Short. Curt. Not even particularly polite.
The Aedui sat in silence for a moment. Fronto noticed several of them exchanging worried glances, among them Divitiacus and Liscus.
Pausing only long enough for shame-faced looks to creep across the ambassadors, Caesar jabbed a finger at the map of the local terrain that lay on the campaign table in front of him.
“We cannot gather unripe corn from around us, particularly in the face of our enemy. We cannot reach our own supplies of it. Our one small request from our staunchest of allies was help in producing supplies. We know that the Aedui have plenty of corn in storage. You can be sure that if we were unsure of your ability to survive on it yourself, we would not have requested it. However, we are here, shedding Roman blood in copious quantities to ensure the safety of your lands and your people from the marauding Helvetii. Why, in the act of defending the Aedui, are we forsaken by them?”
Caesar sat a moment longer, waiting as the chiefs glanced at each other. Suddenly Fronto realised that he felt sorry for them. His General may have qualities that worried him, but the man had power and presence aplenty.
“Answer me!”
Liscus stood, sharply. He bowed slightly to Caesar, and spoke in perfect Latin.
“Great Caesar, my companions and I deeply regret any trouble that we have caused your army. We have no wish to anger our allies. We are delayed not through our own desire, but due to other matters occurring among the Aedui.”
Caesar frowned and glared at Liscus.
“Explain.”
Swallowing nervously, Liscus continued.
“Caesar, there is sedition among my people. We are chieftains, and yet there are private men with more influence over our people. These men are persuading the people of our tribe to delay or halt their gathering of corn.”
Caesar’s frown deepened and a thin film of sweat began to form on Liscus’ brow. The general motioned with only a finger for the chief to go on.
“These men are unsure of the value of our alliance with Rome; some even favour the Helvetii. They are disheartened by such a great Roman presence in Gaul and fear for our future freedom. They feel that at least with the Helvetii they would be free.”
Balbus motioned to Caesar and the general nodded.
The older legate stood.
“Liscus, I have known the Helvetii for a long time. They are not a people to trust or to bargain with lightly. You put the case very eloquently. I am unsure whether you are relaying the words of these rebels or perhaps declaring your own views?”
Sitting back, he watched the chieftain intently.
Liscus raised his hands in supplication.
“I assure you, all of you, that I and these others remain loyal to our alliance. Should you wish we will take the oath again in order to allay your fears?”
Caesar glanced at Balbus, and then shook his head.
“That is unnecessary. Your word is enough. Tell us more of this problem.”
Liscus staggered slightly and sank into his chair once more.
“Some of our people fear that you are not intent on disempowering the Helvetii; that you delay too long. They also worry that when you do deal with the Helvetii you will then turn upon the Aedui and the whole of Gaul. They fear that Rome intends us to be another of its provinces like Spain or Africa.”
Caesar nodded, and Fronto could quite understand their fears. Indeed, they were well-founded fears. Fronto could not imagine the General settling for anything less than total domination.
Caesar addressed the Aedui again.
“Rome will always deal with those who quarrel with her. We will also always protect those who call themselves allies. You need have no fear of Roman aggression unless your tribe chooses to bear arms against us.”
Yes, Fronto thought, but how long would it be before Caesar engineered an argument with the Aedui that would cause the alliance to break down?
Liscus cleared his throat and continued.
“I place my trust, as always, in Rome. These men in our tribe, however, go beyond blocking our attempts to supply you with corn. They spread rumour and lies and report everything they hear to the Helvetii. We have all tried to pin these men down and deal with them, but they are elusive. We had hoped to deal with the problem before it ever became large enough to cause you distress. We have failed in that and we must apologise.”
Fronto gestured to Caesar and was given permission to speak. Sipping his wine quickly, he stood.
“Liscus, this problem is much larger than you may be aware. A Gaul, serving with the cavalry as Aedui, has already turned traitor and killed a senior officer. He seems to be a Helvetian, but it remains to be seen how such a man managed to join our cavalry without being given away by your tribesmen. He is in our custody and faces judgement soon. If what you say is true, then there may be more. This puts our trust in any of our allied cavalry at risk.”
Liscus nodded and spoke with a dry mouth.
“I was not aware of such an incident, but it does not greatly surprise me. I would have brought the matter to your attention long before this, but I have put my neck beneath the sword merely by speaking of it. I will now be in considerable danger myself; even in my own town; my own house.”
Fronto had not been paying attention to Liscus for a moment and became aware, as silence fell on the group, that Caesar was watching him. The legate had, in fact, been watching Divitiacus quite closely. Something about this had seemed wrong, and he was trying to piece it together. As he had watched Divitiacus, the man had started to look increasingly nervous, developing an unbidden twitch.
“Is something wrong, legate?”
Fronto stood and stared a moment longer at the nerve-ridden chieftain.
“If you’ll permit me sir?”
Caesar nodded.
Fronto singled out Divitiacus and gestured him to rise; a demeaning treatment for a man who was, theoretically, at least an equal.
Divitiacus rose instantly, shaking slightly.
“You are in overall command of all our allied auxiliaries, yes?”
The chieftain nodded at Fronto.
“And you should, by rights, pay very careful attention to whom you enlist into our service. Particularly in view of the dissent in your tribe.”
The man nodded again, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down in his throat like a float on a fisherman’s line.
“And yet your rebels manage to infiltrate the cavalry. You are a well-placed and wealthy man, are you not?”
Divitiacus nodded again. He was sweating profusely now.
“Are you prepared to swear an oath of loyalty to Rome again?”
Divitiacus nodded hurriedly. He opened his mouth to speak, but his voice came out an incoherent croak.
Liscus was now looking agog at his fellow chieftain.
He rounded on Divitiacus and said something very quickly in their own language. Two other chieftains stood, their hands dropping unbidden to where their weapons should have been.
Liscus turned once more, addressing Caesar directly.
“General, may I request a private audience?”
Caesar frowned, but Liscus added “Please. Myself and Divitiacus; you and this officer.”
He gestured at Fronto.
Fronto looked at Caesar and nodded encouragingly.
The general sat back and sighed.
“Very well. Gentlemen, you are dismissed for the time being. Procillus?”
One of the staff officers stood to attention.
“Take our allies and your fellow officers to the staff mess and entertain them for a short while.”
“Yes General.”
* * * * *
Once the chieftains had collected their arms, they and the staff officers trooped out of the tent, one of the servants holding the flap open for them. As soon as they had gone, the tent flap was tied back in place and the four remaining men eyed each other warily.