The Road To War

by Peter Tonkin

  ‘Not without more help Septem. And… NO!’

  Artemidorus never discovered precisely what the final shout meant. But events made him pretty certain. Minnakht and his captain had clearly freed the mast. They rolled it inboard, then pushed it fiercely out praying that it would simply roll over the left side, the oars no doubt retracted to preserve them from damage.

  But rolling it inboard to the right destroyed the fragile balance between the straining men and the heavy board they were holding up. The wooden edge tore out of Hercules’, Quintus’ and Ferrata’s grip. Artemidorus felt it closing down and threw himself out with Hecate at his side. The last thing he saw in the flickering lamplight was the whole thing shutting down like an enormous trapdoor on Hunefer’s crouching figure. It hesitated momentarily on the top of the frail wooden wall that had preserved them all so far, then it slammed hard against the deck. Whatever sound was made by Hunefer’s bones as they were crushed was lost in the raving of the wind. Whatever surge of blood exploded from him as his massive body burst was washed away invisibly by the rain and the spray.

  By that time, Artemidorus was out onto the icy lead of the weather deck, Hecate at his side. Kyros and Notus kneeling beside the queen and her son. Hercules, Quintus and Ferrata staggering away from the flattened ruin of the tower. Artemidorus tried to straighten but the torn muscles of his shoulders and chest would not allow him. His thighs cramped, and he staggered like a drunkard, shocked and disorientated. The wind clawed at him, nearly pushing him over as Alexandros, unbalanced by the weight of the mast rolling across the deck reared back, plunging her right side down.

  A huge sea grasped her at that moment. It tore the heavy boarding platform clean off. The counterweight on the left side, unbalanced, instantly pulled the ship over almost onto her opposite quarter. The mast slid down the sloping deck to tumble free on the far side of the ruined after castle. Relieved of the weight, Alexandros rolled wildly back, given extra power by the storm wind and the huge seas beating against her from the south. Artemidorus staggered first one way and then the other on legs that felt like wood. Forward towards the wreckage, then backwards towards the edge of the deck. Forward again, then back once more, ever closer to the deck-rail which was no longer there because the spars had smashed it out of existence.

  He only realised at the last moment he was going over the side. It was far too late to call for help. There was no-one near enough to reach him. The closest person to him was Hecate and she was far off as she stood there, pulling the dagger from between her teeth. He threw himself forward, seeking some kind of purchase on the deck. Measured his length, face down on the unforgiving surface. But there was only the lead which was as slick as ice, rising like a hillside in front of him as he continued to slide powerlessly backward, arms and legs spread uselessly; polished iron armour sliding smoothly across the dull grey metal almost as if it had been oiled.

  Hecate saw what was happening. Understood the dreadful inevitability and how there was so little she could do.

  But there was something.

  As Artemidorus went over the side, she threw him his dagger.

  XX: Murcus

  Admiral Lucius Statius Murcus surveyed his sixty-ship squadron as it rode safely in the lee of Cape Tenaro, one of the southernmost capes in Greece. Mentally, he thanked the gods that he had had the foresight to turn and run for shelter when the rain-storm hid him from Cleopatra’s fleet. He would have to sacrifice a good fat bull to Jupiter Optimus Maximus as soon as he returned to Rome. He had called on the greatest of the gods and promised the sacrifice as he realised how powerful the approaching storm would be. An effective prayer and promise – not one of his ships had been lost. True enough there was some mending to be done. Sails, spars and rigging to be repaired or replaced. One or two men lost overboard, the odd accident – broken limbs and skulls as might be expected under such circumstances. But if Cleopatra did still appear now that the tempest was past, the sky clear, the sea calm and the wind firmly southerly, he would have no real trouble in turning to face her.

  As he considered his options if the Egyptian fleet did appear, there was a distant shout.

  A few moments later, his captain came hurrying up. ‘Sail sighted, Admiral.’

  ‘Egyptian?’ he asked, his heartbeat quickening.

  ‘Hard to tell. A fast trireme, coming east of south, and heading west towards us. She’s sitting just south enough to get a good breeze into her sails. That’s all we know at the moment. They’re all alike, triremes.’

  ‘Keep me informed.’ Murcus ordered.

  ‘Of course, Admiral,’ answered the captain.

  The captain hurried back to his post. Murcus went back to his assessment of the current situation. His flagship had not been badly treated by the storm – but there were still repairs to be completed. And if the trireme turned out to be one of Cleopatra’s, the whole Egyptian fleet could be down on them in no time.’

  Murcus pursed his lips, clasped his hands behind his back and strode to the deck-rail, looking east. Yes. There it was. A white speck on the blue-grey line where the sky and the sea met. Still coming onwards. On the one hand, anyone coming from that direction was likely to be from the Egyptian fleet, he thought. On the other, an Egyptian spy ship would have turned as soon as they sighted the squadron and be hurrying back to Cleopatra with news of their location.

  But it looked like this trireme was coming straight on, which almost certainly made it one of their own – with a message from General Brutus, perhaps. The thought of it quickened Murcus’ heart still further. Like his friend and co-admiral Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, Murcus was a man of action and a bit of a pirate at heart. Patrol duty did not really suit him. He would have been far happier to take his fifty ships and go raiding along the Ionian coast. But if he did that there would be trouble. And one way or another, whether or not the Egyptian fleet turned up, he was in the middle of a war zone here.

  *

  It took another couple of hours for the trireme to come alongside. Then it dropped a skiff and a team of oarsmen held it in place while a young man in a red legionary tunic climbed down a rope ladder into it. When he was safely aboard, a bag was lowered to him.

  The skiff brought him over and he climbed aboard the admiral’s ship, opened the bag and pulled out the badges of rank the proclaimed him to be a tribune. He attached these to his tunic and presented himself to Murcus, who was at once amazed and amused by the performance.

  ‘Too sensible to wear full armour in a skiff rowing between warships, eh?’ he said.

  ‘I don’t believe it’s worth the risk, Admiral. One might fall into the water after all. And if one was wearing armour, that would be the end of everything. Even in the unlikely event that one had learned the rather plebeian pastime of swimming.’

  ‘Very true. And very wise. So, you have avoided drowning like a true patrician. But I don’t believe we’ve met. You are...?’

  The young man drew himself up and threw out his chest. ‘Marcus Valerius Messala Corvinus, Admiral.’

  ‘Ah yes, I knew your wife’s grandfather Marcus Porcius Cato. I was sorry to hear about the death of your wife’s mother, General Brutus’ wife Porcia. Eating hot coals, I hear. Dreadful. But what brings you hurrying to me?’

  ‘I am currently acting tribune to General Marcus Junius Brutus. Carrying messages from the General...’ Messala held out the sealed leather message-tube he had also taken from the bag containing his badges of rank. He held it out.

  Murcus took it, continuing to speak, ‘And lucky to get here to deliver them, young man. Don’t you know there’s a huge Egyptian fleet out in these waters?’

  Messala gave an irritatingly superior grin. ‘Yes, Admiral. I have seen Queen Cleopatra’s navy.’

  ‘Have you indeed?’ Murcus’ normally open face folded into a worried frown. ‘When. May I ask?’

  ‘On my way here, Admiral.’

  Murcus sucked in a breath, tiring of this pompous young tribune and his games. ‘And wh
ere did you see them?’

  ‘On most of the beaches we passed, Admiral. What remains of Queen Cleopatra’s ships at least. Nothing more than wreckage washing ashore with the tide...’

  THE END

  Historical Characters

  Porcia Porcia Catonis, widow of Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, mother of Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus and Calpurnia Calpurnius Bibulus. After the death of her first husband, scandalously married her cousin Marcus Junius Brutus. May have committed suicide (42BCE/712AUC?) by eating live coals.

  Calpurnia, daughter to Porcia Catonis, married to Marcus Velarius Messala Corvinus

  Lucius Lucius Calpurnius Bibulus, proscribed but escaped Rome and joined Brutus.

  Messala Marcus Velarius Messala Corvinus, proscribed, escaped, became one of Brutus’ most outstanding lieutenants.

  Octavianus Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Divus Fili – usually referred to as Octavian but later became Augustus. Triumvir. History presents him in two main lights – the cold, calculating but effective politician and the womanising occasionally sadistic manipulator. In early 42BCE/712AUC his main preoccupation was dealing with Sextus Pompey. I have not seen this proposition examined at any depth anywhere – but the symptoms of his life-long illness seem to fit with those of malaria.

  Sextus Pompey the only surviving son of Pompey the Great, established with a large fleet in Sicily. Accepting escapees from the proscriptions, posing a threat to Rome’s grain supplies, but not really taking sides.

  Murcus Lucius Statius Murcus, general with imperium for one of the Libertore fleets (The word ‘Admiral’ is a recent coinage (C12th Arabic origin) but I have used it to discriminate from Generals with imperium over land forces). It was Murcus who is said to have observed Cleopatra’s fleet as wreckage on the beaches of southern Greece.

  Ahenobarbus Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, general with imperium over the largest of the Libertore fleets. Turned pirate later & joined first Antony and then Octavian. The basis for Shakespeare’s ultimately treacherous Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra.

  Artemidorus a Greek man about whom only one thing is known for certain – it was Artemidorus who gave Julius Caesar a list containing the names of the men planning to murder him just before they did so. Caesar never read it and died in consequence. In these books he is reimagined as a secret agent currently working for Antony.

  Antony Marcus Antonius. Triumvir. History presents him as a headstrong, womanising soldier of relatively limited experience but outstanding leadership qualities and occasional flashes of military genius. Octavian may have used the proscriptions to get women to sleep with him; Appian says Antony certainly did so – and names some. Southern suggests persuasively that he underwent a character change when crossing the Alps after losing the Battle of Mutina – he became much more calculating and ruthless vide his vendetta with Cicero. He may also have been an alcoholic – something life with Cleopatra exacerbated.

  Fulvia One of the most powerful women of the late Republic (and there were several) First married to Clodius Pulcher the notorious gang leader & political fixer. Started a riot that nearly destroyed the city when he was murdered by rival gangleader Milo on the Appian Way. Then married another politician Scribonius Curio – who died in battle. Then she married Antony and was a very active part of his rise to power especially after Caesar’s assassination. She seems to have accepted his constant womanising and even stood by him raising armies to fight Octavian in Italy while Octavian was attacking Antony and Cleopatra in the east. She is reputed to have stuck pins and a stylus through Cicero’s tongue when Laenas brought his severed head to Antony.

  Saxa & Norbanus Lucius Decidius Saxa & Gaius Norbanus Flaccus were the two generals Antony sent ahead of his invasion of Macedonia with several legions each and orders to secure his army’s approach routes, which they did until they were forced back by Cassius and Brutus soon before the final battles at Philippi.

  Popilius Laenas a Tribune who asked special permission to be the man who executed Cicero. Took his head and hands to Antony and Fulvia. Used some of his reward to have a gold statue made of himself standing with one foot on Cicero’s severed head. In these books, a brutal villain working for Octavian.

  Herrenius Popilius Laenas’ Centurion and accomplice.

  Brutus Marcus Junius Brutus Husband and first cousin to Porcia Catonis. The ‘heart’ of the plot to assassinate Caesar; traditionally presented as the one who insisted that only Caesar should die – a decision later presented by Cassius and Cicero as a major error. A better administrator than general, however noted as a ruthlessly efficient tax-gatherer (vide Xanthus below).

  (Xanthus) A city not a person. Committed corporate suicide rather than pay Brutus’ tax demands (42BCE/712AUC). Before/during his siege, the entire population is recorded as having killed each-other with the last survivors setting fire to the city before killing themselves.

  Quintus Dellius Although in this story an alias used by Artemidorus without much thought, this is me setting things up for later. Dellius was a real person – sent to Cleopatra by Antony after Philippi to ask why she failed to support the Triumvirs. Dellius apparently fell under her spell. It was he who arranged the meeting at Tarsus on the River Cydnus that famously swept Antony off his feet.

  Cassius Gaius Cassius Longinus the ‘head’ of the plot to assassinate Caesar. Brutus’ brother-in-law. A ruthless politician and an able soldier (on land and sea), he was forgiven by Caesar for his part in the Civil War when he fought on Pompey’s side. He was famous in the East for leading 10,000 survivors out of Parthia after the defeat of Crassus at Carrhae. He had no trouble raising troops therefore and was (briefly) appointed Governor by the Senate. He advanced on Egypt and may just have been about to invade when he was recalled by Brutus to a meeting in Sardis – where they planned their final campaign against the Triumvirs. He is reputed to have had problems with his eyesight.

  Herod Herod (Later Herod the Great) Prince of Galilee at this time, later King of Judea. (Senate approved him King of the Jews in 40/39BCE). There is some question as to what extent he followed the Jewish faith. His relationship with the Parthians was more usually negative than positive, especially later; but his positive relations with Rome allowed him to rule for 33 years. He died in 4 BCE and is therefore not the Herod referred to as being visited by the Magi in Matthew’s Gospel (it was Herod Antipas)

  Cleopatra Cleopatra VIIth Philopator perhaps the most enigmatic figure in history. Modern scholarship emphasises that her reputation far outstrips her actual importance. She was a client ruler of an admittedly significant country in Rome’s sphere of influence. The last one, as Augustus replaced the Ptolemies with personally-appointed governors after her death. In 42BCE/712AUC she was in considerable danger. The Nile had not inundated for 2 successive years & the grain harvest had failed. Vermin (esp rats) from the fields invaded villages & towns bringing Plague. A sizeable proportion of the population of Egypt died. Even though she opened all the grain stores (Pharonic and Religious) her starving people were on the verge of open revolt – especially in the always fractious Alexandria. Cassius and his 12 legions (4 of which were the turncoat Egyptian legions) was at her borders considering invasion. Providentially Brutus called him North to Sardis and Cleopatra found a way to buy grain from Parthia. She did in fact take sides with Antony and built a fleet to help him – but it was destroyed in a storm. An angry Antony was later to send Quintus Dellius to find out why she had let him down so badly at such a crucial time. But as recorded above, Dellius simply engineered the meeting in the city of Tarsus which she famously approached in her golden barge down the Cydnus River. And the rest really is history.

  Bibliography

  Major source in each category:

  Ancient:

  Appian The Civil Wars

  Modern (General)

  Life of Caesar podcast by Cameron Reilly and Ray Harris

  Ronald Syme The Roman Revolution

  Mediterranean:

  Ernle Bradford Mediterrane
an Portrait of a Sea

  Via Egnatia:

  Firmin O’Sullivan The Egnatian Way

  Alexandria:

  Harold T Davis Alexandria The Golden City (2 vols)

  Legions:

  Lawrence Keppie The Making of the Roman Army

  Pollard & Berry The Complete Roman Legions

  Secret Service:

  Rose Mary Sheldon Trust in the Gods but Verify: Intelligence activities in Ancient Rome

  Ships:

  Rafaele D’Amato Republican Roman Warships 509 – 27 BC

  Philippi:

  Si Sheppard Philippi 42 BC The death of the Roman Republic

  Augustus:

  Adrian Goldsworthy Augustus from Revolutionary to Emperor

  Antony:

  Patricia Southern Mark Antony A Life

  Cleopatra:

  Stacy Schiff Cleopatra A Life

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  [ES1]Cut?