False God of Rome Read Online Free PDF

strange that Macro and he should be friends?’
    ‘Because while Macro is trying to ingratiate himself with Caligula, he’s at the same time snuggling up to Herod, the person who has the most influence over another possible heir,
Gemmelus.’
    ‘So he’s backing both chariots?’
    Magnus grinned and shook his head. ‘No, sir, it would seem that he’s backing all three. Herod Agrippa has another contact, a very good childhood friend of his who was educated
alongside him and Drusus: the third possible heir from the imperial family, Antonia’s son Claudius.’
    The sun was beginning to dip in the west and the sea sparkled bronze below as Vespasian and Magnus passed under Cyrene’s principal gate into the lower city. The
litter-bearers had to force their way through scores of beggars – refugees from the failed silphium farms hoping to receive alms from newly arrived merchants before they tired of being
importuned by the countless destitute now obliged to rely on charity.
    ‘I’m getting to really hate this place,’ Vespasian commented as he pushed away supplicating hands. ‘It just rubs my face in the fact that my family’s standing in
the Senate is very low; only the most insignificant quaestors get sent here.’
    ‘You drew it by lot.’
    ‘Yes, but only the insignificant quaestors go to the ballot; the ones from the great families get the plum jobs in Rome. Sabinus was lucky to draw Syria last year.’
    Magnus kicked away an overly persistent old crone. ‘I’ve got a letter from Caenis in my bag, hopefully that’ll cheer you up; you certainly seem to need it.’
    ‘It’ll help,’ Vespasian shouted back over the torrent of abuse that Magnus was receiving from the floored crone, ‘but I don’t think that I’ll feel cheerful
until after the sailing season starts again in March and my replacement arrives. I need to get back to Rome, I need to feel that I’m making progress rather than festering in this arsehole of
the Empire.’
    ‘Well, we’ve got four months to kill, I’ll keep you company. To tell you the truth, when Antonia failed to get your Egypt travel warrant I told her that I’d still come
anyway to bring the bad news. Things are a little too hot for me at the moment in Rome; your uncle is going to smooth it all over while I’m away.’
    ‘What did you do?’
    ‘Nothing, just a bit of business looking after the interests of my Crossroads Brotherhood; I’ve left my second, Servius, in command, he’ll look after things.’
    Vespasian knew not to pry into Magnus’ underworld life as the leader of the South Quirinal Crossroads Brotherhood; protection and extortion were the primary business of all the
Brotherhoods. ‘You’re welcome to stay but there isn’t much to do.’
    ‘What about the hunting; what’s that like here?’
    ‘It’s not up to much close to the city, but apparently if you go south for a couple of days you might find some lions in the foothills of the plateau.’
    ‘It’s your birthday in a few days; we’ll kill a lion to celebrate,’ Magnus suggested.
    Vespasian looked at his friend apologetically. ‘You go and celebrate by yourself, I’m afraid that I can’t. I’m not supposed to leave the city unless it’s on
official business.’
    Magnus shook his head. ‘I can see that this is going to be a very dull few months.’
    ‘Welcome to my world.’
    ‘What are the whores like?’
    ‘I’m told they’re nice and old, just as you like them, but rather sweaty.’
    ‘Now come on, sir, don’t mock, it’s not out of choice; I just do as the good lady tells me. And, as I said, it doesn’t happen much nowadays.’
    Vespasian smiled again. ‘I’m sure that Quintillius, my clerk, can procure something suitable to make up for that.’
    The street opened out into the busy main agora of the lower city.
    ‘What’s going on there?’ Magnus pointed at a large crowd of mainly Jewish men jeering at a tall, broad-shouldered young man standing on a plinth