by Miller, Ian
"Yes, but what are your men going to eat over the winter? Steal it from us?"
"We shall pay for what we take," Gaius nodded. "However, you have raised a good point, indeed the point I came here to discuss. We shall pay for food, but there has to be enough here for both our legion and your people. I need you to take stock of how much is in storage."
"And if there isn't enough?"
"There won't be, so we have to find some more before winter makes the finding too difficult," Gaius replied. "The only question I have is how much do I have to find?"
"And you want me to do what?"
"Find out how much food is stored, how much is going to be needed by your tribe, and what the difference is. If you're truthful, nobody need go hungry, because we'll find food somehow. If you lie, it will be your people who'll pay. Don't forget, if I have to get food, the sooner I find out how much, the better."
"Then give me two days."
* * *
The days were now cool enough to be unpleasant if standing around, which, Gaius noted, encouraged the soldiers to cut timber faster. The better the barracks were, the warmer they would feel. However, five thousand men could do quite a bit of work, and Plautius had also sent a number of the elephants to help with moving logs. Since the men knew what a German winter was like, they guessed that the British one would not be much better, and this encouraged them to ensure that their barracks would be built properly, and there was plenty of firewood. After all, they were at the end of the queue.
For food, Gaius sent Exploratores back to the villages he had already passed through. He knew roughly how much food was there, and he knew that the tribesmen would appreciate the money, or the chance to off-load tax liabilities. Archers were sent out to seek game, and local fishermen were encouraged to work a little harder. Nevertheless, there would still be difficulties so he also sent ships back to Gaul to bring more. This was one of the advantages of being camped adjacent to a harbour.
Gaius was a little surprised when the young Chief reported on the third day that his village had a small surplus of grain, and was prepared to sell this and certain vegetables throughout the winter, in return for appropriate payment. He also named some nearby villages that he felt would also have food to spare. Gaius thanked him; it was not a solution to the problem, but it was a contribution.
Chapter 28
"I have brought you all here," Gaius addressed the Tribunes and a number of others, "to outline what has to be done over winter. Our first task is to erect fortifications and to put a bridge over the river. Problems?"
One of the engineers stood up and began to answer, "Sir, a full timber bridge could not be constructed over this winter, coupled with what else we have to do."
"I was thinking about a pontoon-type bridge. Can you manage that?"
"Providing I get enough timber," the engineer nodded. "I will need some supplies such as nails and pitch from Gaul, but provided I get the timber and reasonable access to the men, this is not a problem."
"Falco, you are in charge of organizing timber collection for the engineers. They will tell you what is required; you will organize getting it.
"That gets rid of the bridge problem," Gaius nodded. "The next problem is food. Matius, you will take cavalry back into the lands of the Catuvellauni and forage for what you can get. Remind them their taxes are due, and that will be paid in food. Set a fair price, and under no circumstances leave them to starve. Understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Remember this. These Celts are recently conquered, and they won't like us one little bit. They won't fight right now, but that doesn't make them friendly either. I do not want to have to refight them, so try not to start a rebellion. Be firm, but go overboard to be fair."
"Lupus, you will organize excursions down south to the land of the Cantiaci in search of supplies. Same general orders. Technically, they are allies, but they could be very weak allies, so don't turn them into foes.
"Which gets me to the next point. We have to be firm with the Celts, but fair. I will not tolerate soldiers carrying on private rape and pillage. Let the word be known on that. Basically, in the long run we want the Celts as allies, and that isn't going to happen unless we treat them reasonably. The best way to avoid trouble is to keep the soldiers busy doing something. Collecting wood and building the bridge and fortifications is good, but also remember, we don't want to suffer from Celtic raids that get to where they shouldn't, so you will maintain good scouting exercises, and keep firm watch. Do you all understand? Are there any problems?"
Everybody understood. There were no problems. Not yet.
* * *
As the ships brought supplies from Gaul, they also brought a letter from Vipsania.
My Darling Gaius,
Once again winter approaches, and once again I miss you very much. However, at least I know you have been very successful. Claudius has returned in triumph, and what a magnificent ceremony it was. Timothy took me to watch the procession and events in the Circus Maximus, and Claudius made a truly magnificent figure in his Toga Picta. The sun shone brilliantly on the purple, the gold really flashed, and since he was standing in his chariot, his often awkward stance was absent, or at least not noticeable. The carts had plenty of spoils and he brought a reasonable number of captives, none of whom, you will be pleased to hear, were sacrificed. Some thought it a small triumph, in part because he did not bring his army back with him, nevertheless it was long enough for me.
Claudius invited me to an evening the following day, and he was as pleased as he could be with himself. He asked me what he could do for me. It almost looked as if he would grant me anything, but I didn't know what to do, so I asked him to grant you whatever you asked when you returned to Rome. He nodded, and said he was going to do that anyway, because it was you who really deserved the triumph. So there! You'll really get something. Of course I know you think you might not get back until Rome falls, but that's just plain stupid. All you have to do is stay alive, and Claudius will bring you home after the next year of campaigning.
The general consensus is that this triumph will secure Claudius, and he need worry no further about plots. Certainly some of the senators such as Marcus Vinicianus and Valerius Asiaticus are maintaining low profiles, but I am far from convinced that we have heard the last of them. When Claudius does bring you back, you may end up with the job of uncovering further plots. Claudius has often mentioned that if he had one wish fulfilled, he would wish for a Marcus Agrippa. Claudius may hope you will fill that role.
Timothy has been a considerable help around here. It's quite amazing what he knows, and he has straightened out several things around the estate. The corn issue may have been solved also. Timothy decided to raise the issue with Quintus, but not in an accusatory manner. He merely said that the issue was really puzzling, but he was working on it, and he would have watchers at the port to find out who was helping themselves. The latest shipment arrived without losses. Of course, as Timothy pointed out, that doesn't mean that it was Quintus, but it does suggest it was someone around Ostia. I gather Timothy will be making further enquiries.
I hope you are securing good quarters for winter, which cannot be far away when this gets to you. Keep warm, and keep safe.
I miss you very much,
Your loving Vipsania.
The corn issue was a continuing sore. What were the facts? It appeared that about ten per cent of the corn had been taken over the last three years. This three-year period was the time Quintus had been managing the shipments. When Timothy appeared, the loss stopped. Timothy had mentioned to Quintus that he was going to check.
Either Quintus was guilty or he was not. All the facts fitted with his guilt, but suppose he were not guilty? Somebody else may have seen Quintus as a soft touch, someone who was simply not doing his job properly. Possibly Quintus had told somebody else about the corn, and that somebody else had seized the opportunity. They may have simply watched Quintus accept the grain at the waterfront, then if Quin
tus had wandered off to a tavern and left somebody else do the work, the theft could easily happen.
Quintus need not be a thief; just somebody not very useful. But what about the last time? Timothy had remained hidden. Either the thief would have had to spot Timothy, which was unlikely, or he had heard Timothy tell Quintus, or Quintus had told somebody else. Quintus' mouthing off about a secret plan was depressingly likely.
So, he still did not know what to do about Quintus, not that there was much he could do since he was Lucilla's husband and was living near Rome, while he was in Britain.
* * *
Over the next few weeks, rafts were built to ferry timber over the river, and fortifications were quickly built, together with storehouses and barracks. A suitable building was quickly erected for Gaius, both for his personal use and as an administrative centre. Gaius had brought a considerable amount of blank scroll material with him, and once everybody had their assigned tasks, he would have plenty of spare time to write.
He remembered Athene's instruction: record his discoveries of where Aristotle was wrong, but show them to no person. It was not quite clear what the last part meant, but the first was clear enough. He would record all his findings, including that contraries were the opposite or absence of the other, that contraries to motion were applied by the medium, and were not a property of the object itself, that all things fell at the same rate, which meant that if the force on a falling object was its weight, the acceleration had to be the weight divided by the amount of matter present. That allowed Aristarchus to be correct, and he could show geometrically what happened as the planets fell around the sun. He knew roughly how far away they all were, and exactly how long each of their "years" was, so he should be able to work out the accelerating factor for each of them. Maybe there would be a relationship? Whatever, he would prove through his evidence from the tides that Earth moved, he would put that down geometrically, he would show what that predicted regarding the Moon's and Sun's contributions, and he would put Timothy's data in.
That would be impressive. It would also be the very first scroll to enter this new Library of Rome that Claudius had promised. That would mean that work would last for years, even after his death. Yes, that was worth quite a bit.
Meanwhile, construction progressed at quite an impressive rate, for the Roman soldier worked very hard when given a task. The Celtic villagers watched with varying expressions: the older Celts were either surly or downcast, but the children were fascinated at the huge construction. Gaius approached one or two of the young men.
"Impressed?" He asked one.
"Hard not to be."
Gaius smiled encouragingly at the response. "You could build much stronger warmer houses for yourselves, you know."
"We couldn't build like that," the young man said sadly.
"Only because you don't know how. The question is, do you want to learn?"
"What do you mean?"
"If you, and any of your friends, want to help build that bridge, you'll work hard, you'll get paid for it, and more to the point, you'll learn some building tricks."
"I don't think those soldiers will want the likes of us."
"Oh yes they will," Gaius smiled. "They will be only too happy to teach you and look after you, and nobody will hurt you or bully you."
"That's what you say."
"No! That's what I will order," Gaius said coldly. "The Roman soldier obeys orders because they all know what will happen if they do not. So, if you're interested, come with me."
Two days later half a dozen young Celts were busy measuring and cutting timber.
* * *
Gaius had heard stories that the Celts celebrated the winter solstice at a great stone monument to the west, and this monstrous monument was aligned precisely so that the solstice could be shown by the way the sunlight passed between stones onto another. Not this year, he muttered to himself. It had drizzled for a week, and had the senators come the previous year and seen a similar miserable scene, this invasion probably would not have taken place.
Still, thanks to shipments from Gaul, supplies of food were adequate, if not luxurious, there was plenty of wine, and there was plenty of firewood. There was also more open ground, as all the construction and firewood gathering had caused a considerable retreat of the forest. As far as he was aware, the Celts in the adjacent village had sufficient food, but he was only too well aware that there would not be too much to spare. If some of his men and the elephants were put to work on those stumps, there should be more farmland for the next season. The question was, who would get the use of it? Perhaps he should make it common land. Perhaps he should invite the Celtic chief and some guests nominated by the chief to one of the Saturnalia festivities.
The meal was strained. The Celts seemed to think there was a hidden motive, so they kept reasonably silent, at least for a while. Part of the difficulty seemed to be that the Roman style of cooking and the actual menu was somewhat strange to them, and they were determined not to get to like it too much. Gaius provided ample wine, but most of the Celts left it alone, however he had also purchased mead and ale from a Celtic brewer, and this was somewhat harder to avoid.
Eventually the Chief came over to Gaius. "What do you want for the coming year?" he asked.
It was then that Gaius realized that this Chief had viewed the evening as a summons, master to servant. It was not what he had intended, but there was not much he could do about that. Most Roman commanders would simply have summoned the subjects through the day and given orders, and would never have dreamed of offering a meal. He could almost feel Rebecca's look.
"Apart from your paying taxes and keeping the peace, not much," Gaius replied. "As you know, over to the north there's a large area we have cleared, and next year this will make good grazing land."
"So?"
"I want that to be common land for your people, and specifically the poor must have as much right to graze animals as the rich. The grazing rights must be so many animals per person."
"I see."
"Now," Gaius said, looking into the Chief's eyes, "I have told you what outcome I want, but you can gain from this."
"How?" he frowned.
"As long as you do what I told you to do," Gaius smiled, "I will not contradict how you do it. If I were you, I would announce this to your people by saying that you negotiated with me and acquired the land, and it is your idea that it becomes common land. That way everybody will be grateful to you, which makes it harder for anyone to challenge your leadership."
"I suppose it would be," he nodded.
"It is one thing to challenge a man," Gaius pointed out, "and altogether another to challenge the tribe."
"That's true," the Chief nodded. He looked away, seemingly uncertain as to what to do next, then he appeared to come to some sort of decision. "What do you want?" he asked.
"I want your people to be more prosperous," Gaius smiled. When it appeared that this explanation was not entirely believed, he added, "If your people have the chance to be prosperous, they'll be busy. Busy people aren't organizing revolts."
A look of understanding passed over the Chief's face.
"Believe me, I can put down any revolt that's likely to come up," Gaius continued, "and the way I would do it would lead to a bloody mess. I really don't want to do that and neither do your people want to suffer for no good reason.
"Let me give you some advice. Think more about your followers than yourself, and you will be a really great chief."
It was not entirely clear what the young man thought of this, or why he did it, but shortly after this meeting he announced the availability of the common grazing area.
* * *
Construction continued through the gloomy winter. The troops grumbled about the cold, they grumbled about the incessant drizzle, but work continued. Their one advantage of having been stationed on the German frontier was that they had experienced winters like this before. That did not make this one any more pleasant, but they had lea
rned how to deal with it, and they had better furs than would be found in other legions stationed in warmer climates. Progress on the bridge was good, and the engineer outlined his plans as to how this bridge would be finished, and pointed out what had been completed. The work had stopped for the day because the light was too poor. The light seemed to be eternally poor in this place during winter, Gaius thought, but he had to agree that it was getting gloomy. He wrapped the cloak about him, thanked the engineer, then he set off walking towards the small building that was used to hold the plans and records relating to the bridge.
He was halfway there, and was passing a small hut when he heard a "Psssst!" He looked around to see a hand beckoning him towards the hut. With his hand on the hilt of his gladius, he walked towards the doorway. It was somewhat darker inside, but he could easily make out the form of the young man he had enticed into bridge building. He was unarmed, so Gaius quickly took his hand away from his gladius and asked, "You want something?"
"I want to thank you for helping me."
"You don't have to be quite so secretive," Gaius smiled.
"Yes, I do, and please, when you leave here, don't look back, and don't tell anyone you spoke to me."
"I didn't know I was so disliked."
"It's not that! I have some information, and if it were known I told you, I'd be killed."
"Then you'd better tell me what it is."
"There's a plot to kill the Chief and replace him with someone who will give refuge to Caratacus' men. There'll also be a raid by Caratacus' men so that it'll look like those killed were killed for aiding you, they'll destroy what they can of yours, and . . ."
"And these people would kill you if they thought you'd told me about it."
"You have to save me."
"There's no need for you to be involved at all," Gaius smiled. "Do you know when this raid is going to take place?"
"In five days time, and I'm afraid I don't know the route they'll take."