fashioned from her pose and Cailin herself. When he saw she was growing tired, he stopped, and Cailin put on her tunica before they went to sit outside in the sunshine and drink sweet, freshly squeezed orange juice, and nibble upon sesame cakes that Zeno brought them.
'I shall miss your company,' Cailin told Arcadius. 'I enjoy all your wicked gossip, and have learned much of those with whom I will have to associate when I am married to Aspar.'
'Your life will not be easy,' he answered her frankly. 'Those at the court with whom you should associate will avoid you until they know you, and even when they know your true worth, some will continue to shun you, Cailin Drusus. Only those of whom you should be wary will be eager to cultivate your friendship due to the influence you have with Aspar, or because they hope to seduce you as they have so many others. Your virtue, in light of the gossip surrounding you, will truly madden them.'
'What a paradox you Byzantines are,' Cailin said. 'You espouse a religion that preaches goodness, and yet there is so much evil among you. I do not really understand your people at all.'
'Our society is simple,' Arcadius told her. 'The rich desire power, and more riches. These things make them feel invincible, and so they behave as other people would not dare to behave. They are crueler, and more carnal, and because their faith promises them forgiveness if they will but repent, they do so every now and then, ridding themselves of their past sins so they may go and sin some more.
'This is not unique to Byzantium alone, Cailin. All civilizations reach this apogee at some point in their development. Those less rich imitate their betters; and the poor are kept in their place by a top-heavy bureaucracy and a beneficent ruler who allows them into the games free. Bread and circuses, my dear girl, keep the poor in check, except for those rare times when plague, or famine, or war interfere with the workings of the government. When those things happen, even emperors are not safe on their thrones.' He chuckled. 'I am a cynic as you can see.'
'All I desire,' Cailin replied, 'is to marry my dear lord, and if the gods will it, bear him a child. I shall live here in the country, raise my children, and be content. I want no part of Byzantium's intrigues, Arcadius.'
'You will not be able to escape them, dear girl,' he said. 'Aspar is not some unimportant noble with a country estate to which he may retire. This idyll you have been living cannot continue once you are married. You will have to accept your proper place at court as the wife of the empire's First Patrician. Take my advice, dear girl, and do not ally yourself with any faction no matter how seductively they importune you to join them,
'My loyalty is to Aspar,' she said quietly, but firmly.
'That is good. Ah, yes, dear girl, I can see you will not be lured by the siren's song sung at the court. You are too sensible. Now let us return to the business of immortalizing you,' he said, chuckling. 'You have an outrageously lush form for such a practical woman.'
'Tell me about these games you are so eager to return to the city for, Arcadius,' Cailin said after she had resumed her pose. 'I thought there were only games in May on the day of commemoration. I did not know they were held at other times. Will there be chariot races? I did enjoy the races.'
'There are games held several times during the year,' he answered her, 'but these particular games are being sponsored by Justin Gabras to celebrate his marriage to Aspar's former wife, Flacilla Strabo. He was unable to schedule them sooner because in the spring everything is concentrated on the May games. Then the weather grew too hot in the summer. So Justin Gabras planned his games to coincide with the sixth-month anniversary of his marriage to Flacilla. There will be racing in the morning and gladiators in the afternoon. Gabras, I am told, has paid for death matches.'
'I have never seen gladiators,' Cailin said. 'They fight with swords and shields, don't they? What are death matches?'
'Well, dear girl,' Arcadius began, 'I see that this is another area of your education I shall have to fill in for you. Gladiatorial bouts first began in ancient Campania and Etruria, from whence our ancestors sprang. The first gladiators were slaves, made to battle each other to the death for their masters' amusement. Such matches came to Rome eventually, but were held only during the funeral games for distinguished men. They were rare for many years. Then slowly gladiatorial bouts began being sponsored privately, and the emperor Augustus funded a few of what he called 'extraordinary shows.' Eventually the gladiators were scheduled regularly at the public games in December on the Saturnalia, while politicians, and others wishing the public's support, supplied free gladiatorial combats at other times. The populace loved the excitement and the blood lust of such games.
'In the beginning gladiators were captives taken in war who far preferred death to becoming slaves. They were trained fighters. Soon, however, with the Roman peace imposed over most of the world, the supply of captives dwindled and it became necessary to train men who were not soldiers. Many criminals were sentenced to become gladiators, but even so, there was not enough of a supply to fill the now great demand. Many innocent men were accused of petty offenses and condemned to the ring. Early
Christians were sacrificed because there were not enough criminals or captives to be found. When there were not enough men available, women and, yes, even small children were sent into the ring to fight.'
'How awful!' Cailin cried, but Arcadius continued, unmoved.
'There were schools for gladiators in Capua, Praeneste, Rome, and Pompeii, as well as other cities. Some schools were owned by wealthy nobles so they might train their own fighters, but others were the property of men who dealt in gladiators. The schools were strictly run because their purpose was to ensure a steady supply of competent, effective fighters. The teachers were tough, but they trained their charges well, and carefully. Diet was monitored. Each day held a round of gymnastics, and lessons from weapons experts.
'Eventually, however, it became impossible to obtain enough students to train even from among captives and criminals. Today's gladiators are free men who have chosen the life for themselves.'
'I cannot imagine why,' Cailin replied. 'It sounds terrible. But what of the weapons they use, Arcadius? And how do they fight?'
'In pairs, usually,' he said, 'although in the past gladiatorial combats have pitted masses of men against masses of men. Usually few were left standing. Professional gladiators are divided into three groups: Samnites, who are heavily armed; Thracians, who are lightly armed; and there are net fighters. The net man's weapons are his large net, his daggers, and a spear.'
'You still have not told me what a death match is,' Cailin said.
'The combatants fight to the death, unless, of course, Gabras grants the loser of each match mercy. Knowing Justin Gabras, I doubt he will. He will be far more popular with the people if he gives them a show of blood.'
'How horrible,' Cailin said, shuddering. 'I do not think I would like these gladiatorial combats, knowing that one of the two men has to die.'
'It adds spice to the match knowing it,' Arcadius said. 'The combatants are always magnificent fighters under such circumstances.'
'I am surprised that any free man would agree to fight under such conditions,' Cailin noted. 'To know that you might be killed is such a frightening prospect.' She shuddered.
'But there is always the chance you will not be killed,' he answered. 'Besides, the fee for a death match is far better than for just the ordinary combat. The little gossip that reaches me here tells me that the current, unbeaten champion, a man known as the Saxon, is to fight in Gabras's games.'
'I feel sorry for him,' Cailin said. 'If he is the unbeaten champion, then all the others will strive harder to bring him down. He faces the most danger.'
'True,' Arcadius agreed, 'but it will make for a far more exciting match. You may step down, Cailin, and clothe yourself. I am finished.' He stepped back to admire his handiwork. 'It is done, and it is one of my greatest masterpieces, I think,' he said, feigning understatement. 'Aspar should be well-pleased, and inclined to pay me on time for my efforts.'
'What of the base?' she demanded. 'I want it set in the garden facing the sea before Aspar returns from Adrianople.'
'I have an apprentice in the city working on the pedestal, my dear,' he told her. 'The marble is most unique, a pink and white mixture. I have no idea where it came from. We found it lying about beneath some old clothes in the rear of my studio, but when I saw it, I knew it was the perfect piece of stone for our Venus. Come and look now.'
Cailin had slipped her tunica back on. She came around to view her statue. The young Venus, as Arcadius liked
