Harry Turtledove - United States of Atlantis

"Well, I won't have to chase after him and put him on the right road," Blaise said, so Victor wasn't the only one who'd had his doubts.

After congratulating Victor again, the Negro and his family went back to their own cottage. That left the new consul alone with his wife. When Meg said, "New Hastings," she might have been talking about the tallest dunghill for miles around.

"New Hastings," Victor agreed in a very different tone of voice.

"I had not planned on leaving the farm for so long, but I had better come along with you," she said in a voice that warned she would tolerate no dissent. "You go there to keep an eye on the country, and I shall go there to keep an eye on you."

Sed quis custodiet ipsos custodes? For once, Victor had an answer to Juvenal's ancient and cynical question. He knew exactly who would watch at least one of Atlantis' watchmen. He let out a soft chuckle.

'And what do you find funny now?" Meg asked ominously. Victor explained. To his relief, Meg at least smiled. She was an educated woman, even if she hadn't used her Latin much since her school days (for that matter, neither had Victor). After a moment, though, she said, "But Juvenal wasn't talking about the Roman Senate and Consuls when he wrote that, was he?"

"No, I don't believe he was," Victor said, and not another word. Juvenal had been talking about brothel guards. If Meg didn't recall that, Victor wasn't about to remind her.

"Between you and Isaac, the country will be in good hands," she said, mercifully letting the quotation drop. "Between my right and my left, so will you."

"Fair enough," Victor agreed. And, at least for the time being, it was.