"When I get the chance I'll. ."
"Oh no you don't! None of this, 'when I get the chance'. Look, young Claudius. Believe it or not, I'd like to have people like you. You serve me well and I'll reward you, because I know you're not one of those senatorial shits, like the ossified Cincinnati. But you've got to prove yourself."
"What do you wish?" Gaius asked. Today was getting more and more complicated by the instant.
"You follow Tiberius' instructions, of course. But on your way, sooner or later you'll come across someone showing opposition towards Roman authority, and especially towards me. Show me you support me, show me you've got spine and that you're not just a little worm, show me you're clever enough to do something useful and you're not just another clod and yes, I promise I'll support you when I'm Princeps. I'll give you your path in the army, and you will serve me. . yes, religiously. Do you promise?"
"I swear to serve you religiously when you are Princeps," Gaius replied, although he had no clear idea what could be done 'religiously'."
"Then, my first military appointment is made," Gaius Caesar smiled. "Yes, I like that. ." He turned and continued walking.
Gaius watched Gaius Caesar stroll away, this time ignoring everyone.
"Th that was v very clever, th the way you handled that."
"Thank you," Gaius smiled, then added, "You had something to do with all that?"
"N n not much," Claudius replied, "b but Tiberius does small things for me, f for father, really."
"You still did things for me, so thank you."
"C c come and have some fruit," Claudius waved towards a table. "I need an opinion."
"I would have thought there were plenty of opinions around here," Gaius smiled.
"Who'll tell you what you want to hear," Claudius spat. Not even a stutter, Gaius noted. Claudius paused, then said with a grin, "I w want to have y your opinion!"
"Why mine?"
"I n need to know who y you really are."
"I see," Gaius said thoughtfully, then suddenly he pulled himself together. Libo's advice was just as sound now. Claudius might seem a fool, but he was a member of the Imperial Family, and he had the ear of Tiberius. In all probability he was rather more powerful than he looked, and in any case it could never hurt to have an ally in this family. He pulled himself slowly into a more soldier-like stance, and asked, "How can I help?"
"H how good was T Tiberius?"
How to wreck your career in one second, Gaius thought to himself, but he had to answer, and he sensed from Claudius' previous statement that the truth would be more valuable to him than sycophancy. "In my opinion, Tiberius was very competent," Gaius replied carefully. "His real strength was that he maintained good supply and morale. The men liked him, and he looked after them."
"B b but?"
"His campaigns were mainly defensive, which limits what can be said."
"And J J Julius?"
"He had great natural ability, and he moved with great speed," Gaius said. Where was all this going? "He had some marvellous victories, but for many of them, he had to."
"M meaning?"
"In Gaul, he was often out of supply," Gaius said. "He had to win to eat. Yes, he had a brilliant win at Pharsalus, but Pompey should have cleaned him out at Dyrrhachium."
Claudius thought for a moment, then said with a slight smile, "And G Germanicus?"
"Little Boots' father," Gaius said slowly, and when Claudius nodded in agreement, he said, "The troops liked him even more than Tiberius. They almost revered him, which meant that he had to have been an impressive leader, and he won a triumph, and that takes some doing, but. ."
"B b but?"
"His campaign in the East was less than successful," Gaius shook his head.
"And your p pick of Roman generals?"
"Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus," Gaius said simply, pleased to comment on someone not in the Imperial Family. "He defeated a truly great opponent, taking advantage of a careless habit. He knew Hannibal would start with elephants, and he turned the elephants to Hannibal's disadvantage. You know what with?" Gaius smiled.
"T tell me."
"Sound and sunlight," Gaius smiled. "The use of sunlight was truly brilliant."
"There c could be other n natural things to use, y you know."
"Oh, there are. There're hills, rivers. ."
"I m mean, like the sun. L like fire. Th the Greeks thought about using giant m m mirrors to burn sails on ships, and th throwing b burning s sulphur, and. ." He paused, then added, "Th there must b be more."
"I suppose."
"Y you would d do very well by Tiberius if you thought of something," he added. "It'd p p please him to think his G G Greek was useful."
"That's easier said than done," Gaius remarked.
"I d doubt everything's been th th thought about," Claudius shrugged. "I m m mean, nobody's thought v very much about. . w well. y you know."
Gaius was not sure that he did, but he agreed.
"Y you m must write to m me," Claudius said. "Tell me w what you're d doing. I would like to know wh what it's like out of Rome."
"I'll write," Gaius nodded.
"P p promise!"
Gaius looked at him, and suddenly realized this required a genuine commitment. To slight someone in the Imperial Family could be very bad for one's career. Claudius might not seem important, but the slight would be felt more strongly if he thought he was being ignored because of his awkward appearance or stutter. "I promise," Gaius nodded.
"One more thing!"
"Yes?"
"S send reports to Little B boots. Flatter his ego, b b but don't overdo it. G gaius is v very intelligent, and he respects honesty in th the flattery."
"I'll do that too. Is it important?"
"Y you recognized him as the next P princeps," Claudius pointed out. "Wh who else is th there?"
"You mean, remind him who I am, just in case?" Gaius said.
"L look like y you'll serve him, even b before you h have to," Claudius grinned.
Gaius suddenly found a new respect for Claudius. He was clearly a long-term planner, and he understood very clearly the intrigues of the Imperial Family, and so he should, having learned from the great Augustus, possibly the greatest manipulator of all time. And while nobody seemed to take much notice of Claudius, he appeared to be able to arrange some things quite well. And Gaius certainly knew better than to irritate even the least significant of that family. He chatted for a while with Claudius, becoming quite surprised at how much Claudius appeared to know, then he finally took his leave, to see his family before taking another boat that would take him to Rhodes.
It was only then that he realized that indeed he would never see old Libo again.
Chapter 5
It was late in the afternoon in Rhodes when Gaius visited the local military commander, an older Tribune. That he was still a Tribune at that age, Gaius realized, meant that Rhodes was regarded as a place for someone with little ability and no ambition to graze.
"And you want?" The expression of annoyance at having his peace disturbed was plain to see.
"I need help to find someone called Timothy," Gaius started to explain.
"I'm not into 'Lost and Found'."
"I was told to make sure I came to you for help," Gaius explained.
"Oh, you were, were you? And who. ?"
"I have a letter here from the Princeps, explaining it all."
The Tribune reached for the letter with an expression that was a mix of annoyance and fear. Rhodes was somewhere to be left alone, except that Tiberius was somewhat familiar with Rhodes. He read the letter, then shrugged and told Gaius to find somewhere to stay the night and then report the following morning, when a soldier would be assigned. Gaius thanked him politely, and left. The Tribune stared at the document on his table, unable to concentrate. What fate would befall him? From what he knew of Rome, life for anyone in a position was best advised to avoid coming to the attention of Tiberius. Now Rome had come to Rhodes, and he was in danger of being seen. This was a situation that could very easily end his rather pleasant existence.