2. The Grass Crown Read online

  Quintus Poppaedius Silo was traveling from place to place during the days which intervened between the first discussion of the lex Licinia Mucia and its passage into law by a virtually unanimous vote of the tribes in the Assembly of the Whole People. So it was from Gaius Papius Mutilus that Silo learned of the new law, when he arrived in Bovianum. "Then it's war," he said to Mutilus, face set. "I am afraid so, Quintus Poppaedius." "We must call a council of all the national leaders." "It is already in train." "Whereabouts?" "Where the Romans will never think of looking," said Papius Mutilus. "In Grumentum, ten days from now." "Excellent!" cried Silo. "Inland Lucania is a place no Roman ever thinks of for any reason. There aren't any Roman landlords or latifundia within a day's ride of Grumentum." "Nor any resident Roman citizens, more importantly." "How will we get rid of visiting Romans, should any turn up?" asked Silo, frowning. "Marcus Lamponius has it all worked out," said Mutilus with a faint smile. "Lucania is brigand territory. So any visiting Romans will be captured by brigands. After the council is over, Marcus Lamponius will cover himself in glory by securing their release without payment of ransom.'' "Clever! When do you yourself intend to start out?" "Four days from now." Mutilus linked his arm through Silo's and strolled with him into the peristyle-garden of his large and elegant house; for, like Silo, Mutilus was a man of property, taste, education. "Tell me what happened during this trip of yours to Italian Gaul, Quintus Poppaedius." "I found things pretty much as Quintus Servilius Caepio led me to believe two and a half years ago," said Silo contentedly. "A whole series of neat-looking little towns scattered up the River Medoacus beyond Patavium, and up both the Sontius and the Natiso above Aquileia. The iron is shipped overland from that part of Noricum near Noreia, but most of its journey is by water down an arm of the Dravus, then it's portaged across the watershed to the Sontius and the Tiliaventus, where it goes the rest of the way by water also. The settlements highest up the rivers are devoted to the production of charcoal, which is sent down to the steel settlements by water. I posed as a Roman praefectus fabrum when I visited the area and I paid in cash, which everyone grabbed at. Sufficient cash, I add, to ensure that they'll work madly to complete my order. And, as I turned out to be the first serious client they had seen, they're very happy to go on making arms and armaments exclusively for me." Mutilus looked apprehensive. "Are you sure it was wise to pose as a Roman praefectus fabrum?” he asked. "What happens if a real Roman praefectus fabrum walks in? He'll know you're not what you purported to be and notify Rome." "Rest easy, Gaius Papius, I covered my tracks very well," said Silo, unperturbed. "You must understand that because of me it is not necessary for these new settlements to search for business. Roman orders go to established places like Pisae and Populonia. Whereas shipping from Patavium and Aquileia, our armaments can be transported down the Adriatic to Italian ports the Romans don't use. No Roman will get a whiff of our cargoes, let alone learn that eastern Italian Gaul is in the armaments business. Roman activity lies in the west, on the Tuscan Sea." "Can eastern Italian Gaul take on more business?" "Definitely! The busier the area becomes, the more smiths it will attract. I'll say this for Quintus Servilius Caepio, he's got a wonderful little scheme going." "What about Caepio? He's no friend to the Italians!" "But cagey," said Silo, grinning. "It's no part of his plans to advertise his business ventures inside Rome he's just trying to hide the Gold of Tolosa in out-of-the-way corners. And he works well shielded from senatorial scrutiny, which means he's not going to be vetting anything beyond the account books too thoroughly. Nor visiting his investments too often. It surprised me when he demonstrated a talent for this sort of thing his blood is much higher quality than his thinking apparatus under every other circumstance. No, we don't need to worry too much about Quintus Servilius Caepio! As long as the sesterces keep tinkling into his moneybags, he'll stay very quiet and very happy." "Then what we have to do is concentrate upon finding more money," said Mutilus, and ground his teeth together. "By all our old Italian gods, Quintus Poppaedius, it would afford me and mine enormous satisfaction to stamp Rome and Romans out of existence!" But the next day Mutilus was made to suffer the presence of a Roman, for Marcus Livius Drusus arrived in Bovianum, hot on the trail of Silo, and full of news. "The Senate is busy drawing lots to empanel judges for these special courts right now," said Drusus, uneasy because he was inside a chronic hotbed of insurrection like Bovianum, and hoping he had not been seen coming here. "Do they really intend to enforce the provisions of the lex Licinia Mucia?” asked Silo, still hardly able to believe it. "They do," said Drusus grimly. "I'm here to tell you that you have about six market intervals to do what you can to cushion the blow. By seasonal summer the quaestiones will be in session, and every place where a quaestio sits will be plastered with posters advertising the joys and financial rewards of laying information. There'll be many a nasty type raring to earn four or eight or twelve thousand sesterces and some will make their fortunes, I predict. It's a disgrace, I agree, but the Whole People yes, patricians as well as plebeians! passed that wretched law well-nigh unanimously." "Where will the closest court to me be situated?" asked Mutilus, his face ugly. "Aesernia. In every case the regional quaestio will sit in a Roman or Latin Rights colony." "They wouldn't be game to sit anywhere else." A silence fell. Neither Mutilus nor Silo said anything about war, which alarmed Drusus more than if they had talked of it openly. He knew he had intruded upon the hatching of many plots, but he was caught in a cleft stick; too loyal a Roman not to lodge information about any plots, he was too loyal a friend to Silo to want to learn about any plots. So he held his tongue and concentrated upon doing what he could without impugning his patriotism. "What do you suggest we do?" asked Mutilus of Drusus. "As I said, what you can to cushion the blow. Convince those living in Roman or Latin colonies or municipalities that they must flee immediately if they put their names down as Roman citizens without entitlement. They won't want to move, but you must persuade them to move. If they stay, they'll be flogged, fined, disbarred, and evicted," said Drusus. "They can't do it!" cried Silo, hands clawing at nothing. "Marcus Livius, there are just too many of these so-called spurious citizens! Surely Rome has to see the sheer volume of enemies she'll make if she enforces this law! It's one thing to flog an Italian here and an Italian there, but to flog whole villages and towns of them? Insanity! The country won't lie down under it, I swear it won't!" Drusus put his hands over his ears, shaking his head. "No, Quintus Poppaedius, don't say it! I beg you, don't say a word I could construe as treason! I am still a Roman! Truly, I am only here to help you as best I can. Don't involve me in things I sincerely hope will never bear fruit, please! Get your false citizens out of any place where to stay will lead to discovery. And do it now, while they can at least salvage something of their investments in living among Romans or Latins. It doesn't matter that everyone will know why they're leaving as long as they go far enough away to make apprehension difficult. The armed militiamen will be too few and too busy guarding their judges to voyage far afield in search of culprits. One thing you can always rely on the traditional reluctance of the Senate to spend money. In this situation, it's your friend. Get your people out! And make sure the full Italian tributes are paid. Don't let anyone refuse to pay because of a Roman citizenship that isn't a true one." "It will be done," said Mutilus, who as a Samnite knew how remorseless Roman vengeance could be. "We will bring our people home, and we will look after them." "Good," said Drusus. "That alone will reduce the number of victims." He fidgeted restlessly. "I cannot stay here, I must be off before noon and reach Casinum before nightfall a more logical place to find a Livius Drusus than Bovianum. I have land at Casinum." "Then go, go!" said Silo nervously. "I wouldn't have you charged with treason for all the world, Marcus Livius. You've been a genuine friend to us, and we appreciate it." "I'll go in a moment," said Drusus, finding it in him to smile. "First, I want your word that you will not seek recourse in war until there is absolutely no other alternative. I have not given up hope of a peaceful solution, and I now have
some powerful allies in the Senate. Gaius Marius is back from abroad and my uncle Publius Rutilius Rufus is also working on your behalf. I swear to you that before too many years have gone by, I will seek office as a tribune of the plebs and I will then force a general enfranchisement for the whole of Italy though the Plebeian Assembly. But it cannot be done now. We must first gain support for the idea within Rome and among our peers. Especially among the knights. The lex Licinia Mucia may well turn out to be more your friend than your enemy. We think that when its effects are seen, many Romans will shift their sympathy toward the Italian nationals. I am sorry that it will create heroes for your cause in the most painful and costly way but heroes they will be, and eventually Romans will weep at their plight. So I vow it to you." Silo accompanied him to his horse, a fresh beast from the stables of Mutilus, and discovered he was quite unattended. "Marcus Livius, it's dangerous to ride alone!" said Silo. "It's more dangerous to bring someone with me, even a slave. People talk, and I can't afford to give Caepio an opportunity to accuse me of being in Bovianum plotting treason," said Drusus, accepting a leg up. "Even though none of us leaders registered as citizens, I dare not venture into Rome," said Silo, gazing up at his friend, head haloed from the sun. "Definitely do not," said Drusus, and grimaced. "For one thing, we have an informant in our house." "Jupiter! I hope you crucified him!" "Unfortunately I must bear with this informant, Quintus Poppaedius. She's my nine-year-old niece Servilia, who is Caepio's daughter and his creature." Shadowed though his face was, it became discernibly red. "We discovered that she invaded your room during your last visit which is why Caepio was able to name Gaius Papius as one of the innovators of mass registration, in case you wondered. You may tell him this news, so that he too will know how divided this issue makes all of us who live in Italy. Times have changed. It isn't Samnium against Rome anymore, truly. What we have to achieve is a peaceful union of all the peoples of this peninsula. Otherwise Rome cannot advance any more than the Italian nations can." "Can't you pack the brat off to her father?" Silo asked. "He doesn't want her at any price, even the betrayal of my house guests though I think she thought he would," said Drusus. "I have her muzzled and tethered, but there's always the chance that she'll slip her leash and get to him. So don't come near Rome or my house. If you need to see me urgently, send a message to me and I'll meet you in some out-of-the-way place." "Agreed." Hand raised to slap Drusus's horse on the flank, Silo stayed it for one last message. “Give my warmest regards to Livia Drusa, Marcus Porcius, and of course dear Servilia Caepionis." Pain washed over Drusus's face just as Silo's hand came down and the horse jolted into motion. "She died not long ago!" he called back over his shoulder. "Oh, I miss her!"