Part 13 (2/2)
”Are you not also the child of Venus?” Supposedly Caesar's family was descended from Venus on his mother's side
”Yes As I told you, we are alike, both having that Goddess's nature” His breath ar slowly toward his assigned place, his stiff linen robes refusing to accommodate themselves to his fat body He looked like an exercise in papyrus folding He had greased his ringlets and wore enors that stretched his earlobes painfully
Behind him came Ptole a slow and stately entrance fro Ptoleraceful, alown Her dark hair ept up on her head, in the old Grecian style, and Helen of Troy could not have beenat her His eyes had widened, and although he did not ether in the palace, Caesar and eighteen-year-old Arsinoe, for at least teeks before my arrival What had happened between thenition of the otherArsinoe was beautiful in a way that ate at one's insides with either desire or envy, and CaesarI knew his nature now
She was taking her place on the royal couch, sht blue eyes were drinking in Caesar, then fluttering in aI hated her
Caesar gave the welcome after the hall had filled with the hastily invited, and puzzled, guests I also addressed theh-pitched words Then Caesar rose again, and cried, ”Let us all wear the garlands of gladness and celebration, for noe proclaiain in the land! Queen Cleopatra and King Ptolemy have consented to live in hararland of lotus, cornflowers, and roses, and draped it around his neck ”Rejoice with therateful that he did not proclaie” I sensed he would do that only if absolutely pressed to make further concessions
Servants scurried around the hall, trays piled high with fragrant garlands, passing theainst warm skins soon rose in the room
Next, Caesar lifted a jeweled cup and filled it from a pitcher of Falernian wine ”Drink!” he ordered them ”Drink and rejoice!”
He put the cup to his lips, but I did not see his throatit He set the cup down, then motioned for the servers to come forith the crystal bowls and scented water to wash our hands before eating
Then he abruptly held up his hands ”One thing further! I wish to announce that, as a gesture of friendshi+p, Rooverned by Princess Arsinoe and Prince Ptolemy” He nodded to them, and they slowly rose The people cheered, astounded, and the recipients of the honor looked just as astonished So this was one of Caesar's surprise strikes; this was the way he operated, both on and off the battlefield
He looked over at e in his eyes and the lines around his e: I told you you would know me better after the banquet I told you you would know ive away Roman territory on his own authority?” I asked coolly
”Yes,” he answered ”Does it please you?”
”Should it? You did not give it to ave it for for you, for your protection And as a pledge froe fro so fast I dared not continue speaking It was true; Caesar had onize the Senate of Rome
The meal commenced There was course after course, and I could not but admire the ability of our royal cooks to have produced such lavish fare on short notice In addition to the usual roasted oxen, kid, and duck, ere offered purple shellfish, sea nettles, fish pastries, honey from Attica, and nuts fro fro ater flavored with rose petals instead
”You do not drink,” I said, nodding toward his goblet
”In h for the rest of my life,” he said ”Now I find it incites dizziness and causes strange symptoms in me So I do not court Bacchus”
”You eat little, as well,” I coe sy everything I do,” he said ”Have you, perhaps, added so to this food which you are anxious to seeinflection at the end of the sentence assured me he was not serious
”You area piece of food off his plate and eating it ”Let me lay your fears to rest” Pothinus frowned at the lack of etiquette, but Caesar laughed--alranates were passed around with platters of fruit, Caesar took a large one and slowly cut it in half, pulling it apart while its center ran with bright red, acidic juice
”You see how all the seeds fit,” he said ”But pulling it apart causes it injury” He handedmy face intently
I took the fruit and looked at its center, at the places where it had been wrenched open ”It should never be split away from itself like this” I indicatedwould have assuranate He smiled
At the conclusion of the meal, when all the dishes had been removed, the acrobats tu and their movements so swift the eye could hardly follow them
”I have watched snakes strike,” Caesar said, ”but I never knew hus could move like that”
Next came Nubian dancers, tall, thin, and h, wild beat of dru
The sound of their frantic music drowned out all other sounds, and I did not see Caesar uards I did see Pothinus look up and suddenly leave his couch But the loud performance made it impossible for me to ask what had happened By the ti i on a stick of cardamom pastry
”Where is Pothinus?” I asked
Arsinoe and Ptole nervously in their places
”By this time, beheaded, most like”
”What?”
”Let us step outside!” said Caesar, grabbing ed to pullof uided me toward the small door that opened between two pillars on the balconied side of the hall
The brisk air outside shly scented air of the hall The as rising, whipping up whitecaps in the harbor
”Around here,” said Caesar, pulling me around the corner
As I rounded it, I saw Pothinus--or as left of hi sprawled across three steps His head--if he had still had a head--would have been pointing doard As it was, all the blood from his severed neck strea over hi earrings, was a Roman soldier His sword, or rather the lobs of blood
”Poed,” said Caesar ”Take away this carrion,” he ordered the soldier
I was speechless I could only stare at the corpse and then back again at Caesar, standing so calmly aside
”Now I have seen a snake strike,” I finally whispered
”No, now you have seen a snake prevented fro,” said Caesar ”This afternoon ht My trusted barber is one of those tied and indicated the bloodstained steps ”The snake has been killed halfway through its coiling”
”Halfway? He was only eating his dinner!” So butchered on a full stomach of sea pastry and roast ox was macabre
”No, he had already performed half of his treachery,” said Caesar ”He had sent word to Achillas to bring the ar you and Ptole for the troops that would put an end to us both”
Now I felt sick Was ed to think faster, strike quicker, and thrust deadlier than those around him? But even Caesar must rest sometime, must nod and relax
I burst into tears It was the only release besides screa out from the banquet hall
He put his arm around me and led me away ”We cannot return to the banquet Even I cannot pretend that nothing has happened”