Ovid

42

My father sent round details of the appointment later that day. The empress would see me an hour before noon the following morning.

People had died of old age waiting for imperial appointments. Maybe I was just lucky, maybe I'd got a last minute cancellation. Or maybe Livia wanted to see me as badly as I wanted to see her.

The short walk to the palace was one of the longest I'd ever taken. At least Perilla was out of it. I'd sent her to Baiae, to stay with a friend who owned a sizeable yacht and owed me a favour. If the worst came to the worst she could leave Italy fast. Marseilles isn't exactly the hub of the universe, but the seafood's good, and the climate would be a lot healthier than Rome's until Livia was safely dead.

The two Praetorians on the door gave me a suspicious look, and I wondered if they were the same guys who'd almost thrown me out on my ear the last time I'd visited this part of the Palatine; but maybe it was my imagination. These gorillas all look the same anyway. Big and mean. I walked between them and gave my name to the secretary at the main reception desk. He checked his list, then looked up. His eyes were bureaucratically blank.

'That seems quite in order, sir. Her Excellency will see you immediately.' He snapped his fingers and something large and hairy materialised out of the woodwork. 'Hermes, take the gentleman to Her Excellency the Empress's suite.'

Without a word the messenger-ape shambled off through the labyrinth leaving me to follow as best as I could. The maze of corridors would've had Daedalus tearing his beard in envy. If the interview went badly and I had to run for it I'd have no chance. Finally after walking for a good five minutes we ducked down a short corridor and into a waiting-room grander than the ones we'd passed so far. A little guy in a very smart lemon tunic sat polishing his nails at a desk beside two imposing panelled doors.

The messenger-ape spoke. It was like having your pet dog suddenly quote Plato. 'Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus to see Her Excellency the Lady Livia.'

The guy in the tunic got up. He took me by the arm none too gently and propelled me towards the panelled doors. A discreet knock, a less-than-discreet push in the small of the back, and I was inside. The doors closed behind me and I was alone with the empress.

Livia sat beside a large desk. It was the first time I'd seen her close to, and she seemed — I'm not exaggerating here, nor was the feeling part of my nervousness — not quite real, not quite alive. Her face was an elaborate cosmetic mask like actors wear, or hired mourners in a funeral procession, and her eyes were…dead. That's the only word I can use. Not empty, or dull, or even lifeless.

Dead.

'You asked to see me, Marcus Valerius Corvinus.'

Her voice was dead, too.

I swallowed. 'Yes, Excellency.'

Shit. Maybe I'd made a mistake. If so it would be the last I ever made. My insurance policy suddenly seemed pretty thin. Thin and juvenile.

'And the purpose?'

Gods! I was close to panic. How do you accuse the mother of a reigning emperor and the wife of his deified predecessor of treachery to the state?

I think you betrayed Varus, Excellency. I think you caused the death of fifteen thousand men and the loss of three Eagles and almost lost us Germany just to give your son a better chance at the purple…

She was waiting. I cleared my throat. 'I've discovered some…irregularities, Excellency. In connection with the conduct of Lucius Nonius Asprenas.'

I'd expected the name to cause a flicker in the dead eyes. It didn't. I began to sweat.

'Irregularities?'

'Yes, Excellency.' I paused for effect. 'Treasonable irregularities.'

She just stared at me. Maybe I was wrong after all, I thought. There was nothing in her eyes, no guilt, no unease. Nothing. A fly buzzed across my face and settled on the desk in front of her. Jupiter, if I was wrong now wasn't the time to find out.

'Treason is the province of the emperor,' she said. 'Your appointment was with me.'

'I believe Asprenas was working for Your Excellency.'

Did I say that? The mask set. Silence stretched between us like an over-tuned lyre string. Finally, she spoke.

'You came to the palace some time ago enquiring about the poet Ovid. Is there a connection between that and your present impertinence?'

She was testing me, I knew. This was crucial. I had to convince her that I knew everything. Even if I didn't.

'Yes, Excellency. There is.'

'Then perhaps you would be good enough to explain it to me.' A flick of her finger indicated the visitor's chair. It was old Egyptian, and pretty frail, maybe even part of the stuff Augustus had brought back from Alexandria after Cleopatra had her run-in with the asp. I sat cautiously. The chair creaked.

'Now, young man,’ she said. ‘What are these "treasonable irregularities" that you say Nonius Asprenas was responsible for? And why should he be working for me?'

Her eyes were like iron spikes. 'Asprenas was a member of the Paullus plot, Excellency. He represented — claimed to represent — his uncle Varus whom your late husband-'

'The Divine Augustus.'

'I'm sorry, Excellency.' Shit, my hands were starting to sweat. I wiped them on my mantle. 'Whom the Divine Augustus had appointed to the German command.'

'You're saying that Varus was involved with Paullus and Julia?'

'No, Excellency. Not directly involved.' I paused. 'Not that there was much to be involved with.'

'How do you mean, young man?'

I could feel the sweat beading my forehead now, but I didn't wipe it off. She knew I was nervous. Sure she knew. Just as I knew that I had to keep my dignity because it was the only defence I had. 'The conspiracy was a fake, Excellency. It was intended to destroy Julia as the rest of your husband's line had already been destroyed.'

The mask-face didn't move, but the eyes behind it glittered. 'Destroyed by whom?'

This was like juggling with razors. 'That's not for me to say, Excellency.'

'Very good.' Was there the trace of a smile on her thin lips? 'Go on.'

'May I speak frankly, Excellency?'

'I was under the impression that you already were.'

I moved nervously and the chair creaked again. Suddenly I smelt camphor; an old smell, the smell of age. Livia or the chair? Old age, old bones, old crimes.

'The problem was that Augustus wouldn't believe another adultery charge,' I said. 'His daughter, the Lady Julia's mother, had been exiled for the same reason, and it was too pat. Even with Junius Silanus's confession to back it up the evidence would have been shaky. What was needed was something more…significant. Something Augustus would take seriously, even although he could never make it public.'

'And that was?'

'Proof that Julia was a traitor.'

Livia said nothing. The fly hesitated, rubbed its front legs together and began to crawl across the vast expanse of desk that lay between us.

'The problem was, Excellency,' I went on, 'that Paullus and Julia were on their guard. They knew they'd been targeted. Also, they weren't content to sit and wait. Sooner or later they'd have got through to Augustus, convinced him, if he didn't know it already, that his successors' deaths weren't just bad luck and that they could offer a viable alternative to your son.'

I could feel the sweat pouring off me now.

'That alternative being?'

'Postumus. Julia's brother. Your husband's grandson.'

Her lips pursed. 'Postumus was a moral degenerate. Augustus knew that. My husband would never have agreed to him as a successor.'

'Yes, Excellency. But it's just possible that — latterly — the emperor had begun to suspect he had been…misinformed about his grandson's character.'

'Misinformed by whom?'

Again the challenge. Again I ignored it.

'Julia and Paullus weren't traitors. Not in the true sense of the word. Even if they had wanted to conspire against Augustus they knew it would only be playing into their enemies' hands. Yet the plot was real enough. It happened. Why?'

'You tell me. This is fascinating.'

'There was a conspiracy, Excellency, only it was a conspiracy with the emperor's full approval. Or so Paullus and Julia thought. Its intention was to set the succession on its proper course.'

Livia sat forward. The fly, perhaps seeing the movement as a threat, stopped and flexed its wings.

'Its proper course?'

Fool! 'I'm sorry, Excellency. Perhaps I should have said, "to follow the Julian line".'

'I see.' She leaned back again. 'We'll let that pass. But your interpretation of the Paullus plot seems a little far-fetched, young man. If you don't mind my saying so.'

'I don't think so, Excellency. I have proof.'

'Then by all means let me hear it.'

'Paullus and Julia were approached by Asprenas, who was Quinctilius Varus's nephew; and Varus was Augustus's man. Asprenas tells them he represents the emperor. Augustus will appoint Varus as commander in Germany. He'll then allow Postumus to "escape" from his island and take refuge with the Rhine legions. Paullus and Julia will do the same. The military situation being what it is, Augustus will permit himself to be pressured by the Julian party's supporters into a reconciliation with his grandson which will develop in time to his appointment as successor.'

The fly twitched nervously in the sudden silence.

'This is theory, Corvinus. You said you have proof.'

'I can prove it,' I lied.

'You're mad.'

I shook my head. 'No, Excellency. I don't think so.'

'Paullus and Julia would never have believed Asprenas. Not without a clear sign that he was my husband's representative.'

'But he did have a sign.'

'Namely?'

'The emperor's own signet ring.'

'The Sphinx seal never left Augustus's hand.'

'Not the original, Excellency. The ring you yourself gave him. Your own copy, which you used to seal documents in your husband's absence.'

The silence was total. Finally, Livia broke it.

'I could have you killed,' she said softly. 'I could call my guards and you would not leave this room alive. You know that, don't you?'

'Of course,' I tried to speak with more confidence than I felt. 'But you won't.'

'Why not?'

'Because I didn't come here unprepared. If I die your son will learn the truth behind the Varian massacre. And if that happens, Excellency, I wouldn't give a gnat's fart for your own chances of living the month out.'

Her hand flashed down. The fly, startled, rose an instant too late and was a smear of blood on the desk top. Livia leaned towards me. For an instant, before she brought herself under control, I thought that she meant to attack me physically; but then she sat back again in her chair.

'Very well, Corvinus,' she said. Calmly, as if nothing had happened. 'Go on.'

'Thank you.' Again I wiped the sweat from my palms. 'Asprenas didn't wear the ring openly on his finger when he arrived at Paullus's house. I know that from the door slave. But once he was alone with the conspirators he slipped it on as a reminder to Paullus and Julia whose agent he was. Or rather whose agent they thought he was. In reality Augustus knew nothing about the conspiracy until he was told, and by that time the evidence was damning because it was genuine. Paullus was executed and Julia was exiled for adultery.'

'If what you say is correct then they could have exonerated themselves by explaining the true situation to the emperor.'

'Were they given the chance? And would Augustus have believed them if they had been?'

Livia's mouth set, and she didn't answer.

'It was all too probable, you see. And the facts were undeniable.'

'But why the adultery charge, if as you say my husband would not credit it?'

'The emperor's own granddaughter publicly charged with treason? You of all people, Excellency, should know how damaging that would be to the state.'

'Indeed.' Again the tight lips twisted into what was almost a smile. 'I take your point, Corvinus. In theory, at least.'

'Thank you, Excellency. Augustus, if nothing else, was fair. Knowing that the charge was false he let the "adulterer" Silanus off as lightly as he could. Besides, Silanus was the one who revealed the conspiracy. He deserved some reward.'

'Junius Silanus was exiled. And his political career was terminated. Hardly a negligible punishment for someone in his position.'

'Not true, Excellency. Silanus left Italy of his own accord and he was never interested in politics. The punishment was no punishment at all, and the emperor knew it.'

'So you say. Yet you claim he was rewarded.'

My left leg was beginning to twitch. Slowly, without taking my eyes from hers, I stretched it out and began massaging the thigh muscle. 'I've seen Silanus's estate, Excellency. Suburban villas that size don't come cheap.'

'Junius Silanus belongs to a very old and wealthy family.'

'True. Which is perhaps why a few months afterwards the emperor gave his own great-granddaughter in marriage to Silanus's brother. Or was that simply coincidence?'

Livia said nothing. She stared at me, unblinking.

'Which brings us, Excellency, to what happened to the fourth conspirator. Nonius Asprenas.'

Call it imagination if you like; but when I spoke the name I swear the room itself held its breath. Livia's eyes were dark pools of hate, staring into mine.

'Nothing,' she said, 'happened to Asprenas.'

'That's right. Would you like to tell me why?'

The silence lengthened. Finally she said:

'No. No, I would not.'