Pompeii

philosophy"?'
    'Again,' repeated Popidius, with mounting exasperation, 'isn't it obvious?' He laid the two documents side by side. 'Exomnius believed there was a link, you see?' He gestured from one to the other. 'Etna and Vesuvius. The fertility of the land around Caetana and the land around Pompeii. The terrible omens of seventeen years ago – the poisoning of the sheep – and the omens all around us this summer. He was from Siciliy. He saw signs of danger. And now he's disappeared. '
    Nobody spoke for a while. The effigies around the pool tinkled in the breeze.
    Brittius said, 'I think these documents ought to be considered by a full meeting of the Ordo. As soon as possible.'
    'No,' said Ampliatus.
    'But the Ordo is the ruling council of the town! They have a right to be informed –'
    'No!' Ampliatus was emphatic. 'How many citizens are members of the Ordo?'
    'Eighty-five,' said Holconius.
    'There you are. It will be all over the town within an hour. Do you want to start a panic, just as we're starting to get back on our feet? When we've got the prophecy of the sibyl to give them, to keep them sweet? Remember who voted for you, your honours – the traders. They won't thank you for scaring their business away. You saw what happened this morning, simply because the fountains stopped for a few hours. Besides, what does this add up to? So Exomnius was worried about earth tremors? So Campania has ashy soil like Sicily, and stinking fumaroles? So what? Fumaroles have been part of life on the bay since the days of Romulus.' He could see his words were striking home. 'Besides, this isn't the real problem.'
    Holconius said, 'And what is the real problem?'
    'The other documents – the ones that show how much Exomnius was paid to give this town cheap water.'
    Holconius said quickly, 'Have a care, Ampliatus. Your little arrangements are no concern of ours.'
    ' My little arrangements!' Ampliatus laughed. 'That's a good one!' He set down his glass and lifted the decanter to pour himself another drink. Again, the heavy crystal rattled. He was becoming light-headed but he didn't care. 'Come now, your honours, don't pretend you didn't know! How do you think this town revived so quickly after the earthquake? I've saved you a fortune by my "little arrangements". Yes, and helped make myself one into the bargain – I don't deny it. But you wouldn't be here without me! Your precious baths, Popidius – where Brittius here likes to be wanked off by his little boys – how much do you pay for them? Nothing! And you, Cuspius, with your fountains. And you, Holconius, with your pool. And all the private baths and the watered gardens and the big public pool in the palaestra and the pipes in the new apartments! This town has been kept afloat for more than a decade by my "little arrangement" with Exomnius. And now some nosy bastard of an aquarius from Rome has got to hear about it. That's the real problem.'
    'An outrage!' said Brittius, his voice quivering. 'An outrage – to be spoken to in such a way by this jumped-up slave.'
    'Jumped up, am I? I wasn't so jumped up when I paid for the games that secured your election, Brittius. "Cold steel, no quarter, and the slaughterhouse right in the middle where all the stands can see it" – that's what you asked for, and that was what I gave.'
    Holconius raised his hands. 'All right, gentlemen. Let's keep ourselves calm.'
    Cuspius said, 'But surely we can just cut a deal with this new aquarius, like the one you had with the other fellow?'
    'It seems not. I dropped a hint yesterday but all he did was look at me as if I'd just put my hand on his cock. I felt insulted for my generosity. No, I'm afraid I recognise his type. He'll take this up in Rome, they'll check the accounts and we'll have an imperial commission down here before the year's end.'
    'Then what are we to do?' said Popidius. 'If this comes out, it will look bad for all of us.'
    Ampliatus smiled at him over the rim of his glass. 'Don't worry. I've sorted it out.'
    'How?'
    'Popidius!' cautioned Holconius quickly. 'Take care.'
    Ampliatus paused. They did not want to know. They were the magistrates of the town, after all. The innocence of ignorance – that was what they craved. But why should they have peace of mind? He would dip their hands in the blood along with his own.
    'He'll go to meet his ancestors.' He looked around. 'Before he gets back to Misenum. An accident out in the countryside. Does anyone disagree? Speak up if you do.