Read Online The Nero Prediction by Humphry Knipe - Free Book Online
Authors: Humphry Knipe
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ancient plague in Egypt. Understandably the Jews took violent exception to the idea that their all-powerful Messiah could be snuffed out like a common criminal and it didn’t help much when the Christians assured them he was about to make a glorious reappearance. The riot had special significance for me. I recognized the name of one of the expelled Christians. He was Mark the Lion.
I found a dusty Berossus compendium in a shop that specialized in astrological tracts and put it on Agrippina’s account. As I emerged a man fell into step with me, a Syrian, well oiled and reeking of scent.
"Good afternoon Epaphroditus," he said, very cordially. "My name's Basilicus, I need to talk to you about smoke."
I played my part. "I'm afraid I don't have anything interesting at present."
A hand as strong as a bear trap closed on my arm. "You're being far too modest. I hear from a reliable source that the information you sell comes from someone very close to the emperor. Very close indeed."
I tried to pluck my arm free. "What exactly are you looking for?" I asked.
"Nothing much. Just more smoke, well something a little more substantial than that. Agrippina's star diary."
I didn't take much to fake surprise at this astonishing request because Agrippina's star diary was the key to her strategic planning. "Are you mad?" I spat at him, "she'll have you skinned alive when I report this to her."
The threat didn't ruffle him at all. "But you won't and this is why." He pulled out a roll of paper. "They're all here, a long list of your dirty little secrets. Who Claudius has been sleeping with. The names of the people Agrippina has been seeing, even things said in her private meetings. Oh I wonder who she'll flay if this falls into her hands?"
I broke into a sweat because a glance told me that the information on the Syrian's paper matched what I had reported to Euodus. "I don't know how you got your hands on that gossip," I said, fighting for self control. "It certainly didn't come from me."
"Are you sure that Agrippina will believe that?"
I wasn't. Some of the meatiest tidbits only she and I knew. When Basilicus saw the uncertainty in my eyes he nodded gravely. "My patron is prepared to pay very well for the service. A million in fact."
A million sesterces was a fantastic bribe, for a sixteen-year-old slave anyway. Agrippina was testing me, that was my first thought. My second thought was that Euodus needed the money, or even Tigellinus. I remembered the portrait of Tiberius winning back the Roman standards. I was destined to be a hero, not a thief. Whoever was behind this was out of luck.
"Impossible,” I said to Basilicus. “When the diary isn't in her possession she locks it away in a strong box. She has the only key."
"But you lock her documents away for her. Separate the diary from the rest and copy it while she sleeps."
"I can’t. She usually takes it to bed with her."
"Wait until she gets you to lock it away for her, you see how much we know? It won't take more than a few minutes to make me a shorthand copy. Consider the alternative. If you don't do it, it will be reported to the empress that you are selling confidential information about her for personal gain.” He waved his inventory of smoke at me. This is undeniable proof. Agrippina will certainly have you crucified. A million sesterces or a miserable death. Why don’t you sleep on it?”
As usual, that evening, before turning in Agrippina handed me the key to her strong box to lock up her satchel of documents that included the notes I’d taken down that day. Almost as an afterthought she took her star diary out of the pocket of her stola and gave me that as well. “You’ve seen Euodus today?”
“Yes domina.”
She cradled me with her dark eyes, sharing the unspoken confidence that she wanted me follow his instructions whatever they were. “Good. I’m going to bed now. Give me the key back tomorrow.”
I thought of Tigellinus, I thought of
I found a dusty Berossus compendium in a shop that specialized in astrological tracts and put it on Agrippina’s account. As I emerged a man fell into step with me, a Syrian, well oiled and reeking of scent.
"Good afternoon Epaphroditus," he said, very cordially. "My name's Basilicus, I need to talk to you about smoke."
I played my part. "I'm afraid I don't have anything interesting at present."
A hand as strong as a bear trap closed on my arm. "You're being far too modest. I hear from a reliable source that the information you sell comes from someone very close to the emperor. Very close indeed."
I tried to pluck my arm free. "What exactly are you looking for?" I asked.
"Nothing much. Just more smoke, well something a little more substantial than that. Agrippina's star diary."
I didn't take much to fake surprise at this astonishing request because Agrippina's star diary was the key to her strategic planning. "Are you mad?" I spat at him, "she'll have you skinned alive when I report this to her."
The threat didn't ruffle him at all. "But you won't and this is why." He pulled out a roll of paper. "They're all here, a long list of your dirty little secrets. Who Claudius has been sleeping with. The names of the people Agrippina has been seeing, even things said in her private meetings. Oh I wonder who she'll flay if this falls into her hands?"
I broke into a sweat because a glance told me that the information on the Syrian's paper matched what I had reported to Euodus. "I don't know how you got your hands on that gossip," I said, fighting for self control. "It certainly didn't come from me."
"Are you sure that Agrippina will believe that?"
I wasn't. Some of the meatiest tidbits only she and I knew. When Basilicus saw the uncertainty in my eyes he nodded gravely. "My patron is prepared to pay very well for the service. A million in fact."
A million sesterces was a fantastic bribe, for a sixteen-year-old slave anyway. Agrippina was testing me, that was my first thought. My second thought was that Euodus needed the money, or even Tigellinus. I remembered the portrait of Tiberius winning back the Roman standards. I was destined to be a hero, not a thief. Whoever was behind this was out of luck.
"Impossible,” I said to Basilicus. “When the diary isn't in her possession she locks it away in a strong box. She has the only key."
"But you lock her documents away for her. Separate the diary from the rest and copy it while she sleeps."
"I can’t. She usually takes it to bed with her."
"Wait until she gets you to lock it away for her, you see how much we know? It won't take more than a few minutes to make me a shorthand copy. Consider the alternative. If you don't do it, it will be reported to the empress that you are selling confidential information about her for personal gain.” He waved his inventory of smoke at me. This is undeniable proof. Agrippina will certainly have you crucified. A million sesterces or a miserable death. Why don’t you sleep on it?”
As usual, that evening, before turning in Agrippina handed me the key to her strong box to lock up her satchel of documents that included the notes I’d taken down that day. Almost as an afterthought she took her star diary out of the pocket of her stola and gave me that as well. “You’ve seen Euodus today?”
“Yes domina.”
She cradled me with her dark eyes, sharing the unspoken confidence that she wanted me follow his instructions whatever they were. “Good. I’m going to bed now. Give me the key back tomorrow.”
I thought of Tigellinus, I thought of
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