob and Levi didn’t hear any humor in Ezra’s response and took him at his word. “I am sure the officers and crew have been informed of our purpose here and should pay us no heed. But it is still our duty to remain in the shadows, as this normally is strictly a cargo ship, not a passenger ship. They are doing us a favor.”

  “That large sailor standing next to the captain with the scar down the side of his jaw does not look very friendly,” remarked Jacob. He was referring to the first officer of the ship, who followed close upon the captain’s every footstep.

  Ezra replied, “His name is Akhom. He is the son of an Egyptian nobleman. He will soon captain his own ship. His authority on this ship should not be questioned. Do not trifle with him. He is in charge of the discipline of the mariners and the slaves. If we are attacked, he will serve as strategist and commander. I suggest you take every precaution to have as little interaction with him as possible.”

  “Attacked?” Jacob asked with eyebrows raised. “By whom? I thought this was a merchant ship.” He shielded his eyes from the intense sun.

  “Sea people . . . pirates,” Ezra said. “Just like highway robbers. Though I doubt that in your journeys with your legion you had to deal with robbers. But out here,” Ezra waved his arm along the horizon, “we are alone and vulnerable. We are a limited number of men and subject to the attack of those who want the cargo this ship carries.”

  “Who are these pirates?” Levi asked.

  “They are not your typical foe, my son. They could be from anywhere. They run loose through all the seas, and many have no official allegiance; they answer only to the captain they serve.”

  Jacob and Levi both knew of such robbers and pirates, but the thought of their interfering with this journey had not crossed their minds.

  “What’s the likelihood of our encountering pirates?” Jacob asked.

  Ezra looked at Jacob directly and pulled slowly on his thick graying beard. “We sail alone without military escort. We are laden with cargo, as evidenced by the deep draft on this ship. I would say the chances are high.” Ezra’s voice was matter of fact. Jacob and Levi looked at each other and shifted uneasily. Once again they longed for the swords they had been forced to leave behind. Ezra gazed nonchalantly at the seagulls trailing the ship.

  After a little more small talk, they opened their satchels and ate some bread and dried fish. During the meal Ezra gave them more instructions in a subdued voice. “Speak only in Greek to the crew. Respond only to requests or commands, and be sure your responses are direct and to the point. Do not engage voluntarily with any of them. The less conversation the better.”

  He pointed a crooked finger at each of them and lowered his voice still further. “I know you are both proud men and deserving of the high status you have earned in Rome. But on this ship your status is different. Here you are common Jews. In this world you are nothing. Do not stand up straight—especially you, Levi—and do not look them in the eye; they will sense your confidence. Always speak softly and keep your eyes downward to avoid needless conversation and confrontation. I know this will be hard for you, but it is for your safety and mine.”

  Their supper finished, the three men stood talking quietly near the railing. Levi idly tossed a crumb of bread to a trailing gull that snagged it midair and quickly flew sideways to avoid the harassment of others in the flock.

  Suddenly a shout came from the stern of the boat. “Jew, is your food supply so plentiful that you feed the birds that beg in the wake of our ship? Perhaps your stores are sufficient to give each of us an extra ration!” It was the surly Akhom. “We should throw you to the hungry sharks that follow us. Perhaps you’re as expendable as the bread you discard so carelessly.” The large Egyptian menacingly approached the three Jews. Levi instinctively reached for the hilt of his short sword, which was not there. Reality hit him at the same time as an internal surge of adrenaline. A Jew. I am a Jew. Not a Roman centurion. I could cut this arrogant Egyptian down and throw him overboard in the blink of an eye, but I must sit here in humility.

  Levi could feel the burning gaze of both Ezra and Jacob. In perfect Greek he responded to the imposing figure standing before him. “I apologize, sir. My intent was not to be wasteful or offensive. Forgive me. I am not familiar with the ways of mariners.” Levi wanted to explode but lowered his head and remained still.

  The display of deference caught the surly Egyptian off guard. He had expected a fight from the large, muscular Jew. These people are weak, even the big ones, he thought. At least they know their place. He drew his sword for effect. “You’ve learned your station well. Now learn some manners, or the next time I will make bait out of you.” He swung his sword around threateningly, then skillfully sheathed it. He looked down contemptuously and walked off in disgust. Ezra and Jacob finally exhaled.

  Ezra spoke first. “Well done, my son. You are learning quickly, but better yet to avoid the attention in the first place.” He placed his dark bony hand on Levi’s knee.

  Levi could hardly contain himself. “Barbarian,” he muttered under his breath. “That one will be shark food if he challenges me again.”

  “Be sure that doesn’t happen, my brother,” Jacob said as he slapped his friend good-naturedly on the back. “I don’t want to have to step in between you two.”

  Levi leaned forward on the rail of the ship to dissipate some of the energy flowing through his body as a result of the confrontation. The cool spray and heavy sea air helped calm the warrior in him. Levi didn’t doubt his ability to destroy the big Egyptian. But he doubted his ability to deal patiently with the bullying that was sure to come during the rest of the journey as a result of his display.

  The afternoon passed into evening and then into the black darkness of night. A fire was lit in the cauldron near the center of the boat, and two torches fore and aft were the only sources of light. The moon and stars were hidden behind an overcast sky.

  The three passengers went below to their assigned sleeping quarters. It was cold, dark and damp, and foul smelling. Ezra found his place, pulled his robe and blanket over himself tightly, and was asleep within seconds. Jacob and Levi grabbed their bedrolls and went back up the wooden stairs to the deck. A small crew of six manned various lookout points on the deck; two of them held the tillers steady. Jacob, always listening for useful information, had overheard earlier that a change of guard would be made during the third and fourth watch.

  No one challenged them as they laid out their blankets in the same place they had sat most of the day. It was cooler on deck, and the air was fresher. They had spent many nights sleeping on the cold ground during campaigns; this was no different. The two men positioned themselves head to head close to a bulkhead to stay out of the way. The hissing noise of the ship slicing through the water and the creaking and groaning of the masts and rigging were constant and somewhat soothing. Sleep came slowly, but it finally came.

  Levi had to restrain himself to keep from seizing the foot that awakened him with a swift kick in the small of his back. Fortunately his mind reasoned out the situation
before his body reacted.

  “Get up, Jewish swine!” cursed the large Egyptian as he loomed over Levi. “Move before my men trample you.” Levi quickly rolled over and collected himself as Akhom walked off, yelling commands at the bustling crew now on deck. He saw that Jacob was already standing against the rail on the opposite side of the ship. Jacob was always the first up at camp, anticipating the enemy’s attack.

  “You could have spared me the rude awakening,” Levi chided his friend as he rolled up his blanket.

  Jacob laughed. “I didn’t see him coming,” he said.

  “You, surprised by the enemy’s ambush? I find that hard to believe.” Levi smiled.

  “I was not paying attention. Besides, the noise of the sea and the crew moving about were distracting,” said Jacob. Levi noticed the sails had been repositioned to take advantage of the changing morning winds. It was toward the end of the fourth watch, and the activity on deck was fast and furious. Levi was amazed he’d heard nothing before the ignominious kick to his backside had wakened him.

  It occurred to Jacob that he would have to figure out a way to get some exercise. He was used to walking some distance in the morning and again early in the evening as a way of getting away from the decisions of battle. But there was no getting away on the small deck of this ship. A walk would be thirty paces in one direction and then another thirty paces back. Weeks on this ship with such limited movement would paralyze him. He hoped the gods would send favorable winds.

  13

  After a while Ezra emerged from the bowels of the ship and walked forward. He stretched his arms wide and with head held high breathed deeply the pungent sea air. Ezra had obviously slept well and was used to travel on ships. Jacob couldn’t say the same of himself. He was out of his element in more ways than one.

  “My brothers,” Ezra said with a slight grin, “it’s time for prayers. Follow me, and do everything I do.”