‘Rain!’ said Nubia. Scuto and Nipur lifted their heads to look at her, too.
She jumped up from her bed.
In the peristyles and courtyards of the Villa Limona, the slaves who had been commanded not to make the least noise heard Nubia cry ‘Rain!’
She ran out into the colonnade. Flavia and the dogs followed her curiously and the boys came out of their bedroom, rubbing their eyes and yawning. Nubia stretched out her hand to feel the drops, but the colonnade was sheltered so she hurried up the stairs to the inner garden. The others followed.
‘Rain,’ said Nubia, standing in the garden by the lemon tree and looking around her. A soft, steady downpour was washing the crusted ash from tree and shrub. On the mountain slopes the grey vineyards and olive trees were melting to green before her eyes.
The thirsty soil beneath her bare feet drank the rain with tiny squeaks and exhaled a rich, dark perfume. In the trees the birds began singing. Nubia lifted her face to the heavens and let the cool rain wash over her. She stretched out her arms and twirled and laughed.
She had found her way from the Land of Grey into the Land of Green.
By dusk the fast, low-moving clouds were disappearing over the horizon to the southwest. The rain had washed the hills and scrubbed the sky, which was a vibrant magenta.
They had all gathered for dinner in Polla’s yellow triclinium. A slave lit the lamps while Leda handed myrtle garlands to the diners. Her clean hair was pinned up with four new ivory hairpins and her face transformed by a smile.
Beneath the couches Scuto and the puppies were already crunching marrowbones. They had been bathed and brushed and were on their best behaviour.
Felix reclined beside his wife, whose face was not as pale as usual.
‘Patron,’ said Flavia, adjusting her garland. ‘My father told me that if you invite a slave to recline with you at dinner it means you are setting them free. Is that true?’
Felix nodded. ‘I believe it is. Technically a slave has to be over thirty before you can free them, but no one can enforce that.’
Flavia raised her eyebrows at him to say: May I?
Felix closed his eyes and gave a small nod.
Flavia looked around the room at old friends and new. They all looked back expectantly.
‘Nubia,’ she said in a clear voice. ‘Nubia. In front of all these witnesses, I invite you to recline with me here on this couch. Will you accept?’
‘No,’ replied Nubia softly.
Flavia twisted round on the couch. ‘What? You won’t recline? Don’t you want to be free?’
Nubia shook her head. ‘I don’t want to leave you and Jonathan and Lupus,’ she whispered. ‘I have no family, no home, nowhere to go . . .’
‘But you won’t have to leave us!’ cried Flavia. ‘Whether you decide to be free or not, you will always be part of our family. But don’t you think it’s better to be free and stay by choice than to be a slave and have no choice?’
‘Very well. Then I am choosing to be free and to be in your family.’ Nubia walked round the couch and solemnly reclined beside her former mistress.
Flavia took the garland from her head and placed it on Nubia’s. Then they ate the dishes set before them and drank the drink of the god Dionysus.
‘Nubia,’ said Pollius Felix, when the serving-girls had cleared away the dessert course. ‘Now that you are a free girl will you consent to sit by me for a moment?’
Nubia glanced at Flavia, who smiled and nodded.
Gracefully Nubia rose and went to the couch on which Felix and Polla reclined. She sat at the end.
Felix beckoned Pulchra, who came to his couch and held something out to Nubia.
‘I am sorry I broke your lotus-wood flute, Nubia,’ said Pulchra. ‘Pater and I have bought you another one. Please accept it as a gift on the day of your freedom.’
Nubia took the flute. It was made of a beautiful cherry-coloured wood. She looked up at Pulchra with glistening eyes. Impulsively Pulchra bent and kissed her dark cheek, then whispered in Nubia’s ear, ‘Thank you for saving me.’
‘Thank you for saving me.’ Nubia smiled through her tears.
Pulchra returned to her couch and Nubia looked at Felix, who was tuning his lyre.
‘Thank you, Patron,’ she said.
He looked up at her with his dark eyes and nodded. ‘You have taught us quite a lot, Nubia the ex-slave girl.’ As he finished tuning his third string he said casually, ‘Oh, Lupus, I believe you’ll find a goatskin drum under your couch. Will you accompany us?’
Lupus brought forth a small drum. It was copper inlaid with silver, with a pumiced goatskin taut across its surface.
He looked at Felix with shining eyes and nodded.
‘Tomorrow at noon,’ said Felix, placing the lyre against his left shoulder, ‘a warship arrives from Misenum. It will take you to the refugee camp to pick up Flavia’s uncle and tutor, as well as Jonathan’s father and sister. I will accompany you that far. Then the warship will take you on to Ostia. This is my gift to all of you, for giving me back my precious daughter and for opening my eyes.’
Polla squeezed her husband’s hand and he looked at her, surprised. For a long moment they looked at one another with affection. Then Felix bowed his head. When he lifted it again Flavia saw that his eyes were wet with tears.
‘That is tomorrow,’ he said at last. ‘But tonight . . . tonight we have many things to celebrate and to my mind there is only one way to express our feelings. We will play music.’
He looked at Nubia and smiled.
‘You begin.’
FINIS
Alexandria (al-ex-and-ree-ah)
port of Egypt and one of the greatest cities of the ancient world
amphitheatre (am-pee-theatre)
an oval-shaped stadium for watching gladiator shows and beast fights
amphora (am-for-a)
large clay storage jar for holding wine, oil or grain
Ariadne (air-ee-add-nee)
Cretan princess who helped Theseus overcome the Minotaur; when he abandoned her on the island of Naxos, Dionysus comforted her
atrium (eh-tree-um)
the reception room in larger Roman homes, often with skylight and rainwater pool
brazier (bray-zher)
coal-filled metal bowl on legs used to heat a room (like an ancient radiator)
bulla (bull-a)
amulet of leather or metal worn by freeborn children
Caprea (cap-ray-ah)
modern Capri, an island off the coast of Italy near Sorrento (also known as Capreae)
carruca (ca-ru-ka)
a four-wheeled travelling coach, often covered
Castor and Pollux
the famous twins of Greek mythology, special guardians of sailors and of the Geminus family
ceramic (sir-am-ik)
clay which has been fired in a kiln, very hard and smooth
client
in ancient Rome a client was someone who received help from a more powerful patron; in return the client performed various services for the patron
colonnade (coll-a-nade)
a covered walkway lined with columns
Dionysus (die-oh-nye-suss)
Greek god of vineyards and wine
Flavia ( flay-vee-a)
a name, meaning ‘fair-haired’; Flavius is another form of this name
forum ( for-um)
ancient marketplace and civic centre in Roman towns
freedman ( freed-man)
a slave who has been granted freedom, his ex-master becomes his patron
gratis (gra-tiss)
a Latin word meaning ‘free’ or ‘for no cost’
Herculaneum (herk-you-lane-ee-um)
the ‘town of Hercules’ at the foot of Vesuvius; it was buried by mud in the eruption of ad 79 but has now been partly uncovered as an ancient site
Judaea (jew-dee-ah)
ancient province of the Roman Empire; modern Israel
Juno (jew-no
)
queen of the Roman gods and wife of the god Jupiter
Kalends (kal-ends)
The Kalends mark the first day of the month in the Roman calendar
Kylix (kye-licks)
elegant, Greek, flat-bowled drinking cup, especially for dinner parties
Minerva (m’-nerve-ah)
goddess of wisdom
Misenum (my-see-num)
Ancient Rome’s chief naval harbour, near the great port of Puteoli on the north shore of the bay of Naples
Neapolis (nay-ap-o-liss)
modern Naples, a city near Vesuvius dominating a vast bay of the same name
Nuceria (new-care-ee-ah)
a small town near Vesuvius, several miles east of Pompeii
Oplontis (oh-plon-tiss)
modern Torre Annunziata, a coastal village near Pompeii
Ostia (oss-tee-ah)
the port of ancient Rome and home town of Flavia Gemina
Paestum (pye-stum)
Greek colony south of Sorrento, site of a Greek temple
palaestra (pal-eye-stra)
the (usually open air) exercise area of public baths
papyrus (pa-pye-rus)
the cheapest writing material, made of Egyptian reeds
patron
a man who gave help, protection and support to those less rich or powerful than himself; these clients performed services for him in return
Pausilypon (pow-sill-ip-on)
modern Posillipo, a coastal town near Naples across the bay from Sorrento
peristyle (pare-ee-style)
a shady columned walkway usually around an inner garden or courtyard
Pliny (plin-ee)
famous Roman admiral and author; died in the eruption of Vesuvius
Pompeii (pom-pay)
famous town on the bay of Neapolis buried by the eruption of ad 79
Puteoli (poo-te-oh-lee)
modern Pozzuoli, Ancient Rome’s great commercial port on the bay of Naples
scroll (skrole)
a papyrus or parchment ‘book’, unrolled from side to side as it was read.
sesterces (sess-tur-seez)
more than one sestertius, a large brass coin
solarium (sole-air-ee-um)
a sunny room, usually in public baths, for resting, reading, and beauty treatment
Stabia (sta-bee-ah)
modern Castellammare di Stabia, a town to the south of Pompeii (also known as Stabiae)
stylus (stile-us)
a metal, wood or ivory tool for writing on wax tablets
Surrentum (sir-ren-tum)
modern Sorrento, a pretty harbour town south of Vesuvius
tablinum (tab-lee-num)
the equivalent of a study in the Roman house; traditionally where a patron received early morning visits from his clients
Titus (tye-tuss)
elder son of Vespasian who became Emperor one month before the eruption of Vesuvius
toga (toe-ga)
a blanket-like formal outer garment, worn by men and boys
triclinium (tri-clin-ee-um)
a dining-room, usually with three couches on which adults reclined to eat
tunic (tiu-nick)
a piece of clothing like a big T-shirt; boys and girls sometimes wore a long sleeved one
Tyrrhenian (tur-reen-ee-un)
the name of the sea off the west coast of Italy
Vesuvius (vuh-soo-vee-yus)
the famous volcano near Naples, which erupted on 24 August ad 79
Virgil (vur-jill)
a famous Latin poet who died about sixty years before this story takes place
wax tablet
a wax-covered rectangle of wood; when the wax was scraped away, the wood beneath showed as a mark; sometimes two were hinged together
Many people who visit the Bay of Naples to explore Pompeii make the town of Sorrento (ancient Surrentum) their base. The pretty harbour town is located on one of the most beautiful peninsulas in the world amid lemon groves and vineyards. From here, the Circumve-suviana railway makes it easy to visit the cities of Vesuvius.
South of Sorrento town on the Cape of Sorrento you will find an extremely well-preserved Roman road. Follow it down through ancient olive groves, and you will come to the remains of an opulent Roman villa right on the water. Many historians believe it belonged to a rich and cultured man named Pollius Felix. Their evidence is a poem written by a poet named Statius, a client of Felix. In his poem Statius describes Felix’s villa, which is very like the Roman villa on the Cape of Sorrento.
Further up the coast – sheltered from Vesuvius by tall mountains – is a pretty spa town. Vico Equense is mostly built on the slopes but there is a small beach where you can still drink mineral water so full of iron that it turns your tongue red.
To my son Simon,
the realist
* * *
This story takes place in Ancient Roman times, so a few of the words may look strange.
If you don’t know them, ‘Aristo’s Scroll’ at the back of the book will tell you what they mean and how to pronounce them. It will also tell you a bit about Jewish holy days and festivals.
* * *
One hot morning in the Roman port of Ostia, two days after the Ides of September, a dark-eyed boy stared gloomily at four presents.
The boy and his three friends sat on cushions around a low octagonal table in a small triclinium. It was a pleasant room, with cinnabar red walls, a black and white mosaic floor and a view through columns into a green inner garden. A faint sea breeze rustled the leaves of the fig tree and they could hear the fountain splashing.
‘I’m telling you,’ said the boy. ‘Something bad always happens on my birthday.’
‘Jonathan,’ sighed his friend Flavia Gemina. ‘In the past month you’ve survived a volcanic eruption, a coma and capture by pirates. But now you’re safe at home and it’s a beautiful day. What could possibly happen? Don’t be such a pessimist.’
‘What is sessimisp?’ asked a dark-skinned girl in a yellow tunic, taking a sip of pomegranate juice. Nubia was Flavia’s former slave-girl. She had only been in Italia for a few months. Although Nubia was a quick learner, she was not yet fluent in Latin.
Flavia drank some of her own pomegranate juice. Then she held out the ceramic cup.
‘Nubia,’ she said. ‘Would you say this cup was half empty or half full?’
Nubia studied the ruby red liquid and said, ‘Half full.’
‘Then you’re an optimist. An optimist always looks on the bright side of things. What do you think, Jonathan? Is it half full or half empty?’
Jonathan glanced into Flavia’s cup. ‘Half empty. And it’s not even very good pomegranate juice. It’s too sour.’
Flavia grinned at Nubia. ‘See? Jonathan’s a pessimist. Someone who always expects the worst.’
‘I’m not a pessimist,’ said Jonathan. ‘I’m a realist.’
Flavia laughed and handed the cup to the youngest of them, a boy in a sea-green tunic the same colour as his eyes.
‘How about you, Lupus?’ she asked. ‘Would you say the cup is half full or half empty?’
‘He can’t say anything,’ said Jonathan. ‘He’s got no tongue.’
‘Shhh!’ said Flavia. ‘Well, Lupus? Half full or half empty?’
Lupus tipped the contents of the cup down his throat.
‘Hey!’ Flavia protested. But they all laughed when Lupus wrote on his wax tablet:
COMPLETELY EMPTY
Lupus grinned but did not look up. He was writing something else on his tablet, using a brass stylus to push back the yellow beeswax and expose the wood beneath. He showed it to Jonathan:
OPEN PRESENTS!
‘All right, all right,’ said Jonathan. ‘I’ll open yours first.’
He picked up a grubby linen handkerchief tied with an old piece of twine and weighed it in his hand. ‘It’s heavy. And knobbly. And . . .’ Jonathan tipped the contents onto the octagonal table. �
��. . . it’s rocks. You gave me rocks for my birthday.’
‘They’re not just any rocks,’ said Flavia. ‘Lupus searched a long time for those.’
Lupus nodded vigorously.
‘They are smooth and round and perfect for your sling,’ explained Nubia. She held one up. ‘See? Now open my present.’ She placed a twist of papyrus into Jonathan’s hands.
Jonathan undid the papyrus and pulled out a leather strap. ‘A dog collar?’ he said with a frown. ‘So you can take me for a walk without worrying that I might run off?’
‘My present is for you and for Tigris,’ said Nubia. ‘Maybe more for Tigris.’
‘Thanks, Nubia.’ Jonathan gave her a wry smile and showed the collar to his puppy Tigris, who was gnawing a lamb bone beneath the table. ‘And thank you, too, Lupus. Rocks and a dog collar. This morning I got an abacus from Miriam and a new cloak from father. Useful presents all round.’ He sighed.
‘Well, I know you’ll like my present,’ said Flavia, handing Jonathan a blue linen bag. ‘It’s not useful at all.’
‘Hmmn. A present from Flavia. I wonder what it could be? It’s the same size and shape as a scroll. And surprise, surprise – it is a scroll. The Love Poetry of Sextus Propertius?’ Jonathan raised an eyebrow at Flavia. ‘Isn’t that the scroll you told me you wanted?’
‘Was it?’ Flavia grinned sheepishly. ‘No, but I think you’ll really like it, Jonathan. There’s a wonderful poem about a beautiful girl with yellow hair just like you-know-who.’
Jonathan made a sour face, put down the scroll and examined the blue bag it had been wrapped in.
‘I do like this bag though,’ he said, in a more cheerful tone of voice. ‘I could use it to keep my nice sling stones in.’
‘Oh, you can’t have that,’ said Flavia, unrolling Jonathan’s new scroll. ‘It’s pater’s. I just needed something to wrap it in.’
Jonathan sighed again. ‘Who’s this one from?’ He reached for the last present, a small pouch of yellow silk.
Flavia looked up. ‘That’s from you-know-who,’ she said. ‘From Pulchra. And from Felix. Pulchra asked me when your birthday was, and they gave it to me before we left.’
‘Now this . . .’ said Jonathan. ‘This is a nice present.’
The Roman Mysteries Complete Collection Page 40