The Grass Crown by Colleen McCullough Read Free Book Online

upon a particularly vacant face in the second row of the jury. “No? Ah—let me refresh your memories! The young Brothers Lucullus brought him to account, sent him into a citizenless exile. I refer of course to Gaius Servilius Augur. No crops had been gathered in Sicily for four years when the loyal consul Manius Aquillius arrived. And I would remind you that Sicily is the source of over half our grain.”
    Sulla slid up, nodded to Marius, then bent his attention upon the still simmering Rutilius Rufus. “How goes the trial?”
    Rutilius Rufus snorted. “Oh, concerning Manius Aquillius, who knows? The jury wants to find any excuse to convict him, so I daresay it will. He’s to be an object lesson for any imprudent fellows who might contemplate supporting Gaius Marius.”
    “Tace!” growled Marius again.
    Rutilius Rufus moved out of earshot, tugging at Sulla to follow. “You’re not nearly so quick to support Gaius Marius yourself these days, are you, Lucius Cornelius?”
    “I have a career to advance, Publius Rutilius, and I doubt I can do so by supporting Gaius Marius.”
    Rutilius Rufus acknowledged the truth of this with a nod. “Yes, that’s understandable. But, my friend, he doesn’t deserve it! He deserves that those of us who know him and hold him in regard should stand by him.”
    That cut; Sulla hunched his shoulders, hissed his pain. “It’s all very well for you to talk! You’re a consular, you’ve had your day! I haven’t! You can call me traitor if you like, but I swear to you, Publius Rutilius, that I will have my day! And the gods help those who oppose me.”
    “Including Gaius Marius?”
    “Including him.”
    Rutilius Rufus said no more, only shook his head in despair.
    Sulla too was silent for a while, then said, “I hear the Celtiberians are proving more than our current governor in Nearer Spain can bear. Dolabella in Further Spain is so tied down by the Lusitani that he can’t move to assist. It looks as if Titus Didius is going to have to go to Nearer Spain during his consulship.”
    “That’s a pity,” said Rutilius Rufus. “I like Titus Didius’s style, New Man though he may be. Sensible laws for a change—and out of the consul’s chair.”
    Sulla grinned. “What, you don’t think our beloved senior consul Metellus Nepos thought the laws up?”
    “No more than you do, Lucius Cornelius. What Caecilius Metellus ever born was more concerned with improving the machinery of government than his own standing? Those two little laws of Titus Didius’s are as important as beneficial. No more rushing bills through the Assemblies, because now three full nundinae days must elapse between promulgation and ratification. And no more tacking unrelated matters together to make a law that’s as confusing as unwieldy. Yes, if nothing else good has happened this year in Senate or Comitia, at least we can claim Titus Didius’s laws,” said Rutilius Rufus with satisfaction.
    But Sulla wasn’t interested in Titus Didius’s laws. “All fine and fair, Publius Rutilius, but you’re missing my point! If Titus Didius goes to Nearer Spain to put down the Celtiberians, I’m going with him as his senior legate. I’ve already had a word with him, and he’s more than agreeable. It’s going to be a long and nasty war, so there’ll be booty to share in, and reputations to be made. Who knows? I might even get to command an army.”
    “You already have a military reputation, Lucius Cornelius.”
    “But look at all the cacat between then and now!” cried Sulla angrily. “They’ve forgotten, all these voting idiots with more money than sense! So what happens? Catulus Caesar would prefer I was dead in case I ever open my mouth about a mutiny, and Scaurus punishes me for something I didn’t do.” He showed his teeth. “They ought to worry, that pair! Because if the day ever comes when I decide they’ve kept me out of the ivory chair forever, I’ll make them wish they were never born!”
    And