Salvete omnes,
Here are the chapters 3 and 4.
Early tomorrow morning I will start my travel to Bologna where I will
stay 31st-4th in the Nova Roma Rally. From there I will continue to
the eternal city itself and spend rest of my holidays there, that is
till 24th of August. So I will be very absent from mailing lists for
some time, but private mails I will probably be able to read once per
1-2 days intervals.
Valete,
----
Chapter 3 : Investigations
I was very surprised to hear the news from my master. He also looked
quite surprised.
"This complicates things, Diodotus" he said. "We need to do some
inquiries to find out the truth."
"But what could we do? What we could do to resolve the mystery of the
death of Aulus Flavius?" I asked.
"Solve the death of Claudia" my master answered.
"What is there to solve, she died into snake bite as you said?"
"Well, we know how she died, but we need to know why she died!" my
master said with some impatience in his voice. "Now we are in a
hurry, I need to arrange a feast for tonight and it is almost third
hour of day, if I'm not mistaken. I want you to do some things for me
and before them you will need to instruct the servants to make
necessary preparations, it is imperative that everything is done
exactly as I say."
My master gave me long list of instructions about my and other
servants duties. I spent some time gathering the servants to the
garden and gave each a necessary set of instructions about the foods
for the dinner and other things. After assuring that everyone knew
what to do I switched on my better tunica and did some other needed
arrangements for my trip and left the house.
It was a very warm day and Sun was shining giving light on even the
most narrow streets and making broader streets very hot. There were
lots of people in the streets and as it was a festival time, there
was a constant traffic on almost every street. There was still
something malevolent in the air, people were somehow restless and
nervous. I tried to find more quiet streets in order to be able to
walk faster.
My first destination was the house of Secundus Varius Maro. I asked
from the servant if his master was in the house, but he was not. I
said that I had an urgent message to deliver from my master to him
and asked if the servant knew when his master was about to return.
The servant said that he did not know, but he could give the message
to his master.
"I'm sorry but my orders are to give this message to him personally,
I shall have to wait for him then." I said.
The servant was not too happy feeling that he wasn't trusted, one of
those servants who thought themselves to be more valuable than they
really were. I was guided through servants entrance into the small
waiting room a door in which gave a view to the garden. The servant
looked at me suspiciously, but finally left me alone in the room to
wait his master and walked away probably trying to look busier than
he really was. I waited for some time and then rose up, apparently to
strech my legs and arms a little, but in reality I looked into the
garden and noticed that there was no-one there. Casually walking, but
with some exitement, I left from the waiting room and on every step
that I took I waited for someone to shout and ask where I was
thinking to go. But such disruption never materialised and I reached
my goal, a kitchen where the cook was preparing his little kingdom
for the evening meal. He looked at me surprised.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?"
I shortly explained that I was messenger who was supposed to bring an
important message to his master who was absent at the moment. To
assure him I showed parchment scroll which I took from my purse. He
believed me but still looked at me with a question in his eyes.
"While I was waiting there in the waiting room I noticed that I was
getting thirsty. I wonder if you could give me some water?" I asked
as casually as I could.
"Well of course."
He went for a large amphora that was in the dark corner of the
kitchen room. He took a ceramic cup from the shelf on the wall and
filled it. He gave the cup to me and I drank it, this time being
really thirsty as my mouth felt dry from exitement.
"Thank you, I needed that. So hot in this time of year."
"Yes it has been, and according to my master, it will get hotter" he
said with peculiar smile.
"How could he know such a thing?"
"He does not mean the weather, but as my master is an important man,
he knows some important people and, don't tell this to anyone else,
there will be some, hmm, turbulence in the politics before the next
Idus." he said with an expression that showed he had just been
waiting for someone new to gossip with.
I asked some questions to encourage him to go on with the rumours and
listened eagerly, knowing I would be interested. Then after small
pause in the discussion I casually said:
"I heard that your master was involved in something very singular last night"
He looked very surprised and asked: "How do you know that?"
"My master is also an important man who'se recieving informations
from many directions" I answered with a serious face.
He told about the same story I had heard from my master in the early
morning, but with much more colourful expressions.
"Did your master know Aulus Flavius well?" I asked.
"Well, no, not well, they had met couple of times..." his sentence
was not to be finished because the master servant had silently come
to the kitchen door.
"Ah, gossiping once again! And you, didn't I show you the waiting room?"
"Yes, but I was thirsty and I need to continue my trip, here is the
message, make sure that your master recieves it at once when he comes
back. And now, please show me to the door!"
He showed me out, and while I was walking round the corner I
wondered, what his master would say recieving an empty scroll of
parchment.
I continued my way to the scene of the unfortunate tragedy of this
morning. The house of Claudia was not very far from the house of
Oppius Fabius. It was an old house with a very large garden. I
presented myself to the sad looking servant who opened the door and
told him that I had just arrived to Rome from Ostia and that I had an
message to lady Claudia from her friend that lived in Ostia. The
servant looked at me and showed me in without saying anything, and I
was guided to the premises of Claudias secratary. He told me the news
and I tried to look like that it was big surprise to me. I expressed
my condolences and said that in that case my message was pointless,
as it was invitation for a visit that would never happen now.
Now, when the formalities were behind, I switched into a more
leisurely style of speech and asked:
"You said that it was snake that bit her? How is that possible, we
are in a city!"
"Perhaps you don't know that this house is famous for its large
garden that has had snakes for ages. No one knows why, but they like
to live here."
I continued the conversation for a little time, and after it I left
the house, and after a couple of blocks walk I knocked on the
servants door of the house of Oppius Fabius Rusticus.
"I'm Diodotus, in the service of Quintus Valerius Italicus and I'm
here to acquire information about the tragic chain of events of last
night. My master has recieved an order to investigate this by the
command of Publius Laetonius Crispus who is, I believe, a close
associate of the master of this house" I answered to the servants
request.
He looked at me for some time and then nodded with a tired expression
and let me in to the house. He asked me what I would like to do and
his voice had some amount of disbelief in my skills. Personally I
felt that I had done my duties well this far today, so I took a more
commanding expression and asked to be lead into the room where the
body had been found.
Whatever I had been expecting to see, I was disappointed. The room
looked exactly like any other room in any other house. It was a small
room with some painted pictures on the walls and a floor decorated
with mosaique and skillful usage of different couloured floor stones.
There were small table and one chair. Servant told that last night
during the dinner there had been couches and a larger table onto
which the food was layed. There was also a small window to the
another corridor and a door opened to the corridor that lead into
garden in a way that from garden no-one could see into the room.
The servant was standing by the door while I looked inside the room
and as I didn't know what else to do I walked carefully in the room
and tried to memorise every detail of it as my master had told me to
do. After doing this for some time I decided that it was time to fill
out the second order of my master and ask from the servant a question:
"As a long time servant of Oppius Fabius you probably know well his
closest circles. Now, what I have understood is that late Aulus
Flavius was not very religious man, was he? I mean, he was not the
type who would fall into new foreign religions?"
The servant looked at me cautiously as if thinking about how much
information he could give to me, but apparently decided that this
information was not harmful to the reputation of his master nor to
the dead man. "Certainly not, he was most patriotic and conservative.
Actually he passionately opposed any new religions saying 'Gods have
let us this far, why should we abandon them?'" answered the servant
with some irritation in his voice.
"Then it is not known why he had the amulet in his hand when he died?"
"That is absolutely a mystery for everyone" servant said with
disappointed voice and I started even question myself the sanity of
the orders my master had given me as it was obvious that the amulet
unexplainable mystery.
I left from the house and noticed that the sun had almost reached its
highest position in the sky. I was beginning to feel tired and walked
quite slowly to the house of Manius Florius Castus where I was
supposed to meet my master.
He was standing there and talking to some men who probably belonged
to his large group of old friends and customers. I had to wait for
some time while he was finishing his discussion. Finally he managed
to get himself free of it and came to me.
"It seems that you have had tiresome forenoon" he said with a smile.
"I have done everything you told me to do, but I have to say that we
are still a long way from solving this mystery" I said with tired
voice.
"Just the opposite, we are very near of it, if my suspicions are
correct" he answered again with a smile. "But, by all means, let us
enjoy something to eat and drink and while doing it you can give me
an account about the information you have gathered. I think I saw a
small shop there, outside the temple."
So we walked to the nearby temple and there was some kind of small
shop from which we bought some figs and small amphora of watered wine
and we sat into the shade of the temple to consume them. While eating
I summarised my achievements to him and in some way it seemed to be
amusing him, as he smiled all the more while I was telling my
experiences to him. When I reached the part of my last mission in the
house of Oppius Fabius, he was almost laughing.
"I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I don't see anything funny
with my futile journey this morning" I said with disappointed voice.
"No, by all means, your journey maybe has been less eventful than
that of Aeneas, but nevertheless it has been very succesful. Now, let
me tell you about my morning which consisted of only a visit to the
house of Postumus Calventius Velius. I'm sure that after I finish you
will agree that our mystery is almost solved" he said with a more
serious face.
"But one question first Diodotus, was there in the room where the
body was found a small covert part in the wall which was shielded by
curtains?" he asked with his most serious voice.
"Oh, well, I think there is, yes I'm sure there is such. It contained
a some kind of statue there" I answered surprised.
"As I said, almost everything is now solved, I will let you know what
I have discovered!" said my master.
"After you had left I headed into the Aventinus hill and I didn't
have to search too long to find the house of Postumus Calventius. He
himself was not of course present, but his wife was. She is a
remarkably beautiful woman, in that little vulgar way the women of
her class are often, even though they rise into a higher standing in
the society. She was also very stressed about the horrible news she
had heard in the morning. She was not, however, able to add anything
especially new to the facts we know from your journey and from the
account of Publius Laetonius. Only when I was leaving she remarked
that she had heard Manius Florius Castus' argue loudly in the room
where the body was found. She didn't know with whom he had argued, as
the other voice had been quieter. She didn't know if the voice
belonged to Aulus Flavius or someone else."
I looked into my master and said: "It is obvious then that he was
arguing with Aulus Flavius!"
"Well, certainly you could hold that as one of most obvious premises
we can make, but I think we need to ask from Manius Florius himself
about that. Let's go!" my master rose and we headed into the house of
Manius Florius. I was not too sure how fruitful it would be, as if he
was the murderer, he would not let us know.
"I wonder if he is in the house now" I remarked to my master when we
approached the door.
"I think he is, I have heard that he is not very sociable and likes
to keep inside his house during the festivals."
It was as my master had said. We were shown into his study. My master
didn't need to present himself as it seemed that Manius Florius knew
him already. My master explained that the purpose of our visit was to
make enquiries about the events of last night with the permission of
Publius Laetonius. That was all that was needed to make Manius
Florius nervous. He seemed to be the type who gets nervous easily and
his fat head became even whiter and swettier than it had been when we
walked into the room.
My master asked him some questions and he told about the same facts
we already knew. My master did not express that he already knew them.
"You have been heard to argue with a loud voice with someone during
the evening, can you tell with whom you argued and what it was
about?" my master asked with a casual voice.
Manius Florius looked my master very suspiciously and said: "One of
the servants who was supposed to waiter the foods and drinks had
himself drank a little too much and was incapable for work. He needed
to be shown his place in the house and Oppius Fabius asked me to do
it as it was I who had recommended the seller of slaves from whom he
was bought some days earlier."
Then my master asked:
"I know your reputation as a collector, maybe you would have a book
about metaphysics by Aristoteles in a Greek manuscript?"
Manius Florius seemed very surprised and finally managed to answer
that he probably had it in his library.
"Well as I haven't read it myself, maybe I could ask you for a favor
and if you could lend it to me, if you don't need it at the moment in
your library" my master asked and I was surprised to see him asking
it as I had not know that he was interested about Greek philosophy.
"Yes of course, let's go to the library."
So we went to the library and while walking to there my master
suddenly started to feel ill and hold his stomach with groan. He
seemed to be very sick and waived at me to give him a hand. I helped
him into the nearest room and Manius Florius looked very scared and
tried to suggest that we should take my master into the garden, where
the fresh air would heal him.
However my master seemed to feel a little better and was now sitting
in a chair and said:
"Please do not be frightened, my stomach sometimes does this. I just
need couple of moments to sit here. You could fetch that manuscript
from the library and come back here then, and I'm sure I will be
allright by that time."
So we left after asking one more time if everything was under
control. We found the manuscript quite easily from the library room.
It was evident that the many works of literature stored there were
not in frequent use, there was some dust on the scrolls and the
shelfs. So we went back to the room and found my master in remarkably
better condition. He apologised for his condition and said that old
men have all sorts of troubles.
Then he said:
"I noticed that in this room you have quite a collection of religious
medallions, you are a collector of them also?"
Manius Florius went so white from his face that I feared for a moment
that he also would have an attack to his health, but he managed to
answer with an almost normal voice:
"Yes, I am, I have maybe the finest collection in Rome, if I may say so."
"Then we are most fortunate, you know that there was an amulet found
from the hand of dead man?" Then my master described it and asked:
"Do you know in what cult it could belong in?"
"No, I have no idea" said Manius Florius shortly and continued "I'm a
very busy man and I will have a visitor shortly, maybe we could
continue this discussion later?"
"Yes by all means, but before we leave, only one small question: who
will inherit Aulus Flavius?"
Expression in the face of Manius Florius was almost funnily sad when
he answered "As Claudia is also dead, I'm the closest relative and
will inherit them both."
---- end of chapter 3 ----
Chapter 4 : Dinner
My master was very quiet when we returned home from the house of
Manius Florius. I was very certain that Manius Florius had done it,
but every time when I tried to speak with my master about the affair,
he was silent and then started to talk about the arrangements of the
dinner he would be giving that evening.
Streets were full of people and we had to stop to wait twice when
festival procession was almost literally rolling on the streets we
were walking by. The year that had passed since last Ludi Romani was
full of events that historians tell all over again, so I will not
waste parchment for that, but I just mention that people were almost
in too high spirits, everyone probably knew in their soul that during
the Autumn there would be something sinister happening.
We arrived to my masters house and first he ordered me to see that
the arrangements were going on well. And they were, it was third hour
after midday and almost everything was ready. Then my master visited
the baths as he used to do every day and gave me couple of hours free
time. I spent it by having something to eat and wondered some nearby
streets and finally by sitting in the shades of garden and never
letting the whole affair off my mind. The more I thought about it the
more I was convinced that it was Manius Florius who had killed Aulus
Flavius for his considerable fortune. After all, the lifestyle of
Manius Florius was resource consuming and he had had some not so
great luck with the politicians he had been supporting lately.
Finally my master came back and was in high spirits. He checked the
last preparations for the feast.
"I see from your expression that for you this affair is not as clear
as it is to me, but I assure you that tonight you will know the truth
of this very ominous chain of events. Now, my last instructions
before the guests arrive. I have asked for everyone from last nights
group to attend here with the promise that I will tell them who has
killed Aulus Flavius. They will all be exited, and one person
especially. Yes, Diodotus, our very evil killer is amongst the the
guests. When I expose him, I don't know what he will do, so when all
have arrived, you will fetch from the neighbouring houses a couple of
very strong fellows and very discreetly block all ways out from the
garden. Do not let our visitors to notice it. And when I have exposed
him, I want all of you walk slowly to the garden and get that man by
hands and lead him into the small storage room over there and to
guard him until we have decided what to do with him."
He was very serious and I started to believe again that we would be
able to solve the mystery. I nodded and said that I understood the
orders and he went for his rooms to prepare for the guests. When the
guests arrived I had chance of first time to see most of them.
First one to arrive was the widow of Marcus Clovius, Livia. She was
probably 35 years old and looked what she actually was, a wealth
widow who had no intention to wait too long before next marriage. She
was not that nervous, and for my little disappointment, not even too
sad. Then arrived Manius Florius and he was very nervous looking and
probably had had nothing to eat whole day as he almost directly
grabbed couple of fruits from the table. Then arrived Postumus
Calventius Velius and his wife Domitia and I had to agree with my
master that Domitia was indeed of remarkable beauty. Last to arrive
were Publius Laetonius and Oppius Fabius who came together.
When they had arrived I followed my masters orders and gathered three
strong men from neighbouring houses with explanation for their owners
that my master needs their help in the preparations of some garden
festivities for carrying heavy benches into right places. We went
into our positions and made sure that the guests didn't notice us.
Then I had the privilege to witness for the first time the singular
gift my master had for solving mysteries.
"Now that we have all had something to eat I think we should move
into the real purpose of this little feast I arranged for you" my
master started and something in his voice got everyone to give their
undisturbed attention.
"You all are aware of the tragedy that happened last night, I don't
need to refresh these horrible things into your mind. You all are
also aware that early this morning lady Claudia has passed away after
snake bit her. These two deaths are linked to each other in most
peculiar manner."
"At first one might think that it was lady Claudia who killed Aulus
Flavius as they had have some sort of argument in the day before the
fateful dinner. It would have been possible for her to return the
short distance from her house to the house of Oppius Fabius Rusticus
and claim that she had been in her house and maybe even get some
slave of hers to say also so. But why then she would die? By
accident? Would it be probable that her knowing the story of which is
attached to her house she would be so careless that let a snake bit
her?"
"But if she repented her horrible deed?" suggested Manius Florius
with trembling voice.
"That could be possible, but then she would perhaps selected more
certain way of dying that letting snake bit herself, a dagger or
strong poison" my master answred and continued: "And it is besides
very clear that it was man who killed Aulus Flavius, it is no easy
thing to stab a health man with just one stroke to death. No woman
could have that strenght."
"But before letting to know the name of killer let us look some
peculiar things linked to the death of Aulus Flavius. First of all,
there was a religious amulet in his hand, but still he was man of
reputation of having no liking of foreign cults and like any wise man
he sticked in the traditional Roman ways. So why he had that amulet
in his hand? There is a possibility that it has nothing to do with
the murder, but that is not very likely. Instead it is very possible
and likely that it tells us who the murderer is."
"First of all the murderer is a man of some wealth as otherwise he
could not afford such expensive foreign amulet. Secondly he is a man
who had a reason to kill Aulus Flavius. What this reason would be?
Wealth? It is of no secret that inheritor of Aulus Flavius would be
his niece, Claudia, but as we noted Claudia could not be the killer.
You Manius Florius will inherit both Claudia and Aulus Flavius!" my
master looked to Manius Florius who was devastated in horror and
could not speak before my master continued: "But still it was not you
who killed Aulus Flavius, it would take a strong man to do it and you
have probably not be fit for such deed for years, and you could not
know that Claudia would die also."
The relief in the face of Manius Florius was evident and he almost
started to cry but concealed that by lifting a cup of wine with hands
trembling. His soul had suffered for unhealthy life and exitements of
recent political fights so much that he had trouble in controlling
himself. My master looked him with contempt in his eyes and continued
his monologue for audience who listened very carefully his every word.
"So we are in the beginning again. But still I will give you the name
of the killer, who is almost genius in his evil deeds. Not only he
had managed to calculate the right moment for his horrible deed but
also he find a way to do it which is most cruel costing one a life of
an innocent lady Claudia also."
"This man was invited to the dinner and he took care to arrange
himself into the company of the man he was planned to murder, yes
Postumus Calventius Velius, you killed Aulus Flavius and you can be
also accused to be the killer of poor lady Claudia!" everyone were
frosen into their seats.
Then Postumus Calventius said with careless voice: "What a poor end
for such beautiful day, old man you have mistaken, you don't remember
that I was at home when the murder happened?"
"Ah, you are a good actor, but instead of using your talent for good
you have used for evil. I will tell you how you did your horrible
deed" my master said with angry face and waived me and my men to step
into the garden "And while I tell, these four fine men will make sure
that you will not try to do anything stupid."
"First of all, you, as many of your profession, have travelled quite
a lot also in the eastern parts of our empire. I think that it was in
one of these travels that you have become acquinted with the
mysterious religion. I noticed that you have a painting in your house
of similar kind of Sun that was in the medallion. I think that it was
your amulet that the dead man took and which you for some reason did
not manage to get out of his hand as you were so hurry. I suspect
that it was Manius Florius with drunken servant who were disrupting
your evil work when they entered to the room."
Postumus started to look maybe a little nervous but didn't say
anything, just took a sip of wine from his cup and said dryly:
"Please continue with your tale."
"And that I will do! You were hiding behind the curtain while Manius
Florius were giving a lesson for the new servant. And this was your
second mistake because it took too much time for you to do everything
and you were at your home only little earlier than your wife was even
tough you would have had to be there much earlier."
"But let us take a look at the relationship you had with lady
Claudia. You were trying to trick her to marry you, but old Aulus
Flavius got to know your intentions and was most rejecting towards
the idea. As often in these cases, Claudia got more convinced that
you were right and Aulus Flavius was wrong as she was as rebellish as
most women of her age. She was ready to marry you, but for you she
would be worth of nothing unless she would inherit Aulus Flavius.
Your first intention had been to get into the popularity of Aulus
Flavius, marry his niece and then murder him and get the wealth of
his. But this plan was ruined because old Aulus Flavius was not such
foolish modern man like Oppius Fabius to allow himself to be in the
dealings with an actor. So you were in trouble, how to revenge to
Aulus Flavius and get rid of Claudia?"
"You introduced Claudia into the mysterious religion and got her
convinced that you were about to run away with her. You got her into
argument with Aulus Flavius over the religion and your intentions of
marrying her. Then finally last night you told her that you would not
marry her and not even run away with her when you took her to her
house from the feast. Probably you managed to remind her about the
snakes in the garden and so shocked and hysterical she was that she
let a snake bit herself during the long hours of night as you had
calculated."
"Then you returned to the house of Oppius Fabius, found Aulus Flavius
and got him into the room where you had had the dinner, murdered him,
took some of his costume, showed yourself to the Secundus Varius Maro
and excused yourself before he managed to start conversation with you
which would have exposed your disguise. You returned the costume of
Aulus Flavius and was just about leaving when you were interrupted by
Manius Florius and drunken servant. Then you went into home as fast
as you could" my master finished his account and all the others were
stupified except Postumus Calventius who just said with assurance:
"Old man, you only have those theories, no proofs. Now if you will
excuse me, I feel this gathering has got a foul atmosphere and I have
to leave."
"Diodotus, stop him!"
I did as my master ordered altough I also thought that he had no evidence.
"I have evidence and it was provided someone who loves you Postumus
Calventius, your wife!"
Domitia was looking with disbelief to my master and could not say anything.
"Yes lady Domitia, when I visited you earlier today you yourself
provided me with the evidence. You knew that your husband was the
murderer because you had seen him leaving from the room after Manius
Florius and that poor servant. When you heard about the murder you
knew that it could have not been anyone else. When I visited your
house today you stopped me when I was saying goodbyes and clumsily
tried to direct my suspicions to that creature" my master waived in
the direction of Manius Florius.
Lady Domitia lost her self control and started to cry and said: "Yes".
Now Postumus Calventius rose up and started to shout to his wife by
using very foul language. My master instructed me and the three other
men to take Postumus Calventius and to put him into the small storage
room.
"And now lady Domitia, perhaps you could explain why you wanted to
protect your husband, it was not for love, was it?" my masters voice
was neutral.
"No, it wasn't, I have known for long time that he is not loyal to
me, but before our marriage he wanted to make a contract with my poor
father that in the case of divorce he does not have to give me
anything he ownes, only my dowry. My father was a poor man and he had
no other choice than to accept. My husband had probably know before
our marriage that it would not last forever, and soon enough I also
knew it. But he was making fortunes in his profession and I didn't
want to abandon my otherwise pleasant life. Now, I will have to and
perhaps that is for good."
"Lady Domitia, a woman like yourself will probably manage to survive
very well in this world of ours!" my masters voice was almost
admiring.
Here is a point where I will end my first story about the adventures
I had with my master. I just shortly note that Postumus recieved
capital punishment for his dreadful deeds. Those deeds were somehow
fitting to the grim atmosphere of our eternal city in those turbulent
times when many honest men also lost their lives.
---- end of chapter 4 ----
--
Caius Curius Saturninus
Accensus Superior Primus (Ductor Cohortis) Cohors Consulis CFQ
Legatus Regionis Finnicae
Procurator Academia Thules ad Studia Romana Antiqua et Nova
Praeses et Triumvir Academia Thules ad Studia Romana Antiqua et Nova
e-mail:
c.curius@...
www.insulaumbra.com/regiofinnica
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