Scourge of Rome

by Douglas Jackson

  XXXIII

  An avenue of torches flanked the little procession as James led the three men up the wide marble steps of the Hasmonean Palace. In the glow of the burning brands Valerius could make out a great doorway topped by two conical towers. He felt no fear in the heart of the enemy citadel, only a dull resentment at the duplicity of these treacherous rebels. Josephus had come here at Simon bar Giora’s instigation. Whatever Valerius’s doubts about the Judaean, he had placed his life at risk to avert the needless slaughter of his people. Yet this Simon had almost allowed him to be butchered, and Valerius and Serpentius with him.

  They followed James through a maze of corridors until they reached a door clad in beaten gold, wonderfully worked into the shapes of birds, fishes and flowers. The Idumaean ushered them through into a room hung with sumptuous tapestries where the atmosphere was thick with the scent of stale sweat and antagonism.

  Three chairs had been set around a large table in the centre of the room. One held a fearsome giant of a man and he jumped up to greet the newcomers. The other occupant, older and thinner, glanced up with sullen dismissal until his eyes fell on Josephus. At the sight of the Judaean his mouth twisted into a snarl of hatred and the pale eyes almost glowed with the power of his wrath. Valerius thought he might cry out, but the spasm subsided and he slumped back in his chair content, for the moment, to glare at his enemies.

  The big man surprised them by ignoring Josephus and instead approached Valerius and the Spaniard. His eyes registered the dark blood staining their tunics, but his greeting barely faltered. ‘I welcome you in the name of peace, my friends, though I see your passage has not been without trial. I am Simon bar Giora, and my companion is the famed John of Gischala.’ He bowed his head, and Valerius’s manners insisted he do likewise.

  ‘I thank you for your greeting and hope our journey was worthwhile,’ he replied with equal formality. Serpentius ignored the Judaean and glared around the room. One man stood protectively behind each of the principals’ chairs while six more had their backs against the walls. What made these men different were the hands that hung poised over their swords.

  Simon finally turned to Josephus, but there was little warmth in his welcome. ‘Our past division means I cannot greet you with the same enthusiasm. Nevertheless, I take comfort from your safe arrival.’ He glanced at John. ‘Let us hope some good comes of it, God willing.’

  ‘God willing,’ Josephus echoed.

  John of Gischala snorted contemptuously. ‘I, for my part, can barely suffer the sight of you.’ His words were warped by the strength of his hatred. ‘The stink of betrayal ever hung over you. I would have killed you at Tiberias, but Jesus Ben Sapphia stayed my hand. Your death cannot come soon enough for me.’

  ‘If you had your way tonight I would already be dead,’ Josephus snapped back. ‘It is only because of my companions I am alive.’ With a growl he took a step towards the man in the chair, but Simon touched his arm and his anger subsided as quickly as it had risen.

  ‘We cannot change what has been done,’ the big man said. ‘But we can promise you safe passage on your return. Please be seated. For your sake our business must be conducted swiftly.’ Simon turned to Valerius. ‘I apologize, but for reasons of security it is not possible for a Roman to attend these proceedings.’ Valerius opened his mouth to protest, but Simon assured him Josephus would be safe. He glanced at Serpentius. ‘Your savage friend speaks no Hebrew, I have your word on it?’

  ‘He speaks no Hebrew, on my honour.’

  ‘Then he may stay and take responsibility for your charge. He looks well capable of it, yes?’

  Valerius looked into the deep-set eyes seeking the lie, but Simon met his gaze without flinching. ‘You’ll stay,’ he told Serpentius. The Spaniard responded with a sharp inclination of the head.

  ‘Very well. We place our trust in you to restrain your friend.’ Valerius nodded at John.

  ‘He is no friend of mine.’ Simon’s laugh contained no humour. ‘But you may trust me in this matter. Zacharias?’

  The red-bearded young man behind Simon’s chair stepped forward to escort Valerius from the chamber. As they left the room, Valerius was puzzled to feel something being slipped into his left hand. Once they were alone he turned to the other man, but Zacharias gave no sign that anything unusual had occurred. ‘If you will wait in the small room beyond the curtain, I must return to my commander.’ He paused. ‘These are difficult times. I am sorry we are at war, but a man must do what he believes is right. Do you not agree?’

  As Valerius met the other man’s steady gaze he could feel the tiny roll of papyrus between his fingers. ‘Yes, I agree.’

  Zacharias left without another word. Josephus was already seated by the time he resumed his place behind the bulky figure of Simon, but it was John of Gischala who spoke first.

  ‘There will be no surrender,’ the Galilean hissed. ‘You have wasted your time.’

  Josephus ignored his enemy. ‘I expected none.’ He addressed the words to Simon bar Giora. Despite the incomprehensible Hebrew, Serpentius picked up the tone of the exchange. He was surprised to see Josephus smile. ‘I am here to discuss other matters of grave import to each of us … yes,’ the Judaean forestalled the inevitable interruption from John, ‘even to you. These matters go far beyond the enmity of three rivals, they concern the future of our people.’

  Simon and John exchanged a glance and the smaller man gave an almost imperceptible nod.

  ‘You have come for it?’ Simon said quietly.

  ‘It cannot stay in Jerusalem. If the city falls …’

  ‘The city will not fall while there is one hand still capable of wielding a sword,’ John snapped.

  ‘Nevertheless …’ Josephus gave a shrug that could have meant anything.

  ‘Then you know its location?’ Simon suggested.

  ‘Only that it is in the temple.’ Josephus looked to John for confirmation, but Gischala sank lower into his chair. ‘It was brought in great secrecy to the High Priest Ananus by Jesus of Hebron.’

  ‘A matter complicated by the unfortunate detail of Ananus’s death.’ John cast an accusing eye at Simon, who was not unconnected with the occurrence.

  ‘I am told Ananus passed on the location to Eleazar before he died,’ Josephus said.

  ‘If only Eleazar were here to enlighten us.’ Now Simon’s tone dripped with sarcasm. ‘Unfortunately someone cut off his head.’

  Josephus closed his eyes. Did a people so careless with its great men truly deserve to survive?

  ‘I have men searching for it now,’ John ignored Simon’s jibe, ‘but the temple is of even greater extent than it appears. So many rooms: the priests’ quarters, the treasury, the library, the courts, inner temples, schoolrooms, granaries and storerooms, the lepers’ room, a room for sacred oil, and a room for sacred wood. Only the priests can enter the sanctuary and the Holy of Holies, but they assure me it is not there. Of course,’ he said slyly, ‘it would help if we knew exactly what we were looking for. Such an item can take many forms.’

  ‘A scroll,’ Josephus said after a long pause, as if his thoughts had been elsewhere. ‘A substantial scroll, but a simple one without golden embellishment.’

  ‘The library then,’ Simon said triumphantly. ‘Where better to hide a scroll than in a library.’

  ‘I have had people check every volume,’ John said dismissively. ‘I am not a fool.’

  ‘No? Then perhaps you can produce Eleazar.’ Simon was on his feet and John rose an instant later, snarling at each other like fighting dogs across the polished table. The two sets of guards took a step forward, but Zacharias and his opposite number raised a hand to stop them. Josephus intervened to urge calm.

  ‘You have searched the lower passages?’ he asked when the adversaries had regained their seats.

  ‘They are endless,’ John complained. The other two men looked at him and he sniffed. ‘I will put more men to the task. If it is here I will find it.’

  ‘It
is here,’ Josephus assured him. He looked from one to the other. ‘We are enemies in most things, nothing can change that, but we cannot afford to be enemies in this. When you have found it, send me a signal and whatever the conditions I will come. A truce, or another negotiation, I will create a pretext. It cannot be allowed to fall into Roman hands.’ Or certain others I could name. The silent thought formed of its own volition.

  They left by separate entrances an hour later. Valerius emerged from the waiting chamber to be met with a scowl of disappointment from Josephus. ‘I have failed,’ the Judaean said bitterly. ‘They see the sense of surrender, and the impossibility of their position – what sane man would not – but they are fanatics. I must take the news to Titus immediately.’

  James the Idumaean escorted them through the city as the first hint of dawn appeared in the eastern sky. Eventually they reached the outer wall. A narrow stairway lit by oil lamps wound down into the rock. ‘My men have informed the Romans of your coming,’ the bearded warrior growled. ‘With good fortune you may avoid the spear point in the guts you deserve.’

  Serpentius turned and took a step that brought him face to face with the big warrior. ‘I’ve had warmer farewells.’

  James met his gaze without flinching. ‘I told them we should have fed you to the dogs.’

  ‘Much easier said than done,’ Serpentius replied with a dangerous smile. ‘Perhaps we’ll meet again to discuss it?’

  ‘It would be my pleasure to kill you.’

  ‘We’re leaving.’ Valerius pulled Serpentius away before the inevitable reaction. They emerged on the far side of the wall through a gate of metal bars. Someone handed Valerius a torch to guide the way down the steep slope and up the reverse face. From the stone stairs cut into the cliff he realized they were at the lepers’ gate.

  He waited until they reached the far side and had passed through the Roman lines, escorted by a yawning legionary, before whispering to Serpentius, ‘I know it’s difficult when you can’t understand the words, but what impression did you get of their discussions?’

  The Spaniard sent a long, searching look in the direction of Josephus’s back. ‘I don’t know what they were talking about, but I do know one thing. Our friend there is up to no good.’

  XXXIV

  Titus took the failure of the mission with an equanimity that convinced Valerius he was secretly relieved. Perhaps it suited him for the Judaeans to resist at least long enough for him to prove his skill as a siege commander. To shed just enough blood to persuade his father to grant him a triumph when he eventually returned to Rome. The Emperor’s son didn’t enquire how they had entered the city. Spies had their ways. If the route could help shorten the siege he clearly trusted Josephus to mention it, so Valerius also kept his counsel.

  ‘I had no great hopes for it,’ Titus told them. ‘These are men without the moral courage to save their people, but I thank all of you for your efforts.’

  Josephus left the tent, followed by Serpentius, but Valerius hung back and Titus looked up from the map he’d been studying. He smiled. ‘You look terribly weary, Valerius. You should find a bed.’ He gestured to the map. ‘I’ve been examining this city from every angle and the more I look the more difficult it becomes. What do you think of Jerusalem, now that you are one of the few in this army to have seen it from the inside?’

  ‘Your words might have been a prophecy. A fortress within a fortress within a fortress. It was dark, but we must have passed twenty buildings capable of being fortified to keep this army at bay for a month.’

  Titus nodded grimly. ‘We’re already running out of timber for the siege works, but I’ve ordered an amount kept back. I calculate that when the first assault succeeds, we will require a further three or four attacks unless the Judaeans see sense and surrender. I fear my other prophecy, that I would win this city for my father in three months, will not prove so accurate.’

  ‘You’ve chosen a section of wall to assault?’

  ‘Yes.’ Titus drew him forward so he could see the map and his voice became animated. ‘It must be here in the north.’ He pointed to a position two miles from the legionary camps. ‘The open spaces of the New City will give my legions room to fight. If we attacked the Upper City or from the Cedron valley it would be a much more difficult assault. We’d get bogged down in the narrow streets, with those buildings you mentioned a redoubt on every corner. So we will attack here, either side of the Tower of Psephinus. When we break through, the Fifth and Fifteenth will hook right and left like the pincers of a crab’s claw, while the reserve cohorts from the Twelfth hold the defenders in place. With Fortuna’s aid we’ll kill or capture almost half of Jerusalem’s garrison in a single attack.’

  Valerius studied the map, drawn by Titus’s engineers from a viewpoint on Mount Scopus. It was a good plan, but it depended on the cooperation of the Judaeans. If they had orders to run, Titus’s claw might close on a few terrified refugees. Which raised a question.

  ‘From the hillside we could see the tents of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. Is it possible Clemens was correct and they will hamper your plan?’

  Titus gave Valerius a sharp look. ‘I see you would still advise me to allow them passage. But I need them in the city putting pressure on the Judaean commanders, not outside wondering how to stab us in the back. As to your question, I do not intend to let it happen. While the legions assault the walls I will … encourage … the civilian inhabitants of the New City to retreat through the second wall to the Upper City. See, the Fifteenth and the Fifth will attack here, and here. Meanwhile our artillery will bombard not only the walls, but the city beyond them. The Tenth will also concentrate its artillery on the tents and shelters. If they are as densely packed as we think, the arrival of a few hundred missiles and a shower of shield-splitter bolts should be enough to send them scuttling to safer positions. It must be here.’ Titus sounded as if he were trying to convince himself. ‘Once we’ve triumphed it will give us a base to draw breath for the next operation.’ He pointed to the Upper City and a wall even more formidable than the one they faced.

  ‘It is a good plan,’ Valerius congratulated him. ‘You seem to have thought of everything.’

  Titus laughed, but he made the sign against bad luck with his fingers and didn’t hide it from Valerius. ‘No commander thinks of everything, as a man with your experience would know better than any. Things will go wrong. There will be setbacks, but I will take this city.’ Valerius bowed, but Titus put out a hand to prevent his leaving. ‘But I do not think you stayed behind to hear me talk tactics.’

  Valerius shook his head. How could he have forgotten? ‘When Simon barred me from the negotiations a man called Zacharias gave me this.’ He handed over the tiny roll of papyrus. ‘He is close to bar Giora, perhaps one of his aides.’

  Titus unrolled the scroll and took an oil lamp to his campaign desk in order to study it more closely. ‘Yes, it is confirmed here.’ He looked up at Valerius. ‘This could have been his death warrant if they’d discovered it, and yours. He asks for safe passage for his wife and child. In return he offers regular reports of bar Giora’s strength and the disposition of his troops.’

  ‘How will he provide it?’

  ‘He talks of somewhere called the Leper Gate? His couriers will wear something red.’

  Valerius explained about the leper colony and the gate in the wall and Titus scowled. ‘If I’d known, I would have stopped it and had the guards whipped. Clemens should know better. You can only win a siege by being harder than the enemy. But now …’

  ‘Now the situation is transformed,’ Valerius completed the thought. ‘The Leper Gate is like a dagger aimed at the heart of the city.’

  ‘His wife will dress as an old woman and she’ll carry the child in a basket, as if food for the lepers. He asks if we can provide some sort of distraction to allow them to separate from the others. Can it be done?’

  ‘I don’t see why not,’ Valerius said. ‘The question is, do you trust him?’<
br />
  Titus’s voice turned hard. ‘Once we have his wife and child in our possession it would take a very cruel man to go back on his word.’

  For a moment the tent seemed to spin and Valerius swayed on his feet. He hadn’t realized quite how tired he was. Titus took his arm and steered him towards the entrance. ‘Why did you not hand this to me when Josephus was here? Do you not find him trustworthy?’

  ‘I think he is trustworthy in many things,’ Valerius said, choosing his words carefully. ‘But I sense he shouldn’t know everything.’

  Titus held his stare for just a fraction longer than necessary. ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘You may leave us.’

  Valerius blinked in the early morning light outside the pavilion. Which way to his tent? He was just beyond the circle of Titus’s personal bodyguards when a slim arm hooked into his and pulled him in a different direction. ‘We are in a house close by,’ Tabitha whispered. Valerius staggered slightly and she stopped and looked up at him, taking in the pallor of exhaustion and the lines that had deepened overnight. ‘You have had a busy night, I fear. Perhaps you’d like to go to your own bed and sleep.’

  He looked into the deep blue eyes and something stirred deep inside him. ‘No.’ He swallowed. ‘I don’t think so. But I must be back by noon. Serpentius …’

  ‘Can look after himself. No,’ she said decisively. ‘They can spare you for a day … at least.’

  XXXV

  In the aftermath of their love, Valerius was still in a dazed, bewildered no-man’s-land when Tabitha’s face appeared above his, her eyes reflecting his own wonder. ‘It was not meant to come to this.’

  ‘Then make the sun go backwards.’ The fingers of his left hand brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. ‘Otherwise you must accept it. If it was not meant to come to this, what was it meant to come to?’

  ‘A mutual attraction.’ She kissed his shoulder and his flesh muffled her voice. ‘A pleasant diversion. You felt it too?’ He nodded. ‘At first I thought you were just another coarse military man, a typical Roman soldier, lacking manners, morals or conscience. But over time I discovered someone compassionate, fair and caring; a man I would trust with my life.’