SPQR Chapter 5
It was obvious at this point that Martellus was now beyond frustrated with the city of Rome for its bloodthirsty ways, which at this point seemed to be as much a part of the city as the color white was to the salt the wolf received as payment while serving in the Imperial army. The arenas and colosseums of the land would continue to massacre captured slaves, political opponents, and religious minorities and there was nothing that he or Titus, both veterans in foreign wars who had developed a distaste for bloodshed could do to stop them. The mindless bloodlust would continue until the end of time, it seemed and nothing could be done to reform the character of the city from a violent, blood-red city into an innocent one.
It was all the new lupine senator could do to keep his own household safe and through his important work in service to his Empire, the safety and strength of the city. Safety and peace had become more important concepts to the wolf especially now that he was married and had a son. The former looked up to him as being her protection and shield in a city filled with lowlifes and villains, willing to steal from her, or worse. The latter was young and innocent but that would be no match against some of the more depraved felons now crowding the garrisons and prisons. From atop his home at the Aventurine Hill in one of the more prosperous regions of Rome, Martellus could stare down with his golden eyes which was simultaneously beautiful and dangerous, a testament to glorious wealth and mortifying poverty. It was something that his father had spent many sleepless nights doing as well, during the time his son was out fighting in far-flung provinces. From this perch, Martellus the Elder could have seen all kinds of homes, storefronts, government buildings, and aqueducts and now his son was doing much the same thing, feeling as though he was at least in part, a ruler of Rome.
And then there came the sound of pawsteps on the floor, a sound which instantly brought Martellus from a state of ease to one of terror, not at all unlike the emotions that swept over the wolf when he was a Legionnaire in enemy territory. "Quo vadis?"
"Pax" was the response, an unusual answer from a common home invader. And then by the light of the full moon, he saw Emperor Titus, wearing a simple white tunic, bereft of the ceremonial purple robe befitting the Emperor of the world's largest and most powerful Empire. The wolf's mind raced with many questions and his mouth could not keep pace so he started babbling.
"I came here for a reason, my friend. We have much to discuss and we must do it now. I can no longer turn to anyone else for assistance." Again, Martellus was stunned at this development. Since when did Emperors have to sneak into his own home to speak with him?
"Allow me to explain my entry. No doubt, you have noticed your father's fresco painting of ‘Apollo, the Sun God', the eagle whose golden body represents the life-giving sun. The septegram, a distant star in the background is a well-hidden button which allows access to underground tunnels. Follow me, and we will discuss private matters."
Martellus had no idea why the leopard Emperor had come but he was in no condition to ask the reason and in fact, felt a strange sense of honor to be a confidant of the world's most powerful king. So he hastily got dressed in a white tunic and pressed the concealed button in the painting watching as it slid back slowly to reveal a hidden flight of stairs, which the two climbed down. The air was cold and refreshing, in contrast to the hot and humid nights of a Roman summer and, except a dazzling firebrand which Titus used to light the way, very dark. What the light did reveal was a complex system of cisterns and wells, a silver-blue underground river where the Tiber ran beneath the surface. Also of note were a vast number of houses, constructed of rough-hewn stone, possibly hundreds of years old. Martellus knew that not many Romans would have ever seen what he and the leopard were now seeing.
"The houses you see are the ancient ruins of Etruria, its people were called the Etruscans. They occupied the Seven Hills before the Romans came to power. It was against these peoples that Romulus and Remus fought," the Emperor informed him. Only the most well-educated men of Rome knew anything about the city's former occupants and what they did learn was essentially propaganda telling of how the two wolf brothers, with divine assistance, destroyed these unlearned and stupid men to establish this noble city. Yet the stone dwellings were once a feature of a well-established tribe that had existed for centuries before Rome. They were not mindless savages.
"What our forefathers did to the Etruscans established a precedent. The Romans established their own city in much the same way they came to live in others- we scattered the original occupants and established our own city. That was how Rhegium was conquered, how Grecia, and Thracia fell, Asia, Aegyptus, and..." the leopard paused for a few moments and looked at his former underling in the military, "how we conquered Judea."
"There is no reason to cry for our defeated enemies. It was the Emperor's will that they should have fallen," the wolf senator said, finally working up the courage to speak.
"In times past, that answer would have sufficed but I am afraid for all this conquest of foreign lands and peoples, we have forgotten what made the city a power to begin with. Attaining more land is a great thing, but maintaining that land is even greater. That is what I plan on doing as your Emperor. No matter what I do, history will look back on me as the man who ruined the sacred services of the Jews." It was obvious to all that Titus was distraught at now bearing the blame for Jewish suffering and he knew that countless generations would now view him as a villain. In all honesty, Martellus also felt regret for the actions he had taken during the war, punishing those around him with impunity.
"If that is indeed your intention to maintain lands we already own, then go about in peace and do not lose sleep over your decisions." Rather than being obsessed with the acquisition of new lands, the Senate under Vespasian and now his son turned their attention (and finances) to public works projects, diplomacy, and construction rather than military conquests. The more hawkish members of the Court were placated by donations of money and land in exchange for cooperation, and everyone agreed that the Senate was a safer place, without the threat of Imperial-backed assassinations as had been the norm under Nero.
"I understand that. The actions of my brother are cause for concern, though he is next in the Imperial line, if anything should happen to me, may the gods forbid that. He never did take part in the siege of Jerusalem and has no understanding of war and its costs. Nevertheless, as Emperor he would bring us to war with the world. He holds the Senate in contempt and he despises me, even as I am his own brother. He has no concept of filial piety."
That was a word that brought a chill up the wolf's spine. Martellus had long known of filial piety, the rule that all members of the family should follow the oldest male of the household with devotion. To hear his close friend say that he was having troubles with this concept in his own household was damaging enough but if such things were happening in the Imperial household, something catastrophic would happen. Domitian was not going to take orders from anyone, and held his family in disregard, an unforgivable sin in the Roman world. And yet nothing anyone could do would save him and the Empire from this future reign of terror, other than the unlikely scenario of the current Emperor outliving his younger brother.
"These tunnels," the leopard said, changing the subject "they lead out of the city to an abandoned garrison, where no one would ever expect to look. I hope this is merely academic but given Domitian's utter hatred for all of my friends, I am afraid soon your lives will be in danger. Your fellow lupine in the Senate, Publius has already researched exit plans from the city if that tyrant assumes control. Pax, my brother, and walk in faith for that is all we have left."
As he walked away back into the humid warmth of his home, the wolf could not help but feel unease about the new information he had just received. If Domitian was as hateful and arrogant and conceited as Titus had said, faith very well would be the only weapon that the Romans had left.