‘As well as further my military ambitions.’ Still beaming, Sabinus turned and made his way up the steps.
‘What has he to do?’ Gaius asked Vespasian as they followed.
‘I don’t know, Uncle; but if Pallas has offered him so much it must involve being conspicuous.’
‘I hope that’s not the case, dear boy.’ Gaius grimaced. ‘Nothing but the animosity and jealousy of others ever came from being conspicuous.’
Gaius Silius turned from the altar and presented the assembled Senate with the unblemished livers of two geese; gifts to Rome’s guardian god. ‘Jupiter Optimus Maximus favours us; the day is auspicious for the business of the city.’
The senators sat down on their folding stools, murmuring gratitude to the Junior Consul for conducting the sacrifice as he threw the livers into the altar’s fire and wiped his hands.
‘He’s got no idea just how auspicious it really is,’ Sabinus whispered, the broad grin still on his face.
Silius walked forward to his curule chair and sat with exaggerated dignity.
The Senior Consul, Lucius Vitellius the younger, waited for him to finally settle. ‘Gaius Silius wishes to address the house.’
‘My thanks, colleague. Conscript Fathers, I appear before you for the first time as consul since being inaugurated yesterday to that most prestigious position. However, since my induction-’
‘Senior Consul,’ Sabinus interrupted, standing and brandishing the scroll, ‘I have here an Imperial Decree that I’ve been charged by the Emperor to read to you in his regrettable absence.’
The Senior Consul did not hide his puzzlement. ‘Why has it been given to you to read out and not sent to the Consuls or the Father of the House?’
‘It’s not my place to question the Emperor’s motives. All I know is that he has entrusted this task to me as a man of consular rank.’
‘Then the ex-Consul should read it to us.’
Sabinus stepped out into the middle of the floor, holding the decree in both hands. ‘“I, Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, out of respect for the ways of our ancestors do decree that from this day on, the day before the calends of October in the year beginning with the Consuls Aulus Vitellius Veteris and Lucius Vipstanus Messalla Poplicola, that all consuls at their inauguration should swear the ancient oath that they shall always strive to prevent the return of the King.” Would the Senate now vote to ratify this law?’
The Senior Consul hastily called for a vote on this latest, seemingly innocuous, piece of legal pedantry; it was passed unanimously.
Sabinus looked at Silius once the vote had passed; he remained unmoved by the development. ‘It would seem, Conscript Fathers, that this was made law by our learned Emperor the day before Gaius Silius took his oath, therefore the oath he took was not complete.’ Sabinus walked forward and handed the decree to the Senior Consul.
Lucius Vitellius glanced at the seal and date and then at his junior colleague next to him. ‘I agree; it looks as if you have not completed your oath, Silius.’
‘A formality,’ Silius replied, waving a dismissive hand, smiling imperiously and getting to his feet. ‘I shall swear the line immediately.’
‘Would that it were so simple,’ Sabinus said as Silius headed for the altar, ‘but as we all know if there is a fault in any ceremony then it is void and the whole process has to start again from the beginning. The fact that you were willing to swear the extra line just now means that you acknowledge that your oath isn’t complete, does it not, Silius?’
Silius turned, his face betraying the first vestiges of concern. ‘What of it? We shall just start the inauguration again now.’
‘Of course we will; but first of all the correct sacrifices have to be made so that we know whether the day is auspicious.’
‘I’ve just pronounced it auspicious.’
‘You did, but only a consul can do that and you are not yet a consul.’
The full implication of this hit Gaius Silius and his handsome face froze as Sabinus tilted his head and looked at him with raised eyebrows and an innocent expression.
‘It would seem that the party that you co-hosted last night in the Gardens of Lucullus to celebrate your inauguration was a bit previous, was it not? It was to celebrate your inauguration, was it not?’
‘I … er … yes, of course it was.’
Sabinus looked around the house for senators he had seen the previous evening. ‘Juncus Vergilianus, you were there, I know; was it a party to celebrate Silius’ consulship, or non-consulship as it plainly is now?’
‘As far as I was aware,’ Virgilianus replied hesitantly.
‘As far as you were aware? Hmm. What about you, Plautius Lateranus? Was it anything more than what Silius says it was? Perhaps your enthusiastic participation was mainly because you were still celebrating your uncle’s Ovation fifteen months later?’
Lateranus squirmed in his seat but said nothing.
Sabinus rounded on an effete young man. ‘And you, Suillius Caesoninus? What were you aware of whilst you spent the evening on your knees either facing — as it were — your partners or backing onto them? No, there is no need to answer as I’m sure that you had absolutely no idea what was going on.’ Sabinus raised his arm and pointed at a young senator. ‘But you, Vettius Valens, you knew exactly what the party was because I heard you when you climbed that apricot tree; I heard you say that there was a storm coming that would strike the Emperor. I heard you say that as we snatched the two whores that you were with; yes, Vettius, we took Cleopatra and Calpurnia to the Emperor. They told him what the celebration was really for, Vettius; what do you think they said?’
Vettius looked in panic at Silius who slumped in his chair, not meeting his eyes.
‘Admitting the truth now, Vettius, might help you later. What did the whores say?’
Vettius hung his head and then drew a breath. ‘They told the Emperor that the party was to celebrate the marriage of Silius to Messalina.’
Silence was complete as if the senators hearing this for the first time were straining their ears in an effort to perceive a different answer: one that they could believe. But it never came and gradually it dawned on the senators that what Vettius had said was, indeed, the truth.
A chill ran through their ranks.
The Senior Consul had visibly paled as he addressed his ex-colleague. ‘You’ve married the Empress! To what purpose? To live privately with her or …?’ The last question was left unspoken but all knew its content.
Silius drew himself up to answer but Sabinus interjected. ‘There is no question of Messalina living privately, is there, Silius? No, Conscript Fathers, this is a direct challenge to the Emperor’s position; in her arrogance she thought that she could force you to choose between the rightful successor to Augustus and her. Yes, her; not this well-sculpted, prize figure of Roman manhood that we see before us. He was just to be her route to ultimate power. You see, Silius, the gods bless very few with both beauty and brains and unfortunately for you, you’re not one of them; you would have been dead the moment that you stepped down from the consulship having got Messalina what she wanted.’
Vespasian enjoyed the look on Silius’ face as the truth of Sabinus’ words sank in.
Sabinus, too, was evidently enjoying himself. ‘This puppet, Conscript Fathers, was about to give a speech before I took the floor. Would you like to summarise for the House what you were going to say, Silius, or would you prefer that I do it?’
Silius jumped to his feet. ‘You have no idea what I planned to say.’
‘Try me.’
‘I was going to say that I propose that in future all senatorial documents should be written incorporating the three new letters that the Emperor wishes to add to the alphabet.’
Sabinus smiled with exaggerated patience. ‘No, Silius, that’s a lie.’ He looked at Pallas’ handwritten note. ‘You were going to inform the Senate that you were now the husband of the Empress and as consul you would call for a vote to depose the Emperor and appoint Messalina as regent to his son Britannicus in his place. You were going to reassure the Conscript Fathers that they need fear nothing from the Guard as the most senior officers had been bought and then you were going to produce a list; where is that list, Silius?’