Final Campaign

never made it to Arelate when he was alive,although Iras and the children did come several months later to paytheir respects. Master Gaius, as Quartus Pilus Prior, could notfind enough time to do the trip justice, so sent his familyinstead. Young Master Titus took the death of his great-uncleespecially hard, according to Iras, with whom I am not ashamed tosay I share a bond with since both of us were at one point propertyof Titus Pullus. I was reminded of all that had transpired withIras when her first question concerned the last days of my masterand friend, and of whether he had honored all that he had promised.Although this was not something that we discussed often, I feltconfident that I knew Titus' wishes and his heart, so I assured herthat, according to his will, all was in order. The only matter thatremained was that it be ratified in Rome, when the copy was checkedagainst the original that he, like almost every Roman withproperty, had deposited in the safekeeping of the Vestal Virgins.It is in the basement of their temple where all the wills, theoriginals, that is, reside and are compared to the copiespresented. I assured Iras, who I refused and still do, to callMadame, that the delay in the matter of her manumission was merelya technicality. Somewhat to my surprise, she did not appearinterested in her own fate in the least; what she wanted to knowwas when her children could rightfully claim their status asequestrian. That was when I recognized the lengths a motherwill go to in order to both protect and to advance the fortunes ofher young. Understanding her true motivation, it was easier for meto provide the words that gave her comfort, which she acceptedgratefully, and most importantly, without question. In my defense,I must at least say that at this point, I did not know what I knownow.

I am happy to relate that there was oneprovision in my master's will that was not subject to themanipulation of Rome, and that concerned Ocelus. Even with hisyoung age, young Titus Porcinus Pullianus, as his new name is nowknown despite what happened in Rome, had no problem in clamberingaboard the back of Ocelus who, I must say, did not so much astwitch a muscle when Titus was helped up onto his back. Even now, Iam assuming that the two are still getting along perfectly.

Which is cold comfort, considering themessage I received six months after my master's passing. Onceagain, it was brought to his door by a dispatch riderand, if my memory serves, it was the same man who broughtthe message confirming my master's elevation to equestrian status.What was unmistakably the same was the seal affixed to the scrollthat was handed to me. As had happened the last time, the rider wasonly required to obtain my official acknowledgement that I hadreceived the message in my formal capacity as the executor of mymaster's estate. Agis was with me; it was my now-longest compatriotwho had brought the rider to me, and the pair of us moved into mymaster's study, thinking it the appropriate place to read a missivefrom Augustus. I know now that my memory of what happened iscolored by the knowledge of what the scroll contained, but I swearby all the gods that even before, I experienced a subtle message offear and disquiet even before I broke the seal. Unrolling it, Ifound that I had to read the letter twice, not because it was hardto decipher, but that it was close to impossible to understand.Agis, clearly sensing something wrong, edged closer as he tried topeek over my shoulder, although I do not know why, since he cannotread.

"W-w-w-w....."

Not wanting to put him or me through theordeal of making him stutter his way through the question, I toldhim what was contained in the letter, despite the fact that I stilldid not understand why.

"It's from Augustus," I began, surprisedthat my voice was steady, "and it says that the status as anequestrian that was awarded to our master," I stopped myself as thefirst shiver of a huge anger hit me, "that our masterearned," I corrected, not willing to just read the written wordbecause of the injustice of it, "will not be allowed to pass on tohis heirs, because of some 'new information' that Augustus says hehas been made aware of that wasn't available when he served as ourmaster's sponsor."

I had to stop for a moment to composemyself, while Agis gaped in open-mouthed astonishment. Then, a lookof real fear came over his face as the full import of what thismight mean hit him.

"W-what a-a-b-bout us?"

He did not need to say anything more, and Idropped my head back to the scroll, reading with a growing sense ofunease. When I reached a certain part, I will not lie, and I hopemy master does not begrudge either Agis' or my reaction, I saggedin relief.

"All other bequests and orders pertaining tothe disposition of his property are to be honored exactly aswritten," I told Agis, barely registering the shout of joy andrelief he gave as he collapsed to the floor.

The truth is that I had continued reading,and I felt the corners of my mouth tugging downward as I tried toread not just what was written, but what it meant.

"However," I interrupted Agis' celebration,"it has been decreed that a fine in the sum of 300,000 sesterces bepaid by master's estate to the Treasury of Rome. For," I could nothelp the bitter, disbelieving laugh escaping my lips,"'administrative' fees pertaining to master's transfer into theequestrian class."

"B-but if h-he's not an equestriana-anymore, w-w-what do they n-need the f-f-fees for?" Agis asked,reminding me of something Titus had often said; uneducated does notmean unintelligent, because this was a very good question.

That was when I read the letter a thirdtime, and understood not only the cleverness behind this, but thevindictiveness.

"Master is, or was," I corrected, "anequestrian. He is entered in the rolls of the equestrian class.But," I looked over at Agis as the full import of what this meantfinally hit me, "Gaius isn't. And as a way to