CHAPTER XX: THE SARDINIAN FORESTS
The Carthaginians returned in the evening in groups from the variousscenes of their labour and without delay consumed the provisionsprovided for them. Then one by one they sauntered away down towardsthe stream. Malchus was the last to leave, and having seen that all hisfollowers had preceded him, he, too, crossed the stream, paused a momentat a heap of debris from the mine, and picking up three or four piecesof rock about the size of his fist, rolled them in the corner of hisgarment, and holding this in one hand moved up the hill.
Here and there he paused a moment as if interested in watching thegroups of slaves eating their evening meal, until at last he reached theupper line of little huts. Between these and the hill top upon whichthe sentries stood was a distance of about fifty yards, which was keptscrupulously clear to enable them to watch the movements of any mangoing beyond the huts. The sentries were some thirty paces apart, sothat, as Malchus calculated, not more than four or five of them couldassemble before he reached them, if they did not previously perceiveanything suspicious which might put them on the alert.
Looking round him Malchus saw his followers scattered about among theslaves at a short distance. Standing behind the shelter of the hut heraised his hand, and all began to move towards him. As there was nothingin their attire, which consisted of one long cloth wound round them,to distinguish them from the other slaves, the movement attracted noattention from the sentries, who were, from their position, able tooverlook the low huts.
When he saw that all were close, Malchus gave a shout and dashed up thehill, followed by his comrades.
The nearest sentry, seeing a body of fifty men suddenly rushing towardshim, raised a shout, and his comrades from either side ran towards him;but so quickly was the movement performed that but five had gatheredwhen the Carthaginians reached them, although many others were runningtowards the spot. The Carthaginians, when they came close to theirlevelled spears, poured upon them a shower of heavy stones, whichknocked two of them down and so bruised and battered the others thatthey went down at once when the Carthaginians burst upon them.
The nearest Romans halted to await the arrival of their comrades comingup behind them, and the Carthaginians, seizing the swords, spears, andshields of their fallen foes, dashed on at full speed. The Romans soonfollowed, but with the weight of their weapons, armour, and helmetsthey were speedily distanced, and the fugitives reached the edge of theforest in safety and dashed into its recesses.
After running for some distance they halted, knowing that the Romanswould not think of pursuing except with a large force. The forests whichcovered the mountains of Sardinia were for the most part composed ofevergreen oak, with, in some places, a thick undergrowth of shrubs andyoung trees. Through this the Carthaginians made their way with somedifficulty, until, just as it became dark, they reached the bottom of avalley comparatively free of trees and through which ran a clear stream.
"Here we will halt for the night," Malchus said; "there is no fear ofthe Romans pursuing at once, if indeed they do so at all, for theirchance of finding us in these mountains, covered with hundreds of squaremiles of forests, is slight indeed; however, we will at once provideourselves with weapons."
The five Roman swords were put into requisition, and some straightyoung saplings were felled, and their points being sharpened they wereconverted into efficient spears, each some fourteen feet long.
"It is well we have supped," Malchus said; "our breakfast will dependon ourselves. Tomorrow we must keep a sharp lookout for smoke risingthrough the trees; there are sure to be numbers of charcoal burners inthe forest, for upon them the Romans depend for their fuel. One of thefirst things to do is to obtain a couple of lighted brands. A fire isessential for warmth among these hills, even putting aside its uses forcooking."
"That is when we have anything to cook," Halco said laughingly.
"That is certainly essential," Malchus agreed; "but there is sure to beplenty of wild boar and deer among these forests. We have only to find avalley with a narrow entrance, and post ourselves there and send all themen to form a circle on the hills around it and drive them down to us;besides, most likely we shall come across herds of goats and pigs, whichthe villagers in the lower valleys will send up to feed on the acorns. Ihave no fear but we shall be able to obtain plenty of flesh; as to corn,we have only to make a raid down into the plain, and when we have foundout something about the general lay of the country, the hills and theextent of the forest, we will choose some spot near its centre anderect huts there. If it were not for the peasants we might live herefor years, for all the Roman forces in Sardinia would be insufficient torout us out of these mountains; but unfortunately, as we shall have torob the peasants, they will act as guides to the Romans, and we shall beobliged to keep a sharp lookout against surprise. If it gets too hot forus we must make a night march across the plain to the mountains on theeastern side. I heard at Caralis that the wild part there is very muchlarger than it is on this side of the island, and it extends without abreak from the port right up to the north of the island."
Safe as he felt from pursuit Malchus posted four men as sentries, andthe rest of the band lay down to sleep, rejoicing in the thought that onthe morrow they should not be wakened to take their share in the laboursin the mine.
At daybreak all were on the move, and a deep spot having been foundin the stream, they indulged in the luxury of a bath. That done theystarted on the march further into the heart of the forest. The hillswere of great height, with bare crags often beetling up among the treeshundreds of feet, with deep valleys and rugged precipices. In crossingone of these valleys Nessus suddenly lifted his hand.
"What is it?" Malchus asked.
"I heard a pig grunt," Nessus replied, "on our right there."
Malchus at once divided the band in two and told them to proceed asquietly as possible along the lower slopes of the hill, leaving a man atevery fifteen paces.
When all had been posted, the ends of the line were to descend untilthey met in the middle of the valley, thus forming a circle. A shoutwas to tell the rest that this was done, and then all were to move downuntil they met in the centre. One officer went with each party, Malchusremained at the spot where he was standing. In ten minutes the signalwas heard, and then all moved forward, shouting as they went, andkeeping a sharp lookout between the trees to see that nothing passedthem. As the narrowing circle issued into the open ground at the bottomof the valley there was a general shout of delight, for, huddled downby a stream, grunting and screaming with fright, was a herd of fortyor fifty pigs, with a peasant, who appeared stupefied with alarm at thesudden uproar.
On seeing the men burst out with their levelled spears from the wood,the Sard gave a scream of terror and threw himself upon his face. Whenthe Carthaginians came up to him Malchus stirred him with his foot, buthe refused to move; he then pricked him with the Roman spear he held,and the man leaped to his feet with a shout. Malchus told him in Italianthat he was free to go, but that the swine must be confiscated for theuse of his followers. The man did not understand his words, but, seeingby his gestures that he was free to go, set off at the top of his speed,hardly believing that he could have escaped with his life, and in noway concerned at the loss of the herd. This was, indeed, the property ofvarious individuals in one of the villages at the foot of the hills--itbeing then, as now, the custom for several men owning swine to send themtogether under the charge of a herdsman into the mountains, where formonths together they live in a half wild state on acorns and roots, avillager going up occasionally with supplies of food for the swineherd.
No sooner had the peasant disappeared than a shout from one of the mensome fifty yards away called the attention of Malchus.
"Here is the man's fire, my lord."
A joyous exclamation rose from the soldiers, for, the thought of allthis meat and no means of cooking it was tantalizing every one. Malchushurried to the spot, where, indeed, was a heap of still glowing embers.Some of the men at once se
t to work to collect dried sticks, and in afew minutes a great fire was blazing. One of the pigs was slaughteredand cut up into rations, and in a short time each man was cooking hisportion stuck on a stick over the fire.
A smaller fire was lit for the use of the officers a short distanceaway, and here Nessus prepared their share of the food for Malchusand his two companions. After the meal the spears were improved by thepoints being hardened in the fire. When they were in readiness to marchtwo of the men were told off as fire keepers, and each of these took twoblazing brands from the fire, which, as they walked, they kept crossedbefore them, the burning points keeping each other alight. Even with oneman there would be little chance of losing the fire, but with two such amisfortune could scarcely befall them.
A party of ten men took charge of the herd of swine, and the wholethen started for the point they intended to make to in the heart ofthe mountains. Before the end of the day a suitable camping place wasselected in a watered valley. The men then set to work to cut downboughs and erect arbours. Fires were lighted and another pig beingkilled those who preferred it roasted his flesh over the fire, whileothers boiled their portions, the Roman shields being utilized as pans.
"What do you think of doing, Malchus?" Halco asked as they stretchedthemselves out on a grassy bank by the stream when they had finishedtheir meal. "We are safe here, and in these forests could defy theRomans to find us for months. Food we can get from the villages at thefoot of the hills, and there must be many swine in the forest besidethis herd which we have captured. The life will not be an unpleasantone, but--" and he stopped.
"But you don't wish to end your days here," Malchus put in for him, "nordo I. It is pleasant enough, but every day we spend here is a waste ofour lives, and with Hannibal and our comrades combating the might ofRome we cannot be content to live like members of the savage tribeshere. I have no doubt that we shall excite such annoyance and alarm byour raids among the villages in the plains that the Romans will ere longmake a great effort to capture us, and doubtless they will enlist thenatives in their search. Still, we may hope to escape them, and thereare abundant points among these mountains where we may make a standand inflict such heavy loss upon them that they will be glad to come toterms. All I would ask is that they shall swear by their gods to treatus well and to convey us as prisoners of war to Rome, there to remainuntil exchanged. In Rome we could await the course of events patiently.Hannibal may capture the city. The senate, urged by the relatives of themany prisoners we have taken, may agree to make an exchange, and we maysee chances of our making our escape. At any rate we shall be in theworld and shall know what is going on."
"But could we not hold out and make them agree to give us our freedom?"
"I do not think so," Malchus said. "It would be too much for Roman prideto allow a handful of escaped prisoners to defy them in that way, andeven if the prefect of this island were to agree to the terms, I do notbelieve that the senate would ratify them. We had better not ask toomuch. For myself I own to a longing to see Rome. As Carthage holdsback and will send no aid to Hannibal, I have very little hope of everentering it as a conqueror, and rather than not see it at all I wouldnot mind entering it as a prisoner. There are no mines to work there,and the Romans, with so vast a number of their own people in the handsof Hannibal, would not dare to treat us with any cruelty or severity.
"Here it is different. No rumour of our fate will ever reach Hannibal,and had every one of us died in those stifling mines he would never havebeen the wiser."
The two officers both agreed with Malchus; as for the soldiers, theywere all too well pleased with their present liberty and their escapefrom the bondage to give a thought to the morrow.
The next day Malchus and his companions explored the hills of theneighbourhood, and chose several points commanding the valleys by whichtheir camp could be approached, as lookout places. Trees were clearedaway, vistas cut, and wood piled in readiness for making bonfires, andtwo sentries were placed at each of these posts, their orders being tokeep a vigilant lookout all over the country, to light a fire instantlythe approach of any enemy was perceived, and then to descend to the campto give particulars as to his number and the direction of his march.
A few days later, leaving ten men at the camp with full instructions asto what to do in case of an alarm by the enemy, Malchus set out with therest of the party across the mountains. The sun was their only guideas to the direction of their course, and it was late in the afternoonbefore they reached the crest of the easternmost hills and looked downover the wide plain which divides the island into two portions. Herethey rested until the next morning, and then, starting before daybreak,descended the slopes. They made their way to a village of some size atthe mouth of a valley, and were unnoticed until they entered it. Mostof the men were away in the fields; a few resisted, but were speedilybeaten down by the short heavy sticks which the Carthaginians carried inaddition to their spears.
Malchus had given strict orders that the latter weapons were not to beused, that no life was to be taken, and that no one was to be hurt orill used unless in the act of offering resistance. For a few minutes theconfusion was great, women and children running about screaming in wildalarm. They were, however, pacified when they found that no harm wasintended.
On searching the village large stores of grain were discovered andabundance of sacks were also found, and each soldier filled one of thesewith as much grain as he could conveniently carry. A number of otherarticles which would be useful to them were also taken--cooking pots,wooden platters, knives, and such arms as could be found. Laden withthese the Carthaginians set out on their return to camp. Loaded as theywere it was a long and toilsome journey, and they would have hadgreat difficulty in finding their way back had not Malchus takenthe precaution of leaving four or five men at different points withinstructions to keep fires of damp wood burning so that the smoke shouldact as a guide. It was, however, late on the second day after theirleaving the village before they arrived in camp. Here the men set towork to crush the grain between flat stones, and soon a supply of roughcakes were baking in the embers.
A month passed away. Similar raids to the first were made when thesupplies became exhausted, and as at the second village they visitedthey captured six donkeys, which helped to carry up the burdens, thejourneys were less fatiguing than on the first occasion. One morning asthe troop were taking their breakfast a column of bright smoke rose fromone of the hill tops. The men simultaneously leaped to their feet.
"Finish your breakfast," Malchus said, "there will be plenty of time.Slay two more hogs and cut them up. Let each man take three or fourpounds of flesh and a supply of meal."
Just as the preparations were concluded the two men from the lookoutarrived and reported that a large force was winding along one of thevalleys. There were now but six of the herd of swine left--these weredriven into the forest. The grain and other stores were also carriedaway and carefully hidden, and the band, who were now all well armedwith weapons taken in the different raids on the villages, marched awayfrom their camp.
Malchus had already with his two comrades explored all the valleys inthe neighbourhood of the camp, and had fixed upon various pointsfor defence. One of these was on the line by which the enemy wereapproaching. The valley narrowed in until it was almost closedby perpendicular rocks on either side. On the summit of these theCarthaginians took their post. They could now clearly make out theenemy; there were upwards of a thousand Roman troops, and they wereaccompanied by fully five hundred natives.
When the head of the column approached the narrow path of the valleythe soldiers halted and the natives went on ahead to reconnoitre. Theyreported that all seemed clear, and the column then moved forward. Whenit reached the gorge a shout was heard above and a shower of rocks fellfrom the crags, crushing many of the Romans. Their commander at oncerecalled the soldiers, and these then began to climb the hillside,wherever the ground permitted their doing so. After much labour theyreached the crag from which they had been assail
ed, but found itdeserted.
All day the Romans searched the woods, but without success. Thenatives were sent forward in strong parties. Most of these returnedunsuccessful, but two of them were suddenly attacked by theCarthaginians, and many were slaughtered.
For four days the Romans pursued their search in the forest, but neveronce did they obtain a glimpse of the Carthaginians save when, onseveral occasions, the latter appeared suddenly in places inaccessiblefrom below and hurled down rocks and stones upon them. The Sards hadbeen attacked several times, and were so disheartened by the lossesinflicted upon them that they now refused to stir into the woods unlessaccompanied by the Romans.
At the end of the fourth day, feeling it hopeless any longer to pursuethe fugitive band over these forest covered mountains, the Romancommander ordered the column to move back towards its starting place. Hehad lost between forty and fifty of his men and upwards of a hundred ofthe Sards had been killed. Just as he reached the edge of the forest hewas overtaken by one of the natives.
"I have been a prisoner in the hands of the Carthaginians," the mansaid, "and their leader released me upon my taking an oath to deliver amessage to the general." The man was at once brought before the officer.
"The leader of the escaped slaves bids me tell you," he said, "that hadyou ten times as many men with you it would be vain for you to attemptto capture them. You searched, in these four days, but a few squaremiles of the forest, and, although he was never half a mile away fromyou, you did not succeed in capturing him. There are hundreds of squaremiles, and, did he choose to elude you, twenty thousand men might searchin vain. He bids me say that he could hold out for years and harry allthe villages of the plains; but he and his men do not care for livingthe life of a mountain tribe, and he is ready to discuss terms ofsurrender with you, and will meet you outside the forest here with twomen with him if you on your part will be here with the same number atnoon tomorrow. He took before me a solemn oath that he will keep thetruce inviolate, and requires you to do the same. I have promised totake back your answer."
The Roman commander was greatly vexed at his non-success, and at thelong continued trouble which he saw would arise from the presence ofthis determined band in the mountains. They would probably be joined bysome of the recently subdued tribes, and would be a thorn in the side ofthe Roman force holding the island. He was, therefore, much relieved bythis unexpected proposal.
"Return to him who sent you," he said, "and tell him that I, PubliusManlius, commander of that portion of the 10th Legion here, do herebyswear before the gods that I will hold the truce inviolate, and that Iwill meet him here with two officers, as he proposes, at noon tomorrow."
At the appointed hour Malchus, with the two officers, standing justinside the edge of the forest, saw the Roman general advancing with twocompanions; they at once went forward to meet them.
"I am come," Malchus said, "to offer to surrender to you on certainterms. I gave you my reasons in the message I yesterday sent you. Withmy band here I could defy your attempts to capture me for years, but Ido not care to lead the life of a mountain robber. Hannibal treats hiscaptives mercifully, and the treatment which was bestowed upon me and mycompanions, who were not even taken in fair fight, but were blown by atempest into your port, was a disgrace to Rome. My demand is this,that we shall be treated with the respect due to brave men, that we beallowed to march without guard or escort down to the port, where we willgo straight on board a vessel there prepared for us. We will thenlay down our arms and surrender as prisoners of war, under the solemnagreement taken and signed by you and the governor of the island, andapproved and ratified by the senate of Rome, that, in the first place,the garments and armour of which we were deprived when captured, shallbe restored to us, and that we shall then be conveyed in the ship toRome, there to remain as prisoners of war until exchanged, being sentnowhere else, and suffering no pains or penalties whatever for what hastaken place on this island."
The Roman general was surprised and pleased with the moderation ofthe demand. He had feared that Malchus would have insisted upon beingrestored with his companions to the Carthaginian army in Italy. Sucha proposition he would have been unwilling to forward to Rome, for itwould have been a confession that all the Roman force in the island wasincapable of overcoming this handful of desperate men, and he did notthink that the demand if made would have been agreed to by the senate.The present proposition was vastly more acceptable. He could reportwithout humiliation that the Carthaginian slaves had broken looseand taken to the mountains, where there would be great difficulty inpursuing them, and they would serve as a nucleus round which wouldassemble all the disaffected in the island; and could recommend that,as they only demanded to be sent to Rome as prisoners of war, insteadof being kept in the island, the terms should be agreed to. After amoment's delay, therefore, he replied:
"I agree to your terms, sir, as far as I am concerned, and own theyappear to me as moderate and reasonable. I will draw out a document,setting them forth and my acceptance of them, and will send it at onceto the prefect, praying him to sign it, and to forward it to Rome forthe approval of the senate. Pending an answer I trust that you willabstain from any further attacks upon the villages."
"It may be a fortnight before the answer returns," Malchus replied;"but if you will send up to this point a supply of cattle and floursufficient for our wants till the answer comes, I will promise toabstain from all further action."
To this the Roman readily agreed, and for a fortnight Malchus andhis friends amused themselves by hunting deer and wild boar among themountains. After a week had passed a man had been sent each day to thespot agreed upon to see if any answer had been received from Rome. Itwas nearly three weeks before he brought a message to Malchus that theterms had been accepted, and that the Roman commander would meet himthere on the following day with the document. The interview took placeas arranged, and the Roman handed to Malchus the document agreeing tothe terms proposed, signed by himself and the prefect, and ratified bythe senate. He said that if Malchus with his party would descend intothe road on the following morning three miles below Metalla they wouldfind an escort of Roman soldiers awaiting them, and that a vessel wouldbe ready at the port for them to embark upon their arrival.
Next day, accordingly, Malchus with his companions left the forest, andmarched down to the valley in military order. At the appointed spotthey found twenty Roman soldiers under an officer. The latter salutedMalchus, and informed him that his orders were to escort them to theport, and to see that they suffered no molestation or interference atthe hands of the natives on their march. Two days' journey took them toCaralis, and in good order and with proud bearing they marched throughthe Roman soldiers, who assembled in the streets to view so strange aspectacle. Arrived at the port they embarked on board the ship preparedfor them, and there piled their arms on deck. A Roman officer receivedthem, and handed over, in accordance with the terms of the agreement,the whole of the clothing and armour of which they had been deprived.A guard of soldiers then marched on board, and an hour later the sailswere hoisted and the vessel started for her destination.
Anxiously Malchus and his companions gazed round the horizon in hopesthat some galleys of Capua or Carthage might appear in sight, althoughindeed they had but small hopes of seeing them, for no Carthaginian shipwould be likely to be found so near the coast of Italy, except indeed ifbound with arms for the use of the insurgents in the northern mountainsof Sardinia. However, no sail appeared in sight until the ship enteredthe mouth of the Tiber. As they ascended the river, and the walls andtowers of Rome were seen in the distance, the prisoners forgot their ownposition in the interest excited by the appearance of the great rival ofCarthage.
At that time Rome possessed but little of the magnificence whichdistinguished her buildings in the days of the emperors. Everything wasmassive and plain, with but slight attempt at architectural adornment.The temples of the gods rose in stately majesty above the mass ofbuildings, but even these were far inferior
in size and beauty to thoseof Carthage, while the size of the city was small indeed in comparisonto the wide spreading extent of its African rival.
The vessel anchored in the stream until the officer in command landedto report his arrival with the prisoners and to receive instructions.An hour later he returned, the prisoners were landed and received by astrong guard of spearmen at the water gate. The news had spread rapidlythrough the city. A crowd of people thronged the streets, while at thewindows and on the roofs were gathered numbers of ladies of the upperclasses. A party of soldiers led the way, pushing back the crowd as theyadvanced. A line of spearmen marched on either side of the captives, anda strong guard brought up the rear to prevent the crowd from pressingin there. Malchus walked at the head of the prisoners, followed by hisofficers, after whom came the soldiers walking two and two.
There was no air of dejection in the bearing of the captives, and theyfaced the regards of the hostile crowd with the air rather of conquerorsthan of prisoners. They remembered that it was but by accident that theyhad fallen into the hands of the Romans, that in the battlefield theyhad proved themselves over and over again more than a match for thesoldiers of Rome, and that it was the walls of the city alone which hadprevented their marching through her streets as triumphant conquerors.
It was no novel sight in Rome for Carthaginian prisoners to marchthrough the streets, for in the previous campaigns large numbers ofCarthaginians had been captured; but since Hannibal crossed the Alps andcarried his victorious army through Italy, scarce a prisoner had beenbrought to Rome, while tens of thousands of Romans had fallen into thehands of Hannibal. The lower class of the population of Rome were at alltimes rough and brutal, and the captives were assailed with shouts ofexultation, with groans and menaces, and with bitter curses by thosewhose friends and relatives had fallen in the wars.
The better classes at the windows and from the housetops abstainedfrom any demonstration, but watched the captives as they passed witha critical eye, and with expressions of admiration at their fearlessbearing and haughty mien.
"Truly, that youth who marches at their head might pose for aCarthaginian Apollo, Sempronius," a Roman matron said as she sat at thebalcony of a large mansion at the entrance to the Forum. "I have seldomseen a finer face. See what strength his limbs show, although he walksas lightly as a girl. I have a fancy to have him as a slave; he wouldlook well to walk behind me and carry my mantle when I go abroad. See toit, Sempronius; as your father is the military praetor, you can managethis for me without trouble."
"I will do my best, Lady Flavia," the young Roman said; "but there maybe difficulties."
"What difficulties?" Flavia demanded imperiously. "I suppose theCarthaginians will as usual be handed over as slaves; and who shouldhave a better right to choose one among them than I, whose husband,Tiberius Gracchus, is Consul of Rome?"
"None assuredly," Sempronius replied. "It was only because, as I hear,that youth is a cousin of Hannibal himself, and, young as he is, thecaptain of his bodyguard, and I thought that my father might intend toconfine him in the prison for better security."
Flavia waved her hand imperiously.
"When did you ever hear of a slave escaping from Rome, Sempronius? Arenot the walls high and strong, and the sentries numerous? And even didthey pass these, would not the badge of slavery betray them at once tothe first who met them without, and they would be captured and broughtback? No, I have set my mind upon having him as a slave. He will go wellwith that Gaulish maiden whom Postumius sent me from the banks of thePo last autumn. I like my slaves to be as handsome as my othersurroundings, and I see no reason why I should be baulked of my fancy."
"I will do my best to carry out your wishes, Lady Flavia," Semproniusreplied deferentially, for the wife of the consul was an importantpersonage in Rome. Her family was one of the most noble and powerful inthe city, and she herself--wealthy, luxurious, and strong willed--wasregarded as a leader of society at Rome.
Sempronius deemed it essential for his future advancement to keep ongood terms with her. At the same time he was ill pleased at this lastfancy of hers. In the first place, he was a suitor for the hand of herdaughter Julia. In the second, he greatly admired the northern beautyof the Gaulish slave girl whom she had spoken of, and had fully intendedthat when Flavia became tired of her--and her fancies seldom lastedlong--he would get his mother to offer to exchange a horse, or a hawk,or something else upon which Flavia might set her mind, for the slavegirl, in which case she would, of course, be in his power. He did not,therefore, approve of Flavia's intention of introducing this handsomeyoung Carthaginian as a slave into her household. It was true that hewas but a slave at present, but he was a Carthaginian noble of rank ashigh as that of Flavia.
That he was brave was certain, or he would not be the captain ofHannibal's bodyguard. Julia was fully as capricious as her mother, andmight take as warm a fancy for Malchus as Flavia had done, while, nowthe idea of setting this Gaulish girl and the Carthaginian together hadseized Flavia, it would render more distant the time when the Roman ladymight be reasonably expected to tire of the girl. However, he felt thatFlavia's wishes must be carried out; whatever the danger might be, itwas less serious than the certainty of losing that lady's favour unlesshe humoured her whims.
His family was far less distinguished than hers, and her approval of hissuit with Julia was an unexpected piece of good fortune which he owed,as he knew, principally to the fact that Gracchus wished to marryhis daughter to Julius Marcius, who had deeply offended Flavia by anoutspoken expression of opinion, that the Roman ladies mingled too muchin public affairs, and that they ought to be content to stay at home andrule their households and slaves.
He knew that he would have no difficulty with his father. The praetorwas most anxious that his son should make an alliance with the houseof Gracchus, and it was the custom that such prisoners taken in war,as were not sacrificed to the gods, should be given as slaves to thenobles. As yet the great contests in the arena, which cost the livesof such vast numbers of prisoners taken in war, were not instituted.Occasional combats, indeed, took place, but these were on a small scale,and were regarded rather as a sacrifice to Mars than as an amusement forthe people.
Sempronius accordingly took his way moodily home. The praetor had justreturned, having seen Malchus and the officers lodged in prison, whilethe men were set to work on the fortifications. Sempronius statedFlavia's request. The praetor looked doubtful.
"I had intended," he said, "to have kept the officers in prison untilthe senate decided what should be done with them; but, of course, ifFlavia has set her mind on it I must strain a point. After all thereis no special reason why the prisoners should be treated differently toothers. Of course I cannot send the leader of the party to Flavia andlet the others remain in prison. As there are two of them I will sendthem as presents to two of the principal families in Rome, so thatif any question arises upon the subject I shall at once have powerfuldefenders; at any rate, it will not do to offend Flavia."
Malchus, as he was led through the streets of Rome, had been makingcomparisons by no means to the favour of Carthage. The greatersimplicity of dress, the absence of the luxury which was so unbridled atCarthage, the plainness of the architecture of the houses, the free andmanly bearing of the citizens, all impressed him. Rough as was the crowdwho jeered and hooted him and his companions, there was a power anda vigour among them which was altogether lacking at home. Under theinfluence of excitement the populace there was capable of risingand asserting themselves, but their general demeanour was that ofsubservience to the wealthy and powerful.
The tyranny of the senate weighed on the people, the numerous secretdenunciations and arrests inspired each man with a mistrust of hisneighbour, for none could say that he was safe from the action of secretenemies. The Romans, on the other hand, were no respecters of persons.Every free citizen deemed himself the equal of the best; the plebeiansheld their own against the patricians, and could always return one ofthe consuls, generally sele
cting the man who had most distinguishedhimself by his hostility to the patricians.
The tribunes, whose power in Rome was nearly equal to that of theconsuls, were almost always the representatives and champions of theplebeians, and their power balanced that of the senate, which wasentirely in the interests of the aristocracy. Malchus was reflectingover these things in the prison, when the door of his cell opened andSempronius, accompanied by two soldiers, entered. The former addressedhim in Greek.
"Follow me," he said. "You have been appointed by my father, the praetorCaius, to be the domestic slave of the lady Flavia Gracchus, until suchtime as the senate may determine upon your fate."
As Carthage also enslaved prisoners taken in war Malchus showedno surprise, although he would have preferred labouring upon thefortifications with his men to domestic slavery, however light thelatter might be. Without a comment, then, he rose and accompaniedSempronius from his prison.
Domestic slavery in Rome was not as a whole a severe fate. The masters,indeed, had the power of life and death over their slaves, they couldflog and ill use them as they chose; but as a rule they treated themwell and kindly.
The Romans were essentially a domestic people, kind to their wives, andaffectionate, although sometimes strict, with their children. Theslaves were treated as the other servants; and, indeed, with scarce anexception, all servants were slaves. The rule was easy and the labourby no means hard. Favourite slaves were raised to positions of trust andconfidence, they frequently amassed considerable sums of money, and wereoften granted their freedom after faithful services.