Desimus wakes every morning to his wife watching over slaves cooking in the kitchen. He sits at the table mapping out his daily routine, figuring out the political matters that are currently being discussed in the Senate. Sometimes he makes trip down Palatine Hill to go take part in political discussions concerning the state. However, today he stays home to oversee work on the farm. As a wealthy landowner he has to be careful that all of his slaves are being loyal to their master and do not try to run away.
There have been many problems on the farm lately and Decimus thinks that his well-educated head slave Thames could be trying to betray him and is potentially planning an escape. Thames overlooks the basic managing aspects of the land, which gives him power and control over other slaves. He has been having slaves make unusual errands to the market at the Forum Boarium and Decimus wonders if they are collecting items for him to take with him on his journey to freedom. Thames has always been a loyal and submissive slave but with his new position of power he may have taken his new authority a little too far.
Decimus plans to intervene and have a formal meeting with Thames to discuss his recent actions and negligence of the farm. He summons Thames to his meeting room and brings up the recent actions that seemed out of the norm for his typical management responsibilities. Thames suggests that he has a surprise for Decimus and has been planning to give him a present for his recent promotion to head slave. Decimus is relieved and happy to know that Thames is a loyal slave and continues on with his day.
