Mentor of Athens, Pothinus, various advisors to the boy king and servants.
Pothinus was furious.
He had just received a summons from Julius Caesar demanding that the Egyptian rulers disband their armies and bow to Roman law. He had also demanded that Ptolemy and Cleopatra be sent to him immediately.
“What does this mean?” Ptolemy asked his whining voice irritating both the Generals present.
“I’m afraid my King that we will have to send you to Caesar….”
“But what about Cleopatra? What about her?” Ptolemy cut Pothinus off, “Surely if she doesn’t go then I don’t have to.”
“That is precisely why you should go. Don’t you see. If you attend Caesar, bow to his every wish and your sister fails to come. Then Caesar will have to take your side in this matter.”
“How can she go? We don’t even know where she is. None of you know.”
“I will find her,” Achillas said.
“When Achillas. When?”
“I will leave tonight with only a handful of men so as not to rouse suspicion. Our people protesting in the streets will keep the Romans occupied. I have heard this evening that some of Caesar’s men were killed in violent protests.” “When did this happen?” Ptolemy looked from Achillas to Pothinus.
Pothinus smiled a smug smile.
“After Caesar returned to the palace his ship was attacked. Some of his guards were killed. I arranged it….”
“You.”
“It was necessary my King. Our people do not want the Romans here with their laws. The people see it as an end to their independence.”
“Do you know the people call me the bastard.”
“That is merely hearsay and gossip. My King the people love you. You are a good monarch. Taxes are low. The fields are full. The people work hard for you.”
“And Cleopatra. Do they love her too? Which of us do they love the most?”
“A wise question my King. That will be answered when Achillas finds her and brings her back. In chains if need be.”
Achillas nodded to reassure the boy.
“And what of Caesar’s ships? How many men does he bring?”
“He landed with less than five thousand men and only eight hundred cavalry. It is a small amount sire. Achillas has twenty thousand men waiting and ready on the banks of the Nile. He will move them to Alexandria. There are a million people living in this city. Trust me my King the Romans have no chance of making any sort of an impact on us.”
Caesar stood at the window looking out over the harbour. The rooms the Romans had been given were spacious and luxurious. The walls were adorned with murals and carvings depicting the great Pharaohs. The furniture
was expensive mahogany. Many lamps lit the rooms. Scented oils burned to help keep the night bugs away.
Julius was watching the ships bobbing gently in the waves. The city stretched from lake Mareotis which was North, to the Mediterranean coast covering several miles. From his window he could see the Pharos, the great lighthouse, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It stood three hundred feet tall. The open sea was beyond. Caesar gazed at the fire burning at the top of the lighthouse. It was a truly spectacular sight.
His attention was taken away by the sound of running feet. A legionary was running down a narrow street. Moments later a group of men carrying burning torches gave chase. They caught up to the unfortunate Roman when he tripped and fell. They surrounded him and laid into him viciously. One of them took out a knife and drew it across his throat to the cheers of the others. When they moved on they left the crumpled corpse where it lay. The last of them looked up at Caesar high up in the window. He pointed at the dead soldier and then brandished his burning torch angrily at the Roman dictator before he dashed off.
Julius turned away from the window at a knock on the door. As he did so a tiny boat entered the harbour through a very narrow channel. Dwarfed by the Egyptian and Roman war galleys it passed unnoticed. Moving very slowly it was being paddled by only one man. It stopped at some low steps that led down to the water. The man put his oar down and bending at the waist he reached into the bottom of the boat and picked up a large bundle of bed sheets. Then checking that he’d gone unnoticed he moved swiftly up the steps, went into a narrow alley and vanished from sight.
Caesar stood with his