‘Astonishing! He … he really regained his youth?’ Claudius stammered with incredulous disbelief. Then the questions started to tumble out of his mouth at a frenetic pace. ‘What of the beast factor? Did he change immediately into one? And how was he able to do so?’
As if deriving pleasure from drawing out the process of enlightening his peers about this mystery, Octavian chewed slowly and languidly on the sliver of pork, grinning smugly all the while, before lowering himself deeper into the soothing heat of the water and eventually continuing.
‘Well, the first few times it happened, it appeared to be a completely random occurrence, and the subject endured immense agony and suffering through the process, which was rather protracted, unlike the almost instant change the lioness just underwent before your eyes. However, after a while he was able to gain a measure of control over the process, and eventually, with much practice, he was able to perfect it, and make it as fluid and rapid as the change in forms you just witnessed.’
‘Interesting, very interesting indeed,’ commented Lepidus, who was clasping and unclasping his stumpy fingers. ‘So, this was done completely under your watch, with no outside factors?’
‘There was nothing but a few drops of the lioness’s blood involved. The man was kept in a locked cell the entire time.’
‘Where is he now?’ Claudius demanded. ‘And pray tell, what manner of beast did he become?’
‘I will let you see for yourself,’ Octavian answered, imbibing a long sip of wine. ‘Bring out the monster!’
The guards disappeared behind another concealed door, and when they emerged they led before them a thin beanpole of a man with gaunt and unattractive features, marble-pale, heavily freckled skin, and a head of unkempt, woolly red hair.
‘A most unpleasing specimen to look upon,’ Lepidus muttered with distaste.
‘Slave!’ Octavian barked. ‘Change your form!’
The man nodded meekly, keeping his eyes averted the whole time, and without flinching he changed forms as quickly – and in as grotesque a process – as the woman before him had. He, however, became a hamadryas baboon, as large as a wolf, but with an elongated simian face and a mouth that featured enormous, talwar-curved canine teeth.
‘By Jupiter!’ Claudius gasped, slipping and flailing about in the water as shock snapped at him with sudden shark jaws.
The other senators also emitted gasps of fright and disbelief.
‘That beast is unchained!’ Lepidus blurted out in a panic, scuttling backwards with a splash of hot water. ‘It will attack us!’
‘No, no it won’t,’ Octavian countered calmly. ‘Somehow, the creature retains his human mind whilst in beast form. He understands us, although, obviously, he cannot speak. Let me demonstrate.’ Octavian turned to face the baboon. ‘Slave, lie down on your back.’
The baboon complied instantly and lay down on the glossy marble floor.
‘Excellent,’ Octavian said. ‘Now slave, climb atop the statue of Neptune and perch yourself upon the blades of his trident.’
Again the baboon acquiesced to Octavian’s demands, rapidly scaling the smooth contours of the life-sized statue with effortless agility.
‘This is quite delightful!’ Lepidus exclaimed gleefully, his initial fears now allayed.
Octavian flashed him a grin that was dripping with smug pride.
‘Now slave,’ he ordered, ‘get down from there and bring Senator Lepidus a fresh goblet of wine.’
The baboon sprang from the top of Neptune’s trident, landed deftly on the floor and then hurried over to one of the serving boys. The boy, completely unfazed, handed the baboon a goblet of wine, and the animal carried it over to Lepidus, who accepted it from the creature with trembling fingers. The fierce-looking beast then sat meekly upon his haunches and awaited the next command.
‘Change back into human form now, slave,’ Octavian grunted.
In a surreal flurry of receding fur and distending, stretching and shrinking of muscles, the baboon assumed his human form once again, and there, where the baboon had been moments earlier, stood the slave, naked and shivering.
‘Guards, take him back to his cell,’ Octavian muttered, finishing the last of his wine and then tossing the goblet aside for a serving boy to scurry after. The guards complied and led the man out of the chamber.
‘Astonishing,’ Claudius murmured. ‘Absolutely astonishing. The possibilities are endless! Why, we could sell these creatures for a small fortune each! Imagine, having your own lion or tiger or bear to wait upon you!’
‘Or to protect you, as a bodyguard,’ Lepidus suggested, his eyes glowing with the greed-dripping promise of massive wealth. ‘People would pay most handsomely for such a protector!’
‘No,’ Octavian said, his voice at once steeled with harsh resolution. ‘These beasts are far too much of a risk to buy and trade. If one of them realises his own power, do you understand the scale of the revolution we would have on our hands? If these monsters rose up in a revolt, it would be uncontrollable and unstoppable … and it would be the end of not just us, but of the entire Republic. Besides, do you not remember what I just told you? It took the death of over two hundred slaves before I was able to make but one of these creatures. Now, I am admittedly a man of expansive resources, and I could conceivably create more of these things, but even the most dim-witted of businessmen could tell you that such odds and costs of production
