Augustus Road

"Caesar, that fellow, is the woman of all men, and the man of all women." - Caesar's political opponent

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The other party was shaking violently, as if he had been sentenced to death, and said: "Did he call you here? Is he dead? It would be better if he is dead. The family has not received military pay for two years, and all the slaves are dead. Now, there is a child to raise. As a nanny, I only have one and a half sesterces a day. Fan Lundina helps in the laundry room, and I can only have one sesterces a day - you can understand when doing these things. Do you understand how I am forced to tell him or not? It is your choice, but you have to know that if he finds out, he will beat me to death. He will definitely do it," Haibrida's wife said more and more. The more excited he became, the louder the cry became. Then he sat on the ground and shouted to Calabis: "Why don't you execute me now, using the sword of your legion, just like killing a foreign slave girl."

Before Calabis could answer anything, there was a shout, and the man was about to rush out of the door, "Stop!" Calabis pulled out the sword and shouted, and the man's feet suddenly softened and were welded in place. On the ground, Karabis walked up slowly, then grabbed the man's collar and said, "Pay the money."

The man nodded repeatedly, took out a handful of small silver coins and copper coins, threw them on the floor, and then ran away in a hurry.

"Actually, I'm just a former military slave who was just released." Calabis picked up the money on the ground and piled it on the dining table in the room. Then everyone fell silent, not knowing what to say. Finally, Calabis The remaining forty-four dinars in the purse were also placed on the table. After thinking about it, he took out the twenty drachmas he had brought, "These owls (the obverse of the drachma silver coin in Athens, Greece) It’s a statue of the goddess Athena with an owl on the back) and it’s now much prettier than the dinar.”

When going downstairs, Fan Lundina held the lamp and walked in front of Calabis. The cabinets on the ground floor were already blurred in the dark night. From time to time, there were a few babies crying inside, a feeling of fear of hunger and darkness. Karabis's cries made Karabis feel a little angry. He couldn't help but think of the "little pigeon" Paluma, who had lived among corpses and rats for more than half a year - if these lives were born humble, they Why should we reincarnate in this world again? Now Calabis somewhat understands why people like Jesus and Gautama appeared in the world, people who truly thought about the pain and meaning of life.

"You gave our family almost three months of rent and food. Why did you do this? Is it because my father saved your life on the battlefield in Asia Minor, Calabis? My father saved the lives of many of his colleagues. ." Fan Lundina asked curiously when she was saying goodbye.

Karabis shook his head and said, "Your father didn't save my life. I just wanted your father to owe me a favor."

"Romans never like to owe favors to others." Valentina said, imitating the tone of an adult.

After hearing Fan Lundina's words, Karabi paused for a while, then looked seriously into the girl's eyes and said: "Listen, don't look down on your mother, she raised you and your sister, not Throw your sister on the dunghill and make her a natural slave."

When they returned to their apartment, Poti and Paluma were packing their luggage, preparing to follow her man's instructions before leaving and quietly take the money and leave. Seeing Calabis coming back, Boti hugged him with tears of joy, "Don't cry, woman. You should go to the stove to get me some food now. Also, I will go to the Municipal Department tomorrow to participate in the selection of the public." "

Early the next morning, Poti dressed up Calabis, and then he walked through Catopil Hill and the Grand Forum again, and came to the Roman City Administrator opposite the temple complex, which was a spacious and simple place. Inside the building, people wearing the nameplates of slaves and freemen were busy coming and going with official documents. They were all publici, a kind of low-level clerks or state slaves, responsible for handling specific affairs under the alderman.

"Bring the liberation contract." The little bureaucrat responsible for handling Calabis's affairs was buried in the pile of documents without raising his head. Calabis handed over the contract together with the bronze tube that Kelly gave him that day. The guy first After looking at the contract, he rolled his eyes at Calabis and said, "It turned out to be a liberated military slave. Now you have two jobs suitable for you to choose from, jailer or executioner."

Calabis was very unhappy and said: "Your Majesty, I can read and write Latin and Greek. I can do such jobs as recorder and transcriber."

The guy's nose snorted cold air, "Do you think you won't need your proud skills in prison or execution ground? Okay, before I decide to send you to Sicily to work as a farm supervisor, You'd better accept a job that allows you to stay in the city!" Then he unscrewed the bronze tube and pulled out the letter of recommendation written on papyrus - it should be Luculas's handwriting, which he immediately wrote. He stood up straight, as if he had popped up from the ground, and gave Calabis a flattering smile, "Haha, it turns out your patron is a tuna, that's easy to say, that's easy to say." Then he lowered his head again and wrote in the file In the pile, he worked hard for a long time through a pile of wooden boards full of words, and finally said excitedly and proudly: "It just so happens that the Temple of the Kitchen God still lacks an attendant. I will report for duty in a leap month. Go ahead and do it. You will definitely be able to do the job. "Then he held Calabis's hand tightly and whispered as if he was telling an earth-shattering secret, "This temple is controlled by the virgins, who are the key holders of private wills and savings in the city of Rome. There is no need to mention the benefits inside, hehe - that is, cleaning the altar, preparing sacrifices, a daily salary starting from twelve sesstus, one day off on market day, and you can enjoy other holidays except Kitchen God Festival. As for the virgins, you can also enjoy corresponding subsidies when dining in public, and you may also have the right to purchase sacrifices. No, no, no, by the way, a foreign free citizen like you who is proficient in Greek. , I am afraid that if he works in the temple for less than two consul terms (the Romans used to call one year a so-and-so consul term, because consuls can only serve for one year), they will replace Luculas, the rich man , build a large manor, or handle a big business, you can collect half a million to one million Sethus in one go. When your next generation becomes a citizen, they can immediately become a 'nouveau riche knight' "Oh, he's much better than us. It's easy to sail on the big river." The guy kept chatting, and Calabis kept a listening smile. Then he held his hand and asked his name politely. Looking flattered, he quickly said, "My name is Kaimax."

At this time, there was a noise in the hall, and a slightly bald man wearing a laurel crown hurriedly walked in. He swung his arms back and forth mechanically in a sports meeting posture, and quickly passed through the crowd while facing the man who was handling the affairs of Calabis. The snob shouted: "Cames, Cames! If I go to the back hall now, and half a centurion of knights come to me, just say that I, Julius Caesar, am not here, but Go to the Senate for a hearing!"

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