Gaius saw Vespasian’s eyes widen in disbelief, and laughed. ‘Oh, dear boy, do you think that I was this size all my life?’
Vespasian reddened, mortified that his thoughts had been read.
‘No, I was once as fit as you two, as your mother will confirm. I choose to be this way now; or rather I choose the good life that makes me this way. Rome now has an emperor who tolerates lifestyles like mine, unlike his predecessor, the divine Augustus, who was a prude who led an austere life and expected everyone else to do so too. The gods bless Tiberius for allowing me to indulge myself and to be fat and happy.’ He smiled at Vespasian. ‘Well, let us hope that I can be of service in promoting your careers in this fine city of ours. That is after all what you are here for, eh, boys?’ Gaius chuckled.
‘Yes, Uncle, thank you,’ the brothers said in unison.
‘No, no, don’t thank me yet, I haven’t done anything. Wait until you have just cause, then I trust that you’ll find a way to thank me,’ Gaius said, turning back to his sister. ‘Now, Vespasia, I’ll have you shown to your rooms, then I’m sure that you would all appreciate a bath and a change of clothes after your journey; I have a set of very excellent baths here, unless of course you would prefer to go to the public ones?’
‘No, Gaius, we would be most happy to use yours,’ Vespasia replied.
‘As you will. I shall have them brought up to temperature immediately.’
He clapped his hands and four house slaves appeared from the corner of the room. They were all youths in their early teens with long blond hair down to their shoulders. They wore bright red tunics that seemed very short to Vespasian’s eye.
‘These boys will show you to your accommodation,’ Gaius said. He looked apologetically at his sister. ‘I’m afraid, Vespasia, that there is a shortage of female slaves in this household. I trust that you have brought your own.’
‘Indeed, brother, they are outside with the rest of our belongings.’
‘Excellent, I’ll have Priscus my steward make arrangements for them all. Now, please, make yourselves comfortable, I’ll see you when you are refreshed, and then we shall make plans for these boys of yours.’
The bath had indeed been refreshing, although both Vespasian and Sabinus had felt a little disconcerted at being expertly massaged and then rubbed down by two very pretty youths, who, despite their age, seemed to have no hair on their bodies at all, apart from their long golden locks.
They had joined their parents who were sitting in the shade in the courtyard garden. It was dominated by a statue of an unnecessarily large Apollo placed in the middle of the fishpond at the centre of the garden. Vespasian was sitting at the pond’s edge idly trailing his fingers in the water when Gaius arrived.
‘Don’t do that, dear boy,’ he warned. ‘That pond contains my lampreys; they’ll dig their teeth into your finger in a trice, given the chance. Unfortunately they enjoy eating us as much as we enjoy eating them,’ he said cheerily as he sat on a stool proffered by yet another beautiful slave boy. ‘One of my slaves fell in last year and was dead before he could be pulled out. Apparently the whole pool just seethed as they rushed to sink their teeth into him. I believe he died of shock. I was furious as I was particularly fond of the lad and had only recently bought him.’
Vespasian quickly moved away from the pond and sat down next to Titus. Two more slave boys appeared, one with a table and the other with a tray of sweet cakes.
‘It’s my custom at this time of day to take something sweet,’ Gaius said as one of the boys set down the table. ‘I do hope you will join me, it will be a little while before dinner is served.’
The boy with the tray bowed to Vespasia and offered a cake, displaying as he did a pair of smooth well- shaped buttocks and a tight, hairless scrotum, which Gaius eyed appreciatively. Vespasian felt his father, next to him, shift uncomfortably in his chair at the sight and wondered how his mother would react when his side of the table was being served. Thankfully Gaius became aware of his guests’ discomfort and before Vespasia was subjected to the ordeal he slapped the boy’s arse.
‘Arminius, how dare you serve my guests in a state of undress? Go and put your loincloth on at once.’
The boy stared uncomprehendingly at his master, having obviously never before been told to put on that particular item of clothing, if indeed he even possessed one.
‘Go!’ Gaius barked. ‘And leave the cakes on the table.’
The poor boy did as he was told and ran off. Gaius smiled at his guests. ‘I must apologise, they can be very forgetful, these Germans. Good workers, but a bit sloppy.’
‘Please don’t mention it, Gaius,’ Titus replied. ‘No harm done. Are all your slaves Germans? I believe they are very expensive.’
‘Oh, they are, but worth every denarius,’ Gaius said with a faraway look in his eye. ‘I have mainly Germans, but also a couple of Mesopotamians and a Briton.’
‘Where are Britons from?’ Vespasian asked.
‘Britannia, an island to the north of Gaul. Surely you’ve read Caesar? He went there twice over seventy years ago, but they were a vicious bunch and he never managed to subdue them; that will be someone else’s task in the future, no doubt. But come, Titus, haven’t you given the boys any education. Surely they must have read the classics?’
‘I’m afraid Vespasian was more interested in husbandry than history, and much of his reading was neglected.’
‘That is something that must be repaired. Vespasian, I shall lend you my copy of Caesar’s Gallic Wars; in it you will learn about Britannia and Gaul and Germania as well. You need to know these things as a soldier; who knows where you’ll be posted? You boys may have free use of my library whilst you are my guests.’
‘That is most kind, dear brother,’ Vespasia said. ‘I shall make sure the boys use it to their best advantage.’
Gaius gestured to the cakes. ‘Please, in the absence of a serving boy help yourselves, these almond and cinnamon cakes are particularly good. Tuck in, my boys, we have a busy day tomorrow so you need to get your strength up.’
‘What have you planned for tomorrow, Gaius?’ Vespasia asked.
‘Your boys need to be seen and introduced,’ Gaius replied, stuffing a cake between his plump, moist lips. ‘Tomorrow is yet another public holiday, so where better to go to be seen and introduced than at the chariot races in the Circus Maximus?’
CHAPTER VII
At dawn the ancient doorkeeper opened up and admitted the crowd of clients waiting outside to pay their morning respects to their patron. Gaius sat on a stool near the hearth and greeted each of his forty or more clients in order of precedence. Vespasian and Sabinus sat on either side of him and were introduced only to those deemed worthy enough. A young secretary stood behind them taking notes on a wax tablet of any verbal requests, and receiving written petitions from those clients who had problems that they thought could be resolved by their patron.
Those for whom Gaius had some use that day were asked to wait by his study for a private interview. The rest were all given something to eat and drink and then they waited in respectful silence near the door for their patron’s departure. Each held a small purse of coins that, as it was a race day, had been given to them to gamble with. Once the greeting was over Gaius disappeared into his study and dealt with the return favours that he needed from those indebted to him. Vespasian was impressed by the quiet dignity with which both clients and patron conducted themselves as they exploited to the full this symbiotic relationship.
Business concluded, Gaius waddled out of his study and caught sight of Vespasian. ‘Dear boy, be so good as to fetch your parents. It’s time we were leaving; the crowds will be horrendous.’
Once all were assembled in the atrium Gaius made an offering to his household gods, mumbled a prayer, and then made his way outside followed by his family and then his clients. To Vespasian’s surprise, waiting to escort the large party through Rome to the circus were Magnus and six of his crossroads brothers, all sporting sturdy staffs.
‘What are these men doing here, Gaius?’ Vespasia asked. ‘They threatened us yesterday and showed no respect to their betters. I meant to have a word with you about them last night.’
