1.Marius' Mules: The Invasion of Gaul by S. J. A. Turney

Author:S. J. A. Turney [Turney, S. J. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781907986161
Amazon: 1907986162
Publisher: YouWriteOn
Published: 2010-11-18T00:00:00+00:00

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Dumnorix was fat. Fat and ostentatious, no less. He stood at one end of the square, dressed well in high-quality local Gaulish garments and bedecked with gold and silver jewellery. He was being treated, as Fronto had expected, with the deference and respect that would be due a citizen of Rome. The man did not look worried. In fact, he looked arrogantly unconcerned. Fronto took an immediate dislike to him and began to regret having suggested that he would be more use alive.

Fronto sat to one side of the square on a long log seat with a flattened surface that was draped with cloths and padded with cushions. To his left sat Caesar and to his right Sabinus, with Balbus, Crassus, Cita and Labienus seated around and behind them. Along with them sat Decimus Brutus, a young staff officer favoured by Caesar’s wife, the vapid and easily impressed Plancus, and a staff officer Fronto didn’t know well called Pedius who had an air of competency, completing the Roman element of the jury.

On the other side of the square, ten of the Aedui sat facing them. Fronto recognised Liscus and Divitiacus, but the other eight were unknown to him. None of them looked particularly content, but there was a grim and determined appearance to them, in particular to Liscus.

Fronto found his eyes straying across behind them to a the tip of a tree, standing high above a nearby building, that he knew grew in the corner of a nice, shady tavern. What wouldn’t he give to be there right now rather than here? He frowned and nodded reflexively, trying to put forth the impression that he was paying some kind of attention to proceedings.

The Aeduan magistrate, or whatever these people called them, strolled around the square, his hands clasped together behind his back. He had been annunciating at the top of his deep, resonant voice for the last twenty minutes, though Fronto had heard barely a word. Caesar had been listening intently, but had not interrupted. Balbus had begun to snore gently a few minutes ago, until Longinus had nudged him.

The whole thing was something of a charade anyway, put together to enhance Liscus’ standing among his people. Caesar had discussed the matter with the Aeduan leader the previous night and planned every detail. Dumnorix would be stripped of any titles and rights he held among the tribe, fined to within the borderline of poverty, and his personal cavalry would be disbanded. Dumnorix would be left no better off than the lowliest fishmonger in the tribe, and would be under a restricted movement policy. He would be unable to leave the confines of the town, and must report to the magistrates at dawn and dusk. He would be effectively disempowered and imprisoned. In addition, Liscus would have him under surveillance, noting any contact he had with others and reporting appropriately to the Roman command.

In order to build Liscus’ reputation among the tribe the Roman officers, when asked, should demand execution as a penalty.

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