Across the River Styx by Alan Scribner

Author:Alan Scribner [Scribner, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781719523448
Published: 2018-08-13T04:00:00+00:00

It was in the highest type of brothel that the aquarius Optatus chose to ‘investigate’ that night. The lupanar, called the Villa of Venus, was a domus, a separate house, in an upper-class neighborhood on the Caelian Hill, not far from where Judge Severus lived.

On entering, the aquarius saw an atrium courtyard surrounded by a columned portico with rooms for assignations. Rooms in use had a placard on the door turned to the side that said occupata. The courtyard itself featured a central fountain jetting copious amounts of water majestically into the air and then cascading into a large basin. There was also a fish pond in the atrium and scantily clad women lolling about, displaying themselves to customers deciding who to choose. The women were tall, medium and short; dark haired, red headed and blonde; blue eyed, brown eyed and green eyed. But whatever form they took, one was more beautiful and appealing than the other. And everything seemed clean, well-equipped and in good condition. Rare incense wafted through the domus. Evidently no expense had been spared. The Villa of Venus catered to elite customers with money to spend. No one was disappointed after a night at the Villa of Venus. For Optatus, he was on an expense account and the government had no end of money, as far as he was concerned.

Almost as soon as the aquarius came through the entrance, he was approached and welcomed by a tall, beautiful woman dressed in a see-through linen tunic. Optatus wore a fancy silk tunic, blue with a white Greek geometric design on the hem and sleeves. There was gold dust on his hair. The woman had gilded nipples, as he could see through her sheer dress, and pubic hair cut stylishly into an oval at the top of the triangle. He stared openly at her face and body, reflexively nodding his head in approval.

“You look beautiful tonight, Nymphidia,” said Optatus with sincerity. He always liked her long hair, her long legs and her enticing figure. They knew each other well, for this was hardly the first time Optatus had been to the Villa of Venus.

“And you look very handsome tonight, Titus,” she replied with a familiar, welcoming smile.

“I’m flush tonight,” he told her.

“I look forward to it,” she replied.

“As do I. But first, is Venus here? I have to talk to him.”

“In the office,” she nodded in the direction of one of the rooms that surrounded the courtyard.

Optatus sauntered over, looked inside the room and saw a large, rough looking man with a military beard and a bald head sitting at a table drinking wine. “Venus, I have to speak to you.”

“Titus. I haven’t seen you for a while. What do you have to speak to me about?”

“You have a major problem. And I’m here to tell you how to fix it.”

“Come in, then, and tell me about it.”

Optatus entered, sat down and poured some wine for himself into an empty cup. “That fountain of yours, for instance. Is it on all day?”

“Of course.

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