“All of which means, Aemilia,” Pollio
laughed, “that, in Beric’s opinion, you
are pretty to look at, but good for nothing else.”
“I meant not that,” Beric said eagerly,
“only that the things you are good for are not
the things which British women are good for.
You have no occasion to be good housewives, because
you have slaves who order everything for you.
But you excel in many things of which a British woman
never so much as heard. There is the same difference
that there is between a cultured Roman and one of my
tribesmen.”
“Human nature is the same everywhere,”
Norbanus said, “fair or dark, great or small.
It is modified by climate, by education, by custom,
and by civilization, but at bottom it is identical.
And now, Pollio, I think you had better take Beric
down to the port, the sight of the trade and shipping
will be new to him.”
As the vessels carrying Suetonius, his suite, and
captives sailed up the Tiber it was met by a galley
bearing the orders of the senate that Suetonius was
not to traverse the streets with an armed suite and
captives in his train, but was to land as a private
person; that the soldiers were to march to the barracks
on the Capitoline, where they would receive their
arrears of pay and be disbanded; and that the captives
were to be handed over to a centurion, who with his
company would be at the landing place to receive them.
Pollio took the news to Beric, who was on board the
same ship, the rest of the captives being with the
soldiers in the vessel which followed.
“I am rejoiced, indeed,” he said, “for
although I knew that the general would not receive
a triumph, I feared that if he made a public entry
it was possible there might be a public outcry for
your life, which would, by our custom, have been forfeited
had there been a triumph. I doubt not that the
hand of Petronius is in this; his messengers would
have arrived here weeks ago, and it may be that letters
despatched as much as a month after we left have preceded
us. Doubtless he would have stated that his clemency
had had the desired effect, and that all trouble was
at an end; he may probably have added that this was
partly due to your influence, and warned them that
were you put to death it would have a deplorable effect
among your people and might cause a renewal of trouble.
Suetonius is furious, for he has hoped much from the
effect his entry with captives in his train would
have produced. He has powerful enemies here;
scarce a noble family but has lost a connection during
the troubles in Britain, and Suetonius is of course
blamed for it. You and I know that, although
he has borne himself harshly towards the Britons,
the rising was due to Catus rather than to him, but
as Catus is a creature of Nero the blame falls upon
Suetonius.”
