Amica

[Velut Luna]

Amica 50


Calm has returned to the house, we slavegirls carry on quietly with the work entrusted to us. I have the duty of cleaning and polishing the great mosaic in the exedra that represents the Battle of Issus – it’s a masterpiece, the tesserae it’s composed of are so tiny, well-shaped and wonderfully set together it looks more like a painting than a mosaic, indeed it is a copy of a Greek painting. I get a pad to put under my knees while I polish the surface with pumice dust, then I brush away the dust with a broom. Once a week it has a full cleaning, every day it’s wiped over with a damp mop, if the wind hasn’t blown in more dust.

But I continue with my investigation. The two silly little slavegirls don’t give up their attempts to sneak out, but tonight there is Dromos in the guardhouse, I hope he at least won’t let them bribe him. Squatting on my heels, next to the wall on which opens to the peristyle where there’s a large window into the exedra, I remain in the shadows listening.

They’re muttering like vipers at the nerve of Dromos, to let them out he’d demanded one of them to ‘play his flute’ (fellatio), and the other one to open up her buttocks like a ripe peach and let him in, giving up her rear virginity, he’d only respect their frontal virginity if both of them let him lick the sweet forbidden fruit. But that rogue turns out to be the good Dromos, he's made certain the two of them were stopped, and he’s scared them enough to make sure they won’t come back begging again tomorrow night!

Then they begin talking about their religion, about sin. They say it would be a very grave sin do what Dromos asked of them, according to the preacher in what has become the place of their nightly meetings. What is required of Christian women, he says, is to remain chaste for their spouses, only after marriage can they lie down with their husbands, and then only for the purpose of procreation, not for pleasure.

He says Pompeii is the Kingdom of Satan, where he has subjugated everyone with lust, and they must be careful not to fall for the temptations of the flesh. Poor, stupid girls, a hundred times more stupid, they should be more concerned not to fall into the claws of the Imperial Prefect and his militias, they'll only care about their virginity so they can wreak havoc on it! At last they go back to the slavegirls’ dormitory.

I, too, retire alone, back to our room, my only company the black night-elf who’s growing visibly. I wish I could be like him and go out and spy on what’s happening out there. But I lie preoccupied, trying to make head or tail of the absurd nonsense I’ve just been hearing, I can’t comprehend how they can be so foolish to persist in their determination to go out.

Two quiet days follow, they make no attempt to escape, Dromos’s strategem has worked, I’ve only lost a few hours sleep watching for any suspicious movements - nothing, thankfully. Tomorrow Eulalia will be back, I’ll have to tell her, I can’t hide a secret like this, what’s going on is too risky for everybody. But I must to find a way to explain the situation as something I suspect, not to say that I’ve got clear proof of the truancy.


At dawn, Udij appears, utterly terrified - the two slavegirls have disappeared! The weren’t in the dormitory, they’ve run away, someone’s found their collars hidden among the garbage to be taken away by the bin-men who come every morning. But who’s enabled them to get out? Certainly not Dromos, as he confirms to me, and luckily for him he's got an airtight alibi, he was playing dice with Emidius Sabinus almost till dawn in the guardhouse, they couldn’t have left by the back door. The Sicilian was in the Villa of Quarto - perhaps they’ve got another accomplice? What a mess!

Emidius is desperate, how can he explain the incident when Lucius returns? And where will those two idiots run to? Not to mention the fact that now we’re all under suspicion for what’s happened. And, oh no!, at mid-morning comes confirmation of my worst fears – a kid (here in the house they come and go unimpeded to play out in the street, both the sons of Lucius's slaves and those of other slaves who live in neighbouring houses) brings me a scrap of papyrus and without anyone noticing delivers it to me. I hide it under my cloak and run into our room to read it, it’s from Euty, I recognize her clumsy writing now, in Greek, asking me to meet her - but how do I get out?

 

[Wragg]

Every day I learn something here....I never knew that was what 'fellatio' meant

I knew what I thought it meant

 

[Eulalia]

ah yes, it's a word you'll see on musical scores -

fellatio...
tremolo, pianissimo, affettuoso, scherzando ...
poco a poco allargando ..
crescendo, con slancio ...
accelerando, agitato, vibrato, più vivace ...
fortissimo, furioso - ma non troppo! ... ahhh!!!
castrato!!!

 

[thehangingtree]

Every day I learn something here....I never knew that was what 'fellatio' meant

I knew what I thought it meant

...and Tree never knew stepping in cow shit would get his boots dirty...

Tree

 

[Velut Luna]

Amica 51


But I’ve no intention of running away, I just have to think of some tactic to leave the house – why not simply go out through the front door, under the eyes of all? No-one will stop me, they’ve got plenty more to worry about than what I’m doing, the incident has thrown them all into anxiety. What’s more, being Fannius’s favourite it’s a fact that I do enjoy a certain freedom that’s not granted to others. And anyway no-one could imagine me intenting to escape, and in such a blatant manner.

So, with confidence and without hesitation, looking neither right nor left, I walk in a natural way through the atrium, the fauces and the doorway, down steps of the house, and turn right - contrary to what I’d do to take the shortest route, just taking care in case anybody’s observing my movements. I turn right again into the narrow alley between the houses, I walk the ninety steps along the wall to the west and find myself in Mercury Lane, just a short distance more and I’m at the door of the House of the Vettii. At this hour of the morning, the door’s open, because the suppliers’ slaves come bringing their wares, bread, vegetables, and whatever else is needed for the day. I find the guard and ask to speak with Euty.

Euty seems terrified, she hugs and kisses me as if she wants to comfort and prepare me for the terrible news she’s going to give me. Last night, as we’d arranged, she was watching and saw the two girls, but also the Sicilian, coming out along the lane to the east of Lucius’s house, on the side where the back door opens, and heading towards the ruined house near Lucretius’s house. They entered, and at least twenty other people with them. She could see very well from a window on the upper floor of the House of the Vettii, because the moon was nearly full. In a short time, from the darkness of the alleys, many hooded men, some armed with short swords, others carrying ropes. They positioned themselves around the ruins, twenty of them entered through the breach in the wall.

Soon some of the Christians have come out fleeing, but they were quickly hunted down and captured by the hooded men. Then, from the breach, women were hurled with their hands tied behind their backs and ropes around their necks. They were lined up, then came the men. At this point the Sicilian tried to escape, but he was caught, stabbed and beheaded by one of militiamen who’d emerged nearby in the meantime to take charge of the prisoners. The women were taken in the direction of the outer walls of Pompeii, down towards the bottom of the lane, while the men, their heads covered with sacks, were marched off in the direction of the prison. It’s only too clear, it was an ambush timed to catch the Christians who’d gathered in the house with their deacons.

But the most serious matter is the death of the Sicilian. He’d taken advantage of his temporary freedom to somehow arrange the escape - it’s clear now it was a planned escape - of the two slaves, who were freed from their collars so as not to be recognized. And now they’re in the hands of the militia of the Imperial Prefect, and what their fate will be is easy to imagine. It remains to be seen whether an accomplice is still lurking in the house of Lucius - it doesn’t seem reasonable to suppose that the Sicilian entered the house left again, perhaps he was lurking in the darkness of the alley awaiting the escape of the two girls facilitated by an accomplice who remained inside.

Now things are getting complicated beyond belief, even for Lucius who’ll face serious questions when he returns, whether to denounce the flight of three, or maybe not. I’ll have to inform Eulalia immediately about the tragic developments in the situation, I’m the only one, apart from Euty, who knows these details, and I won’t say anything to anyone else so as not to create further confusion, and, above all, not to give any hint to whoever was their accomplice and expose myself to the risk of retaliation from him or her. We say goodbye with a kiss and tears in our eyes, Euty urges me to be careful, not take unnecessary risks now that we’ve become friends and guardians of such a secret as this.

I quickly return home, this time along the path to the east of the house, from where the girls and the Sicilian were getting out. I look carefully - in addition to a secondary entrance, corresponding to the area of the atrium where we were introduced on the day that we arrived, there’s also a door at the place that’s used as temporary stabling for the horses that bring guests to Lucius, but I don’t know whether it’s possible to get from inside the house to this location.

I do this quickly without wasting any time, and go back indoors through the main entrance. No-one seems to have noticed my brief absence, they’re all still in turmoil wondering how it was possible for them to escape, no-one yet knows the fate of the Sicilian, and I casually resume my daily activities as if nothing of what’s happened could be troubling me.

In the afternoon, not knowing what’s awaiting them, Lucius, Fulvia and Eulalia return, with a few of Fulvia’s slaves. Emidius immediately tells Lucius about the dramatic discovery of the escape, I guess Lucius wants to punish Emidius for his failure of supervision, but I realize that, although he’s visibly shaken, his immediate priority is to try to understand calmly what’s been going on, and to take steps to avoid danger, so he doesn’t take any action against Emidius, who’s too useful now in arranging his defence strategy.

I accompany Eulalia into our room carrying the little luggage she’s brought with her.

'Eulalia, the situation is far more serious than you might imagine.'

She looks at me mystified, whatever could be more serious than this bolt from the blue that’s hit us all? I don’t mention that I’d already noticed suspicious movements and discovered the nocturnal sorties of the two disgraced slavegirls even before our owners had left for Stabia, but I explain,

'I’ve found out that the two runaways are Christian, and that it was the Sicilian night-watchman, who’d gone to the Villa to do an inspection of damage caused by those tremors a few days ago, who enabled them to flee, perhaps he instigated the escape - but the dramatic thing is that the Sicilian has been killed by militiamen, and the girls have been captured, they’re now in the hands of the Imperial Prefect, and that’s far more dangerous!'

'How do you know all this?'

'A slavegirl who works in the House of the Vettii, I met her when I went out with Dromos a few days before your departure, she sent me a message saying that she wanted to talk. I met her this morning and she told me what she saw last night - for some time she’s been keeping an eye on the back door of Lucius’s house, she’d noticed suspicious movements and had a word with Dromos.'

I’ve never heard Eulalia curse, but this time I think she’s said as many rude words as she’s ever uttered in her life!

'Now those damned agents of the Prefect will all be here and we'll all be questioned. You’re in danger because you know too much, and especially as you know their capture was part of a deliberate operation ordered by the Prefect, we’ll have to find a solution for you too.'

Eulalia goes immediately to Lucius to inform him of the latest developments and the facts of this impending catastrophe. While she’s talking to him, Fulvia arrives, she’s holding a letter.

Shortly after, Eulalia leaves the tablinum (office).

'You're going to Herculaneum. Rectina has asked Fulvia for a slavegirl who can read and write, even in Greek. Her slave, one who was her personal assistant, died a few days ago, and there aren’t any educated slaves there. When we went to the Arena she became aware of your high achievements in learning both Latin and Greek, she thought that maybe you could be right for her, at least until she can find an educated slave to buy. I suggested to Lucius that you get going immediately - so pack your things, Dromos will accompany you to Herculaneum, then he’ll go to Fannius’s villa until the waters calm down, we'll keep in touch by writing.'

 

[Velut Luna]

Amica 52


Kisses, hugs, tears, we'll meet again... then, leaving through the Herculaneum Gate, the chariot speeds along the road, that’s well-paved with black lava-stone, like fugitive prey chased by a pack of hounds.

After the fork where our route leads off down to Herculaneum and Oplontis, we drive along a stretch nestling among fragrant pine trees and tall cypresses, right down to the coast, where the road emerges among the villas inhabited by Roman nobility who’ve chosen to live away here from the chaos of the city, building sumptuous mansions almost as grand as Imperial ones.

It’s not easy to find the drives that lead to the individual villas, you have to know where to turn. Dromos misses a couple of times, but then recognizes from a distance the military signal-tower that’s close to the promontory where stands the spectacular villa of Rectina.

These towers are vital nodes in the communication network of the Empire, in a very few hours messages can reach Rome and replies can bounce back from Rome with updated news, as if the distances did not exist. The system uses flashes of light reflected on mirrors, or fires at night, and keeps the contact between the beating heart and the extremities scattered throughout the whole Empire.

To reach the villa you have to pass through an arch at the entrance to a long, tree-lined avenue leading up to the promontory. Here they take charge over anyone approaching, armed guards ask us for documents, they control whether and to whom access is allowed, it’s a system of security needed in this place of happiness that must not be disturbed!

Rectina is not at home, she’s gone to Misenum, but she’ll return before nightfall. Dromos sets off now to go to the villa of Fannius, leaving me here alone among strangers. I’m almost seized by anxiety, but two beautiful slave girls immediately come smiling to invite me to the balnea (bath-house). The balnea? But it’s bigger than the Stabian Baths! Washed, massaged with scented ointments, coiffed and make up, dressed in new clothes soft and flowing, I’m treated as if I were a princess, but wherever am I? I'm only a slavegirl!

'Rectina welcomes you!' says one of the slavegirls.

‘Is she back already?'

'Not yet, but we have advised her of your arrival - she can’t wait to meet you!'

Ah! Flashes of light! From the platform on the square tower at the end of the building there’s a direct view of Misenum at the other side of the bay, in a few moments messages can be exchanged as quickly as if you were just a step away.

The liburna (vessel) approaching the landing-stage looks like a splendid swan gliding over the last stretch of sea.

Rectina is the young widow of Gnaeus Publius Baschus, and of Imperial lineage. She has inherited all the riches and lands of her husband, adding them to those she already had of her own, she’s now the richest lady living here on the Bay. So far she hasn’t remarried, she’s a friend of Pliny, said by some to be his lover, but their ages are very different, it’s difficult to imagine that the admiral whom I met at the Villa of Quarto could carry on a love affair with a woman so much younger than himself - perhaps their friendship is just a consequence of the fact that her late husband was a brave Roman general who died in battle, he may well have fought in some war in which Pliny was his commander.

The sailors moor the boat at the quay of the villa’s small harbour, Rectina disembarks, a youth approaches her with a parasol for shade, her personal slave carries a small bag that she always requires with her, she climbs agilely up the long but broad stairway from the terraces by the sea, there are five levels above before she comes to the large garden in front of the main facade of the villa. I have to greet her by offering a glass of grape juice, at the moment our eyes meet I bow my head and kneel to offer the cup. She drinks silently, observing me, nods for me to stand, smiling.

'So you're young Amica, the educated slavegirl of Lucius! When I was told that you can read and write in Latin and Greek, and you’d learnt everything in such a short time, I was surprised, especially as you come from a land where they don’t use writing.'

'Ma'am, yes my name is Amica, thanks to the kindness of my Master. I was lucky enough to be taught by the Greek slave named Eulalia, she’s taught me everything I’ve learnt so far, not only how to read and write, but also Roman history, Greek history, philosophy, and just a little of mathematics.'

She gazes straight into my eyes with her piercing look, seeking proof of my honesty.

'Your work here will be very challenging. You’ll have to follow me as if you were my shadow, you’ll have to write down everything I say, and what others say to me, you must write whatever I dictate to you, and in the evening you’ll transcribe everything from the wax tablets onto rolls of papyrus, the journal of each day. I need you to understand everything that’s said, even in Greek, and must maintain absolute secrecy concerning whatever you write, hear and see.'

'Give her a stylus and a tablet!'

She begins a speech in Latin, then turns to a slave-woman, then recites some excerpts from a Greek philosopher while walking about, I have to follow her. I trace rapid, minute marks on the tablet, without stopping, without having time to re-read them.

'Now give me the tablet!'

'But I can’t understand what you’ve written!' she says, looking stern.

'My lady, to be able to write so fast, I was taught to draw the characters only in part, just the significant elements.'

'Then read it back!'

In a loud voice, so that the others who are around us can hear and compare what I’m reading with their memory of what Rectina’s said, I read the text that I’ve written on the tablet.

'Okay! It seems complete, but why write like that? '

'It’s not just the need to write quickly, it’s also for security - if anyone, for whatever reason, were to see one of these tablets, they wouldn’t know how to decipher the writing, This guarantees the confidentiality and secrecy that you ask me to keep.'

'A very effective system! Now follow me, we'll go in my private bathroom, I’ve got to rinse off the dust and saltiness that ruin my skin. I’ll dictate to you the notes of today, and also those of the past few days, since my good assistant fell ill.'

While her slaves wash and massage her, she speaks and I write fast. Then, dressed in a fine silk tunic, she proceeds towards the tablinum. I'm her shadow, I walk not more than one step away from her, ready to record everything on the wax tablets. Now quiet, by the light of the lamp, I copy out in ink the diary of the short day. Rectina re-reads it, now she’s content, I’ve not made any mistakes....

 

[Velut Luna]

LIBURNA (lat. Liburna). - Battleship, fast type, used in antiquity. Presented the following characteristics: it was long, thin aft, equipped with spur, to a tree and two rows of oars. The name tells its origin: in fact, the pirates of the Illyrian coast (Liburnia) had created this type of ship slight and fast, perhaps through the marina Macedonian, then spread widely in the Roman one in the second half of the first century B. C. Mentioned by Caesar and Lucan, it yielded good test in the battle of Actium against the heavy ships of Antonio. Later, because of its widespread use, the name that refers to it lost its precise meaning, and was used to indicate different types of ships such as deceres liburnicae built by Caligula (Svet., Cal., 37). Representations of liburnae have wanted to see, perhaps wrongly, in the famous relief prenestino the Vatican Museum (Bireme) and in some scene of Trajan's Column. Liburna marked with the name of one of the ships is figured in the famous mosaic of Altiburo. But the heavy type of this vessel, and the name of apaeona, that there is read immediately after the name foretold, show that the term liburna are named, during the imperial period, with generic meaning, even the transport ships.
The city's name Livorno (Tuscany) originates from Liburna.

​

 

[thehangingtree]

Where are the naked women galley slaves???

 

[RacingRodent]

Where are the naked women galley slaves???

On the personal runabouts of the rich and well connected

 

[messaline]

LIBURNA (lat. Liburna). - Battleship, fast type, used in antiquity. Presented the following characteristics: it was long, thin aft, equipped with spur, to a tree and two rows of oars. The name tells its origin: in fact, the pirates of the Illyrian coast (Liburnia) had created this type of ship slight and fast, perhaps through the marina Macedonian, then spread widely in the Roman one in the second half of the first century B. C. Mentioned by Caesar and Lucan, it yielded good test in the battle of Actium against the heavy ships of Antonio. Later, because of its widespread use, the name that refers to it lost its precise meaning, and was used to indicate different types of ships such as deceres liburnicae built by Caligula (Svet., Cal., 37). Representations of liburnae have wanted to see, perhaps wrongly, in the famous relief prenestino the Vatican Museum (Bireme) and in some scene of Trajan's Column. Liburna marked with the name of one of the ships is figured in the famous mosaic of Altiburo. But the heavy type of this vessel, and the name of apaeona, that there is read immediately after the name foretold, show that the term liburna are named, during the imperial period, with generic meaning, even the transport ships.
The city's name Livorno (Tuscany) originates from Liburna.

View attachment 183950​

I think that it's kind of boat ...
For those who are interested by more ... www2.rgzm.de/navis/Themes...Border.htm

 

[Velut Luna]

I think that it's kind of boat ...
For those who are interested by more ... www2.rgzm.de/navis/Themes...Border.htm

In the picture there is a model of Bireme, 80-100 rowers, plus 8 helmsmen, more bigger than Liburna, 40-48 rowers and 2 helmsmen!
For Tree a lot of rower slavegirls for the hill of 100 crosses.

 

[Eulalia]

The Lady Rectina takes a battleship to pop across the Bay to Misenum?
Makes the (now retired) Royal Yacht Britannia look like a dinghy

 

[Velut Luna]

The Lady Rectina takes a battleship to pop across the Bay to Misenum?
Makes the (now retired) Royal Yacht Britannia look like a dinghy

Rectina is the 'beloved girl' of Pliny, the admiral of the Mediterranean fleet!

 

[RacingRodent]

The Lady Rectina takes a battleship to pop across the Bay to Misenum?
Makes the (now retired) Royal Yacht Britannia look like a dinghy

Well my first thought was that Luna meant warship but...as she points out Liburnae albeit probably a slightly bigger version were the main vessel of Octavian's fleet at Actium and thus did serve in the battle line thereby qualifying as battleships.

Later as she pointed out the Romans just started calling nearly everything that floats Liburnae

In English Naval terminology the word Frigate experienced a period of similar overuse being used to describe everything from galley-frigates which had sweeps or large oars as auxiliary propulsion to "great frigates" which were basically the earliest versions of the ship of the line.

To be honest though the difference between a fast 'yacht' and a warship were less clear cut back then as really until about the 1820's Naval warfare was basically land warfare balanced on boats and was most commonly settled by boarding actions.

So having made my diversion in a manner worthy of Pliny I shall shut up

 

[Eulalia]

oh frigate!

 

[Velut Luna]

Well my first thought was that Luna meant warship but...as she points out Liburnae albeit probably a slightly bigger version were the main vessel of Octavian's fleet at Actium and thus did serve in the battle line thereby qualifying as battleships.

Later as she pointed out the Romans just started calling nearly everything that floats Liburnae

In English Naval terminology the word Frigate experienced a period of similar overuse being used to describe everything from galley-frigates which had sweeps or large oars as auxiliary propulsion to "great frigates" which were basically the earliest versions of the ship of the line.

To be honest though the difference between a fast 'yacht' and a warship were less clear cut back then as really until about the 1820's Naval warfare was basically land warfare balanced on boats and was most commonly settled by boarding actions.

So having made my diversion in a manner worthy of Pliny I shall shut up

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classis_Misenensis
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_militare_romana
also in english

http://www.romanoimpero.com/2010/09/evoluzione-navale.html
only italian

 

[Madiosi]

Amica 52


Kisses, hugs, tears, we'll meet again... then, leaving through the Herculaneum Gate, the chariot speeds along the road, that’s well-paved with black lava-stone, like fugitive prey chased by a pack of hounds.

After the fork where our route leads off down to Herculaneum and Oplontis, we drive along a stretch nestling among fragrant pine trees and tall cypresses, right down to the coast, where the road emerges among the villas inhabited by Roman nobility who’ve chosen to live away here from the chaos of the city, building sumptuous mansions almost as grand as Imperial ones.

It’s not easy to find the drives that lead to the individual villas, you have to know where to turn. Dromos misses a couple of times, but then recognizes from a distance the military signal-tower that’s close to the promontory where stands the spectacular villa of Rectina.

These towers are vital nodes in the communication network of the Empire, in a very few hours messages can reach Rome and replies can bounce back from Rome with updated news, as if the distances did not exist. The system uses flashes of light reflected on mirrors, or fires at night, and keeps the contact between the beating heart and the extremities scattered throughout the whole Empire.

To reach the villa you have to pass through an arch at the entrance to a long, tree-lined avenue leading up to the promontory. Here they take charge over anyone approaching, armed guards ask us for documents, they control whether and to whom access is allowed, it’s a system of security needed in this place of happiness that must not be disturbed!

Rectina is not at home, she’s gone to Misenum, but she’ll return before nightfall. Dromos sets off now to go to the villa of Fannius, leaving me here alone among strangers. I’m almost seized by anxiety, but two beautiful slave girls immediately come smiling to invite me to the balnea (bath-house). The balnea? But it’s bigger than the Stabian Baths! Washed, massaged with scented ointments, coiffed and make up, dressed in new clothes soft and flowing, I’m treated as if I were a princess, but wherever am I? I'm only a slavegirl!

'Rectina welcomes you!' says one of the slavegirls.

‘Is she back already?'

'Not yet, but we have advised her of your arrival - she can’t wait to meet you!'

Ah! Flashes of light! From the platform on the square tower at the end of the building there’s a direct view of Misenum at the other side of the bay, in a few moments messages can be exchanged as quickly as if you were just a step away.

The liburna (vessel) approaching the landing-stage looks like a splendid swan gliding over the last stretch of sea.

Rectina is the young widow of Gnaeus Publius Baschus, and of Imperial lineage. She has inherited all the riches and lands of her husband, adding them to those she already had of her own, she’s now the richest lady living here on the Bay. So far she hasn’t remarried, she’s a friend of Pliny, said by some to be his lover, but their ages are very different, it’s difficult to imagine that the admiral whom I met at the Villa of Quarto could carry on a love affair with a woman so much younger than himself - perhaps their friendship is just a consequence of the fact that her late husband was a brave Roman general who died in battle, he may well have fought in some war in which Pliny was his commander.

The sailors moor the boat at the quay of the villa’s small harbour, Rectina disembarks, a youth approaches her with a parasol for shade, her personal slave carries a small bag that she always requires with her, she climbs agilely up the long but broad stairway from the terraces by the sea, there are five levels above before she comes to the large garden in front of the main facade of the villa. I have to greet her by offering a glass of grape juice, at the moment our eyes meet I bow my head and kneel to offer the cup. She drinks silently, observing me, nods for me to stand, smiling.

'So you're young Amica, the educated slavegirl of Lucius! When I was told that you can read and write in Latin and Greek, and you’d learnt everything in such a short time, I was surprised, especially as you come from a land where they don’t use writing.'

'Ma'am, yes my name is Amica, thanks to the kindness of my Master. I was lucky enough to be taught by the Greek slave named Eulalia, she’s taught me everything I’ve learnt so far, not only how to read and write, but also Roman history, Greek history, philosophy, and just a little of mathematics.'

She gazes straight into my eyes with her piercing look, seeking proof of my honesty.

'Your work here will be very challenging. You’ll have to follow me as if you were my shadow, you’ll have to write down everything I say, and what others say to me, you must write whatever I dictate to you, and in the evening you’ll transcribe everything from the wax tablets onto rolls of papyrus, the journal of each day. I need you to understand everything that’s said, even in Greek, and must maintain absolute secrecy concerning whatever you write, hear and see.'

'Give her a stylus and a tablet!'

She begins a speech in Latin, then turns to a slave-woman, then recites some excerpts from a Greek philosopher while walking about, I have to follow her. I trace rapid, minute marks on the tablet, without stopping, without having time to re-read them.

'Now give me the tablet!'

'But I can’t understand what you’ve written!' she says, looking stern.

'My lady, to be able to write so fast, I was taught to draw the characters only in part, just the significant elements.'

'Then read it back!'

In a loud voice, so that the others who are around us can hear and compare what I’m reading with their memory of what Rectina’s said, I read the text that I’ve written on the tablet.

'Okay! It seems complete, but why write like that? '

'It’s not just the need to write quickly, it’s also for security - if anyone, for whatever reason, were to see one of these tablets, they wouldn’t know how to decipher the writing, This guarantees the confidentiality and secrecy that you ask me to keep.'

'A very effective system! Now follow me, we'll go in my private bathroom, I’ve got to rinse off the dust and saltiness that ruin my skin. I’ll dictate to you the notes of today, and also those of the past few days, since my good assistant fell ill.'

While her slaves wash and massage her, she speaks and I write fast. Then, dressed in a fine silk tunic, she proceeds towards the tablinum. I'm her shadow, I walk not more than one step away from her, ready to record everything on the wax tablets. Now quiet, by the light of the lamp, I copy out in ink the diary of the short day. Rectina re-reads it, now she’s content, I’ve not made any mistakes....

You work fast!

 

[Pia]

This was amazing and has now become utterly amazing - the story and the characters and the history overwhelm me - i love it so much!

 

[Velut Luna]

You work fast!

Thanks, but a lot of honor is for Eulalia, helping me!

This was amazing and has now become utterly amazing - the story and the characters and the history overwhelm me - i love it so much!

Thanks for your appreciation, I write for you all!

 

[Velut Luna]

Amica 53


The days pass quickly, I’m always occupied following Rectina, one day at Herculaneum, another on the Bay, others at Oplontis or in Naples, not counting the visits to her friends in neighbouring villas, from morning till night, writing and rewriting. We’re always followed by her trusty personal slave, Euken, an Iberian, nice and bronze, with long, curly, black hair, dark, penetrating eyes – which he never takes off my curves! I almost feel uncomfortable, he’s undressing me with his eyes, but he never dares to go beyond looking - perhaps Rectina’s made him understand that he’d better not dare if he doesn’t want to try the sharp edge of the sword of Fannius!


I miss Fannius, I miss Eulalia – she promised she would write, but I’ve not received anything, twenty days have already passed, what’s happening in Pompeii? What happened after I left? Have they all forgotten me? I'm sad. I don’t dare ask Rectina if I can write to Eulalia, maybe it is not even appropriate to be the first to write a letter, I have to wait for a message from her.


Rectina calls me, hands me a scroll,

'It's for you, from Pompeii!'

I open it anxiously. All I find is written in the middle of the page:

ἄστερες μὲν ἀμφὶ κάλαν σελάνναν
ἂψ ἀπυκρύπτοισι φάεννον εἶδος
ὄπποτα πλήθοισα μάλιστα λάμπηι
γᾶν ἀργυρία

The stars around the graceful moon
hide again their radiant forms
when full she shines brightest
above the earth .....

Then it ends in Latin minuscules:

intimus ignis aperit

'intimate fire reveals'​

But what has Eulalia written this for? And why has she used such a big piece of papyrus for so few lines! I am shocked, I grasp the papyrus wondering what do you want to tell me? A coded message? But how do I decode it?

I try to do like the Cumaean Sybil, adding some punctuation - 'the stars around ... the graceful moon ... again hiding their radiant forms ... when full she shines brightest ... above the earth .... the intimate fire reveals.' But I just don’t understand anything! Try again - 'The stars around'? Who are they? Hmph! 'The graceful moon' Well, could be me! 'Hide again their radiant forms' of what? Who’s hiding what? 'When full she shines brightest' who? The moon? I really don’t understand anything! What's the sense in telling me that the full moon shines brightest? 'Above the Earth' and then, almost out of context, ‘the intimate fire reveals' - why?

I’ve studied Latin and Greek and now I’m incapable of interpreting written messages as cryptic, enigmatic, as this! Has the rationality of philosophy and science destroyed my priestess's powers? Maybe before I would have been able to understand it, and now I can't? One thing I understand, and it's perhaps the easiest, the graceful moon is me.

'What has Eulalia written to you? Why are you so surprised? '

'I don’t know, ma'am! I thought she’d write me a long letter, but instead she’s sent me a poem!'

'What does this poem say?'

'The stars around the graceful moon hide again their radiant forms when full…'

'Ah! That’s a poem by Sappho!' Rectina interrupts me.

'Really, ma'am?'

'Yes, it means that the full moon is so bright that she even hides the light of the stars.'

I am silent, thoughtful.

'She’s comparing you to the moon, you’re so beautiful you hide everything around you - she loves you!'

'What a fool I was not to have immediately understood!'

But to tell the truth I'm not at all convinced Rectina’s interpretation.

'You'll have to answer, try to think of a poem, but in your own words!'

'But how can I follow Sappho?'

'Dream! And pray to the gods to send you the words. '

'I will pray my goddess Luna.'

'Come now! Before bed-time you can read me some poems of Sappho!'

In the dim light of the room, barely lit by the light of the lamp, I read aloud the beautiful Greek poems, lying on her bed Rectina listens with narrowed eyes, maybe she’s dreaming…