‘But, Tatianus, you said to come today when I told you that I’d had the money stolen.’
Tatianus bared his teeth in what would have been a smile had it not been so triumphant. ‘Yes, I did, didn’t I? However, I made no promise as to whether or not your Scorpion would still be here, did I? It’s just such a pity for you that you took it for granted that it would be; you’re evidently not very bright.’ Tatianus’ triumphant air wavered somewhat as Magnus leant back in his chair and entwined his fingers behind his head, serenity on his face and looking for all the world like a man who had just won a long-odds bet at the Circus Maximus on an unfancied chariot in a fixed race.
‘What do you think the Urban Prefect will do when his men, who are raiding Sempronius’ headquarters as we speak, find the Scorpion that you sold him yesterday?’
Tatianus could not conceal his surprise. ‘How did you know?’
‘Because I planted that seed in your head, at the well, remember? I think it’s you that isn’t very bright; oh, but I said that yesterday too, didn’t I?’ Magnus stood, ready to take his leave. ‘Now, Sempronius is very implicated, but I can keep your name out of this or I can keep your name in it; it’ll be up to you.’
Tatianus sneered. ‘How can you have any influence over the Urban Prefect?’
‘I think the River-god’s fire would get his attention, don’t you? Come and find me when you’ve decided and bring my deposit with you.’ He turned and made for the door.
‘Wait,’ Tatianus called, his voice higher through tension, ‘we can discuss this now, Magnus, my friend.’
‘Sorry, Tatianus,’ Magnus replied without turning back as he went through the door, ‘I don’t have the time just now; I’ve got to take a Jewish embassy before the Emperor.’ Leaving Tatianus with a baffled look on his face, Magnus grinned at the two henchmen in the corridor. ‘And a good day to you too, gentlemen.’
‘It’s an outrage!’ Philo declared as he walked between Vespasian and Magnus down the Palatine.
‘It’s the Emperor’s will,’ Vespasian reminded him.
Philo gestured to the members of his embassy following behind, escorted by Tigran and a few of the brothers. ‘But we’ve been waiting for months to present our case to him; we’ve paid the right bribes, but nothing, no. And then Isodorus arrives with an embassy from the Greek citizens of Alexandria and gets to see the Emperor within two days. Two days, I tell you; and what’s more he gets to see the Emperor at the same time as us, denying me the advantage of putting our case first, which would be only just as we are the injured party and have also undoubtedly laid out much more in bribes.’
Magnus, by now, was unsurprised that Philo was the injured party; he was more than tempted to add to his injuries himself, but refrained from mentioning it.
‘I’m afraid there’s nothing to be done, Philo,’ Vespasian said, exasperation barely concealed in his voice. ‘It’s the Emperor’s idea of saving on his valuable time to see you both together before he sets off for Germania. From his point of view it makes perfect sense.’
‘But Isodorus is a villain of the very lowest stock; even Magnus would look down on him.’
‘He must be rough,’ Magnus opined, shaking his head and sucking air through his teeth in disbelief.
‘He is and it’s an outrage that he gets treated with the same dignity as me. Me! The brother of the Alabarch of the Alexandrian Jews; a literary figure of great renown having to share an audience with the Emperor of Rome along with a common criminal, a murderer, a … a …’ Such was his outrage that words failed Philo at this point.
‘A man of lower birth than even me?’ Magnus suggested helpfully.
‘Exactly! And to make matters worse we are not even being received at the palace as a personage of my rank would expect. No! We are being taken instead to the Gardens of Maecenas – why is that?’
‘Again, I’m afraid that it’s the Emperor saving on his time,’ Vespasian informed him. ‘He has decided to do some improvements to the gardens and the villa within them and so will see you as he goes around the house and the grounds.’
‘So I will acquaint the Emperor with the injustices perpetrated on the Jewish citizens of Alexandria whilst he does some interior decorating and consults with his gardener?’
‘Something like that.’
‘It’s an outrage!’
The Gardens of Maecenas were richly laid out, as would be expected of that cultured intimate of Augustus who had risen to power by providing the first Emperor with canny political advice. He had been Augustus’ brains as Agrippa had been his muscle, and his reward was great wealth. It showed in the beauty of the terraced gardens that he had created on the Esquiline Hill, along the Servian Wall between the Esquiline and Viminal Gates. However, that had been almost fifty years before and since his death little had been done to maintain the villa in their midst. Not even Philo could argue that the place was not in need of refurbishment as they waited on one side of the atrium whose frescoes had seen better days. On the other side stood a collection of hard-looking men, bearded and garbed in the Greek fashion and murmuring amongst themselves whilst casting threatening glares across to the Jews.
‘And this is too miserable for words!’ Caligula’s voice, loud and pitched quite high, preceded him and all in the atrium turned towards the tablinum whence it came. ‘The frescoes are scenes from the Aeneid, ghastly! I want to be portrayed in congress with my fellow gods and goddesses.’
‘Yes, Divine Gaius,’ a small, balding Greek said, making a note on a wax tablet whilst scuttling behind the Emperor as he emerged, on spindly legs, into the atrium. ‘What sort of congress?’
‘I leave that to you, Callistus; whatever seems appropriate with each god. You can imagine that there is a world of difference between congress with Venus and then Neptune.’ Caligula stopped, his sallow face lit up with inspiration. ‘Of course! Depict the victory that I’ll have over Neptune later in the year after I’ve subdued the Germanic tribes. I intend to lead my legions into the Northern Sea and thrash him there and then carry on to conquer Britannia.’
‘Very good, Divine Gaius,’ Callistus said as if Caligula had just announced that he was to take a longer bath than usual.
‘Ah! The god haters.’ Caligula’s eyes alighted on the Alexandrian embassy.
Philo immediately prostrated himself; his fellows followed. ‘Hail Gaius Caesar Augustus.’
Caligula frowned and cocked his head as if he feared that he had not heard correctly. ‘You see,’ he said, looking at Vespasian and Magnus and gesturing with an outstretched arm at the Jews who were now getting back to their feet. ‘Not one mention of my divinity.’
‘Indeed not, Divine Gaius,’ Vespasian replied as Magnus mumbled his discontent at the omission.
‘Indeed not, Vespasian; and Magnus, isn’t it? Would you deny that I am a god, Magnus?’
‘How could I, Divine Gaius? You saved my life.’
‘There you have it: I can both give life and take life. Which one shall it be with yours, I wonder?’ Caligula walked up to Philo and peered at him as if he were looking at a strange and puzzling phenomenon for the first time. ‘You are god haters inasmuch as you don’t think that I’m a god; I, who am already confessed to be a god by every nation but am refused that appellation by you.’ He then raised his hands to the heavens. ‘One fucking god! Are you mad?’
The Greek embassy broke into applause at this performance and began showering Caligula with divine honorifics, much to his obvious delight.
As the Emperor bathed in the godly flattery, the evident leader of the Greeks stepped forward and bowed deeply, his expression oozing subservience. ‘Divine master, you will hate with just vehemence these men that you see before you and all their fellow countrymen if you are made aware of their dissatisfaction and disloyalty to yourself.’ The Greek’s tone was honeyed and his gestures flowery and as he spoke he smirked. ‘When all other men were offering up sacrifices of thanksgiving for your safety, these men alone refused to offer any sacrifice at all. And when I say “these men” I mean also the rest of the Jews.’