‘Perhaps — but he had been fed the story that Asinius was behind the financing of the Thracian revolt.’
‘Surely under torture he would be able to describe Sejanus’ freedman Hasdro well enough for Tiberius to believe that Asinius had nothing to do with it and it was, in all likelihood, a scheme of Sejanus’.’
‘That is not conclusive; I asked for Rhoteces to be brought here when I was still compiling a range of evidence that, seen altogether, would be compelling. However, seeing as we have him in our possession it would still be worthwhile to take him to Capreae in the unlikely event Tiberius wants confirmation of Sejanus’ strategy of destabilisation in the provinces in order to draw attention away from his plotting in Rome.’ She picked up the scroll beside her and held it up for all to see. ‘The content of this letter, which I will entrust to Pallas to deliver to him, will convince him of Sejanus’ real and unimagined treachery. In it is a detailed description of Sejanus’ plans as supplied to me by Satrius Secundus. He had not been quite as honest with you gentlemen as he’d led you to believe. Although he was trying to keep in both Macro’s and Sejanus’ favour, he was, from his own admission, doing a little more for Sejanus than he was for Macro, short of betraying him completely.
‘One of the services he had recently been performing for Sejanus was administering small amounts of poison, not enough to kill but enough to make the victim seem ill and frail, to my grandson Tiberius Gemellus, the son of my vicious daughter, Livilla, and Tiberius’ late son, Drusus. Now that I’ve blocked his route to power through Claudius, Sejanus’ new plan is to murder Tiberius, make the under-age and sickly Gemellus Emperor and act as his regent; he would then marry Gemellus’ mother, Livilla, before finally upping the dose to a fatal level. The sickly Gemellus would die, to no one’s great surprise, and Sejanus would claim the Purple as the stepfather of the deceased Emperor.
‘What would follow would be a bloodbath in which most of my family would be murdered. How do I know this?’
She paused again for effect. ‘Enclosed in this letter is a list, procured, with a little coercing, by Secundus’ wife, Albucilla. It comes from Livilla’s study and is written in Sejanus’ own hand; it contains the names of the sixteen people who would die. At the top of the list is Tiberius; I am next. Noticeably missing from the list is my daughter, Livilla, which, along with the place from which the list was taken, leads me to conclude that she is fully aware of the whole plot and, in order to become Sejanus’ Empress, has sanctioned the murder of not only most of her family, including her mother, but also of her own child.’
Antonia paused again; there was a stunned silence in the room. Vespasian found it hard enough to believe that anyone could kill a member of their own family, but knew enough of imperial politics to realise that it was becoming commonplace; but to kill your own child to secure your position was unfathomable. What could possibly justify a system of succession in a civilised state that involved infanticide? His thoughts on the subject were interrupted by the clatter of hobnailed sandals walking quickly down the corridor. Vespasian looked towards the door; in walked a huge bull of a man. Vespasian started; he recognised him immediately.
‘Ah,’ Antonia said, ‘Tribune Macro, I’m so pleased that you could make it; I hope that you weren’t followed.’
‘Briefly, but it was dealt with,’ Macro said brusquely, sitting down without waiting to be asked. As he adjusted his toga his eyes flicked around the assembled company and Vespasian detected a hint of recognition as they rested on him and then moved on to Magnus.
‘You know Titus Flavius Sabinus, tribune,’ Antonia affirmed, gesturing to Sabinus. ‘This is his brother Titus Flavius Vespasianus.’
Macro gave a mirthless half-smile and nodded, whilst peering at Vespasian with dead eyes.
‘And Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo,’ Antonia said, carrying on the introductions.
Macro barely acknowledged Corbulo but continued staring at Vespasian and Magnus, who, much to his relief, was considered too insignificant to be introduced.
‘So, gentlemen, to business,’ Antonia said as if she had been waiting for Macro’s arrival and the meeting had now only just started. ‘Tribune Macro and my grandson Gaius have a way to get you on to Capreae without it coming to the attention of any of the Praetorian officers loyal to Sejanus.
‘As you may or may not know, when Gaius was summoned to Capreae his two younger, unmarried sisters, Drusilla and Julia Livilla, were moved to Tiberius’ villa at Misenum, on the mainland, close to Capreae. Because Gaius has managed to inveigle his way so much into Tiberius’ favour he has recently persuaded him that he should be allowed to visit his sisters for a few days each month; something that I do not approve of but happily works in our favour. The next visit will be in two days’ time. Gaius is, of course, always guarded; but Tribune Macro, good to his word, has ensured that it is Clemens and a few of his men who always go with him on these trips. The tribune will explain the details of the plan.’
Macro roused himself from his thoughts and began to talk with ill-concealed bad grace, as if it were beneath his dignitas to act as a mere briefing officer.
‘It’s over a hundred and fifty miles to Misenum; because you will have to transport this witness in a cart, it will take you six days to get there.’
Vespasian raised an eyebrow as he realised why Antonia had started without Macro: he did not know about Secundus’ and Albucilla’s information.
‘If you leave tomorrow morning,’ Macro carried on, ‘you’ll arrive on the last scheduled evening of the visit. You will spend the night at Misenum — the guards there will be my men — and then you will leave the following day for the island. The ship that transports Caligula back to Capreae normally leaves around midday so that it gets back in daylight. Clemens will find a reason to delay it so that it gets to Capreae soon after dark. As it approaches the island, you will be dropped off in a rowing boat, unseen, near a small cove in the cliffs, just before the harbour. The ship will then carry on to the port where Caligula, Clemens and his men will disembark under the eye of the Praetorians guarding the dock, all of whom are loyal to Sejanus.’
‘What about the ship’s crew?’ Vespasian asked, earning a glare from Macro. ‘They would have seen us boarding and then going over the side.’
‘I was coming to them,’ Macro growled. ‘The crew all come from Puteoli near Misenum; before you sail, their families will be rounded up to ensure their good behaviour and silence. The crew will get their families back alive once they have taken you off the island the following night.
‘Two of Clemens’ men will be waiting for you at the cove; they will show you where to hide the boat and then lead you up a steep path to the cliff-top; from there it’s less than a mile to Tiberius’ villa.
‘The return journey, the following night, will be the exact opposite. The ship will be waiting half a mile off the cove, from midnight, burning one lantern; from the island it will look like a night fisherman. A few of my men will be aboard to keep an eye on the crew. They’ll take you back to Misenum where you can pick up your horses and the cart, in the unlikely event that you should still need it.’
Macro sat back in his chair having evidently finished. His audience sat motionless, waiting to hear the crucial details.
Antonia broke the silence. ‘Thank you, tribune. So, gentlemen, that’s how you get on to and off Capreae. No doubt you’re wondering what you will do whilst you’re there?’
There were a few nervous nods. Antonia smiled. ‘The truth is that I don’t know but in the last letter that Gaius managed to smuggle out he said that by the time you got there he and Clemens would have a plan.’
Everyone looked aghast. Macro was outraged. ‘I’m risking all this,’ he shouted, ‘and you’re telling me that these…’ He struggled for a word. ‘These boys might easily be caught by Sejanus’ men because there isn’t a plan? It would be just a matter of time until they reveal my involvement under torture.’
‘Tribune, please,’ Antonia countered, raising her voice, ‘we all have a lot to lose.’
‘A lot to lose? I have everything to lose. You, on the other hand, will just go back to your scheming and plotting safe from Sejanus within the walls of this house.’
‘You may have the most to lose, tribune,’ Antonia said in a reasoned tone, ‘but I would also say that, in terms of power, you also have the most to gain. I will just remove an enemy; you will be prefect of the Praetorian Guard.’
‘And what if I think that it’s too big a gamble to stake everything on an unfinished plan and decide withdraw my help? What then, eh?’
‘Oh, I don’t think you’ll do that,’ Antonia replied with a sweet smile.
‘Why not?’ Macro demanded, getting to his feet. ‘You’ve got nothing to hold me to you, nothing at all with which you could convince Sejanus that I’ve been disloyal to him. I’ve been most careful on that point. I could just withdraw and pretend that this never happened.’
