Part 125 (1/2)
”So if it chance that you meet Octavian alone,” I told them, ”treat him with all courtesy Be sure to call himImperator Caesar” It was all I could do not to choke on the words ” 'Octavian' antagonizes him”
”Why?” asked Alexander ”It's his name!”
”Well, it is one of his narew older, he acquired others, ones he liked better Just as you are both 'Alexander' and 'Helios,' so he has four names Someday you may prefer to call yourself 'Helios' Then you will understand”
”I don't think so!” he said ”It would makepompous,” I said
”I a them,” said Antony
”Aren't we cousins to Octavian?” asked Selene
”Distant,” said Antony ”He is Caesar's great-nephew, and I aure it out!”
”H to sort it all out in his head He was quite good at mathematics ”I would need a paper for that,” he finally ade ate cup incup,” I said ”I re it to his lips Drink from it with me” I motioned, and a servant filled the vessel ”I think he told me once it had come from Macedon, but I honestly cannot remember In any case, I always associate it with him, and noould like to see it in your hands” I sipped from it and then handed it to Alexander
He dutifully tilted his head back and drank from it, then passed it to Selene She closed her eyes and lifted the cup daintily
”Philadelphos, too?” she asked
”All of you,” I said
My youngest took a big swig from it, then handed it to Antyllus
What would become of Antyllus? I wondered Antony had made no provision for him, as if he could not bear to He trusted that Octavian would carry him back to Rome and preserve hiypt and India were not part of his heritage Poor Antony, the displaced Roman My heart ached for him
”My children, in only a few days Alexandria may be attacked,” I told them ”You are to follow the instructions ives you for your safety We have prepared hiding places for you in the tunnels beneath the palace They are stocked with food, lanal, youill happen after that” I paused ”Whatever you do, whatever you feel, remember your blood It is precious, and will be honored even by the eneht?” asked Alexander
”Indeed yes!” Antony said in his old voice ”We have four legions at our service, as well as the foryptian soldiers And our cavalry is well trained I shall lead them myself”
”Not to mention our fleet,” I reminded him ”We still have some survivors from Actium, as well as the new-built shi+ps, at the ready”
”We will draw up the battle lines around the city,” said Antony It was as if, knowing the efforts to be last-ditch and dooht behind theions earlier, fortified the Nile, strengthened Pelusiuyptian soldiers Too late, the flahtly in Antony, his herois toward Pelusiuhway to do so, a wavering, waterless stretch in these days of high summer”
”Pelusiuo”
”Yes, you are fa cavalry officer, and Gabinius had decided to restore your grandfather Auletes to the throne”--he leaned forward, speaking to Alexander and Selene--”for ten thousand talents, he sent me on ahead to take the fortress, while he waited in comfort back in Judaea I took it by stormyes” He had retreated back far in tied ”It's a difficult place to capture, but I led abeen cleared for theyptian prisoners of war, but I absolutely refused They had fought bravely, I said, and should be spared Oh, were they angry with me!” He took a deep drink of his wine
”And you becayptians as a result,” I said ”They were touched, one and all, by yourof a ypt,” said Antony
”From that moment onward, ere as one” He paused dramatically ”And then Iover conspiratorially ”When she was only a little older than you” He touched Selene's chin
”I cannot inorance of the very young
”Oh, she was, she was,” said Antony ”She was young as Persephone, before Pluto grabbed her As young as the flowers she gathered And I loved her frolimpsed her”
”He eilds the past”
”No, it is true!” averred Antony
”Ever gallant,” I said Perhaps I was embarrassed because I had not loved hiain It seebeside hieably of wine, and had been kind about rateful
”Pelusium may hold fast,” said Antony ”Octavian may never breach its defenses But whatever happens, remember that you will be safe,” he told the children ”There is etiquette in war, and the children of the high-ranking are always treated courteously Alexander started that, with the wife and children of Darius They expected to be murdered or sold into slavery, but he treated thehter”
”Well, I shall never marry Octavian!” said Selene, with a toss of her head
”I told you they were snobs,” said Antony, turning toThen he looked at them ”Listen, my dearests You must do whatever seems expedient at the time”
I suddenly reme dog is better than a dead lion' ”
Because as long as there is life, the wheel of fortune can turn and elevate you
The sweetness of the luscious figs and dates in honey custard we ate to finish the meal did little to help our spirits I watched the children eating, and they all see the, even baby crocodiles and cobras Hard-hearted hunters kill the theht become My heart ached for it I could only pray that a coht stay the hand of Octavian, as no high-minded Alexander But he was known to be oddly reverent toward his own relatives--the Roman family was his only real God, in spite of his shrines to Apollo--and these children shared his Julian blood Since he believed it was sacred and inherently better than any other, he ht wish to conserve it
Isis, let it be so!
stood and held out my arms after the last platters had been removed ”Come here, all of you,” I said I wished to embrace them, for us all to embrace one another The four of theed my sides, their heads just under my shoulders; Philadelphos encircled my knees, and Antyllus and Antony made an outer protective shell around us all
Quite unbidden, the thought Never leave h my mind But all I said was, ”Let all of us always reh my mind But all I said was, ”Let all of us always remember one another, and this moment”
”Pelusium has fallen” Antony pushed aside the curtains into the roo and blurted it out
”No!” I rose ”So quickly!” It had not been more than seven days since our last word that Octavian was on his way from Raphia
”There was little or no resistance,” he said ”It fell so easily that there is suspicion of collusion The garrison couessed what he was thinking Unreliable, cowardly Egyptian troops! Unreliable, cowardly Egyptian troops! But it was not so ”What exactly happened?” My heart was racing Pelusiuone The way to Alexandria open But it was not so ”What exactly happened?” My heart was racing Pelusiuone The way to Alexandria open
”The invaders were allowed to coaining Shameful!” He shook his head ”Pelusium is hard to take, since there is no water anywhere outside the walls Attackers are at a serious disadvantage, because they arrive already thirsty The fort has all the advantages To surrender like that!” He clenched his fists
I should not have said it, but I did ”If you felt it was so strategic, why did you not invest it with one of your legions? Why did you leave Seleucus to come to the obvious conclusion that you didn't consider them important?”