Simon Hawke - The Cleopatra Crisis

Travers had organized an entertaining party. His kitchenslaves had been at work throughout the day, preparing the many dishes that wereserved, and he had hired musicians to play throughout the evening, as well asdancers, wrestlers, acrobatic dwarves, and several magicians. It was mixedcompany, some of the men having brought their wives, others having broughttheir mistresses, and there were single women in attendance as well as a bevyof attractive slaves. It wasn’t quite the decadent “Roman orgy” of legend, butas the evening wore on, things loosened up considerably and people started todrift off together to explore the house or “walk’ in the gardens.

Marcian had come, as well, along with a number of the charioteerswho had raced the previous day. Clocillus seemed quite comfortable rubbingelbows with Rome’s upper crust. He knew that he was a celebrity. Some of theothers, particularly the young Cassinus. seemed a little awkward, thoughCassinus gradually grew more and more at ease as he was repeatedly complimentedupon his win over Clocillus, who took the attentions paid his rival with goodgrace and added his own supportive sentiments to those of the others.

There was another man who came with Marcian, not one of thecharioteers, whom Travers did not know. Marcian had introduced him as CreonSabinus, a horse breeder from Ilerda whose farm and estate he was attempting tobuy. Antony seemed to be friends with him, as well. They had dined with Caesarthe previous evening. It turned out that Antony, an inveterate gambler, hadlost a fortune at the races to Sabinus. who had been losing steadily until hehad placed a daring bet on Cassinus during the final race. That made Lucas andAndre pay particular attention to him. It turned out that Caesar had beenimpressed by Sabinus, as well. He had offered him a commission in his cavalryfor his campaign against Parthia. A campaign that, if history ran true tocourse. Caesar would not live to embark upon.

Talk of Caesar’s upcoming campaigns gave Delaney the openingthat he was looking for to turn the conversation toward politics.

“I had not heard that Caesar was leaving for the wars onceagain.” he said.

“All Rome speaks of little else,” said Trebonius. “He plansto set out first for Parthia, to avenge his old friend Crassus, and then topress on for the Orient, as his hero. Alexander. had once done. The army isalready gathering in the provinces.”

“Then he will be gone for a long time.” Delaney said. “Whowill govern Rome in his absence?”

“His aides and secretaries, Oppius and Balbus,” saidCassius, “if you can believe it. And they are not even senators. WE are to bedictated to by mere functionaries while our Emperor pursues his dreams of gloryin the East.”

“But it is for the glory of Rome that Caesar embarks onthese new campaigns.” protested Antony. “Think of the wealth the empire shallacquire.”

“I am thinking of the wealth that Caesar will acquire,”Cassius said dryly. “And I am thinking of the days when Rome was a republic,not an empire. governed by one man who appoints mere secretaries to carry outthe duties of his office while he goes adventuring abroad in an attempt torecapture the faded glory of his youth.”

“A sentiment one could expect from someone who supported Pompey,”Antony said derisively.

“Pompey never had himself proclaimed emperor.” said Cassius.“If a man wishes to be king. then it would seem that the least he could do wasstay and rule his kingdom as wisely as he can, not chase off to the far ends ofthe earth in a pointless quest to rival the exploits of a long dead general.”

“It is Rome’s destiny to rule the world.” said Antony.

“As it was Caesar’s to rule Rome?” said Cassius. “Well, Ithink it may be safely said that both those destinies have been realized. Romedoes rule the world and Caesar now rules Rome. What need have we of furtherterritories of dubious value? Rome prospers. I tell you, it is not for Rome’ssake that Caesar goes to war again, but for his own. His hunger for power isone that can never be appeased. Already. he is a king in all but name. Whatmore can he want?”

“To extend Rome’s glory.” Antony persisted.

More likely, to extend his own.” Cassius replied.

“You would not speak so if Caesar were here himself.” Antonysaid stiffly.

“Ah, but the Emperor does not mingle with us mere mortals,except to dictate to us from his throne in the Senate. Only queens are fitcompany for kings,” said Cassius with a smile, referring obviously toCleopatra.

“Are these secretaries to sit upon the throne in his place?”Delaney asked before Antony could reply. “It seems an incredible insult to theSenate.”

“It is an insult, Quintullus,” Cassius said. “Yet it is onethat we are all expected to suffer.”

“It is not Oppius and Balbus who will rule in Rome, but Caesar.”Antony replied. “They will merely act for him in his absence.”

“But why must they. Antony?” Brutus asked reasonably. “Isthe Senate not capable of governing Rome. as it did in the days of therepublic? Has Caesar not increased the House in order to enable it to betterbear the burden’? Or does he believe the House so incapable that it must beguided in its actions by his secretaries’?”

It would seem that he does not wish the House to govern inhis absence because he fears that they might make decisions of which he willnot approve,” Delaney said.

“I think Quintullus has struck upon it.” said Cassius. “Itis not Rome’s power that Caesar seeks to increase, but his own that he wishesto protect.”

“How can you speak this way?” asked Travers. “Look at all thegood Caesar has done for Rome! He has restored Rome to prosperity and peace.from which we have all benefitted.”

“Caesar most of all,” Delaney said.

“I’m surprised at you. Fabius.” said Travers.”You do notknow Caesar as I do. What you say is not only unfair. it is untrue.”

“Is it untrue that he has become an autocrat’?” Delaneyasked. “As Cassius has said, a king in all but name? Never has one man ruledall of Rome as dictator for life. How can Rome preserve her freedoms if allpower is vested in one man? It seems dangerous to me.”

“You can’t seriously believe that Caesar would deprive Romansof their freedom” Lucas said.

“I know this is a subject on which we do not agree. Marcus.”said Delaney. “but I also know that your perceptions have been colored by yourbrother’s correspondence over all these many years. You have studied Caesar’scampaigns and fought them over in your mind until you know every step thatevery soldier took. Caesar has become a hero to you. as to many others. I donot dispute that Caesar is a great man, perhaps even a good man, but he isstill a man and not a god. And men can be corrupted. Especially by power.”

“Quintullus speaks the truth,” said Brutus. “Power is seductive.”

“And we all know that Caesar is easily seduced,” added Cassiuswith a smile.

“You are merely envious.” said Antony.

“Of Caesar’s sharing Cleopatra’s bed?” asked Cassius. “Thereis no shortage of beautiful women in Rome. Antony. I have no need of foreigndiversions.”

“That is still another matter.” said Delaney. “I have heardit said that Cleopatra has great influence with Caesar. Is it right that aforeign queen should hold such influence in Rome? Especially a queen that holdsno respect for Rome’s traditions. Is Egypt Rome’s possession or is Rome Egypt’s?Why must Rome’s ruler be protected by an Egyptian bodyguard? Are there noRomans suited to the task?”

The bodyguard was a gift front Cleopatra.” Antony replied. “Caesarkeeps them merely to please her.”

“Or perhaps he does not trust his fellow Romans’?” said Delaney.