The Roman (27 page)

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BOOK 5

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Corinth

Corinth is a metropolis, the most lively and lighthearted metropolis in the world, according to its own citizens. Although Mummius razed it to the ground two hundred years ago, the city, risen from the ashes, has today gathered half a million inhabitants from countries all over the world, thanks largely to the foresight of the god Julius Caesar. From the Acropolis, the city and its streets appear to glow with light well into the night. For a melancholy youth brooding bitterly over his own gullibility, Corinth and its colorful life is in truth a cure. But my servant Hierex many a time regretted that he had so tearfully begged me to buy him as he stood on the slave dealer�s platform in Rome. He could read, write, massage, cook, haggle with the tradesmen and speak both Greek and broken Latin. He assured me he had traveled in many countries with his previous masters and learned to smooth the way for them. The price asked for him was so high that he ought to have been a slave of the highest quality, though of course there turned out to be reasons for a reduction. Hierex asked me not to haggle too much, for his master had given him up reluctantly for financial reasons caused by a court action. I guessed that Hierex would receive a share of his own price if he could raise it with his glib tongue. But in the state of mind I was in at the time, I was not in a position to haggle. Hierex naturally hoped for a friendly young master and was afraid of ending up in a carefully run household of jaundiced old people. My silence and melancholy taught him to hold his tongue, however difficult that was, for he was a real Greek chatterer by birth. Not even the journey distracted me and I did not want to speak to anyone. So I gave orders as Pallas did, with gestures only. He did his best to serve me, probably fearing that behind my dismal exterior lay a cruel master who found pleasure in chastising a slave.

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Hierex was born and bred as a slave. He was not strong, but I bought him to avoid having to look further, for he had no visible defects and his teeth were good although he was over thirty. Naturally I guessed there was something wrong with him for him to be for sale at all, but in my position I could not travel without a servant. At first he was nothing but a torment to me, but when I had taught him to keep silent and look as gloomy as myself, lie took care of my luggage, my clothes and my food very well. lie could even shave my still youthful beard without cutting me too badly. He had been to Corinth before and he chose quarters for us in the Ship and Lantern Inn, near the temple of Neptune. He was astonished that I did not at once hurry off to make a thank- offering for the successful outcome of a dangerous journey, but instead, after washing and changing, at once went to the forum to report to the Proconsul. The government building of the province of Achaia was a handsome house with a propylaeum, and the outer courtyard was surrounded by a wall and guardhouses. Both the legionary guards at the entrance were picking their teeth and chatting to passers-by, their shields and lances leaning against the wall. They glanced ironically at my narrow red band, but let me in without a word. Proconsul Junius Annaeus Gafflo received me dressed in the Greek way, smelling of salves and with a wreath of flowers on his head, as if he were on his way to a banquet. He was a good- hearted man and offered me wine from Samos as he read his younger brother Seneca�s letter and the others which I had brought with me as a courier from the Senate. I left my goblet half full and did not bother with more wine, for I deeply despised the whole world into which I had so unfortunately been born, and on the whole, no longer believed any good of human beings. When Gallio had read his letters, he looked serious and gave me an attentive look. �I think it would be best if you wore your toga at court only,� he suggested carefully. �We must remember that Achaia is Achaia. Its civilization is older and, anyhow, incomparably more spiritually directed than that of Rome. The Greeks follow their own laws and keep order themselves. Rome�s policy in Achaia is to interfere as little as possible and let things take their own course unless we

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are directly appealed to, to intervene. Violent attacks here are very rare. The greatest difficulty in a port city like this lies in thieves and swindlers. We have not as yet an amphitheater here in Corinth, but there is an excellent circus for the races. The theaters perform every evening. A host of pleasures are available to a decent young knight.� �I�ve not come to Corinth for pleasure,� I replied irritably, �but to prepare myself for my career in office.� �Of course, of course,� said Gallio. �I see that in my brother�s letter. Perhaps you�d better first report to the cohort commander at our garrison. He is a Rubrius, so you�d better be polite. Apart from that, you can get the weapon exercises going, for the soldiers have become slack under his command. Later you can travel around and inspect the other garrisons. There aren�t many. In Athens and some other sacred cities it is not even advisable to wear Roman military uniform, but a philosopher�s rags would be more suitable. Once a week I hold a court here outside the building. Then you must, of course, be present. One must fall in with the customs as one finds them. But we shall tour the building now and I shall introduce you to my chancery staff.� Chatting in a friendly way on this and that, he introduced me to his treasurer, his lawyer, the superintendent of the Achaian tax office and to the trade representative from Rome. �I�d like to ask you to stay with me,� said Gallio. �But it is better for Rome if you live out in the city, either at a good inn or in your own house. Then you�ll make contact with the people better and learn their desires, customs and complaints. Don�t forget that Achaia must be handled as carefully as a ball of feathers. �At the moment,� he went on, �I am expecting some learned men and philosophers to dinner. I should like you to join us, but I see you are exhausted by your journey and the food would not be to your taste, as I see my wine is not either. Go and recover from the trials of your journey first, get to know the city and report to Rubrius when it suits you best. There is no hurry.� He also introduced me to his wife. She was wearing a gold- embroidered Greek mantle, gold leather sandals and a gold band in her carefully arranged hair. She looked at me mischievously at first and then at Gallio, and then turned serious, greeting me in sorrowful tones as if all the cares of the world oppressed her.

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Then she suddenly put her hand to her mouth, tittered, turned around and fled from the room. I thought the Spanish-born Helvia, despite her beauty, was obviously not wholly mature. Gallio hid his own smile, looked solemnly after his wife and confirmed my own unspoken thoughts. �Yes, Lausus,� he said, �she is much too young and cannot take the duties of her position seriously enough. Fortunately this does not matter here in Corinth.� The following day I wondered for a long time whether I should send a message to the garrison for a horse and guard of honor to accompany me when I reported my arrival. This I had a right to demand, of course. But as I did not yet know Rubrius, I thought perhaps it would be better not to make myself too forward. So I dressed according to regulations, in my breastplate with the silver eagles, my iron-shod shoes and leggings, and my red-plumed helmet. Hierex put my short red tribune�s cloak around my shoulders and fastened the shoulder clasp for me. My departure caused such a sensation at the inn that even the cooks and cleaners pressed around the door to watch me leave. After I had marched in my clinking armor a short distance, people began to hurry up and gape at me. The men pointed at my plumes and shouted something, the women stepped up close to me to poke at my breastplate, and several urchins strode along in time beside me, shouting and yelling. It was not long before I realized they were making fun of my military splendor. It was such a painful situation that I was seized with a wild desire to snatch out my long sword and lay about with the flat side of it. I also realized that this would attract even more attention to myself. Scarlet in the face, I turned to appeal to an oncoming policeman. He waved at the street urchins with his little stick to make way for me. Nevertheless, at least a hundred people followed me as far as the entrance to the camp. The guards hurriedly snatched up their lances and shields from the wall. One blew the alarm on his trumpet when he saw the Jeering mob trotting toward the barracks. The crowd had not the least desire to set foot inside the Roman garrison, only to be beaten in thanks. They stopped in a semicircle in front of the points of the soldiers� lances, called out good wishes to me and assured me that not for years had they seen such a wonderful spectacle.

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The senior centurion of the cohort came rushing up to me, dressed in nothing but his undershirt. A handful of legionaries with lances and shields hastily assembled into something akin to a line in the courtyard, disturbed by the alarm signal. Perhaps my youth will excuse the fact that I barked orders at them I still had no right to give, as I had not even reported to Rubrius yet. After making them march at the double to the wall and back and stand in a perfect line, I asked the centurion to take over. He stood astride before me in astonishment, stubble on his chin and his hands on his hips. �Commander Rubrius is asleep after a strenuous night exercise,� he said. �The men are tired for the same reason. How would it be if you came with me and had a drop of wine and told me who you are, where you come from and why you�ve landed here like the God of War himself, scowling and grinding his teeth!� From his face and scarred thighs, I could see he was an old veteran and I could do nothing but agree to his request. A young knight could easily be snubbed by a centurion like him and I did not want to disgrace myself further by being made a fool of in front of the increasing number of soldiers gathering around. The centurion took me to his room, which smelled of leather and metal polish, and began to pour wine from a jar for me. I told him that owing to a promise I could take nothing but water and vegetables, and he looked at me in surprise. �Corinth is not considered a place of exile,� he remarked. �You must be of a very noble family indeed if your presence here is some kind of punishment for what you�ve done in Rome.� He scratched his chin uninhibitedly, making a rasping sound on the stubble, yawned hugely and drank some wine. Nevertheless, on my orders he fetched Commander Rubrius� clerk and the cohort rolls. �In the city itself,� he explained, �we only have guards at the Proconsul�s courtyard and at the main gates. Both in Cenchreae and Lycaea�the ports, you know�we�ve permanent garrisons. They have their own quarters so the men don�t have to keep going to and fro between the barracks and the ports. According to the rolls, we�re a full cohort, excluding the engineers, cloth makers and other specialists, so if necessary we can be a self-sufficient field corps.� I asked about the cavalry.

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�In fact we�ve not a single cavalryman here at the moment,� he said. �Naturally there are a few horses at the disposal of the Commander and the Governor, but both of them prefer to use a litter. You can have one of them if you can�t manage without a horse. Corinth�s own cavalry is, of course, bound to assist us on command.� When I asked about maintenance of weapons and equipment, orders for the day and the exercise program, he looked at me curiously. �Perhaps you�d better ask Rubrius about that,� he said. �I�m only his subordinate.� To pass the time, I inspected the empty quarters, with their dust and cobwebs, the weapon store, the kitchen and the altar. The garrison had no Eagle of its own, only the customary cohort field insignia with tassels and memorial plates. After my round of inspection I was both confused and appalled. �In the name of Hercules,� I cried, �where are the men? What would happen if we had to leave suddenly to fight?� The centurion had grown tired of me. �You�d better ask Commander Rubrius that too,� he said angrily. At midday, Rubrius at last sent for me. His room was beautifully furnished in the Greek way and I saw at least three different young women serving him. He himself was bald, his face fat and the veins in it broken, his lips blue and he dragged his left foot as he walked. He received me warmly, breathed wine on me as he embraced me and at once told me to sit down and make myself at home without formality. �Coming from Rome, you must be surprised to find how lazy we are here in Corinth,� he said. �Of course, it�s quite right that a brisk young knight should come and get things going here. Well, well, so you�ve the rank of tribune, have you? From Britain, I see. That�s a distinction, not a command.� I asked him about service instructions and for a while he did not answer. �In Corinth,� he said finally, �we don�t need to keep ourselves in a state of readiness. On the contrary, the city council and the inhabitants would be insulted if we did. Most of the legionaries here are married. They have my permission to live with their families and practice a craft or a trade. Now and again on Roman

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feast days, we muster them, of course. But only inside our walls so as not to attract unnecessary attention.� I ventured to point out that the soldiers I had seen were apathetic and ill-disciplined, that the equipment store was thick with dust and the quarters filthy. �Possibly, possibly,� admitted Rubrius. �It�s a long time since I remembered to take a look at the men�s quarters. Society in Corinth takes its toll of a not-so-young man like myself. Fortunately I have a very reliable senior centurion. He�s responsible for everything. Ask him what you want to know. From a formal point of view, you should be my right-hand man, but he would be offended if I went over his head. Perhaps you could work together with a kind of equal status, as long as you don�t trouble me with complaints about each other. I�ve had enough quarreling in my life and want to serve out my time in peace. I�ve not many years to go.� He gave me a surprisingly sharp look and added with feigned absentmindedness, �Did you by any chance know that my sister Rubria is the eldest of the Vestal Virgins in Rome?� Then he went on to give me some cautionary advice. �Remember always,� he said, �that Corinth is a Greek city, even if the people who live here come from many other countries. Military honors do not count for much here. The art of social life is more important. Look about to start with and then make out a service program yourself, but don�t overwork my soldiers excessively.� With these instructions I had to leave. The centurion was standing outside and gave me a cold look. �Did you get your information?� he asked. I looked at two legionaries lumbering through the entrance with their shields on their backs and their lances on their shoulders. I was astounded to hear the centurion calmly explain that this was the changing of the guard. �They�ve not even mustered!� I cried. �Are they to be allowed to go like that, with filthy legs, long hair and without an under- officer or escort?� �We don�t hold guard parades here in Corinth,� the centurion said calmly. �It�d be better if you hung up your plumed helmet somewhere and got used to the customs of the country.� But he did not interfere when I ordered the under-officers to