“Adriana.” Sean said reverently. His heart thumped again in his chest. He rarely worried about people. Worrying never helped anything. It was like experiencing failure in advance, but rarely did it help someone prepare for it, much less help the situation.
“Yes,” Cagliari said proudly. “She’s a remarkable woman. Adriana was able to figure out an ancient mystery that had remained hidden for centuries, and to these old eyes for many years. The solution was so simple. It was hidden right under my nose the whole time.” He laughed again at the thought.
The old man stared at the floor for a few seconds before realizing his guests were waiting for more answers. He looked up and began speaking again.
“For years, I pored through the secret writings of Julius Caesar. I was granted access to the archives within the Vatican, a privilege that few ever attain. I found hundreds of texts concerning battles, planning, and even some things on civic responsibilities such as sanitation, water, and crime. When I finally found an entry regarding the Eye of Zeus, its meaning escaped me. I spent almost a year of my life desperately trying to unravel the last thread of the mystery.”
“What thread was that?” Tommy asked like a boy hearing a ghost story around a campfire. He leaned forward in his seat, on the edge of the cushion.
Cagliari stood up and padded over to a humble wooden desk in the corner of the room. The little workstation was only three feet wide and made from maple worn by time. The man picked up a copy of something sitting on the right side of the desk and brought it back over to his guests. He handed it to Sean and returned to his seat.
Tommy stood up and anxiously stepped over to Sean’s side to look over his shoulder. The sheet of paper was a copy of a document that must have been thousands of years old.
“I found that in the Vatican archives a few years ago,” Cagliari interrupted the silence. “I suppose it took a pair of young eyes to understand its meaning, though. It seems that is life’s way. The older, more educated of us are too set in our ways to be open to new ideas.”
Sean read the words, written in Latin. “These were written by the hand of Julius Caesar?” Even though what he had in his hands was just a copy, Sean still appreciated the gravity of the document.
The old Italian nodded silently, beaming with pride.
Sean and Tommy both did the translation in their head as they stared at the sheet, puzzled by the riddle.
The key to the Eye of Zeus is in the mouth of the great god.
Chapter 23
“That’s a strange riddle,” Sean said flatly.
Tommy echoed his friend’s sentiment by repeating part of the phrase. “The eye is in the mouth? No offense, signore, but I can see why that had you stumped for so long.”
“None taken, Thomas.” The man grinned. “I must say it was a relief that someone actually figured it out. I would have gone to my grave entirely frustrated if your friend had not come along and saved me.”
Sean didn’t want to be rude, but he knew that time could be running out for Adriana. “What was her solution to the riddle, signore?” he asked as politely as possible.
Cagliari sensed Sean’s urgency and happily obliged. “The life blood of the city of Rome is its river, the Tiber. It has always been the source of vitality for Romans, dating back to its earliest settlers. In the beginning, the first people here believed that the river was a gift from their gods, a blessing that would help them build a great society. They were not wrong about that part.” Cagliari winked then went on. “The name Tiber was bestowed upon the river as a tribute to the ancient king Tibernius, who drowned in its waters.
“According to the Roman legend, Jupiter made the king a god and tasked him with guarding the people of Rome from his river throne. In the lore, the river flowed from the god’s hair and beard to the people.”
Now Sean understood the riddle. The Tiber River was the great god. That meant the key to the Eye of Zeus would be somewhere near its mouth. Sean frowned.
“The mouth of the great god? So we are supposed to search the mouth of the river? That covers a huge surface area where the river meets the sea. How would you know where to start?” A sickening feeling crept into Sean’s stomach. They didn’t have time to do a full-on excavation at the mouth of the Tiber.
Cagliari’s eyes gleamed like someone who kept a grand secret. “You are correct, Sean. If we were looking for the mouth of the river, that would be a problem. Fortunately, it is not the mouth of the river you seek, but the mouth of the god himself.”
The answer struck Tommy first. “The river’s source. It would have to be a spring or something small. Right?”
Their host nodded. “Correct.” He drew the last remnants of wine into his mouth and continued. “You can find the source of the Tiber in the Apennine Mountain Range, on Mount Fumaiolo. It is a few hours north of here, but it is a well-known location. Italians consider it a historic landmark. Benito Mussolini put a plaque there to commemorate it. The river begins as a spring flowing from a small opening in the mountain. According to the answer your friend, Ms. Villa, provided, it is there you will find the key to the Eye of Zeus.”
The last sentence brought up another question in Sean’s mind. “You said we will find the key. What does that mean? The relic isn’t there?”
Cagliari’s mouth creased to one side. “No. You will not find the last antikythera at the source of the Tiber. That would have been too simple for anyone living in Caesar’s time, or so he thought. The key is like a map. It should tell you the location of the Eye of Zeus, but beware: It is likely that Caesar made the key difficult to decipher. If I were to guess, he probably called upon his years at sea to create the last piece of the puzzle.”
“What makes you think that?” Tommy asked, returning to his seat.
The old man glanced down at his empty glass with a longing expression, and then leaned back in his chair. “Julius Caesar loved his time with the Roman navy. He reflected back on it throughout many of his journals as some of his favorite years. The time he spent upon Roman vessels shaped who he was as a man. It hardened him, focused him, and educated him in ways he would not have imagined before. It would make sense that his riddle would have something nautical in it.”
Sean absorbed the information quietly. Inside his head, the gears were turning. They needed to get to Mount Fumaiolo fast. “Will you be going with us to the mountain?” he asked respectfully.
“I appreciate the sentiment,” Cagliari said with a smile. “It would be a great honor. Alas, I am too old to be running off on such adventures, Mr. Wyatt. It is time for me to pass the quest for the antikythera to someone a bit younger than I with the energy to see it through.”
“Are you sure?” Tommy pressed, probably just being polite.
“I am quite sure. I would only slow you down, and as I can see, you are in something of a hurry.”
“Thank you for your help,” Sean said. “I hope I can repay you someday.”
Cagliari raised a dismissive hand. “No repayment necessary. Now, you should get going. It’s a few hours’ drive from here, and you need to get the mountaintop before dark.”
Sean and Tommy stood simultaneously, followed by their host. The three men started to head to the door when their goodbyes were suddenly interrupted by five vigorous knocks. The three froze in place at the edge of the living room.