The Hadrian Enigma by George Gardiner

Author:George Gardiner [Gardiner, George]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: GMP Editions
Published: 2010-02-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Aristobulus of Antioch and Phlegon of Tralles weren’t prepared for the visitors. The Court Astrologer and the Teller of Tales fluttered chaotically in their chamber checking their wardrobe, decors, lip paints, and face powders in the bumpy reflections of bronze mirrors. They were finalizing their effect on their likely clientele for the day’s public exposure. Artful appearance is as important as actual efficacy in their respective sciences.

The portly, ruddy faced, wine-veined astrologer was still engaged with his early morning toilet as his slave trimmed, oiled, and combed his silvery beard.

Meanwhile the gaunt, bony features of the recorder of wonders, Phlegon, were being splashed with river water to revive his energies after an excess of the delicious local date wine during the previous day’s rites grieving the death of Osiris. The death, too, of the Bithynian youth was deserving of recognition and appropriate mourning.

“It’s been a miracle, in the eyes of the natives,” Aristobulus explained to Suetonius’s first questions. “They now expect their problems with the Nile flood to be resolved in next year’s deluge. They’re convinced the death of a Roman noble has been Caesar’s gift to them, the gracious gesture of a Pharaoh to his subjects in times of difficulty.”

“The fact that our Great Pharaoh is himself exceedingly distressed by the incident evades them, I suppose?” Suetonius commented. “So, Imperial Astrologer, are any more unexpected deaths being told in the stars?”

“Today is the second day of the month of Hathur to the locals, Suetonius Tranquillus, or the fourth day to the Kalends of November to we of Rome,” he proposed sagely, “and the day’s omens are quite auspicious. Tomorrow’s will be even more so. Osiris will resurrect at dawn with the sun, so The Isia will then extend to a weeklong celebration. For many in this strange land it’s the year’s major festival.”

Aristobulus, a native of Antioch at Syria in his fifties, was renown for his command of Chaldean astrology and divination.

Phlegon was a native of Tralles, a small city inland from Ephesus at the coast of Caria in Roman Asia. His scholarly specialty was as a collector of marvelous tales and fabulous wonders for both Hadrian’s amusement and Rome’s avid book collectors. Phlegon’s enthusiasm for recording reports about hermaphrodites, unusual births, monsters, giant skeleton bones, ghostly revenants, or mythical creatures, enlivened the Court’s days.

“Before you depart on your day’s pleasures, good worthies,” Suetonius interjected, “we have some questions to ask you about the deceased, the Bithynian youth Antinous. He was well known to you, I believe? Clarus and I have been commissioned by the emperor to explore the circumstances of the boy’s life and death. We possess the powers of a magisterial enquiry. I am appointed Special Inspector.”

The two Greeks sobered swiftly in response to this announcement. The use of torture upon non-citizen foreigners was a given in a magistrate’s armory of investigative aids. Neither man of science is a citizen of Rome.

“We’re entirely at your service, gentlemen,” they sang in unison.

“Tell us, Aristobulus, what you know of Antinous and his activities,” Suetonius queried.

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