The Ides of March Read Online Free PDF

covered by a military cloak. He held a cane in one hand and wore heavy, mud-caked boots. He advanced on foot, leading his horse by the reins, down a path which led to a modest brick building whose curved clay roof tiles were adorned at the centre by a Gorgon’s mask. It was a small rural sanctuary dedicated to the nearby spring, which shot out of the ground a cubit high before gurgling away into a ditch which became lost to sight as it snaked through the countryside.
    The man stopped at the temple wall and looked around as if he were expecting someone. The sun appeared through the misty haze as a pale disc, casting a milky light on the scene. The fields seemed deserted.
    All at once, a voice rang out behind him.
    ‘Fog is a friend to certain encounters and in this land it is never lacking.’
    ‘Who are you?’ asked the man in the cloak, without turning.
    ‘My code name is Nebula, my friend. No stranger to fog myself, as my name attests.’
    ‘What news do you have for me?’
    ‘I’ll need a password before I can give you any. Better to be prudent in such times.’
    ‘Aeneas has landed.’
    ‘That’s right. Which means I’m speaking with a living legend: front-line centurion Publius Sextius of the Twelfth Legion, known as “the Cane”, hero of the Gallic War. They say that at Caesar’s triumph you paraded bare-chested to show off your battle scars. It seems to be impossible to kill you.’
    ‘Wrong. We’re all mortal. You just have to strike at the right spot.’
    Publius Sextius turned to face his interlocutor.
    ‘No. Don’t,’ said the voice. ‘This is dangerous work. The fewer people see my face the better.’
    Publius Sextius turned back towards the countryside. Stretching out before him were long rows of maples, to which the grapevines were tied. Dark against the brilliant green meadows.
    ‘Well, then?’
    ‘Rumours.’
    ‘That’s all you have to tell me? Rumours?’
    ‘These are quite consistent.’
    ‘Get to the point. What rumours are you talking about?’
    ‘One month ago someone approached the authorities of this city to obtain their support for the Cisalpine governor who will be named next year. These same authorities are in close contact with Cicero and other influential members of the Senate.’
    A dog barked from a farmhouse that was wrapped in fog, making it look as if it was further away than it was in reality.
    He was promptly answered by more barking and then a third dog joined in. They stopped suddenly and silence fell again.
    ‘Sounds like ordinary politicking to me. In any case, what does that have to do with my mission?’
    ‘More than it may seem,’ replied Nebula. ‘The Senate have already decided who they will appoint governor. Why are they seeking the support of the local authorities for this coming year? But that’s not all. You’ll have noticed that there is construction work going on in the city.’
    ‘Yes, I suppose so.’
    ‘They are reinforcing the city walls and building emplacements on the turrets for war machines. War against whom?’
    ‘I have no idea. Have you?’
    ‘If they’re not expecting an invasion from outside, and I don’t think they are, it’s likely that what they’re afraid of is a new civil war. And that suggests a very specific scenario. Quite a disturbing one, I might add.’
    ‘A scenario where Caesar is out of the picture, is that what you’re trying to say?’
    ‘Something of the sort. What else?’
    ‘Who will the new governor be?’
    ‘Decimus Brutus.’
    ‘Almighty gods!’
    ‘Decimus Brutus is, at this moment, assistant praetor and therefore, as I’ve said, has already been designated to take the office of governor next year. So why would he need to build up local support or reinforce the walls of Modena unless he knows that Caesar will no longer be around?’
    Publius Sextius snorted and a burst of steam issued from his nose. It was still quite cold for the season.
    ‘Sorry, but I’m still not convinced of what