"I am ordered to execute the orders immediately," Gaius shrugged. "I suggest, Governor, that you should leave with dignity, but if necessary, you will be dragged. Please don't call for help. That would be inciting mutiny, which would cause unnecessary suffering for your servants."
"So, you little shit! I'll. ."
"I presume you are not implying a lack of wisdom and integrity on the part of the Princeps?" Gaius shrugged.
Flaccus did not reply. Instead he suggested, "Couldn't you give me a day? I'll give you gold."
"There was a large golden Jewish chalice in the Temple," Gaius said slowly and softly. "About this big."
"It's yours!"
"Which implies you've got it," Gaius said coldly. "Case proved. On your feet!"
"Why you. ." Flaccus turned to grab something, presumably a weapon.
Gaius leaped across the space and thrust his gladius so that its point stopped just before Flaccus' neck. Flaccus stared at it, his right hand now holding a dagger. Then suddenly all resistance faded. He dropped the dagger. In the doorway the Centurion could hardly stifle a grin of surprise.
The woman stared at Gaius fearfully, while she held a sheet over her clearly naked body.
"Up!" Gaius said to Flaccus. "Place the dagger on the table."
Flaccus did, dragging the sheet with him. The woman tried to hide her nakedness, fearful that it would lead to rape.
"Put on a cloak and march towards the door," Gaius ordered Flaccus. He turned towards the woman. "Don't worry. Just stay put. When we're gone, eat what you like, then leave, but don't steal anything. You will be checked when you leave." He turned back to Flaccus, and said quietly, "Give me your word you will obey, and we can march to the harbour with the dignity a Roman of your status deserves."
"I shall not try to escape," Flaccus promised.
"Then let us get going," Gaius said, as he sheathed his gladius. "I shall be right behind you, in accord with your station."
In the event, Flaccus gave no trouble. He was unarmed, Gaius was younger and fitter, and there was the Praetorian escort. Superficially, it looked as if he was leaving, and had an escort for his personal protection. He and the escort boarded the boat, which would sail when Gaius' account of the confiscated property was prepared.
The next morning, Gaius ordered staff to go through Flaccus' possessions, and all properties owned by Flaccus. Records of who had contacted mob leaders were obtained, and through the Centurion, soldiers from the local legions were dispatched to search their properties. In the ordinary course of events there may have been little enthusiasm for following these orders, but with direct orders from the Princeps, and with a Praetorian Centurion overseeing proceedings, the orders were followed promptly.
A huge collection of Jewish property was assembled.
Gaius then visited the Temple and addressed the priests. He told them of the recovered goods, and asked their assistance to ensure that belongings were returned to their rightful owners. The priests promised that all would be reminded of the consequences of false claims, and that they would record what went where. Thousands of Jews reported to the warehouses to receive their property. Some never found their treasures, but many others thanked Gaius profusely.
It was at the end, when Gaius was supervising the cleaning up of his largest warehouse, that the older priest approached him.
"You have my thanks," he said. "Most in your position would have kept some of the gold for himself."
"I'm not a thief," Gaius smiled.
"You're better than that," the priest nodded. "You could have turned your back and ignored our plight. You are a man of honour. Can we thank you?"
"If any of your people wanted to purchase Roman made wine," Gaius added, "my family has vineyards nearby."
The priest nodded, and said, "I shall mention that. In the meantime, I have something else for you." He handed Gaius a sheet with strange writing on it.
"What's this?" Gaius asked curiously.
"It says, you are an honourable man," the priest said. "If you are ever in Jewish territory and you need help, show this to a Jew who can read."
"Thank you very much," Gaius nodded appreciatively. "I value that."
It was later that day that Gaius received a second message, this time from the Centurion.
"I was ordered to give you this if certain outcomes were reached," Bassus smiled.
Gaius opened the message bearing the seal of the Princeps and his heart soared.
"Gaius Claudius Scaevola, for acting for Rome and declining personal benefit, by the orders of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus, Princeps, and of the Senate of the People of Rome, you are to proceed to Damascus and report to Lucius Vitellius, Governor of Syria, to be placed in Legio XII, Fulminata, as Tribunus Laticlavius."
"You are pleased, sir?" the Centurion asked.
"It's everything I wanted!" Gaius almost yelled with pride. Then he looked at the Centurion and asked, "You know what this is?"
"Yes, sir." the Centurion nodded. "I have orders too, to arrange an escort for your journey."
"Then we'd better get ourselves organized, hadn't we?"
"Yes sir," the Centurion replied. He was ready to march now, the troops that he would order to march would be ready as soon as supplies were arranged, or else, but the Tribune could set out exactly when he wanted to. It was good that he wanted to set out quickly.
Gaius was puzzled, for this was the outcome predicted by Athene, including the matter of the chalice, which up until now he had forgotten. How did she know this would happen? Was she really a Goddess? Perhaps he should use logic. Assume she knew this would happen, either she could predict the future, or. . Or what? If she could predict the future, then the future had to be set, but if the future was set, why did she need him? Why the prophecy, for if the future was set, it would happen, prophecy or no prophecy? Yet he was convinced Athene needed him; she had seemed desperate. But if the future was not set, how could she predict it? Perhaps she was not a goddess and it was the 'or what?' that was critical. But what was she, and what was the 'or what?'
Chapter 27
Damascus, embedded deeply within such ancient and battle-scarred lands, claimed to be a centre of stable civilization. It was certainly a centre of power, because it was also the headquarters of legions from the most powerful empire in the world. Damascus also claimed to be the oldest city in the world. It may well have been, and it could certainly lay a claim to being the most conquered city in the world. Very few powers had not conquered it, yet it continued on, immune to conquerors, of which Rome was the latest. Rome was going to make a difference, or so Rome thought, and with commendable energy, massive rebuilding was going on. But it made no difference to the essence of Damascus.
A different, and perhaps better description, Gaius thought, was that Damascus was a flea-ridden centre of thuggery, theft, vice, and all that was bad when enough people were brought together in the vicinity of wealth. A thin veneer of civilization covered the richer upper-class areas, in that safety was ensured by the power of the legions, but the upper-class inhabitants, on the whole, appeared to be merely the more successful of the criminals.
Damascus was also a centre for trade, and to some extent this trade was an attraction for the thieves. To the north were the fertile lands, which stretched from Phoenicia across to the headwaters of the Euphrates, and thence down to the ancient lands of Babylon. The west contained the great cedar forests most of the way to the Mediterranean coast, while the land to the east and south-east was harsh desert, apart from the occasional oasis. Damascus was on the eastern side of quite high mountains and their shade meant the rainfall was slight, but the Barada River supplied plentiful water.