Our Eternal Curse I (15 page)

Julia was out most days buying
the household groceries and Cecilia was delighted with the quality and variety
of food she returned with.  Julia always seemed to find everything they needed
and on many occasions left before sunrise to make sure of her purchases.

Although she witnessed many mood
swings Cecilia was very proud of Julia’s progress.  She felt a personal sense
of achievement every time she watched her surrogate daughter behaving in a
confident fashion.  There was however, one element of Julia’s behavior which
raised serious concerns.  She had acquired the taste for wine and not just a
goblet with her evening meal instead Julia had progressively graduated to a
full jug every night. Cecilia knew it was just too much for a young woman and
she mentioned it but Julia always became very defensive, vehemently denying
that she was drinking too much.

Cecilia had seen her first
master drink in great quantity many years before and while Julia was not yet as
bad, she was beginning to display similar characteristics.  Cecilia could still
remember the terrible arguments between him and the mistress of the house while
serving as a young house girl.  The unhappy couple regularly shouted so loudly
that all of the servants heard their fights from their sleeping quarters.  The
mistress would scream at her husband saying he was a useless, good-for-nothing
fool who drank too much wine and could not perform his marital duties.

He would shout back, “It is
because of those onerous marital duties that I drink in the first place.” But
then he would always add almost as an afterthought, “Anyway I don’t drink too
much I just enjoy a libation with my meal!” Sometimes he would repeat that same
sentence as he lay on his back unable to stand.  Cecilia had observed this
strangely obvious form of denial in others who drank.  She could see that Julia
was beginning her journey down that sad road but felt powerless to stop her.

Julia was obviously using wine
as a stimulant to mask deeply held insecurities which a simple appraisal of her
enormous potential should have dispelled but a mind as damaged as Julia’s
seemed always to favor a quick fix over a proper remedy.  The perceptions at
the center of her decline were completely false but like everyone in her
condition, Julia’s pain chose a disguise rather than a cure.

The only time Julia moderated
her drinking was during her performances at the home of Gaius Marius where she
would abstain from taking wine with her meal because she felt he may
disapprove.  Even though Julia felt very uncomfortable without wine, Marius was
an important part of her future and she had to keep up appearances.  He clearly
enjoyed his evenings with his wonderful daughter-in-law, as he called her, and
his condition would visibly improve as they talked openly on any topic.

Nothing was too difficult for
Julia to understand, if Marius spoke about the Senate Julia would ask
intelligent questions about legislation and democracy.  If he spoke of war
Julia immediately understood the intricacies of the maneuvers that his armies had
performed.

At one dinner in particular
Julia felt a little embarrassed when Marius said, “Your uncle Gavius and my son
hit it off in Hispania.  Young Gaius spoke very highly of him in his letters.”

“
My uncle also tells me that Gaius was a wonderful
companion,” replied Julia.  Then adding for effect, “I am so proud of him.”

Seeing the feigned yearning on
her face Marius changed the subject by saying, “I am having trouble
understanding why Sulla extended my son’s tour of duty, I think it was to
irritate me.”

“
Why would that be?” asked Julia with an innocent
tone to disguise a very guilty conscience. “I thought that you and he were
companions of old.”

“
We once made up a great partnership.  He is a
brilliant military leader probably the best who ever served under me but now he
has changed.  Sulla has become dishonest and greedy; it maybe that he always
was and I did not see it before but I can see it now.”  Marius went on to say,
“I have antagonized him by preventing his election to Consul.  I swung the vote
against him in the Senate and that must be the reason for Young Gaius remaining
in Hispania.”

As Marius spoke Julia remembered
the moment Sulla returned home on the day of the vote in the Senate and a
little ripple of pleasure passed through her body as she thought of his pain. 
“Is there nothing you can do to rescind Sulla’s order and bring Gaius home?”
she asked. And this time she was actually as concerned as she sounded because
although Julia had not wanted to raise the subject, the last thing she needed was
to provoke Marius into campaigning for his son’s early return. On the other
hand, she knew it would have been out of place not to ask the question.

“
I am so sorry my dear,” said Marius, “I realize how
difficult his absence must be for you but Sulla is head of the armed forces and
he must be obeyed.  Besides Young Gaius is a dedicated Roman soldier and must
perform his duty.”

Julia was relieved by his
response.  She had appeared to care and Marius felt sympathetic towards her. It
was the perfect outcome and to make things even better a house slave walked in
and said quietly to Julia: “There is a stonemason here to see you Madam.”

Standing Julia walked from the
dining room beaming with a broad smile.  Within a few moments three slaves
followed Julia into the dining room struggling under the weight of a tall
marble plinth carved in the style of a Greek column.   While Marius watched
them set it down at the head of the table one of Rome’s most renowned
stonemasons walked into the room.

While he exchanged greetings his
slaves returned with a cloth-covered object which they placed on the plinth. 
Tugging the red velvet covering with one sharp movement, Julia dramatically
uncovered a marble head and shoulders bust of Young Gaius.

Everyone gasped with surprise
and pleasure.  It was a beautiful work of art which captured both the likeness
and spirit of the young man completely.   Gaius Marius and Cecilia
spontaneously applauded the craftsman’s work and he bowed his head while
brimming with pride.

“
My dear this is a wonderful surprise,” smiled
Marius.

“
I commissioned the work from drawings Gaius sent
some time ago.  You will notice the crown of olive leaves and look here, the
clasp for his cloak is carved with ears of wheat and grape vines.  The statue
celebrates his time in Hispania and it is my gift to you Father it will remind
us of Gaius whenever we dine together.’

Walking across the room Marius
embraced the young woman he had grown to love as a daughter and said, “This is
a wonderfully thoughtful gift; you have made a lonely man very happy.”

His words and fatherly love
provided Julia with the praise and support she craved.  The commissioning of
such an expensive bust was largely to temper her overpowering feelings of
guilt; she hated using Gaius Marius and his son and needed his approval because
deep in her downtrodden soul Julia was still an insecure little girl with a
very good heart.

Gavius had been back from
Hispania for a year and Julia was occupying a good deal of his time with the
distribution of her growing funds among the many moneylenders of Rome.

Calpurnius had taught her well
and the returns on her wise investments were now very significant.  Gavius did
not resent the fact that he no longer had time to trade in his oil shop because
he was mirroring Julia’s investments and becoming very well-off in the process.

In order to be close to Gavius
but unseen by others Julia commissioned a builder to convert the storeroom at
the back of his shop into a comfortable office.  Sitting behind a tapestry hanging
which disguised the entry Julia could listen to discussions in the shop while
remaining total anonymous.

Once again Gavius did not mind
her imposition because while sitting in her back room Julia found endless
inspiration and her seemingly radical investment ideas made him even more
money.  Had he known everything about the things Julia was plotting while
sitting in the back room Gavius would have been petrified but her obsession
with secrecy spared him the pain.

In-between the investment ideas
which came so naturally, Julia obsessed about the destruction of Sulla.  After
the loss of her “lions”, his obliteration became her only remaining
motivation.  To achieve her goal Julia needed power but the sheer fear of what
she was about to do caused her mood to meander between elation and mind-numbing
panic.  Even when her mind was anaesthetized by alcohol she was aware that her
next scheme would kill her if it failed.  The risk had been very well
calculated but it was a serious risk none the less.

Steeling herself for what she
was about to set in motion Julia ordered Gavius to send a message with the
galleys returning to Hispania telling Clitumna to: “Gather as many ships as she
can muster, load them at Saguntum and bring them to Rome.”

Julia also ordered Gavius to
write a letter to Quintus asking him to move as much wine, oil, olives, wheat
flour, oranges, apples, and lemons to the docks as soon as wagons became ready.
“Tell him that I will pay for as many wagons as he can manufacture, but do not
wait for them all to be made.   Send each one as it is completed; my agents in
Saguntum will receive everything he can deliver.  At the end of the summer
harvest, send everything he has grown to Saguntum I will purchase it all.”

Leaving Gavius to take care of
delivering her letters Julia left his shop.  The most crucial time had arrived,
everything was in place and completely ready for her next step.  Walking
eagerly through the crowded streets of Rome, Julia was on her way to find
Antonius her chosen food wholesaler who at this time of the morning could
usually be found at the fruit and vegetable markets.  Sure enough, he was
standing by his sad little pile of boxes which, as always, contained the
poorest quality vegetables.

Julia enjoyed the noise of
barrows laden with boxes of vegetables being trundled along the cobbled floor. 
She liked the ruddy faces of the tired men who lived their lives at night under
the constant droning of the auctioneer’s voice.  These men were fighting to
survive in a world of shortages every day of their lives and Julia identified
with them because that was how she saw her life.

Antonius was a tall thin fellow
with a long face short cropped hair and just like all of the men who worked at
the market wore his leather apron over the top of his grubby tunic, seeing her
approach he waved a happy greeting.

“
Good morning Antonius how are you?”  Julia spoke in
what had become her business tone.

“
I am well thank you ... I am sorry to say that I do
not know your name.”

“
That is the way it must remain,” replied Julia.

“
Am I not allowed to know the name of my supplier?”

“
In time you will know who I am but until then you
have no reason to know my name.  I will not see you again, my instructions will
come to you via a fat man by the name of Gavius. Whatever he tells you to do
will be what I want you to do.” Pausing for effect, Julia wanted to make
absolutely sure that he was taking her seriously and the look in his eyes told
her that he was absorbing what he was being told. So she continued, “It is
important to know that you will be doing nothing illegal.  Within two months a
fleet of ships will arrive in Ostia laden with best quality produce of all
kinds.  Everything on those ships will have been purchased legitimately.  You
Antonius, will have sole access to the cargo, you will have to pay no money
until you have sold it here at the market.  You will keep ten per cent of the
money you raise and pay Gavius the remainder.”

Julia paused again because his
mouth had dropped open. “Please close your mouth you are drawing attention to
me.”  Then pulling her hood closer Julia went on, “If you do not do exactly as
I say or if you do not pay me in full you will lose access to my shipments, am
I making myself clear?”

“
I feel as though I am back in the legions doing my
national service,” replied Antonius. “The centurions used to speak to me like
you are now. The difference between you and them is you are doing it to make me
successful.”

“
Could it be that the centurions were doing it for
the same reason?’ asked Julia. Then acknowledging his smile with a fleeting one
of her own, Julia turned and walked out of the market.

Stopping at a local tavern she
slurped a goblet of strong wine because such displays of bravado always took so
much out of her and she was in urgent need of fortification.

Later that same morning, Julia
returned to the oil shop and, as she walked in, said in a slightly slurred
voice, “Have the letters gone yet?”

“
The courier has just left for Ostia,” replied
Gavius.

“
Good now I have one more message for you to deliver.”

He could see it in her eyes
something was coming.  Every time Julia involved him in one of her plans she
always had the same look. “What now?” he said with a suspicious tone in his
voice.

“
Is that how you wish to treat me?  The very person
who has made you so much money and, in time, a lot more?”

The hurt in her cloudy eyes was
genuine and Gavius felt rare sympathy for his benefactor.

“
I need you to talk to an old friend of mine,” Julia
tottering a little.

“
In which remote part of the world will I find your
friend?” asked Gavius sarcastically.  He had ended up in Hispania the last time
she sent him to talk to a friend.

“
In Rome at the Cuppedenis market.”

“
That’s not so bad,” he said adding, “How will I
recognize this person?”

“
He has a stall selling spices at the end of the
market nearest the Forum. His name is Joseph; he is a Jew.”

“
What must I tell your friend Joseph?”

“
That you will pay for him to return to his home in
Judea with enough money to support him and his family.”

“
I take it that you are going to fund this
wonderfully benevolent act?”

“
Yes I will be funding his future,” said Julia. “But
he must never know the money came from me!”

Intrigued as always Gavius
asked, “What must he do for this money?”

When the answer came he stood
aghast. The way her mind worked was by no means normal and as Julia spoke he
was obviously trying to think of an escape from her grip but he knew there was
no way out because it was he who traded on the black-market; it was he who
conspired with pirates; and it was he who deceived Young Gaius.  Julia held his
life in the palm of her hand, Gavius couldn’t even tell his friend Young Gaius
the truth because he would not be believed over her.  The girl had him over one
of her many wine barrels and there was nothing he could do but accept his fate.

Reluctantly following Julia’s
orders Gavius left what used to be his small business and set off for the
Cuppedenis market.  Her instructions were as clear as always and he had no
trouble finding the Jewish trader who was in exactly the place she said he
would be and for some reason he looked very sad as he stood behind an almost
empty stall.

“
Are you Joseph?”

“
Yes I am Joseph.”

“
You don’t seem to have much to sell my friend.”

“
Have you come to taunt me?”

Gavius was clearly surprised; he
wondered why the Jew was angry with him. “No Sir I have not come to taunt you
and I apologize for anything I may have said in poor taste.”

Seeing that the fat man’s
apology was sincere Joseph said, “Please forgive me, times have been very hard
for me lately and I am under a great deal of pressure.”  Then by way of
starting again Joseph asked, “How can I help you?”

“
I am sorry to hear of your predicament.” Gavius had
genuine feelings of sympathy, “By a strange coincidence I might be in a
position to resolve your dilemma.  I have been instructed to make you an
offer.”

Looking at the spice seller
Gavius could feel the involvement of Julia. He knew that she had something to
do with this poor man’s plight but as always he was too interested in self
preservation to make any inquiries so he obediently delivered the first part of
her message. “My client, who must remain anonymous, has instructed me to offer
you significant funds.”

Turning his head to one side
Joseph looked surprised as he asked, “What must I do to earn this money?”

“
Before I tell you, you must be aware of the
condition that accompanies this gift.”

“
Condition?”

“
You must leave Rome never to return.”

When Joseph accepted Julia’s
stipulation, Gavius repeated her words and watched his face fill with shock and
surprise.

Julia had known that Joseph
would have no problem with her proviso because she had researched his life in
great detail and knew that he did not want to be in Rome.  The only reason for
him living here in the first place was because it was the only place in the
empire where he could make enough money to support his wife and children in the
manner to which they were accustomed.  She knew that Joseph had married above
his station many years before and his father-in-law had only agreed to the
wedding if he promised to maintain his daughter’s standard of living.

Julia knew that the Jew had been
home only six times in twenty years but had seven children.  Apparently his
wife assured him that they were all his, the first one being conceived on the
wedding night, or so she said.