Colleen McCullough - 1. First Man in Rome

THE THIRD YEAR (108 B.C.) IN THE CONSULSHIP OF SERVIUS SULPICIUS GALBA AND QUINTUS HORTENSIUS

With the coming of the winter rains, the war such as it had been so far against Numidia ground to a cheerless halt, neither side able to deploy its troops. Gaius Marius received his letter from his father-in-law, Caesar, and thought about what it contained, and wondered if the consul Quintus Caecilius Metellus Piggle-wiggle knew that he would become proconsul when the New Year arrived, his command successfully prorogued, a future triumph assured. Nor did anyone in the governor's headquarters at Utica mention the defeat of Marcus Junius Silanus by the Germans, or the loss of all those troops. Which didn't mean, thought Marius resentfully, that these items were not known to Metellus; only that, as usual, his senior legate Gaius Marius would be the last man to be told. Poor Rutilius Rufus had been given the job of supervising the winter border garrisons, which put him out of touch with any developments short of the renewal of war; and Gaius Marius, recalled to duty in Utica, found himself the subordinate of Metellus Piggle-wiggle's son! That young man, all of twenty years old and a cadet in his father's personal train, enjoyed the task of commanding Utica's garrison and defenses, so that in any matter to do with Utica's military dispositions, Marius had to defer to the insufferably arrogant Piglet, as he soon came to be called and not by Marius alone. Utica as a fortress aside, Marius's duties involved doing all the chores the governor didn't want to do duties more suited to a quaestor than a senior legate. Feelings in consequence were running high, and Marius's self-control was rapidly eroding, especially when Metellus Piglet amused himself at Marius's expense, something he liked to do now that his father had indicated it amused him too. The near defeat on the river Muthul had provoked both Rutilius Rufus and Marius into angry criticism of the general, and led Marius to tell him that the best way to win the war against Numidia was to capture Jugurtha himself. "How can I do that?" Metellus had asked, sufficiently chastened by his first battle to listen. "By subterfuge," Rutilius Rufus had said. "What kind of subterfuge?" "That," said Gaius Marius in conclusion, "you will have to work out for yourself, Quintus Caecilius." But now that everyone was safely back in Africa Province enduring the boredom of wet days and routine tasks, Metellus Piggle-wiggle kept his own counsel. Until, that is, he made contact with a Numidian nobleman named Nabdalsa, and was obliged to call Marius into his interview with the man. "Why?" asked Marius bluntly. "Can't do your own dirty work, Quintus Caecilius?" "Believe me, Gaius Marius, if Publius Rutilius were here, I wouldn't be using you!" snapped Metellus. "But you know Jugurtha where I don't, and presumably that means you know a little more than I do about how Numidian minds work! All I want you to do is sit and watch this Nabdalsa, and tell me afterward what you think." "I'm surprised you trust me enough to think I'll give you an honest opinion," said Marius. Metellus raised his brows, genuinely taken aback. "You are here to fight against Numidia, Gaius Marius, why shouldn't you give me an honest opinion?" "Then bring the fellow in, Quintus Caecilius, and I'll do my best to oblige." Marius knew of Nabdalsa, though he had never met him; he was an adherent of the legitimate claimant to the Numidian throne, Prince Gauda, who was at present living in quasi-regal state not far from Utica, in the flourishing township which had grown up on the site of Old Carthage. Thus Nabdalsa had come from Prince Gauda in Old Carthage, and was received by Metellus in frosty audience. Metellus explained himself; the best and quickest way to solve the Numidian question and put Prince Gauda on the throne was to effect the capture of Jugurtha himself. Did Prince Gauda or Nabdalsa have any idea how the capture of Jugurtha might be effected? "Through Bomilcar, dominus, definitely," said Nabdalsa. Metellus stared. "Bomilcar? But he's Jugurtha's half brother, his loyalest baron!" "At the moment relations between them are rather strained," said Nabdalsa. "Why?" asked Metellus. "It's a question of the succession, dominus. Bomilcar wants to be designated regent in the event that anything should happen to Jugurtha, but Jugurtha refuses to consider it." "Regent, not heir?" "Bomilcar knows he could never be heir, dominus. Jugurtha has two sons. However, they are very young." Frowning, Metellus tried to plumb the thought processes of alien minds. "Why is Jugurtha opposed? I should have thought that Bomilcar would represent an ideal choice." "It is the bloodline, dominus," said Nabdalsa. "Baron Bomilcar is not descended from King Masinissa, so does not belong to the royal house." "I see." Metellus straightened. "Very well, then, see what you can do to persuade Bomilcar that he ought to ally himself with Rome." He turned to Marius. "How amazing! One would have thought that a man not noble enough to claim the throne would be the ideal choice for a regent." "In our kind of society, yes," said Marius. "In Jugurtha's it's an invitation to murder of his sons. For how else could Bomilcar ascend the throne than by killing Jugurtha's heirs and founding a new dynasty?" Metellus turned back to Nabdalsa. "I thank you, Baron Nabdalsa. You may go." But Nabdalsa was not ready to go. "Dominus, I crave a small favor," he said. "What?" asked Metellus, none too pleased. "Prince Gauda is anxious to meet you, and wonders why he has not yet been offered the opportunity. Your year as governor of Africa Province is almost over, yet still Prince Gauda waits for an invitation to meet you." "If he wants to meet me, what's to stop him?" asked the governor blankly. "He cannot just present himself, Quintus Caecilius," said Marius. "You must extend a formal invitation." "Oh! Well, if that's all there is to it, an invitation will be extended," said Metellus, hiding his smile. And, the invitation duly extended the very next day, so that Nabdalsa could bear it back personally to Old Carthage, Prince Gauda came to call on the governor. It was not a happy meeting; two more different men than Gauda and Metellus scarcely lived. Weak and sickly and not very bright, Gauda behaved in the manner he considered proper, and Metellus considered atrociously high-handed. For, having learned that an invitation must be extended before the royal guest in Old Carthage could come calling, Metellus assumed his visitor would be humble, even obsequious. Far from it. Gauda started proceedings off by flying into a temper when Metellus didn't rise to greet him, and ended the audience not many moments later by stalking out of the governor's presence. "I am royalty]" Gauda bleated to Nabdalsa afterward. "Everyone knows that, your Highness," soothed Nabdalsa. "However, the Romans are very odd about royalty. They regard themselves as superior to it because they deposed their kings many hundreds of years ago, and have chosen ever since to rule themselves without benefit of kings." "I don't care if they worship shit!" said Gauda, his lacerated feelings still smarting. "I am my father's legitimate son, where Jugurtha is his bastard! And when I appear among these Romans, they should rise to greet me, they should bow down before me, they should give me a throne to sit on, and they should cull their soldiers for the hundred finest specimens and give them to me as a bodyguard!" "True, true," said Nabdalsa. "I will see Gaius Marius. Perhaps Gaius Marius will be able to bring Quintus Caecilius to his senses." Everyone Numidian knew about Gaius Marius and Publius Rutilius Rufus, for Jugurtha had spread their fame in the days when he had first returned from Numantia, and had seen both of them frequently during his recent visit to Rome. "Then see Gaius Marius," said Gauda, and retired in a monumental huff back to Old Carthage, there to brood upon the wrongs done him by Metellus in Rome's name, while Nabdalsa unobtrusively sought an interview with Gaius Marius. "I'll do what I can, Baron," said Marius, sighing. "I would appreciate it, Gaius Marius," said Nabdalsa with feeling. Marius grinned. "Your royal master taking it out on you, is he?" Nabdalsa's answer was a speaking look. "The trouble is, my friend, that Quintus Caecilius considers himself infinitely better born than any Numidian prince. I very much doubt that anyone, especially I, could convince him to change his tune. But I'll try, because I want you free to seek out Bomilcar. That's a lot more important than squabbles between governors and princes," said Marius. "The Syrian prophetess says that the family Caecilius Metellus is riding for a fall," said Nabdalsa thoughtfully. "Syrian prophetess?" "A woman called Martha," said the Numidian. "Prince Gauda found her in Old Carthage, where it seems she was abandoned some years ago by a sea captain who believed she had successfully put a curse upon his ship. At first only the humble consulted her, but now her fame is very large, and Prince Gauda has taken her into his court. She has prophesied that Prince Gauda will indeed become King of Numidia, after the fall of Jugurtha. Though that fall, she says, will not be yet." "And what about the family Caecilius Metellus?" "She says the whole family Caecilius Metellus is past the zenith of its power, and will grow less in number and less in wealth, surpassed by among others you yourself, dominus." "I want to see this Syrian prophetess," said Marius. "It can be arranged. But you must come to Old Carthage, for she will not leave Prince Gauda's house,” said Nabdalsa. An audience with Martha the Syrian prophetess involved an audience with Prince Gauda first; resignedly Marius listened to the litany of complaints about Metellus, and made promises he hadn't the faintest idea how he was going to keep. "Rest assured, your Highness, that when I am in a position to do so, I will make sure you are treated with all the respect and deference to which your birth entitles you," he said, bowing as low as even Gauda could have wished. "That day will come!" said Gauda eagerly, grinning to reveal very bad teeth. "Martha says you will be the First Man in Rome, and before very long. For that reason, Gaius Marius, I wish to enroll myself among your clients, and I will make sure that my supporters in the Roman African province also enroll themselves as your clients. What is more, when I am King of Numidia, the whole of Numidia will be in your clientship." To this Marius listened amazed; he, a mere praetor, was being offered the kind of clients even a Caecilius Metellus might long for in vain! Oh, he had to meet this Martha, this Syrian prophetess! Not many moments later he was given the chance, for she had asked to see him, and Gauda had him conducted to her apartments within the huge villa he was using as a temporary palace. A cursory glance was enough to assure Marius, bidden wait in her sitting room, that she was indeed held in high esteem, for the apartment was fabulously furnished, its walls painted with some of the finest murals he had ever been privileged to see, and its floors paved with mosaics equally as good as the murals. When she came in she was wearing purple, another signal honor not normally accorded to one whose birth was not royal. And royal she certainly was not. A little, shriveled, skinny old lady who stank of stale urine and whose hair hadn't been washed in what Marius suspected were literal years. She looked foreign, great beaky thin-bladed nose dominating a face of a thousand wrinkles, and a pair of black eyes whose light was as fierce and proud and vigilant as any eagle's. Her breasts had sagged like two empty socks with toes full of pebbles, and swung visibly beneath the thin Tyrian purple shift which was all she wore above the waist. A Tyrian purple shawl was tied about her hips, her hands and feet were almost black with henna, and she tinkled when she walked from a myriad of bells, bracelets, rings, and trinkets, all of solid gold. Secured by a solid gold comb, a gauze veil of Tyrian purple covered the back of her head and fell over her spine like a windless flag. "Sit down, Gaius Marius," she said, pointing at a chair with one long-taloned finger, its gnarled length glittering from the many rings adorning it. Marius did as he was told, unable to take his eyes from her ancient brown face. "Prince Gauda tells me that you have said I will be the First Man in Rome," he said, and was forced to clear his throat. "I would like to hear more." She actually began to cackle a classic crone's cackle, revealing gums toothless save for one yellowed incisor in her upper jaw. "Oh, yes, I'm sure you would," she said, and clapped her hands for a servant. "Bring us an infusion of the dried leaves and some of those little cakes I like," she ordered. Then to Gaius Marius she said, "It won't be long. When it comes, we will talk. Until then, we will sit in silence." Not willing to offend her, he sat as he was bidden in silence and, when the steaming brew came, sipped at the cup of it she gave him, his nose suspicious, his instincts wary. It didn't taste too bad, but as he wasn't used to hot drinks, he burned his tongue and put the cup aside. She, clearly an expert, took birdlike sips at her own cup, downing each one with an audible gulp of pleasure. "Delicious stuff, though I daresay you'd prefer wine." "No, not at all," he murmured politely. "Have a cake," she mumbled, mouth full. "Thank you, but no." "All right, all right, I can take a hint!" she said, and rinsed her mouth with another draft of the hot liquid. Out came one claw imperiously. "Give me your right hand." He gave. She took. "Yours is a great destiny, Gaius Marius," she said, eyes devouring the multiplicity of creases in his palm. "What a hand! It shapes whatever it puts itself to. And what a head line! It rules your heart, it rules your life, it rules everything except the ravages of time, Gaius Marius, for those no one can withstand. But you will withstand much that other men cannot. There is a terrible illness... But you will overcome it the first time it appears, and even the second time... There are enemies, enemies by the score... But you will overcome them... You will be consul the year after this one just beginning, which is to say, next year… And after that, you will be consul six more times... Seven times in all will you be consul, and you will be called the Third Founder of Rome, for you will save Rome from the greatest of all her perils!" He was conscious of his face burning, burning, hot as a spear thrust into the fire. And of a whirling roaring inside his head. Of his heart pounding away like a hortator drumming at ramming speed. Of a thick red veil in front of his eyes. For she spoke the truth. He knew it. "You have the love and respect of a great woman," Martha went on, pawing now at the minor folds in his skin, "and her nephew will be the greatest of all the Romans for all time." "No, that's me," he said at once, his bodily responses calming into normality at this less palatable piece of news. "No, it's her nephew," said Martha stubbornly. "A much greater man than you, Gaius Marius. He has the same first name as you, Gaius. But his family is her family, not yours." The fact was filed; he would not forget it. "What of my son?" he asked. "Your son will be a great man too. But not as great as his father, nor will he live nearly as long in the number of his years. However, he will still be alive when your time comes." She pushed his hand away and tucked her dirty bare feet toes a-tinkle with bells, ankles a-clash with bracelets under her on the couch where she sat. "I have seen all there is to see, Gaius Marius," she said, leaned back, and closed her eyes. "I thank you, Martha Prophetess," he said, getting to his feet and pulling out his purse. "How much ... ?" She opened her eyes, wickedly black, evilly alive. "For you there is no fee. It is enough to be in the company of the truly great. Fees are for the likes of Prince Gauda, who will never be a great man, though he will be a king." Came the cackle again. "But you know that, Gaius Marius, as surely as I do, for all that you have no gift to look into the future. Your gift is to see into the hearts of men, and Prince Gauda has a small heart." "Then once again I must thank you." "Oh, I do have a favor to ask of you," she called to his back as he went to the door. He turned immediately. "Yes?" "When you are consul for the second time, Gaius Marius, bring me to Rome and treat me with honor. I have a wish to see Rome before I die." "You shall see Rome," he said, and left her. Consul seven times! The First Man in Rome! The Third Founder of Rome! What greater destiny could there be than that? How could another Roman surpass that? Gaius .. . She must mean the son of his younger brother-in-law, Gaius Julius Caesar Junior. Yes, his son would be Julia's nephew the only one to be named Gaius, certainly. "Over my dead body," said Gaius Marius, and climbed on his horse to ride back to Utica.