The Gladiator

'Don't worry, sir,' Macro replied firmly. 'I'm happy to do it. For you, and for Cato.'

'Thank you.' Sempronius stood up and crossed the room to the window, where he clasped Macro's arm. 'You're a good man. One of the best.'

'I said I'd do it, sir. You don't have to go on about it.'

Sempronius laughed. 'Very well. Go now. Take your pick of the men, the best of the horses and enough rations for the journey.

Report back to me as soon as you return.'

'Yes, sir.' Macro nodded, and Sempronius released his arm. As Macro made for the door, Julia stepped forward to embrace her father. Sempronius kissed the top of her head. He held her tight for an instant and then let her go. She turned away and hurried from the room without looking back.

Sempronius listened to the light patter of her sandals, soon lost under the harsh clatter of Macro's nailed boots, then both died away as they left the building. He took a deep breath to calm the pain in his heart and gazed out towards the twinkling sprawl of fires that marked the rebel camps.

'Cato, my boy,' he muttered to himself, 'for pity's sake don't fail me now.'

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

As dawn broke, Ya

They had been sailing along the coast since putting in briefly at Darnis to take on water. There were no roads along the coast and Cato had been advised to continue the journey by sea. Once he had learned the rudiments of sailing, Cato and Ya

'Yes, what is it?'

'We're in sight of the lighthouse. I thought you'd want to know.'

Cato scrambled stiffly up from the side of the boat and balanced his feet against its motion as he stood beside Ya

'I've heard that it's possible to see the top of the lighthouse from twenty or thirty miles away. I've been to Alexandria a few times, when I was a soldier. See that sparkle? That's a huge curved piece of brass, regularly polished. By day it reflects the light of the sun, and at night the flames of the fire that burns at the top of the tower.'

Cato had read of the great lighthouse at Alexandria and felt a tingle of excitement at the thought of seeing such an architectural marvel. From what he recalled, the lighthouse was only one of the landmarks of the city founded by the greatest general in history.

Alexandria was also filled with the most brilliant minds in the world, drawn to the vast collection of books in the Great Library. If there was time, Cato firmly resolved to see something of the city.

With a full sail bulging under the pressure of a stiff breeze, the fishing boat surged across the swell, and as the sun climbed into the sky, the other Romans stirred and watched the distant structure slowly crawl above the curve of the horizon. The hours passed and Cato pulled on his felt cap and tipped the fringe down to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun. By noon the port itself was clearly visible, and beyond, the vast expanse of the city. At the heart of Alexandria were the various complexes of temples, markets, palaces and the Great Library, huge edifices worthy of a city that had a population almost as great as that of Rome. Ya

Ya

The first level was square, pierced with rows of windows. Above it was an eight-sided section leading up to the final, smallest level, which was round. The fire was housed in the upper floors of the highest level, and above that gleamed the huge brass reflector. There was a tiny flurry of white specks swirling about the top of the lighthouse as one of its keepers hurled scraps of food to the gulls.

Cato and the other Romans were stu

'Some what humbling, isn't it? Not so sure that Rome is the centre of the world any more?'

'I had no idea it was as magnificent as this,' Cato admitted.' How on earth could they have built it?'

He had been raised with the idea of Roman omnipotence. Rome was the greatest city, its people the greatest race, and its gods were the most powerful. He had not been fool enough to take this smugness at face value, but he had travelled the empire from Britain to Palmyra and seen nothing to compete with the magnificence of Rome. Until now.

The boat passed the end of Pharos island and a short while later Ya

'The grain fleet,' he explained.

Cato nodded as he examined the vessels more closely. They were built like the Horus, but on a larger scale, with high sides that bulged outwards. A purple pe

Unfortunately the mob had come to rely on the free handout, and successive emperors had not dared to put an end to the dole, no matter how much gold it cost them.

The courses of the fleet and the fishing boat diverged as Ya

'That's the old royal port,' said Ya

Cato looked towards the building Ya