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where they each might stand in the event of a—"
    "In the war that's coming between Pompey and Caesar?" How matter-of-factly Diana was able to say the words I choked on; she had no experience of civil war, no memories of Rome besieged and conquered, of enemy lists and seized property and heads on stakes in the Forum.
    Diana read on. " 'Plebeian. Family origins obscure. No known military service. Age about sixty.' Then there's a sort of résumé, a chronological list of highlights from your illustrious career."
    "Let's hear it."
    " 'Little known of activities prior to Year of Rome 674, when he gathered information for Cicero for the parricide trial of Sextus Roscius. Earned gratitude of Cicero (his first major defense), enmity of the dictator Sulla. Numerous episodes of employment by Cicero and others in subsequent years, often related to murder trials. Travel to Spain and Sicily."
    " 'Year of Rome 681: Vestal Virgins Fabia and Licinia accused of intercourse with Catilina and Crassus, respectively. Gordianus thought to have some hand in the defense, but his role obscure."
    " 'Year of Rome 682: Employed by Crassus (on the eve of his command against Spartacus) to investigate the murder of a relative in Baiae. Again, his role obscure. His relations with Crassus strained thereafter."
    " 'Year of Rome 684: Birth of his brilliant and beautiful daughter, Diana ...' "
    "That's not in there!"
    "No. Clearly, whoever compiled this little review doesn't know everything. Actually, the next entry reads: 'Year of Rome 690: Death of his patrician patron Lucius Claudius. Inherited Etruscan farm and moved out of Rome."
    " 'Year of Rome 691: Played murky role in conspiracy of Catilina. Spied on Catilina for Cicero, or vice versa, or both? Relations with Cicero strained thereafter. Traded Etruscan farm for his current residence on the Palatine Hill. Assumed pretense of respectability.' "
    "Pretense? Don't read that part to your mother! Go on."
    " 'Year of Rome 698: Assisted Clodia in prosecution of Marcus Caelius for the murder of the philosopher Dio.' " There was a catch in her voice. " 'Further estrangement from Cicero (defending Caelius).' "
    I grunted. "The less said about that case ..."
    "... the better," concluded Diana, who shared with me a secret about the untimely death of Dio. She cleared her throat. " 'Year of Rome 702: Employed by the Great One to investigate murder of Clodius on the Appian Way. Service satisfactory.' "
    "Satisfactory! Is that all, after what this family suffered to find the truth for Pompey?"
    "I'm sure Pompey would say we were well rewarded." Diana cast a wistful glance toward the garden. Davus smiled back at her and waved.
    "And the less said about that the better, as well," I muttered. "Are those all the entries?"
    "There's one more, dated last month. 'December, Year of Rome 704: No known activity for either side in recent ...' " She frowned and showed me her text. "It's a Greek word I couldn't translate."
    I squinted. "That's a nautical term. It means 'maneuvering.' "
    "Maneuvering?"
    "In the sense of two ships getting into position so as to engage in battle."
    "Oh. Well, then: 'No known activity for either side in recent maneuvering between Pompey and Caesar.' "
    "Is that it? My whole career, reduced to a few arbitrary episodes? I don't think I care for this business of being epitomized by some stranger."
    "There a bit more, about the family."
    "Let's hear it."
    " 'Wife: A former slave, acquired in Alexandria, named Bethesda. Of no political significance."
    " 'One natural offspring, a daughter, Gordiana, addressed as Diana, age about twenty, married to a manumitted slave, one Davus, formerly property of the Great One. ' That last part was underlined in the ciphered text."
    I nodded. "That would make sense, if this document is what it appears to be, a confidential report intended for Pompey. Davus constitutes my only flesh-and-blood tie to Pompey. It's the sort of thing he'd want to see