Read Online A Mixture of Madness, Book II of The Bow of Heaven by Andrew Levkoff - Free Book Online
Authors: Andrew Levkoff
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nervously at Hanno. He had put away his brush and now stood by the wall, his ruined hands before him, nervously linking, separating, then re-linking his four digits in two interlocking circles. He was swaying from side to side, aroused by Crassus' tone. I prayed he would not speak.
“When the people are alarmed, they look for stability,” I said. “The people love you, dominus . I was in the forum when Clodius took the rostra before half the city. ‘Who is murdering the people with famine?’ he asked, and the people responded, ‘Pompeius!’ ‘Who wants to go to Alexandria?’ he asked, and they shouted, ‘Pompeius!’ And when Clodius said, ‘Whom do you want to go?’ with one voice came the thundering reply: ‘Crassus!’”
“His armies are disbanded, ” he replied dismissively, “and the man needs an occupation. Grain merchant suits Pompeius’ abilities. Let him negotiate with the Egyptians. As sweet a fruit as Egypt is, I must leave it for others to harvest. With Parthia’s riches we will buy the grain of ten Egypts, and Rome’s praise will be everlasting.”
“ What of the senate and the people, dominus ? You are the rock upon which they both depend.”
“ You exaggerate to the point of transparency, Alexander. But, fine, for the moment, I shall be a rock. Caesar, then, is a comet that has struck our world, knocking it off-balance. What, then, can this rock do but be dislodged and roll down whatever slope his shaking sends it? It will take all my art to set things right again.
“ To begin, the people will need a hero. I am not that man. Not yet. Pompeius has played that role more successfully than I, certainly to more applause. Let Pompeius find the grain and wallow in the cheers of the crowd. It is what he loves best, so we will let him have his moment.”
“I am surprised to hear you say it.”
“Let him sweat to regain his popularity; it serves my purpose now. His theater is almost complete; it will be a monumental diversion.” I smiled at his unintended pun. “And when the grain starts to flow once more, sated citizens will make for pliant voters.” He suddenly looked at me as if I had just appeared in a puff of smoke. “Why are you shivering, Alexander? Here, take this.” Crassus undraped his senatorial toga, exposing his purple striped tunic, further sign of his rank. He stood and meant to drape the toga over me like a blanket. I rose as well, shocked. I held the huge garment at arm’s length, standing naked before him.
“No, dominus . I cannot wear this. Hanno, fetch my tunic. Hanno!” The boy pushed himself off the wall and took off at a sprint, which for him could be more likened to a leaping hop.
Crassus sat back down, dropping the toga in a heap on the floor. “As you wish,” he said, sounding like a child rebuffed after offering to share his dearest toy.
I retrieved my hand towel, then let it fall again. “ Dominus ,” I felt compelled to say, “it is a most generous offer. But that garment is not meant…”
“What, for the likes of you? Do you think I am unaware of the honor I do you? By Athena’s robes, Alexander, I do not understand you. Even when I extend my outstretched hand, you refuse to take it. Is the gap between us so great?”
I sat in wondrous silence for a moment, crafting my answer. “The fissure is broad and deep, dominus . Your gesture is well-meant, but can you not see that the gulf is widened by it, not bridged?”
“You will take nothing from me, will you?” he sighed. Hanno returned with my clothes and I quickly tied and wrapped my subligaculum about me and threw the tunic over my head. As I dressed, I shook off the muddled feeling that it was I who should have sympathy for Crassus. Let us return to politics, I thought, a less dangerous and more straightforward subject.
“I don’t understand, dominus . Why all this subterfuge?”
“Ah, Tranio!” Crassus exclaimed. “Always a welcome intrusion.”
The wine steward entered with
“When the people are alarmed, they look for stability,” I said. “The people love you, dominus . I was in the forum when Clodius took the rostra before half the city. ‘Who is murdering the people with famine?’ he asked, and the people responded, ‘Pompeius!’ ‘Who wants to go to Alexandria?’ he asked, and they shouted, ‘Pompeius!’ And when Clodius said, ‘Whom do you want to go?’ with one voice came the thundering reply: ‘Crassus!’”
“His armies are disbanded, ” he replied dismissively, “and the man needs an occupation. Grain merchant suits Pompeius’ abilities. Let him negotiate with the Egyptians. As sweet a fruit as Egypt is, I must leave it for others to harvest. With Parthia’s riches we will buy the grain of ten Egypts, and Rome’s praise will be everlasting.”
“ What of the senate and the people, dominus ? You are the rock upon which they both depend.”
“ You exaggerate to the point of transparency, Alexander. But, fine, for the moment, I shall be a rock. Caesar, then, is a comet that has struck our world, knocking it off-balance. What, then, can this rock do but be dislodged and roll down whatever slope his shaking sends it? It will take all my art to set things right again.
“ To begin, the people will need a hero. I am not that man. Not yet. Pompeius has played that role more successfully than I, certainly to more applause. Let Pompeius find the grain and wallow in the cheers of the crowd. It is what he loves best, so we will let him have his moment.”
“I am surprised to hear you say it.”
“Let him sweat to regain his popularity; it serves my purpose now. His theater is almost complete; it will be a monumental diversion.” I smiled at his unintended pun. “And when the grain starts to flow once more, sated citizens will make for pliant voters.” He suddenly looked at me as if I had just appeared in a puff of smoke. “Why are you shivering, Alexander? Here, take this.” Crassus undraped his senatorial toga, exposing his purple striped tunic, further sign of his rank. He stood and meant to drape the toga over me like a blanket. I rose as well, shocked. I held the huge garment at arm’s length, standing naked before him.
“No, dominus . I cannot wear this. Hanno, fetch my tunic. Hanno!” The boy pushed himself off the wall and took off at a sprint, which for him could be more likened to a leaping hop.
Crassus sat back down, dropping the toga in a heap on the floor. “As you wish,” he said, sounding like a child rebuffed after offering to share his dearest toy.
I retrieved my hand towel, then let it fall again. “ Dominus ,” I felt compelled to say, “it is a most generous offer. But that garment is not meant…”
“What, for the likes of you? Do you think I am unaware of the honor I do you? By Athena’s robes, Alexander, I do not understand you. Even when I extend my outstretched hand, you refuse to take it. Is the gap between us so great?”
I sat in wondrous silence for a moment, crafting my answer. “The fissure is broad and deep, dominus . Your gesture is well-meant, but can you not see that the gulf is widened by it, not bridged?”
“You will take nothing from me, will you?” he sighed. Hanno returned with my clothes and I quickly tied and wrapped my subligaculum about me and threw the tunic over my head. As I dressed, I shook off the muddled feeling that it was I who should have sympathy for Crassus. Let us return to politics, I thought, a less dangerous and more straightforward subject.
“I don’t understand, dominus . Why all this subterfuge?”
“Ah, Tranio!” Crassus exclaimed. “Always a welcome intrusion.”
The wine steward entered with
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