by Jo Graham
This early in the day the temple was almost deserted. A couple of elderly women were over by Adonis, and the doorkeeper was sitting on a stool under the portico, his head back against the wall, his mouth opened with snores. If his job was to keep the indigent from moving in, he would hardly notice today if half the town squatted there.
I wandered about, looking up at the bright sun streaming in. It was chilly inside. My favorite statue was two thirds of the way around.
Isis was robed in blue and white, infant Horus on Her lap. He was a very pudgy baby, and He looked out at the viewer with the smug I’ve-got-something-in-my-mouth-and-you-don’t-know-what expression that my own little brother wore. Her face, in contrast, was serene and a little sad, Her features dignified rather than beautiful. She might have been beautiful, I thought, had She not had such a long nose.
There was someone there, and I didn’t see him until I came around her, a tall man in the worn leathers of a soldier, a mud-splattered traveling cloak thrown over them. He was forty-five or so, much older than my father, with a lined, handsome face and brown hair streaked with gray.
I squeaked, and started to back away.
He turned and gestured with one arm. “Don’t let me keep you away, little one. I don’t bite.”
“No, of course not,” I said, edging back. He had startled me, that was all. There was nothing frightening about him. Of course.
He turned away from me and bent his head, lowering his eyes before Isis again. He looked so sad it was hard to be afraid.
I had a few flowers I’d picked up, ones that were dropped and trampled in the flower market, but still good enough to use. I always brought Her something. I knelt quickly, laying them at Her feet. “All hail Isis, Mother of Compassion.”
“Compassion.” There was so much misery in his tone that I looked up. “Do you need compassion, little one?”
“Yes,” I said. “I mean, not much. I’ve not much to feel sorry for myself about, but the money is awfully tight and the baby’s teething so nobody can sleep at night because we all live in one room, and my brother needs lessons if he’s ever going to make anything of himself but a common laborer and my father says we’ve not sunk that low, so where’s the dowry for me in that, not that I need one yet. But there are a lot of people who need compassion. Isis is the Mother of the World. She has enough for everybody.” I looked at him sharply, at the deep graven lines around his mouth. “You look as though you could use some. Did someone die?”
He looked up at the statue, a curiously blank expression on his face. “Oh yes. Lots of people died.”
I felt a chill run down my back. “You must be used to that, being a soldier.”
“If you get used to it you are a beast, not a man.” He looked at me sideways, as though weighing something, the two lines between his brows deep furrows. “Have you ever done something so horrible and so irreparable that you knew there was nothing you could ever do to fix it?”
“No,” I said gently. “Mostly because I’m eight.”
He cracked a smile, as I had meant for him to.
“But I think you just have to try to put it right,” I said. “If you can’t fix it, then you have to make amends.”
He looked up, his eyes seeking the light pouring in through the oculus. “I have tried,” he said. “I built this. A temple for all of the gods of humanity in the heart of Rome. A hearth where everyone is welcome. I have tried.”
“And yet?”
“And yet,” he said, his eyes falling again to the serene, empty ones of the statue.
“Then you must try harder,” I said, putting my hand on his arm. “You must try all your life. That’s the best any of us can do. Carry the banner proudly in our own time.”
He looked down at me, and for the first time I thought he really saw me, eyes roving over my sharp, thin face, my long brown hair escaping from an untidy braid, my quick and restless hands. “I was asking Her forgiveness,” he said, “like a boy who begs pardon with his pockets still full of stolen apples.”
“Maybe you should give back the apples first,” I said.
“What about the ones I ate?” The corners of his mouth moved in a hint of a smile.
“I don’t think She wants those back,” I said.
“Try harder?”
I nodded. “And don’t do it again.”
He laughed, and I thought it was quite a nice laugh, if a little rusty from disuse. “I don’t think I’m likely to have the opportunity to do it again.”
“I wouldn’t be sure of that,” I said.
He sobered, and once again his eyes searched my face. He nodded at what he saw there and something changed in the set of his mouth, something eased. “I thought at first that you were a little girl,” he said, and turned to go.
“And what do you think I am now?” I called after him.
He stopped, his nailed sandals ringing on the stone floor. He turned just out of the light of the oculus, in the shadow. “I think you are the Hand of Isis.”
He took his plumed helmet from under his arm and put it on, striding out into the portico while I stood beside the statue, the Mother of the World with wilted flowers at Her feet.
“You’re right,” I said, and in that moment all my life stretched before me. “I am.”
Afterword
Cleopatra’s children, Helios, Selene, and Philadelphos, were marched in chains in Octavian’s Triumph. However, the sight of Philadelphos, barely six years old, struggling to walk in chains too heavy for him, aroused not the anger of the Roman people, but their sympathy. Instead of cheers, the soldiers guarding them earned boos. At the end of the Triumph, Octavian’s sister Octavia insisted on the children being released to her care rather than prison or execution. She took them into her house and raised them with her own daughters, their half-sisters by Marcus Antonius.
Helios and Philadelphos died at some point in the next ten years. There was suspicion at the time and ever after that Octavian, now the Emperor Augustus, or his wife, Livia, had them murdered.
Selene escaped that fate. At the age of fifteen she was married to King Juba II of Numidia, who more than the daughter of Antonius wanted the last Ptolemaic princess as a bride. In her new home in Africa, Selene became a powerful queen, the mother of at least three children who lived to adulthood, and a formidable priestess and patron of Isis.
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa became the right-hand man of the Emperor Augustus. He is known today not only for his military victories, but for building some of the most beautiful temples of the Augustan Age, including the incomparable Pantheon at Rome, dedicated to the worship of all the gods. He was married to Julia, the daughter and only child of Emperor Augustus, and through her was the grandfather of the Emperor Caligula and the great-grandfather of the Emperor Nero. However, all of his children but one died young, and most of them died by violence. It would take a far greater scope than this afterword to chronicle the murders, imprisonments, rapes, violent deaths in battle, and poisonings that afflicted his descendants. Agrippa himself died in his beloved Campania at the age of fifty-one. It has been suggested that he is the model for Virgil’s hero Aeneas.
Cleopatra, Marcus Antonius, and her handmaidens were buried in Alexandria, in the tomb that had been prepared for them. Cleopatra’s tomb has never been found. Perhaps even now it waits beneath the blue waters of the harbor of Alexandria.
People, Places, And Things
Abydos—a city in Upper Egypt known for its temples
Achillas, General—Ptolemy Theodorus’ commander of the army
Adoratrice—the principal priestess of a temple, possibly the principal one of a deity
aeliopile—a curious device invented in Alexandria, essentially a steam-powered jet engine
Agrippa, Marcus Vipsanius—a Roman general born in Campania around 64 bce. As a very young man he served with Caesar and became a good friend of Caesar’s great-nephew Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus. His military contributions were indispensable to Octavia
n’s rise to power, and his victory over Marcus Antonius at the Battle of Actium is viewed as one of history’s turning points. Later he married Octavian’s daughter Julia, and was the grandfather of the Emperor Caligula and the great-grandfather of the Emperor Nero. He is also known for the many temples he built, including Rome’s Pantheon. He died in 12 bce.
ala—a cavalry unit, consisting of 400 to 600 men (depending on actual strength)
Alexander the Great—King of Macedon, ruling from 336 bce to 323 bce. He conquered the Persian Empire, and thus gained control of Egypt, which had been occupied by the Persians. Viewed as a liberator by the Egyptians, he was crowned as Pharaoh, but did not remain in Egypt more than a few months. He was buried in a fantastic mausoleum in Alexandria, known as the Soma.
Alexander Helios—son of Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius, twin of Cleopatra Selene. He was born in 40 bce, and died sometime before 24 bce. It was suspected that he was poisoned.
Alexandria—a city on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great. In the Hellenistic period, it was the largest city in the world, home to the greatest library of ancient times, and the seat of the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Amenti—the Egyptian name for the lands of the dead, also called the Uttermost West
Amonis—a young doctor from Philae
Antonius, Marcus—Roman general born in 83 bce. He was Caesar’s loyal supporter until his death, and afterward made common cause with Octavian and Lepidus to form the Second Triumvirate, an alliance that was strengthened by his marriage to Octavian’s sister. He committed suicide in 30 bce after losing the war with Octavian.
Antyllus, Marcus Antonius—the oldest son of Marcus Antonius and Fulvia, born in 47 bce and executed in 30 bce by Octavian
Aphrodite Cythera—Greek goddess of the sea and of love
Apollodorus—Cleopatra’s tutor and later Major Domo
Archisomatophylax—an ennobling title given by the Hellenistic monarchs, literally “-arch-bodyguard,” something like a knighthood today
Aristogeiton—Athenian tyrannicide, renowned for assassinating the tyrant Hipparchus with his lover Harmodios
Arsinoe—Ptolemy Auletes’ youngest daughter, Cleopatra’s half-sister
Asetnefer—palace slave and former concubine of Ptolemy Auletes, originally from Elephantine in Upper Egypt, and the mother of Iras. Her name means “beauty of Isis.”
Ashkelon—modern-day Migdal Ashkelon on the southern coast of Israel. In the Hellenistic period, it was alternately an Egyptian or Judean city.
augur—a priest who reads the omens by watching the flight of birds
Aurelianus, Emrys—officer in Caesar’s Gaulish cavalry. He was originally from the coast of Aremorica, in what is modern-day Brittany, where his family had a sheep farm near the seashore. Ethnically, he is a Briton and his native language is Brythonic, a language closely related to modern Welsh.
automata—machines that are designed to imitate life, such as birds that flap their wings or sing, metal soldiers that move their swords or seem to march, etc. Powered ingeniously by steam, counterweights, gears, and clockwork, we would call them robots.
Babylon—ancient city in modern Iraq, once one of the principal cities of the Persian Empire, and in the late Hellenistic period one of the principal cities of the Parthians
Bastet—cat goddess, protector of children and mothers. Her sanctuary at Bubastis was one of her principal places of worship.
Berenice IV—second daughter of Ptolemy Auletes and the one who usurped his throne
Berytus—modern Beirut, on the Lebanese coast
Brutus, Marcus Junius—Roman Senator, born in 85 bce. He was one of the leading conspirators in the plot to assassinate Caesar, and committed suicide after being defeated by Marcus Antonius at the Second Battle of Philippi in 42 bce.
Bubastis—ancient city in the Nile Delta, sacred to Bastet
Caesar, Gaius Julius—Roman general born in 100 bce. He expanded Roman territory throughout continental Europe, adding territories that would later become France, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, and parts of Germany. A member of the First Triumvirate with Pompeius Magnus, their falling-out plunged Rome into civil war. He became Dictator for life after Pompeius’ death, and was assassinated in 44 bce.
Campania—Roman province south of Rome, in the area of modern-day Naples. The famous ruins of Pompeii are in Campania.
Cassius (Gaius Cassius Longinus)—Roman Senator, born 85 bce, who was instrumental in the plot to assassinate Caesar. He was killed at the First Battle of Philippi in 42 bce.
Charmian—daughter of Ptolemy Auletes and Phoebe the Thracian, the half-sister of Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopater—The last ruling Pharaoh of Egypt, daughter of Ptolemy XII Auletes, ruling from 51 bce to 30 bce, she is Egypt’s most legendary queen.
Cleopatra Selene—the daughter of Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius, lived 40 bce to 6 bce. In 25 bce she married King Juba II of Numidia, and reigned as Queen of Numidia for the rest of her life. Her surviving children included Cleopatra, Ptolemy, and Drusilla.
couches—In the Hellenistic period, as in classical Greece and Rome, proper diners did not sit in chairs to eat, but reclined on couches something like a modern porch lounger. A dining couch had cushions and pillows, and was shared by one to three diners, who ate from a small table pulled up beside the couch.
Danuvius River—the Danube
decurion—cavalry officer in charge of a turma, about 30 men
Demetria—daughter of Charmian and Marcus Agrippa
Dion—Jewish scholar, scientist, astronomer, and magician of Alexandria, Charmian’s closest friend
Dionysos—God of wine and the wild, Dionysos was originally a sacrifi-cial agriculture god who later became the god of divine ecstasy, prophecy, sensuality, and hidden knowledge.
Epona—Keltic goddess of horses
erastes—the older of a pair of male lovers in the Hellenistic period; the lover rather than the beloved
eromenos—the younger of a pair of male lovers in the Hellenistic period; the beloved
Fulvia Flacca Bambula—Born in 77 bce, her third husband was Marcus Antonius, whose political career she supported, even to the extent of leading an army against Octavian during the breakdown of the Second Triumvirate. Her sons by Antonius were Antyllus and Iullus, and she also had a daughter by her first marriage, Clodia. She died of illness in 40 bce.
Gabinius, Aulus—Roman general, follower of Pompeius Magnus
Ganymede—Arsinoe’s tutor and lover
Great Wife of Amon—the chief priestess of Amon in Thebes, traditionally a woman of noble or royal birth who becomes the celibate wife of the god and the administrator of all the properties of the Temples of Amon
Hermes Trismegistus—legendary sage of Alexandria, who was said to be the father of Hermetic philosophy and magic
Herod the Great—King of Judea for 34 years, he was originally an ally of Marcus Antonius who went over to Octavian’s side and was rewarded lavishly. He is known to many modern readers as the King Herod in the Bible who ordered the deaths of all of the baby boys in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus.
hetaira—a courtesan, literally a “companion.” Hetairae were distinguished from common prostitutes by their education and refinement, and were prized for their ability to entertain in nonsexual ways with music and conversation. Some hetairae kept salons and were known for the scientists, philosophers, and political leaders who frequented their houses. Like modern geisha, hetairae were a status symbol for men in the Hellenistic period.
himation—an outer wrap worn by women in the Hellenistic period. There were many different styles, from a full-length wrap to what we might call a head scarf, and many different weights of cloth, from wool intended to keep the wearer warm to sheer fabrics that were more like veils.
Histria—the modern-day town of Istria in Romania, on the Black Sea coast
Horologers—priests who had charge of the calendar and of ast
ronomical observations
Horus (Harpocrates)—hawk-headed god of sovereignty, son of Isis and Osiris (or Serapis)
Iras?—Charmian and Cleopatra’s half-sister, daughter of Ptolemy Auletes and Asetnefer
Isis?—Originally an Egyptian mother goddess, by the Hellenistic period Isis had become a universal goddess of compassion with many aspects, including but not limited to the Queen of the Dead, the Mother of the World, the Queen of the Seas (Isis Pelagia), and the Goddess of Love.
Jerusalem—capital of Judea, an ancient city that was the site of the holy Temple of the Jews
Judea—the ancient kingdom of the Jews, now a Roman province covering roughly the same territory as modern-day Israel
Koine—the dialect of Greek spoken by ordinary people throughout the Successor Kingdoms during the Hellenistic period
krater—a large bowl for mixing wine, made of pottery, stone, or precious metal; a Hellenistic punchbowl
Lake Mareotis—the large, brackish lake behind Alexandria
Lucan—a student in Pneumatics at the Museum, Charmian’s first lover
Lupercalia—Roman fertility festival on February 15. Some suggest that St. Valentine’s Day was arranged to Christianize the Lupercalia.
Mareotic Canal—the canal between Lake Mareotis and the Nile
Maro, Publius Vergilius—Poet from the city of Neapolis in Campania, where he met Marcus Agrippa, he is better known as the poet Virgil, author of the Aeneid.
Memnon—the Hierophant of Serapis in Memphis, the chief priest of the God of the Dead
Memphis—Once the principal city of Egypt, in the Hellenistic period it was still a large city at the base of the Delta, near modern Cairo.
