R. S. Downie - Ruso and the Root of All Evils

Do not heap up upon poverty, which has many attendant evils, the perplexities which arise from borrowing and owing

Plutarch, Moralia

The love of money is the root of all evils.

1 Timothy 6:10

Ruso and the Root of All Evils

in which Gaius Petreius Ruso, our hero, will be:

Lied for by
Valens, a fellow medic

Harassed by
Marcia and Flora, his half-sisters

Organized by
Arria, his stepmother

Put straight by
Cassiana, his sister-in-law
Cook

Complained at by
Lucius Petreius, his brother

Intrigued by
Lollia Saturnina, a neighbour

Puzzled by
Justinus, his brother-in-law (missing feared drowned)
a very short letter

Insulted by
Claudia, his former wife, daughter of Probus (see thrown out by)

Informed by
a security guard whose name he cannot remember
Flaccus, a kitchen-boy
Galla, a servant
Valgius, a snake-charmer
Attalus, an undertaker

Solicited by
Gabinius Fuscus, a politician and cousin of a Senator
Tertius, a gladiator
Diphilus, a builder

Confused by
Polla, Sosia, Little Lucius, Little Publius and Little Gaius, his nephews and nieces

Pursued by
Calvus, an investigator
Stilo, his sidekick

Annoyed by
Brother Solemnis, a follower of Christos

Threatened by
Severus, the agent in charge of the Senators estate (see in debt to)
Copreus, a sea captain
Ponticus, a shipping agent

Thrown out by
Ennia, sister of Severus
Zosimus, a house steward
Probus, a banker, Rusos former father-in-law

Employed by
Gnostus, an old colleague with a new name

Almost poisoned by
a stable lad

In debt to
many people, including:
Probus (see thrown out by)
Gabinius Fuscus (see solicited by)
the Senator, a character frequently mentioned but never appearing
assorted tradesmen

Argued with, slept with and abandoned (again) by
Tilla, otherwise known as Darlughdacha of the Corionotatae amongst the Brigantes

Justinus was lying in the stinking dark of the ships hold, bruised and beaten, feeling every breath twist hot knives in his chest.

The light that trickled in through the worrying gaps in the hull showed the angle of the ladder above him. Beyond it, thin, bright lines betrayed the position of the hatch. He remembered the slam, and the rattle of the bolts. Now he heard the sharp yell of a reprimand over the thumps and footfalls up on the deck of the Pride of the South , a ship that could hardly have been less appropriately named.

Whatever they were up to, it seemed he didnt need to die for it. If they had planned to kill him they could simply have thrown him overboard. Perhaps they would maroon him on a remote island somewhere while they sailed off to enjoy spending his masters money. He would eat berries, spear fish and wait to be rescued. Sooner or later he would return home, thinner and browner and with a well-rehearsed apology to his master.

He forced himself into a sitting position just as the ship heeled to starboard. Cold bilge that should not have been near the cargo sloshed over his legs. Beneath him, he felt the stacked amphorae slide out of position and begin to tip and roll with the movement of the ship. Dark shapes swarmed out from amongst them and ran squealing along the sides of the hold.

Hey! he shouted, grasping at the ladder to steady himself and wincing at the pain in his chest. Captain!

No response.

Copreus! He banged on the ladder with his fist before he shouted the words that should bring the crew running. The cargos shifting!

There was a muffled shout from above, then something thudding against the side of the ship, scurrying feet and the bark of orders. Between the other sounds, he was almost certain he could hear waves breaking on a shore near enough to swim to.