The Cleopatra Crisis tw-11

by Simon Hawke

  That sounds like our Marcian.” Antony laughed. “Alwayscounting his fortune and finding it wanting. Take care that you do not sell yourfarm to him too cheaply, Sabinus.”

  “He needs no advice from you. Antony,” groused Marshall. “Theprice that he has named amounts to a king’s ransom.”

  “Come now, Marcian. it is a fair price and you know it.”Steiger protested.

  “Fair? You’ve been cheating me for years. you scoundrel. Asyou have doubtless cheated others.” He turned to Antony. “He knows that if Ibuy his farm. I must retain him on a salary as breeder, so it is all to hisadvantage. He has, I’m afraid, less need for my money than I have for his horses.I’ve brought him to the races in the hope that I can induce him to lose some ofit. Perhaps then he will become more reasonable.”

  “What, you plan to bet against him?” Antony asked,surprised. “Marcian, I have never seen you wager so much as a denarius!”

  “No, not I,” said Marshall. “I have already lost enoughmoney to this brigand through our business dealings. I will not risk losingmore. However. knowing you to be a shrewd judge of horseflesh and charioteers,I thought perhaps you would be good enough to fleece him for me. I wouldappreciate it if you would take as much of his money as possible. he’s beenmost insufferable.”

  Antony threw back his head and laughed. “Did you hear myfriends? Marcian brings me a sacrifice of a provincial!”

  They all laughed.

  Steiger stiffened, as if with affront.

  “No, no, do not look so, Sabinus,” said Flaminus, clappinghim on the shoulder. “I assure you, Antony meant it merely as a joke.”

  “Yes, doubtless we provincials, being so backward and naive,provide you Romans with much amusement.” Steiger said.

  “Come now, Sabinus. I meant no offense,” Antony said placatingly.“And to prove it, and as much to please my good friend. Marcian. I will offeryou a small. friendly wager, if you like. Not so much as you can’t afford tolose.”

  “Indeed? And what makes you think that I will lose?” askedSteiger.

  “Oho!” said Antony. “You hear Trebonius? It seems that wehave pricked his pride!”

  “Have a care. Antony.” Trebonius said in mock warning. “Heis a breeder and must know his horses well.”

  “Perhaps. but does he know his charioteers?” asked Antony. “Ittakes more than a good team to win a race.”

  “That is true enough,” said Steiger. “But I have had an opportunityto watch them exercise and have formed a few opinions as to the skill of thevarious drivers. Perhaps they are not as educated as your own, Marc Antony. butI have observed enough to guide my wager.”

  “Very well, then.” Antony said with a grin. “We shall see.Shall we make a wager on the first race?”

  “If you like.”

  “How much would you care to risk?”

  “I do not know what is customary,” said Steiger. “Would tenthousand sesterces be appropriate?”

  “Ten thousand sesterces!” Trebonius said.

  “See here, Sabinus.” said Antony condescendingly, “pride canbe a costly thing. Despite what Marcian said. and I am certain he was onlyjoking. I have no wish to see you lose so much.”

  “It is a sum that I could easily stand to lose,” saidSteiger. “However, if you could not. I would certainly understand.”

  Antony raised his eyebrows. “I could stand to lose a greatdeal more than that. my friend,” he said with a smile. “Very well. then. Tenthousand it is.”

  The sound of trumpets rang out through the arena and thecrowd cheered as the presiding consul entered in his chariot, followed by hislictors and attendants. After them in the procession came the legionaries andthe cavalry, followed by the teams of chariots. The drivers were all attired incolored tunics that denoted their teams. They had the reins wrapped aroundtheir chests, leaving one hand free to manipulate them and the other to use thewhip. Driving a chariot took great strength and dexterity, as well as skill.and by wrapping the reins around their chests, the charioteers were able to addtheir full body weight to the task. a, well as using it to balance the lightchariots. It made the driving very dangerous. because in the event of a spill.the charioteer had to draw a sharp dagger and quickly cut the reins, otherwisehe would be dragged along behind his horses. Even if he could cut himself loosein time, there was, still the danger of being trampled or crushed by the wheelsof the following chariots.

  After the chariots came the singers. followed by the priestsand the incense-hearers. ‘Then came the images of the gods carried on biers.The crowd cheered and applauded as they made their circuit of the arena to thepounding of the drums and the blaring of the trumpets, then the cheering grewstill louder as the Emperor appeared in his box, just a short distance fromwhere Steiger and Marshall sat with Antony and his friends.

  Steiger turned to look at Julius Caesar. He stood in theimperial box, wearing a laurel wreath and a purple-trimmed toga with fringes onthe sleeves, holding his arms out to the crowd.

  “Is that your first sight of the Emperor?” asked Trebonius,raising his voice to he heard over the cheering of the crowd around them.

  “Yes.” Steiger replied. “I must admit, he looks differentthan I had expected. More like a philosopher than a conquering general.”

  “Do not be deceived by his appearance,” Antony said. “He isthe finest general that Rome has ever seen. And I am proud to have served withhim in the campaigns.

  “A singular honor,” Steiger said.

  Antony smiled. “Perhaps later, I will introduce you to him.To ease the pain of your loss.”

  “It would indeed be a great privilege to meet the Emperor.”said Steiger. “But I have not lost yet.”

  Antony grinned. “We shall see. That first rank of chariotswill compete in the first race. And the second rank will race after them, andso forth. As a breeder of fine horses, which team do you fancy?”

  Steiger considered the teams as they rode by intheprocession. “Of the first rank, I think I like the greens,” he said. “The browntrigae.”

  He pointed to the team of three dark brown horses drawing alight chariot driven by a man in a green tunic.

  “A good choice,” said Antony, nodding. “You do knowyour horses. But I think the whites will take the first race.”

  “Perhaps,” said Steiger. “However, I will stand by mychoice.”

  “And be the poorer for it,” Antony replied with a grin. “Butwho knows, fortune may smile upon you.”

  After the procession completed its circuit of the track, thechariots for the first race lined up at the far end of the arena. The horseswere restive. pawing at the ground. The charioteers held them back, easing theminto position. The presiding consul gave the signal for the trumpets to sound.He stood above the chariots, dressed in a scarlet tunic, an embroidered toga,and a heavy gold wreath. In one hand, he held out a white cloth. In his otherhand, he held aloft an ivory baton with a bronze eagle on it. the symbol of hisoffice.

  The charioteers had previously drawn lots for theirpositions at the start of the race. The tails of the horses were bound tightly,their manes decorated with pearls and gems. their breastplates adorned withgold and silver and trimmed with jewels. Each horse wore a ribbon with thecolor of its team. The drivers stood in their chariots, some wearing leatherhelmets, others wearing metal ones, their thighs and calves beneath their brieftunics wrapped in leather leggings. Most of them were low born and some hadonce been slaves, but as charioteers, they could rise far above their stations.

  Winning charioteers often received substantial gifts frommagistrates and aristocrats, sometimes even from the Emperor himself, and theywere paid generous salaries by the owners of their teams, as well. They werethe star athletes of Rome, often wined and dined by their rich patrons. andsome of them were able to become quite wealthy in their own right. A hush fellover the crowd as the consul waited to give the starting signal. Steiger’sbrown trigae had drawn a position third from the inside. Antony’s whiteswere on the pole. The consul dropped
the white cloth and the crowd cheered asthe race began.

  The blue team took an early lead as the horses thundereddown the straightaway, heading counterclockwise around the track, toward thefirst turn. The greens ran second. the whites a close third. The drivers lashedthe horses with their whips as they passed the stands where Steiger and Antonysat, coming up to the first turn.

  “The first turn is always crucial.” Antony said loudly,speaking close to Steiger to be heard above the crowd. “And Tibulus, who racesfor the whites, always rides close upon the leader as they close for the turn.Watch now!”

  The blue driver took the turn a little wide, anxious to givehimself plenty of room so as not to be caught between the posts and the pressof the other chariots closing in. Tibulus, the charioteer for the whites, hungclose on the heels of the blues, slightly to the inside. The greens were rightbehind him, swinging wider. The driver of the red team suddenly swung for theinside. trying to ace the greens out of position. but as they rounded the turn,the whites also swung sharply to the inside, toward the post, cutting off thereds. Having nowhere else to go, the red driver had to swing in closer stilland the wheels of his chariot caught the post as they went around.

  The crowd gasped collectively as his chariot struck andbounced up into the air, teetering precariously on one wheel for an instant,and then crashing back down again, dislodging the driver. He drew his knife andslashed the reins, cutting himself free, then rolled wildly to avoid beingtrampled by the team behind him. He didn’t make it. The crowd roared as thehorses of the green team trampled him and the chariot jounced over his body. Assoon as the chariots had all passed, attendants ran out with a litter to pickup the fallen driver, who was writhing on the ground with pain.

  Meanwhile, the whites had taken the lead on the inside ofthe turn. As they thundered down the opposite straightaway, they were all outof sight behind the spew, but in moments, they were coming around the far turnand Steiger saw that the whites had increased their lead, while the greens wereclose behind them. It remained that way for the first two laps as the chariotsgradually spread out along the track. By the third lap. the greens had closedthe distance. By the fourth, they were almost neck and neck with the whites,but Tibulus was clearly the better driver and he gained an increased lead oncemore going round the turn. By the fifth lap, the greens had once more closedthe distance, but the whites kept gaining on the turns. practically shaving theposts.

  “Your greens arc putting up a game fight,” said Antony. “Demosdrives well, but he won’t catch Tibulus! Watch as he gives them full head onthe last turn!”

  Indeed, Tibulus took the last turn at what seemed a very recklessspeed, his chariot sliding around almost completely sideways, but the maneuvergained him even more ground and as they raced for the finish, the whites camein well ahead of the greens.

  “I fear that you have lost your wager. Sabinus,” said Antony.“I told you that the whites would win. You see, it takes more than a good eyefor horses to judge who will be the winner. A good charioteer makes all thedifference.”

  “It would seem so.” Steiger agreed. “I congratulate you. Butyou must give me an opportunity to win back my money. Would you care to wageron the next race?”

  Antony laughed. “Marcian, your friend seems determined togive away his money! It seems your plan was sound. Perhaps I should demand afee for helping you conclude your business with him!”

  “You have already won ten thousand sesterces,” Marshallsaid. “Let that be your fee. Antony.”

  “Done!” laughed Antony.

  “Shall we say another ten thousand on the second race?”asked Steiger.

  “If you think you can afford it.” Antony replied dubiously

  “Marcian will vouchsafe my credit.-

  “Sabinus may be unscrupulous in business,” Marshall said. “butyou may take him at his word.”

  “I never questioned it.” said Antony magnanimously. “Anotherten thousand it is.”

  Steiger lost the second race. too. And the third, as well.Trebonius won the fourth. with both Steiger and Antony losing. but Antonyrecouped his loses to Trebonius on the fifth race, which Steiger also lost.

  “I think perhaps we should cease to wager now.” Antony toldSteiger after the fifth race. “You already owe me fifty thousand sesterces andI have no wish to ruin you completely.”

  “You cannot keep winning all the time,” said Steiger.

  “I rarely lose, my friend.”

  “Then you will not give me one more chance to make good mylosses?”

  Antony shook his head. “I have already won more than enoughfrom you, Sabinus,” he said. “You would be wise to stop now.”

  “One hundred thousand sesterces on the final race.” saidSteiger.

  “By the gods” said Flaminus.

  “Marcian. I fear your friend is being dangerously reckless.”said Antony.

  Is it your concern for me that causes you to hesitate ordoes the prospect of losing so much make you nervous?” Steiger asked.

  “Creon, perhaps you’d better reconsider,” Marshall said.

  “One hundred thousand is my wager,” Steiger repeated firmly,looking straight at Antony. “Do you dare accept it? Or are you afraid to loseto a backward provincial?”

  Antony stared at him. “Your friend Marcian will have to buyyour farm from me.” he said. “Because after this last race, I fear that I willown it.”

  “Then you accept?”

  “Choose your team.”

  “I’ll take the blues. The black stallions second from thepost.” There were four factions-the whites, the reds. The blues, and thegreens, but for this race, the teams were paired, so that there were twocharioteers driving for each faction, a total of eight teams of four horseseach.

  “The blues?” said Antony. He chuckled. “Alas, you have madea poor choice. Sabinus. Young Cassinus drives that team. He has the leastexperience of any of the charioteers! He has never before driven a quadrigae!”

  “Nevertheless. I choose the blues,” repeated Steiger. “Iwatched him exercise the other day. He seems to have a natural ability with thequadrigae. And the blacks he’s driving are fine horses. I am confidentof my choice.”

  “I will not quarrel with the quality of the team,” saidAntony. “But are you so confident of your choice that you will risk your utterruin?”

  “I am confident that you cannot continue to win all thetime.” Steiger countered stubbornly. “Do you accept the wager? Or is it toorich for your blood?”

  “Creon …” Marshall said, taking Steiger’s arm.

  “Stay out of it. Marcian.” snapped Steiger. shaking him off.“I await your answer, Antony.”

  Antony sighed and shook his head sadly. “So be it. One hundredthousand sesterces on the bays driven by Clocillus, for the reds.”

  “I will take thirty thousand of that wager. if you have notoverextended yourself, Sabinus,” said Trebonius.

  “And I will venture twenty,” said Flaminus.

  “Done,” said Steiger.

  “Creon, are you mad?” asked Marshall.

  “Antony is not the only one who can judge a charioteer,”Steiger replied. “Cassinus seemed most promising when I watched him practice.”

  “You did not watch him against Clocillus,” Antony said witha smile. “Clocillus has no need of practice. He is the finest charioteer inRome.” The trumpet sounded once again.

  “They are about to start!” Trebonius said.

  The white cloth fluttered to the ground and the chariotswere off. Clocillus took an early lead going into the first turn. Cassinus wassixth, well behind him, but the crush of the first turn took out two of theother chariots, one white, one green. They crashed into each other as they wentaround the post. and though the drivers managed to retain control by reiningin, they slowed up two other chariots behind them and caused another to swingwide around them as they skidded toward the outside of the turn. Cassinus tookthe opportunity to get inside them and move up.

  “A good move on his part.
” Antony conceded. “But he wasmerely fortunate. Clocillus still holds a commanding lead.”

  Going into the second lap. Cassinus was running third, butClocillus and one of the chariots driving for the greens were still well aheadof him. They maintained that distance for another lap, but as they swung aroundfor the third time. Cassinus slowly began to close the gap. By the fourth lap.the second green team was hard on his heels, with the second driver for theblues running just behind them. Clocillus was still in a comfortable lead. Onthe fifth lap, as they went around the post. the green team that was closing inon Cassinus took the turn too wide and Cassinus’ teammate cut sharply to theinside, getting ahead of the greens and cutting them off as they went down thestraightaway. Cassinus continued to close the distance between himself and thetwo leaders, while the green team that was just behind him couldn’t get aroundthe blue team that had passed it. They maintained that position going into thesixth lap when the team that was running second tried to cut in on the insideof Clocillus and ran out of room. The chariot overturned and they could see thedriver sawing frantically at the reins as the horses dragged him along behindthem. He managed to cut himself free just as they reached the outside of theturn and he rolled safely out of harm’s way. Cassinus was now running second.

  On the last lap. Cassinus started closing the distancebetween himself and the red team driven by Clocillus, gaining rapidly. Thecrowd was on its feet, cheering the underdog. In moments, they were neck andneck.

  “Come on. Clocillus!” shouted Antony. “Use your whip!”

  Side by side, the two chariots careened toward the finish,but Cassinus started to edge ahead. Antony and his friends were shouting andshaking their fists. Clocillus started to close, but they crossed the finishline with Cassinus barely a nose ahead of him. The crowd went wild. “Well, deductingmy earlier losses to you,” Steiger said to Antony, “that makes fifty thousandsesterces that you owe me. Plus the thirty thousand from Trebonius, and twentyfrom Flaminus, that brings my winnings to a total of one hundred thousandsesterces. I have both made good my losses and turned a tidy profit.’ Hegrinned at Antony. “It seems that I am not exactly ruined.”