by P J Mann
“Master; Saul. Wake up, it's time for school,” he said gently.
“Hmm, good morning, Rufus. Saul,” said Flavius, rolling onto his back.
“Good morning, Master. I hope you slept well,” said Saul as he got up from the bed.
“Yes. I can’t even recall the last time I slept as well as last night.”
“I’ll take care of Master Flavius. You go get ready for school,” Rufus said.
Saul hurried, ready to wear new clean clothes and search for Cassandra to take care of his hair.
“Look at yourself. Your hair is so messy that I barely recognized you,” she said as he entered the kitchen.
“I have been sleeping with Master Flavius, and I guess that sleeping together in his bed can mess up everything.”
“Whatever. Come, I will fix your hair,” Cassandra replied, patiently starting to comb his hair.
For Saul, today wasn’t supposed to be different from the others. After school, he rushed home, eager to work with Master Marcus Tiberius.
Everything seemed to run smoothly. Until Flavius burst into Marcus Tiberius’ room in a fury, followed by a panting Rufus.
“What is this?” Marcus Tiberius yelled as he saw his son’s eyes full of fear, hatred, and anger.
“Father, we need to talk. Dismiss all the slaves,” he ordered.
“How dare you speak to me like that?” Marcus Tiberius slammed his hand on the desk.
“Dismiss them!” he yelled, his voice trembling.
“Saul, Rufus, leave us,” Marcus Tiberius ordered.
Flavius waited until they were alone, then he fell to his knees and started to cry.
“Please, Father. Don’t make me go again to work with Publius Julius Fulvianus. Please.”
Marcus Tiberius walked to his son, then held him in his arms and tried to soothe him. “Flavius, please tell me what happened. Why are you no longer interested in working with him?”
“That man is a monster. I can’t believe what he did,” Flavius sobbed.
“I can’t understand anything if you don’t tell me exactly what happened, in chronological order,” Marcus Tiberius commanded, starting to lose his patience.
Flavius stood and parted from his father. He inhaled and let out a long breath, trying to calm down.
“I arrived at his place, and we were introduced. I was terribly excited and told him how much I appreciated the privilege of being there. He was very kind, then asked that Rufus wait outside. Filthy animals are not welcome in my working space, he said. I didn’t object, but I thought it was terribly rude to address my slave like that, particularly a well-educated one like Rufus. However, I followed him to the living room. He invited me to sit so we could have a preliminary talk before he showed me how the two weeks would be spent together. He called a slave and ordered something to eat and wine; the slave came immediately after, bringing food and pouring the wine for his Master and me. I was impressed by the extreme care he took in serving us.
“When we spoke after the slave left, I was fascinated with the Publius Julius’ experience, and I was sure I could learn so much working with him. Anther slave arrived, bringing water and dried fruits, but the enthusiasm for the food was, eventually, only mine. I have no idea why, but Publius Julius stood and started to yell at that poor slave. Not satisfied with just yelling, he beat him up, as I’ve never seen done, even to an animal. I felt shocked and stopped him.
“I grabbed his hand and asked him to quit hitting that poor man. As far as I could see, he didn’t do anything wrong. Publius Julius looked at me and laughed, telling me that there isn’t any other way to deal with those beasts. When they do not meet the satisfaction of their Master, they need to be punished so that they will never make the same mistake again. I asked what his fault was, and he simply said that he annoyed him with his presence.
“Do you understand what kind of person he is? I told him I couldn't tolerate sharing the same roof with a person who enjoys cruelty. I left, taking Rufus with me, running as fast as I could and as far as possible from him,” he said, still trembling.
Marcus Tiberius sighed. He had been unaware that Publius Julius had this side to his character. He probably would have acted the same way as Flavius had, however, at that point, the question was how to solve the situation in a diplomatic way.
“I'm not blaming you for leaving Publius Julius’ house after what happened. I will find someone else to give you experience in this career,” Marcus Tiberius said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
“That won’t be necessary, Father. I have decided to be a lawyer. In this way, I might be helpful to people who seek justice and protect people like that poor slave from people like his Master,” Flavius replied firmly.
Marcus Tiberius smiled and hugged him. He knew that it was a shock to see a defenseless man, even a slave, brutally mistreated. For that reason, he always treated his slaves in the best way possible. He wanted to obtain their loyalty, not by fear, but by respect and gratitude.
“I’m sorry you had to experience this. I know how it feels. I hope you will continue, for the rest of your life, to treat your slaves in the same way they have been treated in this family,” he said.
“Of course, Father. I could never harm someone who has, at no time, done anything hurtful to me,” Flavius replied.
“Well, in this case, I will talk to Publius Julius, and I will inform him of your decision. You can go now. I still need to finish my work with Saul.”
“Yes, Father. I will tell him to come here. I wish to be left alone until tomorrow morning, to think and calm down.”
“I can give an order to the slaves, but your mother will come to talk with you as soon as I tell her what happened. She will be upset as well.”
“That’s fair enough. Thank you.” Flavius walked away.
Flavius walked to the porch. “Saul!” he called when he saw him sitting on a bench.
“Yes, Master,” he answered, standing.
“You can return to my father’s room; he needs to finish his work.”
“Have a pleasant sleep Master,” Saul said, then returned to Marcus Tiberius. He was curious to know the reason for Flavius’ burst into the room and his strange behavior, but confident that if there were something he needed to know, Flavius would mention it in the morning.
Saul and Marcus Tiberius continued their work as if nothing had happened. When it was time for Saul to be dismissed, Marcus Tiberius held him by the shoulder.
“Flavius had a particularly unpleasant day. Let him sleep tomorrow morning as well. Please excuse Flavius with the teacher; tell him that he is ill and will probably be back tomorrow.”
“Yes, Master, as you order.”
Flaminia appeared in the door of Marcus Tiberius’ working room “Are you busy?”
“No, please come in. I need your advice,”
“What happened? I saw Flavius running to his room after sending Saul to you.”
“He got upset about something that happened at the house of Publius Julius Fulvianus. They were together when he beat up one of his slaves without any plausible reason. According to Flavius, he had been extremely violent and cruel with the slave. For this reason, he has decided to become a lawyer to help whoever will ask for justice.”
“It has been incredibly rude from Publius Julius, to behave that way in front of a guest. I would have never imagined a person like him could behave in such a reprehensible way,” Flaminia stiffening her posture, shocked. “Flavius decision of becoming a lawyer is a noble one, and I am proud of him. So, this means we must meet again with Lucius Claudius Blasio to seal the engagement contract with his daughter, Claudia,” she concluded cocking her head and glance at the ceiling.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. Let’s hope that Lucius Claudius had a good impression of Flavius, and he agrees upon the wedding contract. Tomorrow I will talk with both Lucius Claudius and Publius Julius so that we can solve the situation in a clean way. I hope this incident won’t result in any consequenc
es in Flavius’ life and career,” Marcus Tiberius slowly nodding.
Flaminia touched the back of his hand. “Now it is up to you to be persuasive enough to solve the situation, but I am confident that everything will go well. I trust you fully.”
“Thank you. You are a gift from the gods.”
She smiled and held him close. “I love you, Marcus.” Her lips brushed his.
“You are the dearest to me, darling,” he purred. “Flavius asked to be left alone. I know you would like to have a talk with him, but I think it will be wiser to put off any discussions until tomorrow. I spoke with him and decided he won’t go to school tomorrow. This way, he can clear his mind, and we can talk to him.”
“I believe it is a good idea. For a person like Flavius who can’t stand violence, it might have been rather a shock to see how some people mistreat their slaves.” Flaminia cringed, shrinking in her own shoulders.
“Publius Julius and I only knew each other professionally. Had I known him personally, I would never have proposed this deal to him. I have been naïve, and Flavius paid the price. I’m sorry.”
“Well, what is done is done. Now we have to look forward; we can’t change the past. I will leave you alone so you can work out the best solution for everybody.”
He watched Flaminia her gracefully walk out of the room and again thanked the gods for giving him such an understanding and loyal wife, and caring mother for the son he loved with all his strength.
They were his family, and he would do anything to protect them and make their lives serene. The more he thought about how Publius Julius behaved in front of his son and addressed Rufus, the more bitter he felt. Perhaps Publius Julius owed him an apology.
Early the next morning, while Flavius was still asleep, Marcus Tiberius left his house. He was determined to go have a talk with Lucius Claudius Blasio first, to make sure no false rumors about the previous day’s incident had reached his ears, and to discuss the eventual engagement of Flavius to his daughter Claudia.
He knew Lucius Claudius Blasio used to go at that same time to the Thermae. Without hesitation, he strode to the Thermae, happy to see Lucius walking fast as he entered the building.
He didn’t rush in behind him; he still needed a bit of time to find the right words.
As soon as they were formulated in his mind, he approached, “Good morning, Claudius.”
“Good morning. I didn’t know you enjoyed coming to the Thermae this early”
“I usually come in the afternoon; I came here at this time because I hoped to find you here. So how are you?” Marcus Tiberius asked kindly shaking Lucius Claudius’ right hand.
“Thank you, I am fine.”
“I haven’t had the opportunity to ask you for your impression about my son Flavius,” he started.
“He is a very smart youth. I'm sure he has all it takes to become a good lawyer. Did he come to a final decision regarding his career?” Lucius Claudius asked.
“Yes, he wishes so much to become just like you. He has barely spoken about anything else.”
“So, we can surely come to an agreement and start talking about the wedding of Flavius to Claudia, together with your son’s future career.”
“Yes, we can certainly do that. Flavius and Claudia met each other when they were very young. Last time I saw her, I was impressed by her grace and beauty. I do believe they will make a lovely couple.” Marcus Tiberius nodded.
Claudius smiled. “Thank you for the compliments. I can’t say anything wrong about your son, and I share your feelings. They will be a happy and wealthy couple.”
Marcus Tiberius’ expression frowned and pursed his lips. “There is something I have to tell you. As you know, Flavius was supposed to work with Publius Julius Fulvianus as well, to decide whether he’d rather become a lawyer or a diplomat. He was supposed to start yesterday, but Publius Julius offended one of my slaves and mistreated one of his in the presence of Flavius. I don’t much care if someone mistreats his own, but I’d prefer that he give respect to my property. Besides that, he disrespected my son, being extremely brutal with one of his slaves in his presence. Flavius has a mild and fair nature and can’t stand any form of injustice; he despises when someone is violent with people who can’t defend themselves. For this reason, he decided to become a lawyer,” Marcus Tiberius clarified.
They reached the room where they could have taken away their clothes before going to the bath, and Lucius Claudius started to undress.
Lucius Claudius looked at him thoughtfully rubbing his beard with one hand. “I like your son’s attitude; however, I will warn him, there is no justice for slaves. They are merely property with no rights. I do agree with him that something must be done to protect people who can’t defend themselves. I forecast interesting times ahead for him.”
“I hope this will be the first step toward manhood. I have to say. since I bought a new slave to help me with my work and be his companion, he has finally started to grow up.”
“Well, Marcus Tiberius, we will meet soon to seal the wedding contract and set a date for the engagement.”
“I was hoping to have the ceremony before the end of the year. Let’s see what we can arrange. Meanwhile, I will tell my son about his future bride. Like for each of us in the past, I believe the new will come as a surprise.”
“Have a pleasant day, and good luck with Publius Julius,” Lucius Claudius, smirked and turned his shoulders raising his hand to greet him.
“And to you too,” he replied, watching him walking toward the frigidarium.
Marcus Tiberius’ smile faded away at the thought of talking to Publius Julius.
Marcus Tiberius intended to go to Publius Julius’ office in the afternoon, at the same time his son’s appointment was scheduled. He walked away, focusing more on his duties, rather than his problems.
That evening, Marcus Tiberius arrived tardily at home. Feeling exhausted, he bypassed his wife’s room, going directly to his working room where he lighted oil lamps and lay on the couch to think and try to relax.
Flaminia noticed the light in his room and went to ask him about the news. “Marcus, you returned home quite late. Is anything wrong?” she asked, sitting beside him.
“It has been a long day, both for my work and for the business concerning the deal with Publius Julius. He was, of course, upset that Flavius decided to quit working with him. He found it childish, and maybe if I were him, I would have thought the same. On the other hand, we cannot force Flavius on this.
“I also spoke with Claudius about the engagement. We will meet again to stipulate the contract and discuss the details. I was thinking to celebrate it before the end of the year. What do you think?”
“There is not much time left if you want to make it something to be remembered. You should finalize the contract soon, then I will arrange the ceremony.”
“How is Flavius?” he asked.
“He feels better. It was wise to let him rest at home today; he needed time to think. At the moment, he is studying with Saul in his room.”
“I will invite Claudius here soon, maybe next week. Our son is becoming a man. It seems like only yesterday I held him in my arms for the first time, and now I am planning his engagement.”
Flaminia patted his arm. “I miss those times, he used to cry all day long and very little let us rest during the night. Yet, I would love to have that little puffy creature in my arms again. I can’t see the time when he has children of his own; then we can enjoy these moments again.” She stood up from the couch. “Soon dinner will be served; get ready and change your toga, you’ll be more comfortable with a tunic.”
Marcus Tiberius hesitated on the couch a bit longer, thinking about major events of his life, the wealth he was able to accumulate, and the blessing of having a woman like Flaminia at his side. Regardless his life has seen a few hurtful periods, particularly as he thought about the death of his parents, he considered himself privileged with the favor of the gods.
“I can st
ill recall when my father announced me my imminent engagement party,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “I felt like I was going to be executed!”
He stood up and paced around the room, frowning and rubbing his hands together, thinking about a good way to introduce the topic to his son.
“I am afraid Flavius won’t greet the news with my same enthusiasm,” he feared.
Marcus Tiberius clenched his fists, “I am his father, he should just be grateful for my efforts in making his life as smooth as possible. The decision has already taken, and in a way or another, he will have to accept it.”
Chapter 6.
Flavius and Saul sat on the bed, talking casually when Marcus Tiberius entered. “Flavius, I need to talk to you — alone. Saul, you can go.”
“Yes, Master,” Saul complied and left.
Disconcerted, Flavius looked at his father, wondering if he was upset with him or if he had just had an awful day. He didn’t like the expression depicted on his face. From experience, he knew it preceded trouble. “Father, are you upset with me?”
“No, Flavius, not at all. I had a very long day, but I have terrific news for you. The deal you had with Publius Julius Fulvianus is off, and you don’t have to meet him anymore,” he said.
Flavius felt relieved at the news; he would rather die than see Publius Julius Fulvianus again. “That is great news, Father, but something tells me that is not the reason you called me.”
“You realize that now you’ve decided about your career, you have to steer your education in that direction. Another issue remains unsettled, but I believe I have the right solution for it. What I am trying to say is, it is time to think about your personal life. I am talking about finding a girl to become your wife,” he paused, turning his shoulders toward his son. “I know you might not have thought about it, but your mother and I did. We’ve arranged things so that you meet your future wife soon.”
