Vespasian: Tribune of Rome Read Free Page A

than he had to his
grammaticus
or tutor. Consequently his rhetorical skills and knowledge of literature were sadly lacking, but what he didn’t know about mules, sheep or vines wasn’t worth knowing. The one area in which the grammaticus had been successful was arithmetic, but this was solely because Vespasianhad recognised the importance of the subject for calculating profit and loss on the estate.
    He had almost finished when his father came in without knocking. Vespasian stood up, bowed his head in greeting and waited to be spoken to.
    ‘Pallo tells me that we have lost sixteen of our stock in the last month, is this right?’
    ‘Yes, Father. I’m just finishing the numbers now but sixteen looks to be about right. The herdsmen say that they can’t stop the brigands from pinching the odd one now and again; there’s so much space to cover.’
    ‘This is going to have to stop. Those bastards will bleed us dry. With Sabinus back we’ll set a few traps for the vermin and hopefully nail some up. We’ll soon see which they prefer, nails through their feet and wrists or keeping their fucking hands off my fucking property.’
    ‘Yes, Father,’ Vespasian ventured to his father’s retreating back.
    Titus paused in the doorway and looked back at his son. ‘You did well, Vespasian,’ he said in a calmer tone, ‘to move all that livestock with so few men.’
    ‘Thank you, Father. I enjoy it.’
    Titus nodded briefly. ‘I know you do,’ he said with a regretful half-smile, then left.
    Feeling buoyed by his father’s praise Vespasian finished his calculations, confirming that they had indeed lost sixteen, tidied up the desk and lay on his bed to rest until his brother arrived. When he did so, a half-hour later, it was quietly and Vespasian slept through it.
    Vespasian woke with a start; it was dark. Fearful that he was late for dinner he leapt from the bed and stepped out into the torch-lit peristylium. He heard his mother’s voice coming from the atrium and headed in its direction.
    ‘We must use my brother Gaius’ influence to secure the boy a posting as a military tribune soon,’ his mother was saying. Vespasian slowed as he realised that she was talking about him. ‘He will be sixteen next month. If he is to go far, as the omens prophesied at his birth, he mustn’t be allowed to spend any more time on the estate shying away from his duty to the family and Rome.’
    Vespasian edged closer, intrigued by the mention of a prophecy.
    ‘I understand your concern, Vespasia,’ his father replied. ‘But the boy’s spent too much of his youth putting his energies into the estate, not into learning what he needs to survive amid the politics of Rome, let alone in her armies.’
    ‘He will have the goddess Fortuna holding her hands over him to ensure that the prophecy is fulfilled.’
    Vespasian struggled to contain himself; why was she being so vague?
    ‘What about Sabinus?’ Titus asked. ‘Shouldn’t we concentrate on him as the elder son?’
    ‘You spoke to him earlier, he’s a grown man now; ambitious and ruthless enough to make his own way, maybe even to progress beyond praetor, unlike my brother, which would be a great honour for the family. Of course we’ll support him in every way we can, but we only need to support him, not push him. Titus, don’t you see that Vespasian is this family’s route to renown? Now is our time. We’ve used the money that you made as a tax-gatherer in Asia well; you bought this land cheaply and you’ve developed it successfully. With that and what I brought as a dowry to our marriage, we were worth over two million sesterces at the last census. Two million sesterces, Titus. That and my brother’s influence is enough to guarantee our family two places in the Senate; but they must be earned, which they can’t be up here in the Sabine Hills.’
    ‘You’re right, I suppose. Vespasian should start out on his career; and I can see he’ll need to be pushed. But not just yet.