Senator Sabinus.’ He looked up at the sea of expectant faces to find the Urban Prefect. ‘Have Herod Agrippa brought before the Senate in chains.’
PART III
CHAPTER XIII
‘How long is it going to take to rebuild?’ Vespasian asked Sabinus as they watched a work-gang of public slaves unload a delivery of bricks in front of the fire-blackened ruins of Sabinus’ house on the Aventine Hill. All around them scores of other gangs were working among the charred ruins of the Aventine, resurrecting the once beautiful and prosperous hill overlooking the Circus Maximus. Heavy cloud and an incessant drizzle added a depressing sombreness to the scene of devastation; hardly a building remained untouched by the fire that had ripped through the area six months before, adding a sour note to Sabinus’ year as a praetor. His denunciation of Herod Agrippa had resulted in the Jewish king being chained to the wall in a damp cell and Sabinus coming top of the poll in the election — beating Corbulo, much to his chagrin — and therefore eligible for the governorship of a senatorial province.
‘It should be about three months, according to the foreman, but with almost every house on the Aventine being rebuilt he can’t say for certain. It depends on the availability of building materials and slaves and also upon whether you, as the aedile in charge of roads, manage to do your job properly and keep the streets clear. Either way, now that the sea-lanes are opening up again, I’ve got to leave for my province in a few days so you’ll have to oversee the work for me.’
‘At least you don’t have to worry about money, the Emperor’s seen to that.’
Sabinus grimaced. ‘Two hundred million sesterces might sound a lot, and there’s no denying that it was very generous of Tiberius now that it’s finally arrived, but that’s not going to cover the cost of every building on the hill. I’m going to have to find some money from somewhere if the house is going to be rebuilt to the standard that it was originally; Clementina won’t accept anything less.’ He shook his head regretfully. ‘If only I hadn’t bought it and just rented it, then it wouldn’t be my problem.’
Vespasian glanced at his brother and judged that now was not the best of times to bring up the fact that he had advised Sabinus not to take the loan from Paetus with which he had bought the house.
Sabinus caught his look. ‘I suppose you want to say “I told you so”, you little shit. Well, you were right: if I’d lived within my means I wouldn’t be in this trouble now. From now on, no more loans.’
‘Have you paid it back yet?’
Sabinus looked embarrassed. ‘No, I keep on meaning to then something happens like a new child, or this.’
‘Well, you should; you promised to pay it back within two years.’
‘Have you kept your promise to Paetus to keep an eye on his son, Lucius, for him?’ Sabinus retorted.
It was Vespasian’s turn to look embarrassed. ‘No, I haven’t. I must take more interest in him.’
‘He must be seventeen now, starting out in life. We both seem to be at fault, brother, as far as Paetus is concerned, so don’t lecture me. I’ll pay it as soon as I’ve got the money.’
‘And I’ll look in on young Lucius. Anyway, you made some money as a praetor last year and should make a lot more from your province; Bithynia’s very wealthy, it’s not the worst place to be the Governor.’
‘It’s not the best either; but you’re right, this time next year I’ll be comfortable enough.’
‘Sir! Sir!’
Vespasian and Sabinus turned to see Magnus running up the hill towards them.
‘Have you heard the news?’ Magnus puffed, pushing past a couple of slaves carrying a heavy wooden beam. ‘It’s all over the city.’
‘Well, unless it’s that my brother has temporarily lifted the ban on delivery carts in the city during the day for building materials for the Aventine,’ Sabinus replied, ‘it hasn’t reached this burned-out quarter.’
‘Your brother-in-law, Clemens, arrived an hour ago with a message from Capreae: Tiberius is dead.’
‘Dead? When?’ Vespasian asked.
‘Yesterday. The Forums are all full of people demanding that his body is brought back to Rome so that it can be chucked into the Tiber.’
‘Did he name Claudius as his successor?’
‘The will hasn’t been read yet, but apparently Caligula has the imperial ring on his hand and has proclaimed himself emperor. He’s sent Macro to address the Senate and read Tiberius’ will; according to Clemens he’s a couple of hours behind him.’
Vespasian looked in alarm at his brother. ‘Shit! Antonia isn’t going to like that; we’d better go and present ourselves to her and see what she plans to do.’
‘She can’t do anything. If Caligula has the imperial ring and Macro throws the Praetorian Guard’s support behind him, he’s the Emperor and that’s that. The best thing that we can do at the moment is to look out for ourselves and get to the Senate so that we don’t stand out as being the only two senators not present to acclaim Caligula emperor.’
Clemens was standing at the foot of the Senate House steps as Vespasian, Sabinus and Magnus arrived. Scores of senators were arriving from all directions, pushing their way through the delirious mob, each as keen as the two brothers to have their loyalty to the new regime noted.
‘I was hoping to find you here,’ Clemens said, greeting the brothers with a grasp of their forearms and a nod to Magnus before leading them away from the crowd. His pinched, narrow face seemed more pasty than usual.
‘You look worried, Clemens,’ Sabinus observed.
‘Of course I’m worried; everyone in their right mind should be worried. The Empire has just been stolen by a lunatic.’
‘What do you mean “stolen”?’
‘Caligula murdered Tiberius with Macro’s help; they suffocated him, I’m sure of it. When I saw the body shortly after they came out of Tiberius’ room to announce his death his face was discoloured and his tongue was swollen and sticking out of his mouth. Admittedly he was on death’s door anyway but he had just changed his will.’
‘In favour of whom? Claudius?’
‘How would I know? It hasn’t been read yet. All I know is Tiberius called me into his room and ordered me to send for his secretary to bring his will. Once the changes had been made the secretary came out with it and Macro seized it and read it with Caligula. Then they went into Tiberius’ room and the next thing we knew Tiberius was dead, Caligula had his ring and the German Bodyguard were hailing him as Caesar. The secretary accused Macro and Caligula of murder so Caligula’s first order as emperor was to have the man’s tongue cut out and have him crucified.’
Sabinus shrugged. ‘So Caligula’s emperor; it was always going to happen if Tiberius let him survive, whatever Antonia may have tried to do about it. At least we know him and can claim an acquaintance, even if it was some time ago. It could work out quite well for us; and for you too, Clemens — you are the tribune of his personal guard, after all.’
‘If he was sane then perhaps you’d be right; but he’s not. Neither of you have seen him during the last six years but I’ve been with him all the time on that mad island. I’ve watched him become as sexually depraved as Tiberius but with the stamina that the old man didn’t possess. He’s never satisfied, no matter how many people he’s fucked or who he’s been fucked by. Tiberius encouraged him — I heard him joke that he was nursing a viper in Rome’s bosom — by showing him how unbridled power can be used for limitless self-gratification, and Caligula has learnt well. But there was always one thing that restrained him and that was the knowledge that he was ultimately
