Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel (7 page)

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I
t was a beautiful day, and after returning from the baths with Livia, Claudia hurried to change her clothing for the outing in the marketplace. She could hardly contain her excitement.

As she and her handmaid neared the entrance to the palace, the large Nubian, who had taken possession of her dog when she arrived, stepped out from an alcove where he had obviously been waiting, along with Milo. The Nubian, Horatio, could not speak. His tongue had been cut out years before. Milo motioned him to accompany them and the women followed.

At the bottom of the hill, Milo turned onto the Via Sacra, the main thoroughfare in Rome. The streets seemed to radiate from the Forum like spokes on a wheel. On the
Vicus iugarius
were the stalls of the spice merchants, filling the air with the fragrances of cinnamon, cumin, mint¸ dry mustard, and peppers from the Orient. On the
argiletum
, they browsed in bookshops, and Claudia looked longingly at the shops of the shoe merchants.

To the south of the Forum, Milo led them to the
velabrum
, the general market, and then the
forum boariumi
and the
forum cuppedinis
, the markets for luxury goods. Stalls seemed to overflow with silk fabrics and purple cloth from the dye merchants of Philippi.

“If you wish to purchase fabric, I am authorized to allow you to choose, Dominilla.”

Claudia’s eyes widened. She and Hotep examined several rolls of cloth, and finally she chose a soft, finely woven cloth of deep violet with gold filament woven along the border. The merchant, delighted with his sale, quickly wrapped it up for them in a linen cloth. Milo gave the package to the Nubian to carry and paid the merchant after a lively haggle over the price.

Carts were everywhere and Claudia turned to the steward. “Where does this all come from?”

“The carts bring goods to the markets from the barges that come up the Tiber from Ostia, our port city. The emperor is building a forum there and also a new harbor.”

Claudia nodded. Perhaps one day she would see Ostia.

There were such exciting things to see and she wanted to see everything at once.

As they walked, Claudia stopped to watch stonemasons working on a new building. It fascinated her to see how carefully they positioned the huge marble stones with hardly a space between them.

Milo patiently kept up with them, but soon Claudia realized that he was tiring and it was late afternoon. Milo bought them some sweetbreads to tide them over until they reached the palace. She could hardly wait to go again.

At the baths the next morning there was subdued gossip. Each woman seemed to be looking over her shoulder to see who was listening. Statues of Sejanus were being put up around the city along with those of Tiberius, and the senators’ wives were uneasy. Their husbands walked a fine line between loyalty to the emperor and staying in the good graces of the prefect. It was dangerous to one’s health to criticize Sejanus. His tentacles reached as far as those of Tiberius, and as long as the emperor called him “My Sejanus,” it was necessary to curry his
favor. It would appear Tiberius was grooming Sejanus for something. Adding to the tension was talk of the census.

On the way back from the baths, Claudia asked the empress about the census.

Livia sighed. “The outcome of the census could change their status. Every male Roman citizen must register not only himself but his entire family, slaves, and his wealth. If he omits any of it or does not give a correct accounting, all he has can be confiscated and he himself can be sold into slavery.”

Claudia’s eyes widened. “How does the census change one’s status?”

The empress looked around to see if anyone was listening. “The censors can look into a man’s private life and decide whether he moves up or down on the social ladder.”

“His private life?”

Livia waved a hand impatiently. “Has he turned a blind eye to his wife’s adulteries, committed perjury, not fathered any children, or failed to cultivate his land properly.”

Claudia frowned. “And do they look at the adulteries of the man?”

Livia stopped and gave Claudia a stern look. “You are an outspoken young woman for your age—as was your mother.”

At the mention of her mother, Claudia stiffened, remembering what her mother told her of growing up under her stepmother’s hand. She bit her tongue. She was not foolish enough to alienate the empress.

When Claudia returned to her room, she was greeted by silence. Felix’s bed was empty.

They called and searched the rooms but the little dog was gone. Claudia felt panic rise. “Let us go to the kitchen and see if the servants have seen him.”

The cook looked at their anxious faces and began to wring her hands. “It was the prefect, my lady. He brought the dog here and told Milo to get rid of it.”

Claudia, nearly shaking with anger, took a step toward the cook. “What has he done with my dog?”

Other servants entered the kitchen, their faces pale. The cook looked around and finally, her eyes filled with fear, said, “My lady, Milo could not bring himself to hurt Felix. He disobeyed the prefect and took him to his son. He has a young granddaughter. The little dog will have a good home. Please, my lady, if the prefect finds Milo didn’t obey him, we will all be punished.”

Claudia bowed her head. If she had a sword at that moment she would have run the prefect through. She gathered herself together. These good people had taken a great chance and she must acknowledge that.

“In the midst of a terrible injustice you have done me a great kindness. I won’t put you in jeopardy. It shall comfort me that his life was spared. I shall remember you with gratitude.”

The relief in the room was palpable.

Hotep put an arm around her mistress and led her back to her room where Claudia collapsed in frustration and tears. She hated the palace, hated Tiberius, but most of all, she hated Sejanus.

On her fourteenth birthday, Claudia fought down the despair that threatened to engulf her. Her mother was dead and her precious Felix had been stolen away from her. She stared out the window, wishing there were some way she could leave this place of sorrow and go far away.

The empress kept Claudia’s mind busy with practice on her lute, writing poetry in Latin, and instructing her on how to handle servants. Claudia went faithfully to the baths with Livia each morning, but day after day she faced loneliness. She had been able to lavish affection on her dog, who loved her in return, but now she was lonely. Tiberius was her guardian, but she had little contact with him. She didn’t mind, for she had no feelings for him as a parent. She missed her grandmother
and thought often of her mother. Julia had entertained them with her sense of humor and wit many times at the evening meal. And she had shown Claudia affection. Hotep was company, and nearer her age, but she was not family. The people she grew up with were her family, including Cato and Medina.

It was a beautiful spring day and Claudia sat on a stone bench, listening to the birds calling to one another. She looked up as Hotep approached.

“You are sad, Dominilla?” Hotep’s large dark eyes were filled with sympathy.

“I miss my home and family.” Claudia spoke almost in a whisper. “Everything I loved is gone. Why did he have to get rid of my dog?”

Hotep sat down on the bench next to her. “You crossed the prefect, Dominilla. He would not let that go unpunished.” She put a gentle hand on Claudia’s arm. “Perhaps your grandmother will be able to come for your birthday.”

“I don’t know. I’ve no word from her. She has come so seldom this last year.”

They returned to the room and waited for a slave from the kitchen to bring their lunch. Most meals were eaten in her room, but at least she had Hotep for company.

The empress was indisposed again and Claudia felt restless. Perhaps Milo would make arrangements for them to go into the city again. Surely she could buy something on her special day. As the morning drew on, there was a knock on the door and Hotep, expecting their noon meal, hurried to open the door. Claudia’s grandmother stood in the corridor.

Claudia sprang from her chair and rushed to the door with tears of joy. “You remembered. Oh Grandmother, you remembered my birthday.” Knowing her grandmother’s reserve, she stopped and stood smiling. “It is so good to see you.”

“I wouldn’t miss your birthday, child. As a matter of fact, I have a surprise for you.”

Two other women appeared and Claudia found herself staring into a familiar face—Medina. She threw herself into the arms of her old nurse. “Oh Medina, you’re here.”

Finally Claudia stepped back and allowed the two older women and the servant from the kitchen to enter her quarters. The servant put the lunch tray on the table and bowed herself out, closing the door behind her.

The cheese was fresh and they dipped their chunks of bread in a relish made from olives, vinegar, coriander seeds, cumin, fennel, and mint. Claudia savored every bite. She smiled at Medina, remembering when they made the relish together.

“How did you get here?”

Scribonia interrupted. “Tiberius arranged for her to travel with a senator and his wife returning to Rome.”

Medina turned to Claudia. “I rode in a coach, Dominilla, as you did.”