The Book of the Dead

by Paul Davis

  ‘Not behind it exactly, but I suppose you could say I was involved. It didn’t seem to be doing much harm. It just sort of happened, really. Haemon had taken along a scroll to be copied, and Adonis noticed it didn't have a catalogue mark on it. It was one of many that were simply stored in the Library. No one had ever got round to recording its presence.’

  ‘So no one would notice its absence. And if it was valuable, there was easy money to be made.’

  ‘Haemon didn't think he was really doing much harm - after all the Library got it back and it was then properly recorded. Our pay is so low, and the Library is so rich, it didn't seem so wrong to make a little bit extra from it. Like a long overdue pay rise.’

  ‘How did you get involved?’

  ‘I caught Haemon red-handed going into the bookshop with four of the Library's scrolls - I had seen him take them out the day before.’

  ‘He could have said he was having them copied, as well?’

  ‘Nonsense. He looked guilty as hell.’

  ‘And being a little short of cash yourself...?’

  ‘Exactly. Once Adonis had the idea, he recruited a few others as well. But as you are well aware, thanks to your efforts the Library cottoned on to Adonis's trade, and we had to stop. By the way, you understand I shall deny all knowledge of this, officially.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Kaires let this hang in the air for a moment.

  They watched Gallus and Strabo for a while, fascinated. The Prefect’s arm movements suggested he was describing some sort of water wheel.

  Kaires turned back to Chaeremon. ‘What about your visit to Assia Alexia? I believe you went to see her after Zeno's death.’

  Chaeremon flinched as if stung. ‘Who told you that?’

  ‘Never mind. Is it true?’

  ‘It is.’ He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. ‘But it is a private matter.’

  ‘There are no private matters as far as I am concerned until after this is all over. What was your interest? Did you know Zeno was having an affair with her?’

  Chaeremon spluttered out a snort of disbelief. ‘What nonsense! What on earth makes you think that?’

  ‘The evidence would seem to suggest it.’

  ‘Well you can take your evidence and...think again. It's absolutely impossible.’

  ‘What makes you say that?’

  ‘Because Assia Alexia already has a lover. For the last year. And she certainly has no need to take another.’

  ‘Who?’ asked Kaires, although thanks to Iola he already knew the answer.

  ‘Me, of course!’ said Chaeremon, looking smug.

  ‘Did she give you a stone, carved with her image?

  Chaeremon again looked astonished.

  ‘How on Earth... well yes, she did, actually. I lost it some time ago, and I’m afraid she was rather annoyed. I’m puzzled how you know.’

  How had the cameo ended up in Zeno’s possession? Kaires wondered. Had he stolen it in a fit of jealousy? Chaeremon’s not the only one to be puzzled, he thought.

  -0-

  As it would take the whole day to reach Naucratis, everyone settled down to a leisurely time on the top deck. Myrine and Iola sat together, Myrine with her embroidery, Iola with a scroll of Herodotus which she had managed to extract from Strabo. Strabo himself sat with Gallus and Chaeremon near the bow. Dexios and Thestor were strolling up and down the length of the barge, arguing about some family matter. Prokles sat by himself, making notes on scraps of papyrus, pausing every now and again to enjoy the sights as the barge passed various little settlements, the children laughing and splashing in the Nile and waving at the Gloria Aegyptae as she passed by.

  Kaires went to the stern, where Aristeon was sitting with Haemon, engaged in a game of senet. He watched them for a few moments, as Aristeon threw the knuckle bones and moved his piece further up the track.

  ‘Iola seems to be having a problem with a passage in her Herodotus. I don't suppose either of you...?’ Kaires looked questioningly at them both.

  ‘I'll go,’ said Haemon. ‘Perhaps you could take over from me? I'm afraid I'm losing, but there's plenty of time yet.’

  ‘I'd be glad to, if that's all right with Aristeon. I'm sure Iola would be very grateful.’ He took his seat as Haemon stood. ‘Whose turn is it?’ he asked.

  ‘Yours. I'm cones, you're spools.’ said Aristeon, none too pleased. Kaires took up the astragals and threw them down, and moved one of his pieces along. He looked up to see Haemon talking to Iola and pointing to her scroll, Iola looking surprised. It couldn't have been more obvious that she didn't have the faintest idea why Haemon had come over. Kaires gave Aristeon his most dazzling smile.

  ‘I'd like to think you just got rid of Haemon so efficiently in order to have the pleasure of my company,’ said Aristeon, ‘but I suspect otherwise. My turn, I think.’

  ‘I suppose I wasn't very subtle. Yes, I did want a word, but I'm very happy to play senet. It's my sister's favourite game. I always lose to her.’

  They played for a while in silence. Kaires was trying to think of the best way to approach the subject, when Aristeon did it for him.

  ‘You want to ask me about Eukles. I don't doubt you've heard all about it. I know my fellow scholars well enough to realise they're terrible gossips. I really don't care. I have nothing to hide.’ He looked up, directly into Kaires's face.

  ‘I have heard about the two of you, yes. He was your pupil, under your trust.’

  ‘That's not how it was. We met at the Library when he was learning under Demosthenes. I discovered he had a talent for architecture. He was very artistic. No one had talked to him about it before; Zeno was trying to make him an historian, but he just wasn’t interested, so Zeno thought he wasn’t at all academic. But he was wrong; Eukles could have been a brilliant architect. We became friends. Eventually lovers. He was only three years younger than me. No one minded at first; after all it's not exactly unusual. When we became serious, he began to study under me. He was really very bright; he just needed steering in the right direction. Zeno saw we were becoming inseparable. He tolerated it for a while, then one day Eukles didn't turn up for the lesson. Zeno had sent him off to the farm in the Delta. He knew how delicate he was. There was no chance that he could be happy there. He wrote to me, once. I have the letter with me, here. I always keep it close. He was so miserable. He begged me to come and take him away. I wrote back urging him to be strong, that we would see each other again before too long. I don't know if he got it or not. I hope not - he would have been so disappointed. I should have just gone straight down to him. But I didn't.’

  Kaires could see Aristeon was struggling to hold back tears.

  ‘The next I heard he was dead. A fever, malaria. I can never rid myself of the thought that I might have saved him.’

  ‘You know you couldn't have done. No one could.’

  ‘If I'd taken him at his word, gone straight down...’

  ‘You still would have been too late. Come, don't dwell on it. We can't change what is past.’

  Aristeon did not look convinced. ‘That's what Zeno said. To try and comfort me, or himself, I'm not sure which. He accepted the blame; I have to give him credit for that. I don't think he really realised how strong the bond between Eukles and myself was, until it was too late.’

  ‘Yet you remained on speaking terms with him?’

  ‘I went down to the funeral. I stayed back, couldn't get too near - I didn't want to be recognised. But I saw Zeno. He was completely broken. The grief for his son overcame him completely. I couldn't forgive him, but at least I could sense the pain he was suffering. When he returned to the Library, we were civil to each other. I tried not to hold Eukles's death against him. In a strange way, we got on better than we ever had done before.’

  ‘You saw him on the day he died?’

  ‘Yes, we met in the atrium on the way to the study rooms. He was in a strange mood, didn't want to talk much. When we arrived at the courtyard we just went to our separate rooms.’
<
br />   ‘What did you talk about on the way?’

  ‘Nothing much. He asked what I was working on, and I showed him the plans of the Temple of Serapis that I was studying. I was hoping -still am - for a commission for a Temple to Venus in Paraetonium. It's a sensitive issue, and has to be approved by Augustus, because although Caesar claimed Venus as an ancestor, the connection of Cleopatra as Isis comes a bit too close.’

  ‘Did he say what he was working on?’

  ‘No. In fact he was very cagey. He dropped his scrolls when someone bumped into him on the way, and dived on them so quickly I got the impression he didn't want me to see them. But I got a glance at one. It was just one of those old set of sayings that makes very dull reading to anyone who isn't holier than a priest. I think he was making a copy, although goodness knows what for.’ Aristeon looked down at the senet board and frowned. ‘Do you have any idea whose turn it is?’ he asked.

  Kaires looked down at the board.

  ‘No, I’m afraid I’ve lost the track. Shall we start again?’

  ‘That’s what Haemon says when he’s losing.’

  Kaires laughed. ‘I do too, when Hotepet is thrashing me, but she never lets me get away with it. Here comes Haemon, though. You can start again with him.’

  Aristeon smiled. His teeth were white and straight. ‘Maybe I can,’ he said.

  -0-

  Towards evening they approached the city of Naucratis. Kaires stood at the bow as the barge gently made her way round the final bend of the Nile and the great buildings of the city gradually revealed themselves. The smaller temples of Hera, Aphrodite, and the celestial twins Castor and Pollux were dwarfed by the great Hellenion, standing square and massive, dominating the city. The setting sun bathed the warm sandstone in a golden glow, reminding Kaires that this city had once been tremendously rich, the first settlement of the Greeks in Egypt. Further down the bank of the Nile, to the south, lay the poorer Egyptian Quarter, which nonetheless boasted impressive temples of its own, to Thoth and Amun.

  He watched as Nehesi expertly drew the Gloria Aegyptae alongside the dock, where crew members jumped ashore and made her fast to the mooring blocks. There was a barely perceptible bump as the barge came to rest against the quayside. The usual crowd of sightseers had already gathered to admire this remarkable barge and wonder about the people on board.

  Kaires went down to the deck below and sat in the shadows as he watched the sailors lower the gangplank. A few of the passengers were already at the top, waiting to go ashore. Kaires watched them go, Haemon and Aristeon first, followed by Chaeremon and Strabo. Chatting amiably, on the surface they seemed to have struck up quite a friendship; but Kaires knew in reality there was no love lost between them. It wouldn’t take much for them to be at each other’s throats. Eventually Dexios appeared. Kaires let him get ashore, then hurried down after him. Although Kaires was taller, Dexios was a fast walker and he had to break into a trot to catch him up.

  ‘No sign of Thestor?’ he asked. Dexios turned, surprised.

  ‘He's staying on the barge. Bit of a headache, must have stayed in the sun too long. He'll come and explore tomorrow morning, but I thought I'd take a quick look around. The evening is still young. Need to stretch my legs. Do you know Naucratis at all?’

  ‘No, I've never travelled so far from Alexandria before. I've read a bit about it.’

  ‘So have I. I did pass through once a while ago, but I didn't stop long. As far as I remember there's a bar with some quite drinkable wine not far from here. I thought I'd see if it's still there. Want to come?’

  ‘Lead the way,’ replied Kaires.

  All up the main thoroughfare were taverns of various degrees of respectability, offering wine, beer, and fast food. It smelt delicious but Kaires wondered how his stomach would react if he ate any of it. Unless he trusted the cook he tended to stick to a vegetable diet. Even so he had been caught out on several occasions and on this trip he had vowed whenever possible to eat only on the barge.

  After a hundred yards or so Dexios turned into a side street which soon branched off into a maze of smaller lanes. After a few turns Kaires realised it wouldn't take long for him to get completely lost. Dexios seemed confident enough, however, and sure enough after ducking down an alley they came to a tavern, with a bar opening on to the street and a seating area behind. Amphorae of wine and beer were sunk into the counter, and an unidentifiable meat was roasting on a brazier at the back. There were a few tables and chairs, all of which were occupied. The bartender, standing behind the counter with his arms folded, looked particularly unwelcoming. Kaires began to wonder why they had come here.

  ‘Dexios!’ shouted the bartender, unfolding his arms and breaking out into a broad grin, revealing that several of his front teeth were missing. ‘What brings you to Naucratis? I thought they'd buried you in the Library, under a pile of old scrolls. Did you manage to dig your way out?’

  ‘Philo!’ Dexios squeezed behind the bar and gave him a hug. ‘Long time no see! How are you?’

  A bewildered Kaires watched as the person now identified as Philo told a group of customers that they had been sitting at their table far too long and it was time they went home. With the briefest of protests - Philo was obviously not a man who brooked much argument - the table was cleared and Kaires and Dexios installed. One of the previous occupants looked over Kaires with obvious appreciation as he left. Really, he thought, he must start wearing Roman dress instead of just a short kilt.

  Philo filled a jug of wine from one of the amphorae and sat down heavily between them. ‘So who's your friend?’ he asked, looking at Kaires. Kaires himself, feeling extremely uncomfortable, wondered the same about Philo.

  ‘This is Dr. Kaires, Physician of Alexandria. Kaires, meet Philo, one time collector of dues for my father.’

  Philo held out an enormous hand and bid him welcome. Kaires took it, expecting his fingers to be crushed but getting away with only a mild cracking sound. He felt sorry for any client who had found this debt-collector at their door.

  ‘Business seems good,’ said Dexios.

  ‘Can't complain. Well, I could but it wouldn't get me anywhere.’ Philo laughed loudly at his own joke and Kaires wondered how much he had already had to drink. ‘Another boy since you last saw me. That's three kids now, two boys and a girl. How's Thestor?’

  ‘He'll probably come and see you tomorrow morning. He’s a bit under the weather tonight. I left him in his room with some mint water. He doesn't really travel well.’

  ‘Sounds like Thestor. You always had to look after him, even though he's your older brother.’ He winked at Kaires. ‘Always took the blame. Either of you married yet?’

  ‘Only to our work. Things are very busy at the Museum.’

  ‘It’s about time your father had some grandchildren. You’d better get on with it soon. Who’ll look after you in your old age? There are several girls here I could introduce you to. And I know the perfect one for Thestor. Blue eyes, big tits-’

  ‘Thankyou, Philo, that won’t be necessary.’

  Philo laughed loudly and a miasma of onion and garlic enveloped Kaires.

  ‘How come you're here in Naucratis? Wonderful though it is, it takes a lot to winkle the two of you out of Alexandria.’

  ‘We're on an expedition arranged by the Museum. The idea is to see the rest of Egypt and broaden our horizons, expand our knowledge. Alexandria is very cosmopolitan, but it's a small, enclosed world.’

  ‘How are you travelling?’

  ‘By barge, down the Nile. The only way, really.’

  ‘Very nice. The big one that everyone’s talking about? Wouldn’t mind having a look myself, might wander down to the harbour tomorrow. All expenses paid, I expect. Maybe I should have kept on with my lessons. I imagine it's a pretty cushy life at the Museum.’

  ‘We work just as hard as you; it’s just a different life.’

  ‘I bet it doesn’t involve breaking up drunken fights in the early hours of the morning’
/>   ‘You’d be surprised.’

  Philo laughed again, but this time Kaires was quick thinking enough to fake a sneeze and turn away.

  ‘How are you and Thestor doing at the Library? I'd have thought one or other of you'd be running the place by now.’

  ‘Actually, he might be soon,’ said Kaires.

  Dexios looked embarrassed. ‘Nonsense. At least, it's by no means certain. But my name has been mentioned for the Directorship. I’m not counting my chickens, though. There are lots of equally good candidates for the position.’

  ‘Were, perhaps...’ said Kaires.

  Philo looked puzzled. ‘What about Thestor?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh, he's not really interested. He's happy enough as he is.’

  ‘Letting little brother have the best piece of cake? That sounds about right.’ Philo smiled broadly at Dexios’s annoyance. Philo slapped him on the back. ‘Come, have some more wine, and we'll drink to your success!’

  -0-

  It was very dark by the time they left the bar. Normally abstemious, Kaires felt a little light headed as he took his leave. The wine had been stronger than he thought. He should have asked for beer.

  Dexios and Philo hugged each other in farewell, Dexios promising to come again the next day with Thestor. Philo told him to make sure he did, and the two of them stepped back out into the alley.

  ‘We go back a long way, Philo and me,’ said Dexios. ‘Don’t let his rough manner deceive you. He’s got a heart of gold.’

  ‘I’m sure. How did he end up in Naucratis?’

  ‘Usual story. Met a girl who was prepared to put up with him, for some inexplicable reason. They fell in love. Her family was from Naucratis, so he moved here and set up his bar. We were sorry to lose him. He’d always looked after us.’

  ‘Nice to see him doing so well.’