Sharpie

August 61AD It had been nine days since the birth of his son. Nine days since he'd spent half the day pacing the atrium - to the lararium, turn, back to the tablinum, turn... Of course he hadn't set eyes on his son in those intervening days. They'd needed to be sure he'd live, and it was bad luck (or something) for the father to see the child before the formal presentation. He adjusted the green tunic he was wearing, and then the brooch that fastened his pallium at his shoulder. The brooch had been a gift from his wife, a sturdy masculine thing with a carnelian carved with the head of Minerva. He chose it the most frequently of all the various fibulae he owned, touched by the thoughtfulness of the gift. Eventually he became aware of the slave waiting to draw his attention. "Domine, everything is ready...?" He nodded. "Let your mistress know." The slave nodded and retreated and Aulus made his way to the atrium to wait for his wife, refusing to give in to the urge to begin pacing again until she appeared. @Sara

"On the walls? No - I don't really have anything I need to let people know about." He looked meaningfully at one particular message proclaiming Gaius is a manwhore and rolled his eyes. "I've got a tabula to practise in. Besides, I don't have any urge to write about sex all over the walls of Rome and I don't think anyone round here writes about much else." A wax writing tablet didn't cost that much and Azarion might be able to borrow one anyway, as Rufus had, though Rufus probably had more reason to be able to borrow one. "I don't suppose you've been leaving messages, either," he added, looking between the crude proclamations and Azarion. The youth didn't strike him as being a total innocent, not when it came to creative swearing and other things - he could probably teach the rest of the Roman graffiti artists a thing or two when it came to swearing, in fact. If they could read anything other than Latin, and if Azarion could write anything other than Latin. @Chevi

"Human stories - if you take, say, the Aeneid in its various books and look at the stories it tells, they're all human, really," Teutus said. "And yes, Ovid is really rather clever. Though, probably not really all that suitable for a ten-year-old." He wondered if Sergia was referencing the Metamorphoses or the Ars Amoria... Did she have someone she secretly composed her own love poems for? Even if he'd never read them. "Really, though, most stories are human stories. People just want to... dress them up a bit, make them seem more impressive by pretending they're about other things. Like battles and stuff. Though the majority of the Iliad forgets the rest of the Trojan War and just focuses on one man sulking like a child over not getting his own way." He'd never really liked the Iliad because of how it focussed on Achilles behaving like a spoilt brat. @locutus-sum

Azarion's shrug and expansive gesture made Rufus laugh. He was right, though, there was a lot of writing on the walls around them, most of it very crude indeed. Some of it was accompanied by even cruder pictures. There was a whole list of names in one area, in which the name Alexius featured several times, among others. "Have you been practising your writing as well?" he asked, wondering which scrawls could be attributed to his friend. @Chevi

Rufus grinned back. He had no idea how they were going to manage to communicate this time - the last time, Rufus had done all the talking (well, he would, seeing as the other couldn't speak at all!) and had stumbled more by luck than judgement on teaching him something that might be useful later on. Speaking of which, he had a closer look at the wall Azarion had been studying. FUCK ME it proclaimed, emblazoned in big bold capital letters a handspan high at least. "Is this the only thing you can find to practice your reading with?" he asked, trying not to sound amused. @Chevi

Jason is a shorty at about 5'4". James D'Arcy is about 6'3" according to his IMDb entry. So yeah, a whole foot taller, pretty much! What about your guys?

"Rome is a big city, of course it's overwhelming," he said. He'd found it overwhelming, and he'd come here from Alexandria via Corinthos, both of them bustling vibrant port cities with their own markets and populations of outsiders - Alexandria had its Egyptian quarter, and its Jewish quarter and its Greek quarter, all of them very different from one another yet all lively, small cities within the larger one. He needed to stop thinking about it, he was maybe never going to see it again and it was no use dwelling on the past. "People fit because... because Rome's so big, around," he added, thinking about it. "And so big up, in lots of places - all those insulae with people stacked on top of each other." Like piling flatbreads on top of one another. "You'll get to know the people in your own neighbourhood easily enough, and that's all anyone needs, really," he added. "Nobody could possibly know everyone in the city, it's far too big for that." He returned her smile. "I'm Davus. And there, you know someone else in this really big city." @Sara

"You have really put some thought into this." Aulus gave an apologetic one-shouldered shrug. "I'd be a poor sort of politician if I didn't think of scenarios and plan for them, however likely or unlikely they are to come to pass. And I know what lawyers are like, bleeding estates dry for their own gain and damn the heirs." He nodded as she made mention of her own plans. "I daresay you will want to travel down to Baiae to visit Mother and Father - though I think Father will want to come up to Rome to see Titus take his toga virilis. As for colours, you look very fetching in blue. I shall array you in all the colours of the rainbow if you wish, you have only to ask. Find yourself a body slave and take her shopping with you. I expect you to return laden with fabric in as many colours as you can find." He could empathise with her, but only to a degree; Senators likewise had a uniform of sorts, the white tunic and toga with their broad purple stripes, though they could wear whatever they wished in their day-to-day lives. "How is your barbarian chieftain working out, anyway? Something Calpurnius Eppitacus, isn't it?" @Chevi

Rufus was out and about again; his ankle had been a nuisance for a week or so, but that had been several months before and it was back to normal by now. This time, rather than the Ludus Magnus he found himself near the stables of the chariot factions, a little closer to the Palatine and home - almost in the shadow of the Palatine Hill, in fact. Rufus was minding his own business - well, his master's business - and returning home after his most recent errand, when he became aware of one of the other people walking along the same street. A young man with a slightly feral look, pausing to look at some of the graffiti on the walls. He looked familiar, but it was only when Rufus saw him pause to try to figure out one of the messages that he realised who it was. "Azarion!" @Chevi

"Hey - we can't all be as good-looking as your friend the Consul, Domine," Attis managed, a little stung, though mostly relieved that Longinus had repaid his faith in him. He hadn't expected that the master would be generous enough to grant Metella an allowance to consult with a midwife. "If it looks like Metella, it'll be the prettiest baby you've ever seen," he added, recognising Metella's relief for what it was. "And thank you, Domine." He glanced at the pile of papers on the master's desk. "We didn't mean to interrupt, we'll let you get back to it." @Sara @Chevi

"Oh Juno, no - I merely meant that you don't deserve to marry some ancient decrepit Senator who's a breath away from his funeral pyre," Aulus said, unable to keep from laughing. "Unless you particularly want to marry said ancient Senator, and inherit everything, in which case, who am I to stop you Though in that case, he probably has sons who will dispute the will, which will drag everything through the law courts for a decade or more to come and leave you with nothing but a few quadrantes and a couple of ancient arthritic slaves." It felt good to be able to relax with his sister, and to tease her in the fashion that older brothers are wont to do. "So, do you have any plans for your retirement, other than fending off unsuitable suitors foisted on you by our esteemed Titus Augustus when he gets around to it?" @Chevi

Unlike Jason, I am definitely not a horse person. I've spent the sum total of about two hours on the back of a horse in a riding school's training paddock. (But would love to do more!)

The watching attendants were quick enough to drag the injured horses and driver and the wrecked chariot clear; they weren't from the Whites and thus didn't concern Marcus, whose focus was on the remaining seven teams now thundering down the back straight, heading for the turn at the near end of the spina, completing the first of the seven laps. Azarion was still with them, having apparently cleared the wreck with relative ease - it must have been the Reds' shipwreck because Marcus could only see one Red chariot left. The teams were getting a little more strung out now, although it was still winnable by any of the seven left, supposing there was not another shipwreck. He adjusted his pallium and clasped his hands behind his back, projecting an air of calm disinterest for those of his own faction who were waiting to attend to the horses and drivers once the seventh lap was over and they left the track to the more flashy quadrigae - he could see Flavius strutting his stuff somewhere while he waited. As ever. @Chevi @Atrice @Sarah @Járnviðr

"Come with me." The command was given in as level and neutral a tone as any order Tiberius had ever issued him; Jason had never once known him to get impatient or angry with his slaves, or to snap an order unnecessarily. Three words and an abrupt change of direction, through a gateway that led out of the private gardens and to more serviceable courtyards, and across towards another building. The autumn breeze was in their faces, bringing with it the smells and sounds of horses. Jason had been to the stables here, but only on very infrequent occasions. It was a place he would like to be able to visit more, but it was out of earshot of his master's rooms and he could not spend so long away from his master when Tiberius was in the palace. He wondered what thoughts were running through Tiberius' head, but the upright bearing and set of his shoulders gave nothing away, and he could not ask. No Roman liked their slaves to talk out of turn, after all, and Tiberius was no different in that regard. @Sarah

"No, I'm from Alexandria originally," Davus replied, steadying her as she hastily stepped out of the way of a curtained litter. That small bit of information couldn't hurt. "It's a big city, but not as big as Rome - I don't know if there's anywhere as big as Rome." She had an accent, too - lots of people in Rome did - and he wondered how far she was from her home, though he wasn't going to be so rude as to ask. "You don't have to get to know the whole city, if it helps - just the region where you live and the market you go to the most. You'll get to know the stallholders, too - which ones will help and which ones to avoid because they're bad-tempered or their goods are poor quality and overpriced. If you can get to the market early, you'll have a better chance of getting the good stuff before it's all gone and you're just left with the bruised apples and going bad vegetables." He was a house slave, he mostly shopped for things needed in the household, though some of it they had delivered, or sent a bigger burlier slave to buy. "How long have you been in Rome?" he asked. It couldn't have been all that long, really, and he hoped he wasn't prying too much with even that question. @Sara

Tiranes caught the eyeroll and elbowed Azarion in the side in return. "I'll do it if you insist but it'll be weird - anyway, I'm pretty sure the attendants here have seen it all before. They're not likely to say anything." Azarion was strung taut, like a too-tight bowstring. Something had to give, and Tiranes just hoped that it wouldn't be his cousin this time, though being a slave, it was more likely to be Azarion who got hurt than anyone else. "We've been in Rome for... a while. We just can't always get to do things like this," he said in response to the stranger's question. He'd probably worked out that they were both slaves - if he hadn't figured it out already, he surely would soon. "What about you?" Well. It seemed as though they were having a conversation now. While sitting here naked with Azarion practically writhing in embarrassment next to him. They couldn't possibly have met at the market, haggling over thyme and rosemary, could they! @Atrice @Chevi

"Natives are dangerous everywhere" "That's true enough," Attis replied with a shrug. "So... what would you do with all the riches?" "Oh, now you're asking the really difficult questions! I don't know - I don't think anyone's going to be able to actually spend all that money, no matter what they say. I wouldn't need half that sort of money, anyway. Just enough for a little farm somewhere back in Italia, maybe." He gestured at the other man with his spoon. "What would you do with all that money, then? Got a nice girl you'd like to settle down with somewhere, perhaps?" @Chevi

I generally don't have music on when I write these days, but I do have (and keep wanting to expand) a playlist of various soundtracks I like listening to when I want something to set the mood. And I thought you guys might like them, too. Links will be to Amazon UK but they're digital so you ought to be able to get them where you are. If anyone knows of any others, let me know! HBO's Rome - not sure if this is available as a download from Amazon, I had to go hunting for somewhere to purchase it and now can't remember the site :( There are a bunch of places where you can stream it, though, like last.fm. I believe you can purchase a download of it here. Europa Universalis Rome soundtrack - from a video game but an excellent score. You'll recognise some of the tracks if you've watched my AeRo vids. Rome Total War - another soundtrack from a video game, another one I really like (especially tracks like Barbarian Victory, for some reason). Domina - music from the Amazon series, really good Gladiator - the soundtrack from the Russell Crowe film. By Hans Zimmerman, some of it is a bit reminiscent of his later work on Pirate of the Caribbean, but it's still heart-rendingly good Pompeii - really good score for what was a pretty mediocre film. The track 'My people were horsemen' always makes me think of Azarion and Jason, I can't think why! Coliseum - don't know whether this is from a video game or a foreign language film or TV series, but the music is pretty decent. The first couple of tracks are reminiscent of sword and sandal epics from the 50s and 60s but that's OK. SPQR; SPQR II; SPQR III and SPQR IV by David Chas - some really good atmospheric music for Roman stuff (also check out his Bandcamp page for some Celtic/Anglo-Saxon and Viking mood-setting music if you want to explore further stuff than just 'Roman' themed music) His page now includes SPQR V Enemy of Rome - another one with some really atmospheric tracks (I particularly like Victory.) Glory of Rome - very short album but still pretty good Attila the Hun - just added; another one with a very similar feel and mood to the rest on this list Back on Bandcamp is Imperium from Atomic Music Audio, which I haven't listened to all the way through yet, but is pretty good from what I've heard. And available from Amazon is Radix by Heimis - I had an issue with the download of this thanks to receiving an incorrect link which was sorted out really quickly by Amazon's customer service. I don't know if that was just the link I got or is somehow endemic with this download so be warned. (Customer service was really good once I explained the issue!) As ever, I will update this if I get more music in a similar vein!

Tiranês dismounted easily to join his cousin. Burdukhan whickered at him before starting to crop the grass. He had no fears that she would not be where he left her, with his gear intact; Sarmatian horses were well-trained and more trustworthy than most people. He debated for a moment whether to take his bow but decided not to, there would be no need for it and if they were spotted, he didn't need to look threatening. "It would be just our luck to pick somewhere where there aren't any Romans in sight," he said quietly, ducking down as they crested the hill. No need to silhouette themselves against the skyline, after all. He hoped that they weren't making a mistake and that the Romans didn't think they might be some sort of scouting party. @Chevi - sorry for the delay!

Shit, Longinus was busy. He almost retreated, and then their master looked up. "What have you two done? And how much is it going to cost me to fix?" Oh, of course he'd assume the worst. The problem was, in this case, the worst was probably even worse than he thought it was. Attis opened his mouth but was forestalled by Metella. "Domine, it appears that I am pregnant." His protective instincts kicked in then and he shifted his position without thinking, putting himself just a fraction between the two of them and reached for Metella's hand, squeezing it in reassurance. Not that it would do any good; their master was under absolutely no obligation to allow them to raise a slave baby in his household. He tried to think of something to say but in the face of the enormity of this, his usual flippancy deserted him. @Sara @Chevi

"At least we'd be together," Attis replied, getting to his feet. "I'll do the talking if you want," he added, feeling that he really should make the offer, seeing as he was the master's body slave and this was half his fault anyway. The walk from the slave quarters to the tablinum was entirely too short, even for a senator's domus, and Attis steeled himself before clearing his throat to announce their presence. Saying they should tell the master and actually telling the master were two very different things indeed. "Domine? Are you busy? We... have something we need to tell you." He couldn't help the mental plea. Please be busy... @Sara @Chevi

Jason let out a quiet breath. If Cinnia and Tiberius were worse than him at knucklebones, he was going to have to be very good at losing without making it obvious - neither one of them would be at all happy if they learned he'd done it deliberately. But he wanted to give Azarion something from home and the only thing he had were the stories they'd used to listen to, and to tell, in the evenings. Azarion couldn't do the same for him, but that didn't matter. Winning or losing at dice was a far less certain thing, being utterly dependent on chance, but knucklebones were pure skill. Actually, Azarion would probably join the queue to strangle him if he discovered he'd thrown the game by choice - but also, his cousin couldn't pay the forfeit he'd suggested. He'd have to do enough talking for the both of them. "Lowest score loses, then," he said out loud for the benefit of Cinnia and his master. And there were numbers scratched on each of the bones. That might make things a little easier for him. Maybe. @Atrice @Sarah @Chevi

Aulus let out a laugh. "The Emperor - the new Emperor - is only young and isn't married himself, yet. I don't think you have anything to worry about there, and I daresay you wouldn't be the first retired Vestal to veto a Pontifex Maximus' selection. I hope you do stay for a while, the house is quite big enough that we won't be falling over one another - and I promise you that I have no intention whatsoever of questioning you every time you want to go out, or going over your accounts. Although, if you do want a hand with your accounts, I can lend you Xanthos when I don't need him. And if you want anything else, you only have to ask." Even with two women with patrician tastes, Aulus had more than enough money to satisfy their spending habits, especially as Horatia's expenditure was relatively modest, being mostly books and the occasional length of fabric for a stola or palla. "Although if he chooses some vastly wealthy Senator who looks as if he's about to drop dead of exertion just by standing, I might have something to say about it," he added with a grin. @Chevi

He rolled his eyes right back at her. He knew he wouldn't get far - what on earth did she think he'd meant? He probably wouldn't get as far as the door, if the truth were known. If she didn't catch him, Longinus would, and either one of them - if not both! - would string him up by the balls. "You'll get tired of saying no one day and say yes just to shut me up," he told her. "I'm not that bad, am I - no, don't answer that, I probably don't want to hear the answer." He heaved a sigh and tossed the pillow aside. "Let's go and 'fess up. You think he'll send me back to Sulpicius Rufus again? Though he never said he minded us doing, you know..." @Chevi @Chevi

"If you think for one moment that I'm one of those..." he swallowed the extremely rude derogatory word that was his initial description "... men who'd go swanning off and leave you holding the baby, I'm not." It didn't actually occur to him that their master could be accused of having done that very thing when Cassia was small. "For one thing, I'd really rather not have fugitivus added to this," he indicated the scar on his forehead. "And for another, I've never heard of a woman getting pregnant all by herself. Whatever else I might be, I'm not a complete bastard." He moved to throw the pillow back at her and reconsidered. When he next spoke, it was in a far more level speaking tone. "I said, we should tell him, didn't I? You're stuck with me unless you decide otherwise - like I've been trying to persuade you for gods know how long." @Chevi