The Hadrian Enigma - A Forbidden History (72 page)

He was to wear his ceremonial uniform beneath his cloak, this was to be a formal rite of great majesty. He did so without fear. He believed how in nine days after his journey through Hades’ domain he would be restored to life, but at the cost that his youth’s lengthy lifespan would be exchanged with Caesar’s shorter span. Meanwhile, Caesar would live and rule!”

The woman was trembling in exultation and fervor. She was triumphant.

“
Why would Antinous believe such a thing? He is no fool!” Suetonius called.

“
Fool?
Love
is a great persuader. Fools do remarkable things for the sake of
Love
!”

“
And then?”

“
We performed a ceremony honoring Rome’s
Anna Perenna
of old, and the youth voluntarily drank my infusion of
opion
and
kannabis
in wine. He believed it to be my magical potion to effect the transfer of energies. He swiftly drifted to sleep.

My brother and I then performed a rite to Zalmoxis and burned a lock of the victim’s hair for the God to receive as smoke signaling his impending spiritual presence.

I lanced his wrist veins, inserted a surgeon’s bleeding spigot to siphon, and proceeded to drain him as our priests do when they slit the throats of offerings. With time, our basin collected enough blood for three
amphorae
jugs.

Blood is the food of Zalmoxis. Blood carries the
arete
of a man.

I anointed the victim’s face with his own blood, the ultimate insult of the God. Over the following days Zalmoxis consumes his entire
arete
by fermenting the blood to an odious filth. This is our way.”

The woman’s delirium was assuming a dire
maenadic
aspect. There were vestiges of some ancient ritual frenzy betrayed in her behavior. She had become a wild creature.

“
And,
Hagne,
what more ---?” Suetonius resolutely pressed.

Perenna/Hagne assumed a soberly circumspect demeanor.

“
It was nothing personal, just honor’s revenge,” she smiled.

A crushing silence now weighed the sanctuary.

“
The lad died. It was late at night. Pressing out the blood for Zalmoxis had taken much time. While it was still dark, Scorilo and Urbicus tumbled his body through a starboard port into one of the Alexandrine runabouts roped at the stern readied for sailing.

I stored the
amphorae
for consecration to determine if I had inherited my father’s power of regeneration of the dead. Priest Dicineus, my father, had been a practitioner of
theogia.
He tested many victims, but with what success is unknown to me. I aspire to similar prowess. I was to devote nine days to the necessary incantations and rites. But now we’ll never know, will we?

At the very earliest light we three pushed off to sail the craft downstream to an inlet close to Urbicus’s tents. The two placed the body at the river’s side where we knew it might soon be discovered. There was already movement about, so Urbicus stayed at the inlet to rejoin his detachment. Scorilo and I eventually maneuvered the runabout back to
The Alexandros.
The rest is known to you. Our victory was complete.”

“
You’ve told us about Scorilo and yourself, but why was Urbicus involved?”

Hagne of Dacia, nee Anna Perenna of Rome, laughed a raucous, quavering laugh whose shrillness spoke of triumph and insult. The She Wolf was savoring her kill.

“
Urbicus is one of my
inamoratas
. The poor darling will do anything I ask. And all for a little bodily titillation. But I keep him on a tight rein, the dear. Those Mauritanians and Numidians, they’ll do anything for sex. The desert wilds of Africa must be very lonely at night.”

Suetonius glanced to Urbicus standing nearby. The soldier was flush with anger, but his restrained eyes stared straight ahead in impassive soldierly discipline. Escape from the sanctuary was not feasible; a Scythian archer would bring him down with a single shaft.

“
Why you, Centurion? Why did you participate in this mad venture? You’re a man of good sense,” the Special Inspector probed.

Urbicus stood utterly motionless and silent.

Governor Titianus broke the intensity of the atmosphere. He had quietly distanced himself from his consort who was stooping in her craven, seething manner nearby.

“
Macedo, take the Horse Guard decurion into custody. And take too the woman Hagne or Perenna or whoever she is, I no longer know.

Secure the brother and sister in the woman’s chamber aboard
The Alexandros
. Make sure they’re isolated, restrained, well guarded, and carry no weapons for self-harm. I will access them there for intimate interrogation. Afterwards, Caesar will decide what to do with them at his leisure.

Take Urbicus and strip him of his Praetorian regalia. Imprison him in the camp guardhouse. He will meet military justice in due course.”

Suetonius noticed Titianus’s eyes and Urbicus’s eyes met for a fleeting moment. It carried a subliminal message, he thought. It was a message he sensed he might never interpret.

Hadrian slowly rose from his throne and stood silently, imperially, looking to the bier and its sad, pallid burden. It dawned on the entire assembly it was time to stand upright and be attentive under Caesar’s presence.

The
Augusta
rose in silent respect, Geta stood tall, and the dispersed individuals returned to their protocol order. Only Macedo’s officers were moving about as they stripped Scorilo and Urbicus of their weapons and strapped shackles to their wrists.

A hush settled upon the sanctuary. Hadrian spoke carefully, thoughtfully, as his words reverberated off the ancient stones.

“
It is time to leave this dark place and this dark affair. It is to be formally recorded here under my authority how Antinous of Bithynia died by falling into the river. Nothing more. The subject of the method of his death and its perpetrators is under prohibition. They do not exist. Let our documents record nothing further of the matter. It is forbidden on pain of exile.

Suetonius Tranquillus and Septicius Clarus, you have fulfilled your commission. In return you will be awarded one hundred thousand
sesterces
each, as promised, and be absolved of the previous charge of
laesa majestas
against the empress, my wife Vibia Sabina.

For Suetonius Tranquillus a new indictment of
laesa majestas
against my honor will be raised. Its details will be formulated and addressed at my leisure. We move on. Hear all!

I proclaim my edict before you here at this dawn of the Third Day of the Festival of Isis. Secretary Vestinus,
Quaestor
Julianus, Prefect Governor Titianus, and officers of the Household hear my command and enact it immediately.

The honor of the youth Antinous of Bithynia is to be restored. The omen divined by the Priests of Amun of the youth’s divine status as Osiris Reborn is to be written into law at Egypt and proclaimed to the Empire. As
Pontifex Maximus I 
ordain Antinous to attain
Divus
status before the eyes of all the Empire. He is to be celebrated accordingly.

The priests of Amun are to honor his
Divus
status with appropriate rites. A sufficient endowment is to be assigned to this priesthood to institute his adoration in perpetuity as a Protector of Youth, a Guardian of Healing, and a Defender of Birthing.

Temples and shrines are to be erected across the Empire to celebrate his virtues and values. Statues and portrait busts, issues of coins and medallions, plus public festivals are to be created in his honor. Youth Games are to be announced in select cities in his name, and funded with desirable prizes.”

A tear formed at Hadrian’s eye. His lip trembled faintly. He continued.

“
I announce here how the city at Middle Egypt we were to inaugurate today in my honor by the name of
Hadrianopolis
is now relinquished. It is cancelled.

Instead, I announce the inauguration of the new city of
Antinoopolis
. It is to be the liturgical centre of the cult of
Antinous
Divus
at the place where he fell into the river and today’s miracles have occurred. The new city is to be peopled with Romans and Greeks, mainly discharged Legionaries. They will be provided with free land and seed here. This will encourage immigration.

A mausoleum housing the eternal remains of
Antinous Divus
will be erected at Antinoopolis to be the focus of the new city and attract pilgrims to its miracles and rites. Memorial statues of
Antinous Divus
are to be crafted plentifully for dissemination across the Middle Sea.

His
arete
will be celebrated at Antinoopolis just as in life he had recommended Caesar’s be celebrated at this place.
Hail Antinous! And hail to the foundation of Antinoopolis!
”

Hadrian collapsed to his chair to rest. A rumble of chattering voices swept across the assembly, slowly surging to burst into enthusiastic applause. Cries of
Hail Caesar!
and
Hail Antinous Divus!
were shouted. They were accompanied by stamping of feet, rattling of swords on shields, and shrill whistles by the troops.

The priest Pachrates strode across the stone flagging and struck the granite slabs loudly three times with his staff. A hush resumed. Pachrates was beaming. Things had turned his way at last.

“
Great Pharaoh! Hail to you! We too hail Osiris Reborn, the youth Antinous reborn in the guise of Antinous-Osiris! Now, Caesar, witness the light of Amun-Re on this Day of Antinous, Divine Healer and Protector of the Young, risen like Apollo Phoebus as a sign of restored vigor to the Great Pharaoh Hadrian and his Empire!”

As he uttered his praises he thrust his ceremonial scepter high towards the eight high cedar doors arcing between pillars behind the sanctuary. The priests stationed by the doors began chanting a deeply sonorous incantation. At Pachrates’ cue, united as one, they swung open the heavy cedar portals facing the chamber with a single mighty heave. It permitted a shimmering blaze of morning sunlight to flood into the stony interior.

During the debacle with Hagne and Scorilo the sun had fully risen beyond the eastern ranges opposite the temple. Its shining luminosity now swamped the broody gloom of the sanctuary with brilliant splendor. All eyes were enchanted by the intensity of the vision. Rows of priests rattled their
systra
and banged their cymbals or tambours to a crescendo as they completed their chant. Pachrates finalized it with a prayer of praise.

“
Hail Amun-Re, the Hidden God who reveals Himself in Light and in all other deities, and reveals Himself in Antinous-Osiris Reborn!”

The central statue of Osiris as Serapis stood in sharp silhouette against the morning brightness. Its long shadow fell meaningfully through curling incense clouds across the bier supporting the dead Bithynian. Pachrates and Kenamun threw their priest’s staffs to the stones with a resounding clatter as each of the assembled clerics fell to their knees to prostrate themselves in reverence to the new incarnation of their deity lying upon the bier.

Hadrian rose slowly, tiredly, exhaustedly from his throne. He paused thoughtfully and muttered something half-voiced towards the assembled onlookers.

Many in the chamber missed his words, but Suetonius, Clarus, Surisca, and Strabon heard clearly. Thais and Lysias too caught the phrase, while Geta’s response indicated he too had apprehended the remark. The
Augusta
turned in reaction while Arrian stood motionless in grave solemnity. They had heard him intone feebly, even reluctantly:

“
Love is something to be pitied in a Caesar. Pitied.”

Hadrian signaled to his retinue with his eagle-tipped baton of office to dismiss the assembly. He clasped his puke-soiled toga folds about himself and lunged unsteadily towards the entrance corridors followed by his staff and soldiers. He paused by the bier to look upon the face of his departed companion as the morning sunlight flared across the youth’s calm features.

Caesar lingered for an instant seemingly frozen in eternity. He then averted his eyes to move speedily away. Duty called. The business of governance beckoned. The Empire waited impatiently. Sentiment will be postponed to some other time.

Suetonius again detected the glint of moisture at his eyes as the
Princeps
passed by.

Yet, the biographer wondered to himself, is it really true
love is something to be pitied in a Caesar
?

EPILOGOS

The first sounds I heard were calls of alarm and shouted voices. The camp lanes at the Nile’s banks were alive with slaves and attendants scurrying to-and-fro, while passing members of the Household and its military drew closer for a better view. In the sweltering blaze of noon I saw leaping flames and roiling smoke. The Governor’s barque was ablaze.

The She Wolf, Hagne, nee Anna Perenna, and her Wolf Warrior brother Scorilo had been imprisoned under guard in her witch’s den at the stern of
The Alexandros
. They were both manacled to separate beams facing each other in that musty chamber of decayed detritus, razor-sharps, and ill omens, to await examination by torture.