Dark Resurrection

by Frederick Preston

  * * *

  The next day, as Jesus and Mary slumbered in their darkened room, Joseph had the slaves load the wagon with sides of cured meat. He drove to town, accompanied by Icarus and Brutus. Cyril and Ganymede tended to their chore for the day, constructing an open-faced shed for Icarus’ forge. With cured lumber available thanks to Jesus’ nighttime logging labors, erecting the structure would prove quick and easy.

  Arriving at the caravansary, Joseph and slaves walked up and greeted Demosthenes. Barley and wheat seed were on his list of things to purchase, as were items for the forge. “Hello son, where’s your uncle?” he asked.

  “He should be along soon, he’s got a bit of a hangover,” the lad replied.

  “He’s still on his binge?”

  “He’s always on a binge, what can we do for you sir?”

  “I’m looking for seed and implements for creating a forge.”

  “We have all those things,” said Demosthenes, pointing up the street, “Seed’s in wagons forty and forty-one, tools are in wagons fifteen through thirty. I’ll find my uncle and meet you at the seed wagons.”

  Joseph and his slaves headed to wagons forty and forty-one, arriving as the red-faced, balding Callicles and his nephew walked up. “Julius the elder!” he exclaimed, firmly grasping and shaking Joseph’s hand with both of his, “What can we do for you today – I see you’re already putting your slaves to good use.”

  “I’m looking for blacksmith tools and seed for my fields,” said Joseph.

  “We have many kinds of seed for sale, considering it’s planting time,” Callicles replied, looking to a list nailed to the side of the wagon, “Let’s see, we have barley, carrots, leeks, wheat, cucumbers, lettuce and muskmelon of three types, along with onions, cabbage and garlic. This year we also have something called rice, imported from Cathay. It has to be started in little pots and transplanted into water, like in a swamp from what I’m told.”

  “Rice?” asked Joseph.

  “I’ve heard of rice,” said Brutus, “My former master spoke of it, he had intended to plant some this year.”

  “What does one do with it?” Joseph asked the slave.

  “You eat the fruits, little brown things growing from the top of the plant,” said Brutus, “Aside from planting the seedlings in water, it grows much like wheat does, but you eat the grain whole.”

  “Can it be it ground in a mill?” Joseph asked.

  “That my master did not tell me, he was still studying the information.”

  “It’s said one can either grind it into flour or consume it as is,” said Callicles.

  “I think I’ll pass this time, perhaps you can get more information on it?”

  “Sure,” the trader replied.

  “What else have you available?” asked Joseph.

  “We also carry herbs, such as basil, borage, fennel, comfrey and dill, together with flax and hemp seed for rope and cloth fiber, and opium seed for medicine,” said Callicles, hawking his wares.

  “What do you think we need Brutus, I’m new to all this.”

  “Dirt farming’s a lot different from running a winery in Gaul isn’t it?” a smiling Callicles asked, slapping Joseph on the back.

  “Really,” Joseph lied, wincing from the hard slap, “Shipping amphorae of wine is one thing, farming’s another.”

  “Let’s get drunk again before I leave,” said Callicles, reminded of his beloved wine.

  “Definitely,” Joseph replied, “So Brutus, what do you think we should buy?”

  “I’d buy five large bags of wheat, four of barley, and one smaller bag of everything else.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, with the seed he has available we can plant crops of vegetables and herbs, and will have no need to purchase any locally.”

  “Very well, we’ll do as Brutus says, how much do you want for my order?” asked Joseph.

  “I usually charge around 80 denarii for an order like this,” said Callicles, scribbling figures on parchment, “For you Julius, sixty will do.”

  “Is that a good price?” asked Joseph, looking to Brutus, not at all familiar with the going rates for seed grain.

  “A very good price for the amount we need.”

  “Done,” said Joseph, shaking the trader’s hand firmly.

  “You also said you needed tools?”

  “Yes, for building a forge,” Joseph answered.

  “Okay,” said Callicles, turning to his nephew, “Demo, fill Julius the elder’s seed order, I’ll take him to the tool wagons.”

  “Yes uncle,” Demosthenes replied, unlocking and opening wagon forty.

  “Stay here and see to the order Brutus,” said Joseph, “Icarus, please follow me.” They followed Callicles to the tool wagons, where Joseph let Icarus pick out the implements he needed, this order amounting to 145 denarii. A 600-pound cast iron anvil filled the order, along with a one-pound hammer, a five-pound hammer, a gigantic ten-pound hammer and three wrought iron tongs of various lengths.

  “They’re fine iron tools, made in Greece,” said Callicles as they closed the deal. Calling a pair of slaves, he ordered, “You two will assist this slave carrying these tools to his master’s wagon.”

  “Yes master,” the slaves answered in unison, they and Icarus sitting the heavy anvil and other tools on a wheeled cart.

  “Will you need a bellows for the forge?” Callicles asked, familiar with the art of blacksmithing.

  “Yes,” Icarus replied for Joseph, having momentarily forgot one of the most important tools for a forge.

  “We have them right over here for only 60 denarii,” said Callicles, showing them an elaborate bellows system made in Rome.

  “Sixty?” asked Joseph.

  “For you Julius, forty-five.”

  “Take it master, it’s a Vulcan bellows,” Icarus advised, familiar with the quality Vulcan brand name.

  “Sold,” declared Joseph.

  “Excellent,” Callicles replied, shaking Joseph’s hand firmly.

  “I have something for you too friend Callicles,” said Joseph as the group walked to the wagon, slaves following with the merchandise.

  “Such as?”

  “Take a look in the back of the wagon when we get there.”

  Brutus and Demosthenes joined the group as they passed wagons 40 and 41, Brutus and another slave pulling a wheeled cart laden with seed, a cloud of dust springing up behind them.

  “You’ll be planting your spread with wheat and barley,” Callicles observed, looking to the cart.

  “Mostly,” Joseph replied, “One can always sell grain and from what Brutus says, they’re not too hard to grow.”

  “I know little of farming, but barley and wheat are my best sellers.”

  Arriving at the wagon, Joseph paid for the merchandise. Opening the rear door, he said, “Look at this, we brought meat for you.”

  “By the gods!” Callicles exclaimed, inspecting the lot, “Nicely salted and smoked, auroch, deer and boar. How much do you want for it?”

  “Take some for free, we have too much as it is.”

  “You have more?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is it for sale?”

  “Yes, actually,” Joseph stammered, he not much of a trader.

  “I’ll buy it all if you like,” said Callicles, “I can sell every bit of it during our trip south, both Syrians and Jews are meat eaters.”

  “We do want to keep some for ourselves and Gavinal, but there is a quantity of cured sides I can sell you.”

  “How many?”

  “I’d say perhaps thirty carcasses are hung, smoked and cured. A lot of pork and venison, and some auroch.”

  “Have you any horsemeat?” Callicles asked, it one of his favorite foods.

  “No, wild horses are scarce around here.”


  “A shame, so, how much do you want for the meat, and when would you like to sell it to me?”

  “I’ll have to ask my son, he’s in charge of meat sales; if you’d like to come by, please do, but preferably during the evening.”

  “I’ll come by tomorrow night, is that all right?”

  “Certainly, for now, take a few of these and see how you like them.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Of course, we have plenty.”

  Callicles picked out several sides, had his slaves unload the meat, and ordered them to load the wagon with Joseph’s purchases.

  “Please assist his slaves with loading the anvil,” Joseph ordered his slaves.

  “Yes master,” they answered. The heavy anvil and tools were loaded first, followed by bags of seed.

  “What are you doing with the other meat?” Callicles asked after Joseph closed the door.

  “I’m heading to Gavinal’s to drop it off,” Joseph replied, he and slaves climbing aboard the wagon.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow night about eight,” said Callicles while Joseph pulled out and headed to Gavinal’s mansion.

  “Right, take it easy.”

  “Easy’s the only way I take it!” Callicles yelled as Joseph drove off.

  Arriving at Gavinal’s mansion, Joseph showed him Jesus’ gift of smoked meats, one side of auroch, two of boar and one of deer. “These are top quality aren’t they?” said Gavinal, inspecting the food.

  “My son wants you and the men at the garrison to try these for starters and perhaps buy from us in the future.”

  “I’m sure we will. The shipments for the garrison are never as fine is this, and are always moldy salt pork or venison.”

  “Very well,” Joseph replied, “Icarus, you and Brutus take this meat to the prefect’s larder.”

  “My slave will show them there,” said Gavinal, having called a slave to the wagon. While they unloaded the wagon, Gavinal again observed the meat was of fine quality.

  “Thank you kind Gavinal,” Joseph replied, “I’m sure you and the men will enjoy it.”

  “Most of us will, excepting for centurion Caius, he’s one of those vegetarians.”

  “He is?”

  “He’s a follower of the Mithric faith, many of them abstain from eating meat,” said Gavinal, “I think it’s weird, we Etrurians usually like meat when we can get it.”

  “What the hell, to each his own,” Joseph replied as the slaves returned.

  “I thank you very much, Julius the elder,” said Gavinal, shaking his hand.

  “Don’t mention it; I have to head home, my son and Icarus plan to build a forge during the next few days.”

  “We need a blacksmith in this town, there hasn’t been one here since Isaac of Megiddo died about a year ago,” said Gavinal. “Let me know when you’re set up, if you’re interested the garrison will have plenty of work for you.”

  “I definitely am, thanks,” Joseph replied, he and slaves climbing aboard the wagon. He headed home, pleased with the news he would tell Jesus – that the meat was sold, the seed was purchased, and that they would soon have blacksmith work for Icarus, making even more money for the farm.

  This pleasant news was told to Jesus when he rose in the evening, he observing that his father seemed to have a natural talent when it came to conducting business.

  “It also helps if you have good merchandise to sell,” said Joseph as they sat in the kitchen drinking wine.

  “You say Callicles will be stopping by tomorrow night?” asked Jesus.

  “Yes, he wants to buy the meat and get drunk with us.”

  “Good, we’ll have wine available for him to get drunk, then we’ll sell him the meat.”

  “Shouldn’t we sell him the meat first?”

  “Not if you want to get a good price for it,” said a smiling Jesus.