Bodies Politic

by David Wishart

‘Hey, Marcus!’ he said, clapping me on the shoulder. ‘How’s the boy? You’re looking bronzed.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘Sea trip. We’re just back from Alexandria.’

  ‘That so, now?’ He grinned. ‘Have a nice time?’

  ‘It was okay. How’s Gemella?’ Furia Gemella was Secundus’s wife, a hot little number with a penchant for fancy earrings.’

  ‘We’re divorced. As of last month.’

  Oops. ‘I’m sorry, pal.’

  ‘Don’t be. We never really fitted, us two, and when she took up with a finance officer we met in Baiae three months ago that was that. Mind you, the fact that I’d got very friendly with the finance officer’s wife at the same time helped things along a bit.’

  ‘Ah...right. Right,’ I said. Well, he’d always been popular with the ladies, Gaius Secundus, and I’d found Gemella wearing myself. Maybe it was for the best.

  ‘How’s Perilla?’

  ‘Blooming. And Marilla’s getting married at the end of next month.’

  ‘Yeah? To the doctor’s kid? That’s great.’ He took my arm and led me towards the exit. ‘I’ll assume this isn’t some sort of official visit and the idea’s a wineshop, right?’

  ‘Sure. If you’ve got the time.’

  ‘The empire can run itself for a couple of hours. If the Parthians invade my secretary’ll come and haul me out. Tasso’s?’

  It was the closest, at the foot of the Palatine on the Market Square side. Not my favourite place, but they served a decent Massic. ‘Suits me.’

  ‘My round.’

  ‘Mine,’ I said. ‘I need some information.’

  ‘Again? This in connection with one of your cases?’

  ‘Could be,’ I said cautiously. ‘Only I’ll tell you now, Gaius, it might be sensitive.’ He was a friend: I needed to be up-front here from the start. ‘You want to tell me to push off, now or at any point later, you just say so, all right? I mean it.’

  He laughed. ‘Forget that, boy. If you say you need the details of troop movements on the Syrian frontier over the next six months then you’ve got them, no questions asked.’

  ‘Close, but you don’t quite win the nuts.’

  He stopped, and the laughter faded. ‘You’re serious?’

  ‘Yeah, I am. Very.’

  ‘Oh, shit.’ He frowned. ‘It’s important?’

  ‘A matter of life and death. Literally. Only I can’t tell you any more than that.’

  ‘Good enough for me.’ He shrugged. ‘In that case, it’s definitely your round. And if you’re after top-level military secrets you’ll have to throw in some cheese and olives as well.’

  ‘You’ve got it.’

  We went to Tasso’s.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  ‘Right, Marcus,’ Secundus said when we’d got ourselves settled with the Massic and sundries in a quiet corner. ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘I want to know about the situation on the Rhine. Chapter and verse, the whole boiling.’

  ‘Oh, fuck.’

  ‘Yeah.’ I took a sip of wine. ‘Option’s still open, pal. You can tell me to get lost now and I’ll go like a lamb, with no harm done.’

  ‘Sure I can. So where do you want to start?’

  ‘There’s a major campaign planned for next year, yes? Into Germany and over to Britain. The emperor’s taking personal command.’

  He nodded. ‘He’s bringing the eight Rhine legions up to full strength and recruiting another two, the Fifteenth and Twenty-second Primigeniae. Plus their full complement of supporting auxiliary infantry and cavalry.’

  Yeah; I’d got that much from Gallius in Alexandria. Still, it was nice to have it confirmed. ‘Who’s commanding? I mean, before the emperor arrives?’

  Secundus hesitated. ‘That’s a moot point at present, Marcus. Oh, sure, it should be Gaetulicus, or him and Apronius jointly. They’re the two governors. But the word is that Gaius wants to appoint Sulpicius Galba. He’ll replace Gaetulicus as the Upper Germany legate and Apronius’ll take orders from him.’

  Shit. The ice was forming on my spine. ‘Gaetulicus is being recalled?’

  ‘I don’t think it’s been decided yet, not finally. But it makes sense. Galba’s a good man, an experienced soldier. He’s campaigned in Germany himself, he already knows the country and the tribes. If Gaius crosses over to Britain he needs to be sure of his back, and with Galba he can be.’

  ‘But not with Gaetulicus.’

  ‘Uh-uh. No way. Nor Apronius.’

  ‘How so, pal?’

  ‘Because he can’t trust them, neither of them.’ I shifted on my stool. ‘Militarily, I mean.’ Secundus’s hand toyed with his cup; he hadn’t drunk any of the wine yet, and barring that first sip neither had I. ‘The truth is that the Rhine frontier’s been going down the tubes ever since Gaetulicus took over. Before that, too, which was largely Apronius’s fault.’

  ‘Give me a for instance.’

  ‘You know about the Frisian business, ten years back?’

  ‘Not in any detail. Assume I don’t.’

  ‘The Frisians’re one of the big tribes in Lower Germany. They revolted, crucified a detachment of troops sent to collect taxes, and made a push towards the Rhine. Apronius tried to stop them, found he couldn’t and asked for help from Upper Germany. Gaetulicus’s brother was legate then, and he sent troops in support. Apronius met the Frisians deep in their territory, lost the battle, and most of his men were slaughtered. He had to retreat to the Rhine leaving his dead behind him. It was practically Varus in the Teutoburg all over again.’

  I was staring at him. ‘This wasn’t reported in Rome?’

  ‘Not the full story, no. It would’ve caused an outcry, and Tiberius had troubles enough at the time as it was. That wasn’t the worst of it, though. Seemingly - and this didn’t come out until much later - when he’d retreated Apronius had left nine hundred men holding out, cut off from what was left of the main army. The lucky ones - just under half - managed to commit suicide when they were finally overrun. The Frisians took the rest prisoner and crucified them in one of their fucking groves. Every last one. Five hundred men.’

  Gods! ‘And Apronius wasn’t replaced?’

  ‘No. The Wart couldn’t afford to tinker with the Rhine command, then or later, because between them the Gaetulici and Apronius considered holding it as their right. You know Apronius is Gaetulicus’s father-in-law?’

  ‘Yeah. Yeah, I did know that.’

  ‘So it was practically a family perk. And they were - are - popular with the troops, largely because they let them do as they like.’

  ‘Come on, pal!’ This wasn’t sounding good. ‘The emperor’s the emperor. Couldn’t the Wart - or Gaius, now - just haul Gaetulicus and Apronius back to Rome and shred the buggers?’

  ‘You’re not listening to me, Marcus. Yes, I said, that’s what he’d like to do, Gaius, I mean, in Gaetulicus’s case at least, and it’d make good sense. But things aren’t that simple. Tiberius considered it once, and when Gaetulicus got to know he sent a letter to the Wart saying he could depend totally on his loyalty as long as he kept his command. The emperor backed down, and Gaetulicus is still there. If Gaius wants to replace him with Galba - which he does - then fine, great, but he won’t find it easy. The trouble is he’s caught in a cleft stick. If he’s to invade Britain then he has to build up the Rhine force, but if he doesn’t winkle Gaetulicus out first he’s handing the guy an extra stick to beat him with. An extra two sticks, plus auxiliaries.’

  ‘You said Apronius is incompetent. How about Gaetulicus himself? I mean, if he’s okay, then -’

  ‘He’s just as bad. Currently, the Upper Germany frontier is a joke. Or it would be if the situation was funny. The tribes’re out of his control. A couple of years back raiding parties crossed the Rhine into Gaul because there was nothing to stop them, plundered a dozen towns and villages, stripped the countryside bare, killed a hell of a lot of people and escaped back over the river scot-free. That wasn’t reported in Rome,
either.’ He looked down at his cup as if he was noticing it for the first time, lifted it and drained it. Then he was quiet for a good minute and a half. I didn’t speak, I just waited: Secundus was a friend, and I wasn’t going to push. Finally, he said: ‘There’s another aspect to things. One that’s just come up. Not even the emperor knows yet, and if it’s true it’s worrying as hell.’

  The back of my neck prickled. ‘You want to tell me?’ I said.

  ‘No. But I will anyway.’ He didn’t smile. ‘And look, Marcus, I’m levelling here in my turn, okay? If just a suspicion, the breath of a suspicion, that I told you this gets out then I can kiss my job and my career goodbye. I’d be lucky to get work scrubbing out the senate-house privy.’

  I didn’t answer. Waited. It was his decision to make, not mine.

  ‘Calvisius Sabinus. Name mean anything?’

  I shook my head.

  ‘He’s the Pannonian legate, next to the east along the Rhine-Danube line from Gaetulicus, only appointed last year. A good man, but hot on discipline and not too popular with his troops. You understand?’ I nodded. Shit, I knew what was coming; I just knew it. ‘He doesn’t want to make trouble by reporting officially to the emperor, but he thinks Rome ought to know, so he sends directly to me and leaves it to my discretion.’

  ‘Someone’s monkeying with his troops,’ I said.

  ‘Right. Nothing obvious, tentative stuff. That’s the problem, it could just be the usual squaddies’ grousing that their mates under the commander next door are onto a cushier number than they are. But Sabinus is no fool, and he doesn’t cry wolf without reason.’ He hesitated. ‘And that’s not the full story, either.’

  ‘Come on, pal! Spit it out!’

  ‘It’s not just the threat to his men’s loyalty that’s worrying him. He feels he’s under pressure himself, personally. Sabinus is married, and his wife’s in post with him. Her name’s Cornelia, and she’s Gaetulicus’s daughter.’

  ‘Shit!’ I sat back. I understood what he was saying, all right: Pannonia had two legions, and with them on his side, if push came to shove, Gaetulicus would have the entire Rhine-and-Danube force under his control. Effectively, half the empire’s Eagles.

  ‘Marcus, I don’t know what to do.’ Secundus reached for the jug and filled his cup. ‘I can’t take this to the emperor as things are; and I can’t not take it.’

  ‘How long since Sabinus’s letter arrived?’

  ‘Ten days.’

  ‘He got anything concrete to go on? Anything at all?’

  He shook his head. ‘No. I told you, that’s the trouble. If he had he’d’ve reported it directly to Gaius. He’s done what he could, tightened up, put his most trusted NCOs on their guard and told them to have a quiet word with the men. Also, he’s warned Cornelia in no uncertain terms without actually accusing her that he’s loyal to Gaius and staying that way. With luck, he’s nipped any trouble in the bud.’ He paused. Again, I waited. ‘There’s one thing, though. Not from Sabinus. It happened separately, and it predated Sabinus’s letter by the best part of a month, but the paperwork came across my desk.’

  ‘Yeah? What is it?’

  ‘One of his tribunes, a guy called Titus Vinius, asked to resign his commission and come back to Rome. Family problems. His father’s in poor health, seemingly, dying, in fact, and not up to making important decisions. Vinius is the only son.’

  ‘You okayed it?’

  ‘Sure, under the circumstances. It’ll put paid to the guy’s military career for good, naturally, because you don’t just walk out of post when you feel like it, not for any reason, but that’s his decision. So of course I did. Maybe I’m being over-suspicious, and certainly I’ve no reason to link the two things at all. Even so, it stuck in my mind.’

  Uh-huh. That was interesting: he wasn’t an imaginative guy, Secundus, quite the reverse, and if he’d made a connection then it was worth following up, even if it probably was a wild goose chase. ‘You have an address for him?’ I said.

  ‘Not offhand. But I can get it and let you know.’

  ‘Fine. You do that, pal.’ I reached for the wine. ‘Now let’s just forget this conversation for the time being, shall we? I’ll tell you about Alexandria, you tell me about your lady-friend in Baiae, we’ll finish this jug and then have another. Meanwhile your secretary can run the empire for you. Okay?’

  Secundus grinned. ‘Suits me.’

  So that’s what we did, while I tried to ignore the cold feeling in my gut and wondered how the hell I was going to get proof enough to convince the emperor.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  ‘Gaetulicus is planning a rebellion, lady,’ I said. ‘That’s definite.’

  We were sitting in the atrium, me with a cup of the Mareotis that I’d brought back and Perilla with some of the barley-water-and-mint concoction that Mika had given her the recipe for.

  She set the cup down. ‘You’re sure?’

  ‘He has to be. Oh, it needn’t actually happen as such, in fact it probably won’t, because if he’s in with Lepidus and Agrippina it won’t be necessary. Me, I think it’s a ploy to put pressure on the emperor. At least, that’s the surface scenario.’

  ‘Explain, please.’ She was staring at me.

  ‘The guy’s been in just this situation before, with the Wart. He made his position clear then, and he hasn’t budged: so long as he’s allowed to keep his command there’ll be no trouble; mess with that proviso and the bargain’s off.’ I took a sip of the wine. ‘Which is exactly what Gaius is threatening to do. He wants to replace Gaetulicus with Sulpicius Galba.’

  ‘But Gaius is the emperor! If he tells Gaetulicus that he’s being replaced then -’

  ‘That’s what I assumed, but like Secundus said it isn’t that simple. Between them he and his brother’ve held down the job for fifteen years and he sees it as his right. Probably most of his men do, too, because all squaddies are conservatives at heart, especially where their own interests are concerned. The vast majority’ll never have served under another commander, and they’ve had things easy ever since they signed up. The same goes for Apronius’s legions in the lower province, and Apronius is in Gaetulicus’s pocket.’

  ‘Does the emperor have to replace Gaetulicus, then? I mean, if things are that sensitive -’

  ‘Yeah, that’s the problem. The guy’s incompetent, and so is Apronius. If Gaius really, really wants his slice of military glory by adding Britain to the empire - which he obviously does - then he has to use the Rhine legions to do it. And he’s not going to risk things going to hell in a handcart at his back while he’s on the other side of the Channel.’

  ‘So effectively it’s a power struggle. Gaetulicus is trying to force Gaius into keeping him on, hoping that, as Tiberius did before, he’ll back down at the last minute.’

  ‘Yeah. Only like I said that’s just the surface scenario.’

  ‘Lepidus and Agrippina.’

  ‘Right. We keep coming back to Gaetulicus’s main object in this, bar none: all he wants, all he’s ever wanted, is to preserve the status quo. Gaius is a parvenu; he’s young, he’s inexperienced, he’s only been in power for a year and a half, and compared to the Wart’s twenty-three that’s nothing. If Tiberius, who was a soldier himself and spent years on the northern frontier, was willing to leave him alone then he’s not going to tamely walk out of post at Gaius’s asking. It’s a matter of pride. And if Gaius looks like forcing the issue that’s too bad for the emperor.’ I took another swallow of wine. ‘Besides, he isn’t going totally out on a limb. It’s not like he’s staging a full-scale military revolt and dragging us back seventy years to the civil wars. We said: if Gaius goes, whatever the circumstances - and you can be sure Lepidus and Agrippina’d make his death as unspectacular as possible - then Lepidus would be the only practical legitimate successor. Legitimate successor, and that’s important. There’d be no need for strongarm stuff, none at all.’

  ‘But isn’t Gaetulicus taking a huge risk? I’d’ve expected
that even a whiff of suspicion that he’s disloyal would lead the emperor to get rid of him. Not through official channels; you know what I mean. Like Tiberius and Sejanus.’

  ‘He’s got no choice, lady. He’s walking a very narrow tightrope. All he can do is stall, flex his muscles like he did with the Wart but without being too obvious and hope his friends at court will persuade Gaius to think again. Which of course Lepidus and Agrippina will be busting a gut to do, because their whole plan depends on Gaetulicus still being in post when the emperor goes north next year. They’ll need all the help they can -’ I stopped.

  ‘Marcus? Marcus!’

  ‘Jupiter, that’s it!’ I whispered. ‘That’s the connection!’

  ‘What connection?’

  ‘Between Helicon and the imperials. It’s a trade-off. A quid pro quo.’

  ‘Who is Helicon?’

  Bugger, I hadn’t told her about him yet. ‘Our X. The guy in the civil service. He’s one of the emperor’s bosom buddies, and according to Crispus a five-star grey eminence.’ Now I had the connection everything fell into place. Shit, I’d got the whole thing! Not in detail, maybe, but in essence, and the detail would come. ‘There were two plots, running side by side, the one Helicon and his Alexandrian Greek civil service pals were hatching - that’s the one Etruscus knew about - and the Lepidus/Agrippina conspiracy. How each side found out about the other I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter, but they discovered that for things to pan out they needed to work together.’

  ‘Go on.’ She was watching me closely and twisting a lock of hair around her finger.

  ‘Okay. Take the Helicon plot first. The intention behind that’s pretty straightforward, at least in Alexandrian Greek terms it is: they want to screw the Jews, not just in Alexandria but in the empire as a whole. Which means a change of policy at imperial level. New imperial level. And that means persuading Gaius that they’re not just the joke he and most Romans think they are but a real threat who have to be stamped on and stamped on hard.’

  ‘But Marcus, dear, if you’re going to use the business in Alexandria to support this you have it the wrong way round. It isn’t the Jews who’re causing the problems, it’s the Greeks.’