Augustus Road

"The Romans were war-mad, and their only motive was deep-rooted greed." - The words of Mithridates VI

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After the door opened, Kelly and five or six big men walked in and began to open the luggage piled on the floor: they were full of short swords and daggers, as well as some exquisite small boxes, which should contain valuable things. Finally, there were several money bags. Kelly threw one of them on the dining table and said to Karabis: "There are five hundred silver dinar coins in it - after a market day, go to the 'sheep pen' next to the main square." Bring your money bag and sword to the third tavern. Don't take this woman and child with you. Go alone." After saying that, Kelly and the group of people took their things and left quickly.

Later, after asking the administrator Delferro, Calabis learned that "market day" is the popular calendar in the city of Rome: the bull market (big market) in Rome has market day every eight days, and the common people also Using market day as a way to record days is similar to the later week. So the next day, Calabis covered his cloak and came to the Roman Forum at the foot of the Capitol. This was an enclosed area composed of administrative agencies, the Great Temple, and the colonnaded open square. The center of political activities in the entire city of Rome, and the so-called "sheepfold" was where the citizens' assembly voted - qualified citizens entered a large piece of fenced land to vote behind the scenes and decide to support The prosecutor, or supporting the defendant.

According to Kelly's original instructions, Karabis didn't spend much effort to find the small bar, which was located at the entrance of the street entering the "Sheep Pen". In order to familiarize himself with the situation here, Karabis leaned against the corner and slowly Walked in. Standing at the counter was a busty and big-breasted proprietress with curly hair hanging down on both sides and a charming mole on the corner of her mouth. She was holding a wine bottle and gesticulating to the female slaves who were cleaning the store to welcome the opening. "Brother, today is an unlucky day. It's rare for you to get up so early, but there won't be the fights and voting you want to see in the main square - what do you want to have? Wine from the Po River estate, for dipping in honey The rusk couldn't be better. It's an unlucky day and not many customers will come here. It's a bargain, only five copper coins (two sestes)." After Calabis sat down, he took out five seses. Tuss nodded to the landlady, and then asked: "I am a foreigner who has just arrived in Rome. I used to serve in the legion in Asia Minor, and now I am a free citizen. I would like to ask you what to do for the sheepfold here after the market day." What's going on?"

"My brother is from the Eastern Legion. That's easy to explain. After a market day, the tribune will convene a citizens' meeting here. The topic is to decide on the punishment of your former commander Tuna Luculas. Do you know Tuna? ?” The landlady brought a jug of wine and a plate of toasted rusks to the table with a smile, then poured half of the wine evenly over the rusks, happily accepted the five small silver coins, and returned to the counter. On the table, he looked at Calabis with a sidelong look, while vigorously wiping the oil stains on the counter with a rag, making a pair of big breasts swing like a hanging bell. However, Calabis didn’t want to spend three extra Sestes in exchange for such a “killer”, so he continued to inquire: “Dear boss lady... you have to understand that we strangers are not interested in This set from Rome is the most interesting, I think..."

"Brother, I have to warn you. In Rome, curiosity will kill a stranger like you - add some honey." After the boss lady finished speaking, she brought another small cup of honey, and then took her finger out of the honey. He took it out, slowly applied it on his chest, and whispered against Karabis' arm: "What happens in the square every day is that men with citizen titles are venting their useless energy, like Why do free people like me care so much? When men go out to vote, it is a good opportunity for you to comfort the women at home. How about five more slave girls here? You can choose them and do things in the backyard. "

"Boss lady, how much are you worth?" Karabis asked with a smile and retracted his arm.

The landlady seductively smeared the remaining honey on Calabis's cheeks and lips, and said, "Oh my God, because of your sexy and thin lips, as long as you can afford twenty A drachma, or twenty-five dinars, on business in my backyard."

"Ding-ding-dang-dang," Calabis took out twenty drachmas and placed them on the table. Then he stood up and covered himself with a cloak. "After a market day, reserve a place for me where I can see the sheep in the square." Circle seat." Then, Karabis left the tavern.

Seven days later, when the stars were still hanging in the night sky, Calabis finished washing his clothes, looked at the narrow black Tiber River from the window, and then walked to the bed. Poti was still asleep, and Paluma was sleeping. Lying on the couch in the living room covered with blankets, Karabis gently pulled out the dagger from under the bed board, and the money bag containing five hundred dinars, slung around his waist, and covered with a thick coat upside down. Thick cloak, at this time Potty hummed and hugged him from behind, shook him twice, "Don't forget to come back..."

"Well, keep our money box safe. If anything happens, take the little pigeon and leave the city of Rome as soon as possible, and go to the countryside to spend the day." After Carabis ordered, he turned around and kissed Poti , and then quietly left the apartment.

Walking on the winding road, Carabis exhaled white air from his mouth. The gray morning was still very cold. He covered half of his face with his cloak, and walked on the bumpy road with one foot deep and one foot shallow. The arcades on both sides of the road retreated quickly, like gray bats with wings spread out. But at this time, there were already many people on the road, mostly vendors pushing mule carts and stalls, and craftsmen going to work, going to the market on Qiu Kela Avenue on the other side of the square. There were dogs barking everywhere, waking up the sun.

In front of the tavern of the flirtatious proprietress, Kelly and a dozen men wearing cloaks were standing at the door. Seeing Carabis coming, Kelly nodded and whispered, "Did you bring the things?" Seeing Carabis gave a positive answer, Kelly nodded his head, and everyone followed him and turned into the alley behind the tavern.

After walking five or six hundred Roman feet, Carabis found that on the opposite side, there were about a dozen men dressed in civilian clothes, some of whom were wearing wreaths on their heads, walking towards them noisily, and the two groups of people "met on a narrow road" in the narrow alley.

The whole scene was quiet for a while, and then one of the men in the opposite crowd shouted at Kelly: "Get out of the way, freemen and slaves! We are citizens of the Colo district of Rome, and we are going to the sheepfold now. That place will never have anything to do with you in your life."

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