The College

When my first day at the College arrived, I still found myself unprepared for the feel of the place. There were never more than fifty students studying there at any one time, and it was contained within just two buildings, but the place still had a feeling of grandeur about it. Depictions of the great deeds of the College’s alumni – great victories in battle, the construction of huge waterworks – were painted on nearly every wall, and my provincial flavour felt very out of place. The larger of the College’s buildings was where the classes were held, and the other was used only for certain demonstrations and competitions.

A couple of days into term, I was stepping out of a very dull lecture on military tactics delivered by some ancient retired general when I was accosted by one of my fellow students. “Aulus Calpurnius,” he said with a sort of sneering tone, as we stepped outside into the bright sunlight. Though he knew my name, I did not recognise the rather gormless young man in front of me. He was my age, and well dressed, with quality robes that did well to hide his pudgy body.

“That’s me,” I said.

“I’m Servius. Servius Cassian. You’ve probably heard of me already, but I’ve been hoping for a while that I’d run into you here. New to Rome, I hear?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I thought you might want a hand getting to know the place. Know who to avoid and where to go.”

“I’ve been getting on pretty fine so far, I guess.” By this time we were standing on the steps out the front of the College, and I was sort of trying to work out how to extricate myself from the conversation. Instead he grinned and clapped his hand on my shoulder.

“Have you been to Iocularis yet?” he asked.

I had never heard of Iocularis, let alone been there. “Not yet.”

“It’s really great. You’ve gotta get down there sometime. I’ll take you if you like. It’s a pretty grand place, of course, and you need a bit of dosh to go there of course. Not that that would cause you any trouble. They get in these Gallic wines there, stuff you can’t get anywhere else in the city. Not even my uncle knows how they get a hold of it.”

I made a polite grunt.

Servius leaned in towards me, with something of a conspiratorial tone, “Look, if you don’t mind, I’ll give you a spot of advice because you probably haven’t noticed yet but nothing’s quite what it looks like here, especially if you’ve come from the countryside. You see, even though you might think everyone here at the College is like you or me, from good families with the right sort of money, that’s not all the case. Have you met Tullus Romilius for instance? He might try to pretend otherwise but he hasn’t a penny to his name. It’s a shame, isn’t it? A family as old as his, with no money at all.”

“Well, I don’t know. I suppose so,” I managed. I didn’t know what to say to all this, mindful of what my uncle had told me about Servius and his family.

He continued, unbothered, “The reason I bring him up, you see, is because I was just thinking about Iocularis, and one time I saw him down there. I was with some old mates of mine, good guys, you’d like them well. Anyway, one time I was there and well guess what but so was Tullus! I was kind of keeping an eye on him all night, just to see what he was up to. After a couple of hours I realised that he’d been nursing one drink the whole night. He could probably only afford to have one there!”

Servius chortled at his story. I was saved from any further possible embarrassment induced by the continuance of the conversation by the arrival of another pair of students. One of whom was tall and broad, wearing a wide smile on his face as he came up to us. The other was my new, and apparently impoverished, acquaintance Tullus.

“Servius! What’s up?” said the taller of the pair.

Servius suddenly looked rather sulky. “Marcus, I didn’t know you were still hanging around the College.”

“I sure am.”

The wind seemed to have gone out of Servius, but he put on a smile for me and awkwardly shook my hand. “Well, I’m sure I’ll see you round, Aulus. I think we’d get on well.”

With that, he was off, walking away slightly too hurriedly to carry much dignity. I turned back to my new companions. “Hello,” I ventured.

“Hi. Marcus Livius, that’s me,” said Tullus’ companion, “Don’t worry about that old sack of lard. Servius thinks he’s a big shot because his father’s a senator but really the guy’s just a bore. Too many of them around here really, but he’s the worst of the lot.”

“I see what you mean,” I said.

“So you’re Aulus Calpurnius,” Marcus said. I was starting to get used to this sort of sentence. “Related to the senator?”

“Publius is my uncle.”

“Mmm. No wonder our friend Servius has an interest in you. It’s no secret his father disagrees with your uncle. They had a rather fantastic public blue earlier this year. I wasn’t there myself, but Tullus saw it all happen.”

Tullus was standing very close to Marcus, but I had still slightly forgotten that he was there. He brightened up now, with something to say. “Yes. It happened outside the Curia, at the Forum. I was there writing something or other and was pretty well focused on that, but I could hear the sound of raised voices, so I looked up. Your uncle and Gaius Cassian, that’s Servius’ dad, were just walking out of the Curia. Your uncle was yelling pretty loudly, swearing something about the Hydrologists and the end of the Republic – I couldn’t follow what he was saying – and old man Cassian appeared to be taking it pretty silently for the most part, at least at first. Then Cassian said something like – the whole square was pretty much silent for the quarrel so I could hear pretty well from the other side – something like, ‘This is a private matter, Publius, and if I hear one more word of it in public like this, I’ll gut you.’ It was a pretty shocking thing for him to say, and I’m sure I could see the glint of a blade in his toga. Your uncle went pretty quiet and serious after that, and it didn’t go any further. He said something back to old Cassian and stalked off.”

Marcus continued from there, “That was about the end of it, but everyone knows the two hate each other now, and word has it that the Senate can barely function at the moment. It’s a mercy there’s been no bigger trouble on the border this year, because I just don’t see how they could deal with any real problems.”

“Uh huh.”

We were still standing around the front of the college building at this point, and a young woman walked out from its tall entrance. She was tall herself, and dressed in a bright blue robe, with long strings of jewellery hanging off her. Altogether she made an impressive picture, striding out from the College and into the busy street.

I said, “Wow. Who’s that? I’ve never seen someone dressed like that.”

Tullus replied with a shrug, “One of the Hydrologists. There are a few at the College each year.”

“I thought the College was male-only, though?”

“Not for the Hydrologists, no. The rules are different for them at the College, just like everywhere else, it seems. They largely keep to themselves, the Hydrologists, but you know her, though, don’t you, Marcus?”

Marcus said, “Yeah, I do, actually, she should be coming…” He trailed off until Tullus gave him a nudge with his elbow, and the bigger man asked me, “What are you doing tonight, old boy?”

“Nothing,” I said. “I don’t know anyone in this city really, so I don’t have much to do just yet.”

“Well, tell you what then, I’m having a party tonight. Start of semester sort of thing. It’s gonna be pretty wild, everyone’s coming. Surely you turn up, given you’re free.”

I grinned. “That’d be great, actually.”

Marcus gave me the details and I jotted them down into my notebook.

---

I arrived at Marcus’ that night just around sunset. If I had been impressed by my uncle’s villa, it had nothing on the grandeur of Marcus’ place. So this was how they lived it up in the Capital! There was a lengthy driveway leading up to the house, consisting of at least two stories, all covered in frescoes in yellow and red. Out behind I could make out various outbuildings and over the chatter of voices, there was the sound of a fountain pouring water somewhere in the garden.

I went in.

Marcus had not misled me about the size of the party either; it really did seem like everyone in the city was there. The whole place was pumping, people laughing and pushing past each other to get in or out. Everywhere, cups were brimming with wine, and people sat in groups at tables playing games or stood telling stories or in pairs, flirting. People were shouting, drinking, giggling, embracing, slapping each other on the back, and all seemed deeply engaged in the bacchic atmosphere of the party. I had purposefully arrived late, so to avoid being there before things had got into full swing, but I now found myself regretting that choice in the face of the rather overwhelming chaos of a party where I knew almost no-one.

Given how I was feeling, I was very glad to run almost directly into Tullus as I wandered through the villa. He was staggering He was already, obviously completely inebriated but, once he had recognised who I was gave me a hearty hug and said, “Wow! Aulus, I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“Well, I made it here.”

At this point I noticed the striking looking girl standing beside Tullus, hand on her hip. She wore a crimson dress, heavily embroidered in yellow and black detailing. She had long black hair that cascaded down in curls from her face, which regarded me with a mild amusement, as if I was some small child or pet likely to do something ridiculous. I must have been looking pretty silly myself because Tullus laughed and said, “This is my sister, Quintia.”

She gave me a hug, in a deliberately formal manner placing her fingers lightly on my shoulders. Her perfume smelled of summer flowers. “You’re the new boy then, huh?”

“That’s me,” I said, slightly bashfully.

“Tullus tells me that you are most charming.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you all the same, Aulus Calpurnius.” Quintia flashed a smile at me and, after lightly kissing Tullus on the cheek, slipped off into the crowd. Tullus giggled, “She has that effect on people. Try not to run into Germinus Pulcher tonight if you can, he’s feeling rather miserable I believe. Look who’s over there, though.”

I followed where Tullus was pointing to. There was the Hydrologist girl who had brushed past us at the College that morning, and beside her a muscular young man. Tullus continued, “You know her of course, but he’s apparently some famous chariot racer. Gnaeus something-or-other. Marcus knows him somehow.”

With that, Tullus slipped off into the crowd himself, presumably following after his sister somewhere.

I spent the next few hours in something of a daze, in conversation with any number of different guests there, playing the various games and singing along when people broke out in songs. Many of the patrons seemed never to have met Marcus even though it was his villa, and all seemed to be taking great advantage of the hospitality on display. I was beginning to really wonder how Marcus could afford to throw such a party as this.

I was talking to one of these individuals, who was explaining to me in great and mind-numbing detail how the great dams of Gaul were being constructed in between swigs from a chunky earthenware cup, when someone came running past, sandals slapping on the tiled floors. When they saw it was me, they stopped at once and turned around. To my surprise, and delight or terror (I could not decide which), it was Quintia. She had a panicked look on her face, which was red from running and she was drawing in gasps of air. Between breaths, she said, “Aulus. Where’s Tullus gone? I need to find him.”

“I’m not sure,” I said, equally breathlessly, “I can help you look for him?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Quintia led me through Marcus’ house, and while she was impressively adept at navigating its rooms and corridors, I felt pretty lost. We passed through sitting rooms, kitchens, parlours, all with some youths sprawled around on whichever surfaces were available. The place was still quite full with partyers, but there was no sign of Tullus at all, until we reached a thick door, with an extraordinarily intoxicated man slumped beside it. He roused himself on seeing Quintia, and pointed roughly towards the door, sighing as he said, “You’re looking… for Tullus? He’s, he’s in there.”

“Thanks, Germinus,” Quintia said. She pushed open the door, which appeared to require some force. I was about to follow her in when she put a hand on my chest and pushed me back out. She said, “Just wait here, Aulus, I promise I’ll just be a minute.”

“Why can’t I come in?”

She pursed her lips, “It’s complicated. I’ll explain later.”

With that, she slipped inside the door and shut it firmly behind her. I paused, uncertain whether I should ignore her protests and follow her in anyway but thought better of it and let myself rest against the wall. I stared down at Germinus, who was glumly tracing the heavy stone tiles of the floor. He met my gaze with searching eyes and said, “I can see it in your face! Poor friend, I do not think you will survive the suffering that you have brought upon yourself.”

“What?”

“I know you’ll deny it because I did too. Don’t make the same mistake that I did!” Germinus nodded sadly, “Ah, I see it does not matter, it will destroy you all the same. It happens all the same to many of us, in many places, but your soul is like mine, and made to suffer the untoward turns of fate.”

“What?”

“You are in love with her, are you not? I was, too, myself, and she did tear up my fragile heart. Some of us are not made for the trials of this world, it is too cruel to us, it beats us up and chews us and spits us out until we are left defeated by the brutality of it all. Do not deny it! It’s quite true. You too shall find yourself cast down like a dog! Like a dog, the way that I was!”

With this, Germinus collapsed into a fit of blubbering that I found myself utterly unequipped to deal with. All the same, I slid down the wall so that I was seated next to him and put my arm around his heaving shoulders. “It’s okay,” I said.

Germinus shook his head and said, “It’s not fair! It’s not right, is what it is.” This proclamation provoked a new fit of tears which poured down his thin face.

I was beginning to feel quite sorry for Germinus at this point, not least because he reminded me strongly of one of my closest friends from the estate back home. However, just as my sympathy was reaching its peak, his bellyful of drink got the better of him and he started throwing up in front of him. Being seated and with Germinus gripping my arm quite firmly, I was slow to react and found my foot splattered by the sick.

With a sigh, I helped my new friend up to his feet, down the hallway, upstairs and outside to the garden, a transfer that proceeded mercifully without further incident. I helped Germinus through a series of alternating periods of nausea and teary-eyed confessions until I began to consider him too much of a liability to deal with any further. I helped him up onto a bench, and it was only once he was safely asleep on his side that I remember what I had been doing before being saddled with the responsibility of his wellbeing.

With a jolt, I realised that Quintia must have finished her business with Tullus downstairs and would have found me gone when she came out of the room. Not knowing where she would have ended up, I made a brief survey of the party, which at last seemed to be winding up. Quintia, Tullus, and Marcus all seemed to be absent, and so I found myself back where I had started, outside the heavy wooden door that Quintia had disappeared into. I considered waiting for her longer but figured that in my travails with Germinus and scouring of the party a sizeable period of time must have passed, I decided to go on in.

The impression Quintia had given when she opened it was confirmed by my own attempt; the door was indeed unusually heavy. I pushed it open with both hands and went in. Inside was a library of sorts, with a few velveted benches laid out in the centre of the room. The walls were filled with shelves, each packed with books and rolled-up scrolls, a collection that would have taken a lifetime to complete. I thought of the meagre reading material that my father had managed to accumulate and realised that the whole of his collection would still be less than even one of the four walls of the room. The room was empty, and there was no door out of the room but the one that I had entered through. Given I hadn’t seen any of the others outside while looking after Germinus, I felt a little confused. I shrugged and left the mysteries to themselves.

I was tempted to search through the bookshelves, being very impressed with Marcus’ collection, but thought better of it. The night had become very late by now, and I was struggling to keep my eyelids open or my mind sharp; with this in mind I turned around and headed home.