The Gladiator

'Defended?' Sempronius raised his eyebrows.' How? There must be twenty or thirty breaches in the walls where the earthquake shook them down.'

'That's true enough, sir. But we have to repair them before the slaves take it into their heads to march on Gortyna.'

'Do you really think they will?'

'I would, if I was in their place. Now they have us at their mercy, they can make their demands, or threaten to wipe us out.'

'Then we have to fix the walls, at once.'

Macro shook his head. 'That's not possible, sir. The damage is too great. Even if we set every man, woman and child to work repairing the breaches, it would take us too many days to do it.'

Cato thought a moment.' Then we must abandon Gortyna. We have to bring everyone up here on to the acropolis.'

'Is there room for everyone?' asked Sempronius. 'There are over fifteen thousand people out there. The conditions would be appalling.'

Cato looked at him directly. 'They either come up here, or take their chances with the slaves.'

'What about Matala?' Macro interrupted. 'We could send some of them there. If they left now, they could reach the port before this slave army moves in from the east.'

'No. It's too risky. The slaves might already have patrols out in the surrounding countryside. We'd need to send a strong detachment to protect the civilians. We need every man here, to defend the province's capital.' Cato paused. 'However, we have to send a warning to Centurion Portillus and tell him what has happened. He'll need to protect the people of Matala. It would be best if he was ordered to move them up inside the acropolis there as well.'

Sempronius sagged back in his chair.' My gods, these slaves have us on the run. They'll have us trapped like rats in a hole. When Rome hears of this, I'm finished.'

Cato cleared his throat and spoke softly. 'If we don't do what we can to save what's left, then we risk losing the entire province, sir. That's something the emperor would never forgive.' He let his words sink in and then continued.' The thing is, we were never supposed to be here in the first place. It was just blind chance that our ship was passing when the wave struck.'

'So?'

'So I don't see how you can be called to account. The situation could hardly have been worse, and you've done all you can to restore order.'

'Kind words, Cato, but I doubt the emperor will agree with you.

Regardless of what we might have achieved, we are the ones he will hold responsible if these slaves succeed in humbling Roman interests.'

Macro puffed his cheeks.' Then you're going to have to bloody do something about it — sir.'

'Do?' Sempronius said helplessly. 'What can I do?'

'Get more men. More soldiers.'

'How? I can't just conjure them out of thin air.'

'Get them from Egypt,' Macro said tersely. 'You said that you know the emperor's legate there, right? Gaius Petronius. He's a member of the equestrian class.'

Sempronius nodded.

'And you're a senator. So you outrank him. Order him to send reinforcements.'

Sempronius considered this for a moment before responding.

'And if he doesn't?'

'Then you must tell him that if Crete falls to the slaves you will make damn sure that Rome knows that you asked him for help and he refused. You won't be the only one who draws down the emperor's wrath.' Macro forced a smile. 'I can't see him turning down the chance to avoid being in Claudius's bad books.'

'Macro's right, sir,' said Cato. 'You have nothing to lose from pressing the Egyptian legate for help. If you head to the coast and take the first available ship, you could be in Alexandria in a matter of days, and back here with the reinforcements inside a month. If you can get enough men, I'm sure we can quickly crush the revolt.'

'You think it's that easy?' Macro glanced at him in surprise.

'Why not? As long as we don't follow the example of Marcellus.'

Sempronius cleared his throat.' I 'm not leaving Gortyna. It's out of the question.'

'Why?' Cato stared at him.

'Think about it, Cato. The slaves have annihilated most of our forces and have the province at their mercy. Just at that point the acting governor decides to quit Crete for the safety of Egypt to fetch reinforcements, while his subordinates and thousands of civilians are left to face the rebels. It's not the most edifying display of leadership, is it?'

'That's for others to say, sir. You have to put that possibility aside for the moment. You have to go to Egypt. You know the legate. Only some one with your authority can persuade Petronius to send reinforcements.'

'That's true,' Sempronius conceded, and nodded slowly as he contemplated the problem. Then a smile formed on his lips and he looked up at his officers.' Of course, if I was to send some one in my place, authorised to act on my behalf, then we might get our way.

Obviously, the person in question would have to be up to the task of talking the legate round.'

At the same moment both the senator and Macro fixed their eyes on Cato. With a sudden surge of alarm, Cato sat back and shook his head.' No. Not me.'

'Why not?' asked Sempronius.

'I'm too young,' Cato admitted.' The legate would take one look at me and wonder if he could take me seriously as a centurion, let alone the envoy of the governor of Crete. Send Macro.'

'What?' Macro started, and then glared at Cato. 'Thanks.'

Sempronius smiled briefly. 'With all due respect to his abilities as a politician, Macro's talents are best utilised in defence of Gortyna.

The man I need in Alexandria has to be a powerful advocate for our request for reinforcements. I think you are that man.'

'Yes,' Macro added with a smirk. 'I know you, lad. You could argue the hind leg off a donkey, and then debate the moral justification for doing it. The senator's right, it has to be you.'

Cato felt the situation slipping out of his control and made one last attempt to protest. 'Sir, please reconsider. I'm one of the most junior centurions in the army. Even if Petronius accepts my arguments, he's hardly going to entrust me with a force large enough to crush the slaves.'

'Then I will just have to promote you,' Sempronius decided.

'Temporarily, of course. For the duration of the emergency'

'Promote me?' Cato was stunned by the idea, until he realised it made sense. Up to a point. 'If I go in as a prefect, then it will look even more ridiculous than me holding the rank of centurion, sir.

Besides, the Legate of Egypt would still have seniority.'

'Who said anything about being a prefect? I'm sending you to Egypt with the civil rank of tribune.'

'Tribune?' Now Cato was truly shocked. The tribunate was largely an honorific title in Rome, but was still occasionally conferred upon officials sent out to the provinces to act with the authority of the emperor and his senate. Cato gently chewed his lip.' Can you do that?'

'I am the acting governor of this province, having assumed authority in the emperor's name. It's worked so far. And, as you said, what have I got to lose? I'll draw up the document, and seal it with the governor's ring. In fact, you'd better take my family ring with you to prove that I sent you. That, and your quick wits, will carry the argument.'

'They'll have to,' Macro added. 'Otherwise we're all in the shit.'

'Quite,' said Sempronius. 'If we win the day, then I'll just have to hope the emperor overlooks the fact that I've overstepped the mark in conferring the rank on you.'

Cato smiled bitterly. 'And if he doesn't, then I'll be had up for acting without proper authority. Men have been condemned for treason for doing such things. I think I'd rather stay here and face the slaves.'

'Then you're dead either way' Sempronius shrugged. 'What have you got to lose?'

Cato's shoulders drooped in resignation. 'All right, then. I'll go.'