H. C. Bailey

“ Cæsar said. “A lily of the rocks!” She was white, her great eyes dark with fear, but still she had that strange, faint, mocking smile.
“It is the end, Zoe,” Cunoval said, and clasped her to his side, a little, frail creature against his big frame.
Cæsar laughed. “Children you are. Hear me, then, my children. You are in my hand. But I had not sought you out if I had nothing for you by the crucifixion. I give games this year in Rome. I have my school of gladiators in Capua. There is room in it for such as you. And there, you wipe out your past. No man dares anything against Cæsar's men. ”

“ Though Cunoval fought with two men's strength, bound he was, and the girl gave her hands to be bound. Neither he nor she spoke.
“Where is your den, Briton?” Cæsar strode across the rocks, “Yes, that will serve. Let them lie there.” Into the low cave man and woman were thrust. “So. Roll that stone to the mouth. Fall in, in file. March!”
No man of them hesitated. Cunoval wanted to die. They did not. The Roman was master. Down the mountainside they went. “So much for your philosophy,” said Cœlius, “You have got nothing by it but a headache, which is all a man can get, I think. ”

“ Fifty sesterces for the slave who brings her back!”
“Certainly, my master, instantly. But—but they think he is a gladiator—one of the escaped gladiators.”
“Gods, are they not all slain? Crassus crucified a thousand last week.”
“Some lurk on the mountain, it is said.”
“What times we live in! The republic is a den of wolves! Send to the camp—no, I will write to the legatus myself. Go, arm the slaves, send them out to follow. Heaven! They can track the scoundrel at least, cowards that they are.” Glabrio heaved himself up and bustled out. ”

“ Many thanks, but I will not leave you to go hunting the wolves of Spartacus alone.”
“My dear Marcus! Well, I think it will be amusing!”
“Oh, I suppose you will talk philosophy to the gentleman.”
“I should be delighted. He would give us some living thoughts, our—what is he, Marcus? Will you wager? Thracian or Gaul?”
“More likely a mongrel Roman. You are a dreamer, Caius. I will make you a wager. Either the fellow will lurk in his hole till we are tired of beating the mountain, or he will out upon us and cut our throats.”
“I permit no man to cut my throat till I am ready. ”

“ The woman lay still and sometimes spoke his name softly, and when he was weary she rolled close to him and gave her breast to his head. “Sleep,” she said, “sleep.”
“We shall sleep long enough soon.”
“Sleep is good,” she said.
“Life is better. Gods, gods, I will not die!” he shouted, and heaved himself up and tried to gnaw the thongs, but he could not reach them, and cursed again. “To die here in a trap, slowly, in the dark!” He rolled himself, his armor clattering, to the mouth of the cave and thrust his back against the rock. But he was too closely bound to use his strength. ”

“ But from me they will not rebel. They will amuse Rome better fighting than crucified.”
“We are seeking a rascal who stole a woman slave from Glabrio.”
“By Pollux, these have no women among them. Search them!” The legatus laughed. “Farewell, friend. Tell your general that Cæsar salutes Marcus Crassus and has spared him some trouble.”
III.
Cavalry, scouring the mountain, did not find the two in the cave. Who could expect that living creatures had gone in where a rock hid the mouth? In vain Cunoval writhed against the thongs that bound him, and sweated and cursed. ”

“ She was out of breath, she said to the flute girls, and when this man saw her, he broke past the ostiarius and caught her and dragged her away. The ostiarius would not let him pass, held him, shouted for help. But he has cut down the ostiarius and he has gone.”
“Immortal gods! What an outrage! What times we live in! Am I not safe in my own villa? Are my slaves cowards, then? Rascal! She cost me two hundred thousand sesterces.”
“Alas! master, I know it well.”
Cæsar turned away and after a moment stepped through the window into the dark. ”

“ If you want to turn up the date, it is just after the death of Spartacus, Spartacus the First. His revolt of the slaves and the gladiators was crushed, and groves of crucifixions lined the highroad. There were still men in arms who had neither hope nor fear. Politicians might use the turmoil to arrange the assassination of a rival. Therefore Cæsar traveled with an escort. But a mile gone from Glabrio's villa, he bade it ride on and set his horse to the mountainside. ”