Masters of Rome (36 page)

Despite himself, Vespasian found himself sympathising with the argument although he knew it to be specious.

Claudius looked at Messalina with wonder in his eyes as if he were beholding the wisest, most beautiful and compassionate being ever to have been given life. ‘You are so right, little bird, we must hear the arguments if only for my good friend Asiaticus' sake.' He jerked his head away from Messalina and looked at Suillius. ‘You may b-b-begin.'

Asiaticus slammed his fist down onto the arm of his chair and leapt to his feet interrupting Suillius mid-flow. ‘What proof do you have of any of these allegations, Suillius? You have accused
me at some length of passive homosexuality with rank and file soldiers and then adultery; it's not enough just to say these things, however eloquently – you must back them up.'

‘I haven't finished making my case, I still have—'

‘This is not a court of law! Nor is it a hearing before the Senate, both of which have protocols to follow; this is an informal hearing before
our
Emperor.' Asiaticus rubbed his smooth pate to calm himself and then addressed Claudius. ‘Princeps, as there is no precedent to follow, may I be allowed to deal with the accusations one by one, as they arise, so that the weight of each of the falsehoods levelled at me don't combine to make the case against me seem overwhelming before I even begin my defence?'

Claudius contemplated the request for a few moments, remaining surprisingly still, his expression hinting at the great pleasure he had in deliberating on such a matter. ‘The differences between precedents and protocol in legal hearings, both formal and informal, must be weighed against the ways of our ancestors.'

Claudius launched into a legal argument of such pedantry that it could only have been of interest to the most petty-minded minor official of a ghastly provincial backwater who had nothing better to do all day than exercise his own self-importance. For Vespasian and everyone else suffering it, however, it was eye-wateringly tedious. It was to vacant, pallid faces that Claudius eventually concluded: ‘So to sum up with the briefest of answers: in this case, but only in this one instance, my judgement, Asiaticus, is yes.'

Evidently having lost track of the argument and therefore whether the judgement was for him or against, Asiaticus stood bewildered for a moment before gathering himself. ‘So I may defend each allegation in turn, Princeps?'

‘Th-th-that was my j-j-j-judgement,' Claudius replied testily, his stammer, absent during his fluent legal ramble, returning full force.

‘I'm grateful, Princeps.' Asiaticus faced Suillius. ‘Firstly, the most disgusting allegation: that I allowed, no, actively sought to be penetrated by other men – common legionaries – in return for favours. As if, had I wanted such base entertainment, I couldn't
just get one, or even half a dozen, of my slaves to defile me any time I liked – as many men in Rome do, I believe.' He raised his eyebrows at Suillius. ‘How did you come up with that idea? What were you doing when it occurred to you that you should level false allegations of buggery with lowlife against me?'

Suillius sneered. ‘Inferences like that won't hide the truth. I have a witness.'

‘Have you? Then he should be able to recognise me seeing as we've been so intimate, or is he going to claim that he only saw the back of my head? Princeps, can I suggest that this witness comes into the room and, without any prompting from this creature here, tries to identify the man whom he alleges was accommodating enough to part his buttocks for him?'

Claudius nodded with enthusiasm. ‘That w-would be an ad-admirable way to settle this.' He turned to the guards on the door. ‘One of you, fetch this man in.'

Asiaticus took his place back next to Vitellius and then pointed at Suillius. ‘Sit down.'

Suillius did so reluctantly as a squat man of powerful build, in his fifties, wearing a plain citizen's toga was led in, looking as if he already regretted agreeing to appear in front of such august company. He swallowed as he stood before the Emperor and Empress.

‘W-w-what's your name, citizen?'

‘Sextus Niger, Princeps.'

‘So, Niger, you allege that you buggered Decimus Valerius Asiaticus in return for favours.'

‘He forced me to, Princeps; I would never do—'

‘Never mind your p-p-personal habits, man; is that what you allege?'

Niger closed his eyes. ‘Yes, Princeps.'

‘Then describe him.'

‘He's bald, Princeps.'

‘B-b-b-bald? Is that all?'

Niger looked in panic at Suillius.

‘Look at me, N-N-Niger; is that all that you can remember about the man you buggered: he was bald?'

‘It was dark, Princeps.'

Crispinus stifled a guffaw and Claudius shot him a warning look. ‘But he was your commanding officer; you must know what he looks like.'

Niger was momentarily flummoxed. ‘I had just transferred in, Princeps.'

‘If you're lying, N-N-Niger, I'll have you stripped of your citizenship and given a starring role in the games this afternoon. Now identify h-h-him.'

Terrified, the man turned and looked around the room to see three men who could be described as bald: two sitting together opposite the Emperor, and a third sitting with two other men. Without a pause he made his choice, knowing that hesitation would be an admission of dishonesty. ‘It's him.'

Claudius roared with laughter as he looked at Callistus gazing back at the false witness's finger. Vespasian was sure he detected both Narcissus and Pallas trying to cover amusement under their neutral masks.

Asiaticus joined in with his Emperor's mirth, looking across at a deflated Suillius. ‘The irony is, Suillius, that at the time this buggery was alleged to have taken place, I wasn't bald.'

‘Take him away,' Claudius ordered through his laughter. ‘I look forward to seeing more of you later, Niger; a lot more.' He took Messalina's hand. ‘You were so right, dearest one; none of these charges will prove to be true. I think that your friend Suillius has been misled; but nevertheless we should press on so that Asiaticus can prove his innocence.'

As the hapless Niger was dragged off, screaming, Asiaticus got to his feet. ‘I am no taker, Suillius. Just ask your sons, they will confirm that I'm a man. We'll take up the issue of how and why you got someone to lie about me to the Emperor later, once he's thrown the rest of your charges out.'

‘He came to me,' Suillius protested. ‘I don't trawl the gutter for false witnesses.'

‘Don't you? Let's see what your next witness is like; I hope that he's better coached. What's he going to accuse me of? Ah yes, adultery with Poppaea Sabina, daughter of the late Gaius
Poppaeus Sabinus. So tell me, Suillius, does her husband, Publius Cornelius Lentulus Scipio, a distinguished man in his own right and descended from so many great men, also accuse his wife of adultery? And, if so, does he accuse me of being her lover?'

Suillius spread his arms. ‘Does a husband always know of his wife's …' He trailed off as he felt Messalina's cold stare pierce him; everyone in the room shifted uneasily, including Claudius, and Vespasian wondered just how aware of Messalina's extramarital activities he really was.

Asiaticus seized on the moment and spoke directly to Claudius. ‘What husband cannot be aware of being cuckolded, Princeps, even if he refuses to acknowledge the signs?'

Claudius answered with a series of uncontrolled head twitches spraying saliva in an arc about him. Messalina stared at Asiaticus, her face rigid.

‘I'll ask you again, Suillius: does Scipio accuse his wife of adultery?'

‘No.'

‘Then who does?'

‘One of his freedmen.'

‘A freedman? And did he take this accusation first to his patron, the man to whom he owes complete loyalty?'

‘He came to me first.'

Asiaticus met Messalina's eyes and held them for a couple of heartbeats before addressing Claudius. ‘Princeps, what would you make of a freedman casting such aspersions on the character of his patron's wife to strangers?'

‘I-i-in-int-t-t-tolerab-b-ble.'

‘And yet here we have it: a freedman going about saying such things. Imagine, Princeps, the gods forbid, should your freedmen go making such accusations in public instead of coming to you? Would that be acceptable?'

Claudius made a sound akin to a man being slowly garrotted as he tried to form his answer and Vespasian realised that Asiaticus had hit the mark: Claudius must give some credence to certain of the rumours about his wife.

Messalina sat rigid whilst Narcissus observed Asiaticus through half-closed eyes, revolving a ruby ring on his little finger; Pallas and Callistus both looked as if they had not taken a breath for a long while. A droplet of sweat dripped down Suillius' forehead whilst Vitellius and Crispinus both gaped at Asiaticus in unconcealed horror as he stood patiently awaiting the Emperor's protracted efforts to give his reply.

‘No!' Claudius finally exploded, his face puce and his chin slimed with drool. ‘No one will accuse my Messalina of such a thing in public; in public she is beyond reproach.' He jerked his shaking head towards his freedmen and continued his tirade. ‘But if one of my freedmen thought that there was the slightest stain on her character it would be his duty to bring his proof to me, the h-h-husband, and no one else; a man's wife's conduct is for him alone to deal with and not for public consumption! It's the way of the ancestors!'

There was complete silence in the room apart from Claudius' panting and snuffling as he fought to regain his composure. Messalina's eyes, black as beads and cold as the Styx, fixed on Asiaticus as he waited patiently, seemingly unruffled by the outburst that he had goaded his Emperor into, staring at Narcissus who gazed back with the faintest of cold smiles.

‘He's just forced Narcissus' hand,' Gaius whispered to the brothers. ‘If Claudius were to get proof of Messalina's infidelity from any source other than his freedmen he would never trust them again. Asiaticus knows Messalina will ensure that he's found guilty today and has just guaranteed his quick vengeance.'

A loud sob broke over Claudius' laboured breathing and Vespasian looked up to see Messalina with tears running free down her cheeks.

‘My d-dearest!' Claudius cried. ‘I wasn't suggesting for one moment that you are anything other than a model wife.'

‘I know, my darling,' Messalina croaked, dabbing at her face with her palla and looking at Claudius with wet, pleading eyes. ‘But it's the injustice of a woman's lot in society that grieves me; aspersions are cast upon our characters by jealous people, and despite our innocence some of the slander sticks. Poor Poppaea's
reputation is being sullied by a freedman and she can't even defend herself. Promise me, my darling, that should such lies about me ever reach your ears that you will give me the chance to put your mind at rest, and once I've done that you will punish the scandal-monger as you will this freedman who has behaved so dishonourably.'

‘Of course I will, sweet girl; I would never b-b-believe anything b-bad of you until I have seen your eyes.' He leant over and kissed her cheek, adding to its moistness, before turning to Suillius. ‘I have no wish to see this freedman witness of yours, other than in the arena with N-N-Niger this afternoon. That charge is thrown out. Now, what of the next, Suillius, have you been misled on this one too?'

‘No, Princeps, on my honour; and you know the witness to be of the highest integrity having entrusted the education of your son to him. This is the most serious charge: that Asiaticus was heard boasting that he was the unidentified man who took part in Caligula's murder.'

‘T-time is running on so b-b-bring Sosibius in.'

Pallas stood. ‘Before we hear from Sosibius, Princeps, I feel obliged to make one admission.'

‘Well?'

‘It's just that this morning I heard my dear colleague, Callistus, saying that he thinks that he has proof as to exactly who this man was and that Narcissus and I have covered up the evidence. I thought that I'd mention it so that he could have the chance to enlighten us all and stop this charade.'

Vespasian's heart leapt and he glanced at Sabinus; the colour had drained from his face.

Callistus swallowed and then got to his feet, casting a quick sidelong glance at Pallas that Vespasian assumed was one of hatred, despite his expressionless face. ‘Princeps, I'm afraid that Pallas is mistaken; I said no such thing.'

Pallas insisted. ‘But I heard you say, my dear Callistus, that you had evidence that Asiaticus was not the man and that we knew all along.'

‘I said nothing of the sort, I assure you, Princeps.'

Claudius twitched impatiently. ‘Well? D-d-did he or didn't he, Pallas?'

Pallas bowed in apology. ‘I must insist that he did and I'm bringing it to your attention, in an open hearing, because I wouldn't want him to come to you in private, should you find Asiaticus guilty, and cloud the issue and, at the same time, cause you to question Narcissus' and my loyalty to you. I believe that it's best to get this out into the open, Princeps, for all our sakes.'

‘Yes, yes; to whom did he say this?'

Pallas cleared his throat as Callistus wrung his hands aware of Messalina's distrusting gaze. ‘To Titus Flavius Vespasianus.'

Vespasian swallowed a bile retch.

‘Vespasian? Is he back in Rome?'

‘He arrived yesterday and I have him here ready to confirm the conversation.'

‘Bring him in.'

Vespasian stood before the Emperor and Empress knowing that he had to answer Claudius' question quickly and fluently. ‘Yes, Princeps; I spoke to Callistus this morning in the palace. I was on my way down from my family's apartment. The Praetorians guarding Britannicus, who had spent the night there with Titus, will confirm that.'