Gurges waved a bony hand at Calamus. ‘Leave us, doctore.’
‘Yes … sir.’
The lanista patiently watched Calamus retreat down the corridor, his hands placed behind his back. At the clunk of the shutting door, he at last turned to Pavo and abruptly perched himself on the ledge of the pool. He crossed his legs in the dainty fashion of the Greeks and said, ‘I understand from Calamus that you’ve been making an enemy of Amadocus.’
Pavo wiped sweat from his face. ‘He started it, sir.’
Gurges laughed. ‘Ignore him. He’s just upset that you’re threatening his position within the ludus.’ The lanista dipped a hand into the pool and went on, tracing circles in the rainwater, ‘You had better get used to the attention. You’re the new darling of the mob, Pavo. And you know what that means?’
He was interrupted by a Greek slave entering with a tray of tiny pastries. Pavo felt his empty stomach rumble at the sight of the food. He lived in a state of permanent hunger and thirst, working up a ferocious appetite during the hours spent on the training ground that was hardly sated by the standard fare of barley wheat, bread and the odd cup of vinegared water. The slave hovered at Gurges’s side while the lanista picked away at the snacks. Too distraught with hunger to watch Gurges eat, Pavo turned his gaze to the bronze bust. Upon further examination he realised it was a portrait of the lanista. He silently scolded the sculptor for doing such a dishonest job. Gurges’s crooked nose had been smoothed out. His balding pate had been generously transformed into a thick head of curly hair. Pavo briefly wondered how a lowly lanista, considered on a par with a brothel madam, managed to live in such splendour.
‘I have exciting news for you,’ Gurges said. Pavo felt an icy shiver of anticipation crawl up his spine.
‘Am I to fight Hermes at last?’ he asked.
The lanista burst into laughter. ‘Hermes? There’s more chance of me shagging a Vestal Virgin than enticing him out of his recent retirement. Besides, he’s still recovering from his recent mugging. Word has it a gang of street robbers roughed him up and broke several of his bones. It’ll be a while yet before he’s fit enough to take to the sands, even assuming that he’d want to step out of retirement.’
Pavo burned with anger. ‘But we had a deal. You said if I won you would help me get my fight with Hermes.’ His voice rose and trembled with indignation.
‘I promised no such thing,’ Gurges replied, feigning an insulted look. ‘I only said that I’d see what I could do. It so happens that I am still making enquiries. But I’m sure you appreciate that these matters take time. Hermes is a darling of the Emperor. The last time he retired was under Caligula, and it took a great deal of persuading to convince him to return to the arena.’
Gurges rose and paced over to Pavo, licking his fingers clean. His crude manners offended Pavo, who had been educated by his father to believe that conduct and dignity were what separated the Romans from the barbarian hordes at the edges of the Empire. ‘Even if the old boy did accept your challenge, it’s highly unlikely the Emperor would personally sanction it. The risk of losing Hermes and undermining his own reputation would be too great. My point, dear boy, is that bringing Hermes out of retirement is a costly business. You need to make it worth my while. All you’ve done so far is cost me money.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘We are to host a spectacle,’ said Gurges, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘Right here, in Paestum. Dignitaries from across the Empire will come to watch the fighters of the house of Gurges. My name will be famous throughout the provinces.’
‘Who’s the sponsor?’ Pavo wondered aloud.
‘In theory, Emperor Claudius.’ Gurges puffed out his chest with pride and stared into the middle distance, as if looking directly at the Emperor. He turned back to Pavo. ‘In practice, me. You see, the Emperor is far too busy cementing his hold on power to handle the daunting task of organising a spectacle for the mob. I kindly offered to take care of matters for him. Claudius will be represented in Paestum by the imperial secretary.’
‘Pallas!’ Pavo felt a cold, clammy fear grip his bowels. ‘He convinced Claudius to execute my father. I pray to the gods daily that he meets a violent end.’
Gurges laughed and said, ‘You should be thanking the man, not cursing him. Pallas has kindly chosen you on behalf of the Emperor to top the bill. You’ll be fighting against an illustrious name from the past. A talented gladiator by the name of Decimus Cominius Denter.’
‘And if I defeat him, I’ll fight Hermes?’ Pavo asked, his voice tinged with hope.
‘One step at a time, young man,’ Gurges replied, patting the gladiator on the back as if they were old friends. ‘Your next fight will not be straightforward.’ The lanista shifted awkwardly on the spot. ‘You are to train as a retiarius.’
Pavo felt a stab of anxiety. ‘A net fighter?’
‘That’s right.’ Gurges nodded. ‘You’ll fight with a trident and a net. No shield. Your opponent will fight as a secutor, armed in the traditional way, with a short sword and a legionary shield.’
Pavo bristled with anger. He furrowed his brow. ‘There must be some mistake. I’m a swordsman. I learned my trade in the military. I should be fighting as a murmillo or a hoplite, or perhaps a thraex. Any other type of gladiator, in fact. Not with a damn net.’
Gurges stared irritably at the high-born fighter. ‘It’s not often we get such a grandiose spectacle in Paestum, and Claudius is personally sponsoring the event. You’ll fight with a fucking stick if the Emperor demands it.’
‘And why should I do what he says?’ Pavo replied angrily. ‘Claudius and his lackeys confiscated my father’s property. I have no inheritance. My parents are dead and buried in unmarked graves and my son is being held hostage in the imperial palace.’
Gurges gently scratched his chin. ‘How badly do you want to kill Hermes?’
‘It’s the only reason I train,’ Pavo said, his veins thumping against his temples at the thought of striking down the legendary gladiator.
‘I see,’ said Gurges quietly. ‘Then consider this. You’re the slayer of Britomaris. To the mob you’re already a hero. They talk of you in taverns and public baths. But that’s just one bout. You might just be a flash in the pan. Now, a fight against Denter will be the biggest seen in Paestum for many years. Men and women will flock here from Pompeii and Puteoli, Capri and Capua.’ Gurges rubbed his hands gleefully. ‘We’ll rake it in. We’ll sell statuettes and replica swords. I might even charge people to watch you work at the palus.’
Pavo huffed. ‘And why should I want to help you get filthy rich?’
‘Luring Hermes into the arena will be no easy task. But should you put on a good show for me, we’ll have enough of a profit to persuade him to renounce his retirement and accept your challenge.’
Pavo went quiet for a moment as conflicting thoughts swirled inside his head. There was an irrefutable logic to Gurges’s plan. Retired gladiators only stepped back into the arena for tens of thousands of sestertii. And Pavo was broke. A voice cautioned him that he would be foolish to trust the lanista, but then what choice did he have if he wanted to face Hermes?
‘Do we have a deal?’ Gurges asked.
Pavo nodded grudgingly.
‘Splendid.’ A smile retreated to the corners of the lanista’s mouth. ‘There is one, ah, slight problem.’ He wrung his hands. ‘You are undertaking an entirely new style of fighting, and there is no specialist net-fighting trainer in the ludus. Calamus will help you as best he can, but for the most part you’re on your own. I’m sure a hungry young man like you will get the hang of it soon enough.’
Pavo’s face darkened angrily. ‘How am I supposed to learn to fight someone like Denter without getting the proper training?’