Page 28 of Enslaved
“How many slaves?”
“Thirty household slaves,” Magnus replied, eliminating the gardeners and outside slaves who tended his walled peristyle, making it a beautiful sanctuary. He did not wish to sound ostentatious to Petrius.
“You own others?”
Since Petrius would not leave it alone, Marcus gave him the whole truth. “I own hundreds. All taken in battle as prizes of war. I fought a decade in Africa and Gaul before I came to Britannia. I fought here four years before I became Primus Pilus. That adds up to a lot of prisoners.”
“I do not take prisoners. The thrill of battle is bloodying my sword in the slaughter of Rome’s enemies.”
“With the right guidance enemies can become allies. My slaves are all willing workers. They build the roads, aqueducts, and the baths here. Some of them are engineers. They are learning skills they can use once they earn their freedom.”
“Freedom? You are a fool, Marcus. When you are done with them, you should send them to the galleys or to Rome to fight in the arena games. Either would soon finish them off instead of letting them live to stab you in the back some dark night.”
Marcus changed the subject. Petrius enjoyed bloodlust as did many Romans. Because of it he would rise in the ranks. He might need it where he was going. Marcus had been there. The various wild tribes of the Celtae were head-hunters. The mountains to the west and the Island of Mona were like marching into Hades. “So, has Rome changed much in five years?”
“Surely you jest? Since your last leave to recuperate from your wounds, so much building has gone on, you wouldn’t recognize the place. Since Nero became emperor, the entertainments have become spectacular! They are the envy of the entire world. We have beast hunts not only in the circus, but in every part of the city. I admire Nero enormously.”
Marcus said bluntly, “He fucked his mother, then poisoned her.”
Petrius laughed. “A fate most women deserve!”
Marcus’ thoughts flew to the beautiful slave girl he had just acquired. Already he was impatient to possess her. He forced his mind back to the conversation. “I should love to see the chariot races at Circus Maximus. I’d even like to try my hand at racing there.”
“I don’t frequent the races. I prefer the gladiators and the bestiari, and of course the executions.”
Since Magnus could see no entertainment in executions, he thought perhaps Petrius was trying to goad him, but then his brother surprised him with a compliment.
“If you did race there, you would surely win, as you did today.”
“I’m not so sure, Petrius. The Britons are the greatest charioteers in the world. ’Tis from them I learned the skill.”
“Nero imports all he can get. Why are they better than Romans?”
“Because they still use the chariot for warfare. We gave it up years ago; a mistake, in my opinion. Our foot soldiers are too slow to fight them. They are in and out like lightning. Wait until you encounter them in battle, you won’t believe the things they can do.”
“The Roman legion is the greatest military machine the world has ever known,” Petrius scoffed.
All the time they talked, they reclined upon couches while impeccably trained slaves brought in the many courses of deliciously prepared food. Between each course, other slaves brought in scented water and towels. Petrius almost choked from envy for his plate was made of solid gold.
“Nevertheless our losses are colossal. But don’t worry, I’ll teach you all the tricks. That’s why you were sent to Aquae Sulis.”
“Acceptable losses are just part of the price we pay for conquering the world.”
“Indeed they are,” Marcus said grimly.
“How have you endured it here, all these years away from Rome?” Petrius asked curiously.
Marcus’ mind swept back to when he was twelve years old. Emperor Claudius had just invaded Britannia and it had fired his ambition to become a Roman general and conquer new lands. Because of his size and strength, the army had taken him at fourteen. “I like Britannia, especially Aquae Sulis. Under Claudius, people flocked here from all over the empire. They intermarried with Britons and became extremely civilized. They speak Latin as well as you or I; they have adopted Roman dress. Merchants from the far corners of the world have set up their shops so that any commodity or luxury can be purchased. Here we have the best of all cultures, theatres, amphitheatres, temples. We are close to the sea, and we are not overcrowded as is Rome. We are far away from the corruption of politics, and best of all are our hot springs that bubble from the earth at a constant temperature of one hundred and sixteen degrees!”
When the food was cleared away, the wine was served.
“Well, I may not admire the place as you do, but I find no fault with its oysters or its wine,” Petrius said affably.
“Let’s be off. How would you like to spend the evening?”
“How about the theatre? But none of your dreary poetry by Sophocles, thanks. A bawdy play might suffice. Then a visit to a luxuria might be stimulating. You do have fornices here?”
“They are known here as brothels. We have prostitutes from as far away as Asia and Arabia.”
