Part 89 (2/2)
”What do you want ally entitled to the 'Caesar'--it's Caesar hiht it suspicious that the adoption was a secret from Octavian If Caesar wanted to adopt him, why not tell him?”
”What difference does itto understand it!”
”No, you are trying to prove it was a forgery Well, it wasn't It was in that will I saw it”
”I wonder if there wasn't another will--a later one--one that naone Please stop this Caesarion will have to wrest any inheritance he gets away from Octavian There cannot be two Caesars”
”Yes, I know” I knew it deeply ”At least this journey to Roht to say he o”
Antony frowned ”That is not why I said he o for personal reasons, not political ones”
”I think when you are a Ptolemy and a Caesar, they cannot exist separately”
To the ypt, dispenser of justice: the ypt, dispenser of justice: Hail I salute you, and I salutefalse noses on men who have lost theirs in battle--of course they are not perfect, but better than a gaping hole--and I have been listening very hard to all the news Of an evening I stroll up the Palatine hill, at twilight when the breezes rise and rustle in the odd, flat pines they have here, and I pass Antony's house nearby, where I look long and observe First, it is in good condition, nicely triardens are thriving A bevy of servants is always about, lending an air of bustle to the place Octavia presides over it like a proper Ro between soarden The word--which I hear around the public fountains--is that her brother has ordered her to leave your house, I that that is her home as your wife I could almost suspect that Octavian wishes her to stay, because she is ruining your reputation by being the martyr, faithful to a faithlessyour children, even Antyllus and lullus by her predecessor, and entertaining your senatorial friends at home If he had wanted to blacken your character, Imperator, he scarcely could have found a better vessel I have been listening very hard to all the news Of an evening I stroll up the Palatine hill, at twilight when the breezes rise and rustle in the odd, flat pines they have here, and I pass Antony's house nearby, where I look long and observe First, it is in good condition, nicely triardens are thriving A bevy of servants is always about, lending an air of bustle to the place Octavia presides over it like a proper Ro between soarden The word--which I hear around the public fountains--is that her brother has ordered her to leave your house, I that that is her home as your wife I could almost suspect that Octavian wishes her to stay, because she is ruining your reputation by being the martyr, faithful to a faithlessyour children, even Antyllus and lullus by her predecessor, and entertaining your senatorial friends at home If he had wanted to blacken your character, Imperator, he scarcely could have found a better vessel
They also say--again around the fountains, rippa--that Octavian and his party are helping to improve the lives of ordinary Romans, whereas his feckless Triuolden chainations Do you have one? I don't recall) They also talk about jewel-encrusted writing tablets, thrones, and eunuchs They gossip about the Queen as anoble Ro in a web of jeweled allure, trapping any Ro is said about aat all is said about Parthia or Armenia, either
I am happy to report that Caesarion's Latin has beco away at the food vendors' and ironrown in the past feeeks, and needs new clothes--which he enjoys wearing He is quite well disguised in his Roarb It amuses me to watch hiery when I see you It is quite ingenious
May you never need it!
Your devoted, and busy, Olympos
The words hit ain! Yes, Olyht hands! Theto appreciate this paragon of woust What could I do? Nothing!
I retired to the ”cooled” room Vimala's invention worked quite well; as faint breezes passed through the soaked strings, like a lyre dripping ater, a damp coolness pervaded the air It had been a relief to be able to retreat here, and I had ordered similar devices installed in other chambers as well
I poured some perfume out into a handkerchief and wiped my forehead The scent--a compound of black hyacinth and violet--helped to clear ood would it do, except to make him want to run back to Rome? No, there was no point I put it ahere he would not see it
To the Queen: the Queen: My hand is still tre and I can barely write this But I have to; only by writing it can I calm myself and put it in its proper place Shall I tell it fro backward, or in order? Order, I think To restore order, one must i, of the sort we enjoy every night The crowds for the Ludi Apollinares Ludi Apollinares and the birthday of and the birthday of Divus Julius Divus Julius had departed, letting the city return to nor of relief after a festival is over, and the shopkeepers and ordinary people see in the streets, the loitering at taverns, the strolling toward the riverbanks or public gardens had departed, letting the city return to nor of relief after a festival is over, and the shopkeepers and ordinary people see in the streets, the loitering at taverns, the strolling toward the riverbanks or public gardens As As Caesarion and I climbed the steps up to our third-floor apart of deprivation for all the a at street level But I had promised to keep your precious son out ofawaited us but so books Although it was still fairly light outside, the roo the sextus one, strange how one re There were sos I needed to check, and Caesarion would practice his Latin declensions It pro watch at a cehosts Caesarion and I climbed the steps up to our third-floor apart of deprivation for all the a at street level But I had promised to keep your precious son out ofawaited us but so books Although it was still fairly light outside, the roo the sextus one, strange how one re There were sos I needed to check, and Caesarion would practice his Latin declensions It pro watch at a cehosts
And as we sat there, in the diets to know one's neighbors in these close quarters, and I ell acquainted with Gaius the butcher and Marcus the baker, and Zeus kno many others I almost turned to stone when I looked up and saw Octavian step in
I kneas he--who else could look so like all the statues? Or, I should say, a version version of the statues The statues look like the handsoh he is handsoive the statues credit for preserving his individual features--his little ears that are set lon on his head, and his triangular face That was how I recognized him of the statues The statues look like the handsoh he is handsoive the statues credit for preserving his individual features--his little ears that are set lon on his head, and his triangular face That was how I recognized him
I could barely speak--and you know that is unusual forat hi He looked around the roouise? Is this your disguise? But he conveyed it all wordlessly, his eyes sending thethe rayish blue, utterly emotionless I have never seen another creature's eyes like that; even dead soldiers' do not have that flatness to the
”Good evening, Triuht, isn't it? What brings you here? I thought you were busy in Illyria” Did that sound controlled enough? I hoped to match him and ruffle his calmness Let him think I had expected hi us?”
”None” He gave an imitation of a sood I suppose you need it--so many enemies” many enemies”
Caesarion had risen to his feet I aht as the Son of the God But then, he is also the Son of the God All that celestial company!
Octavian turned to him, that false smile still spread across his face ”Welco time--some nine or ten years, I believe--since I have seen you You should have notified me, so I could receive you officially”
”We did not wish to trouble you, Triu the enemies of Rome,” said Caesarion I was impressed by his quick response ”It would have been an imposition”
”Nonsense!” said Octavian ”You insultso”
”No insult was intended, Triumvir,” said Caesarion
Both of the them
Finally, Octavian broke the silence ”But you do insultto be the son ofintently at the pendant with the Caesarean emblem on it, which was too clearly visible around the boy's neck
”The city of Rome is not your your city, Caesar himself allowed me to use his nareat-uncle,” countered Caesarion city, Caesar himself allowed me to use his nareat-uncle,” countered Caesarion
''Great-uncle by birth, father by adoption,'' said Octavian ''At least I share his blood, which you do not Everyone knows--it is coe--that you are a bastard with an unknown father If the Queen has told you otherwise, she has done you a great wrong”
''Now you insult my mother!'' said Caesarion fiercely ' 'She would never lie”
”She lied to Caesar, pretending to carry his child, when all the world kneas incapable of fathering children”
”I beg your pardon, Triuree with you He had a daughter, Julia”
”Yes, born thirty years before this--boy”
”What does that prove? Perhaps his wives weren't fertile”
”All three of them?”