Simon Hawke - The Cleopatra Crisis

“He needs no advice from you. Antony,” groused Marshall. “Theprice that he has named amounts to a king’s ransom.”

“Come now, Marcian. it is a fair price and you know it.”Steiger protested.

“Fair? You’ve been cheating me for years. you scoundrel. Asyou have doubtless cheated others.” He turned to Antony. “He knows that if Ibuy his farm. I must retain him on a salary as breeder, so it is all to hisadvantage. He has, I’m afraid, less need for my money than I have for his horses.I’ve brought him to the races in the hope that I can induce him to lose some ofit. Perhaps then he will become more reasonable.”

“What, you plan to bet against him?” Antony asked,surprised. “Marcian, I have never seen you wager so much as a denarius!”

“No, not I,” said Marshall. “I have already lost enoughmoney to this brigand through our business dealings. I will not risk losingmore. However. knowing you to be a shrewd judge of horseflesh and charioteers,I thought perhaps you would be good enough to fleece him for me. I wouldappreciate it if you would take as much of his money as possible. he’s beenmost insufferable.”

Antony threw back his head and laughed. “Did you hear myfriends? Marcian brings me a sacrifice of a provincial!”

They all laughed.

Steiger stiffened, as if with affront.

“No, no, do not look so, Sabinus,” said Flaminus, clappinghim on the shoulder. “I assure you, Antony meant it merely as a joke.”

“Yes, doubtless we provincials, being so backward and naive,provide you Romans with much amusement.” Steiger said.

“Come now, Sabinus. I meant no offense,” Antony said placatingly.“And to prove it, and as much to please my good friend. Marcian. I will offeryou a small. friendly wager, if you like. Not so much as you can’t afford tolose.”

“Indeed? And what makes you think that I will lose?” askedSteiger.

“Oho!” said Antony. “You hear Trebonius? It seems that wehave pricked his pride!”

“Have a care. Antony.” Trebonius said in mock warning. “Heis a breeder and must know his horses well.”

“Perhaps. but does he know his charioteers?” asked Antony. “Ittakes more than a good team to win a race.”

“That is true enough,” said Steiger. “But I have had an opportunityto watch them exercise and have formed a few opinions as to the skill of thevarious drivers. Perhaps they are not as educated as your own, Marc Antony. butI have observed enough to guide my wager.”

“Very well, then.” Antony said with a grin. “We shall see.Shall we make a wager on the first race?”

“If you like.”

“How much would you care to risk?”

“I do not know what is customary,” said Steiger. “Would tenthousand sesterces be appropriate?”

“Ten thousand sesterces!” Trebonius said.

“See here, Sabinus.” said Antony condescendingly, “pride canbe a costly thing. Despite what Marcian said. and I am certain he was onlyjoking. I have no wish to see you lose so much.”

“It is a sum that I could easily stand to lose,” saidSteiger. “However, if you could not. I would certainly understand.”

Antony raised his eyebrows. “I could stand to lose a greatdeal more than that. my friend,” he said with a smile. “Very well. then. Tenthousand it is.”

The sound of trumpets rang out through the arena and thecrowd cheered as the presiding consul entered in his chariot, followed by hislictors and attendants. After them in the procession came the legionaries andthe cavalry, followed by the teams of chariots. The drivers were all attired incolored tunics that denoted their teams. They had the reins wrapped aroundtheir chests, leaving one hand free to manipulate them and the other to use thewhip. Driving a chariot took great strength and dexterity, as well as skill.and by wrapping the reins around their chests, the charioteers were able to addtheir full body weight to the task. a, well as using it to balance the lightchariots. It made the driving very dangerous. because in the event of a spill.the charioteer had to draw a sharp dagger and quickly cut the reins, otherwisehe would be dragged along behind his horses. Even if he could cut himself loosein time, there was, still the danger of being trampled or crushed by the wheelsof the following chariots.

After the chariots came the singers. followed by the priestsand the incense-hearers. ‘Then came the images of the gods carried on biers.The crowd cheered and applauded as they made their circuit of the arena to thepounding of the drums and the blaring of the trumpets, then the cheering grewstill louder as the Emperor appeared in his box, just a short distance fromwhere Steiger and Marshall sat with Antony and his friends.

Steiger turned to look at Julius Caesar. He stood in theimperial box, wearing a laurel wreath and a purple-trimmed toga with fringes onthe sleeves, holding his arms out to the crowd.

“Is that your first sight of the Emperor?” asked Trebonius,raising his voice to he heard over the cheering of the crowd around them.

“Yes.” Steiger replied. “I must admit, he looks differentthan I had expected. More like a philosopher than a conquering general.”

“Do not be deceived by his appearance,” Antony said. “He isthe finest general that Rome has ever seen. And I am proud to have served withhim in the campaigns.

“A singular honor,” Steiger said.

Antony smiled. “Perhaps later, I will introduce you to him.To ease the pain of your loss.”

“It would indeed be a great privilege to meet the Emperor.”said Steiger. “But I have not lost yet.”

Antony grinned. “We shall see. That first rank of chariotswill compete in the first race. And the second rank will race after them, andso forth. As a breeder of fine horses, which team do you fancy?”

Steiger considered the teams as they rode by intheprocession. “Of the first rank, I think I like the greens,” he said. “The brown trigae.”

He pointed to the team of three dark brown horses drawing alight chariot driven by a man in a green tunic.

“A good choice,” said Antony, nodding. “You do knowyour horses. But I think the whites will take the first race.”

“Perhaps,” said Steiger. “However, I will stand by mychoice.”

“And be the poorer for it,” Antony replied with a grin. “Butwho knows, fortune may smile upon you.”

After the procession completed its circuit of the track, thechariots for the first race lined up at the far end of the arena. The horseswere restive. pawing at the ground. The charioteers held them back, easing theminto position. The presiding consul gave the signal for the trumpets to sound.He stood above the chariots, dressed in a scarlet tunic, an embroidered toga,and a heavy gold wreath. In one hand, he held out a white cloth. In his otherhand, he held aloft an ivory baton with a bronze eagle on it. the symbol of hisoffice.

The charioteers had previously drawn lots for theirpositions at the start of the race. The tails of the horses were bound tightly,their manes decorated with pearls and gems. their breastplates adorned withgold and silver and trimmed with jewels. Each horse wore a ribbon with thecolor of its team. The drivers stood in their chariots, some wearing leatherhelmets, others wearing metal ones, their thighs and calves beneath their brieftunics wrapped in leather leggings. Most of them were low born and some hadonce been slaves, but as charioteers, they could rise far above their stations.

Winning charioteers often received substantial gifts frommagistrates and aristocrats, sometimes even from the Emperor himself, and theywere paid generous salaries by the owners of their teams, as well. They werethe star athletes of Rome, often wined and dined by their rich patrons. andsome of them were able to become quite wealthy in their own right. A hush fellover the crowd as the consul waited to give the starting signal. Steiger’sbrown trigae had drawn a position third from the inside. Antony’s whiteswere on the pole. The consul dropped the white cloth and the crowd cheered asthe race began.