The Hadrian Enigma - A Forbidden History by George Gardiner Page B
Authors: George Gardiner
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known each other all our lives. We are friends .”
Lysias uttered this claim with its special emphasis on friends in a loaded manner. Suetonius mentally filed this comment for later exploration.
Glancing around the chamber, he realized how Antinous’s apartments were probably not the place to interview Lysias.
“ Gentlemen, I think we should retire to Secretary Vestinus’ chambers to conduct this interview, don’t you think?”
He looked at Clarus with an eyebrow raised. “Besides, there’ll be food and wine to enjoy,” he added. “We are keen, Lysias, to learn more about your remarkable friend Antinous. I’m sure you will know many things about the youth which may assist us in determining the manner of the lad’s death?”
He was interested to learn more about the dead youth’s relationships and activities and where Caesar fitted-in to that. Separately, what was the precise nature of their relationship? Was Lysias an alternative lover of Antinous?
Suetonius thought something provocative might be a useful opener.
“ Tell us, did Antinous sleep with others in this bedroom?”
Strabon lurched urgently to his writing tools and began fluttering a stylus across a notepad’s wax surface.
“ No, not at all,” the young Greek responded firmly. “Antinous sleeps in this bed with none other than Caesar. He was Caesar’s Companion . That was their compact. When Caesar was disposed elsewhere, Antinous slept here alone. And I can assure you it was not because he was without petitioners. Half the Court and even the eunuchs seemed eager to hop into bed with him.”
Suetonius was surprised to learn of this fidelity.
“ Did you sleep close by last night, Lysias, the night of Antinous’s drowning?” Clarus asked. “Or did you sleep elsewhere?”
Lysias paused thoughtfully. His eyes flashed momentary pain.
“ I remained on my bed next to this chamber all night.”
“ Then you will know what times Antinous came and went through the night or morning? You will know something of his movements?” Clarus contributed.
Lysias paused again to consider his response. Strabon’s stylus paused its fluttering.
“ Antinous did not sleep in his chamber at all last night,” Lysias said at last with increasing emotion.
Clarus, Strabon, and Suetonius looked questioningly to each other. So Antinous had been elsewhere throughout the entire night?
“ Where then, Lysias, do you think Antinous had been?” Suetonius asked.
“ Elsewhere, I would assume,” he offered obliquely.
“ Elsewhere? With Caesar?”
“ I do not know,” was the simple reply.
Clarus cut across this line of questioning. Anything of proximity to Caesar made him uncomfortable. Caesar was not under investigation.
“ It’s time to return to our assigned apartments,” Clarus demanded. “And it’s time to take a formal record from this young man.”
“ Join us, Lysias of Bithynia. We wish to take testimony from you.”
CHAPTER 6
S ecretary Vestinus’s tents were buzzing with activity and ablaze with light.
Chamberlain Alcibiades had returned with two slaves for the investigative team’s service. Vestinus had assigned a further top-notch scribe to support Strabon in the wax-pad transcription chores, while the Praetorian Tribune Macedo had delegated the Alexandrian Centurion Quintus Urbicus to be an investigative agent to the team, accompanied by two troops.
Urbicus’s translation skill had already proven useful with the fishermen. He seemed a sharp fellow suited to Suetonius’s temper.
Standing in the background behind the two guards under Macedo’s command was a further figure draped in a hooded travelling cloak and carrying a large carpetbag. When the figure dropped back its head cowl it revealed a mound of auburn hair dressed in the high woven style worn by ladies of fashion. Suetonius realized it was Surisca, the young entertainer from the House of the Blue Lotuses. His heart leapt a beat. His pulse raced. His
Lysias uttered this claim with its special emphasis on friends in a loaded manner. Suetonius mentally filed this comment for later exploration.
Glancing around the chamber, he realized how Antinous’s apartments were probably not the place to interview Lysias.
“ Gentlemen, I think we should retire to Secretary Vestinus’ chambers to conduct this interview, don’t you think?”
He looked at Clarus with an eyebrow raised. “Besides, there’ll be food and wine to enjoy,” he added. “We are keen, Lysias, to learn more about your remarkable friend Antinous. I’m sure you will know many things about the youth which may assist us in determining the manner of the lad’s death?”
He was interested to learn more about the dead youth’s relationships and activities and where Caesar fitted-in to that. Separately, what was the precise nature of their relationship? Was Lysias an alternative lover of Antinous?
Suetonius thought something provocative might be a useful opener.
“ Tell us, did Antinous sleep with others in this bedroom?”
Strabon lurched urgently to his writing tools and began fluttering a stylus across a notepad’s wax surface.
“ No, not at all,” the young Greek responded firmly. “Antinous sleeps in this bed with none other than Caesar. He was Caesar’s Companion . That was their compact. When Caesar was disposed elsewhere, Antinous slept here alone. And I can assure you it was not because he was without petitioners. Half the Court and even the eunuchs seemed eager to hop into bed with him.”
Suetonius was surprised to learn of this fidelity.
“ Did you sleep close by last night, Lysias, the night of Antinous’s drowning?” Clarus asked. “Or did you sleep elsewhere?”
Lysias paused thoughtfully. His eyes flashed momentary pain.
“ I remained on my bed next to this chamber all night.”
“ Then you will know what times Antinous came and went through the night or morning? You will know something of his movements?” Clarus contributed.
Lysias paused again to consider his response. Strabon’s stylus paused its fluttering.
“ Antinous did not sleep in his chamber at all last night,” Lysias said at last with increasing emotion.
Clarus, Strabon, and Suetonius looked questioningly to each other. So Antinous had been elsewhere throughout the entire night?
“ Where then, Lysias, do you think Antinous had been?” Suetonius asked.
“ Elsewhere, I would assume,” he offered obliquely.
“ Elsewhere? With Caesar?”
“ I do not know,” was the simple reply.
Clarus cut across this line of questioning. Anything of proximity to Caesar made him uncomfortable. Caesar was not under investigation.
“ It’s time to return to our assigned apartments,” Clarus demanded. “And it’s time to take a formal record from this young man.”
“ Join us, Lysias of Bithynia. We wish to take testimony from you.”
CHAPTER 6
S ecretary Vestinus’s tents were buzzing with activity and ablaze with light.
Chamberlain Alcibiades had returned with two slaves for the investigative team’s service. Vestinus had assigned a further top-notch scribe to support Strabon in the wax-pad transcription chores, while the Praetorian Tribune Macedo had delegated the Alexandrian Centurion Quintus Urbicus to be an investigative agent to the team, accompanied by two troops.
Urbicus’s translation skill had already proven useful with the fishermen. He seemed a sharp fellow suited to Suetonius’s temper.
Standing in the background behind the two guards under Macedo’s command was a further figure draped in a hooded travelling cloak and carrying a large carpetbag. When the figure dropped back its head cowl it revealed a mound of auburn hair dressed in the high woven style worn by ladies of fashion. Suetonius realized it was Surisca, the young entertainer from the House of the Blue Lotuses. His heart leapt a beat. His pulse raced. His
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