Part 29 (2/2)
Char in the middle of the floor with Ptoleer to explore
”What a cos they were carrying? Those funny bundles of sticks with ribbons and axes?”
”I believe they are called fasces They denote some sort of authority,” I said I realized I badly needed an advisor on Roman customs and history, and I could hardly expect Caesar to take on the task hihere is so odd!” he cried, happy with the novelty ”The trees are all different, the language sounds ugly, and why do they wear those voluas? Aren't they hot in the trays of food Ptolemy ran over to one and croith exciteer at each foreign-looking dish
After eating, andered through the villa and its grounds It was peculiar to have complete access to someone's private retreat in his absence He was there, in every decision that had been s, the decorations, the coer as openly as I wished As a child I had always been entranced by the story of Psyche in the palace of the invisible Cupid I had known it by heart
As she walked through the lovely rooentleness spoke to her: ”Fair Princess, all that you behold is yours Coht, Psyche looked about in all directions, but saw no one The voice continued, ”Here is your chamber, and your bed of down; here is your bath, and in the adjoining alcove there is food”
Psyche bathed, and put on the lovely garments prepared for her, then seated herself on a chair of carved ivory At once there floated to its place before her a table covered with golden dishes and the finest food Although she could see no one, invisible hands served her, and unseentime Psyche did not see the oing away before ed her husband that her sisterssister and to find her safe, but soon, seeing all the soon, seeing all the splendor in Psyche's palace, envy sprang up in their hearts They questioned her rudely concerning her husband splendor in Psyche's palace, envy sprang up in their hearts They questioned her rudely concerning her husband
”Is he not soon, ill at length devour you? Rethat it see it out myself, except that I knew Caesar and what he looked like
He is not what he pretends to be! If ever you feared anyone, fear him! Unbidden, the pirate's words sounded in my mind The hateful man--what did he know? Unbidden, the pirate's words sounded in my mind The hateful man--what did he know?
The story had ended happily, for the unseen husband, Cupid, had loved Psyche dearly and protected her from the envy of his mother, Venus
Venus--Caesar's ancestress
Suddenly the villa began to take on an ominous aspect Stories of men and stories of the Gods should be kept separate
”See this statue?” I said brightly ”I am sure it is a copy of one by Praxiteles”
The villa and its grounds occupied us all that day, and by nightfall ere ready for a quiet supper and a recuperative night The twilight was tender and lingering, as if day were loath to depart froypt, so much farther south, we had little interirateful to be able to rest my head Charmian came in, sat beside my bed on a low stool, and played the flute softly, as she did at home
”Are you happy to be here?” she asked me
”I think so,” I said One moment I was, the next I was not sure I would be relieved when the second and third shi+p arrived, bringing more of my attendants At the moment I sorely missed Mardian But I knew he could not come
”I e could see Rome itself,” she said ”I am about to die of curiosity”
”We can,” I said ”We can go to seen,” she said ”If you venture out, throngs of curious people will ypt You will spend all your ti at all”
”Then ill have to go as Rohed ”I enjoyed seeing Caesar's face today when you told hierated more than a bit”
”Yes, I know But by the time we leave, I shall speak it” I was deteret along After all, all we need to do is ask the ood day,' 'fine wine,' and so on Oh, let's do it! Let's go out tomorrow--to the Foruo there to the dinner, I won't be at such a gawking disadvantage It is always best to spy out the unknown You get us so, a fine bedecked litter set out froainst the cushi+ons, their faces veiled Charar, full stola stola with its many folds around the hem, the enormous with its many folds around the hem, the enormous palla palla that enveloped it all and was draped over our heads, hiding our hair--for an hour that enveloped it all and was draped over our heads, hiding our hair--for an hour
”It seems to me,” she had said, ”the purpose of Roled ”Yes The only parts visible are the face, the hands, and the feet”
”Do they hate their bodies?” she wondered
”Evidently,” I said, wondering what sort of society would have invented these garments They were not only unwieldy, because of their sheer bulk and layering, but unflattering ”Romans are reputed to be very uncomfortable with all the body's natural functions”
Except Caesar, as so different in so rounds, and ere borne along to the river The Tiber was not wide, but it was a serene, pleasing green I could see the docks where the commercial shi+ps tied up, with the usual warehouses and elad, for the odor of it was not very alluring We kept to our side of the river, where there were only open fields, and gazed at the city sprawling on the other side
It was a cluster, a jus of all sorts and sizes I could see hills rising here and there, and tried to count them Were there seven? There were supposed to be I could see five or six The city was shi+ in the moist heat of the su
But that is compared to Alexandria, I reminded myself, and Alexandria is supposedly the ment and senses have been spoiled bythe shore, then we approached a bridge spanning the river to an island in its midst I kneas Tiber Island, which had a famous hospital dedicated to Asclepius on it We crossed it and then took the other bridge onto the Roman side
Immediately it was different There see about in the narrow streets They were loud and aggressive, shoving and yelling A cleared space with the foundations of a new structure reared up before us
”What is that?” I asked one of our bearers, who luckily spoke Greek
”A theater being built by Caesar,” he said ”It's the second stone one to go up He is trying to outdo Poantic one not far away”
We took a sharp turn to the right, and once again everything changed We were now fighting our way through a flower and fruitover the area, as sharp as the arlic Everyone was gesturing and shouting, so it appeared I saw a basket of unfaether
”What are they?” I asked, pointing at them ”I would like soht in the crowd itself Instinctively I drew my palla palla closer around my face closer around my face
I could understand soh Most of it was the usual: bargaining, cooods But occasionally I could hear the words Caesar Caesar and and Cleopatra Cleopatra What were the co about us? What were the co about us?
The bearer returned with a handful of the fruits They were olives, but larger and of a different color than I had ever seen
”We call therow near here, in the region of Picenum”
”Happy Picenum,” I said, ”to have such treasures for the palate” I bit into one; it it was running with juice, aly undertaste
We finally fought our way free of theto the left I saw that ere at the base of a hill, and that crowning the hill were several temples Could this be the Capitoline? If so, then the te statues of their ancient protectors Then, suddenly, ung into a flat, wide area congested with buildings--and people
”The Forum Romanum,” said the bearer
So this was it--the heart of Rome It looked like an ill-planned, crowdeda child makes when he assembles his blocks on a table too sht with one another for space, aligned at crazy angles to eke out the se of site Temples, covered porticoes, platforms, statues--there was no harmony or beauty to the whole But then, that was how the world saw Ro on beauty because they had no eye for it
I suppose they think this is attractive, I thought Poor Romans!