Part 34 (2/2)
I shuddered How those men had once held power overcrowd I began to understand the need that the Triu on Pothinus
”Killer! Killer! Killer!” A group rushed froy of Achillas They pelted it with dung and offal ”You killed our Pompey!” They were about to wrench the dummy from its cart when soldiers stopped them
”Nay!” they said ”You must not rob others of the opportunity to spit on hi byandiant palace tutor
He flinched as waves of trash were thrown at him Luckily he probably did not understand most of the Latin curses and abuse that were shouted at hi since been broken
And then--O ye Gods! It was Arsinoe! She walked some fifty feet behind hih; it took all her effort not to bend under the weight of the chains, but she stood erect and walked with a sure pace She was thin; her cheeks were gaunt and I could see the bones of her shoulders The proud Arsinoe, a captive in a Roh the Forum and thence to her death
It could have been I! I lowered e di in her place, the vanquished If I had sided against Romeif fate had not favoredI clutched his hand ”Don't look,” I said
But just then Arsinoe turned and looked at aze Her eyes were drawn to er leapt across the space separating us I was the captive, held in her stare
She passed me by, her spirit already elsewhere, so it seehs of sympathy rose in the air like currents Hostile eyes turned on ed one
How could they forget so readily? Arsinoe had fought against Ro They saw a beautiful princess in chains, and forgot Caesar No taunts or rubbish followed her; a hushed, respectful silence descended
Files of sacrificial oxen followed in her wake, bound for death, and that just excited the crowd further Theyled like one of the white oxen to her doom!
Now Caesar appeared, resplendent But he rode into a sullen arena, filled with low old chariot did not stir people as it had the first ti thin in the vast space Some people threw vials of perfumed oil, and one landed on the rim of his chariot and broke He seized the broken bottle and held it aloft
”Well done!” he cried ”I always say thatof perfued the yptian perfu the moment
They roared with approval
”I tell you, the perfuht them all to you!” He waved expansively ”I shall distribute theesse! There's cassia and caet these on such short notice? I knew he had not procured any in Egypt!
Octavian, riding behind hi perfume flasks
”Cleopatra and her many-perfumed oils!” the crowd yelled
For an instant Caesar froze Then he turned and presented me to the croith his extended arm They screamed and stamped
Quickly he rode on My face burned I felt the presence of Calpurnia intensely, even though I could not see her Octavian jerked his head back and kept looking straight ahead
The tra of the soldiers' feet drowned out all other sounds They were shouting and singing in chorus the Cleopatra song again, now joined by the crowds New verses were added:
While the Lighthouse blazed and the soldiers gazed Caesar spent his nights and days In his Cleopatra phase
I hated this! I hated it! How could Caesar endure it so good-naturedly? It was like being led in the Triuhts were all the same He sported hiah! I could stand no h, as Caesar did? They were calling me a whore!
At last the horrible procession passed by, and the Triumph was over It was over
The spectacle to follow this Triue to tell us that the customary litter would be sent for us, and that our presence was essential As it had been for the Egyptian Triumph?
This time the litters set out away from the Circus Maximus, and ere transported toward the river; the croere thick, and I could see the sites where they cas here, but still I saw several se, pillared co as one of our temples!” said Ptolemy in a shrill voice
What could it be? Ihad never existed! I shudder now to recall it; but then, in the sunlight, it see to blame for what evil men do inside it?
”Where is that temple with enemy territory around it?” asked Ptolemy ”The one where the Romans throw blood-tipped spears to start a war?”
I had to confess I did not knohat he was talking about Another thing to ask Caesar
Abruptly the litters were set down and our attendants helped us out As we alighted, I thought my eyes were deceived Before us was a lake, and upon it were true shi+ps--bires, banners flying A gigantic crowd surrounded the entire basin of the lake, allery had been built on stilts on the shore, and I could see Caesar and the knot of his farouped upon it
We ht, the spectacle was even more miraculous The artificial lake that had been excavated on the Campus Martius--the Field of Mars--, and who kne deep? Obviously deep enough to accojust to see my reaction I was stunned and could not hide it
I kneould send Octavian over, and I was right He s, Your Majesties,” he said ”We are pleased you could join us for this Triuination, or did he stress the word this, this, and look carefully at'us? and look carefully at'us?
”It was necessary for us to behold it,” I said, being as honest as I could ”I do not pretend that it was not painful It brought back ly memories”
”Caesar will be distressed to hear it He is under the iarded those people as eneht of an ene one”
”Perhaps when you have actually fought a war, you will understand,” I said He was just a boy and had never seen a battle, and his sness was unpleasant to uised htly ”Is there no engineering miracle the Romans cannot perform?”
”None that I am aware of,” he replied, with that cold, perfect smile This entertainment was to feature a naval battle between the fleets of Tyre and Egypt Two thousand oars men from each nation manned their respective shi+ps, and, at the sound of trumpets, cast off fro water I assumed it was to be an exhibition only, but as smoke rose froroans and screams, I suddenly becaly ”What is this? Are these ht?”
”In a naureat battles are reenacted--reenacted in ail their particulars,” he said ”We have staged the battle of Sala the Persians, and watched the Carthaginian fleet being destroyed again and again froht, and an issue decided, is that not final?” I deain? Will history's verdict be reversed?”