Colleen McCullough - 1. First Man in Rome

Marius sighed, flexed his fingers; what was a joy for Rutilius Rufus was a chore for him, no letter writer. "Get on with it, Gaius Marius," he said to himself. And got on with it.

Naturally what hurt the most was Jugurtha's forcing the Roman army to pass under the yoke. It happens rarely, but it never fails to stir up the whole city, from highest to lowest this being my first experience with it, I found myself as stirred, as humiliated, as devastated as the most Roman Roman. I daresay it would have been equally painful for you, so I am glad you weren't here to witness the scenes, people in dark clothes weeping and tearing their hair, many of the knights without the narrow stripe on their tunics, senators wearing a narrow stripe instead of the wide one, the whole of Enemy Territory outside the temple of Bellona piled high with offerings to teach Jugurtha a lesson. Fortune has dropped a beautiful campaign into Piggle-wiggle's lap for next year, and you and I will have a field day provided, that is, that we can learn to get along with Piggle-wiggle as our commanding officer! The new tribune of the plebs Gaius Mamilius is in full cry after Postumius Albinus blood he wants brother Aulus Albinus executed for treason, and brother Spurius Albinus tried for treason as well, if only for being stupid enough to appoint Aulus governor in his absence. In fact, Mamilius is calling for the institution of a special court, and wants to try every Roman who has ever had doubtful dealings with Jugurtha, from the time of Lucius Opimius on, if you please. Such is the mood of the Conscript Fathers of the Senate that he is likely to get his way. It's the passing under the yoke. Everyone agrees the army and its commander should have died where they fought sooner than submit their country to abject humiliation. In that I disagree, of course, as I think would you. An army is only as good as its commander, no matter how great its potential. The Senate drafted and dispatched a stiff letter to Jugurtha, informing him that Rome could not and would not recognize a treaty extracted from a man who had no imperium and therefore no authority from the Senate and People of Rome to lead an army, govern a province, or make a treaty. And, last but not least, Publius Rutilius, Gaius Mamilius did obtain a mandate from the Plebeian Assembly to set up a special court in which all those who have had or are suspected to have had dealings with Jugurtha are to be tried for treason. This is a postscript, written on the very last day of the old year. The Senate for once heartily endorsed the plebeian legislation, and Scaurus is busy compiling a list of the men who will face trial. Gleefully aided by Gaius Memmius, vindicated at last. What's more, in this special Mamilian court the chances of securing treason convictions are much greater than if it were done the traditional way, in trials conducted by the Centuriate Assembly. So far the names of Lucius Opimius, Lucius Calpurnius Bestia, Gaius Porcius Cato, Gaius Sulpicius Galba, Spurius Postumius Albinus, and his brother have come up for discussion. Blood tells, however. Spurius Albinus has assembled a formidable array of advocates to argue in the Senate that whatever his little brother, Aulus, may or may not have done, he cannot legally stand trial because he never legally possessed imperium. From that you gather that Spurius Albinus is going to assume Aulus's share of the guilt, and will certainly be convicted. I find it odd that if things go as I confidently expect they will, the prime mover, Aulus Albinus, will emerge from his passage beneath the yoke with his career unimpaired! Oh, and Scaurus is to be one of the three presidents of the Mamilian Commission, as they are calling this new court. He accepted with alacrity. And that is that for the old year, Publius Rutilius. A momentous year, all told. After hope was gone, my head has popped above the surface of Rome's political waters, buoyed up by my marriage to Julia. Metellus Piggle-wiggle is actually courting me, and men who never used to notice I was standing there are speaking to me as to an equal. Look after yourself on the voyage home, and make it soon.

THE SECOND YEAR (109 B.C.) IN THE CONSULSHIP OF QUINTUS CAECILIUS METELLUS AND MARCUS JUNIUS SILANUS

Panaetius died in Tarsus halfway through February, which left Publius Rutilius Rufus little time to get home before the start of the campaigning season; originally he had planned to make the bulk of his journey overland, but urgency compelled him now to take his chances upon the sea. "And I've been downright lucky," he said to Gaius Marius the day after he arrived in Rome, just before the Ides of March. "For once the winds blew in the direction I wanted." Marius grinned. "I told you, Publius Rutilius, even Father Neptune wouldn't have the courage to spoil Piggle-wiggle's plans! Actually you've been lucky in more ways than that if you'd been in Rome, you'd have had the unenviable task of going among the Italian Allies to persuade them to hand over troops." "Which is what you've been doing, I take it?" "Since early January, when the lots gave Metellus charge of the African war against Jugurtha. Oh, it wasn't difficult to recruit, not with all Italy burning to avenge the insult of passing beneath the yoke. But men of the right kind are getting very thin on the ground," said Marius. "Then we had better hope that the future doesn't hold any more military disasters for Rome," said Rutilius Rufus. "Indeed we had." "How has-Piggle-wiggle behaved toward you?" "Quite civilly, all considered," said Marius. "He came to see me the day after he was inaugurated, and at least did me the courtesy of being blunt about his motives. I asked him why he wanted me and you, for that matter when we had made such a fool of him in the old days at Numantia. And he said he didn't care a fig for Numantia. What concerned him was winning this present war in Africa, and he couldn't think of a better way to do that than to avail himself of the services of the two men in all the world best equipped to understand Jugurtha's strategy." "It's a shrewd idea," Rutilius Rufus said. "As the commander, he'll reap the glory. What matters who wins the war for him, when it's he who'll ride in the triumphal chariot and gather in all the accolades? The Senate won't offer you or me the new last name of Numidicus; they'll offer it to him." "Well, he needs it more than we do. Metellus Piggle-wiggle is a Caecilius, Publius Rutilius! Which means his head rules his heart, especially where his skin is concerned." "Oh, very aptly put!" said Rutilius Rufus appreciatively. "He's already lobbying to have the Senate extend his command in Africa into next year," Marius said. "Which just goes to show that he got sufficient of Jugurtha's measure all those years ago to realize beating Numidia into submission won't be easy. How many legions is he taking?" "Four. Two Roman, two Italian." "Plus the troops already stationed in Africa say, two more legions. Yes, we ought to do it, Gaius Marius." "I agree." Marius got up from behind his desk and went to pour wine. "What's this I hear about Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio?" asked Rutilius Rufus, accepting the goblet Marius held out to him just in time, for Marius shouted with laughter and spilled his own drink. "Oh, Publius Rutilius, it was wonderful! Honestly, I never cease to be amazed at the antics of the old Roman nobles. There was Scipio, respectably elected a praetor, and awarded the governorship of Further Spain when the lots were drawn for the praetor's provinces. But what does he do? He gets up in the Senate and solemnly declines the honor of governing Further Spain! 'Why?' asks Scaurus, astonished he supervised the drawing of the lots. 'Because,' says Scipio with an honesty I found quite endearing, 'I would rape the place.' It brought the House down cheers, howls of mirth, feet stamping, hands clapping. And when the noise died down at last, Scaurus simply said, 'I agree, Gnaeus Cornelius, you would rape the place.' So now they're sending Quintus Servilius Caepio to govern Further Spain in Scipio's stead." "He'll rape the place too," said Rutilius Rufus, smiling. "Of course, of course! Everyone knew that, including Scaurus. But Caepio at least has the grace to pretend he won't, so Rome can turn a blind eye Spainward and life can go on in the usual way," said Marius, back behind his desk. "I love this place, Publius Rutilius, I really do." "I'm glad Silanus is being kept at home." "Well, luckily someone has to govern Rome! What an escape! The Senate positively scrambled to prorogue Minucius Rufus's governorship of Macedonia, I can assure you. And that niche being filled, nothing was left for Silanus except Rome, where things are more or less self-perpetuating. Silanus at the head of an army is a prospect to make Mars himself blanch." "Absolutely!" said Rutilius Rufus fervently. "It's a good year so far, actually," Marius said. "Not only was Spain saved from the tender mercies of Scipio, and Macedonia from the tender mercies of Silanus, but Rome herself is considerably the lighter of villains, if I may be excused calling some of our consulars villains." "The Mamilian Commission, you mean?" "Precisely. Bestia, Galba, Opimius, Gaius Cato, and Spurius Albinus have all been condemned, and there are more trials scheduled, though no surprises. Gaius Memmius has been most assiduous in assisting Mamilius in gathering evidence of collusion with Jugurtha, and Scaurus is a ruthless president of the court. Though he did speak in defense of Bestia then turned round and voted to condemn him." Rutilius Rufus smiled. "A man has to be flexible," he said. "Scaurus had to acquit himself of his duty toward a fellow consular by speaking up for him, but it wouldn't swerve him from his duty toward the court. Not Scaurus." "No, not Scaurus!" "And where have the condemned gone?" Rutilius Rufus asked. "Quite a few seem to be choosing Massilia as their place of exile these days, though Lucius Opimius went to western Macedonia." "But Aulus Albinus survived." "Yes. Spurius Albinus took all the blame, and the House voted to permit him," said Marius, and sighed. "It was a nice legal point."