Roman Dusk

PAX IGNATIA LAELIUS

Prologue

Text of a letter from Pallius Savianus, Captain of the Evening Star, at Ostia, to Ragoczy Germainus Sanct-Franciscus at Roma, carried by Natalis.

To the highly regarded foreign trader, Ragoczy Germainus Sanct-Franciscus, the greetings of Pallius Savianus, Captain of the trading ship Evening Star, presently in Ostia, greetings.

Your decision to put a small ballista aboard this ship-and others of your ships, as I understand-proved to be a most provident one. Five days out of Miletus in Asiana we were chased by a pair of pirate craft, either from Creta or one of the lesser islands; they closed on us, coming around the islands west of Achaea. They were fast ships and we were heavily laden, so our capture seemed likely, but for the ballista you provided, and which I ordered manned at once. Using the barrels of stones you had ordered carried aboard, we succeeded in driving the pirates off and doing damage to their ships, so that we had no fear of pursuit. When we arrived at Brundisium, we made a report there and I will make one here at Ostia as well.

I believe the pirates are becoming bolder, for they take chances that I have not observed taken in many years. Some say it is because Roma is growing weak, but that does not account for what is happening on the Mare Nostrum, nor does it explain the general air of degeneracy that one sees among so many Roman colonies these days. It was not so long ago that the governing posts in the provinces were held by men of distinction, of old families and high honor, but now the provinces are given as prizes to the intimates of the Emperor, or men who have done favors for the Curia, for their enrichment and pleasure, not for the Empire and its benefit.

You may be relieved, under such circumstances, that our cargo has arrived virtually intact, with all the goods we have traded still in the hold of the Evening Star. The whole will be inventoried and assessed for taxes; then you may send word that we are to give the cargo into the hands of your teamsters who will carry it to Roma for storage in your emporia there.

If you are going to have this ship repaired and refitted soon, I would request that all the lines be provided with new rope and brasses, for the harsh weather has worn and frayed them so that they are unreliable, and some of the brasses are pitted and roughened, so that they increase the wear on the hemp, which is not desirable for any ship. If we should have to maneuver against pirates again, I would not like to have to depend on the lines we have now, most especially given the poor state of our brasses.

And speaking of replacements, five of the sixteen oarsmen on the Evening Star should be replaced, preferably by hardier, younger men than the slaves currently at the oars, one of whom is twentyeight and should have been assigned to less wearing tasks two years since. If you continue your practice of finding a place for the oarsmen that is less demanding, instead of selling them, then I would say that two of these men are suffering from knots in the joints and will not be very useful as heavy laborers. The others should be able to do less constant work, although one is losing his sight, and may become completely blind in time. There are duties in your emporia to which these oarsmen may be suited. I will begin my inquiries there, and I will inform you of what I am advised by the foremen of your stackers, packers, and inventory-keepers.

If you will authorize the purchase of slaves for the oars, I will begin my search for the best to be had; since you insist on using only freedmen as sailors, I will do my best to find two substitutes for Echirus and Dromirz, both of whom have had offers to work at the ship-building docks here in Ostia, and are glad to put the hard life of sailing behind them. As you have ordered, I will present them with two aurei each when they leave your service, and I will see that the oarsmen have three denarii for every year they served aboard the Evening Star. I am told that there are sufficient funds at the Eclipse Trading Company here in Ostia to cover these expenses, so I will not appeal to you to supply them.

I have in hand your bonus for a speedy voyage, for which I most heartily thank you. If all ships' owners were so generous, I doubt any captain would be inclined to make bargains with pirates. My commoda, based on the value of this cargo, set by you at five percent instead of the standard four, has already garnered me a greater fortune than I had expected when I first took command of the Evening Star, and with this voyage should make it possible for me to purchase a villa for my wife and children, outside of Ostia, but near enough to be convenient to me while I am in port. This would not be possible had you not upheld your principles so faithfully, and for which you may be assured of my continuing allegiance, no matter where my voyages take me.

If the lines are replaced and the hull scraped, the ship and her crew should be ready to set out again by the end of June. If you have other plans, I ask you to inform me as quickly as you are inclined to do, so that I may schedule my life to suit your purposes, and not be laggard in performing my duties while I settle my family. I am, as always, at your service, and will be so long as Neptune and Fortuna are united in my favor and the favor of your endeavors.

Pallius Savianus

Captain of the Evening Star

At Ostia, the 2nd day of May, in the 972nd Year of the City