Marching With Caesar-Final Campaign, page 72
The truth is that I had continued reading, and I felt the corners of my mouth tugging downward as I tried to read not just what was written, but what it meant.
"However," I interrupted Agis' celebration, "it has been decreed that a fine in the sum of 300,000 sesterces be paid by master's estate to the Treasury of Rome. For," I could not help the bitter, disbelieving laugh escaping my lips, "'administrative' fees pertaining to master's transfer into the equestrian class."
"B-but if h-he's not an equestrian a-anymore, w-w-what do they n-need the f-f-fees for?" Agis asked, reminding me of something Titus had often said; uneducated does not mean unintelligent, because this was a very good question.
That was when I read the letter a third time, and understood not only the cleverness behind this, but the vindictiveness.
"Master is, or was," I corrected, "an equestrian. He is entered in the rolls of the equestrian class. But," I looked over at Agis as the full import of what this meant finally hit me, "Gaius isn't. And as a way to keep Gaius from simply buying his way into the equestrian class on his own, using Master's money, Augustus is making sure that most of the money is confiscated."
Agis stood there, looking much like I felt; too shocked for words, unable and unwilling to believe the kind of malice that was contained in these few simple lines of a letter.
Agis finally broke the silence, asking, "H-how m-m-much does that l-leave Master Gaius? And," he came to his real question. "W-where does that l-l-leave us?"
Although Agis was the second-longest member of Titus' household in terms of tenure, he had not been given responsibilities that included the financial running of our master's affairs. That was on my shoulders, and I was happy to tell Agis that the news was not all bad, for either Gaius and his family, or us. At least, I had to recognize, until Gaius decided what he wanted to do, both with us and this villa.
"It's not all bad," I assured Agis. "Augustus may know many things, but although it does make it more difficult for Master Gaius, he's not crippled. Augustus' mistake was in thinking that master had just the bare minimum to buy his way into the equestrian class. But Titus could have purchased a seat in the Senate if he wished. So the barrier Gaius faces to get into the equestrian class on his own, albeit using master's money, isn't financial. It's in the form of Augustus himself."
"A-and h-he's a young m-man still," Agis pointed out.
That, I had to concede, was true.
"But Gaius will at least be a rich 'poor' man." I commented. As I thought about it, I told Agis, "I don't think Master Gaius will be tremendously disappointed. Iras, on the other hand?"
I looked over at Agis, and something in my expression he must have found humorous, because he began howling with laughter, and I quickly joined in. Perhaps of all the things that I learned during my time with Titus Pullus, it was the importance of being able to find something to laugh about, no matter the circumstances.
As it would turn out, I would have more occasions to remember that lesson. However, that, “gentle reader,” is for another time, and another tale.
Peake, R.W., Marching With Caesar-Final Campaign
