Master and God

25

It was the Cornelia case that finished the cornicularius. Until then, he had been refusing to give up. He had served his time, his sixteen years as a Guard. He just could not bear to leave the military life. With this trial, the unpleasant aspects proved too much for him. He did not care that the evidence was minimal, but hated a crisis involving a woman, especially the Chief Vestal Virgin. The cornicularius was not alone in loathing what happened, which would become notorious. Once proceedings against Cornelia began, he got out fast, leaving Vinius Clodianus as the proverbial safe pair of hands.

Clodianus had been waiting, with surprising impatience, for his superior to go; he found he fancied the job. Also, his own position had become awkward. His association with the Urban Cohorts had gained their admiration. They wanted him on full secondment and Rutilius Gallicus officially applied for him to be transferred. Naturally, that made the Praetorian command more determined to hold onto him. A tussle ensued. Rutilius was of senatorial rank, the Praetorian Prefects only equestrians — although there were two of them. Even when Rutilius emphasised his personal gratitude to Clodianus, the transfer request failed. As the Praetorian Prefects recognised: Domitian invariably dug in his heels over anything somebody else wanted.

Then Gallicus died, apparently of natural causes, nothing to do with his mental problems. Clodianus waited cynically for some mannerist poet to write an elegy sobbing, ‘Gallicus is dead! Curse you, gods; you cannot exist after all!’ With his maverick streak, he even told the seditious materials team to watch for such dangerous verse. This team was composed of soldiers who claimed to be poetry-lovers and playgoers, though Clodianus suspected they all knew exactly what they were doing when they volunteered for the undercover censorship job; it would get them off fatigues. On receipt of his order, they devoted much time to listening for atheism at public readings. Disappointingly, the god-cursing lament failed to materialise. Rutilius was old news.

‘Wise Minerva!’ cried Clodianus in a mock strop. ‘What is wrong with authors today? If someone doesn’t get a move on, I may have to write the putrid ode myself.’

He was cheerful for a reason. For him, the death of Rutilius Gallicus removed the Urbans’ hope of poaching him. Their new Prefect was bound to reverse all requests made by his predecessor. Anyway, the cornicularius had at last asked to retire, and it was confirmed that Clodianus would replace him. The cornicularius must have put a word in. Like Decius Gracilis, here was yet another patron who had known his father. Gaius went along with it. He was older now. He wanted the job and he submitted to the system.

He was briefly an optio, a man chosen for promotion. That supplied a clarity he liked, for he hated hints and supposition. It also meant that at their monthly nights out in the Scorpion, it became ‘Gaius’ and ‘Septimus’. Well, sometimes it was still ‘Gaius’ and ‘Sir’, but it was good to show respect, especially when a senior soldier was right: you really were after his job.

‘ Septimus ’ was after something else, and with an adroit manoeuvre obtained it. When, just before the Cornelia trial, the cornicularius applied for his discharge, he set himself up with a complete retirement package. He would receive the bronze leaving diploma, signed by Domitian himself as a sign of the Emperor’s personal relationship with members of his Guard. He would have the notably attractive financial grant. And, since senior officers in the Roman army were the world’s greatest schmoozers, he organised an extra little treat for himself.

The fifth wife of his much-married optio had called at the Camp one day (because the optio never called on her) to confirm that she had finally obtained her longed-for legacy. Since Clodianus had hidden in the clerks’ room until he was sure of what his wife wanted, the cornicularius dealt with her. The nervous optio emerged to hear ‘Septimus’ uttering the ghastly chat-up line, ‘Caecilia — that’s a pretty name!’ To this he coupled a technical explanation that although the authorities turned a blind eye, no serving soldier could legitimately be married (thus putting her legacy in jeopardy), whereas a soldier taking his discharge would be given that privilege legally (thereby, if she wanted, rescuing her money for her).

So, despite his hackneyed wooing technique, Septimus acquired the widow. Caecilia was youngish, prettyish, and genuinely relieved that a strong man had offered to shelter her. She brought Septimus the very nice apartment in Lion Street, which he could sublet profitably; he already had a bigger home of his own which needed, he cooed romantically, only a woman’s touch. He became head of a ready-made family, the stepchildren whose adoption would give him the instant rights of a father of three. He might yet have children of his own too, for although Caecilia had not slept with Gaius, she had looked at him very hopefully. Expeditionary moves by Septimus had ascertained that she approached marriage as a dutiful woman, in other words was deliciously eager for any new husband to fulfil her needs. He got the legacy too. Moreover, in filching Caecilia of the lovely name and assets, Septimus had won the gratitude of his optio.

Gaius lost no time in letting his family know these new arrangements, so the news would reach Flavia Lucilla. His only regret was a suspicion that the gossip would be: ‘Poor Gaius has had his wife stolen by his senior officer!’ Or worse, a suggestion that Caecilia was a necessary bribe to buy his promotion, making Lucilla think he gave up his wife reluctantly.

Money had changed hands for the job, of course. Sweeteners were the unwritten axle-grease of Roman army postings. It was done in a routine fashion, and selling your wife would not normally form part of the process, not least because a soldier was not supposed to be married. Selling your sister, daughter, grandmother or Mauritanian concubine might be different, Gaius supposed gaily, but as Septimus had Caecilia for extras while the Prefects were satisfied with their usual exorbitant scale of charges, this never came up. Gaius would have been prepared to throw in a couple of his aunts, just to hear those stroppy women’s squawks.

Yes, he was so happy with his promotion, it put him in a silly mood.

Another change was cheering him. Whether the end of his final marriage helped, or whether Lucilla and he had both simply reached exhaustion, their long feud began to thaw.

It first showed when Gaius found renewed interest in music. After Dacia, at first he could not tolerate any kind of melody, but now his old love returned, seeming to mark new inner peace. He had wanted to go to a recital by a celebrity harpist called Glaphyrus. Somehow, he lost the ticket. They were like gold-dust; as he desperately hunted, he sent his servant from the Camp to see if he had dropped the precious seat token at Plum Street.

Lucilla had to let in the servant, so she helped search the apartment, though with no luck. What happened next was instinctive. Working at the court, she was able to call in a favour and good-naturedly sent Gaius a new ticket.

Fresh from the recital, Gaius spent all the next afternoon at a bookshop, deciding on a suitable thank-you present. With the aid of a fascinated shopkeeper, he came up with the odes of Horace. He placed his offering on the table in the sitting room at Plum Street, tossing aside the Ovid that he knew Nemurus gave her. Lucilla had left her bookmark at a poem about a girlfriend with beautiful natural hair, which had all dropped out when she used too much lightener, while attempting to go blonde.

Gaius wrote no message, but on subsequent visits he could tell that his own gift was being read instead of the sock-wearer’s. Lucilla liked Horace for his decency and punchy good humour. And what hairdresser enjoys reading about a bleach disaster?

Gaius found marinaded artichokes left under a cloth in his favourite bowl.

At Saturnalia, Gaius paid a painter to make a family portrait of Felix, Paulina and their children, which was to be his gift to them. The artist, no fool, also sketched the two young girls, Marcia and Julia, informally. Gaius bought this charming little picture, telling the girls to give it to their Aunt Lucilla, since she was very fond of them.

‘Is it a present from you, Uncle Gaius?’

‘You can say it is from you.’

She will guess you paid for it.

I hope so!

Meanwhile the season’s big event threatened to make Lucilla less well disposed. At work, the new cornicularius inherited the Cornelia kerfuffle. Domitian had decided to try the Chief Vestal Virgin for having lovers. It was the second time she stood accused. Guilty or innocent, she was unlikely to get off.

Women throughout Rome were riveted and horrified. Apart from the imperial ladies, who kept their lips sealed, every client of Lucilla’s raised the subject during her coiffure. Most women of any standing knew Cornelia socially.

There were six Vestal Virgins, who were selected by lot between six and ten years old. Taken from their parents, they spent ten years learning their duties, ten years conducting the rituals and ten more teaching new girls. Instantly recognisable with their hair braided with white fillets, and with Hercules Knots on their girdles to symbolise chastity, every day the Vestals walked to a sacred spring and fetched water for the ritual cleansing of their beautiful round temple. Every day they were responsible for keeping alive the flame of Vesta, goddess of the hearth, which must never go out (though it did sometimes) because it had been brought from Troy by Aeneas who founded Rome (in one version). Upon the eternal flame depended Rome’s survival.

As part of their initiation, Vestals took a vow of chastity. In return they received exceptional privileges. A lictor attended each of them everywhere as a sign of their power. They could make their own wills, were not obliged to have guardians, took special seats at festivals and rode in carriages. This perhaps provided a freedom of movement that was useful for the few who erred. Not only did they attend the Games, they visited respectable homes, where it was considered a privilege to have them to dinner. As guests, they came to know not only the matrons of Rome, but over their oysters, rich meats and fine wines these revered women had a chance, if they were so inclined, to flirt with men.

Given that early in Domitian’s reign three of the four adult Vestals had been exiled for taking lovers, it was clear that their inexperience was theoretical; flighty ones could flirt most efficiently. Varronilla and the Oculata sisters had been found guilty. Domitian exercised leniency, so instead of exacting the traditional brutal punishments, he only banished their lovers and let the three guilty Virgins choose their own deaths. Cornelia had been tried too, but acquitted on that occasion. This time, it was clear she would not escape so lightly.

Interfering with a virgin was normally challenged in the courts as stuprum, the same crime that Vinius had held over Orgilius. Because of the Vestals’ special symbolic role, their purity was a religious commodity. As it ensured the continuing safety of Rome, its loss was a national calamity. Yet upon their appointment Vestals were taken from their relatives and the whole of Rome became their family, which meant anyone who slept with a Vestal was committing incest. That was the charge against Cornelia and her lovers now. Punishments had been devised in the remote past. Guilty lovers were hung from a cross in the Forum and thrashed to death with rods. A convicted Virgin must be buried alive. It had happened, although not for a very long time.

Lucilla’s customers divided: some were appalled at the obsolete penalty being meted out in a now-civilised society; others were disgusted that a woman who had enjoyed enormous privileges could not manage to keep her vows and keep her legs together. All were fiercely indignant that Domitian tried Cornelia in her absence. It had always been traditional that, with their unique legal position, unlike other women Vestals were allowed to attend a trial and to represent themselves. Charges would be heard by the college of priests, in the Regia, the pontifical offices. There, a Vestal would be like a disgraced daughter facing a family council, which in Rome carried the force of law yet was dignified and private.

This trial took place at the Emperor’s Alban villa. It was not held in secret; other emperors had been severely criticised for political hearings held behind closed doors. Domitian summoned all the priests to him there and, as Pontifex Maximus, he presided as if in open court. Cornelia remained in Rome, in the House of the Vestals — which had been newly enlarged and restored by Domitian as part of his civic building programme, though not really with the intention of providing a more luxurious place for wicked women to endure house arrest.

Ironically, there was a special sanctuary of Vesta at Alba Longa, associated with the sacred flame, which Aeneas’ son Ascanius was supposed to have first deposited there after arriving from Troy. Cornelia could have been moved to Alba and permitted to attend her trial. Domitian, who had tunnel vision when it suited him, overlooked this.

Mettius Carus prosecuted. He was an informer setting out on a career of supporting Domitian, whose examination of witnesses would become famous for its cruelty. One senator, allegedly, was so stressed by Carus’ harshness, he collapsed and died in the Curia.

Despite rigorous questioning, the case proved extremely difficult. It began to look as if the Chief Vestal would be acquitted again, leaving Domitian shamefaced. He wanted to be seen as an unflinching keeper of religious observance. To charge a guilty Vestal would be painful, but he would endure it for the welfare of Rome. However, to charge an innocent Vestal would be criminal and an offence to the gods. If she was exonerated, he would come out of this looking far worse than when he began.

Cornelia’s supposed lovers ranged from an equestrian called Celer to the highest, Valerius Licinianus, a senatorial ex-praetor, just one rank down from consul. No one of that status could be tortured, nor even have arresting hands laid on him. The lovers all had legal training; Licinianus was considered one of the best advocates in Rome. As praetor, he had been the city’s senior magistrate, presiding over the legal code. The prosecutor, Carus, carried much less weight and for a long time could make no progress in trying to extract confessions. The only evidence against Licinianus appeared to be that he had given refuge to one of Cornelia’s freedwomen, though that did argue for friendship between him and the Virgin beforehand.

Seeing the case slip away without witnesses, Domitian began to ferment with anxiety. Then, at the last gasp, friends of Licinianus persuaded him he was doomed either way. Domitian was intent on pushing through the charges. To escape dying under the rods, Licinianus needed to admit guilt and beg the Emperor for mercy. He suddenly confessed — or, as Herrenius Senecio described it dryly, speaking for him in court: Valerius Licinianus ‘withdrew his defence’.

Ecstatic and relieved, Domitian bounded through the villa at Alba, crowing that Licinianus had exonerated the prosecution. The ex-praetor’s life was spared. He was exiled, but first allowed to take as many of his possessions as he could carry away before they were officially confiscated. Licinianus was never asked to give details of his admitted affair, even though in the absence of formal evidence the question of Cornelia’s guilt or innocence would remain permanently clouded.

The other purported lovers continued to deny the charges. They were condemned by association and beaten to death as tradition demanded. Celer, for one, died under the rods still protesting his innocence.

The Chief Vestal herself was condemned to the old punishment of interment underground, an example of Domitian’s rigid adherence to the law. The punishment would be supervised by the college of pontiffs, fifteen fusty priests of the state religion; if he decided to join in, Domitian would be there as Pontifex Maximus. However much Domitian longed to enhance his reputation, the whole affair was extremely unpopular. There were, therefore, concerns about law and order on the day. The college of pontiffs would take responsibility for the woman’s burial. Otherwise, oversight of security on this unpleasant state occasion was assigned to the Guards: an ideal test for their new chief-of-staff, Clodianus. He found himself lumbered with ensuring there were no disturbances.

Vinius Clodianus happened to be good at logistics and in his odd way even enjoyed practical arrangements. The more unusual, the more he rose to the challenge. That was why he had this job. He had been sidekick to not just one but two of the army’s best scamming, bluffing, fiddle-fixing senior officers: Decius Gracilis and the previous cornicularius, a pair of tough old soldiers who had consistently escaped from hairy moments as if going for a stroll on a beach. He had learned much from them. He knew he must prepare in meticulous detail, on the basis that if the worst could happen, it would. He was unfazed. He could plan the unplannable — as this was, given that no one could remember the last Vestal Virgin interment. There was no entry in the manual for ensuring a live burial went off quietly.

He conducted research. He pored over historical records. He familiarised himself with the traditional order of events. Much was shrouded in secrecy but he made an intelligent guess at the protocol.

He organised a runner to liaise with the college of pontiffs, so even though the snooty priests were ritually intent on not telling him anything, with luck he would at least know when the party was about to start. The Praetorians would arrive on time. If Domitian suddenly sailed down from Alba to watch, Clodianus would make sure the tribune of the day supplied an appropriate honour guard. Once the target had been dropped tidily inside her tomb, the only requirement was for a very discreet detail to conduct observation at the site. A small daily presence. With perhaps tighter precautions nightly. Just in case any subversive idiots — stoics, Christians, sons of senators out on a drunken spree, do-gooding women who should be at home weaving — scuttled up under cover of darkness to start removing earth.

A couple of rotas would do it. That, and maniacal supervision, which he would undertake himself. Clodianus would take no chances. He would be on duty throughout.

It was sorted. He ought to be confident. However, it was his first major exercise, when he had yet to get his feet comfortably under his new desk. It would be fair to say the new cornicularius had a few collywobbles.

What a boy needed for that, his old aunties would tell him, was a nice big cake oozing with a lot of honey.

So, with the Vestal’s descent programmed for evening like any traditional funeral, earlier that afternoon Vinius made his way down from the Camp towards the Forum, where the procession would start. He had had a haircut and shave. He wore the most formal degree of Praetorian city dress: hobnails, the red tunic that distinguished an officer of his standing, with his sword concealed by a toga. No helmet. A notebook with his many comforting lists was tucked in his military belt.

He had an hour or two in hand. On the way, he was sufficiently early to call at the bakery on Ten Taverns Street, where he obtained two of their largest and gooiest confections, one for himself and one for Cretticus, his amicable landlord at the Insula of the Muses. He would have bought three, had he realised that when he walked into the peaceful courtyard garden he would find Flavia Lucilla gossiping with the old man. Undeterred, Gaius tore his own cake in two and handed her half before she could start simpering and pretending not to be hungry.

This had the advantage of forcing her to stay there while she ate it.

To daintily manage a thick, layered pastry, oozing with honey and dropping chopped pistachios, which had been crudely dismantled by a man with strong hands, who was now watching her, took all her concentration. Lucilla had a good excuse to stay quiet.

It was a sunny day in early spring, warm enough to let a nonagenarian lie out on a daybed in a colonnade, with a rug over his scrawny legs and torso, while his two younger friends sat on fold-up stools.

‘Delightful young lady!’ the old man confided to Vinius, after he had wolfed down his cake. ‘I can never understand why you are not screwing her.’

Horrified silence struck both his companions. Lucilla quickly licked her fingers clean, preparing to flee. Gaius already knew Cretticus was a crude old bugger, though it looked as though Lucilla had previously thought him harmless. Cretticus might always have been uninhibited, or perhaps extreme age had removed his social graces.

It was not over. The lewd old boy went on, ‘I don’t suppose you can offer any kind of an explanation, soldier?’

‘I can, in fact.’

Both Cretticus and Lucilla sat up sharply.

Gaius spoke conversationally, as he sucked the last smears of honey off his lips. ‘It is because I am an idiot.’

‘Well then!’ cried Cretticus.

‘Exactly!’ said Gaius, aiming this at Lucilla.

He looked at her. She looked at him.

‘Why don’t you take her upstairs now?’ demanded the impertinent old fellow.

Lucilla jumped up, about to sweep off like an affronted goddess, vanishing in a rainbow trail.

Gaius swung himself upright too. ‘A grand idea,’ he told Cretticus as levelly as possible. He had risen too fast and was in danger of cake repeating on him. Lucilla waited to hear how he got out of this. ‘But she’s looking a bit inscrutable. Besides — ’ he indicated his formal dress — ‘sad as it is, my duty calls.’

Then he reported directly to Lucilla in a low voice, ‘I have a bad task. Assisting the college of pontiffs.’

The old man saw they were conversing without help from him, so closed his eyes and seditiously let them get on with it.

‘Cornelia?’ Lucilla had always been quick. ‘You have to…?’

Chewing a fingernail, Gaius shook his head. He thought about what it would have meant, if he and his comrades had been ordered by Domitian to conduct the cold-blooded execution with weapons of a middle-aged woman whose position in Rome they had all been brought up to revere.

‘No, no.’ He was as reassuring as he could be. ‘But some of us have to attend at the scene.’

‘Which entails?’

‘To stand on guard today, then afterwards, to ensure nobody interferes with the vault.’

‘Trying to release her?’ Lucilla knew him well enough to believe he was not looking forward to any of it. ‘You were at the trial?’ she demanded. Gaius nodded. ‘Did she do it?’

‘Probably.’

‘Or possibly not?’

Gaius assented again, ruefully. ‘Either Licinianus really was guilty and turned state’s evidence to save his arse, or he was innocent, but so shit-scared he lied to the court. The end result is, he has saved his skin and also saved a lot of his property — which you could call being paid for his evidence. We don’t approve of that, do we? Without any doubt, he grassed up the other lovers, and of course he condemned Cornelia. No one has heard her story. This is about as unedifying as it gets.’

Lucilla was pleased at the way he put the story; she thought he had told it the way he really saw it, not aiming to impress. ‘It’s a terrifying death. One would hope some sympathetic friend will find a way to slip the poor woman a vial of poison… Gaius, please don’t search her.’

‘Not if I can help it.’

‘Will you have a choice?’

‘Ritually, I believe it is forbidden. Nobody will touch her.’

‘Are you in charge?’

‘The priests are in charge.’

Like him, Lucilla hated everything about this trial and punishment. Gaius only hoped she was satisfied that as the Chief Vestal went to her grim fate, he at least would feel compassion. ‘So you must see the tomb sealed and guard it. Then what?’

‘I suppose we’ll receive orders.’

Again, Lucilla was appalled on his behalf. ‘You mean — you may have to open up the chamber, to see if she is dead?’

‘I couldn’t find out from the old records whether anybody checks. I hope a priest will simply declare formally that it must be over. After, let us say, enough time passes… It will take — ’ Gaius paused fastidiously ‘- some days.’

Lucilla’s voice was low and intense. ‘Then will you come home?’

‘I will,’ promised Gaius, looking into her eyes like a man who could hardly bear to leave.

‘Good luck’ seemed inappropriate so Lucilla murmured, ‘You will be in my thoughts, soldier.’

Vinius Clodianus snapped to attention, kicking up dust with an expert heel-grind, as he gave her a full Praetorian salute.

Lucilla’s departure across the garden and through the exit gateway to the street allowed him a pleasant survey of her elegant rear view. Gaius rather thought old man Cretticus, who had opened his eyes again, was enjoying the same vision salaciously.

He stayed a few moments longer in the peristyle, as good manners.

‘When you do manage to bed her, leave the window open so I can hear.’ Cretticus was shameless. ‘Go on,’ he wheedled. ‘I’m ninety-one. I don’t get many thrills these days.’