Part 55 (1/2)
All Alexandria had to observewith the palace for seven days Business was suspended and aoes, bills went unpaid
It was now October, and the Nile had clearly failed The water barely touched the demarcation line of the ”cubits of death” at all Niloypt the water had spread out in little puddles, barely filling the reservoirs Noas already receding, a month ahead of time There would be famine
At least the low Nile h food, many of them disappeared into the mud, to sleep and wait for better times Others waddled up on land and found theers who could corner them and spear them Others apparently withdrew to the waters beyond the cataract Sobek had obeyedwas officially over, I consulted with both Mardian and Epaphroditus about the expected crisis in the harvest
”Yes, there will be a shortfall,” said Mardian ”I have already had the figures drawn up”
”How bad a shortfall?” I asked
”As bad as ever we've seen,” he answered He shook his head ”It is indeed fortunate that the past two years have been good ones”
When I ay, I thought Perhaps, in the best interests of Egypt, I should live elsewhere! I said so
Mardian raised his eyebrows ”Now really, where would you like to live? What other place could compare to Alexandria?”
”Oh, I would consider Ephesus, or Athens” I was curious to see them, and their tonders--the Great Temple of Artemis, and the Parthenon
”Bah! Too filled with Greeks,” said Epaphroditus ” ”Who would want to live with Greeks?”
”He has a point,” said Mardian ”They argue too much Almost as much as the Jews! That's why Alexandria is so riotous and quarrelsome--the Greeks and Jews keep at each other, in a continual stew”
”Not like you placid Egyptians,” said Epaphroditus ”I think you would bore yourselves to death”
”Now, gentlemen,” I said ” ”Let us not start a riot in here My ministers should be above these national characteristics” I was only half joking ”If we must institute relief measures for the famine, how stands the treasury? Can I afford to start rebuilding my fleet anyway?”
Mardian looked alarmed ”Dearest lady, that would cost a fortune!”
”A fortune to save a fortune,” I said ”I know the eyes of Roain The last contest, between Caesar and Po east, I know it I feel it And when they do, we must be prepared Prepared to defend ourselves, or to lend aid to the party of Caesar”
Mardian crossed and uncrossed his legs--a habit of his when he was thinking ”What of the four legions already here?” he finally said
”They owe allegiance to Rome,” I said ”We need a force that answers only to us A sea force”
It ell known that the Roly unbeatable on land, but little of that love of battle carried over to their navy
”Yes, I agree,” said Epaphroditus ”And I think the treasury can stand it It will take h We will be left with no reserves”
No h, and we needed this navy
”I think ill need at least two hundred shi+ps,” I said Bothless will not be much of a navy,” I insisted ”Half measures are of no use at all, but just a waste of money”
”Yes, Your Majesty,” said Epaphroditus ”Shall I see to procuring the tihts? How do you propose to compose this navy? Mainly of warshi+ps, quadrirehter, Liburnian-type vessels? It will make a difference in the size timbers I order”
”I would have it half and half,” I said I had done a great deal of reading, studying naval warfare, and it seemed wise to be covered on both fronts Battles had been lost by overreliance on one type of shi+p ”And I myself will learn to captain a warshi+p,” I said Now they both looked shocked
”Your Majesty,” said Epaphroditus, ”surely you can trust admirals to command the fleet”
”I shall have admirals,” I assured him ”But they shall be subordinate to hed ”Oh dear”
I ignored hiets severe, by March or April, we shall have to open the granaries of Alexandria to the people We will announce this now”
The grains of Egypt--wheat and barley--were housed in enorranaries in Alexandria, where they awaited shi+p them was a serious duty; I employed a double detachment of soldiers around them
”Now?” Mardian frowned ”They will come forward much earlier, then, ~ than they need to”
”Perhaps But it will also serve to keep worry--and insurrection--at bay”
He sighed again Mardian preferred to wait for a trouble to coe-old probleht be interested in knowing that in our scriptures, there is a story of just such a fa aspects I will send you a copy”
”It see that does not appear in your scriptures,” I said ”But I would be ht was duly delivered a manuscript, from the Greek version of his people's story, about a Pharaoh--mythical, of course--who had dreaht Caesarion would enjoy the story, and so I asked his servants to prepare hi him to me
He now had his own quarters, filled with furniture, toys, pets, balls, gas a little boy would want There was also a bust of Caesar, before which daily offerings were placed I wanted his father to be ever before him
He was now three years and six months old, a serious child who seemed to keep his own counsel, as if he had already seen tooto be tall, and as his face grew less rounded and babyish, his resemblance to Caesar became more pronounced He spoke like an older child
”Co a cushi+oned hassock Outside, the sky was a tender gray of twilight--a good tiht Obediently he caood friend Epaphroditus has sent o, and a clever ht you would like it”
”Let me hear it,” he said soleypt,” I said ”There was a slave who kne to read dreahtrain blooly, withered heads Then he dreamed that seven fat cows caed from the river and devoured them”
Caesarion shi+vered ”But how can a cow eat a cow?” he asked, seriously
”It was just a dreas happen in dreams that cannot happen in real life Anyway, that is what puzzled the Pharaoh When he awoke, he could not forget the dreams He asked all his wise men what they meant, and nobody knew”
”No wonder It didn't make any sense” He nodded wisely
”Let me read you what happened,” I said ”One of Pharaoh's servants reift of interpreting dreaht hied his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it'
” 'And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ”It is not in ive Pharaoh an answer of peace”