“Thank you, sir. Luck was on my side,” Thad said. He knew he needed to be on his best behavior and also knew that he should be respectful and formal with a senator. Especially, since Felix said that most if not all of the senate despised the emperor.
“You speak our language very well,” the senator said.
“Thank you, sir,” Thad said but didn’t know what else to say. It was murky waters and he didn’t know enough about Italy to give a location of origin. He’d told others he was from Sicily, but that was it. When they had tried to pinpoint where in Sicily, Thad got nervous and changed the subject. He could not offer up his origins except to say somewhere up north.
“Come, walk with me,” the older man said and Thad accompanied the man. They moved away from the small clusters of people. Thad sipped his wine and finished the bread and cheese. He didn’t think it would be polite to eat while they talked. They ended up near the railing, overlooking the arena. The breeze was cool on his skin, but Thad didn’t complain.
“Where do your people hail from?”
“To the far north,” Thad said.
“Ah. I had heard that you were from Sicily,” the man said and Thad wanted to groan.
“I know that my ancestors originated from there, I believe it is called Catania, but I’m not certain. Both of my parents no longer live,” Thad said and felt the crush of sorrow. They hadn’t been born yet, but it was still the same, in his world, they were no longer alive.
“Forgive me, I did not mean to remind you of sorrow. I am Senator Marius Pansa. Oh, here is my daughter, Tullia. Come daughter, meet the champion, Drago,” Pansa said and both men turned as the young lady that Thad had seen earlier walked over. She was even more beautiful up close, her skin smooth and a pale olive tint. Her cheeks pinked and she dipped her head.
“That is an unusual tattoo you have, it looks like a dragon, but it is very different,” she said, her eyes bright.
“Thank you. It is a stylized dragon,” Thad said, his mouth dry. He’d been asked where he had gotten the tattoo on more than one occasion. Up north had always been his vague answer. Asia had not yet been discovered by the Europeans. Tullia didn’t ask and neither did Pansa and Thad was relieved, he wasn’t a good liar.
“What do you think of fighting in the arena? For the pleasure of Rome?” Tullia asked, a soft smile on her lips. Thad didn’t know what to say, because to criticize the games and being a gladiator was to criticize the emperor. Thad shifted from one foot to the other, looking at Tullia and then Pansa. Pansa watched him like a hawk.
“I’m sorry, I cannot say,” Thad finally said and Pansa nodded his daughter off. She smiled and wandered away.
“Forgive my daughter’s bluntness. She knows my feelings too well. Fear not, you may speak your mind and there will not be said to others. I know how to hold my tongue,” Pansa said in a soft voice, his eyes searching Thad’s face.
“Then sir, I say it is criminal to force men to fight. I understand that some men enjoy this kind of sport. But I and my friends do not,” Thad said. For once, someone had asked him what he thought of it and he wanted to tell the truth. He knew it would be hundreds of years until the sport would end but he wanted to say it anyway.
“I agree young man. Sadly, our opinions count for nothing and you are astute to keep your opinion silent. Perhaps one day we shall banish these brutal games, but with our current emperor, it will not be today,” Pansa said and Thad picked up the bitterness in the man’s voice. Felix had been right about it.
“One day, yes sir.”
Pansa changed the subject and the two men talked about inconsequential things. They moved back to the wine table and refilled their cups, though Thad drank sparingly. Soon Tullia was back at their side and she flirted with Thad, who enjoyed being around a pretty woman. She was smart and Thad could see that Pansa indulged his daughter. She was an only child, her brothers having died in infancy. Her mother was gone as well and so she traveled to Rome from time to time with her father.
When doctore came into the room and clapped his hands, Thad knew that his evening with the beautiful Tullia was over. He bowed once more to Senator Pansa and then to his daughter and left with the other gladiators. Felix had warned them that they might be asked to put on an exhibition and Thad was glad they hadn’t. He was tired and tomorrow would start another long day. There were five more days of games in the small arena, but tomorrow, he only had to train.
Θ
Senator Pansa watched the men go. It had been an interesting evening. He’d never talked to a gladiator before and the young man, Drago, seemed an intelligent and thoughtful young man. He thought it was interesting that the man’s family was from Sicily or at least his ancestors. He had seemed nervous to speak of them. He saw his daughter making her way to him. He thought she was taken with the young man and he with her. He sighed.
“I thought this evening was very fascinating father. I’ve never seen a gladiator before today and well, I must say that I’m impressed with their skill and strength,” Tullia said and blushed prettily. He hadn’t really wanted his daughter here but she had
