Read Online The Alexandrian Embassy by Robert Fabbri - Free Book Online

back as he went through the door, ‘I don’t have the time just now; I’ve got to take a Jewish embassy before the Emperor.’ Leaving Tatianus with a baffled look on his face, Magnus grinned at the two henchmen in the corridor. ‘And a good day to you too, gentlemen.’
    â€˜It’s an outrage!’ Philo declared as he walked between Vespasian and Magnus down the Palatine.
    â€˜It’s the Emperor’s will,’ Vespasian reminded him.
    Philo gestured to the members of his embassy following behind, escorted by Tigran and a few of the brothers. ‘But we’ve been waiting for months to present our case to him; we’ve paid the right bribes, but nothing, no. And then Isodorus arrives with an embassy from the Greek citizens of Alexandria and gets to see the Emperor within two days. Two days, I tell you; and what’s more he gets to see the Emperor at the same time as us, denying me the advantage of putting our case first, which would be only just as we are the injured party and have also undoubtedly laid out much more in bribes.’
    Magnus, by now, was unsurprised that Philo was the injured party; he was more than tempted to add to his injuries himself, but refrained from mentioning it.
    â€˜I’m afraid there’s nothing to be done, Philo,’ Vespasian said, exasperation barely concealed in his voice. ‘It’s the Emperor’s idea of saving on his valuable time to see you both together before he sets off for Germania. From his point of view it makes perfect sense.’
    â€˜But Isodorus is a villain of the very lowest stock; even Magnus would look down on him.’
    â€˜He must be rough,’ Magnus opined, shaking his head and sucking air through his teeth in disbelief.
    â€˜He is and it’s an outrage that he gets treated with the same dignity as me. Me! The brother of the Alabarch of the AlexandrianJews; a literary figure of great renown having to share an audience with the Emperor of Rome along with a common criminal, a murderer, a … a …’ Such was his outrage that words failed Philo at this point.
    â€˜A man of lower birth than even me?’ Magnus suggested helpfully.
    â€˜Exactly! And to make matters worse we are not even being received at the palace as a personage of my rank would expect. No! We are being taken instead to the Gardens of Maecenas – why is that?’
    â€˜Again, I’m afraid that it’s the Emperor saving on his time,’ Vespasian informed him. ‘He has decided to do some improvements to the gardens and the villa within them and so will see you as he goes around the house and the grounds.’
    â€˜So I will acquaint the Emperor with the injustices perpetrated on the Jewish citizens of Alexandria whilst he does some interior decorating and consults with his gardener?’
    â€˜Something like that.’
    â€˜It’s an outrage!’
    The Gardens of Maecenas were richly laid out, as would be expected of that cultured intimate of Augustus who had risen to power by providing the first Emperor with canny political advice. He had been Augustus’ brains as Agrippa had been his muscle, and his reward was great wealth. It showed in the beauty of the terraced gardens that he had created on the Esquiline Hill, along the Servian Wall between the Esquiline and Viminal Gates. However, that had been almost fifty years before and since his death little had been done to maintain the villa in their midst. Not even Philo could argue that the place was not in need of refurbishment as they waited on one side of the atrium whose frescoes had seen better days. On the other side stood a collection of hard-looking men, bearded and garbed in the Greek fashion and murmuring amongst themselves whilst casting threatening glares across to the Jews.
    â€˜And this is too miserable for words!’ Caligula’s voice, loud and pitched quite high, preceded him and all in the atrium turned towards