This is the fourth of five parts of an historical story, based on fact, about some of the most remarkable people who ever lived in ancient Rome.

This story can be considered to be a stand-alone prequel to ‘Nero’ by the same author, especially as the tale will eventually be linked to that lengthy saga via other relatively short yarns.

(Brundisium [modern Brindisi], Calabria, Italy, early spring, 83 BC)

Lucius Cornelius Sulla landed unopposed in Brundisium with five legions, opening a ferocious civil war that was to rage in Italy for almost 1½ years. Amongst allied ‘optimates’ rushing to provide him with valuable military assistance were young Crassus, who was later to crush the slave revolt led by Spartacus and lose his life and legions fighting the Parthians at Carrhae, and Pompey, who was to become Julius Caesar’s greatest military rival.

(Rome, almost 1½ years later, 2^nd December 82 BC)

- official phrase used when giving Roman consuls absolute power in an emergency, as quoted by Cicero in ‘In Catilinam’

Sulla’s army eventually reached the walls of Rome, where Marius’ eponymous son had just ordered the killing of the last Senators of the ‘optimates’ faction. The final stand of the ‘populares’ took place at the northeastern ‘Porta Collina’ gate, before the enemy overwhelmed the defenders and entered the city. Several thousand surrendered Lucanian and Samnite mercenary soldiers were subsequently massacred mercilessly on the Campus Martius, in the Flaminian Circus and in the Villa Publica, which was an arsenal.

Using the list that he had prepared in Greece, Sulla, with murderous single-mindedness, then proceeded to gain his long awaited revenge against the populares by beginning the immediate savage liquidation of his defeated political opponents. A period of horror ensued that was to rival the much later terror of the French Revolution. 40 Senators and 1,600 knights were amongst the many proscribed in publicly posted lists, or ‘proscriptionis’, and executed if caught, with their property forfeited and the surviving members of their families forever barred from holding public office.

Amongst those arrested and thrown into prison to await their fate was the now 18 year-old but still rather beautifully boyish Gaius.

(Rome, 1 month later, early January 81 BC)

A rather dishevelled and frightened Gaius was escorted by some of Sulla’s legionaries from the grim basement cell in which he had been incarcerated and up a shadowy stairwell into the presence of the victor in the recent civil war. The latter had just appointed himself Dictator of Rome for an unprecedented indefinite period. The post had previously been filled only for a maximum of six months in national emergencies.

Sulla, currently closely guarded by some of his toughest, most competent and loyal legionaries, was a complex man. He was very eloquent, intelligent, brave, resourceful, indulgent to friends and energetic when needed. However, he liked living in luxury and experiencing a wide range of sexual pleasures with both beautiful women and boys, some of whom were occasionally masochistically encouraged to flog him. He also now possessed much vengeful hatred.

Given Sulla’s varied sexual tastes, his hidden cock rather naturally hardened at the sight of the currently dishevelled but nevertheless still extremely boyishly handsome Gaius, even if, or perhaps more correctly because, the captive with clearly shaven legs wore a rather effeminate tunic with long fringed sleeves. However, the Dictator managed not to be too distracted from the purpose of his interview with the young prisoner, and he quickly and rather brutally came to point.

"I want you to divorce Cinna’s daughter," Sulla advised Gaius, "and instead marry someone I nominate!" The Dictator’s young captive was surprised and pleased to note that he was not immediately being condemned to death but he also did not believe that such a situation would last for long.

Gaius thought that Sulla was teasing him and, whatever he decided to answer in reply to the Dictator’s request, he would still eventually be executed. Being prepared to divorce Cornelia to try to save his life was dishonourable and the new sole ruler of Rome would surely relish the 18 year-old’s acceptance of the shameful proposal, and probably kill him only after the humiliation had been enacted. However, refusal would surely mean instant death.

Given the options, Gaius’ regard for his own personal and family pride finally caused him bravely to refuse Sulla’s request and expect immediate execution.

(Western Mediterranean Sea, 36 years later, January 45 BC)

After receiving the request to join his eponymous great uncle on campaign against rebel Romans in Spain, a different Gaius had rather inconveniently endured a sudden severe illness. After only partly recovering, and despite the residual debilitating effects on his already delicate form of the recent sickness, the keen 17 year-old decided to make up for lost time by sailing out of season to fulfil the summons.

Gaius sailed despite the entreaties of his mother, stepfather and similarly aged best friend, Marcus, to delay until he was completely recovered from his illness and then to travel more safely overland to Spain, rather than risk a sea journey in winter. Roman vessels rarely journeyed on the Mediterranean between late November and early March because of the dangers presented by sudden seasonal storms. However, the 17 year-old found a ship’s captain willing to take the risk because of the gold the youth offered in recompense.

Despite Marcus’ reservations about the wisdom of travelling by sea in winter, he accompanied his best friend on the voyage. He had obtained permission to do so from both Gaius’ great uncle and his own, who were together in Spain.

Gaius, with the help of his great uncle, was following a patrician tradition. As a concluding part of their education, upper class Roman boys, aged from about 16 to 18, spent a year or so in the army, often as part of the personal entourage of a general, before moving on to the staff of a provincial governor. Marcus, whose mentality and physique actually made him far better suited for a military career, was delighted to be given the privilege of being allowed to share his best friend’s experience on an almost equal footing, despite his humbler background. However, his pleasure was curtailed when his worst fears about travelling at sea in winter materialised.

A fierce night storm had endangered the ship on which Gaius and Marcus were sailing to Spain. Huge waves were already swamping the upper deck and the hold was rapidly filling with seawater.

"This ship’s going to sink!" a highly perceptive and alarmed Marcus suggested over the howling of the storm to the still physically extremely gorgeous but also rather delicate Gaius. "I think you’re right," the other fearful 17 year-old replied.

"If the ship does sink," Marcus then forcefully and apparently fearlessly suggested to his dearest friend, "I want you to cling onto me. I can swim much better than you!"

The assumptions of the two intimate friends then began to be fulfilled, as their ship started to founder and disappear beneath the raging waves.

(Outside the town of Ategua, Baetica, southern Spain, shortly afterwards)

A legionary entered the large partitioned pavilion tent of the famous general, which was full of shadows, as the canopy was illuminated only by a single night oil-lamp situated on an ornate metallic stand next to the occupant’s trellis desk. The soldier then quietly crept to the section where he knew his commander would be sleeping on his bunk.

The general was currently unusually campaigning in the cold, rain and snow of winter. Because of this, he was presently besieging the rebel-held town of Ategua, which had large supplies of stored grain.

A legionary’s intrusion into the tent of the general whilst the commander slept was not uncommon. The duty night sentinel frequently entered to check the welfare of the 54 year-old man he was guarding. However, on this occasion, the presence of an unsheathed and already bloody dagger in the soldier’s right hand was unusual, as was the presence of a dead body outside the canopy.

The legionary furtively approached the soundly sleeping general and, as he came close, raised his dagger in order to inflict the imminent deathblow.

(Coast of Baetica, southern Spain, same time)

A soaking wet and freezing Marcus, whose ancestors were humble rustic Italians, dragged the unconscious but thankfully still-alive Gaius from the cold waves onto the secluded beach amidst the continued rainstorm. He then used an old sailor’s technique, taught him by his father, to expel the seawater from his best friend’s insides.

Marcus lay Gaius facedown on the sand, with his head to one side, and pressed parts of his best friend’s back. He then continued these manoeuvres until his fellow 17 year-old had stopped expelling seawater from his mouth and begun instead to revive.

When Gaius was again fully conscious, Marcus used all of his strength to lift his now shivering and very weak best friend up from the damp sand. He then advised his fellow 17 year-old, who was being carried in his strong arms and was not unhappy to hear the news, "I think I’ll find us some shelter from this awful wind and rain!" Meanwhile, there was no sign of other survivors from the recent shipwreck.

(Outside the town of Ategua, Baetica, southern Spain, shortly afterwards)

‘Stat magni nominis umbra.’
(‘He stands in the shadow of a great name.’).

The last vision that the assassin saw was what appeared to be a shadow moving close to him. However, the treacherous legionary never discovered what the sight represented, as blackness then overwhelmed his eyes, simultaneous to a knife accurately piercing his back and then his heart.

The fall of the body onto the floor of the tent awoke the general, who now noticed a man, who was officially his scribe, standing close to him with a bloody dagger in his hand. The military commander then glanced down to see the similarly armed corpse.

"How did you know," Gaius’ great uncle smilingly asked of Marcus’ similar relative, "that an assassination attempt would be made?" "Pure intuition," the other 54 year-old answered, "has caused me to wait in the shadows of your tent for the last few nights!"

"No wonder some knowledgeable people call you my shadow," Gaius’ grateful great uncle commented in response to his lifelong best friend. The latter’s true highly discreet role in the general’s life, as his main adviser, was known only by a select few, who could be trusted to keep the fact to themselves.

It was thought better for political propaganda purposes that nothing should detract from the general’s glorious reputation amongst the ordinary people of Rome. Knowledge that the commander had often relied on wise counsel from a best friend of humble plebeian origin could be used by enemies to besmirch his good name.

"How many times have you now saved my life over the years?" Gaius’ great uncle next enquired. "Ten, I think," the other man replied, "and you’ve only reciprocated on eight occasions. You therefore owe me two lives!"

"I’ll see what I can do!" the general retorted, whilst displaying a broad grin on his face, which disappeared when Marcus’ great uncle confirmed the earlier murder of the duty night guard of the commander’s tent.

(Coast of Baetica, southern Spain, next morning)

Marcus was fortunate enough quickly to find a local beachside peasant hamlet, where some coins in a small moneybag attached to Gaius’ belt, which luckily had not previously been swept away by the sea, soon acquired the pair temporary fresh clothing, warm food and a bed for the night. Gold also bought a couple of reasonable horses, on which the two rapidly recovered friends, re-attired in their now dry original richer clothing and believing that there was danger in delaying, set out next morning to try to join up with their respective great uncles.

As Gaius and Marcus set off with a couple of hired guides, they knew that their enforced land journey would take them across terrain held by rebels, who would be delighted to capture the young great nephew of the enemy commander.

(Outside Munda, Baetica, southern Spain, 2 months later, 17^th March 45 BC)

Despite their youth and inexperience, young Gaius and Marcus had resourcefully managed to evade capture by rebels and instead reach the army of their great uncles. The eight veteran legions concerned were now ready for battle on the plain near Munda against the thirteen similar but less experienced military units fielded by the rival Roman commanders, who included the late Pompey’s two sons.

Since their arrival, young Gaius and Marcus had spent a lot of time with their great uncles, who enjoyed their company. The men were also fatefully impressed by the brave and resolute characters exhibited by the two youths.

The subsequent very close battle of Munda was to prove the last of the many fought by the great uncles of young Gaius and Marcus, although not because of defeat against superior numbers. In fact, the general and his lifelong best friend were again victorious because of superior tactics and survived the conflict unharmed.

The men survived despite being forced at one point to fight on foot in the front line in order to deter troops under pressure from fleeing. Their great nephews also exhibited brave competence throughout the frequently desperate gory struggle.

After lengthy and bloody mopping up operations, in which thousands more people were killed in the city of Corduba alone, the general and his best friend, and their two great nephews, eventually returned safely from Spain to Rome, arriving in September 45 BC. The victorious commander then celebrated another triumphal re-entry into the city.

Gaius and Marcus were subsequently sent to complete their education at Apollonia on the Dalmatian coast, where they were to perfect their rhetoric and knowledge of Greek literature. They were also excitedly to await the summons from their great uncles to join them on their next planned campaign, which was to be against Rome’s great enemies in the east, the Parthians.

Something momentous, however, was to happen in Rome to cause both the abandonment at very short notice of the Parthian campaign and Gaius never again to see his great uncle.

(Rome, over 36 years previously, early January 81 BC)

‘Odi profanum vulgus et arceo.’
(‘I loathe the uneducated mass and keep them away from me.’)

"There’s a youth called Lucius Vipsanius asking for an audience with you, Sir," the centurion in charge of Sulla’s personal guard advised the fierce Dictator. "He apparently wants to talk to you about one of the prisoners," the officer added before giving the name of the captive concerned.

"I’ll see him," a curious Sulla immediately replied and soon after Gaius’ similarly aged best friend, Lucius, was allowed into the dreaded Dictator’s presence. "What do you want?" the man then asked of another very boyishly handsome 18 year-old, whilst his hidden cock again hardened.

"I’ve come to plead for the release of my friend, Gaius," Lucius answered, before quoting his fellow 18 year-old’s full name and giving the reasons for his entreaty. The latter essentially related to the fact that the young patrician had never been involved in politics, let alone in harming any of Sulla’s supporters.

Unfortunately, Sulla, as leader of the aristocratic ‘optimates’, was very class conscious and was displeased by Lucius’ brave intervention to beg for Gaius’ life. The snobbish Dictator could tell, from dress and accent, that the youth now before him was a mere plebeian.

"You’ve got balls, plebeian scum, to waste my time with such a plea," the angered Sulla commented before then smiling as an idea entered his vengeful mind. However, his smile was not of sudden friendliness but of cruel amusement. The sadistic Dictator had thought of an appropriate way to punish the brazen gall exhibited by Lucius, who was of too little importance to bother with killing.

"But," Sulla menacingly announced, "you won’t have your impertinent balls for much longer!" Turning to his guards, the Dictator then ordered "Seize and strip the brat, then for his insolence castrate him and throw his naked body into the gutter outside, where a eunuch of his class belongs!"

(To be concluded in part V – ‘Dei’ [‘Gods’])