Talbot Mundy

“ As soon as Pkauchios learned there was a spy of Cæsar's in Gades, he pretended to read the stars and went to Balbus, saying there would come a Roman with a tale about conspiracies, but that the tale would be a lie and that the man's real purpose would be to get Balbus into difficulties with the Roman Senate."
"And Balbus believed that?" Tros whistled softly to himself. "And the Lord Orwic is with Pkauchios? And, why waits Pkauchios?" he demanded. "Why hasn't he slain Balbus?"
"He likes others to do that work," Chloe answered. "And the others are hard to bring up to the point. ”

“ Conops answered him, climbing the poop steps sullenly with the air of a man expecting punishment:
"He lingers with the dancing women in a marble palace. Master, he refused to come away with me!"
CHLOE seized Tros' arm and began speaking in a hurry with excited emphasis.
"Trust me! Now trust me. Lord Tros! Your prince of Britain is absolutely safe! Look you! In that liburnian sits Gaius Suetonius. He is a youngster whom Cæsar sent to Balbus with a recommendation, a wastrel whom Cæsar wished to be rid of, but whom he did not care to offend because of his influence in Rome. ”

“ The Northmen swarmed on to the poop and the Roman saw himself surrounded.
"Dog of a pirate, you shall pay for this!" he snarled. He held his chin high, thrusting out his throat, but he drew his sword and gave it hilt-first into Tros' hand. Tros glanced at Conops.
"Into the forward deck-house with them! Lock them in. No other restraint as long as they behave themselves. Stand you on guard with as many Northmen as you need." ”

“ Tros answered gravely, "tell them I go to pay a visit to the Governor of Gades. I will seek permission for my best behaved men to go roistering. But have you seen those Balearic slingers on the beach. You know their reputation? They can hit a man's head with a slung stone at two hundred paces. None of you have weapons. And mark this: Balbus the Governor needs cheap slaves for his quarry gangs. ”

“ Tros returned to the stateroom and sent for Sigurdsen and Conops.
"In my absence," he said, touching Sigurdsen's breast, "you are captain of the ship. The crew obeys you. But you obey Conops, who is my representative. I go ashore, and unless I return before dawn tomorrow you will put to sea after demolishing that trireme on the beach and all the stores and sheds. If I shall have been made prisoner, that hint will probably convince the Romans they would better release me. So you will keep in sight of the harbor mouth and hold speech with any boat the Romans send out. ”

“ He is too keen. He can read me like a writing."
"I have seen writings that deceived the reader," Tros remarked and stroked his chin again.
"Listen!" exclaimed Chloe. "Thus it happened: Cæsar sent a thousand Gauls to Gades to be shipped to Rome for sale for his private account. Balbus put them in the quarries, where the most part died for he did not feed them properly and there was a fever. [2] Cæsar, receiving no word of the arrival of his slaves in Ostia, sent Horatius Verres to find out about it. ”

“ TROS went below into the stateroom where Simon sat with his head between his hands refusing to listen to Chloe's optimistic reassurances. And after a short conference with Chloe he wrote a letter in Greek because, though he understood Latin well enough, he could write the Greek more elegantly.
To the most noble and renowned Lucius Cornelius Balbus Minor, Governor of Gades, Greeting from Tros of Samothrace, the Master of the Trireme Liafail, who cordially thanks you for your invitation to attend you at a session of the court. ”

“ Jaun Aksue came then, none too deferential, demanding information as to when the shore leave might be had.
"We Eskualdenak are fond of seeing promises performed," he remarked. "My men are boasting they could swim ashore. ”