truth.’
Vespasian sat up. ‘Shit! He could’ve just as easily changed his mind and where would that leave Antonia and all of us?’
‘We should sleep, Vespasian; it’ll be a long and dangerous day tomorrow.’
Vespasian kissed her on the lips and lay back on the pillow. He closed his eyes but he knew that sleep would be difficult to find; tomorrow would be a bloody day — one way or another.
CHAPTER XVIIII
The early-morning mist still clung to the lower reaches of the city along the shores of the Tiber, shrouding the island opposite the Campus Martius, as Vespasian, Caenis and Gaius climbed the Palatine in the fresh dawn light. All around them, groups of senators, carrying their folding stools, made their way in the same direction, towards the Temple of Apollo on the southern side of the hill; the mood amongst them was generally buoyant but, here and there, small clusters of less exuberant senators walked slowly with grim faces, the future weighing heavily upon their shoulders.
The crowds grew thicker as they approached the Temple of Apollo because the ordinary people of Rome, drawn by the rumour of Sejanus’ elevation, were gathering to witness the day’s unfolding events. Gaius’ senatorial toga was enough to clear a path for them as the deferential crowd parted to let the senators through to the beautiful, octagonal temple set on a podium, built by Augustus in thanks to his guardian god for his victories.
Paetus met them at the foot of the steps leading up to the temple doors and quickly got them through the security cordon of a century of togate Praetorians. Gaius went ahead with Caenis to find a place under the portico where he would be able to find her again in a hurry.
‘Why aren’t you in the Forum, Vespasian?’ Paetus enquired as they mounted the steps.
‘I’ve been asked to come here,’ Vespasian replied simply as scores of senators flooded past them into the building.
Paetus looked at him shrewdly. ‘I needn’t ask who by. So things may not be going the way the rumours suggest, eh?’
‘Perhaps not, Paetus. I really don’t know. I’m in the rather unpleasant position of being used as a tool for a purpose that I don’t fully understand.’
‘It was ever thus for us junior magistrates. This is not a day to be in Rome, wouldn’t you say, old boy?’
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd below and Vespasian turned to see both the Consuls, each preceded by twelve fascesbearing lictors, cut two different swathes through the milling citizenry as if competing to reach the temple first.
‘Well, this will be fun,’ Paetus observed dryly. ‘It’s the first time the two Consuls have attended a meeting of the Senate together since Memmius Regulus took over from Faustus Sulla as Senior Consul at the beginning of this month; his junior colleague, Fulcinius Trio, hates him because he’s the Emperor’s man not Sej-’ Paetus stopped abruptly and looked at Vespasian. ‘Oh! I see,’ he said slowly. ‘This has been planned well in advance, hasn’t it?’
‘Yes, it has, but nobody except Tiberius knows what the outcome will be.’
‘Well, Memmius Regulus must be pretty confident that he knows; he cancelled the three treason trials in the Forum this morning, all of which had been brought by Sejanus.’ He turned to go. ‘I’d better go in before the Consuls; I’ll see you later in what will be a different Rome, one way or another.’
Vespasian watched him go with that uncertain phrase echoing in his head.
Regulus had won the race to be the first Consul to arrive and he mounted the steps with all the dignity befitting his rank, followed, a few paces behind, by a sour-faced Fulcinius Trio. As they disappeared into the temple Gaius returned, having left Caenis between the first two of the Luna marble columns of the portico, just to the right of the main door.
‘I’d better be going in, my dear boy,’ he said, sounding more than a little nervous. He indicated Caenis’ position. ‘You’d best go and join her. Good luck.’
Vespasian did not need a second invitation to vacate the entrance; as his uncle turned to leave, a mighty cheer broke out from the crowd and it parted to reveal Sejanus walking, in amongst a large group of his supporters, directly towards him.
Vespasian skipped behind the column to find Caenis ready with a wax tablet and bronze stylus in hand, but looking worried.
‘Are you all right, Caenis?’
‘I can’t see the slave that I’m meant to hand the first list to,’ she replied, scanning the crowd.
‘Keep looking, I’m sure he’ll turn up,’ Vespasian assured her as Sejanus’ party mounted the steps; when they reached the top Sejanus stopped.
‘Friends,’ he said, addressing the senators around him, ‘go on in and reserve a place of honour for me; I’ll stay out here a while until everyone is in and then I shall enter last, for maximum effect.’
His supporters cheered him and then began to make their way inside.
Vespasian peered out from behind the column and caught a glimpse of Sejanus; he did not look like a man confident of high honour. His square-jawed face seemed strained and he wore a heavy frown; his hands were fidgeting. He turned suddenly, feeling that someone close by was watching him, and caught sight of Vespasian as he ducked back behind the column.
‘You there, what are you doing?’ he shouted, moving towards Vespasian’s and Caenis’ position.
‘Prefect!’ A voice called from the bottom of the steps, stopping Sejanus in his tracks.
‘Macro, thank the gods,’ Sejanus exclaimed with relief in his voice. ‘Has there been a message from the Emperor? I’ve heard nothing from him for eight days now; I don’t want to go into the meeting unless I’m absolutely sure that he is favouring me and this isn’t a trap.’
‘There has been, sir,’ Macro replied, taking the steps two by two, and taking a sealed scroll from the fold in his toga.
‘Give it to me,’ Sejanus ordered.
‘It’s for the Senate,’ Macro stated, ‘the seal is only to be broken by the senior Consul at the Emperor’s express orders.’
‘Who delivered it?’
‘I did.’
‘You’ve been with the Emperor,’ Sejanus exclaimed incredulously. ‘By whose authority?’
‘The Emperor himself summoned me to Capreae two days ago. I saw him yesterday morning and travelled back overnight using our horse-relay service.’
‘What? Why you and not me?’ Sejanus asked with low menace in his voice.
‘Because, sir,’ Macro replied calmly, ‘the Emperor felt that it would be inappropriate for you to carry this message to the Senate.’
‘Do you know the contents, Macro?’
‘I do, sir; let me be the first to congratulate you.’ Macro clapped Sejanus on the arm. ‘It’s what we have hoped for: Tiberius is asking the Senate to vote you what you deserve for the services that you’ve rendered both to him and to Rome.’
‘Tribunician power! Has he made me his heir?’
‘The Emperor said to tell you that this letter contains almost everything that you deserve.’
‘Almost everything?’
‘Almost.’
‘Then I shall be content with that for the present,’ Sejanus said with relief in his voice. ‘Come, my friend, let us enter together.’
‘I’ll only deliver the letter to the Senior Consul; then I’ll go back to the Praetorian Camp to prepare the men for your welcome.’
‘Do that, my friend,’ Sejanus said as they entered the temple, ‘you will not find me ungrateful.’
Applause burst out as they stepped through the doors.
