Insurgent of Rome

by Ken Farmer

  The two brothers were in conference, each day, in the Tabularium, although little was done by the leaders of Capua. The forces available to the city, the men of the Aedilis and the Vigilis units and with the able-bodied men of the citizenry in callable reserve, were sufficient to maintain security of the gates and walls, but not to form an army to take the field for battle.

  Julius had received a scroll from Gaius Caesar, giving that his travel to the far post in the land of Pontos was still to be made, and asking for a ship on the agreed date. He also added his observations of the decisions and attitudes in Rome, Julius giving the latter contents to the men of the Tabularium the next day. "...apparently the Senate will not believe that the battle was anything more than incompetence by Clodius, allowing himself to be surprised in sleep. The idea of a slave leader escaped from a ludus gladiatorium being competent in the art of war is rejected entirely. As Caesar cannot say that his own eyes saw the aftermath, the belief is that his information was gained from fleeing wretches and has little validity."

  One of the nobles said, "We are told that two Legions will soon be in march to confront the slaves. I thought all were either in Hispania or Pontos."

  Julius nodded. "Caesar gives that these are newly constituted from the training fields and levies from the outlying cities." He paused, then said, "I fear that the label may be overstating the actuality of the units. It appears to me that these will be no more than militia, as were the first. Mayhap with a modicum of training, but certainly not veterans."

  Now another spoke. "The move needs to be with haste. With the cold season in approach, the field are ripe and untended. If the harvest is given halt for much longer, the city will feel the effects and soon." All knew that, while the slave band had not approached Capua, they had raided the outlying farms - mostly to gain willing recruits, but also to carry off any animals and foodstuff that had already been harvested...

  "Your pardon, Sos." Julius turned to see one of the many scribes of the Tabularium. "There is a messenger at the door."

  He nodded, then excused himself to walk to the entrance of the building, to find one of the servants of his house. "The Mistress Camelia sends word of your need to return with haste."

  Surprised, Julius nodded, then announced the need for his departure. As they strode along the street he queried the man, but gained nothing that would tell him of the sudden need of summons. At the door, the Steward, Virnius, pointed and said, "The Mistress awaits in the rosae atrium, Sos."

  In the courtyard reserved for his own family use, he saw Camelia with another - and with surprise he saw that it was Nada, the freedman that had been sent up the mountain with two scrolls. "I thought it important to send word, Husband. I give apology if it was an interruption." She picked up her basket, then said, "If you wish, I will leave you to discuss your... needs."

  Julius waved away the comment. "Nay. Nothing will be said that is forbidden to your ears." He turned to the newcomer, the man very obviously uncomfortable in being in a noble household and surroundings of the like never seen by him. Pointing to a chair, he said, "Sit yourself and tell me of your journey. We had fear that you might have been slain as an intruder, or in the battle below the mountain."

  Cautiously, the man lowered himself into the woven chair, no doubt a new experience also. His life would have been mostly on his feet, when not in sleep, and any sitting position would have been on rough-hewn benches in some taburna. Julius and Camelia also sat as the man began his tale. "Nay, Sos. There was no threat to my being, although much doubt when I announced my pouch was for their leader. As you said, I gave the name of Melglos and on the next day, the scrolls were taken from me for delivery. There, I gave assume that my task was ended, but although treated kindly, I was not allowed to depart after seeing the preparations being made."

  "Preparations?" asked Julius.

  "Aye, Sos. The women were weaving the long vines, cut from the far side of the mountain, into ropes to allow for descent on the far side of the mountain." Julius nodded to himself in satisfaction, remembering his comment about not placing limits on the ability of a man facing doom.

  "Women?" asked Camelia. "There are women in his encampment?"

  "Aye... So... Noble Matron." The man had probably never spoken to a Patrician female in his life, and had little idea of the honorifics for such. "Many, and more each day." He picked up his thread of tale. "In the afternoon, I was summoned to the presence of the man, Spartacus, to be questioned by himself as to my mission." He paused, then said, "He bade me to send his greetings to yourself, Sos, and your good wife. With him was a young femina, who bade me to give this to the mate of yourself..." He reached into his bag and extracted a scroll, handing it to Camelia. She took the spindle, quickly unrolling it for reading. Her smile quickly told Julius that the missive was not of woe, but probably greetings and explanation.

  Then, "And this for yourself, Sos." It was just a sheet of papyrus, with a few lines scripted that were quickly read.

  "Pontika gives her greetings to you, Husband," said Camelia. "And her sorrow for leaving without your allowance, but says that she is comfortable and safe. And that, no matter the destiny of herself, the pinnacle of her life will always be the time spent as the ship's boy on the Petrel."

  He nodded, but said, "Aye, such happenings would be an exciting life for any of youth, whether puerulus or puella. Still, an encampment of rebels is not conducive to a long life for a youngster." He turned to see Virnius still waiting in the doorway. "Have the Numerarius bring a purse worth ten aurei, but in silver denarii." A young Plebeian would be unwise to display gold on his person. Cutpurses and street brigands would be attracted as flies to bee-syrup and, there was more than a goodly chance that the magistrates would be called, giving wonder at such an ordinary citizen having far more wealth than he could be expected to possess.

  Now, he looked at the young man, still sitting on the edge of the chair in his uncomfortableness of a first visit to a noble household. "You have done well, Nada, and fulfilled our agreement in total. Your stipend... your coin is well earned, and will be here shortly. Do you wish a passage on a ship to another place?" A freedman, in the Latium domains, would be burdened with the stigma for his entire life - better to depart and start a new life elsewhere, leaving the knowledge of his slavery far behind.

  "I... I have not given it thought as yet, Sos. Mayhap it would be better that I do so. Might I ask of yourself for some... destination?"

  "Aye, with your purse, you can begin anew with your own merchantry - you were an assistant to a Carpenter, were you not? Mayhap you could begin with a small workplace to carve in wood." Indeed, a stash of coin worth ten gold rounds would easily purchase a fair woodshop on any waterfront. "As to your destination, Massilia or Caralis are goodly port cities to start a new life, or Messēnē, far to the south if you do not wish to leave the land of Latium." To another servant across the way, he called, "Bring me a writing board and pen."

  In a few moments, he was scribbling onto a single sheet of papyrus, finishing as the household accountant arrived with the requested purse. "Here is your wage, and I need not tell you to keep it inside your tunic and do not display it for any reason, until you are in purchase of your new life. Put a few coins in another pouch, to use for your food and lodging until you have finished your travel." He handed the man the single page of scripting, then continued, "This is your pittacium, giving you passage on our vessels to any destination that we stand into. Give it to the agent at the Clavius wharfs in Neápolis, mentioning my name, and he will tell you of the impending voyages." Turning again to the door, he called to the Steward, "Have the Cocua fill a bag with rations for a ten-day travel, and a meal for our guest before he gives us leave." He stood up and the man leaped to his feet. "Again, the gratitude of the house of Clavius, and our hope that your new life is productive and long."

  Alone again, Camelia asked, "What of your missive? Is it really from Melglos?"

  Julius had sat down again. "Aye. And instructi
ons should I still wish to meet with him."

  "Should I have worry of such a meeting?" asked the woman. "I know well of your skills on the water, but also of your disinterest of anything on the land."

  He smiled, then answered, "I go to talk, not join in battle. Mayhap I can end this struggle before the land is pillaged - and prevent our friend from giving embellishment to a crux."

  The pending tryst was known only to Julius and his wife, and Aulius. He doubted that any open knowledge of his meeting with - and knowing of - the rebel leader would gain his household any lasting benefit - indeed, and most probably the opposite. On the second day after the arrival of the ex-slave, Nada, he set out with Ngozi to the small village of Nola, some hundred stadia to the southeast, on the opposite side of Vesuvius from Herculaneum. By the afternoon, they had reached the village, asking a merchant of a particular taburna, and soon entering into the half darkness of the drinkery. With some loss as to their next movement, Julius pointed his companion to a table and they sat, sipping the wine and waiting for...

  "You are the Capitaneus?" Both looked across the next table at a man, nondescript and without indication of his status.

  "Aye," replied Julius.

  "I have instruction only for a single man, not for a companion." The speaker was wearing an ordinary tunic which could have garbed a slave, or a merchant at work. Or, in fact, a Captain on a ship at sea.

  "This man is a friend of your leader. Bonded in blood. I will speak for his presence."

  The man hesitated, finally saying, "Then come. We have an hour's stride to make."

  Julius could tell by the slanting sun that they were walking south, and even from here, the imposing peak of the mountain could be seen to the west when sight was granted through the trees.

  In a while they came to a small village, unknown to Julius, as were most in the land that were not on the coastline. "I see no army," said Ngozi quietly.

  Julius nodded. Indeed, even less than that, he could not even see the number of men that was the count of the gladiators that had escaped from the gladiatorium of Gnaeus Batiatus. At the entrance of a wooden house, their guide gave them over to another, this man just offering a mat on which to wait until... "I will send that you have arrived. The Maximus has ordered that you be fed, if desired." Julius nodded, and in a while two women entered with some smoking meats on a wooden board, and a large gourd-bowl with olives and onions.

  The two ate silently, then rose to stand in the doorway and gaze around the small village. A farming hamlet, obviously, it was deserted except for a few men that could be seen now and again. The women had come from a cookery, apparently, as they could see a round hut with smoke issuing from the roof. As the day was warm, the fire would not be for heat. Their attendant, just to give the man a title, returned and asked if either had need of anything, but Julius wanted information. "Are you of this village? A freeman?"

  "I am my own man, aye, but I come from Picentia. A scarf-hand in the granary of Maccalus." The man seemed to have no reticence in being questioned but he was not a fighter, nor even armed with anything but his small blade - a necessity for all laborers in the lan, if just to cut their meat for the meals.

  "Why did you join the..." He was about to say, 'rebels' but changed to a word with less... intensity. "...band of Spartacus?"

  The man shrugged, his attitude showing a man with little apparent interest in the violent happenings of the land. "I did not join, so much as followed. When the raiders came through Picentia, they looted the town of all animals and carts, taking foodstuffs and any weapons. Most of the citizens fled to Pompeii, it is my belief, but the raiders offered all that joined a place in their ranks. Myself, with the granary merchant fled, had no reason to remain to starve in my village."

  Ngozi nudged his Captain, pointing at a group of four men approaching. Unlike, the inoffensive laborer, these were men of arms, and no doubt. Raggedly dressed, they had both spears and swords that were utilitarian, without doubt. Their leader had to be one of the escaped gladiators - no other man would have such scarring of both face and torso, unless he was a deserter from the Legions.

  The four stopped in front of the house, standing to look with some distaste at the pair of seamen. It was obvious that the leader was deficient in the skills of a Caupo, to give goodsome welcome to newcomers visitors. With a sneer, he asked, "You be the noble mate of the Maximus?" At the nod from Julius, he said, "What need has a high-born of mate-ship with a mere grubber?" With a pointing hand, he said, "Do you carry iron to give impress to the prostituta, or just to cut your haunch from the spit?"

  Julius felt, more than saw, Ngozi moving aside to give clearance for his gladius to have free rein. Only the leader was a man that might have some experience with weapons - his mates, standing at his back were clearly just men that had been given, or had taken the tools of a soldier. The red of iron-decay on the two spear points gave easy indication of that. The other, with the short sword in his belt and without scabbard, looked fearsome enough, but any quick drawing of his weapon would have his feet entangled in his suddenly cut belt - and with a goodly chance of his manhood to be laying with the leather, also.

  Needing to end the male cock-fight before it started, Julius said, "It gives goodly effect on the femina when I sport my presence. Were you sent to guide us to your leader, or stand in talk for the next hour until the night comes?"

  Apparently the sneer was a permanent expression on the face of the man, but he just jerked his head, saying, "Walk in front. We have little reason to show a highborn our back."

  The walk was long and becoming worrisome to Julius, wondering if the men were leading them to some planned demise, but another village appeared on the trail, this one with more people in view - far more. Indeed, it was as if the Forum of Capua had been transported to this tree-surrounded settlement. At the door of a large round structure, probably what had been the public meeting place of the villagers, they were halted as the scarred leader disappeared inside.

  Julius looked around, realizing that this was still not the hard nut at the center of the rebellion. Almost all of the people he could see were female, coming and going with baskets or jugs. Far down the trail, he could see a huge number of carts and wagons - empty and without the animals needed to pull the conveyances. Those were close by - he could hear the braying of asses somewhere in beyond his sight. This villager was obviously a supply store for the men.

  But, such noticements were forgotten as a man strode from the round building.

  "By the gods! I would never have believed that the Petrel would run aground, to throw the Capitaneus and his man onto the land as helpless waifs." It was Melglos, indeed, and sporting a wide grin as he walked up to the newcomers. To Ngozi, he gripped a wrist and a shoulder in his joy of the meeting. "And you, my dark friend - one hopes that your little cuts that were garnered in the night of sporting in the realm of Antioch are healed, and well." Only a grin was returned, then the Thracian waved, "Come into my palace. We have much to talk of."

  Inside, his royal chambers were more as the office of a scribery. A table and many mats were present, and little else. He motioned for the scarred leader that had given announcement to leave, then gestured for his guests to recline on the mats. Another wave brought a woman with cups and a jug, offered to both even as they sat. Julius sipped the wine without tasting, merely giving politeness to the offer, then said, "I offer my sorrow for your treatment in my land and inability to discover that your disappearance was unwilled. But, be assured that I do not forgive evil done to my family or my crewmen. The putrid Batiatus will make payment in full - I have given oath to the gods."

  Melglos was still with a grin. "One hopes that you are not offended if I present the reckoning first. But... There will be time to speak of that bastardus. For now, I wish to know of the others. The noble Camelia - she is well?"

  "Aye, and with child these few months."

  "Ah. The next Capitaneus of the Petrel may be in voyage to your household. Mayhap y
ou and I will sit on the wharf with cups, in our dotage, and watch the vessel stand out to new adventure. But, what of the others? The Sage? One hopes the old man has put his hurts behind him..."

  Into the last hours of the day they talked, then under the light of an oil lamp and with plain but goodly food brought into the round building. Melglos gave his rendering of that evil day. "...Had come from the brothel... what was it... the Red Lion or such. There, I had made converse with another man come from my domain, although that was long ago in his boyhood. Surfeited with the women, we walked to the taburna for a cup, giving tales to each other of our journey to Latium. The wine was strong, unwatered completely was my thought, but goodsome for that. Too strong for a weakling such as myself..."