Part 101 (1/2)
”It gives the lie to your life with me!” I said ”That's what it does!” And now all my caution, all my restraint, dissolved, and for the first time in my life I acted entirely and co rabbed his arer!” I began weeping loudly ”You could not stand the memory of Caesar, you wouldn't even let ivenwoman? I hate her! I hate her!”
What had I done? The three words had escaped my mouth, where they would exist in Antony'scould recall them I wept even harder, in shame at my own loss of control
Antony bent down and knelt in front ofme ”Well, then,” he said simply, ”I shall divorce her,” as if there was, suddenly, no other consideration
Was it to be that easy? I was so startled I stopped crying ”Will you?”
”Yes,” he said ”Tomorrow, if that pleases you” He reached up and touched ht To send for a scribe” He smiled
Now all his caution entered into me I knew this move was a provocation to Octavian and the final step before open hostilities But it must come to this
”Tomorrow, then” I nodded Tomorrow--tomorroould end it
”And now,me toward the bed It was heaped with rich sheets, pillows, scented herbs, and its fraht I was very, very tired, and everything here felt alien I wanted to sleep next to hieness It was the last time I would have Octavia as a presence between us
The letter of divorce was dictated the next ht there was to be a dinner and gathering, and Antony planned to announce it then We had been holding these council ularly, but this would be the first one in Athens
It is hard to be in exile, and I had begun to feel sorry for the senators They had left Ro with little notice, and now they uests and wanderers--until that day when it was safe for the all they had to endure, they had been remarkably patient Of course, they had been well fed and housed--atrestless and increasingly at loose ends I had hoped Athenswait ahead of them It was obvious that the ould not erupt this year Octavian had ather his forces, and it was he ould have to make the journey
In theable to equip and deploy our forces at our own pace We were proud of our commanders: Canidius, titius, and Plancus by land, and Ahenobarbus and Sosius by sea The two ousted Consuls would now take their stand on the decks of warshi+ps
After the meal, when everyone's stomachs were stretched with the pleasure of fine food, and the wine--still flowing--was soothing their minds, Antony murmured, ”Welcome to Athens, faithful friends” He raised his cup ”I trust you will find the summer days here fair There is still much to be decided, such as where ill take up winter quarters while ait” For what, he did not say, nor did he need to
”Are we settled on the middle part of Greece as the place to take our stand?” asked Plancus ”I am yet to be convinced that a more northerly position would not be better Why surrender the Via Egnatia? It is the vital link between the Adriatic and the Aegean, between Dalmatia and Macedonia It is the only real road there” He looked truly puzzled, and his blue eyes went froood question, my friend,” Antony said ”But we don't need the road We need to be stationed farther south, where the offshore islands offer a base for our fleets The road will not be bringing in our supplies; the sea will We will be supplied froypt, and it is vital to protect the sea route We must keep that route open, so ays have a secure place behind us”
”To retreat to?” barked Ahenobarbus
”One always needs a retreat,” Antony said firmly ”Pompey did not have one, and neither did Brutus or Cassius I am not ashae after Mutina and Parthia--thanks be to the Gods for Transalpine Gaul and Syria!--the outcome would have been total defeat, not just a te of retreat!”
”No But Egypt must be protected It is, after all, the source of our wealth And dom” He looked over at me
”Perhaps she should retire there and await the outcoain
”No!” I said ”Why should I? I have supplied a quarter of the navy, have staffed yptian oars the entire army!”
”Just because you are a wealthy patron does not mean you ree,” said Canidius ”She is not just a patron The Queen has ruled the world's richest country for twenty years, has led an army herself, and is certainly s we are per to join us It would not be fair to exclude her”
Ahenobarbus grunted and crossed his arms
”Besides, it is in the naht,” said Plancus
”Is that what it's being fought for?” asked one of the senators ”I don't like it”
”Yes, it works against you in Rome,” added another ”We need another naer rose from the shadows in the back of the room He looked around, then said, ”I have been sent by your friends in Rome to warn you”
Antony said, ”Who are you, friend?”
”Gaius Geminius,” he answered ”A senator who is your partisan, yet did not leave Roood for you by re”
”Well, then, what have you to say?” asked Antony
Geminius looked around at the wine cups ”It were better said with clearer heads But this I tell you, drunk or sober: The Queen should return to Egypt, if you wish your cause to prosper”
I stood up in anger ”His cause will never prosper as long as Octavian remains!” I said ”It is not I who dooh of these lies aboutme for Octavian's enmity! He would hate Antony even if there were no Cleopatra, had never been a Cleopatra Can you not see that?”
”But his sister, Antony's wife--” began Geer!” I said ”He has sent her papers of divorce”
A babble of voices rose, all crying, ”When?” and looking to Antony for confire is foro”
Everyone was staring They looked angry, cheated
One senator shook his head ”When this is known in Rome”
”Sowhom to support,” another said ”Everyone respected Octavia, and she entertained your friends and clients on your behalf Nohere will they go? You have evicted theht to her brother's house--where else go straight to her brother's house--where else can can she go? And they'll follow Oh, folly, folly, folly!” The senator stood up in diso? And they'll follow Oh, folly, folly, folly!” The senator stood up in dis
Geminius looked as if he had been struck in the face ”I seejourney has been in vain,” he said sadly He held up a coin ”These two things together--the Queen's portrait on your coins, and now the divorce--end even the pretense of your Roiance”
It was Antony's turn to look shocked ”That's ridiculous! How many times has each of you been divorced? Everyone in Roe, and--”
”And its ending has a political ” He paused ”And as for the coin--putting a foreign ruler's head on a Roivable effrontery! It an
”Since when do you put allies' heads on coins?” Geminius countered ” ”Is Herod's head on theud's? You see how lame that claim is!”
”I--”
”You have lost your reason,” said Ge with you”