Текст книги "Swords of Rome"

Автор книги: Christopher Buckner

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Julius never raised his eyes from his food as he shoved another hefty spoonful into his mouth before he answered, scraping the bowl clean as he spoke.

“No. There is too much work that is needed around here for you to run off and play in the city.”

“But father…I can do all my chores before I leave. And besides, I won’t be gone longer than a day and half, two days at the maximum. I promise,” Gaius pleaded as he moved his still full bowl aside, and stared at his father, who hardly acknowledged what he was asking.

“Rome is not a place for a boy of your age, Gaius.”

“But father, I will be thirteen in two months – almost a man. And I won’t be alone. Antony’s slaves will be with us the entire time, and his father as well.”

Julius finally looked up and stared long and hard, clearly growing frustrated by his son’s unwillingness to drop the matter, even though he had already given his answer.

“I said no, and that is final, Gaius. I will hear no more on this subject. Is that understood?” He waited for Gaius to answer, which he did after a long pause. “Yes father.”2

There was an awkward break between the father and son as Julius stared at Gaius in silence for a moment longer, watching him swirl his spoon around the edges of the stew, clearly disappointed, but not seemingly expecting otherwise.

“And besides, I need you here.”

“Of course, father,” Gaius added before his father was finished speaking.

“There is someone coming in a few days – someone whom I want you to meet. It is important that you be here.”

“Who is coming, father?” Gaius asked, just a bit curious as he kept his head low, still playing with his food as his disappointed thoughts drifted endlessly. He wasn’t looking forward to telling Antony that he couldn’t go with him to Rome.

“He is an old friend of mine. He has come a very long way, just to see you,” Julius finished.

“Me? Why?” Gaius’ interest was finally piqued as he looked up at his father, waiting for him to answer. However, Julius sat still for a long while, seemly contemplating what he was going to say.

“Because…” The two were silent for nearly a full minute as Julius froze before he could complete his sentence. There was much that he seemed to want to say as he gazed into Gaius’ eyes, but for some reason, he held his tongue and returned to the previous subject.

“A day and half, you say, maybe two?”

Gaius’ eyes opened wider with the sudden, unexpected words that seemly flew out from his father’s mouth.

“Yes father. I would be back by the week's end, just after midday. I promise!”

“Rome is a dangerous place. I expect you to keep that in mind and return home once this festival has ended. I will hold Varro responsible if you do not. Is that understood, Gaius?”

Gaius did not need to answer as he leaped from his stool and ran over to his father, throwing his arms around him, hugging him with all his might that his small arms could manage.

“Oh thank you, father. I promise that I will do double my normal chores before I leave,” Gaius said enthusiastically while still holding onto his father.

“That you will, boy. You had better finish eating and get yourself to bed, so you may start bright and early.”

“Of course father. I will!” However, sleep would be allusive for Gaius for the next two nights, as his thoughts would be focused on the wonders he was bound to see. Never did forty-eight hours seem so far away.

CHAPTER THREE

Gaius looked on in amazement as the vast crowds of people passed, nearly cramming into every square inch of the streets of Rome. Never had he seen so many people in one place before, the very thought that this many souls could exist in the world was a new concept to his young mind. There were people of so many different sizes, colors and races. Men, women and even children walked and ran like chariot racers through the narrow streets and alleyways. Rome truly was a wonder to behold. Clearly, as his young eyes shifted from one sight to the next, his father’s words about this city not being a place for someone, his age was misleading, as he saw many boys and girls, some younger than he, running through the streets without care.

The many voices rose like a choir of sound, making it impossible to single one person among so many. The street corners were lined with shops that sold goods from all corners of the Republic: spices and silks from the east, wheat and jewels from the south, and rare stones and crafts from the north, it would take a lifetime to see it all – an entire world, he knew nothing about. He thought for a moment he may never want to go home again.

Gaius and Antony ran like wild horses through the dense crowds that hardly paid attention to them. They joined other groups of boys from time to time, until their attention was turned to marvelous attractions, from jesters performing feats of magic in the streets, to puppeteers and actors putting on shows on large and elaborately made stages. The volley of cheers and laughter constantly pointed them to new wonders.

Gaius noticed that Julia wasn’t able to take part in the boy’s games as she was held firmly by her body slave, who had been charged with watching all three children. However, the boys easily distracted the slave as they continued their exploration of the city.

Julia tried many times to break free and join them, but once the four rounded one street corner she managed to chase after Gaius, who attention was turned to a large gathering of people.

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder, seemingly mesmerized by a spectacle beyond, pushing through the adults, he worked his way to the front of the pack. What he saw both scared and excited him. In the center of a large forum, a small circus of sorts was set up where dozens of street performers leaped into the air, twisting and bending in ways that shocked and amazed the onlookers. However, it was the wild animals that captivated the peoples focus.

A burly man stood before the crowd on a stage. His voice billowed, easily heard over the crowd of hundreds of onlookers. Behind him, Gaius noticed a series of large cages, most of which were covered with thick, red cloaks. The sounds and shifting shadows behind the covered cages sparked their imagination as the beast master enticed the crowd, describing creatures from all corners of the known world; that no one would ever forget what they saw this day.

“Beware the Man-Ape!” The beast master proclaimed as his assists revealed a cage which held a dozen small creatures that looked like hairy children gone mad, screaming and chewing at their iron bars that held them.

“Behold a beast so powerful that he could tear your head clear off of your shoulders!” he bellowed at the top of his lungs as another, even larger cage was uncovered, revealing a bear, which roared loudly, brandishing its two-inch fangs, which caused more than a few of the onlookers to step back in near panic.

“But none compare to the power of the next exhibit – A monstrous animal worshiped and hunted by the kings of the heathen savages of the East.”

Julia ran up to Gaius after finding him among the crowd where she wrapped her arms around his, as the new cage was wheeled before the two. He smiled down at her as his attention was turned from the cage for a moment as her soft hands cuddled his. She gleamed up at him, her dark hair reflecting in the high sunlight as her smiled widened.

Inside the cage, Gaius could see a shadowy silhouette pacing back and forth. He felt his heart beat faster with anticipation as both, he and Julia stood focused on the attraction. The beast master smiled at the two children, namely Julia as he gripped his chubby fingers over the red cloth.

“This one especially likes the taste of little child,” the beast master proclaimed in a low voice, his dirty, gapped teeth smiling down at the pair. And then, with one hard yank of the thick cloak that covered the cage, he revealed to everyone the animal trapped within – one that many had heard of, but never seen with their own eyes.

Within the cage, the iron bars seemed barely strong enough to hold the beast back, was an old silver mane lion; whose claws lashed through the gaps between the bars, stopping short just a few feet from Gaius and Julia, causing her to scream out in panic as she ducked behind Gaius for protecting, shivering horribly.

“Beware the king of the dark Eastern lands!” the beast master proclaimed over the frightened crowd, which couldn’t help but take a few steps back as the iron bars hardly seemed capable of keeping the powerful cat at bay.

Gaius stepped in front of Julia as she shivered behind him, both her hands tightly gripping his arms. He could feel her heavy panicked breathing against his back as he stood firm. If the lion should break free, he could not stop it from tearing through them. Regardless, he stood before her and would protect her no matter what.

The old lion had numerous scars running across its face, roared again with so much force that even the beast master seemed a bit nervous as he stepped a few extra feet away from the cage. With just a nod to his men, the beast master directed them to control the animal as they placed pokers into the cage to invoke its rage and attention.

“In just a few short hours, this king of all beasts will be unleashed in the arena. If you want a show, be there to see this, the most powerful predator let loose against the Republic’s greatest collection of gladiators every assembled. And I warn you it has a taste for human flesh,” the beast master bellowed as he promoted the gladiator games located just beyond the outer walls of the city.

“Now, come one, come all, I have much more to reveal; witnessed wonders never before seen by Roman eyes!” The beast master directed the attention of the crowd to other sights, fewer violent animal attractions, but just as exotic: elephants and giraffes from Africa, prized horses and tamed bears from Hispania and Gaul, as well as rhinos, monkeys and colorful birds from all corners of the Roman Republic. Each animal was symbolic of Rome’s growing power over the natural world, and all Rome’s citizens reveled in that knowledge.

As the crowd parted, Gaius heard Julia’s name called several times. She, on the other hand, didn’t seem to notice at first as she stayed behind him, still holding his hand.

“Are they gone?” she asked Gaius, tears still rolling down her swollen cheeks.

“They are,” Gaius answered as the lion’s cage was wheeled out of the forum once it had been covered once more.

Gaius turned to Julia and knelt down so he could wipe away her tears. “Don’t worry, little flower, I can protect you,” he said with a soothing voice. She smiled at him, throwing her arms around his broad shoulder and said, “I believe you.”

“Julia!” the body slave said as she reached down and took hold of her arm, pulling her away from Gaius. “I’ve been looking for you. Don’t you ever run off like that again! The master will have my hide if something were to happen to you. Do you understand?”

“There was a big cat,” Julia told the slave as she was pulled away from the forum.

“Yes, of course, and a lady such as you have no business being around such horrid creatures. Now come, we shall find your father and forget about the filthy animals you saw. Come Gaius. Do not linger.”

Gaius was about to follow as Julia and her slave left the forum, but as he looked back one more time, he saw a new series of cages that had been hidden by the ones the beast master had been showing.

He stepped forward as his eyes looked at one cage, in particular, housing five wolves that paced back and forth in the twenty-by-twenty cell. However, as he looked closer he noticed that one of the wolves, one that was entirely white, stood, seemingly staring right at him, calm as it was knelt down on its hind legs. His eyes were fixated on the wolf, for it looked eerily like the ivory wolf he had seen on his father’s breast plate, hidden inside the footlocker.

Their eyes, boy and wolf, both blue, locked. Gaius found himself walking closer to the cage, wanting to see the white creature in more detail. However, as he neared a hand reached down and stopped him from approaching further.

“Whoa, boy, you don’t want to get to close. Most of these animals haven’t been fed in days. We need to keep them starving for the games, or the show won’t be as entertaining for the mob,” a large bald man with a thick eastern accent said.

“What?” Gaius asked, looking up as if he came out of a daze.

“I said for the games. We starve them or else they won’t eat the slaves, and criminals sacrificed for the mob. So, just stay away from them, boy, and be gone with yourself.”

As Gaius looked back toward the cage, to his surprise, he saw four wolves. The white one was gone.

“Sir,” Gaius called out. The man turned back around and glanced down at Gaius, who indicated towards the wolf cage with puzzled eyes.

“Where is the white one – the white wolf that was there moments ago?”

The man looked puzzled.

“The white wolf, sir. You couldn’t have missed it,” Gaius added.

“A white one,” the man laughed. “Boy, if I had a white wolf I could make a fortune on it. Do you really think I would put it in the arena with the rest of these filthy beasts? Now, be gone with you. A white one,” the man couldn’t stop laughing as he turned and went back to his work.

Gaius wondered for a moment if his eyes had been playing tricks with him. However, as Antony called his name, demanding that he hurry and rejoin them, he let the incident escape his thoughts, for the time being. There was still so much more to see and do before the festival was concluded.

The long, hot day was finally drawing to a close. The excitement in the city died some. As the sun was set to go down in a few short hours, other nightly activities would take root that the more innocent daily enjoyments that had occupied Gaius’ mind were at an end. Now Gaius and Antony were with Varro, Antony’s father, but unlike earlier in the day. They were bored stiff as they waited for Varro to stop talking and drinking with his friends. They were standing outside a large wooden arena that had been built for the festival, just outside the city walls, where the gladiator games were being held. Not too long from now the group would be heading back into the city to Varro’ estate, to bed for the night before they left early the next morning to head back to the country. However, apparently they had come to the arena to see the final bout of the day, to see a gladiator that had been the main gossip of the event.

Antony begged his father to allow him and Gaius to see the famed gladiator matches, but he refused time and time again. Instead, Varro allowed the boys to see the arena and the holding pins for the gladiators, who were displayed like the animals in the forum, free from the crowd to be mock, admired and feared. Now, Varro stood near a wine stand talking to his associates, while Gaius and Antony waited, listening to the cheers and jubilation inside the arena walls, wishing they could see the real action.

Antony tried to occupy his mind by kicking stone, or throwing them at his father’s slaves, who pretended to enjoy it and attempted to dodge his playful tosses; Gaius was more interested in listening in on Varro’ conversation, or at least as well as he could as their topic was beyond his understanding.

The men, who stood around a tall table, drinking heavily, wore the same colored, white, elaborately made togas or tunics. Varro’, however, had a long gold band sewn into his fabric, signifying that he was a senior member of the Senate.

A heavyset man who seemed to drink his weight had been doing most of the talking, between long swigs of his wine, which spilled from time to time on his tunic. It seemed to Gaius that this man, who was named Marcus, was perhaps the most obnoxious adult he had ever heard, as his voice carried over the other men. It was impossible not to listen to what he was saying since his bellowing speech carried easily.

“All I am stating is that those damn desert pigs think that they have the right to rule the entire world. First, we allow them to lay claim to Spain, then they side with pirates who attack our ships daily, and now this, sacking our settlements in Southern Gaul. It is virtually impossible for an honest man to make a living these days with all the disruptions in trade. By the gods, did we not win the war the first time around?”

“An honest man in Rome, HA!” the youngest of the group laughed as he took a drink. “If you find one, please let me known. And besides, what would you have us do, Marcus, send our legions to Spain and forcefully remove the Carthaginians? They have a right to exist as much as you or I.”

“Precisely my young Maximus; we should send our legions to Spain and wipe them out, and then on to Africa next. Better this be a Roman world than a Carthaginian one,” Marcus bellowed, believing that Maximus was agreeing with him, as he heard only what he wanted to hear.

“And whose sons shall we send to fight this war, Marcus, perhaps yours?” Maximus added; his words were forceful and growing angrier.

“Calm yourself, nephew,” Varro spoke as he placed his hand onto the young senator’s shoulders. “No one is talking about starting a war. Rome has had her fill of bloodshed after the last one. However, these recent acts serve to bait Rome into action.”

“I don’t know, Varro. This new leader in Spain; what is his name? He seems a determined man, even more so than his father was,” Nero spoke next.

“Pig slop! They are all savages. What could they do to the Republic that they haven’t already tried? I still say we march north and deal with this Hannibal now, before he becomes more trouble,” Marcus commented as he poured another cup of wine into his goblet.

“It is so easy for you to make such thoughtless decisions, isn’t it? You may think of them as savages, but look what we nearly lost in the last war. How many ships did we lose, huh? Was it a thousand, or five thousand? And how many souls died with their bellies spilled open, rotting in the sun, fifty thousand, a hundred? You tell me, my dear friend. If we are to survive the next one, we must start thinking differently,” Maximus argued, but his words were falling on deaf ears.

“Thinking differently isn’t what has made the Republic as powerful as it is. It is through force of arms, and that is what is needed to take care of our enemies,” Marcus raised his cup, speaking louder as if he was addressing the whole Senate.

“And fatten your purse too, I take it?”

“Please, Maximus, we all grow rich in war and trade. You included, my young friend,” Nero rebuked.

“Perhaps, but I will not sacrifice the lives of my children to fill my purse with more coins.”

“Hah! That is what I love about you my young nephew. You are so dramatic that I believe sometimes you missed your true calling as an actor; if only you didn’t have such a brilliant mind,” Varro said, almost mockingly, but speaking the truth.

“I speak what is in my heart, uncle,” Maximus replied.

“That is understandable. However, I speak from experience, if you want to survive the game of politics, you’ll have to do more than carry your heart on your sleeve. All the passion in the world will not save you if you make too many enemies in the house. At least, the Carthaginians will give you an honorable death in battle,” Varro added as he spoke firmly.

“Is that a threat of some kind?” Maximus asked sharply.

“Of course not, I speak only from my own experiences. I wouldn’t be standing here having this entertaining conversation with you now if I hadn’t learned how to play the game. You would do well to learn it too, quickly, because I see great things in store for you. However,” Varro learned in closer, “One day you may have to abandon your conscience if you want to speak for the people and make the hard decisions that will shape the course of history.”

“I am afraid that, uncle may be too high a price to pay,” Maximus exclaimed.

Varro only smiled. The two stared at one another as Marcus continued on, changing the subject to other topics relevant to the Senate. Gaius on the other-hand grew bored listening to the four men speaking of matters that his young mind could not comprehend. So, his attention turned to the shops that lined both sides of the street which led to the arena.

Most of the stores were ordinary. They sold mostly food and drink, which due to the heat had kept them busy in the late hours. A few shops sold various items of expensive taste: rugs, jewels, and pottery, clothing, gold and silver trinkets, to the wealthy patrons of the games.

As he surveyed his surroundings, one stand, in particular, caught his attention. It wasn’t as well kept as the rest. It stood at the end of the block, towards a back alley that shaded in the shadows.

Unlike the other stores, the owner did not try to entice every passerby to look at his merchandise, or make exaggerated proclamations that his items were the finest in Rome. Instead, the storekeeper sat, keeping his eyes forward as he smoked a curved pipe.

Antony, who had grown bored with his own games followed Gaius as he broke from the adults and crossed through the crowd, making his way over to the small stand.

Once he drew closer, Gaius saw that the stand seemed to sell all sorts of medallions, each of them of artistic quality. He looked across the trinkets that lay stretched out before him on the table, or hanging off from the poles that held the shop up. They came in all shapes, sizes and substances, such as gold, silver, wood and clay. Symbols of various Greek and Roman gods, historical figures, heroes of old, and creatures of fantasy, representing dozens of cultures: Hellenistic, Persian, Egyptian, Gallic and Roman adorned the medallions.

Antony fumbled through them, picking one up, and then setting it back down. He didn’t seem as interested in them as Gaius. The old man said nothing as he sat, legs crossed, smoking his pipe, watching the boys. And then Gaius’ eyes caught sight of one medallion, in particular. It wasn’t made of fine metal or engraved with gold, silver or ivory. The object was simple, round and made of hardened clay. However, it was the image of the white wolf engraved on it, which fixed his attention.

Gaius’ eyes fixated on it, taking in every detail as he stared into the animal’s unblinking eyes, as it were, the same wolf he had seen earlier in the forum – in fact, he was sure that it was the beast, down to the last detail.

As he was about to touch it, the old man spoke abruptly.

“Ah, so your eyes gaze upon Lupus? Good choice, young Roman.”

“Excuse me?” Gaius asked as he pulled his hand back.

The old man stood to his feet, propping himself up with the help of a thick cane that looked as if it was from an un-carved tree branch. He limped over toward Gaius, keeping his eyes on him and not taking notice of Antony, who took a step back.

“That is Lupus, the She-Wolf – mother of Rome,” the old man spoke again as he reached out and picked up the medallion, holding it for Gaius to see more closely.

“Here, take it,” he urged it closer for Gaius to hold as he continued.

“It is said, those who are drawn to Lupus are protected by her; that they have a destiny. You do know her story, don’t you, young master?”

Gaius glanced over at Antony, who stood next to him, also looking down at the medallion that Gaius now held in his palms. “No sir, I do not believe that I do. Could you tell us?” Gaius answered.

“Of course. A strong Roman boy such as you should certainly know the story of our city, and our protector,” the old man replied with a wide smile.

“Then please tell us, sir,” Gaius asked eagerly.

The old man smiled as he stood a little taller. Still, as he began, his words were directed towards Gaius even though Antony’s own attention was interested in the tale.

“Well, our story begins a long time ago, many generations now past, with the fall of a great king who was removed from his throne by his brother, Amulius. The king’s daughter, Rhea Silvia, was forced by her uncle to become a Vestal Virgin, which meant she was forbidden from bearing children. If she were, then they could claim right to the throne, as heirs to the true king. However, the god of war, Mars, came down from the heavens and took an interest in Rhea Silvia. He saw greatness in her and knew that she would bear him not one powerful son, but two, both of whom would carry his banner and build a new nation that would honor him unlike any before.”

The old man paused, the boys hanging on his every word.

“I will spare your young minds the more intimate details of that night, but by the winter's end, the young and very beautiful Rhea Silvia indeed carried two children, as Mars had foreseen; two sons whom she named Romulus and Remus upon their births. However, when the usurper discovered the infant boys, he had Rhea Silvia murdered and the brothers cast down the Tiber River. At the same time, the Fates had other plans for the twins as they were found by Rome’s guardian mother, on this very spot.”

“Lupus?” Gaius interrupted.

“Yes. Lupus was a wise wolf, with white fur, blue eyes and touched by the gods. Instead of devouring them as any beast would, she took pity on the infant brothers and suckled them until they were strong. She cared for them for many months until she found a kind farmer by the name of Faustulus. Lupus left the boys with him, but was always nearby to watch out for them. When the time came, and the boys had grown into men, Mars returned and told the brothers of their destiny. They would raise an army and marched to overthrow their cruel uncle who left them for dead, and retake the throne of their grandfather. The war was long and bloody, but the gods themselves favored the brothers, giving them knowledge, strength, courage and patience to win back their kingdom. When the war was finally over, the brothers sought to build a new kingdom, one that would honor their father, Mars, and the She-Wolf that had saved them from a certain death.”

The old man held out his hands and directed them to all corners of the city.

“They picked a place on the spot that they had been discovered by Lupus, where seven hills rose up and overlooked the land. It was here that the brothers laid down the first stones of Rome, and began our history.”

“And the Republic was formed?” Gaius asked.

“Oh, the birth of our Republic would take many bloodier years to come to pass. That is another story entirely, young Roman.”

“And what became of the two brothers, Romulus and Remus?” Antony asked.

“Romulus killed his brother and then proclaimed himself the sole king of Rome,” Varro, who walked up behind the boys, answered before the old man could say anything.

“Is it true?” Gaius asked as he turned and looked up into the eyes of the old man.

“I’m afraid that is true, young master.”

“Father, I want this medallion,” Antony said as he took the clay medallion of Lupus out from Gaius’ hand, holding it up for his father to see.

“There are far better ones than that, my son,” Varro said as he looked down at the clay medallion that his son held up for him to buy, unimpressed by its simple design.

“But it is the only one of Lupus. I want it, father, please,” Antony pleaded.

“Very well,” Varro agreed as he took a few coins from his pocket and tossed them down in front of the old man, not caring if he overpaid.

“Thank you, sir,” the old man replied as he scooped up the coins, biting down on the silver to make sure it was pure. Antony, with the medallion in hand, walked away from the stand with his father as they head towards the arena.

Gaius watched his friend leave, as Antony held the medallion up, admiring it before placing the string around his neck, where the medallion rested on his chest.

“Do not fear, Gaius, Lupus watches over you, even now.”

“What did you say?” Gaius asked as he turned sharply back to the old man, but the man had already sat back down, closing his eyes and continued to smoke his pipe.

Gaius did not ask his question again as he heard Antony call his name, wanting him to hurry and rejoin them.

He glanced at the old man one more time, thinking about his story a second before he finally ran off and rejoined his friends.