Lindsey Davis - Deadly Election

Next, Julia Optata gave witness. It was the first time I had seen Sextus’s wife speaking at any length. She managed to come across as the sweet woman Marcella Vibia had once called her. Julia confirmed that Pomponia had told her the same story, terrified of what Aspicius would do to her and the new baby when it came. Pomponia had been so frightened that Julia Optata helped her escape the marital home, after which another sister was intending to give her refuge overseas. Julia Optata added that yesterday Aspicius had turned up at the Vibius house. He believed his wife was there, and demanded access to ‘deal with’ Pomponia. He issued wild threats, terrified everybody, then stormed off.

Next was Julia Laurentina, Firmus’s wife. She reported news from her brother-in-law, Callistus Primus, not present because he was no longer a relative. He had now ascertained from Palace sources that a senior official called Titinius Capito had been paid by Julia Verecunda to remove the Emperor’s grant allowing Volusius Firmus to call himself ‘Caesar’s candidate’.

At that, Firmus himself growled from where he was seated that he would never be able to stand for election again, due to lack of funds. Julia Laurentina resumed her seat, putting an arm round him.

Julia Terentia was the last sister to give testimony. Among that self-assured bunch, she came across as the most confident. Making much of her power derived from her money, she confirmed that for many years she had supported the hard-up Pomponia and Aspicius, as a favour to her impoverished sister. In light of Aspicius’s irresponsible behaviour, she had recently warned them she would stop paying. All he did with the money was go to bars where he started fights. Julia Terentia knew that cutting off handouts left the couple in great hardship, but she saw no other option. She had advised Pomponia to leave him. Terentia said Aspicius had come to her house yesterday, too. When he threatened the occupants, Dillius hurled a big amphora at him, then chased him away.

Ennius then read out a statement from Claudia Galeria, wife of Titus Niger, that a chilling conversation had left her husband in no doubt that Aspicius, who was gloating about it, had been party to the death of Valens. Niger had gone to see Aspicius about this and was himself murdered.

A brief discussion followed. The women, trained by their mother never to hold back, denounced her fiercely. Her son managed to be more moderate. Pretty soon he declared they had heard enough. He gave his mother one more chance to defend herself. She snorted, then pointedly replaced her veil over her face.

Ennius offered them a secret ballot; they all chose to put up hands openly. They voted. Their verdict was unanimous: Julia Verecunda had not planned to kill Callistus Valens, so was not guilty of murder. But she had caused his death by planning the attack and paying the man who had carried it out. Aspicius was found guilty in his absence; Julia Pomponia would be divorced from him and sent abroad for safety, while the family would cooperate with the vigiles manhunt.

Ennius pronounced his mother’s punishment. She would be taken to a distant temple on the family’s land, where she must permanently remain. She would live in the charge of the priestess, with the family providing maintenance. Anyone who wanted could visit her, but she must not return to Rome.

In addition, they would make a payment to Claudia Galeria in compensation for her husband’s murder. A suitable sum would also be paid for the death of Callistus Valens. In further settlement, they would pay the surviving Callisti a sum equal to what they had spent on their thwarted campaign for Volusius Firmus.

As Ennius supervised the departure of his still-silent mother, the group began breaking up. The sisters swooped for farewell kisses; it would have been impossible for a stranger to tell which women were on good terms, which not speaking to one another. The girl, Valentina, was passed among them to be kissed. Sisters kissed brothers-in-law and vice versa. Brothers-in-law shook hands. Only Ennius made any gesture of farewell to Julia Verecunda who, oddly enough, accepted her son’s embrace.

A temple attendant must have been waiting until the council finished. A messenger was led up, wanting to see Faustus. While they stepped aside, I had a quick word with Sextus Vibius, wishing him well for the election. He puffed out his cheeks, a relief of tension after the meeting. Then he grinned and asked teasingly, ‘Made his move yet?’

It was really too painful to answer, but somehow I managed to laugh back at him.

His wife whisked up, looking peeved. ‘Leave my husband alone!’ She spoke lightly enough, but with an undertone I did not like. Sextus and I had barely spoken. Any familiarity was on his side. I would much rather he had not teased me.

The others were leaving. Julia Optata took her husband away, giving him a little biff on the arm as they went. It looked playful, though not playful enough. Something about her action, and how he moved out of the way, perturbed me.

I stood waiting for Faustus, thinking.

After he finished with the messenger, he came to collect me; he raised his brows in enquiry because he could tell I was puzzling. ‘Tiberius, why would you call somebody a grain bag?’

‘A what?’

‘A “human grain bag”? In a context where it was definitely an insult.’

Everyone else had gone. Just the two of us now, we started to walk through the high colonnade, our shoes striking clops on the expensive marble slabs. I explained how Trebonius Fulvo had once dismissively listed out his rivals to me: a drunk, a wimp, a prig and a human grain bag. Dillius, Ennius, Gratus – and that grain bag was Vibius Marinus.

Troubled, Tiberius suggested an explanation: ‘Trebonius is a gym-frequenter. Apart from its agricultural meaning, sacks of grain are used for training boxers. They are hung up to be whacked, sufficiently firm to take meaningful practice punches, but with enough give in them not to cause physical harm.’

I sighed. ‘Oh dear. I have a horrible feeling. Julia Optata just showed extraordinary suspicion when all I was doing was chatting to Sextus.’

Faustus whistled through his teeth, very softly. He knew what I was suggesting. ‘Now I am worried too. Did we have it wrong? Is the violent one not Sextus but Julia ? Does she keep losing her temper and battering him?’

‘Sextus vowed to you he never hits his wife, and I don’t think he lied. We ourselves have seen what happens with them.’ I said. ‘It felt extremely unpleasant. In front of us, Julia Optata snapped at Sextus over the children’s schooling; when he went off to talk to her, he looked very anxious. Now I think he may have been expecting violence.’

Tiberius explored the idea. ‘If this is true, did she behave in the same way when she was married to Callistus Primus?’

‘Primus wouldn’t stand for it. That might be why he divorced her, and so rapidly,’ I said. ‘And why the circumstances were hushed up.’

Faustus agreed. ‘It’s why her sister, who must have known the situation, took away the newborn baby, saying Julia Optata should not bring up a child – and why Primus insisted on custody.’

‘He only lets Julia Optata see Valentina with careful arrangements,’ I said. ‘Mind you, he never acknowledges any of this. He blanks all questions.’

‘Because he has to protect the child from scandal,’ explained Faustus. ‘That’s why reasons for the divorce have never surfaced and the battle for his daughter ended with a private settlement.’

‘Julia Optata’s mother knows,’ I decided. ‘Optata and Verecunda share the same traits. Not only a violent temper but unjust suspicion, especially where men are involved.’