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the cost of the voyage. The Emperor is a generous man, but he likes his ships to turn a profit.’
    The fare was surprisingly good. Domitia had brought on board a plentiful supply of preserved food, and a selection of fresh and pickled vegetables from the village was followed by shoulder of hare, cuts of salted pork and two whole chickens. Aurelius had supplied a sizeable tunny fish, cooked black on the outside and bloody in the middle as the crew of the
Golden Cygnet
preferred it. The taller of the two naval officers ate voraciously, as if he never expected to see food again, while the other held Valerius’s attention with a lecture on shipboard fighting tactics.
    ‘The key is to fight on your enemy’s ground. If he outnumbers you, which he generally does in our case, once he has boarded you it is only a matter of time before he prevails. So you must board him. The first two or three over the side will probably die, of course’ – his smile said it was regrettable but necessary – ‘but once you have formed your shield line you will find your Roman soldier or even marine is a match for any pirate.’
    Valerius thanked him. He kept his eyes on the table, but his attention was drawn to Domitia, who was discussing the uprising in Judaea with Tiberius. The war had begun so disastrously for the Roman commander of the province, Cestius Florus, that rumour said he was to be replaced by Titus Flavius Vespasian, one of the generals who had conquered Britain for Claudius almost a quarter of a century earlier. ‘I had thought we might be diverted there, but it will be an honour to serve with your father,’ the younger tribune said smoothly. ‘His success in Armenia has brought new laurels to the Empire. They say that even now their king is in Rome paying homage to the Emperor.’
    Domitia nodded gravely. ‘You may find serving with my father more of an honour than you are comfortable with, tribune. His reputation as a disciplinarian is well deserved and I have no doubt that you are replacing some young officer who has failed to meet his standards.’
    ‘Discipline comes easily to me, my lady,’ Tiberius said offhandedly.‘But no soldier is so perfect that he cannot be improved by more training. I will use what time I have on board to prepare.’
    She smiled. ‘He would have been impressed by your display yesterday morning, though possibly not by the fact that I witnessed it.’
    ‘My apologies, lady.’ Valerius found his voice at last. ‘We should have taken more care. From now on we will exercise in the stern. You will not be disturbed again, I hope.’
    ‘Do not concern yourself, tribune.’ Domitia gave a coarse little laugh. ‘I found it most instructive. If ever I discover myself with a sword in my hand, at least I will know what to do with it. In any case, if blame there was, it was mine. I was curious and, as Tulia is always reminding me, sometimes curiosity takes you places you should not go.’

VI
    Summer, AD 66
    THE SUN KING looked out upon his people from the balcony of the great Golden House he had built over the ashes of Rome’s third district and felt an unexpected surge of affection. Less than two years ago thousands of Romans lived their shabby little lives on this very land, but the gift of fire had allowed him to substitute splendour for squalor and magnificence for mediocrity. The houses and apartments had been replaced by a vast country villa in the centre of the urban landscape; three hundred and sixty paces from wing to wing, with three hundred rooms each filled with rare bronzes, gilt statues and the finest artworks in the Empire, all surrounded by trees and pasture and lakes, and a great park in which roamed wild animals from all over the world. A Golden House for a Golden Age, and this would be the greatest day of that age.
    With perfect timing the morning sun rose above the hills and everything around him gleamed as its rays reached out to caress the gold leaf and gold paint and golden