by Ken Farmer
"My own eyes saw at least a third of that amount, and Melglos gave that his two locumtenentis had the rest. I have no belief that he was being false with myself."
"Think you that he is planning a campaign against the land?"
Julius shook his head. "Nay. His thoughts were to wait out the cold season without giving threat so as to not provoke a response, then to move in the warming land to... elsewhere and away from Latium."
"Elsewhere? Where could he possible go that he would become unseen? Rome has little forgiveness for past defeats. The shades of the Punics of Carthage could give testimony to that."
"I am giving hope that he takes ship back to Antioch - or the far lands of Syria, but..." Julius just spread his hands in lack of any answer of certainty.
Now Caesar reached to pick up his cup, untouched until now. "Your renegade crewman will be the problem of others. I will leave for Pontos on the day after tomorrow. I assume that your ships have arrived for the voyage."
"Two fast merchants and good crews and waiting in Ostia. You said the berths would total about sixty men and kit..."
"Aye," was the reply. "My officers and staff and their overloaded baggage." Now he stood. "Shall we rejoin our noble comrades, no doubt still giving their ideas on the resolution of the issue down to the south..."
Chapter 42
The Petrel returned to Neápolis, leaving the two merchant ships to continue their long voyage around the peninsula of Latium and on to the far shore of the domain of Pontos. At wharfside, they indeed found that the ship bearing the Praetor - now Commander - Publius Varinius and staff had arrived, and even now the officers were in Capua in wait for their units to make the thousand stadia march along the Appian Via.
That evening, after the ride from the port to the city - with Pontika allowed to ride a small pony, to her great delight, Aulius and his brother sat on the family terrace, with Julius giving the few facts of his trip to Rome, and that the two ships were in route to their destination with their patron. Of course, the first discussion was of the current revolt. "...would think the shade of Cincinnatus had returned, to listen to Varinius and his boasts of his future deeds."
"I fear they will only be recited in the realm of Hades," said Julius. "Has he been told of the news that Melglos has far more men than was thought?"
Aulius frowned, then replied, "I will give credit to old Gaius Duilius. He tried to give the report of such numbers that you supplied, but the others in the Tabularium, and the newly-come Praetor, gave dismissal of the count."
Julius suddenly looked up, holding out a hand. "It would appear that the storm that chased the Petrel all the way from Rome, has arrived." Quickly, they receded to the house-office of Aulius, suddenly hearing the deluge arrive, above. "It will be a wet unit of militia that arrives on the morrow, or the next. But... To our own needs. Old Lartius gave mention of some alteration as I stood off the Petrel, but I gave the need to leave in haste..."
Aulius nodded. "We have a chance at the trade from Alexandria and Damietta in Egypt. My thought was to convert the big vessel of Kaeso into a grain-ship. Lartius gives that he would have to put a... double bottom, mayhap was the term - in the hull for such carriage."
"Aye. Bilge water gives little enhancement to bags of grain. The alteration in the ship would keep the cargo away from the natural seepage of a hull." He waved to the servant to fill his cup. "Did you give Lartius to proceed?"
"Nay, brother. You are the ship-man of the family. As lief I would I give instructions to the mid-wife for your coming infantulus. But the profit is good, and might require as many as five hulls, should we take the entire trade."
Julius gave a wry frown. "I am usually suspicious of coin easily gotten, and without others attempting to gain also. Why are we suddenly gifted with the opportunity that others seem to be ignoring?"
Aulius matched the expression of his brother, then replied, "You saw through my little contrivance with even more alacrity than usual. Aye, the reavers are growing bolder, and moving even further afield. The loss of grain ships has increased to the point that Claudius Agathinus is refusing to risk his hulls in voyage to Egypt. Even were we to fit out a handful of ships for such, our trade in grain would be only a fraction of our commerce over the waters, but for Claudius - as you may know, it is the entirety of his industry." He set his cup down, waving away the servant before it could be refilled. "And several other houses are either refusing the trade, or loading the Egyptian grain in Kyrēnē, and accepting the expanded cost from having it ported by caravan between the cities."
"Were Claudius not so grasping of every coin, his problems would be far less severe." Before his brother could ask the meaning, Julius gulped the rest of his wine, then said, "His ships are fat barges, better suited for coastal trade than open waters, undermanned and overladen. I have had wonder, when passing one at occasion, that the hull is not capsized when his crewmen stand to make water over the side, so overburdened were the vessels."
"He has made goodly trade long before you and I were brought into this family."
"Aye. And were the trade between Hispania and Capua, or other benign harbors, he would still be making goodly voyages, without pirates to bother and putting into some near port in evil weather. But, with his fat trudges overloaded by at least three or four thousand talents of grain, they have little chance of outrunning a fishing skiff, far less a pirate vessel." He lifted his cup for another gulp, then tossed it down when he realized it was empty. "And his crewmen, from the dregs of the taburna, could not fight off a brothel of doxie wenches."
"Would our ships be at great hazard on the grain passage to Egypt?"
Julius arranged his thoughts for a moment, then said, "I have been thinking on it - not the route to Alexandria, but any vessel taking to the eastern reaches of the Great Sea. My thought is to send ships in convoy, able to act in concert with their fellows at any appearance of a reaver."
"Aye," said his brother. "In numbers there is safety, even on the streets of our own city."
"But the idea is not merely as simple as standing out a fleet at once. The men would have to be given instruction, and actual training, for such concerted defense. And the ships selected for the voyage would need to have similar sailing characteristics. It would little help a group of well-found vessels to be tied to a plodding trudge as if one were dragging the anchor stone through the waters." He paused, giving more look to his thoughts, then said, "If you wish, I can begin to explore the idea."
Now Aulius became more serious. "There is indeed another reason. With most of the farms in our Campania region lying fallow, and no workers to gather in the harvest, the city will not overfeast in the coming cold season. I suspect that a shipload of grain, arriving in the next three months, might have each grain weighed with silver."
Late in the next day, the city watch at the northern gate reported the vanguard of the soldiers marching from Rome. As the inclement weather was, in fact, a goodly deluge, coming and going during the hours, the men were far less enthused of their adventure than when they had left the gates of the ruling city. The sub-officers were pointed to the higher ground to the east, and the encampment was made there, soggy canvas raised to make tents over ground already soaking. At the Tabularium, that evening, Julius gave notice that neither the Praetor Varinius nor his staff deigned to leave the dry and warm building to either pass on the orders or to inspect the well-being of his men.
As his presence was unneeded in the group of leaders of Capua, and the reports from his putative 'scout' were unbelieved, Julius returned to his vocation as ship-master of the family. Assuring Pontika that his plans had no need of the Petrel leaving port, he made the cold and soggy ride to Neápolis, calling for the family shipwright, Lartius, to conference in the warm cookery of the inn. He sent a missive to the house of Kaeos to attend.
The conversation started, naturally, with the news of the revolt and what was known of the plans for the suppression. Julius did not give, even to Kaeso, the identity of the l
eader now called Spartacus, but merely said that the rebelling slaves seemed no threat to the city of Capua. Then the conversation turned to grain ships and pirates.
The old wood-worker listed the ships that he thought most usable - or rather, convertible to the grain trade. "...that of Amulus and Kaka. Certainly the big two-master of Kaeso and mayhap the hull of Volero, although I will have to examine the scantlings of his vessel. I seem to remember that the cross-members are solid..."
To Kaeso he told of his plans of convoy and training for cohesive action for any threat. "...you are the junior Captain of our family, but your time in the Petrel gives you far more experience in giving conflict to reavers. I would have you as the... training officer, if you will, to make and try - and reject - plans and maneuvers, just as with the action that gained us your ship."
The meetings continued into the next day, with Kaeso giving a startling idea for thought. "...I know nothing of grain and profits made by such trade to Egypt, nor if my idea could even be considered, as it would entail a hull that would cost, rather than earn..."
Julius grinned at his Captain - and friend, saying, "I have yet to cast a man overboard merely for thought. Lay it on the table and let us loft our points at it."
Kaeso hesitated, without doubt marshaling his thoughts, then began. "What of a ship, like the Petrel - fast, nimble and agile in all points of the wind - but not built for trade, but to hold men of arms, with goodly skill in feathering pirates in approach - or carving such, should the distance close to the beams? Indeed, it could be the Petrel, but I would assume that your vessel has other tasks than plodding along with a fleet of grain ships."
"A ship made for escort and only for such?" Julius looked into the distance at the thought. "A vessel for war, in fact, made to give counter to sea reavers."
"Aye. Filled with bowmen of skill, mayhap with those under the command of Judoc, feathering the rudderman and Captain even as they approached. Should they persist, then a son of Mars, such as Ngozi, could be in wait with his slayers for any foolish enough to leap over the rails."
"You wish to strip my own ship of its prime crewmen?" Julius smiled to give the jape. "But, the idea has merit enough to bring my brother into the discussion. I will present it to him I return. For yourself, Lartius, begin the work on the ship of Kaeso. The grain will be needed, and soon."
The rain having stopped, or at least taken into abeyance, Julius rode back to Capua on the following morn, leaving Lartius to make appraisal of other hulls for the possible needs of grain shipping, and for Kaeso to give thought to training for such multiple ship usage. On arrival, he was unpleasantly surprised to find that the mate of the household, the Domina Clavius, was giving a fête - not an unusual activity among noble women of Capua, or any city in the domain of Latium. It was not the function that gave him displeasure, but the fact that the rotund Lanista of the gladitorium, Gnaeus Batiatus and his wife were in presence, apparently having returned from Rome in the last pair of days.
Gaining the presence of his brother in a quiet alcove, he made his displeasure known, but Aulius gave his explanation of actual realities. "...unless we wish to make a formidable enemy, he cannot be ostracized by our family only. Aye, if it could be arranged, I would have him in a berth of ours, with you giving founder and swimming ashore, to leave his fat carcass for the sea Dalkies."
"The putrid maleficus has already caused the deaths of thousands of Romans for his illegal acts. How many more will become bones, even before the solstice? Do we just give act as if he had done nothing to my friend and the people of Caupa?"
Aulius spread his hands, then said, "To give quote of our learned tutor, Patroclus, a farmer cannot prosper unless he allows his feet and hands to become both dirty and muddy... Shhh." His eyes moved beyond the shoulder of Julius, then sharply back.
"Greetings, Master Clavius. We have not seen one another since... mayhap the fête of Triferus?"
Julius turned to the Lanista, giving a slight bow, replying, "I give little thought of remembering activities on land, but it must be as you say."
Looking at Aulius, Batiatus said with a smile, "Aye. Your sibling is a man of action, and no doubt. Indeed, I find it unusual that he is not trodding a deck even now."
"You have come back to begin the reconstruction of your household and gladitorium?" asked Aulius.
The man gave a wave of dismissal. "Nay. Not as yet. I will tarry inside the walls of Capua until the Praetor Varinius has taken the measure of this Spartacus homicida. Indeed, I have set forth the offer of a talent of gold for the leader to be brought to me alive, and a hundred silver denarii for each of my escaped slave-fighters."
Now Julius said, and not giving concern with accuracy. "Our word is that the band is far down beyond Vesuvius and had ceased any raids toward our city. You could inspect your property without worry. I hear that it was burned, even to the outlying buildings."
"Aye, that is my knowledge also, but I have little reason to view blackened stone and burnt timbers. Fortunately, the hidden strong room was not found, and my coin is still safely under the debris. And I have no need for such until I can know that the land is safe from yon excretory slaves." He glanced back into the room, then turned to say, "Ah. There is Varinius himself. Your pardon, Dominus, but I need to make converse with our Praetor."
Both brothers made a minimum bow as the rotund man walked through the crowd to the Commander, just arrived. Watching the back of the Lanista recede, Aulius turned to Julius and asked, with some tone of drollery, "What was the purpose of your suggestion that he give look to his property?"
The returned look was not that of a man giving a jest. "I would welcome the opportunity to send word to Melglos that the putrid slave factor was walking the land, many stadia from succor and assistance, even if it were to displace my oath to send the bastardus across the Styx with my own blade."
"What of your discussion with old Lartius? Is his opinion such that we can make ready to haul grain without our family descending into penurious misery?" Aulius much desired to steer any conversation away from... matters best discussed in absolute privacy, and not at a fête with most of the nobles of the city in presence.
"Aye. His first thoughts are that the ships of Capitanei Kaka and Amulus are of such to be refitted, but I have given orders to begin the work on the ship of Kaeso. And those of..."
The quiet converse ended as Camelia walked over to the pair. "Might you join our discussions, Husband? At least until our guests realize that the fears of your being lost at sea are mistaken."
Aulius grinned at the mild chastisement of his brother. "Aye, Camelia. He must learn that there is more to a spousal union than merely returning from a voyage with much coin."
With a look of mock chagrin, Julius followed his mate back to the crowd in the atrium. Fortunately, he had quickly changed into appropriate attire upon his arrival, the crowd of porters and carrying chairs outside the front door easily giving notice of the fête inside. Before they had entered the crowd in the atrium, they were met by the genitors of his wife, Gnaeus Calvinus and Titinia. "Greetings good Julius," said the Dominus of her childhood household. He offered his wrists, saying, "It is seldom that we get to gaze upon your rare form."
Julius smiled, returning the welcoming gesture with satisfaction. "Aye. It is the misfortune of your daughter to give wed to a man whose workspace is on a moving deck."
The mother, Titinia, gently slapped the shoulder of her husband, saying with goodly wit. "The good Julius has done his duty, and well, despite his need of movement. And the results of the work will appear at the solstice."
"Aulius told us of your journey to Rome," said the man. "I assume that it was because of our current troubles?"
"Nay. It was just to initiate a new contract for passage for an officer of the Legions. And, if I may be truthful, to allow myself the simple pleasure of standing on a deck once more, after many sessions in the Tabularium, listening to one evil after another."
The Dominus nodded his h
ead toward the guest, Praetor Varinius. He asked, "What think you of our Commander, come from Rome to settle our woes? He certainly has full faith in his mission."