Marius and Antonia have snuck away
to her house together after the chariot races. They figured that everyone would
be busy feasting and enjoying other entertainments, and the household slaves
were gone, so the house was theirs for a while. They talked about their future
together, about how they wanted to run away from Rome, to some place where no
one knew who they were. Time passed, the sun began its descent across the sky
and the two lovers fell asleep in each other’s arms.
Marius
and Antonia were shaken awake by Julia, Antonia’s sister. Julia had a panicked
look on her face and she quickly spoke, “Someone has told father about you and
the slave Marius. He is furious, Antonia. He is downstairs waiting for you and
he knows that Marius is here.”
Antonia’s
heart was pumping furiously. “We have to get Marius, out of here! Father will
have him killed!” She hugged Marius and whispered urgently “You must climb out
the window, go back to your master and pretend you were never here.”
Marius
looked at Antonia solemnly, his eyes somber. “We cannot hide anymore, Antonia.
I will tell your father what has been occurring between us. We cannot lie.
Maybe if he sees how much I love you….”
“Yes,
maybe,” Antonia replied carefully. She looked to her sister for support, but
her sister cast her eyes away. Antonia knew that she and Marius were alone at
that moment. She knew that her family would not support her decision to be with
Marius, they would not understand why she wouldn’t want to marry Demetrius as
her father wished. But she knew that she could not continue living this way.
She had to let her father know, let her family know what she truly felt.
Antonia
stood and reached a hand out to Marius. He took and rose, standing to face her.
“It is time,” she said softly. Marius nodded once, a reassuring smile appearing
briefly. Together they turned to leave the room, walk down the hall and face
their destiny.
