“Of course, sir, if you wish,” Gaius replied as he turned back and looked out over the far horizon, towards the town of Cannae and the glimmering torchlight of Hannibal’s encampment.
“You are close friends with Varro’s son, Antony, and his sister, Julia, are you not?” Paullus asked after a short pause. He seemed to hesitate in asking his question, as if he had been afraid to even utter a word.
Gaius looked over at Paullus, puzzled, knowing that the consul already knew the answer to that question. However, Paullus kept his eyes fixed upon the horizon, seemly not particularly looking at anything.
“Yes, sir, I’ve known both since I was a child.”
“Then you are close to them?”
Paullus spoke softly.
“I would like to think I am,” Gaius answered simply.
“I’ve only known them for a short while. When I was first approached by Varro and offered to marry his daughter, I was hesitant. I always, foolishly I will admit, though I would marry for love, and not political gain. However, when I first met her, I knew then that all my apprehension was for naught. She is intoxicating. I could never have imagined that a woman such as her could exist; it is enough to make you — “Paullus paused as he looked for the right words.
“To believe in the gods and all the possibilities unseen or unspoken,” Gaius added.
Paullus smiled as he glanced over towards Gaius.
“Yes, exactly. When I’m around her, I feel that I can fly, or scale the tallest mountains — that I can be a better man. I don’t know how to properly express it. I wish I was born a poet. Oh, how I envy you Gaius. I would have loved to have known her as long as you have, to share as much as you two. I’ve seen the way she is around you, how comfortable you make her feel. If only I could make her feel the same.” Paullus sighed heavily. “I know that she does not love me the same as, I do her, but how I wish to just have the chance to be with her longer, to build her a better world. However, I know she doesn’t love me. She will marry me, of course, as is demanded of her, and maybe in time she may come to care deeply for me, but love…” Paullus shook his head, fearful of his own words.
“Could you live as I, Gaius?” Paullus asked as he turned to him.
“No, I could not, sir,” Gaius answered honestly.
“You are a good man, sir,” Gaius spoke honestly. “She knows that, and will love and admire that man, as long as you stay truthful to yourself, and do everything in your power to make her happy, beyond material wealth. I understand her enough to know that she values certain qualities, such as honor and truthfulness more than anything you could ever buy her. She will love a man who embodies these things.”
Paullus smiled as he let his mind drift for a moment, thinking long on Gaius’ words. He then turned and looked over at him before he placed his hand down onto Gaius’ shoulder.
“Thank you, my friend.” With those words, Paullus turned and headed back down the stairs, before he disappeared into the camp.
Gaius remained where he was for a moment longer as he stared up into the heavens and again watched the flickering stars high above him — his mind a hundred miles away, back in Rome, with Julia.
He reached back into his tunic and pulled out the letter she sent him. He read it again. He needed to remember her, to see her in his mind’s eye. Her word, which expressed her true feelings for him was all he had left.
CHAPTER THIRTY
The dust obstructed Antony’s view as much as it choked his throat. He could barely see more than a dozen feet in front of him. His men, who had formed along the right flanks, had already faltered, as had the entire army. Carthaginian soldiers were now mixed with his own troops, as discipline had failed. He tried as best he could to keep order; to try to reform his men but his words were drowned out by the screams and fighting of men all around him as his men were being cut to pieces.
The battle had started promising he had to admit. The mass of Roman bodies hit the smaller forces of Hannibal, while the Carthaginian general had sacrificed his Celtic soldiers in the center, which began to falter when the superior Roman formations advanced on them. However, Hannibal’s s cavalry overwhelmed the Roman counterparts, as the center continued to advance once the Celts had begun to withdraw. Unknown, the Romans fell into a trap as Hannibal’s center had created a gully, which the legions were trapped.
It was impossible. There was no way that Hannibal could have tricked his enemy for a third time, not when Rome had poured all its resources, and had finally gotten a pitched-battle. However, Antony soon learned that Hannibal’s forces, with years more experience and dozens of victories, while outnumbered, equaled any thousand Roman soldiers.
Antony had gotten word that Hannibal’s horsemen; his Carthaginian and Numidian riders struck the rear, completely enveloping the whole formation — trapping a hundred thousand men like cattle.
As the Roman frontlines, which were too tightly packed, were encircled, no one could retreat, no less form a proper defense. What orders might have reached Antony’s own men, was lost, its messengers killed, or the officers who would have issued them already deceased. Now, after five hours, those that were left were being sucked into a pool of men and metal, grinned to blood and bone until the ground was littered with Roman dead.
Antony knew that fleeing was no longer an option. That time came and past. Now, he, like his portion of the army was trapped on the far-right flank. He was thankful to not be stuck in the center. At least here his men could stand and die on their feet, with sword in hand, like true Romans, and not wait till their turn to fall.
Antony knew he was not the best swordsmen, despite what training he had received, but he did his best, standing before his men, trying to give them encouragement. He wondered if Gaius would have done any differently.
At times, it was difficult for Antony to determine friend from foe. Not only had the dust blocked his view, but many of Hannibal’s men were equipped with Roman gear and armor, stolen from the previous won battles. They used these tools to their fullest affect as they drove through the Roman formations man-by-man.
And then, out from the thick cloud of dust Antony thought he saw a face that was strangely familiar. The barbarian, bare chested was massive. He was older than his father, but was built like a mountain, shaped by decades of killing. Antony watched as this man, in single combat struck down Roman after Roman as if they were children: their heads flying from their shoulders, or bodies cut in two as the man had the strength of a titan.
Antony wondered if this man wasn’t a demon, called forth from Hades. Did Hannibal have such powers? He wondered as the man murdered soldiers in droves, never tiring as he slowly worked his way over towards him. It was then that Antony suddenly realized that the monster was coming towards him. He had been distingue by his black-brimmed helmet and long red cape, indicating that he was an officer, and one of wealth as his armor was adorned with ivory and gold.
Antony called to his bodyguards, but they were already dead, or engaged in their own battle for survival.
He gripped his sword firmly in his hands, while raising his shield, hoping that the wood between, he and the barbarian would be enough to save him.
His eyes were locked on the giant as he slowly came towards him. He carried two swords, both caked with the blood and bits of flesh, which dangled from the edges of the blades.
The barbarian grinned widened as he stood ready. Antony could do nothing but shiver as he decided against his better judgment to attack first.
He charged forward, roaring as loud as his lungs could bear, but what fear, he hoped it might have struck in the heart of his opponent had done nothing.
His single thrust with his sword was easily deflected by the barbarian, who then slammed his second sword down against Antony’s shield.
His arm felt like wax as his shield was torn from his grip and cast aside like a piece of useless plywood.
The barbarian did not counterattack. He stood before Antony, looming over him as he stared
down at him, his teeth grinning with delight.
Antony tried to attack again, but his effort was stopped as the man grabbed his sword arm and squeezed.
Antony screamed as his wrist was being crushed under the man’s impossibly powerful grip, until his sword dropped from his fingers. And then, the barbarian twisted, snapping Antony’s hand, at the wrist before he let him go.
Quickly, even before the pain set in, the barbarian rammed his fist into Antony’s face, shattering his nose as blood gushed, splashing out across the barbarian’s chest.
Before Antony could comprehend what was happening, the barbarian continued to beat him, slamming his closed fists across his face time and time again. Upon the fourth strike, Antony fell from his feet — his vision blurred as his faced was layered in blood and grit. He did not think he could ever stand again, but, with all his strength, Antony struggled to his feet. However, as hurriedly as he tried, he fell back down on his backside as the world was fast becoming one big haze, where no single sound could be sorted from another.
It was in this haze that Antony suddenly remembered where he had seen this man before: the imagine of Calfax, the gladiator that had haunted him for years after he had seen what he was capable of in the arena, filled him with panicked fear.
“Calfax?” Antony whispered as he looked up at the man who stood over him.
Calfax smiled.
Calfax grabbed Antony by his hair, lifting him up effortlessly. He was like a limp doll in the powerful gladiator’s grip. He didn’t even bother to struggle against him, nor could he, even if he still had the strength.
Calfax dropped his lengthy sword to the ground and with his freed hand, he reached around Antony’s neck and grabbed the broken half of the clay medallion that was now hanging freely outside of his armor. He seemly admired what he was seeing, perhaps even wondering where the top-half was.
With one easy yank, the chain that had secured it around Antony’s neck broke, even as he fought against him trying to take back the medallion, his last act.
Calfax let Antony go.
Antony wanted to reach out and take back the medallion. If he was going to die, he wanted to die with it around his neck, but his feeble efforts were in vain.
Calfax closed his fists around the medallion, holding it as he obviously decided to keep the memento of the easily won victory on the plains of Cannae. And next, without a care or even a second’s thought, he grabbed his sword and pulled it out from the ground, and as carelessly as a farmer slitting the throat of a pig, he brought the tip of his blade to Antony’s neck, and drew the full five feet of the iron across the young Roman’s throat, slowly.
There was so little force behind the cutting that, Antony, as he bled, arms and hands down by his side, knelt on two knees, stared straight ahead, taking his last struggled breaths, fighting for one more moment to stay alive, Calfax stepped around him and continued on with his killing. In those terminal few moments, Antony’s mind returned to his childhood — his time with Gaius and his sister. His last thoughts of happier times — how he wished he could live in them forever.
Before his last breath escaped his lungs, he hoped he had made the right choice in sending Gaius away. He prayed with his last gasp that the gods would protect his sister from the very real monsters who now would be free to strike at Rome.
A moment later, as the world around him grew silent, his eyes closed as the last drop of his blood flowed out from his neck. He was gone, spared having to see the slaughter that would continue for hours more.
Varro stood within the ranks of his army. He was surrounded by hundreds of his men, yet, never before in all of his life had he felt as alone as he did at the moment. Dozens of officers ran up to him, each one relaying reports from the battle, which was taking place on all sides. His army, all eighty thousand plus men were totally surrounded with nowhere to run. He couldn’t fathom how this could have happened. The battle was going so well. He had every advantage, and most of all, strength in numbers.
This was impossible, or so the thought ran through his mind repeatedly.
His men eagerly demanded to know what to do — what they could do, but Varro had shut himself off. He simply didn’t know what he could do. He wasn’t a soldier; he had no brilliant tactics or strategies that would save the day. He could hardly think straight; barely comprehend what had happened to his army — all the books he had read about famed heroes of the past: Alexander, Leonius, Romulus, Agamemnon and what strategies they might have used to salvage this defeat, escaped him.
“Console Paullus, where is he?” Varro called to the nearest officer.
“Sir, as I said already, we don’t know. You’re the only ranking officer on the field that we can find, or know that is still alive,” the man cried out.
“Dammit Paullus, dammit, where are you?!" Varro couldn’t help but cry out to himself. He suddenly wished he had listened to the man the night before.
“We…We have to reform ranks. We have to push against…” He was a loss for words. He couldn’t think straight and no matter what he said, it wouldn’t have made a difference. He could barely tolerate the screaming of his men any longer as he watched the distant line of marching enemy soldiers draw nearer to him.
Varro’ eyes opened wide as he watched one of his own men slit his throat, killing himself, over waiting for the approaching Carthaginian army. That man was not the only one to do so either as Varro saw panicked men fall on their swords, or ask that their friends to kill them where they stood. Other men held stronger, pissing and shitting in their pants, waiting endless minutes to die, but still determined to meet their end on their feet. A few of the braver, older veterans called out, saying prayers and demanding that they stand and fight — take a few of the bastards with them so that Rome will have fewer barbarians to deal with tomorrow!
“My son, where is my son?” Varro called as loudly as he could. “Antony!” However, no one had an answer for him, at least one that he wanted to hear.
“Sir, we can still try to get you out of here if we act now,” the officer said as he tried to bring Varro out of his stupor.
“My son, where is he? Tell me Flavius, where is he?”
“Sir, we’ve already reported, he is dead…Now we have to act before it is too late.”
“No, Antony…my dear boy. No…”
As he watched the Carthaginian army near to his position, he knew what he had to do.
“May all of you forgive me,” Varro said more to himself than to any man near to him, as he drew his dagger out from behind his back, and raised it quickly up to his throat.
“Sir — No!” Flavius tried to stop him, but even before he could reach out, Varro rammed the knife through his own neck.
He slumped off of his horse, falling to the ground, still alive, but not for much longer.
No one came to him as he fell. He just lied there, bleeding as he stared up at his men who were all around him. Their fate was already decided. It would only be a few more minutes before they were all dead as well.
Then too, Varro’ eyes closed to the world; to the failure that he created. Only history could judge him now.
Across the plains of Cannae, much of the fighting had stopped as Hannibal stood on top his horse, on one of the far hills surveyed the battlefield. Just a few pockets of survivors continued to challenge his men, who were now superior in numbers, and bloodlust. He had only the faintest smile. He did not enjoy seeing so many brave souls dead at his feet; more bodies then he had ever seen gathered into one place that, the birds circled overhead by the hundreds, would certainly eat to bursting, for weeks to come. However, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. He had won a victory that would forever be remembered in the chronicles of warfare, which by each new day was closer to not being written by a Roman’s hand.
“The Republic is broken!” Hasdrubal cried out with joy as he rode up and stood beside his general.
“Are they?” Hannibal asked as he refused the offer
of wine that his officer attempted to pass over to him, as the two stood looking out over the battlefield.
“Do not be so doubtful, general. You have won a great victory! How proud your father would be of you. Now, there is no force of man or nature that stands between us and the gates of Rome. And when we arrive, we will make the Senate eat our shit as they lick our asses. They will give you their kingdom, and the entire world shall know that Carthage is again the sole power in existence.”
Hannibal glanced over at his friend, not rebuking or agreeing with his statement. It was true. He knew that there was nothing left standing between he and Rome. What men had escaped would not be enough to mount an effective defense of the city. He could have the capital in a matter of days. However, still, as he turned his head back towards the battlefield, the sense of joy and excitement that his men showed was not evident on his face.
“There are still Romans out there who have escaped our trap. I want them found and dealt with,” Hannibal finally spoke; his words ice-cold even in the growing summer heat.
“That will be done. I will put Calfax and his men on the task at once. Even so, shouldn’t we ransom some of the survivors we find?”
“No. I want our Senate to see my resolve. Find me the Roman elite, living and dead. Tear their wealth from their bodies; their rings and anything that represents their authority and collect them. Do not melt them or pass them out. I want them all. I want them delivered to those old fools on the first ship out of Italy. Is that understood?”
“That will take some time. That is a lot of rings to collect from the battlefield.”
“I know. You best get started.”
“And what about the survivors who aren’t of the Roman elite?”
Hannibal stared at his man for a long time before he finally answered.
“Use your imagination.”
Hasdrubal smile widened as he took a long swig from the wineskin before he kicked his horse, and raced down towards the battlefield. Already Hannibal’s mind turned towards the future, which for him, was strangely uncertain.
Swords of Rome Page 26
