Part 96 (1/2)
They left as soon as he released theone, I turned to Antony I was shaken ” ”Why have you done this?” I asked
”What, don't you want me buried beside you?” He put on a mock look of hurt
”I mean--why did you announce all this to Plancus and titius? They will never keep it to themselves”
”I don't e him Of course the will cannot be read publicly; the Vestals cannot release it But just the ruh”
”Do youdo you really mean to be buried here? Abandon your family tomb in Rome?”
”You cannot be buried in it You must be here, with your royal ancestors And I would not be separated froh in life I will not have it in death”
I leaned against hi It was a tomblike day
”I am touched,” was all I could say; ”In threefor Armenia, and from thence back to Parthia, this tio into battle again without this--settled”
Another battle More deaths I eary of it, and uarded from harm?
”I have been attacked,” said Antony, in wonder He was holding a thick letter, direct from Rome ”Octavian has publicly attacked led ers to be handed the letter, but Antony just kept clutching it
”In public! In the Senate! He--you knoas to be Consul this year, as I was last year But, just as I could not go to Rome to serve my term, and only 'served' one day, January first, so he has done the sa that one day of office, he stood up in the Senate and--oh, here, read it yourself!”
He thrust the letter at me--at last It was from Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, one of Antony's party in Rome, and a senator
To the Trius, and ood health Most noble Antonius, Ithe one-day terue, G Julius Caesar Octavianus Back fro fro by coyly sticking his bandaged leg out of the fold of his toga--he took the floor and addressed us on ”the state of the RepublicHe RepublicHe was red-faced and seeht I have never witnessed in the young man Of course, it ry: a sight I have never witnessed in the young man Of course, it may have been an act
He ranted hiht to wear at all ti it (He (He has fine hands) He launched an attack on you personally and on your actions He accused you of giving away Roman territory, which is absolutely forbidden He denounced your ”Donations of Alexan has fine hands) He launched an attack on you personally and on your actions He accused you of giving away Roman territory, which is absolutely forbidden He denounced your ”Donations of Alexandriaas he termed them, and said: he termed them, and said: ”He has appointed his own children over Roman lands, not because of their abilities or loyalty to Rome--how could they be able or loyal, as they are only six years old?--and s! And what does that ? It does not enerals do not have kings and queens for children! Has he gone mad?” he said ”He must answer to these effronteries!”
Then hehis Consulshi+p, so that he could return to the frontiers and punish the enemies of Rome Look for a letter froh you have much support here, people art indeed puzzled by your actions
Your loyal friend, M Aemilius Scaurus I put it down ”So Let us wait for this letter from Octavian”
Antony looked morose
”Do not trouble yourself about it,” I said ”It is all staged”
In due time two letters arrived, one official, one personal In the official one, Octavian coe about Antony's appoint tone
My dear brother-in-law, If you can rouse yourself from your bacchanab in the palace of Alexandria, your wife and children would certainly appreciate a letter frootten your fayptian Queen? I seriously question your ability to shoulder your half of the world, judging fro and appointing a younger man to carry your burdens, before you stuood bodily health Mentally I am afraid you may be in sore need of restorative rest--in the west You will be most welcome at home, whenever you can find it in yourself to make the journey
Your brother, and fellow Triumvir, Imperator J Caesar, Divi Filius P S Divi Filius P S Cease cha the claims of that bastard son of the Queen s It is unworthy of you Cease cha the claims of that bastard son of the Queen s It is unworthy of you
”The nerve!” yelled Antony ”I I am crazy!” He s,” I said, ”or you ill sound crazy” sound crazy”
”And what about the way he calls you 'that Egyptian Queen'--as if you didn't have a nah,” I said ”Just as he knows Caesarion's” I thought the attack was a good sign It meant that we had touched a raw nerve, and he felt threatened by our claiht now!” shouted Antony
”No, not now!” I said
”Yes, now!” He grabbed a pitcher of wine and poured hih his writing-box and extracted all thefuriously Finally he thrust the letter at me
What's come over you? I suppose you're irked because I sleep with the Queen? Well, what of it? She is ison for nine years now? And, say, what abouton for nine years now? And, say, what about you? you? Is Livia your only bed partner? My congratulations to you Is Livia your only bed partner? My congratulations to you if, if, when you receive this letter, you haven't been having when you receive this letter, you haven't been having it off it off with Tertulla or Terentilla or RufMa or Salvia titisenia, or ether! Does it really matter to you where or hom you have sex? Evidently not! with Tertulla or Terentilla or RufMa or Salvia titisenia, or ether! Does it really matter to you where or ho ”What a picture--all of them at once He must have a wall-to-wall pallet”
”He does He likes a large gathering” Antony drained his cup, and poured another one
”It's very funny, but it doesn't really answer the accusations”
”I don't care! Let him know I know the truth about his pious act I will answer the political charges in a separate letter” He paused ”He doesn't even mention mention Armenia! Can it be so unimportant that I won a new province for Rome? What has Armenia! Can it be so unimportant that I won a new province for Rome? What has he he ever done that's comparable?” ever done that's comparable?”
Later, in a sober letter, he duly set out his co his stand on soleality His fellow Triu to send hiions he ed under the ter hi his veterans inferior land grants, and in unilaterally deposing Lepidus fro all of Lepidus's territories and legions, rather than dividing them All these failed to honor the terms of their alliance As for Caesarion and Cleopatra--the Queen was his wife, and had been Caesar's, and Ptoleitiether froal misbehavior of Octavian in their partnershi+p
He sent it off, then left Alexandria to join Canidius with his legions in Ar another atte
The shaky edifice of the Triu both men from overt hostilities However, the Triumvirate would expire in only another nine months What would happen after that? The Republic was dead, in spite of sentimental talk about it It had monumentally failed to resurrect itself after Caesar's death Rome had been ruled by a dictator, then by three dictators--the Triu to one-ain The only question hich man would it be?
And the ansas the old, simple one: the man with the best arthen the Egyptian fleet while Antony ay The profits froroves would finance it nicely We already had a respectable navy of some hundred shi+ps, built primarily from the timbers of Cilicia Now I e cypresses and cedars I needed those longer tirippa had built a first-rate fleet with heavy shi+ps We must have equal-sized vessels; we et swamped and crushed
I was convinced the fleet would be of key ihty navy, and one always uses the weapons to hand He was unlikely to let his shi+ps sit idle in a conflict
I visited the dockyards every few days, finding great satisfaction in seeing these wooden sea creatures taking shape on the shore The walls of the largest, the ”ten,” rose high above me like a fort The oars were fashi+oned from the trunks of the tallest pines to be had The socket where the bronze ra as an elephant
”Majesty, just casting the raht assured me ”To fashi+on a bronze beak of that size--it's hard to keep theit is tricky”
It would take days before the success of any casting was known Fitting the ti the ith sheets of lead to keep out worthy, expensive process!
Epaphroditus had warned ive the pun,” he had said ”But it is easy to go wild in shi+pbuilding So but a funnel to send money directly to the bottom of the sea”
”I know,” I said ”But we ant Personally, I think you get more for your money with the ar oarsmen--well, most men prefer the land So the navy is a second-choice service”