Gaius Lentulus Caepio stood on the balcony of his grand
abode. He scanned the horizon, which offered a glorious panoramic view of the
city of Rome. To his west, the Circus Maximus, to his east the Forum Romanum; Caepio
truly loved this city and the city returned the sentiments. Caepio heard heavy
footsteps behind him and immediately knew it was his trusted slave Varro.
“It is time to go
Dominus” Varro reminded.
Although Caepio was
skilled in many areas of life, time keeping was not one of those and thus used
as somewhat of a human diary. Today he was meeting an old and trusted friend
Marcus Tullius Cicero at the Campus Martius. Since Caepio came to the city, a
young optimistic boy of one 18 years, he had been a friend of Cicero and even
through his exile they had kept in touch. They had met at the rostra, after Caepio
approached Cicero after one of his speeches. Although not always seeing things
the same way they had always valued each other’s opinion. Caepio donned his
finest toga (appearance had to be kept up) and the two left the house.
As Caepio
approached the Campus Martius he spotted Cicero from afar, leaning on the fence
that surrounded the public area. He was looking out onto the land at which time
was being used for military training of soldiers. A look of defeat coupled with
exhaustion stricken across Cicero’s face. Caepio strode towards him and the two
embraced.
“I am so sorry to
hear the news of you’re daughter” Caepio uttered in hushed tones.
“Thank You. Yes, an
untimely death. A father should never have to bury his own daughter”. Cicero,
being a great orator of his generation managed to say these words without a
crack in his voice, although the tear in his eye would suggest he was grieving
more than he let on.
The two ambled
around the Circus Maximus, discussing current political events as well as more
personal matters. The last time the two had seen each other was at the on the
Via Sacra, at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. At that time, processions lined
the streets with the return of Caesar after the Battle of Munda, where he had
defeated that last of Pompey’s sons. The battle itself was an impressive win
for Caesar who saw his eight legions (80 cohorts) defeat the Pompeian army of
13 legions. That day was a bitter pill to swallow for Cicero who was always on
the side of Pompey and the Optimates. Caepio however was on the side of Caesar
and fully supported his dictatorship (although a controversial one in which Caesar
had not set himself a limit to his reign).
As the walked the perimeter
of the circus Maximus Caepio asked;
“Even though he
pardoned you, you still see him as the opposition?”
“As a man, I
respect him, however his polices I don’t agree with! He is besmirching the old
republican tradition and he forgets the time-old values that are the
foundations of this glorious, well once-glorious city. “
“I think your
judgment is somewhat clouded by your personal life” replied Caepio. In recent
months, not only had Cicero’s daughter passed away but also he had divorced he
2nd wife Publilia. Cicero had never truly loved Publilia the way he
had loved is first wife, Terentia, but he was in the need of the dowry that the
marriage would bring and thus it was more about convenience. Cicero sighed and
nodded; life had been a strain lately.
“Tell me about
this gladiator of yours, Bonifatius? There have been rumors that he could
destroy all of Caesar’s Legions with one swoop of his gladius.”
“He is the best I
have ever seen, already shadowing his own doctore in the ludus, making child’s
play of the other gladiators. I cannot wait to show him off in front of consul,
perhaps then my campaign for a seat at the senate can be driven forwards.”
“You can dream…I
think there is more chance of Plautus conjuring a play of this tale,” Cicero
said with a chuckle, a smile finally stricken across his weathered face.
