1 – Back Then
(Philippi – Street – 12 BC)
Centurion
Marcus Valerius grinned at he walked towards his father’s house. His sister
Octavia was chasing his nephew Gaius the Younger. He figured the boy was
supposed to go do his studies, but rather wanted to play. Marcus had been like
that at his age, but his mother would always catch him and drag him along. As
he entered the house and gave his cloak to one of the house slaves, Octavia
nabbed the little rascal and took him away.
“Father, I am home.”
Gaius Valerius the Elder was in the garden, but came at the sound of his son. He was an older man, with grey hair and sharp blue eyes. In his young days, he had been a soldier. He had never climbed the ranks, because of his inability to read and write. But because he had been smart with his spoils, he had amassed a small fortune. And when he had been allowed to retire after Battle of Philippi, thirty years ago, had been able buy his family a house. Two weeks later, Marcus had been born. And a year after that, Octavia had joined the family.
“My son, the centurion.” Gaius said with a huge smile. “I am proud of you, my boy.”
“You and mother taught me well.” Marcus said. “Speaking of which….”
“She’s in the kitchen, preparing the evening meal.”
Marcus went into the kitchen. Attitia Valerius and two of the house slaves were working. When she saw him in his armor, his mother grinned. How she had ever ended up married to his father, was still a mystery to Marcus. As a young girl, his mother had been send by her parents to work as a servant for one of the richer families in Rome. She had used the opportunity to sneak into the house library to try to figure out reading and writing.
One day, she had been caught by the owner of the house. Instead of punishing her, the man had given her lessons. She had passed that knowledge on to Marcus, while his father had taught him everything he knew about soldiering. Armed with these skills, he had joined the army and made his way up the ranks. Until – today – he had been made centurion.
“So, did they give you good troops ?”
“I got
seventy-two men, fresh out of training.”
“Sounds
like you have a great deal of work ahead you, my son.”
“Yes,
I do.”
Suddenly,
there was a ruckus outside. Marcus and Attitia left the kitchen to find one
their female slaves in tears. After his retirement from the army, his father
had used the money that had not gone into the house, to buy several slaves. By
clever trading – and the grace of the Gods – he had increased his fortune to
the point where the Valerius family could own and maintain four slaves….two
women and two men. The Gods had then blessed the slaves with seven children.
The female slave was crying because her youngest – Antonius – had fallen down a
well. Marcus did not waste any time. He removed his armor and helmet as he made
his way to the well. When he got there, it was clear what had happened. A piece
of the well had collapsed, taking the boy with it.
“Cursed Nero.”
Nero
Gaius Octavius was the governor of the town. He was extremely cheap on town
maintenance. Had he not been so, the well would have not collapsed. Marcus
carefully climbed down the well. When he reached the bottom, he found the boy.
He was in bad shape. Marcus gently picked him up. With the boy on his back, he
navigated his way back to the surface. When he got there, a crowd was waiting.
Two men – clearly doctors from their attire – took the boy from his and
spirited him away in the direction of the Valerius home.
While the crowd talked and gossiped, Marcus collected his helmet and armor and headed home. He not rescued the boy for glory, but simply because it had been the right thing to do. He heard some people complain about him saving a slave. It made anger flare in his chest. ~Vile, arrogant fools.~
Marcus
knew that they had been blessed by the Gods. If they wished it so, they could
have made the Roman the slaves of the Greeks, instead of the other way around. So
Marcus always treated the house slaves well. When he walked into the house, the
doctors were busy treating the boy. (Gaius the Elder had assured them he would
pay the bill.)
“Well done, Marcus.” His father said.
“Thank you, father.” He washed his hands in a bowl of water at the door. “Will he make it ?”
“These
Greeks doctors know what they are doing. Unlike that arrogant fool Magnus.”
Doctor Magnus was the ranking Roman healer for the town. Gaius the Elder did
not consider him competent. “I think he stands a fair chance.”
“Good.” Marcus dried his hands. “I will be in my room, sleeping.”
His father nodded. Marcus made his way to his room and lay down on his bed. Between the promotion and the rescue, he was exhausted. Soon, his mother would wake him for the evening meal and everything would be fine again. Or so Marcus thought…..
