intensely,” observed Anatolius. “You may think Livia looks like a dove but she’s got a vulture’s temperament, according to Calyce. It seems that Livia has made it plain to her on more than one occasion that she’s convinced that Calyce is one of Theodora’s favorites. You know how women go on about these things, seeing even the slightest comment as a deliberate slight and half the time it’s all unfounded.” He heaved a sigh at the strange ways of the other sex. “However, so far as I can tell the acrimony seems to have arisen mostly because Livia is the one who’s always being ordered to get Theodora sweetmeats at ungodly hours or clean out her carriage or run errands here and there. Livia objects to being forced to be continually fetching and carrying—like a common servant is how she puts it.”
“And how does Calyce view it?” John asked with a slight smile.
“Oh, she agrees it’s true. She says it’s because Livia has no real skills or talents. She can’t cook tasty tidbits or arrange Theodora’s hair or embroider as beautifully as Calyce does. Personally I think Theodora keeps Livia running about so much because the poor plump woman’s just not suited for physical activity. She gets out of breath and red in the face and so on. With her nasty sense of humor, it would be just the sort of thing Theodora would delight in.”
“Judging from all this information, I gather you were not entirely successful in evading the romantically inclined Calyce?”
“Sadly, no.” Anatolius’ expression clouded. “You mentioned peril, John. What did you mean by that?”
“Apparently Theodora also kindly decreed that Livia’s daughter serve as a playmate for the twins and today someone tried to poison her,” John said, quickly describing the attempt on Poppaea’s life.
“She was definitely poisoned? It couldn’t have been over-ripe fish or green fruit, that sort of thing?”
John shook his head. “It’s unmistakable. She’s sleeping now but it isn’t a natural slumber.”
“And here I was, putting aside my labors to see how my uncle was coping only to find out it appears he has yet more worries on his hands.” Anatolius looked at John with concern. “Will Poppaea recover?”
“That remains in Mithra’s hands. Gaius has been sent for and will no doubt have some notion of what needs to be done.”
“Perhaps you could also consult Hypatia,” Anatolius suggested. “She has considerable knowledge of herbs.” He suppressed a sneeze. “I’m starting to think I should seek some remedy from her for this dreadful affliction. It always seems to come upon me as soon as I venture beyond the city walls.” He paused as a new thought struck him. “John, is it possible that Barnabas could be behind this new attack?”
John replied that he had initially dismissed the possibility since he had been convinced Barnabas had fled. ”However,” he went on wearily, “now I’m not so certain he’s gone. Yet we cannot find him even though we’ve looked everywhere on Zeno’s estate.”
“Have Felix’s men searched Castor’s estate next door?”
“Castor? He attended Zeno’s banquet, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he was seated on the other side of Theodora. I’m surprised you noticed him, John. She has a way of overshadowing everyone in her vicinity and Castor is not the sort who calls attention to himself. In fact, I suspect he would have preferred to be communing with a volume from his library rather than chatting with the empress.”
John observed that there were many who would prefer not to get into conversation with Theodora. “I intend to pay Castor a visit as soon as possible,” he added.
“I don’t think he’s in residence right now. There were only one or two lights visible in his villa when I passed by his gate a little while ago.”
“Isn’t that unusual?”
“Not for Castor. He always dismisses most of his servants and leaves the place practically deserted while he’s off on
“And how does Calyce view it?” John asked with a slight smile.
“Oh, she agrees it’s true. She says it’s because Livia has no real skills or talents. She can’t cook tasty tidbits or arrange Theodora’s hair or embroider as beautifully as Calyce does. Personally I think Theodora keeps Livia running about so much because the poor plump woman’s just not suited for physical activity. She gets out of breath and red in the face and so on. With her nasty sense of humor, it would be just the sort of thing Theodora would delight in.”
“Judging from all this information, I gather you were not entirely successful in evading the romantically inclined Calyce?”
“Sadly, no.” Anatolius’ expression clouded. “You mentioned peril, John. What did you mean by that?”
“Apparently Theodora also kindly decreed that Livia’s daughter serve as a playmate for the twins and today someone tried to poison her,” John said, quickly describing the attempt on Poppaea’s life.
“She was definitely poisoned? It couldn’t have been over-ripe fish or green fruit, that sort of thing?”
John shook his head. “It’s unmistakable. She’s sleeping now but it isn’t a natural slumber.”
“And here I was, putting aside my labors to see how my uncle was coping only to find out it appears he has yet more worries on his hands.” Anatolius looked at John with concern. “Will Poppaea recover?”
“That remains in Mithra’s hands. Gaius has been sent for and will no doubt have some notion of what needs to be done.”
“Perhaps you could also consult Hypatia,” Anatolius suggested. “She has considerable knowledge of herbs.” He suppressed a sneeze. “I’m starting to think I should seek some remedy from her for this dreadful affliction. It always seems to come upon me as soon as I venture beyond the city walls.” He paused as a new thought struck him. “John, is it possible that Barnabas could be behind this new attack?”
John replied that he had initially dismissed the possibility since he had been convinced Barnabas had fled. ”However,” he went on wearily, “now I’m not so certain he’s gone. Yet we cannot find him even though we’ve looked everywhere on Zeno’s estate.”
“Have Felix’s men searched Castor’s estate next door?”
“Castor? He attended Zeno’s banquet, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he was seated on the other side of Theodora. I’m surprised you noticed him, John. She has a way of overshadowing everyone in her vicinity and Castor is not the sort who calls attention to himself. In fact, I suspect he would have preferred to be communing with a volume from his library rather than chatting with the empress.”
John observed that there were many who would prefer not to get into conversation with Theodora. “I intend to pay Castor a visit as soon as possible,” he added.
“I don’t think he’s in residence right now. There were only one or two lights visible in his villa when I passed by his gate a little while ago.”
“Isn’t that unusual?”
“Not for Castor. He always dismisses most of his servants and leaves the place practically deserted while he’s off on
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