The three moved cautiously into Antinous's sleeping chamber. The tenting was open to the night sky and its blaze of stars. A solitary lamp was slowly exhausting its final drops of oil, casting long flickering shadows into the gloom. Stale incense hung in the air while another wind-chime tinkled randomly.
Filling much of the chamber was a low bed which could sleep five. It was draped in tribal Greek rugs. Crumpled cushions lay about. Empty goblets had fallen to their sides across the floor-tiles beside the bed, leaking droplets of russet stain onto the tiles.
Strabon noticed a wax-block notebook and writing stylus folded closed on a side table. He drew the other's attention to it. Clarus was nearest so he picked it up and opened its cover.
"Well, does it say anything?" Suetonius asked.
"It's in Greek. I think it's expressed in an archaic mode of Greek, not today's common Greek. It's being very historic or poetic. If I'm not wrong it translates as:
'When the King of Lions plays with the lion cub no more it is time for the cub to locate its own pride."
The weak pun on 'pride' might have been intentional, if artless, Suetonius thought. All three of the group grasped its basic message, though there was no way to know if it was in Antinous's own hand or another's.
"Strabon, keep this wax-pad safe and away from heat until we can identify the writer," Suetonius instructed. The scribe wrapped the tablets in a cloth and placed it securely within his shoulder basket of tools and pads.
Clarus then turned to one of the other entrance portals. He heard a sound beyond. The others followed as he tentatively moved through another vestibule outside Antinous's bedchamber. A further smaller bedchamber extended beyond the vestibule.
They entered hesitantly. Lying close to the tented wall in the shadows lay a curled figure. It had its back to the visitors. The figure was quietly heaving, huddled against the felts.
Strabon raised the chamber's single lamp and played its light onto the bundle of fabric. The bundle realized there was company present and slowly turned towards them, wiping its eyes as it did so. Once again they had intruded into the private space of someone displaying eyes red from weeping.
It was Lysias of Bithynia, the school-chum friend of Antinous.
Lysias was already a man. At twenty-four years of age he displayed manhood's razored bristles, a sturdy athlete's body, pronounced bone structure, and bright intelligent eyes showing the benefit of well-nourished ancestors. Nevertheless, where many men his age were already senior officers in the Legions slaughtering barbarians at the frontiers or hunting down and crucifying gangs of Judaean bandits in Palaestina, here was this sturdy youth lying curled against a tent wall with his eyes red from weeping.
"Come, come, come, lad," Suetonius called, half in rebuke, half in sympathy, "this is no way for a man of honor to act. Lysias of Bithynia, I believe?"
They awaited a response. After a few moments the figure turned towards them, wiping his eyes as he shuffled upright. The fellow stumbled clumsily to his feet.
"Lysias, son of Lysander of Claudiopolis at Bithynia-Pontus. I travel under the patronage of Antinous, son of Telemachus of Claudiopolis, who is the special companion of Caesar Hadrian. I am a freeborn member of the landholding class of Bithynia and a captain of the Claudiopolis Militia. At your service."
He spoke Latin with only a hint of a Greek accent, the audible outcome of a good education at both Nicomedia and at Athens.
"Your tears, I assume, are for your former patron Antinous?" Clarus probed, perhaps somewhat unnecessarily. Lysias's lip trembled.
"Yes," he said simply.
"We are Senator Septicius Clarus, a magistrate to the Imperial Household, while I am Suetonius Tranquillus, Special Inspector into the death of Antinous. It is our duty under the seal of Caesar to investigate the circumstances of the Bithynian's death."
"On behalf of Caesar?!" the youth declaimed daringly. "You mean Lord Caesar does not know?!"
Clarus and Suetonius were startled by the provocation.
"Caesar has delegated this enquiry to us. We are obliged to interview you on the matter, as we are to interview all those involved with the deceased who might know something of the manner and reason for the youth's death. We possess the authority of law and its instruments of interrogation."
Clarus was hinting not so delicately at the range of options open to their investigation, without actually mentioning the fiercest possibility. Suetonius coughed politely, to distract them from any mood of threat which might arise. Not formally being a citizen of Rome, Lysias was potentially subject to the more brutal forms of interrogation.
Suetonius interceded. "I understand you are — you were — boyhood friends together?"
"Antinous and I have known each other since early childhood; we have known each other all our lives. We are friends."
Lysias uttered this claim with its special emphasis on friends in a loaded manner. Suetonius mentally filed this comment for later exploration.
Glancing around the chamber, he realized how Antinous's apartments were probably not the place to interview Lysias.
"Gentlemen, I think we should retire to Secretary Vestinus' chambers to conduct this interview, don't you think?"
He looked at Clarus with an eyebrow raised. "Besides, there'll be food and wine to enjoy," he added. "We are keen, Lysias, to learn more about your remarkable friend Antinous. I'm sure you will know many things about the youth which may assist us in determining the manner of the lad's death?"
He was interested to learn more about the dead youth's relationships and activities and where Caesar fitted-in to that. Separately, what was the precise nature of their relationship? Was Lysias an alternative lover of Antinous?
Suetonius thought something provocative might be a useful opener.
"Tell us, did Antinous sleep with others in this bedroom?"
Strabon lurched urgently to his writing tools and began fluttering a stylus across a notepad's wax surface.
"No, not at all," the young Greek responded firmly. "Antinous sleeps in this bed with none other than Caesar. He was Caesar's Companion. That was their compact. When Caesar was disposed elsewhere, Antinous slept here alone. And I can assure you it was not because he was without petitioners. Half the Court and even the eunuchs seemed eager to hop into bed with him."
Suetonius was surprised to learn of this fidelity.
"Did you sleep close by last night, Lysias, the night of Antinous's drowning?" Clarus asked. "Or did you sleep elsewhere?"
Lysias paused thoughtfully. His eyes flashed momentary pain.
"I remained on my bed next to this chamber all night."
"Then you will know what times Antinous came and went through the night or morning? You will know something of his movements?" Clarus contributed.
Lysias paused again to consider his response. Strabon's stylus paused its fluttering.
"Antinous did not sleep in his chamber at all last night," Lysias said at last with increasing emotion.
Clarus, Strabon, and Suetonius looked questioningly to each other. So Antinous had been elsewhere throughout the entire night?
"Where then, Lysias, do you think Antinous had been?" Suetonius asked.
"Elsewhere, I would assume," he offered obliquely.
"Elsewhere? With Caesar?"
"I do not know," was the simple reply.
Clarus cut across this line of questioning. Anything of proximity to Caesar made him uncomfortable. Caesar was not under investigation.
"It's time to return to our assigned apartments," Clarus demanded. "And it's time to take a formal record from this young man."
"Join us, Lysias of Bithynia. We wish to take testimony from you."