Part 85 (1/2)
Antony stopped at the side of one e on his head that covered one eye He stooped down to speak to him
”Where did you receive this wound?” he asked
”With Gallus,” he said ”I was beside him when the full hail of arrows hit us”
”Poor, unfortunate Gallus!” said Antony
”He got hit four times, and I only once” Thehis fallen commander ”It orse for him”
”Yes, and later he died,” said Antony ”But tellhave you served?”
The th--raised hi position ”I am from Campania--not far from Rome”
”Ah The best soldiers come from the homeland/' said Antony ”Their loss hits the hardest of all”
The man looked pleased, but went on to answer plainly, ”I have served ten years--two under Caesar himself I have another ten before retirement-- and, Imperator, I want my piece of land in Italy The traditional place, not those new colonies in Africa or Greece No, Italy is e!”
”There will be a place for you where you wish,” Antony assured him But I kneas not that easy Italians eary of being deprived of their land to make room for army veterans Settle them abroad Settle them abroad was the sentiment was the senti--purple, swollen, and torn--was propped up on a rock, the rabbed his forearm and almost jerked him onto the mat ”noble Antonius!” the man said ”I was there! I was there!”
Antony atteood soldier?”
”When you spoke to rally the army on the retreat! Ah, how you stirred us! And then you addressed the Gods themselves! Yes, lady, he did!” He turned his fierce eyes on me ”He lifted up his hands to heaven and prayed that if the Gods were now e his former victories with bitter adversity, to let it fall on hi his men”
It was obvious the Gods had denied his petition
”They did not spare you, e places with you”
No No Let them deny that as well Let them deny that as well
”No, Imperator,” said the soldier ”This is better”
”The Queen has brought clothing and cover,” said Antony, handing hi”
Up and doent, Antony speaking personally topatiently, his attention riveted on each man They were in a pitiful state, and I wondered how many could survive There were many arroounds--some still with the arrowheads in them--as well as cuts, broken li the ravages of exposure, starvation, and dysentery rather than Parthian arrows
”And here,” said Antony, ”are the survivors of the poison root--if you can call them survivors” He led me to one of the shelters, where soue eyes, they looked at us with mild interest as we approached
”Poison root?” I asked ”What do you mean?”
Antony felt in his pouch and withdrew a dessicated, twisted piece of vegetation ”This is what I mean,” he said ”This evil plant!” He turned it around so I could see its stringy roots ”I told you how near ere to starvation, and had to forage, eat bark, and dig roots We knew not what half the things were, and this one was poison But a most peculiar poison--before it killed, itrocks” When he saw ht it was! The ca rocks! Then they would suddenly vomit, and die Only these survived That is, their bodies survived--their ers over the dirt, as if they were still searching for the rocks They were dribbling spittle from their mouths
”Was there no help?”
”Only wine,” said Antony ”If they drank large draughts of wine, it cured them O happy cure! But we had little wine; our stores had been left behind e had to abandon our food so we could carry injured men on the mules And so the men perished--for want of wine”
”My physician studies poisons,” I said ”I would like him to examine this root Perhaps he knohat it is, and of a cure besides wine”
Antony had stooped down and was atteitated ht we dined with the other commanders Unlike Antony, they seemed their usual boisterous, bluff selves Plancus, who talked while he chewed and looked like a caovernor of Syria He would depart for Antioch shortly to take up residence
Dellius, his pitted face now craggier than ever, asked me politely if I had read his account of the hich he had presented to Antony
”It's this long”--Antony stretched out his arms--”and then some I promise to read it first I trust you have told the whole whole truth--of the bravery of the men as well as the losses” truth--of the bravery of the men as well as the losses”
He sht his s titius, his long, dark face only slightly thinner than it was before, leaned across his couch and said, ”sextus has sent more offers We must decide”
sextus ”Where is sextus, and what decision ions since landing on our shores, and he has fallen so low that he is now offering thehest bidder He has even trafficked with the Parthians,” titius said
”Then he can no longer call himself a Rory, as if he was saying, There is no trust There is no trust, no faith anywhere That the son of Pompey would ally himself with the Parthians faith anywhere That the son of Pompey would ally himself with the ParthiansHeHe shook his head, slowly shook his head, slowly
Antony was being worn away by the perfidy around him; in his old-fashi+oned loyalty he was continually shocked to discover its absence in others The le event, but a reflection of the loss of honesty repeated in lesser betrayals: Octavian's deceptions, Lepidus's attempted coup, Labienus's defections, and now sextus's cynical prostitution of himself
”So we are to refuse his offer?” asked titius
Antony looked surprised that he would even ask ”Yes It is over for sextus” He paused so long I thought he had finished speaking ”And he cannot be allowed to go to the Parthians”
titius nodded gravely ”No, hea coin between his thuer ”This has already corily ”The captured treasure froe, I it with their own” He passed the coin to Antony, who examined it carefully Not only was the outline of his own face flattened out and overlaid with that of the Parthian king, but e--had been resta from the saddle!
”This must not be borne!” said Ahenobarbus
”No, nor will it be,” said Antony But his voice lacked fervor
As formy portrait effaced o, if it is in one's interest to do so That is why politicians are different creatures from heroes A ruler cannot always afford to be a hero, if the needs of his countrymen cry out for a politician instead
Eros had worked hard to make Antony's quarters more comfortable while ere out He had procured carpets, ed raven that he claie was covered, and ould have to wait untilto hear him
”It is just as well,” said Antony ”I am weary of talk Well, you heard them--the officers They seem undaunted by the defeat”
”So did you, in public” I began to unwind old pins used to fasten it, plus the jeweled diade caleaold necklace, but Antony stood behind me and undid it He was very possessive of the necklace, proud of it
With all that gold rehter Gold has its own command over the spirit