Chapter 9: A Strategy Session (Pt. 2)

Cicero shook his head as Cythenus, his steward, entered the triclinium quietly and cleared his throat.

“A message for you, master,” Cythenus said. “From your client, Appius Saliensis Nicaenus. He asked that you read it as soon as possible.”

Cicero stood and took the note, quickly reading its contents.

“Oh by all the gods!” he said, folding the paper and placing it in the folds of his toga.

“What is it Marcus?” Quintus asked.

“Verres!” Cicero said. “He’s tried Sosethius in abstentia and found him guilty. Now he’s ordered lictors to arrest him and return him to Sicily for execution!”

“But how would Appius Saliensis know before anyone else?” Atticus asked, shocked.

“He manages the Senate dispatches, and received the notice,” Cicero said, glancing back at the note. “He says he’ll delay delivery until tomorrow morning. Thank the gods I agreed to defend Appius’ brother last year. He owed me a favor!”

“So what do we do now?”  Servius Sulpicius asked.

“We must hide Sosethius,” Cicero said. “He must be lost in the maze of Rome until which time as he can clear his name. But where?”

“Well,” Atticus said, conspiratorially. “I do own an insulae in Subura that has a few vacancies. It’s not much, but there is a room he can have – you’ll just have to provide him with a servant. We can’t have him running across the street to the latrine constantly, lest he be seen. No, he’ll need someone to prepare his meals and empty his chamber pot.”

“I can do that,” Cicero said. “Once again, my friend, you save the day.”

Atticus smiled.

“Tiro!” Cicero said. “Go find Sosethius and bring him here! Atticus, can you take him to your insulae tonight? I don’t know when the lictors will receive their notice, but I want him protected while I decide what to do next.”

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