yet?’
‘Wife?’ The senator turned to the doctor and whispered, ‘What’s this?’
‘Antonia. Apparently she left the feast shortly before the earth- quake. Hasn’t been seen since. But we’re still finding bodies in the rubble. I fear it’s only a matter of time before we find hers.’
‘I see.’ Sempronius gazed at the stricken governor for a moment and then turned to the surgeon. ‘I’ll leave him in your hands. Do your best for him.’
‘Of course, sir.’ The senator lowered his voice. ‘A brief word with you, if I may?’ He rose from the bench, gesturing to the others to follow him. At the door he paused and spoke softly to the surgeon. ‘Will Hirtius live?’
‘I’m doing what I can for him. With enough time, he might recover’
‘Spare me the bedside manner. Will he live? Yes, or no.’
The surgeon licked his lips and then shook his head. ‘Both legs are crushed. He has internal injuries, crushed ribs and organs. I doubt that he will last more than a few days.’
‘I see. Well, do what you can to make him comfortable then.’ The surgeon nodded. Cato looked towards the couch. ‘One other thing. Hirtius is to have no more visitors. Isn’t that right, sir?’ ‘Yes,’ Sempronius agreed. ‘ O f course. That is my strict order.’ ‘Not even Glabius?’ asked the surgeon. ‘Him especially, understand? He is not to disturb the governor. As far as everyone is concerned, Hirtius is glad that I have arrived to take charge. He has confidence in me and has granted me full powers over the province, until he has recovered or a replacement is sent from Rome.That’s our story, and you will stick to it. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Good, then I want you to examine the centurion’s wound. Clean it up and put on a fresh dressing. I need him as ready as he can be when I go to relieve Glabius of his temporary appointment.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
Macro mopped his brow and squinted up at the midday sun blazing in the clear sky. From the gatehouse of the acropolis he could see the teams of auxiliaries working amid the ruins, carefully searching for survivors beneath the rubble. Once they had been located, the long process of digging them out began. Some were found easily enough, but many were trapped under several feet of masonry and had suffered terrible injuries. Still, he conceded, Portillus and his men were proceeding in a methodical manner as they worked their way across the city towards the gorge that led to the port. A number of slaves worked alongside the soldiers; those who had chosen to remain after the earthquake. Most of the surviving slaves had taken the chance to run away. They would be recovered in due course, and punished, Macro reflected. Many slaves were branded and would find it hard to blend in amongst those who were free. Their only other choice was to hide in the wilderness, a precarious existence that had few attractions over slavery.
On the slope outside ofMatala the goatskin tents from the auxiliary cohort’s stores had been set up, and several hundred people were now sheltering from the sun in their shade. There were still another two thousand people who had lost their homes and had to make do with sleeping in the open, or finding what shelter they could in the clumps of trees that grew higher up the slope. There was a stream up there, and a plentiful supply ofwater flowed from the mountains that formed the spine of the island. Macro could see a number of townspeople carrying full skins and amphorae back to the tents, and at the base of a small waterfall near the top of the hill a handful of children were splashing happily in the glittering silver cascade.
Even though they had a good supply of water, the most pressing problem was food. It had been three days since he had taken command of the cohort, and at once it was clear that the port was desperately short of supplies. A small amount had been gleaned from the estates of Canlius and the ruins of Matala and added to
‘Wife?’ The senator turned to the doctor and whispered, ‘What’s this?’
‘Antonia. Apparently she left the feast shortly before the earth- quake. Hasn’t been seen since. But we’re still finding bodies in the rubble. I fear it’s only a matter of time before we find hers.’
‘I see.’ Sempronius gazed at the stricken governor for a moment and then turned to the surgeon. ‘I’ll leave him in your hands. Do your best for him.’
‘Of course, sir.’ The senator lowered his voice. ‘A brief word with you, if I may?’ He rose from the bench, gesturing to the others to follow him. At the door he paused and spoke softly to the surgeon. ‘Will Hirtius live?’
‘I’m doing what I can for him. With enough time, he might recover’
‘Spare me the bedside manner. Will he live? Yes, or no.’
The surgeon licked his lips and then shook his head. ‘Both legs are crushed. He has internal injuries, crushed ribs and organs. I doubt that he will last more than a few days.’
‘I see. Well, do what you can to make him comfortable then.’ The surgeon nodded. Cato looked towards the couch. ‘One other thing. Hirtius is to have no more visitors. Isn’t that right, sir?’ ‘Yes,’ Sempronius agreed. ‘ O f course. That is my strict order.’ ‘Not even Glabius?’ asked the surgeon. ‘Him especially, understand? He is not to disturb the governor. As far as everyone is concerned, Hirtius is glad that I have arrived to take charge. He has confidence in me and has granted me full powers over the province, until he has recovered or a replacement is sent from Rome.That’s our story, and you will stick to it. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Good, then I want you to examine the centurion’s wound. Clean it up and put on a fresh dressing. I need him as ready as he can be when I go to relieve Glabius of his temporary appointment.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
Macro mopped his brow and squinted up at the midday sun blazing in the clear sky. From the gatehouse of the acropolis he could see the teams of auxiliaries working amid the ruins, carefully searching for survivors beneath the rubble. Once they had been located, the long process of digging them out began. Some were found easily enough, but many were trapped under several feet of masonry and had suffered terrible injuries. Still, he conceded, Portillus and his men were proceeding in a methodical manner as they worked their way across the city towards the gorge that led to the port. A number of slaves worked alongside the soldiers; those who had chosen to remain after the earthquake. Most of the surviving slaves had taken the chance to run away. They would be recovered in due course, and punished, Macro reflected. Many slaves were branded and would find it hard to blend in amongst those who were free. Their only other choice was to hide in the wilderness, a precarious existence that had few attractions over slavery.
On the slope outside ofMatala the goatskin tents from the auxiliary cohort’s stores had been set up, and several hundred people were now sheltering from the sun in their shade. There were still another two thousand people who had lost their homes and had to make do with sleeping in the open, or finding what shelter they could in the clumps of trees that grew higher up the slope. There was a stream up there, and a plentiful supply ofwater flowed from the mountains that formed the spine of the island. Macro could see a number of townspeople carrying full skins and amphorae back to the tents, and at the base of a small waterfall near the top of the hill a handful of children were splashing happily in the glittering silver cascade.
Even though they had a good supply of water, the most pressing problem was food. It had been three days since he had taken command of the cohort, and at once it was clear that the port was desperately short of supplies. A small amount had been gleaned from the estates of Canlius and the ruins of Matala and added to
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