“Come, sit down; you look very tired.”
“Thank you, Praetor, I appreciate that, butthere’s nothing to sit on.”
He turned and looked at the bare ground nextto him in dull surprise, then gave a honking laugh.
“Why, you’re right! There’s nothing to siton, is there?”
Primus twisted in his curule chair to glareat one of the slaves, snapping his fingers and pointing at the spotnext to him.
“Why isn’t there a chair or stool orsomething here next to me? Go get one, quickly now, or I’ll haveyou flogged.”
Not wanting to cause this poor slave apunishment he did not deserve, I held up my hand to wave himoff.
“I appreciate that, Praetor, but I regretthat I have other duties that can’t wait, so I won’t be long.”
“Oh?” He shrugged carelessly. “Then nevermind. So what is it you want?”
“I was told by Primus Pilus Macrinus thatyou’ve designated the barracks buildings for your own personalquarters.”
“Of course.” He sounded surprised. “I’m notgoing to spend a night under leather when I can sleep under a roof,even in a place as dreary as I’m sure that place is.” He gave ashudder at the thought, then something seemed to strike him, hisexpression changing as he looked at me carefully. A sly lookcreased his fat features, and he nodded his head as if he hadexperienced a revelation.
“Ah,” he said softly. “You were planning ondoing the same thing, weren’t you? Well, I suppose there’s enoughto go around. You can have one of the buildings for your own,though I will, of course, claim the largest one.”
How can this man continue to surprise me? Iwondered to myself.
“No, Praetor, that’s not why I bring it up.I had informed the Primus Pilus that the men of the 8thwho participated in the assault had earned the privilege ofspending the night in the barracks.”
“Why in Hades would you do something likethat? The men don’t need that kind of coddling, do they? I thoughtyou men of the Legions were supposed to be tough.”
“They don’t need to spend the night in thebarracks,” I replied, trying to remain patient. “But I think theyearned it more than anyone else.”
“What are you trying to say?” His eyesnarrowed.
“That they just got through watching some oftheir friends die, unlike any of us,” I said quietly, making sureto include myself, except I doubted it would make anydifference.
“That’s their job,” he shot back. “And it’stheir duty to Rome.”
“Praetor, I assure you that none of thosemen need to be reminded about their duty, because they just didit.” My tone was icy, and I was on the raw edge of losing mytemper. Fortunately, Primus folded, his liquid courage apparentlyrunning out.
“Take the barracks then,” he snapped,turning away from me to grab at the jug of wine. Just then, Masalacame riding up, dismounting to report to Primus.
“The wagons with your belongings will bearriving shortly, and it shouldn’t take much longer after that tohave them moved into the buildings.”
“Tell them to turn back around and go backto camp,” Primus said bitterly. Masala looked surprised, and whenhe looked over at me, I explained.
“The Praetor has graciously decided that themen of the 8th who participated in the assault are moredeserving to rest in comfort than he is, and has agreed to yieldall but one of the buildings for their use,” I explained with astraight face. Standing behind Primus, I saw the look of amusementon Masala’s face, but his tone was neutral as he replied that heunderstood.
“That was very wise and gracious of you,Praetor,” Masala said, putting a hand on the man’s shoulder. Primuslooked somewhat mollified, still slurping on his wine moodilywithout replying.
“I’ll just have those belongings andfurnishings that are most important to you removed and put into oneof the buildings.”
“The largest one,” Primus insisted, makingit clear that this was very important to him.
Masala remounted and headed back to thePraetor’s wagons to turn them around, and I left Primus pouting onthe hill. That night, the men of the Third, Fifth, and First Cohortslept under a roof, while Marcus Primus had to endure being inclose proximity to his inferiors, listening to them snore and fartall night. Perhaps there is some justice in the world, afterall.
Despite Primus’ insistence that weimmediately begin the siege of Serdica, the next day was spent inconsolidating the camps. The wounded men were resting comfortablyin the barracks building and, after their night of comfort, the menof the 8th were summarily dismissed to allow Primus tomove all of his furnishings into the remaining barracks. This mayhave been suitable for him, yet it was an awkward arrangement foreveryone else, since the Praetorium tent was still in thecenter of the new camp, meaning scribes had to move back and forthbetween the camp and where Primus was located to conduct thebusiness of the army. He was also still governor of Macedonia, andcouriers were constantly streaming back and forth from his provinceto the army as well. Naturally, they would come to the camp first,under the reasonable belief that the Praetor would be with hisarmy, only to find that he was two miles away at the fortress.There would be much back and forth with whatever business beingconducted, and the poor scribes and couriers were consigned totrudging back and forth. It apparently never occurred to Primus tocome to the camp during the day before returning to his comforts atnight. However, his absence did serve to make my life easier, sincehe did not interfere with our preparations for the siege. With thecamps being consolidated, Flavianus and his assistants, the PrimiPili, and I went on an inspection tour around the city. As I havedescribed, the western wall of the city fronted the river, and wecould see that canals had been carved out of the rock that traveledunder the walls. The river flowed north to south; we had beentraveling upstream, meaning that if we wanted to divert the flowand cut the water off from Serdica, we would have to travel pastthe city to do so. That would require us to split our force in two,because we could not afford to vacate the fortress and leave theThracian garrison in Serdica between us and it,
