George Gardiner - A Forbidden History.The Hadrian enigma

Suetonius was going out far on a shaky limb, causing Clarus to perspire even further.

Julia Balbilla and others of the Augusta's attendants seethed beneath their elegant silks.

"Recompense, you say? Substitute? What on earth could inspire such a distasteful proposal, Inspector," Hadrian protested.

"My lord Caesar, your Court is not insensitive to the frisson which prevails between the respective Imperial households. Perhaps the irregular death of the young man could be construed as a slight upon your own integrity? Perhaps Antinous was goaded to commit an act of self-sacrifice, an act which would inevitably cast a shadow across your own virtue. Such a shadow may have political consequences, or at least be the result of revenge?"

Balbilla was aghast. She was about to vehemently remonstrate against the accusation when the Augusta spoke for the first time. Vibia Sabina's voice and forceful manner resonated around the chamber. Her speech possessed a timbre more redolent of a military commander than a demure wife.

"Hold your tongue, Tranquillus, or I'll find a way for you to lose it!" she boomed. "Once again you commit laesa majestas in my presence. You are insufferable! How dare you accuse my household of some malevolent conspiracy against the youth Antinous," Sabina proclaimed for all to hear. "It may not be known to you, but the youth Antinous acted as a useful balm between my husband and I. He was attentive to communication between our households and regularly performed the duties of an appreciated herald between contending parties with great distinction. He is a great loss to our continuing rapport. His rare diplomacy in these activities will be sorely missed. You err in your assumptions, scandal-monger historian!"

The assembly hushed. Clarus by now was alarmed for his own safety. Sweat trickled down his forehead and across his jaw.

Hadrian again interrupted.

"I instructed you, Special Inspector, not to involve the empress in your enquiries. You have no authority there; my wife is above your station, yet you have heard her view. What are you trying to say, Tranquillus, tell us or I must dismiss you immediately!"

Suetonius's internal machinery shifted its grinding cogs towards some other purpose.

"Great Caesar, there is a pattern to this Court's behavior which impacts upon the events of the past few days," Suetonius explained. "A climate exists among us which leads to these possibilities. But I'll move elsewhere in my presentation if it is your will."

His voice softened to a less accusatory tone.

"Another among us is the freedwoman, Thais of Cyrene. Until a year or so ago Thais was the property of Antinous's household assigned as a language tutor. Prior to departing Rome on this expedition Thais's status as a slave was manumitted by vindicta before a magistrate. She was relinquished as his property. She is no longer a slave. She is a freedwoman.

Recently, some weeks after the dissolution of the lad's eromenos relationship at Alexandria, Thais and Antinous became intimate. Very intimate. No previous intimacy had been expressed between them — "

While the biographer was introducing Thais, Hadrian had revived from his languor. His ears pricked up at the account of her involvement with Antinous.

"— Thais believes she might now be pregnant due to the young man's attentions," the Special Inspector intoned quietly.

The assembly rustled in sotto voce while Thais was seriously discomforted.

"However, Thais has many reservations about the manner of Antinous's death. Perhaps she will tell us why. Describe your last words with Antinous, Cyrene."

Suetonius turned to the dark young woman standing nearby. With her eyes firmly planted on the figure upon the bier, Thais groped to stammer a response. Suetonius nodded encouragingly.

"Good sirs, my former master Antinous spent much of the night and morning prior to his death in my company. He and I were very close, if you understand my meaning, but he did not discuss any threat to his life. Nevertheless he engaged in actions which should have aroused my concerns and invited my greater curiosity — "

"What were those actions, Cyrene?" Suetonius asked.

"Antinous endowed me with a great sum of treasure that day."

"Treasure? What treasure, Cyrene?"

"Coins to a considerable value, precious objects of jewels and gold, and the deed to a property in the city of Athens at Achaea. The total value is very considerable."

"Can you vouchsafe for this endowment, Cyrene? Do you have proof of ownership? Or have you acquired it illegally, perhaps by theft or worse?" Suetonius probed in the style of a prosecutor.

Salvius Julianus, the quaestor, spoke up from across the aisle.

"I can vouch for it, Inspector. My steward, our clerk, and I recorded the endowment in Antinous's company, notarized the records of transfer, and have stored the valuables in the Companions' coffers for security. All with proper receipts and seals. The endowment is legal and secure with all parties.

Antinous was to make a separate endowment the same day to one other person. Both endowments together may have been to the full value of his possessions."

"Is such a gesture so unusual, Thais of Cyrene?" Suetonius soothed. "Surely such gestures are understood between companions of substance?"

"No, Special Inspector, they are not!" a voice called from one side.

Arrian of Bithynia made the announcement across the assembly.

"Senator-Consul Arrianus? You wish to speak?" Suetonius asked. Arrian spoke anyway.

"The treasures you speak of were the Bithynian's total wealth. Coins, gold, jewels, and the deeds to two properties were Antinous's entire fortune. Unlike many at Court the youth hadn't sold favors or peddled his influence with Caesar for high prices. Though his wealth may have been comforting to a lad entering adult life, it was not excessive by the standards of this Court. I know, because I had been the securer of his treasures in my own chests prior to that very day."

"Why do you think the fellow withdrew his wealth and offered it elsewhere? Especially on the day prior to his death?" Suetonius asked. "Is there a connection?"

"He would not give me an explanation of the reason for his withdrawal," Arrian stated. "I begged him to leave his valuables where they were safe, yet it did not occur to me he was about to give his property away to others. I thought perhaps he'd been smitten with the Chrestus disease or fell under some other fast-talking inducement?"

Suetonius seized an opportunity while this matter was progressing. "Tell me, Senator, do you recall securing Antinous's Abrasax ring among those treasures?"

"It wasn't necessary; he was wearing it as usual. He treasured the jewel, a special gift from Caesar," Arrian replied. "He wore it always."

Suetonius made a special note of that comment in his memory. He continued.

"So why then, I wonder, did the lad transfer the remainder of his wealth to others that day? Thais — ?"

"I do not know," she quietly replied. "He didn't tell me of his plans. He simply said I was to use the endowment for my sustenance now that I was a free person. I was to rely upon Lysias should anything untoward happen to him. I did not realize how something untoward, something awful, would occur so very soon — in fact later that very day."

Thais's eyes welled with moisture as they fixed upon the pale figure on the bier.

The biographer turned to the ephebe standing beside Thais. "Lysias, do you have anything to contribute to this mystery?"

Lysias picked up the refrain.

"Antinous endowed the remainder of his estate to me. It too was notarized by Julianus's stewards. Ant offered no explanation, but he was adamant I receive the gift.

We've known each other a long time, so I imagined I could return his property to him later when he came to his senses. Ant, like me, is a second son with a claim to only a minor inheritance. He will need this wealth someday. All of it. But that day will now never come, will it?"