‘Greetings, legate,’ Theron said in a most deferential tone, ‘allow me to pay my compliments to you for the magnificent victories that you have won since we last met.’
‘What do you want?’
‘The smallest of favours.’
‘I doubt that.’
‘In return for greatly adding to your personal fortune.’
Vespasian’s experience of buying Hormus from Theron was in direct opposition to that statement. ‘I find that very unlikely too.’
‘Then you should hear me out, legate.’
Vespasian appraised the Macedonian for a few moments, the chance of profit fighting with his natural inclination to have the man run off military ground. ‘Go on then.’
‘May I suggest we retire to your tent and make ourselves comfortable?’
‘No, you may not; you may enjoy comfort in the day but the art of leading men rather than selling them requires me to have different priorities. Say what you have to say here.’
‘Your virtue does you credit. I am humbled by your sentiments.’
Vespasian found himself wanting to change his mind as the Macedonian oozed clichés; but knowing that his time, and therefore his money-making opportunities, must now be limited in the new province he overcame his scruples. ‘Get on with it.’
Theron looked at Magnus and Sabinus questioningly.
‘They stay as my witnesses.’
‘Indeed, your honour.’ Theron paused and cleared his throat as if he was embarking upon a carefully rehearsed speech. ‘As the instigator of this great enterprise …’ He gestured expansively over the line of ships, surrounded by slaves and overseers; oarsmen from the recently floated bireme clambered into rowing boats, lined along the jetties, to make the short journey out to their vessel. ‘As the instigator of this great enterprise now drawing to a glorious conclusion, much to your eternal credit, you are aware that the human cattle used as muscle are now, in the main, superfluous. I believe you are now having them taken to that holding stockade in readiness for their transportation back to the slave-markets in the east of Britannia. Please confirm to me that I’m not mistaken, excellency?’
Vespasian grunted his affirmation.
‘That is gratifying. You know me to be an honest man of business with much experience in the line of trade that I pursue. It therefore should not come as a complete surprise to you to learn that I have recently acquired the contracts to supply three gladiatorial schools in Rome and a further two in Capua with Britannic livestock.’
Vespasian made no move to be either surprised or not.
‘They have formed a consortium in order to buy in bulk at reasonable prices; their first order is for seventy-five men each of mixed builds, that’s …’
‘Three hundred and seventy-five, I can do multiplication!’
Theron bowed deep. ‘Humble apologies, your honour.’
‘And stop talking in clichés!’
‘Indeed, excel … Indeed, legate.’ He cleared his throat again. ‘These gentlemen behind me are all former exponents of that noble profession and are here to assess the suitability of each slave for each gladiatorial role.’
‘I see. So you want to have the first pick of the slaves before they get back to the licensed slave-markets.’
‘I would describe it as a first assessment; being a law-abiding citizen I would not wish to make a purchase outside the jurisdiction and tax-net of the licensed slave-market.’
Vespasian felt a reluctant admiration for the man. ‘But if you were allowed to take your pick here and choose the cream of the stock you would be more than happy to escort them, at your own expense, naturally …’
Theron bowed his agreement.
‘Back to the market and immediately make your purchase, without your rivals being able to outbid you, under the supervision of the proper authorities who would levy the correct amount of tax.’
‘Your insight does you much credit.’
‘And then you will transport them …’ Vespasian paused and raised his eyebrows.
Theron tilted his head, closing his eyes. ‘Again at my own expense.’
‘Naturally. Transport them back to Italia and share them out amongst the five schools.’
‘You see the venture in its entirety.’
‘Oh I do, Theron; I also see you taking bribes from each of the schools to provide them with the best of the excellent stock thus adding to your considerable profit.’
Theron shrugged in a ‘wouldn’t anyone behave that way’ manner.
‘And just why should I allow you to get such an advantage over your rivals?’
‘Firstly because I had the initiative to travel out here to talk with you and share your dangers whilst my colleagues remained safely back east; and secondly because I’m offering you five per cent of the resale value of the stock in Italia.’
‘Which means that you can afford to pay me fifteen.’
‘Eight.’
‘Ten and it’s a deal.’
‘But I get to keep any monies offered to me as an incentive for allocating the stock in a certain way, as you alluded to earlier.’
‘I’m sure that you would do your best to keep those sums hidden from me even if I did demand a share.’
Theron bowed extravagantly. ‘In which case ten per cent it will be. We shall keep this between ourselves as a verbal understanding.’
‘Wrong, Theron; you won’t get access to that stockade until I have a signed written contract from you.’
‘But would that be wise? What we have agreed is slightly less than completely legal.’
‘Wrong again, Theron. I’m obliged to sell these slaves once I have finished with them. The Emperor gets his share of the sale through the tax that is levied at the market; the rest is shared out amongst my legion and auxiliaries. The Emperor will also get his cut in tax from the resale in Italia. The fact that I’ll also get money from the sale as well as the resale is irrelevant because the Emperor has had his due and is therefore happy. I’m just using my position to enrich myself like any sensible commander would do, and I want a contract from you so that you can’t cheat me out of what’s rightfully mine — as I’m sure you would, given the chance.’
‘Never, your honour,’ the slave-dealer crooned, bowing even lower.
‘Stop fawning and go and draw one up.’
Theron righted himself. ‘You shall have it by this evening, noble legate.’ With a farewell oozing of obsequiousness he took his leave.
Magnus looked less than impressed. ‘I wouldn’t do business with the likes of him for all the whores on the Via Patricius.’
‘Sometimes a business opportunity is worth more than a lot of whores,’ Sabinus observed, watching the slave-trader and his retinue depart. ‘Especially when one has no initial outlay.’
Vespasian turned his attention back to the biremes as the next one neared the water’s edge. ‘Exactly; I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.’
Magnus scowled. ‘I can see that — ten per cent of the value of the resale will be a lot of money which you wouldn’t otherwise have got and it’s probably your last opportunity to make a decent profit before you get recalled.’
‘Which, after five years as legate of the Second Augusta, has got to be soon; so what’s the problem?’
‘He’s going to cheat you, even if you have a contract.’
‘I know he will and he’s banking on me not taking him to court because the contract will show me publicly in a less than favourable light to my peers. Even though they all would do the same it’s best not to be seen doing it, especially if one wants to be consul some day.’
‘Exactly, you wouldn’t risk that, would you?’
‘Of course not.’
‘So you’re just going to let him make a fool of you?’
‘No, Magnus, I’m going to let him make a fool of himself.’