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By Root 3961 0

this impudent young man who had just challenged him. First it had been the procurator starting a campaign against him – a shameful and outrageous campaign, but one that was at least recognised within the imperial system. And now he had discovered that there was a traitor in his own staff. For that was, unquestionably, what this young man that Graccus had wished on him had turned out to be – a disloyal troublemaker. From his long years of experience the governor knew exactly how to deal with traitors: they must be neutralised and destroyed with a single, sudden blow – and it must be a blow that they could not see coming. So his face remained a perfect mask as he considered the matter; and certain things were clear to him at once: Porteus must not be allowed to give his views to any commission of inquiry; nor must he be able to spread discord amongst the other members of the staff; nor would it do to send him back to Rome either, where he might stir up trouble with Graccus. No, something different was needed, and before long he could see clearly what it was. Without doubt he would deal with this young man. At last he spoke,

“Thank you for your valuable advice, which has been noted.” He gave Porteus a polite incline of the head, and then dismissed him coolly. It was a danger signal which Porteus completely missed, and afterwards he confided to Marcus:

“I think I impressed him.”

The blow fell the next day.

It was a note from the governor’s office, which Marcus delivered to his quarters in the early afternoon. The note was short:

C. Porteus Maximus is transferred to the staff of the procurator.

Porteus was puzzled. What did this mean?

“Do you know about this?” he asked Marcus.

But Marcus shook his head.

“Perhaps they think you should have experience of finance; it could be a good sign,” he suggested doubtfully.

“There’s another note too,” he went on.

This was from the secretary to the procurator, in Londinium.

You are appointed as assistant to the junior procurator. Your first post will be at Sorviodunum. Proceed to this office for instructions at once.

Assistant to the junior procurator! It was a minor clerical post. And Sorviodunum! He had never been to the place but he knew it was nothing more than a staging post at a crossroads – miles from anywhere: a complete backwater.

As he gazed at the two impersonal documents, he realised with a cold horror what they meant – and knew that there was nothing he could do about it.

Suetonius’s solution to the problem of Porteus was simple, and perfect. By transferring him to the procurator’s office, he removed him completely from his own staff and put him in the enemy camp where he belonged. Even if his views were ever heard, it would be assumed that anything he said was because either he wished to please the procurator, or to revenge himself on the governor for dismissing him from his staff. And by sending an urgent message to Londinium, recommending that the young man would be ideally suited to a junior post in a backwater, Suetonius had ensured that the commission of inquiry was unlikely ever to see him at all. He had to go there, or be guilty of disobeying orders. There was nothing, nothing that he could do. It was a trap that had already closed. Without fully understanding all that had happened, Porteus could see that he had been neutralised.

“What can I do?” he asked Marcus; and for once his friend was at a loss. “I’m finished,” the young man said sadly.

He could see the consequences quite clearly. Graccus would say that he had failed; he would lose Lydia; his parents would be disgraced. Was there some way out? He could not see it.

But why had Suetonius turned on him so violently? He shook his head. He was still ignorant of the procurator’s report.

Marcus did not know either.

“It looks as if Suetonius didn’t like what you said,” he muttered.

Out of consideration, Marcus sat with him for some time, though neither man spoke much.

“I have a posting too,” Marcus said at last. “I am to go to Rome for a year and I’m leaving in two days. I’m sorry, young