Under Vesuvius(26)

“He maintains his innocence firmly,” I told him.

“Well, I guess we could expect that. I suppose there must be a trial.”

“All will be done according to law,” I assured him.

“Naturally, naturally. Still, the sooner the wretch is condemned and executed, the sooner the place will return to normal.”

He was the first. One notable after another came up, took me by the hand, and informed me that a trial was scarcely necessary, the boy was guilty, why waste everybody’s time?

“There seems to be a strange unanimity of opinion,” I told Julia when the funeral guests were making their way back toward Baiae and the other towns.

“The slaver is a despised figure,” she said. “It’s natural that people would suspect the worst of his son.”

“Yet there seems to be little real malice. It’s as if—as if people just want it to be over.”

“Why?” she asked. “It isn’t causing all that much unrest; the tenor of life here hasn’t altered a great deal.”

“As you said earlier, most people are guilty of something; they all have something to hide. Maybe they are uneasy at the prospect of an investigation.”

A shift in the wind brought us the smell of fragrant smoke, only faintly tinged with the smell of incinerating flesh. “I wonder why Silva donated all that expensive wood and incense. As far as I know, he’s not related to the priest and they don’t seem to be particularly close friends.”

“Maybe for the same reason you laid on these funeral refreshments: It is traditional for office holders and those standing for high honors to give ostentatiously. He’s a duumvir of Baiae, he’s very rich, and he’s competing with the others for public esteem. He may have done it as a euergesia.”

She used the Greek word for the obligation laid upon the wealthy to provide public works and entertainment for the people. It is the same custom that drives Roman candidates to bankrupt themselves building temples, bridges, basilicas, and porticoes, giving lavish entertainments and banquets and munera, all to win the favor of the populace and, more important, to outdo all the other great men in so providing. In Greek communities, there is no greater honor than to be known as a euergetes.

“Maybe you are right,” I said to Julia, “but I am beginning to suspect everybody now.”

She gave my arm a squeeze. “Isn’t that always the best policy?”

That evening I visited Gelon in the villa’s palaestra. This gymnasium was as large as any such public facility in Rome, and a great deal more luxurious. The sand in the wrestling pit and on the running track had been imported from the Arabian desert, all the stonework was of the finest marble, the statuary were all portrait figures set up at Olympia to celebrate champion athletes of centuries past.

Here my lictors and the young men of my party exercised and practiced when I had no need of them. I had enjoined my crew very strictly that all were to be fit and any who grew too slack would be sent home. As a holder of imperium, I could at any moment receive orders from Rome to take command of an army, and they would be obliged to follow me to war.

When I arrived at the palaestra I found Gelon and his guards in a sand pit, under the watchful eyes of my lictors, engaged in spirited sparring with six-foot staffs, apparently a Numidian combat sport. Gauls and Spaniards and Judaeans are also fond of this weapon, but this Numidian play seemed more subtle than that practiced by the others. I enjoyed this exhibition for a few minutes, then beckoned my chief lictor.

“Praetor?” he said, jogging up to me.

“How has the prisoner comported himself?”

“Quite well. He frets at confinement, but there’s plenty to amuse oneself with in this place. The stables are double guarded.”

“Have you locked away all the practice swords and javelins? At this juncture I’m more concerned about suicide than escape.”

“We have, but I think you needn’t worry. It did him a world of good when you assured him he didn’t face the cross or the beasts. No real man fears a quick beheading. He seems content to wait out events.”

“Good, but keep a close watch on him anyway.” I dismissed the man and walked over to the sand pit. Gelon saw me and lowered his staff. “Praetor. You’ve returned from the funeral?”

“Yes. It was a good service and she’s on her way now with all the proper rites observed.”

He lowered his eyes. “I am sorry that I could not attend. When I am out of this, I’ll sacrifice at her tomb.”

“Commendable, but don’t buy any black ewes just yet. First, we have to get you acquitted and I’ve yet to see any way to do that. Have any significant facts occurred to you? A man in your situation usually receives a flood of exculpatory memories.”