Athene's Prophecy (Gaius Claudius Scaevola Trilogy)

by Ian Miller

  "Then, when you turn nineteen I shall give you a legionary position. You will complete your military service, but remember, my stuttering nephew here wants you to end up something more than just a soldier. So, your orders are to do something else as well, something . . ." he paused, then laughed as he added, "something you've learned from your encounter with that wretched Greek! Ha!

  "One more thing," Tiberius continued, "this stub of the Claudian gens needs renewal, and we start with you. You're left handed, so from now you are Gaius Claudius Scaevola, but . . . You are to earn yourself a new agnomen. Do you accept these orders?"

  "Yes, Princeps."

  "Good. Now, is there anyone in your family you would like me to do a favour for?"

  Gaius stared. A favour from Tiberius could mean anything, including liberation from the troubles of the world. But to decline would be fatal. Eventually he said, "My little sister, Lucilla, needs . . ."

  "Kindly protection," Tiberius nodded. "I grant it. And who shall we make responsible," he mused. "Yes! Little Boots! A task for Little Boots! Swear that you will act as her protector," Tiberius ordered, then he turned and stared at the young man and added in a cold vicious tone, "and swear as if you mean it!"

  "Wh what?" Gaius Caesar stuttered.

  "Not another stutterer," Tiberius shook his head. "Little Boots, I would take your declining of my order to be treason, a direct attack against the principate." He paused, and smiled cruelly as he saw the look of horror cross Gaius Caesar's face. "Give me any reason to believe you're lying to me and don't mean what you swear and it will be so much worse for you. Swear!"

  "I swear I shall protect this . . ."

  "Claudia Lucilla!"

  "Claudia Lucilla, may the Gods help me."

  "There," Tiberius said. "Probably half the population ignore me, but they're dead scared of Little Boots here. He certainly scares me." He turned and sneered at Gaius Caesar, who remained silent. "You know what's so amusing?" he added to Gaius' father. "If that wretched senate can't get off its collective arses in the next few years and get the Republic going, they will pay. They'll either have the Republic up and running, or they'll get Little Boots! And if they think I'm bad, they'll learn what bad is, eh, Little Boots? All the vices of Sulla, and none of the virtues!" He turned towards the now highly worried Gaius Caesar, who was wondering what could possibly happen next.

  "Oh, get away with you all," Tiberius suddenly waved his arm. "I've got better things to do with my time." With a weary gesture he rose, stared contemptuously at the assembly who were bowing profusely, then he turned and strolled off in the direction of his private section of the villa.

  Gaius stared at the departing Tiberius. Somehow, they had all survived. The family gathered around him, Lucilla gazing at him in awe for standing up to Tiberius, his father looked totally stunned at his standing up to Tiberius, and his mother almost tearful as she knew he was now destined to leave the family for Rhodes.

  As the family made their way towards the exit, Gaius heard the sounds of praise being given to someone behind him. He turned to see Gaius Caesar striding towards him. Sycophants were bowing, telling him he had the grace of a God, and it pleased him, almost, but Gaius also noted a touch of contempt in his eyes, particularly when the sycophants had their heads bowed sufficiently that they could not see his expression.

  "So, you're pleased with yourself?"

  "I could never be displeased to receive orders from the Princeps," Gaius replied carefully.

  "I meant about you having me run around after you."

  "I would hope, Caesar," Gaius continued, "that you would be more pleased, since Tiberius named you as his successor."

  "What?" A surprised exclamation, then with a stunned smile, he added, "I suppose he did, didn't he?"

  "Perhaps an unusual way of putting it, Caesar, but I distinctly heard him announce you as his successor." Gaius knew he had to be careful not to overdo this, but he also had to be positive but respectful. "Our family will, of course, be independent witnesses."

  "S so will I."

  "Yes, if you can ever get it all out!" Gaius Caesar snorted to the stuttering Claudius. "Still," he mused to himself, as he started to walk away, "that was an invitation to the purple. Very interesting." He paused, then with a sudden realization that witnesses could be useful, he turned and added, "And I suppose then you'll be wanting favours from me?"

  "I would always wish to serve the Princeps," Gaius replied, lowering his eyes slightly.

  "Yes, but would I want you? Your family's not exactly influential, is it?"

  "No," Gaius replied, "but I keep my word. You can trust me to do what I promise."

  "Implying I couldn't trust others?"

  Gaius remained silent.

  "Maintaining a diplomatic silence, eh?" Gaius Caesar nodded. "Don't worry! I completely agree with you. You know why the odd Senator wants the Republic?" Then before Gaius could think of an answer, he continued, "So they can be the first Consuls and loot the Treasury. Tiberius's right on that. Those Senators couldn't give a pig's shit for Rome! No! Don't protest. I'll let you into a secret. Tiberius was more or less convinced you lot were probably the only real exception. You lot really think of the nobility of the Republic don't you?"

  "It was . . ." Gaius began.

  "Once upon a time, maybe, but by the time of my namesake, the taxes were looted to pay for election bribes. Or don't you agree?"

  "That's true," Gaius nodded.

  "We can't have that again," Caesar continued. "Now, just suppose you're right and I get to be Princeps, do you realize what would happen? No? Those scared shitless senatorial scum'll be plotting all the time, won't they?"

  "Our family won't!" Gaius replied.

  "You think you're old enough to run the family?"

  "I think I can persuade them," Gaius said, then added, "Anyway, Tiberius has just made me a family of one!"

  "And I'm running after your sister," Caesar replied.

  "Only if somebody molests her," Gaius pointed out, "and my guess is, knowing that you'd be after them, they'd be really stupid to try."

  "So you think they're all scared of me?"

  "They'll be scared of forcing you to take action on them," Gaius replied. "Most people admire you," he added, and hoped this was the right thing to say.

  It was. Caesar visibly preened himself a little, before saying, "You think so? Really? So the question now is, are you going to be useful? The problem is, how do I know you're not just another sycophantic little puff-cake."

  "When I get the chance I'll . . ."

  "Oh no you don't! None of this, 'when I get the chance'. Look, young Claudius. Believe it or not, I'd like to have people like you. You serve me well and I'll reward you, because I know you're not one of those senatorial shits, like the ossified Cincinnati. But you've got to prove yourself."

  "What do you wish?" Gaius asked. Today was getting more and more complicated by the instant.

  "You follow Tiberius' instructions, of course. But on your way, sooner or later you'll come across someone showing opposition towards Roman authority, and especially towards me. Show me you support me, show me you've got spine and that you're not just a little worm, show me you're clever enough to do something useful and you're not just another clod and yes, I promise I'll support you when I'm Princeps. I'll give you your path in the army, and you will serve me . . . yes, religiously. Do you promise?"

  "I swear to serve you religiously when you are Princeps," Gaius replied, although he had no clear idea what could be done 'religiously'."

  "Then, my first military appointment is made," Gaius Caesar smiled. "Yes, I like that . . ." He turned and continued walking.

  Gaius watched Gaius Caesar stroll away, this time ignoring everyone.

  "Th that was v very clever, th the way you handled that."

  "Thank you," Gaius smiled, then added, "You had something to do with all that?"

  "N n not much," Claudius replied, "b but Tiberius does small things for me, f
for father, really."

  "You still did things for me, so thank you."

  "C c come and have some fruit," Claudius waved towards a table. "I need an opinion."

  "I would have thought there were plenty of opinions around here," Gaius smiled.

  "Who'll tell you what you want to hear," Claudius spat. Not even a stutter, Gaius noted. Claudius paused, then said with a grin, "I w want to have y your opinion!"

  "Why mine?"

  "I n need to know who y you really are."

  "I see," Gaius said thoughtfully, then suddenly he pulled himself together. Libo's advice was just as sound now. Claudius might seem a fool, but he was a member of the Imperial Family, and he had the ear of Tiberius. In all probability he was rather more powerful than he looked, and in any case it could never hurt to have an ally in this family. He pulled himself slowly into a more soldier-like stance, and asked, "How can I help?"

  "H how good was T Tiberius?"

  How to wreck your career in one second, Gaius thought to himself, but he had to answer, and he sensed from Claudius' previous statement that the truth would be more valuable to him than sycophancy. "In my opinion, Tiberius was very competent," Gaius replied carefully. "His real strength was that he maintained good supply and morale. The men liked him, and he looked after them."

  "B b but?"

  "His campaigns were mainly defensive, which limits what can be said."

  "And J J Julius?"

  "He had great natural ability, and he moved with great speed," Gaius said. Where was all this going? "He had some marvellous victories, but for many of them, he had to."

  "M meaning?"

  "In Gaul, he was often out of supply," Gaius said. "He had to win to eat. Yes, he had a brilliant win at Pharsalus, but Pompey should have cleaned him out at Dyrrhachium."

  Claudius thought for a moment, then said with a slight smile, "And G Germanicus?"

  "Little Boots' father," Gaius said slowly, and when Claudius nodded in agreement, he said, "The troops liked him even more than Tiberius. They almost revered him, which meant that he had to have been an impressive leader, and he won a triumph, and that takes some doing, but . . ."

  "B b but?"

  "His campaign in the East was less than successful," Gaius shook his head.

  "And your p pick of Roman generals?"

  "Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus," Gaius said simply, pleased to comment on someone not in the Imperial Family. "He defeated a truly great opponent, taking advantage of a careless habit. He knew Hannibal would start with elephants, and he turned the elephants to Hannibal's disadvantage. You know what with?" Gaius smiled.

  "T tell me."

  "Sound and sunlight," Gaius smiled. "The use of sunlight was truly brilliant."

  "There c could be other n natural things to use, y you know."

  "Oh, there are. There're hills, rivers . . ."

  "I m mean, like the sun. L like fire. Th the Greeks thought about using giant m m mirrors to burn sails on ships, and th throwing b burning s sulphur, and . . ." He paused, then added, "Th there must b be more."

  "I suppose."

  "Y you would d do very well by Tiberius if you thought of something," he added. "It'd p p please him to think his G G Greek was useful."

  "That's easier said than done," Gaius remarked.

  "I d doubt everything's been th th thought about," Claudius shrugged. "I m m mean, nobody's thought v very much about . . . w well . . y you know."

  Gaius was not sure that he did, but he agreed.

  "Y you m must write to m me," Claudius said. "Tell me w what you're d doing. I would like to know wh what it's like out of Rome."

  "I'll write," Gaius nodded.

  "P p promise!"

  Gaius looked at him, and suddenly realized this required a genuine commitment. To slight someone in the Imperial Family could be very bad for one's career. Claudius might not seem important, but the slight would be felt more strongly if he thought he was being ignored because of his awkward appearance or stutter. "I promise," Gaius nodded.

  "One more thing!"

  "Yes?"

  "S send reports to Little B boots. Flatter his ego, b b but don't overdo it. G gaius is v very intelligent, and he respects honesty in th the flattery."

  "I'll do that too. Is it important?"

  "Y you recognized him as the next P princeps," Claudius pointed out. "Wh who else is th there?"

  "You mean, remind him who I am, just in case?" Gaius said.

  "L look like y you'll serve him, even b before you h have to," Claudius grinned.

  Gaius suddenly found a new respect for Claudius. He was clearly a long-term planner, and he understood very clearly the intrigues of the Imperial Family, and so he should, having learned from the great Augustus, possibly the greatest manipulator of all time. And while nobody seemed to take much notice of Claudius, he appeared to be able to arrange some things quite well. And Gaius certainly knew better than to irritate even the least significant of that family. He chatted for a while with Claudius, becoming quite surprised at how much Claudius appeared to know, then he finally took his leave, to see his family before taking another boat that would take him to Rhodes.

  It was only then that he realized that indeed he would never see old Libo again.

  Chapter 5

  It was late in the afternoon in Rhodes when Gaius visited the local military commander, an older Tribune. That he was still a Tribune at that age, Gaius realized, meant that Rhodes was regarded as a place for someone with little ability and no ambition to graze.

  "And you want?" The expression of annoyance at having his peace disturbed was plain to see.

  "I need help to find someone called Timothy," Gaius started to explain.

  "I'm not into 'Lost and Found'."

  "I was told to make sure I came to you for help," Gaius explained.

  "Oh, you were, were you? And who . . ?"

  "I have a letter here from the Princeps, explaining it all."

  The Tribune reached for the letter with an expression that was a mix of annoyance and fear. Rhodes was somewhere to be left alone, except that Tiberius was somewhat familiar with Rhodes. He read the letter, then shrugged and told Gaius to find somewhere to stay the night and then report the following morning, when a soldier would be assigned. Gaius thanked him politely, and left. The Tribune stared at the document on his table, unable to concentrate. What fate would befall him? From what he knew of Rome, life for anyone in a position was best advised to avoid coming to the attention of Tiberius. Now Rome had come to Rhodes, and he was in danger of being seen. This was a situation that could very easily end his rather pleasant existence.

  When Gaius appeared the following morning, an older soldier was given the job of looking after him. The soldier apparently knew where Timothy lived, so when Gaius secured the property he had brought with him by lodging it safely with the military camp, they set off. It was a pleasant walk around the coastline, Gaius thought, as he looked towards the sea and the small fishing boats busily going about their day's work. He could see why someone would find pleasure living there.

  Timothy, it appeared, lived alone in a large stone cottage on the side of a hill overlooking an attractive little bay. Gaius approached the cottage as a man emerged. He was of average build, he walked with a slight stoop, his hair was greying and quite dishevelled, his clothes looked old and tattered, but Gaius was drawn towards the pair of the most penetrating eyes he had ever seen.

  "Excuse me, sir, but you are Timothy?"

  "I am," came the slightly bored reply.

  Timothy was about to continue walking, so Gaius was forced to explain, "I was sent to you by Tiberius."

  "You were, were you."

  "Tiberius gave me orders."

  "I gather he's rather good at that," Timothy shrugged, and continued to walk.

  "I am ordered to learn from you," Gaius said, feeling irritated that he had to almost run after this Greek. "So I ask, will you teach me?"

  "No."

/>   "I see," Gaius remarked evenly.

  "And what do you see?" Timothy stopped and turned towards Gaius, and this time gave him a more penetrating stare.

  "The Princeps indicated that you might be difficult," Gaius replied.

  "And what are you going to do about it?" Timothy said in a slightly amused tone.

  "Obey the Princeps. What else?" Gaius said flatly.

  "That will be interesting to watch," Timothy remarked with a droll smile, then he turned on his heel and walked on.

  "You want me to deal with that Greek scum!" the soldier asked.

  "No!" Gaius stared helplessly at the retreating figure. This had all the makings of a disaster before he even began. "Unless you want to feel Tiberius' wrath, you'll treat the Greek with respect. No, what I want is for you to get me a tent. I'll erect it around here somewhere."

  * * *

  "And just what exactly do you think you're doing?" Timothy demanded, as Gaius was busily hammering in tent stays. "You're spoiling my view."

  "Settling in," Gaius replied. He had to show confidence, even if he did not have it. "You said you would find my attempts at persuading you to teach me interesting, so I thought I'd make your days as interesting as possible. If I keep right in front of you, you can watch me as much as you like."

  The Greek stared at him, thought about saying something, then thought better of it. He strode away. Two hours later he stormed back. "Are you going to be there all day?"

  "All week, all year, as long as it takes to obey the Princeps," Gaius said with a fake earnestness. "What choice do I have?"

  "And what have you learned so far?" Timothy scowled.

  "The sun is warm, the sky is clear, and the stream over there has good water."

  "And you think that's what Tiberius wants you to learn?" came the mystified response.