By midday Apollo’s chariot had reached
the peak of its path, and the sun shined brightly over the stone houses on Palatine
Hill. Galeo, a resident of Palatine Hill, was a former soldier who served under
the great general and statesman, Julius Caesar. His objective for the day involved
visiting the Forum Boarium to buy his goods for the week.
As
he descended down the sloping hill toward the Tiber, Galeo began to see the
structures manifest themselves in his view. He stopped to appreciate the
temples dedicated to the god Portunus and the goddess Mater Matua, two deities
associated with livestock, sea ports, and harbors.
Walking
even further along the forum’s main street, Galeo spotted the Horrea which
stored many consumable goods from wine to olive oil. Traders of many different
origins gathered outside the warehouse, selling varieties of goods for pieces
of bronze and silver. He approaches a merchant selling meat from freshly
slaughtered cattle, and pays thirty bronze pieces’ worth. Galeo casually greets
the merchant goodbye, and heads closer to the Tiber to trade with the
fishermen. Abundant amounts of seafood were spread across five ships under the
Pons Aemilius which arched over the river. There, Galeo traded for two silver
coins’ worth of fish.
With
only two purchases, Galeo’s task was completed, and he began his journey back
towards his home on Palatine Hill. Shortly after, he abruptly stops when he hears
a stunning piece of news: Caesar had been assassinated.
