'Indeed, sir! This has been a remarkable occasion following a wonderful day's events. I will remember it all my life.'
I was certainly not being dishonest in my claim.
'In my travels, Lysias, I don't meet very many young people,' Hadrian confided. 'I am attended by all manner of people of all ages, and even many children at the Court, and so on, but I have to make a point of going out of my way to meet those who are up-and-coming in my domains and have something fresh to offer Rome. So an occasion like this is rare for me too. I'd forgotten how lively and entertaining young people can be when they're together as a group.'
'I can appreciate that, sir,' I offered as supportively as I could muster.
'I am especially impressed with you Bithynians, Lysias. I can see how the Hellenes in Bithynia are holding closely to their traditional ways, especially among the sons of your nobility.
For example, watching you and Antinous wrestle together in the antique style at your palaestra at Claudiopolis a week ago, and also realizing how the hunt is still a feature of a young Bithynian's life, I'm sure that the great traditions of war training are alive and well here. It's been a great joy to see this age-old heritage flourish in its natural habitat, because it's been lost in much of its native homeland.'
I could discern from Hadrian's manner of speaking how he was actually quite sober, or else he held his drink very well.
'Tell me, Lysias, how do you expect to proceed in your life? What are your ambitions? I am told you are the second son of a father who died serving under my own command of the II Adiutrix at Pannonia when I was Governor in that chilly place many years ago?'
'It was eighteen years ago, sir. I was born that same year, my Lord.'
I assure you, gentlemen, I was taken aback by his question and by Caesar's obvious knowledge of my family circumstances. I was proud of how our emperor knew of my father's death in combat with Legion auxiliaries.
'As a second son, my Lord,' I added, 'I am obliged to seek my fortune apart from dividing my family's estates or wealth.'
Hadrian would well know how second sons are expected to make their own way in life by entering the military or the province Legate's service, or make a career in law and the magistracy, or even in foreign trade as an adjunct to his family's entrepreneurial activities.
'My Elder Brother, sir, expects me to complete my education at an academy in Athens. Then I'll explore the opportunities open to me. We have good connections in both Bithynia and Athens and the gods seem to favor us, so I expect my path will become clear to me as time passes, the Fates permitting.'
Hadrian nodded thoughtfully and reached over to the box which lay at his couch side table to lift out one of the scrolls. It had my name formally inscribed on its identification tag.
'It is my pleasure, Lysias of Bithynia, to award you with this token of our regard for you and your family, as well as for your deceased veteran father,' Hadrian said.
My inner heart screamed with delight, but hopefully it was suppressed by better manners in Caesar's presence.
'Should I read it in your company, my Lord?' I asked with a quivering hand. What could the scroll possibly contain; I was asking myself, barely managing to restrain my impatience.
'Take it back to your couch, and give much thought to its contents, m'boy. You need not respond until you have spoken with your Elder,' Caesar suggested. 'Go now, and be proud of yourself in the name of Rome and your father's honor.'
I backed away towards my own couch, bowing and scraping before Caesar in an almost obscenely obsequious manner. I did so until I passed Antinous.
He leaned cheerily backwards towards me to intercept me as I passed.
'Well? What was that all about?' he hissed from the side of his mouth. But before I could reply Geta approached him and beckoned him too to Caesar's couch.
I greedily unfurled the scroll from its clay seal and ribbons and read its contents. It was inscribed in Latin which I stumbled through clumsily under my breath:-
"Under the seal of the Imperial Household on behalf of Imperator Caesar Publius Aelius Hadrianus, Greetings! This letter endows Lysias of Claudiopolis, Son of Lysander of Claudiopolis at Bithynia (Corporal of the Bithynian Cavalry Auxiliary, deceased), an Imperial Scholarship to The Palatine College of Provincial Administration at Rome for a period of two years.
Presentation of this letter to the Office of the Legate Governor of the Province of Bithynia-Pontus will enact the scholarship and its attributes, which includes an endowment of all costs for the duration of the scholarship within an approved schedule, including transport via the Imperial Courier Service, all necessary security protections, accommodations, clothing, food allowance, servant allowance, and other expenses as outlined in the schedule.
Signed under Imperial Seal, L. Julius Vestinus, Ab Epistulus" etc.
A scholarship to the Palatine College in Rome is a hugely important step towards progress in the civil service in either Italy or the provinces, and an assured route to financial gain and social status. It has many civic advantages. Even the possibility of Roman citizenship was one.
While this scholarship to Rome still ricocheted around my mind, I noted how Antinous was faring at Caesar's couch.
I observed how they engaged in light banter for some minutes with many nods and smiles, and I could sense that my friend's joy was slowly rising in happy expectation. I watched as Hadrian again reached into his box for the final rolled scroll and presented it to Antinous.
I wondered if it too offered a similar scholarship to the Palatine College, which would be a wonderful opportunity for us both. I lip-read Hadrian using similar words to the words he used with the other boys, though he permitted Antinous to break the seal and open his scroll.
I watched as Antinous read the contents with his face brightening. I could see how he too had received happy news.
However, Caesar then leaned forward towards him, resting one hand on his knee in a familiar manner, and spoke words directly close to his ear. They were apparently words of an intimate or private nature because I could see something akin to surprise register on my friend's face.
He drew quickly back and was rendered speechless for some seconds. My awareness of Antinous's moods and needs told me a matter had transpired which either shocked or amazed him.
Antinous paused, seated at the edge of Caesar's couch. Both looked seriously toward each other for some suspended moments. Then I saw Antinous slowly, shyly, demurely smile in a somewhat fazed manner and nod affirmatively. He was agreeing to something.
Antinous deeply bowed acknowledgement, withdrew slowly from the couch, but instead of duplicating the earlier stumbling obsequiousness of the other boys, he simply strode thoughtfully back to his own couch. It was now my turn to enquire.
'Well? How did you go? What was in the scroll?'
Antinous looked to me in an oddly remote way. It was an expression I had never seen in him previously. Then he brightened.
'Caesar has awarded me a scholarship to the Palatine College in Rome.' Distraction then returned to his features.
'Me too, Ant! Will your Father agree? He will, surely?'
Antinous paused for a moment to think about it and looked beyond me towards some distant horizon.
'Agree? I don't know. I'll have to see, Lys.'
'What else did Caesar say?'
I simply couldn't resist asking. Some other matter had transpired at the couch. Once again Antinous assumed his trance-like gaze.
'I don't know. I'll have to wait and see.'
CHAPTER 10
Lysias continued his testimony before his hearers. They were entranced by his tale.
"We bunked down that night in our assigned marquee on clean straw still dressed in our wine-splashed symposium garb. Antinous and I made sure we slept under separate cloaks so as not to generate gossip among the servants. Personally, I wanted to hug him close in anticipation of the remarkable times we would be having some day soon at the Palatine College in Rome.