The governor looked surprised. ‘And where is Hatra?’
‘In Parthia, lord.’ I replied.
The man next to him, who looked twenty years younger and who had curly light brown hair, was clearly agitated by the way he fidgeted in his chair. The governor looked from me to him.
‘You have something to say Titus.’
The younger man, dressed in an officer’s tunic with a muscled cuirass and a red cloak hanging from his shoulders, leaned forward and looked at me intently.
‘I am Titus Sextus, garrison commander. Why is a Parthian in my country?’
I bowed my head to him, too. ‘The simple truth is, sir, that I was captured in Cappadocia and find myself a guest in Italy, albeit a reluctant one.’
‘You mean you are a slave,’ he said.
‘I was a slave,’ I replied. ‘Now I am making my way back to my homeland, along with others who have the same desire.’
‘We do not treat with slaves, we own them, we command them, and when it suits us, we execute them. That will be your fate, slave. What is to stop me killing you right here, right now?’
‘Nothing,’ I replied, calmly. ‘Though you must also ask yourself what is preventing those camped outside your walls from attacking and putting you all to the sword?’
‘So what is preventing them?’ said the third man, a rotund figure with a double chin and fat fingers whose large bulk was wrapped in a toga and who had thick, unruly hair.
‘This is Marcus Aristius, the leading merchant in the city who represents the business class,’ said Gnaeus Musius.
‘We have no desire to attack your city.’
‘He’s clearly a liar,’ sneered Sextus. ‘They obviously lack the means to take the city and hope that by posturing and threats they can capture Thurii by deception.’
‘I can state quite clearly, sir,’ I said, beginning to lose patience, ‘that if we had intended to take this city we would have done so by now. General Spartacus does not wish it so.’
‘General Spartacus?’ said Sextus. ‘This general is nothing more than a runaway gladiator, a deserter who has gathered around him a band of bandits who murder and rape innocent citizens.’ He pointed at me. ‘This wretch should be flogged and then nailed to a cross for daring to stand before such an august body.’
‘That is your prerogative,’ I said. ‘but if you kill me General Spartacus will attack the city and will take it.’
Sextus waved his hand at me dismissively. ‘Empty words.’
‘I do not think that they are.’ I turned to see an elderly gentlemen walk into the apse and occupy the empty seat. He had grey wispy hair and a kind face. I could tell that he held some authority by the way the others stood as he took his seat, then waited until he nodded at them to sit down again. I thought that I knew him, but how could that be?
He looked at me and smiled. ‘You don’t remember me, do you? Not really surprising, as the last time we met the situation was very fraught and I looked rather dishevelled, but allow Quintus Hortonius to thank you for saving him and his family at Forum Annii.’
The others sat open mouthed as he stepped forward and offered me his hand, which I shook, and then I recognised him. He had his family were about to be murdered by Oenomaus before I had interceded on their behalf.
‘You know this man, Quintus?’ asked the governor.
‘I do,’ said Quintus, ‘and were it not for his good offices I and my family would have been murdered.’
He took his seat and frowned. ‘Have we foresaken basic manners? Has Roman hospitality sunk so low that we have forgotten basic courtesies? Where is a chair for our guest?’
‘He is a slave, senator,’ snapped Sextus.
‘Is he?’ replied Senator Quintus. ‘I thought I heard him say that he was a prince of Parthia. We can argue about his status later, but does it not offend our Roman morality that we all sit while our guest is left standing?’
Without waiting for a reply he signalled to a clerk, who found a chair and placed it behind me. The senator invited me to sit.
‘You speak for those who are camped outside our walls?’ he asked me.
‘Yes, lord.’
‘What are your terms?’
Gnaeus Musius inhaled loudly and Titus Sextus banged his fist on the arm of his chair and stood up. ‘I must protest. We debase ourselves by speaking to slaves.’
‘Believe me, said Quintus, ‘being helpless while a town is destroyed around you and seeing its citizens butchered before your eyes is far more debasing.’
Sextus sat down, his face red with rage and his eyes full of loathing for me.
‘I ask again,’ said Quintus, calmly, ‘what are your terms?’
It was obvious that he was the senior-ranking person present, which I was thankful for.
‘We wish no harm against your city. We merely wish to purchase the things we need.’
‘Which are?’ enquired Quintus.
‘Iron, steel and bronze,’ I replied.
‘For weapons, no doubt,’ spat Sextus.
‘Yes,’ I replied, seeing no gain in trying to deceive them.
‘With which to kill more Romans. This is an outrage, senator, which we should have no part in,’ said Sextus.
‘Under normal circumstances I would agree with you,’ replied Quintus. ‘But these are not normal circumstances. Tell me, Prince Pacorus, if we refuse these terms what action will this Spartacus take?’
‘He will attack the city, lord.’
‘So gentlemen,’ reflected Quintus. ‘it would seem that we have two choices. To do business with this slave general or defy him. If we choose the latter option then we place our lives in the hands of the gods and Titus Sextus. Can you guarantee that this city will not fall, commander?’
‘I am certain that we can resist the feeble attempts of slaves, senator,’ gloated Sextus.
‘Forgive my interruption,’ I said, ‘but the garrisons of Forum Annii and Metapontum thought the same thing, as did the commander of the army we wiped out some weeks ago. The fact is that we are here for the winter, whether you like it or not.’
‘You dare threaten me?’ said Sextus.
‘I threaten no one, sir, I merely point out the situation as it exists at this moment in time,’ I replied. ‘If I may try to assuage you, my general has issued orders that the area we occupy is not to be devastated or unnecessarily molested. This means your vineyards, olive trees and silver mine will all be returned to you once we have left.’
‘Words are cheap,’ said Sextus.
‘Indeed they are, sir,’ I said, Sextus smarting at the implied insult. ‘And we would pay generously for all supplies.’ I added.
‘How do you propose to pay for goods?’ enquired Marcus Aristius,
‘In gold and silver, sir. And the merchants of the city may set the price.’ I saw his eyes light up and I knew then that I had won him over. His chubby fingers started to twitch excitedly and I smiled at him.
‘If we agree to trade with you, we will want supplies of food to be included in any arrangement,’ remarked Gnaeus Musius.
‘I’m sure that your request could be accommodated,’ I said.
‘And rent,’ said Quintus.
‘Rent, lord?’ I replied.
‘Of course. The land that you occupy is mine, or most of it, and I would be lacking in business acumen if I did not charge you rent.’
‘I would have to liaise with General Spartacus first, but I’m sure he will be conciliatory towards your request.’ Their demands were bordering on effrontery, but I said nothing.
‘I think we need to discuss your offer among ourselves, Prince Pacorus,’ said Quintus. He looked at his Roman companions. ‘I think we can give you an answer by tomorrow morning. I will deliver it to you in person at the western gates two hours after dawn. And now I think our meeting is at an end, unless anyone has anything else to say?’
Quintus looked at each of his companions, but he had decided that all discussion was at an end and no one challenged his authority. Quintus stood.
‘Thank you, Prince Pacorus. The guards will escort you from the city.’ I stood and bowed my head to them, then turned and walked from the basilica, flanked by the same guards who had met me at the gate. I felt a great sense of relief when I walked through the gates and back towards our own lines. I did not know how long I had been gone, but when I arrived back at the gap in the palisade everyone was waiting for me. Gallia ran down the earth rampart and threw herself at me, wrapping her long legs around my waist and holding me tight. I was nearly bundled over as she kissed and hugged me. Our lips parted and I saw tears running down her cheeks.