How Lucius Marcundus accidentally brought down the Roman Republic
Dry was the best way to describe Tiberius humour, Lucius’ long-term friend. Lucius on the other side was usually absurd when joking. For decades now they have been best friends and often their families would spend time together. That was also the case on the fateful day that would change their lives. Tiberius visited Lucius with his wife and children on the Dies Saturni, the Day of Saturn, for breakfast and recreation. White bread, olives and fruits were on the table and the families relaxed to the singing of the birds.
“Master, Consul Marcus Julius Caesar is here to see you.” Lucius looked up and saw Hesiodos, his Greek slave and co-sculptor.
“What? Marcus is in my home?” The blond man jumped up from his seat.
Lucius wife Tullia gasped and looked at her husband. “Lucius you are not dressed up for such an event.”
“Don’t worry wife, I know Marcus quite well.” He never told her about his drinking days with Caesar in Athens, when he was young and vigour and he never told her about his affair with Vibia he had back then.
He rushed to the Atrium of his house where Consul Marcus Julius Caesar was standing. Much to his surprise Caesar had no one with him, no slaves, no private bodyguards, not even his lectors were by his side.
“Lucius, it has been a while.” Caesar had not lost his unique sound of his voice, the older he became the more charming he looked, even though he was practically bald by now.
“Marcus. It’s been a few years. What are you up to these days? Do you need help? Do you need a job? I could always use an extra hand here.”
Caesar chuckled.
“You haven’t changed - still the comedian, just like fifteen years ago.”
“And you have become consul. While I am all honoured that a consul visits my home; the last one was Tiberius the lame and he only came to use the bathroom; I’m not sure how I can help you. You want to join us to breakfast?”
“Lucius I’d love to. But I have a lot of places I have to be at the same time. I came to invite you to a party tomorrow at my house.”
Lucius was surprised. Caesar easily could have sent a slave to invite him to his party.
“And Lucius; I really want you to come. I have a unique proposition for you.”
For a few seconds they both looked at each other waiting for a reaction from the man in front of them.
“Do you want me to come naked?”
Marcus smiled, but didn’t laugh.
“It’ll start at nightfall. And please bring your lovely wife too.”
Eventually they both shook hands and Caesar left. Lucius stood there and wondered what Caesar meant when he talked about this proposition, but there was only one way to find out.
Tullia was quite exited about going to a high society party. For all her intelligence and wit she had this thing for rumours about patrician families (mostly adultery) and fancy festivities. She even prevented him of dressing his old extravagant Greek Chlamys. “Lucius, you are 37 now, time to stop being a rebellious teenager.”
Tullia, once they joined Caesars party, fitted in perfectly. Even though she was just a Plebeian she made friends quickly with her witty charisma and her exquisite appearance. Lucius for his part stood at near the vine and enjoyed it drinking it. “Damn, I wish Tiberius was here.”
“Look who we have here. An old familiar face I haven’t seen in a while.”
Lucius looked up, trying to place the familiar sound of the voice.
The man who stood in front of him was a tall man with a sleek hair cut. He looked smart and had a humble way of talking. Lucius glared at him for a second or two then he realised that this was the one party host who witnessed Lucius striking with Caesar during his party many years ago. Aulus Claudius Nero, the former Consul and college of Caesar and Crassus.
“You want me to return the favour to Caesar? Shall I undress now and shock the guests?” Lucius quickly tried to adapt to the unconformable situation.
Nero started to laugh in a way that can only be described as a silly laud chuckle. He suddenly stop laughing and spoke in a very sober voice: “I find it amusing that my political ally ran around naked on a party trying to get me angry for being a snob. And now look at this party. See what Caesar has become.”
Lucius looked around and realised that this was the exact same party he visited in Athens, but now Caesar was the host.
After roughly two hours Caesar approached Lucius and asked him to join him for a talk in his private working room. The statesman looked at Lucius with a serious impaling look.
“Dear Lucius, I hope this party does not bore you too much, but I can’t intoxicate myself as a consul in front of all the guests.”
“Thought as much… So how is it being a Consul? I never imagined back then that a friend called Marcus would one day achieve the highest political position in Rome.”
“It’s actually quite tough I tell you. As you no doubt know a few politicians see me as a ruthless man. Is it ruthless to go for the first place during the Olympic games if you are know that you are the best? I don’t think so.”
While Lucius thought that his old friend Marcus Caesar had changed in certain ways, he still saw in him the young energetic man he met in Athens so many years ago.
“I guess you didn’t summon me to talk about hard politics?”
“My dear friend Lucius, in my position everything is connected to politics.” He paused. “I wanted to offer you a business deal to you.” He paused again, he continued to speak slowly with a low tone, using all his convincing charm.
“What I am going to tell you is going to be the opportunity of a lifetime Lucius. In half a year my term as Consul is ending and as you know I will go to the far province of Asia to serve as a Proconsul. And as you know as well Asia is the richest and most prestigious province together with Macedonia.”
“So?”
“So I will work and live there and come back as a very rich and powerful man.”
“What has this to do with me?”
“I want you to come with me. As a friend.”
“As a friend?”
“And as my personal advisor to the Greek arts. I know it sounds a bit cheesy.”
“What?”
“I want you to become my personal sculptor. I want to govern Asia unlike any Roman before. And frankly I need someone to make a lot of statues of me. People are easy to control with simple symbols of power.”
Lucius was quite confused.
“I… I don’t know why you’d pick me.”
“Because I know you and I know that I can trust you. Because you are one of a kind and I could use a friend in a place far away.”
“I see, but…”
“Think about this. You’ll make a lot of money. And I mean it – a lot. You’ll probably make enough money to live the rest of your life carefree. Your children could enjoy the best education; you could buy a lovely villa in the bay of Naples and enjoy the very best food you can buy in Italy.”
Lucius was disillusioned, but attracted to the idea.
“I have to think about it. I can’t say anything.”
And then it struck him. He saw the one face, bright and shimmering, beautiful and irresistible.
“Vibia” he mumbled when he left the room with Caesar.
“You are doing what?”
Tullia didn’t like the news at first. They were sitting at home, it was past midnight and everyone except them was already sleeping in their house.
“You are going to Asia? What for? Why? What about the children? What about me?”
Lucius tried to do the same way of talking that Caesar had used to convince him.
“My dear, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. Asia is rich, there is so much money to make and Caesar promised to pay me a huge sum.”
“How much?” Tullia looked up.
“He said that I’ll earn my current years payment in one month. Think about it, we could move out of the city and have a nice place in the countryside. Think what we could offer our children. This is the one opportunity everyone is looking for.”
Lucius was surprised how easily Tullias objection was swayed by the argument of money and it made him wonder at the time being what kind of a shallow person he had married. The next morning he was absolutely sure that he needed to go away for a year or two.
The exotic East was calling him.
Re: [Multi-AAR] - History of men - EB part
Originally Posted by Maximus of Phoenicia
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