Part 30 (1/2)
A platform with steps sat in the middle of a somewhat open area, with the bronze rams of shi+ps, called rostra rostra,out like a row of boars' snouts This must be the famous place, named for those rams, the Rostra, where their politicians shouted speeches, backed up by the reht How subtle!
Off to one side was a tall, square building that looked like a box standing on end ”What is that?” I asked the bearer Heof my questions by now
”The Curia, hty Senate of Rome met here here? In this coffin?
”There are special tiers inside for the senators' seats,” he said, alhts ”The doors are of bronze,” he said proudly
And, indeed, they were the only fine thing about it
”Caesar rebuilt it,” he said ”He had to move it to make room for his new Forum”
”What?” I asked ”What Foru a new one, because he says this one is crowded and ugly He is paying for the new one entirely out of his own funds They say it will cost over a million sesterces But then, he can afford it”
”Letaround and-we made our way across the paved center of the Forue covered building, and found ourselves overlooking a s green space covered the lea in white marble
”The temple isn't dedicated yet,” said the bearer ”He built it to fulfill a vow he made before the final battle with Poe, and the Goddess Venus--and incidentally, to show off soraceful as any in Greece itself, of that I was sure
”I hope I shall be here when it is dedicated,” I said
We returned to the old Foru careful to avoid the pedestals and statues We passed what I had to admit was an ads: a large, long one, a round one with columns, and a square, blocky one with another attached
The patient bearer pointed theia, where the College of Pontiffs meet and keep their records The round temple is the Te,” he said ” ”The priestesses, the Vestal Virgins, live in that long building beside it, so they can tend the flame, and--”
”The house attached to it is the Pontifex Maximus/' I said ”Caesar lives there”
”Yes, ht in the middle of the Foru, wooded hill rising beside the Forum, covered with spacious homes
”A popular place to live for the rich people,” said the bearer, pointing at it ”The Palatine Hill Cicero has a hoht it from Crassus-- and Marc Antony's family home is there as well”
Yes, I would choose the Palatine to live on, were I a Roman I understood nohy Caesar had a villa outside the city I understood so uised visit was a success, even though I had not been able to penetrate any conversations What the ht about politics, I still had no inkling But now at least I had met him face-to-face
Chapter 24
I awoke on the day of the dinner to a gentle rain I could hear it falling on the trees outside, hitting the leaves A moist breath came in the s It was a kind of rain I had never encountered before--a suypt where it rains at all--there were lashi+ng winter gales, but no sweet, warhed I had heard nothing ht-- who did he plan to have at his table? He had said dinner at his home Was it to be a banquet? Truthfully, his house did not look grandiose enough to have one This villa was probably where he usually held large banquets I assumed Ptolemy was invited; after all, it was Caesar who had insisted we be ”al husband, he could hardly be omitted
At midday I availed ineering genius that allowed the Ro water, as well as heated floor tiles Thus had the Roer corps of engineers attached to each legion, putting up bridges over swirling rivers, laying down roads over bogs, copying the designs of captured shi+ps Now Ro for creature co fresh water--and wasting it in fountains and pleasure grottoes--and inventing concrete, a liquid stone, that let thes, as rich as they liked, to their fancy Soon there would be nothing left of the famous Roman asceticism Those who could afford toin co theht hard about what to wear to this affair, because it was all syalia? I was, after all, a visiting queen But this was a small dinner, not an official banquet--I assuht see The question was-- how did Caesar wish to present me? He had not indicated
”Char?” I asked her ”Your sense of these things is usually correct Whatbeforewith clothes of all description The very variety of the more difficult
Charmian said, ”My instinct is that you must make yourself as beautiful as possible However you do that is up to you Whatever you do, don't be plain! Leave that to the Roman matrons”
”But it ar What is appropriate in the east arish here So put on only half as much jewelry and cosmetics”
I had a sudden suspicion ”You don't suppose Calpurnia will be there?” Surely he couldn't!
”Unless she is conveniently away, how could she not be?”
My heart sank ”I don't know the Roman custom Do husbands and wives attend all the same functions?” Maybe they didn't Maybe they went their separate ways at the table, as they seemed to in bed
”Probably,” she said ”Where else would the wonations with their husbands' friends?”
”Is it that bad?” It sounded so sordid
”It is always the scandals that reach our ears,” she said ”No one ever talks about someone who behaves himself--which most people in Rome probably do”
I pulled out one costume after another It did not help that they caht of as simply Mediterranean Finally I decided, on an iarb
”It is what people have thethey see least often, and will provide thethat it would please Caesar, re warm days on the Nile
I was ready I stood before the pool in the atrium where I could see old collar I earing a close-fitting linen dress with sheer sleeves, tied with a wide sash of red silk The heavy gold bracelet the Kandake had given old fillet ornaypt in al, exotic, and understated
Ptole a jeweled collar, pleated linen robes, and gold sandals
I drew ure in the pool did likewise I had to ad Now to set out--and calain, ready to be rolled out before a hostile audience
The litter swayed sensuously froht The rain had stopped, leaving a sweet after the end of the rain In the fading light the Foru; the rain and the dinner hour had driven most people away, so it was almost deserted Now I could see far down to the area where the Regia lay, and the round building of the Te outside it, and as we came closer I saw that servants were stationed outside Caesar's house to guide us
The litter was set down A servant helped both me and Ptolemy out Another bowed and then ushered us into the house Froh of two stories, and the doors were plain wood studded with iron
My own attendant, who had followed in a separate litter, announced our entrance e passed into the atriuathered at one end of the room, but really I saw only one person: Caesar
His face broke into a smile when he saw us, and ined, and I felt joy flooding through ht I need not fear the others; they could not touch us
”Welcome to my home,” he said, ”Your Majesties” But he did not bow, since he was not our subject ”Allow ether those nearest and dearest toGreek So that would be the tongue for tonight