will trust the judgement of the Senate on this. I am a servant of Rome. My personal wishes do not come into it.’
Marius smiled tightly and the tension could be felt in the air between them.
‘I concur,’ Marius said clearly, and took his seat.
Sulla looked relieved and cast his gaze around the vaulted room.
‘Then it is a simple choice. I will say the name of each legion and those who believe that is the one to fight Mithridates will stand up and be counted. The rest will stand when they hear the second name. No man may abstain in such a vote on the security of the city. Are we all agreed?’
The three hundred senators murmured their assent solemnly and Sulla smiled. Gaius felt fear touch him. Sulla paused for a long moment, clearly enjoying the tension. At last he spoke one word into the silence.
‘First-Born.’
Marius placed his hand on Gaius’ shoulder. ‘You may not vote today, lad.’
Gaius remained on his seat, craning around him to see how many would stand. Marius looked levelly at Sulla, as if the matter were of no importance to him. It seemed that all around them men were getting up and Gaius knew his uncle had lost. Then the noises stopped and no more men stood. He looked down at the handsome consul standing at the centre and could see Sulla’s face change from relaxed pleasure to disbelief, then fury. He made the count and had it checked by two others until they agreed.
‘One hundred and twenty-one in favour of the First-Born dealing with the invader.’
He bit his lip, his expression brutal for a second. His gaze fastened on Marius, who shrugged and looked away. The standing men sat.
‘Second Alaudae,’ Sulla whispered, his voice carrying on the well-crafted acoustics of the hall. Again, men stood, and Gaius could see it was a majority. Whatever plan Sulla had attempted had failed and Gaius saw him wave the senators to their seats without allowing the count to be properly finished and recorded. Visibly, he gathered himself and when he spoke he was again the charming young man Gaius had seen when he entered.
‘The Senate has spoken and I am the servant of the Senate,’ he said formally. ‘I trust Marius will use the city barracks for his own men in my absence?’
‘I will,’ said Marius, his face calm and still.
Sulla went on: ‘With the support of our forces in Asia Minor, I do not see this as a long campaign. I will return to Rome as soon as I have crushed Mithridates. Then we will decide the future of this city.’ He said the last looking straight at Marius and the message was clear.
‘I will have my men vacate the barracks this evening. If there is no further business? Good day to you all.’ Sulla left the chamber, with a group of his supporters falling in behind him. The pressure disappeared in the room and suddenly everyone was speaking, chuckling or looking thoughtfully at each other.
Marius stood and immediately there was quiet.
‘Thank you for your trust, gentlemen. I will guard this city well against all comers.’ Gaius noted that Sulla could well be one of those Marius would guard against, when he returned.
Senators crowded around his uncle, a few shaking his hand in open congratulation. Marius pulled Gaius to him with one hand and reached out with the other to take the shoulder of a scrawny man, who smiled at them both.
‘Crassus, this is my nephew, Gaius. You would not believe it to look at him, but Crassus here is probably the richest man in Rome.’
The man had a long, thin neck and his head bobbed at the end of it, with warm brown eyes twinkling in a mass of tiny wrinkles.
‘I have been blessed by the gods, it is true. I also have two beautiful daughters.’
Marius chuckled. ‘One is tolerably attractive, Crassus, but the other takes after her father.’
Internally, Gaius winced at this, but Crassus didn’t seem to mind at all. He laughed ruefully.
‘That is true, she is a little bony. I will have to give her a large dowry to tempt the young men of Rome.’ He faced Gaius and put out his hand. ‘It is a pleasure to meet you, young man. Will you be a general like your uncle?’
‘I will,’ Gaius said seriously.
Crassus smiled. ‘Then you will need money. Come to me when you need a backer?’
Gaius took the offered hand, gripping it briefly before Crassus moved away into the crowd.
Marius leaned over to him and muttered in his ear, ‘Well done. He has been a loyal friend to me and he has incredible wealth. I will arrange for you to visit his estate, it is astonishing in its opulence. Now, there is one other I want you to meet. Come with me.’
Gaius followed him through the knots of senators as they talked over the events of the day and Sulla’s humiliation. Gaius noted that Marius shook hands with every man who met his eye, saying a few words of congratulation, asking after families and absent friends. He left each group smiling.
Across the other side of the Senate hall, a group of three men were talking quietly, stopping as soon as Marius and Gaius approached.
‘This is the man, Gaius,’ Marius said cheerfully. ‘Gnaeus Pompey, who is described by his supporters as the best field general Rome has at present – when I am ill, or out of the country.’
Pompey shook hands with them both, smiling affably. Unlike the spare Crassus, he was a little overweight, but he was as tall as Marius and carried it well, creating an impression of solid bulk. Gaius guessed him to be no more than thirty, which made his military status very impressive.
‘There is no possibility about it, Marius,’ Pompey replied. ‘Truly I am wondrous in the field of battle. Strong men weep at the beauty of my manoeuvres.’
Marius laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
Pompey looked Gaius up and down. ‘A younger version of you, old fox?’ he said to Marius.
‘What else could he be, with my blood in his veins?’
Pompey clasped his hands behind his back.
‘Your uncle has taken a terrible risk today, by pushing Sulla out of Rome. What did you think of it?’
Marius began to reply, but Pompey held up a hand.
‘Let him speak, old fox. Let me see if he has anything to him.’
Gaius answered without hesitation, the words coming surprisingly easily.
‘It is a dangerous move to offend Sulla, but my uncle enjoys gambles of this kind. Sulla is the servant of the city and will fight well against this foreign king. When he returns, he will have to make an accommodation with my uncle. Perhaps we can extend the barracks so that both legions can protect the city.’
Pompey blinked and turned to Marius. ‘Is he a fool?’
Marius chuckled. ‘No. He just doesn’t know if I trust you or not. I suspect he has already guessed
