Caesar by Colleen McCullough Page B

mention you. But it is my duty to report on these things to the Senate, and the best way to find out is to ask,” said Caesar, smiling, but not with charm. Cathbad was impervious to it. “Tell me about women.”
    “Women?”
    “Yes. I note that women, like slaves, can be tortured. Whereas no free man, however low his status, can be tortured. I also note that polygamy is permitted.” Cathbad drew himself up. “We have ten different degrees of marriage, Caesar,” he said with dignity. “This permits a certain latitude about the number of wives a man may acquire. We Gauls are warlike. Men die in battle. In turn, this means that there are more women among our people than men. Our laws and customs were designed for us, not for Romans.”
    “Quite so.” Cathbad drew a breath audibly. “Women have their place. Like men, they have souls, they change places between this world and the other world. And there are priestesses.”
    “Druids?”
    “No, not Druids.”
    “For every difference, there is a similarity,” said Caesar, the smile reaching his eyes. “We elect our priests, a similarity. We do not permit women to hold priesthoods which are important to men, a similarity. The differences are in our status as men—military service, public office, the payment of taxes.” The smile disappeared. “Cathbad, it isn't Roman policy to disturb the Gods and worshiping practices of other peoples. You and yours stand in no danger from me or from Rome. Except in one single respect. Human sacrifice must cease. Men kill each other everywhere and in every people. But no people around the margins of Our Sea kills men—or women—to please the Gods. The Gods do not demand human sacrifice, and the priests who believe they do are deluded.”
    “The men we sacrifice are either prisoners of war or slaves bought for the specific purpose!” Cathbad snapped.“ Nevertheless it must stop.”
    “You lie, Caesar! You and Rome do threaten the Gallic way of life! You threaten the souls of our people!”
    “No human sacrifice,” said Caesar, unmoved and immovable. Thus it went for several hours more, each man learning about the mind of the other. But when the meeting ended, Cathbad left a worried man. If Rome continued to infiltrate Gaul of the Long-hairs, everything would change; Druidism would dwindle and vanish. Therefore Rome must be driven out.
    Caesar's response had been to begin negotiating for the elevation of Tasgetius to the Carnute kingship, by chance vacant. Among the Belgae combat would have decided the issue, but among the Celtae—including the Carnutes—the elders decided in council, with the Druids very carefully watching—and lobbying. The verdict had favored Tasgetius by a very narrow margin, and had depended on his undeniable blood claim. Caesar wanted him because he had spent four years in Rome as a child hostage and understood the perils of leading his people into outright war. Now all of that was gone. Tasgetius was dead and Cathbad the Chief Druid was running the councils.“ So,” said Caesar to his legate Lucius Munatius Plancus, “we'll try a deterrent. The Carnutes are a fairly sophisticated lot, and the murder of Tasgetius may not have been a design for war. They may have killed him for tribal reasons. Take the Twelfth and march for their capital, Cenabum. Go into winter camp outside its walls on the closest dry ground you can find, and watch. Luckily there's not much forest, so they shouldn't be able to surprise you. Be ready to deal with trouble, Plancus.” Plancus was another of Caesar's protégés, a man who, like Trebonius and Hirtius, relied heavily upon Caesar to advance his career. “What about the Druids?” he asked.“ Leave them and Carnutum severely alone, Plancus. I want no religious aspect to this war; that stiffens resistance. Privately I detest the Druids, but it is not my policy to antagonize them any more than I have to.” Off went Plancus and the Twelfth, which left Caesar and the Tenth