Part 99 (2/2)
I took his bloody hand in mine and went slowly down the steps with him until we reached the royal box I could not trust ht I had felt in seeing him fall had wiped it out
When ere seated, he said contritely, ”I am sorry”
When I did not reply, he added, ”It won't happen again”
My hand was slippery with blood fro his
Finally I said, ”Perhaps on your way out you should stop by the teive hi to the theatrical guild of Dionysus, caan But I paid scant attention to it
That night, Antony's cuts and bruises having been cleaned and treated, he said, ”Togas are lethal” He laughed ”I caught a”
We were lying side by side in the bedroo a co hurts,” he ad since worn off, and he was dead sober ”Just when I could use it to ease the pain,” he said, then quickly added, ”I aht in what you said before More hed ”As I said then,that does not co that fall; it seeain in my head I shuddered ”For your own sake, youhow I sounded like a stern tutor Why is it so difficult to be strict with those we love, even in their own interests?
”Yes, I know Octavian will use it against erous--today proved that”
”Today wassubject He shi+fted his weight around and folded his arms behind his head ”Ouch” He paused ”Ahenobarbus and Sosius will read my report to the Senate as soon as they take office next ree that my case must be presented to Rome How lucky we are that the two Consuls for this year are these men--my men” men”
”So you won the to win over The merits of the case spoke for itself”
”Then ere you so nervous you needed to get drunk?”
There was a long silence ”A good point I suppose because so races of the Senate; our future depends on it” win back the good graces of the Senate; our future depends on it”
I disagreed so co It distressed me to see how obsessed he ith the Senate The Senate could not grant hi He would have to win it in spite of the Senate But Antony was not a revolutionary, like his rival, who cloaked his is
I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep
Who could have foretold what happened? No astrologer predicted it, no soothsayer even hinted at it Not that I would have believed them if they had
In three hty Roitives to Ephesus, cast out of Rome by Octavian
Ahead of them, just in time to warn us, Ahenobarbus and Sosius put in with their swift Liburnian, and ca in the atriuht overhead, was sparkling in the little square pool with its mosaic bottom
”Imperator,” called Ahenobarbus froht behind hi from the run from the harbor
We stared at them as if they were apparitions They were supposed to be a thousandour interests
”What?” Antony leapt up, dropping the letters he was reading off his lap One of thele
”Most nobleer say Triumvir'” Sosius looked stricken
Yes, the Triumvirate had officially expired with the new year, and was hardly to be renewed! Now Octavian was a private citizen, technically at least But Antony still held his military command and his eastern title of Autocrator
”Pray, be seated” Antony was ever the considerate host ”Refresh yourselves” He dragged over a bench hiood chairs, as if this were a courtesy call
They sank down, arranging their togas around their knees Ahenobarbus looked fierce, his eyes flashi+ng above his wiry beard
”You have had no word of this?” he asked ”You did not receive es?”
Antony shook his head ”Tellversion or the short?”
”First the short,” I said Now he glared at me, then turned back to Antony But if he expected Antony to disagree, he was disappointed
”In the first month of the new year, I was to preside over the Senate,” he said ”I judged the cli to read your dispatch”
”But how else could Rome know?” I burst out It see to withhold the information That was for us to decide, not him
Now he looked poisonously at me, then continued stiffly ”There was such hostility toward your eastern policy that I felt that to mention the Donations was to inflame them further Octavian was absent fros and then devise a strategy But he”--he shot a look at Sosius--”when he took the chair the next month, decided to attack Octavian directly and call for a vote of censure against him Then a tribune vetoed it And before we knehat had happened, Octavian appeared in the Senate house, surrounded by armed men, and threatened us He refused to let us read your dispatch at all, even the part about the Armenian conquest He said he would return the next day and present all his grievances against you, ritten proof, and exact punishment on Antony's 'creatures' We didn't return on his appointed day, but left At the same time, three hundred senators decided to come with us 'Any other traitors who feel the call should depart now!' Octavian warned And so they are following--about half the Senate”
Antony looked stunned He was speechless
”So where does the true governal terms, which half of the Senate counts?”
”They can both claiitimacy,” said Sosius ”There is a tradition that if the Senate overne nuovernment at all! The Triumvirate has expired, the Senate split--” He looked as if he were going to burst into tears ”We are adrift on a perilous sea”
”Get hold of yourself!” barked Ahenobarbus
”I can't bear another civil war,” Sosius la--will Rome never be at rest? Caesar, Pompey, sextus, now you and Octavian--no, no!” He moaned ”We cannot stand another one”
”We will have to,” I said briskly
”What do you rowled Ahenobarbus ”You are not Roman”