Part 73 (2/2)
”Oh, in a year or two,” he said, lightly, the old Oly to cover up the one that had revealed himself briefly just now, and in the birth roo I had taken, I eak from the loss of blood When I first saw myself in a mirror, I was astonished at hohite I looked Olympos plied ain, along with an infusion of steeped chervil He also said I should nurse the babiesa wet nurse, as it helped in recovery, and since there were two of therow faster,up for their s, for I loved holding the babies, and this meant hours when I could do only that I was still too debilitated to take on arduous public appearances, and I was not anxious to conduct outside business, so it did not interfere with my duties
They were both, of course, beautiful babies--as any ht hair, and the boy kept his blue eyes, whereas the girl's turned a greenish brown Day after day I watched their faces, their delicate puckered ers, watched them fall asleep in contentrow heavier
What was I to nae in their names; I refused to include Antony in thee withinto one he considered appropriate as soon as his feet touched Roman soil! Well, now he could do without his children, at least legally I was eastern, too eastern for him? Then so would my children be I named the boy Alexander Helios Alexander after the obvious patron, and Helios after the sun God First, because Alexander had been associated with the sun God, and his statues often depicted hi Helios; second, because he was born in the year of the solar eclipse; and last, because he was a twin, like Apollo the sun God, and also to reil and his like that they did not own Apollo, however much Octavian liked to claim him as his patron deity Perhaps olden age son would be the Apollo they predicted for their golden age
And hter? Cleopatra Selene Cleopatra after not onlyall the way back to the great Alexander, whose sister had been named Cleopatra And further back even than that, there was a Cleopatra in the Iliad Iliad Greek connotations--Greek, not Roain, for the eclipse, and also for the twin Arte ”ain, for the eclipse, and also for the twin Artemis
And so I watched ers of the golden age, or the children of destiny we had in our own, older, genuine genuine prophecies, as opposed to that truil's! prophecies, as opposed to that tru theht it of little account, and did not even hand the babies to their nurses, but just gave orders that he should be adht away
I was taken aback when an official Roalia, his breastplate glea greetings fro voice Or , but only sounded that way after the cloistered life I had been leading in the nursery
I just stared at hi a letter fro it out It was encased in a metal and leather cylinder Very fine; oh, very fine indeed
I took it, opened it, and read
To Queen Cleopatra, Queen Cleopatra, Thea Philopator-- Thea Philopator--Goddess Who Loves Her Father: Greetings and wishes for good health and fortune
It is ypt, the Friend and Ally of the Roreement between Imperator Caesar Divi Filius, and Imperator Marcus Antonius, Antonius, both both tresviri reipublicae constituendae, tresviri reipublicae constituendae, Triu all parties, and to pursue our allotted tasks throughout the world, Triu all parties, and to pursue our allotted tasks throughout the world, in in conjunction with our faithful allies, the following conditions are to be honored: First, that Iions in Gaul, Iions eastward from Macedonia Imperator Lepidus will coht years Iainst sextus Poainst the Parthians He has appointed the following governors for the eastern provinces: Domitius Ahenobarbus, Bithynia; Munatius Plancus, Asia; Asinius Pollio, Macedonia General Ventidius Bassus will cons to clear the Parthians fro conditions are to be honored: First, that Iions in Gaul, Iions eastward from Macedonia Imperator Lepidus will coht years Iainst sextus Poainst the Parthians He has appointed the following governors for the eastern provinces: Domitius Ahenobarbus, Bithynia; Munatius Plancus, Asia; Asinius Pollio, Macedonia General Ventidius Bassus will cons to clear the Parthians from Syria
In celebration of the pact, and to show mutual trust, Imperator Marcus Antonius has taken to wife the sister of Imperator Caesar Divi Filius
As loyal Friend and Ally of the Roreements
Imperator Marcus Antonius, Triumvir
So I held it inof the agreereements, I could see instantly, that increased Octavian's power at the expense of Antony's So he had handed over the Gallic legions! Lost the west entirely, without even a fight! And the offhanded announce to hi Octavian ”Caesar”--to , s for me to utter some bland inanity One of the babies squirmed in the crook ofs,” I said Undoubtedly Antony had ordered the swiftest shi+p to announce his doings But he had reckoned without the chance arrival of another er first So it often happens
”You may tell the Triumvir Marcus Antonius that I have received his news, and that I congratulate hie You may also tell hihter” I spread my arms and held them out for him to see
The man simply blinked in shock There was no official protocol for responding to such an announcement Finally he said, ”Have you no--no letter you wish to send? I can wait, as long as you would wish”
I drew myself up ”No No letter Merely the two sentences, which surely you can re”
The seas would soon be closing for winter; already the waves were rising and storms had started But just before they did, another shi+p arrived froht a letter from Antony, and this time I read it in private It ild and all but tear-stained I could picture hi in wine andit off without rereading it
My dearest, er told me--he saw you--that we have children How could you have kept it fro? If only I had known-- then I could never have e I was forced into, I would have had an excuse to refuse--you have undone me! Why have you betrayed me? If you loved me at all, it would not have been possible-- I have been in hell ever since I left--I can trust no one, now, not even you They say peace has coh
I spend the winter here in Rome There have been food riots here, and Octavian has been attacked and would have been killed by a mob at the races, had I not intervened Much remains to be done What have you naet me--pray for me, hold me in your heart, as I hold you
--I send this posthaste
It almost made me feel sorry for him--as he meant it to But what kind of a man was he, that he needed an ”excuse” to refuse Octavia, and nancy was not a proper one for the Triumvir--perhaps for some shepherd or schoolmaster, but not for the lord of half the world! And what did he mean, I had betrayed him? him? He was the one who had chosen Octavian, and Octavia, over me What a pity he couldn't trust anyone! How sad! Well, I had told him that, and told him to beware of Octavian! And yet he continued to rescue him Why didn't he let the mob put an end to him once and for all? He was the one who had chosen Octavian, and Octavia, over me What a pity he couldn't trust anyone! How sad! Well, I had told him that, and told him to beware of Octavian! And yet he continued to rescue him Why didn't he let the mob put an end to him once and for all?
And as for the children--I didn't knohat I would teach them about Antony It wasdead, and declared a God The living Antony was a delicateay fro First they would have to learn to talk
Chapter 52
During those weeks ere cut off fro hours to think--to think, and to recuperate Gradually I grew thin while the babies grew big, as if a very source of being were transferred froth returned; even my pain disappeared
”Youth is a marvelous healer,” said Olympos after he pronounced me completely recovered
”No, I think it was your skill,” I said ”After all, plenty of young people die” It occurred to me that the two people who know you best in the world are your physician--who knows all the particulars of your body--and your financial advisor, who knows all the secrets of your bank account Between them, they have the whole picture
”Luck played a part in it,” he said ”And your basic strength You are a tough warrior crocodile”
Antony had called e ”Antony called me a crocodile as well,” I said ”I don't think it's a compliment”
He frowned, as he always did, at least in passing, when Antony was mentioned Which was too bad, since I had a mission for him that involved Antony ”The crocodile has many admirable qualities--I meant it that way It's very hard to conquer a crocodile, and they can live under conditions that would kill most other animals An enviable trait,” insisted Olympos
”Indeed” I waited ato be easy ”Oly is remarkable--for a Greek”
Now his eyebrows shot up He looked wary, like a gazelle that suspects a lion ht be nearby ”For a Greek?”
”Of course thehere at the Museion is still forereat Herophilus and his anatoreat advances in their day The theories, the theories were ingenious! Praxagoras and his hypothesis about the blood vessels! Dioscorides' idea about the plague--intriguing! But--”
”But what?” Now he looked truly on guard
”But those ideas are just theories I think, now that I have recovered, you should go to Rome to study,” I said