Maximus taught Olivius to ride for two weeks without stop. Oliv had shown
such a pompous front that Maximus had a perpetual smile and good humor. At
times he almost forgot what Commodus did to him. Whenever he or the little
boy rode on Aurelius, a flood of memories came to Maximus. He saw his son
first getting on a pony, he saw the grief in his son's eyes when his mother
fell ill, then he saw the old emperor naming Maximus as succesor. Maximus
felt hot tears in his eyes as he remembered the bodies of his wife and son.
His love, and the child they had together dangling there, torn, limp, and
lifeless. Oliv had learned to disregard the feelings of his servant, though
one time, he couldn't resist.
"Maximus, why do you weep? You told me once it was a story. Well, I'd like to hear it now."
The servant bowed, "Oliv, the tale is regretful and sorrowful. Do you really wish to hear it?"
Olivius considered, then nodded, "Yes. Sit down, you must be weary, and I don't want you to stop for lack of energy."
Maximus bowed again.
"There once was a young man and woman, who loved each other very much. The man was from a middle-class family, and the woman, his neighbor. They would sneak out into alleys every week, and pursued their relationship in secret. One day the man's brother found the two together. The couple were petrified of punishment, but when their two families met together, the pair's fathers' eyes beamed. Elated, the young people found they were to be married! The wedding was a splendid affair. The young woman placed her bulla and childhood possesions on the altar, and they went through the Roman ceremony. After the wedding, the two left for a farm, east of the city. Together, they sowed its fields and raised horses, working side by side.
"A year after they were married, they had a son. The little boy was strong, like his father and when he was four, rode his first mount. His father's eyes beamed in pride as his son grew. When the boy was five, his father was called away to fight in the war against the barbarians. He had served in the army, and now left for battle as a general in the Roman Legions. Through the battle, the brave man fought for his family, and for returning home. The emperor, Marcus Aurelius, the one you named the old horse after, congratulated his greatest general at the end of the battle. Before being allowed to go home however, the little boy's father was called to the emperor's tent. There, Aurelius informed him he was to be the next sucessor to the throne.
"The father at first had refused, but Aurelius insisted he serve. Resignedly, the beautiful woman's husband agreed and stayed. Not long after, The emperor's jealous son approached Aurelius, demanding that he would be named Emperor. Aurelius merely told him that the general would be his sucessor. In a mad fury, the son ordered that the general would be executed. However, that would not do. The little riding boy's father escaped the killing and rode home as fast as he could.
"When he arrived, all he saw were burned bodies. They had been torn, burned, beaten, and hung up on the garden trellis. The father fell to his knees and sobbed. He sobbed as he held his son's blackened, callused feet. The poor father sobbed as he held his lovely wife's hand for the last time. After all the fighting, all the struggle, the man who started life with his wife so happily, wanted to end life so dreadfully."
Olivius' eyes and cheeks were wet with tears.
"That was the saddest story I have ever heard," a new voice sniffed. Startled, Maximus turned around to find a small girl leaning in the doorway. She walked forward and embraced the slave. Maximus was surprised, but even more so when Oliv got down from his bed and joined his sister in the hug. All three wept freely, and finally, Maximus drew away.
"Now then young mistress, Oliv, we can't have this," Maximus wiped the children's faces with a rag from the washing basin.
"Did the father ever get revenge on the emperor's son? The one who killed his family?" the little girl asked.
"I don't know. Sometime, I may learn the rest of the story, and teach it to you," Maximus answered simply. However, the servant's face was hard, and his hand had formed a fist.
"I'm Flavia, father told me I was to meet you now. You will be teaching me to ride, and start reading lessons with us both."
Maximus bowed, "Very well mistress. I look forward to it. But now young ones, it is time for bed." Maximus ushered them into their beds. When he blew out the candle in Oliv's room, he heard a whisper.
"I'm sorry Maximus. It must have been hard for you."
"Maximus, why do you weep? You told me once it was a story. Well, I'd like to hear it now."
The servant bowed, "Oliv, the tale is regretful and sorrowful. Do you really wish to hear it?"
Olivius considered, then nodded, "Yes. Sit down, you must be weary, and I don't want you to stop for lack of energy."
Maximus bowed again.
"There once was a young man and woman, who loved each other very much. The man was from a middle-class family, and the woman, his neighbor. They would sneak out into alleys every week, and pursued their relationship in secret. One day the man's brother found the two together. The couple were petrified of punishment, but when their two families met together, the pair's fathers' eyes beamed. Elated, the young people found they were to be married! The wedding was a splendid affair. The young woman placed her bulla and childhood possesions on the altar, and they went through the Roman ceremony. After the wedding, the two left for a farm, east of the city. Together, they sowed its fields and raised horses, working side by side.
"A year after they were married, they had a son. The little boy was strong, like his father and when he was four, rode his first mount. His father's eyes beamed in pride as his son grew. When the boy was five, his father was called away to fight in the war against the barbarians. He had served in the army, and now left for battle as a general in the Roman Legions. Through the battle, the brave man fought for his family, and for returning home. The emperor, Marcus Aurelius, the one you named the old horse after, congratulated his greatest general at the end of the battle. Before being allowed to go home however, the little boy's father was called to the emperor's tent. There, Aurelius informed him he was to be the next sucessor to the throne.
"The father at first had refused, but Aurelius insisted he serve. Resignedly, the beautiful woman's husband agreed and stayed. Not long after, The emperor's jealous son approached Aurelius, demanding that he would be named Emperor. Aurelius merely told him that the general would be his sucessor. In a mad fury, the son ordered that the general would be executed. However, that would not do. The little riding boy's father escaped the killing and rode home as fast as he could.
"When he arrived, all he saw were burned bodies. They had been torn, burned, beaten, and hung up on the garden trellis. The father fell to his knees and sobbed. He sobbed as he held his son's blackened, callused feet. The poor father sobbed as he held his lovely wife's hand for the last time. After all the fighting, all the struggle, the man who started life with his wife so happily, wanted to end life so dreadfully."
Olivius' eyes and cheeks were wet with tears.
"That was the saddest story I have ever heard," a new voice sniffed. Startled, Maximus turned around to find a small girl leaning in the doorway. She walked forward and embraced the slave. Maximus was surprised, but even more so when Oliv got down from his bed and joined his sister in the hug. All three wept freely, and finally, Maximus drew away.
"Now then young mistress, Oliv, we can't have this," Maximus wiped the children's faces with a rag from the washing basin.
"Did the father ever get revenge on the emperor's son? The one who killed his family?" the little girl asked.
"I don't know. Sometime, I may learn the rest of the story, and teach it to you," Maximus answered simply. However, the servant's face was hard, and his hand had formed a fist.
"I'm Flavia, father told me I was to meet you now. You will be teaching me to ride, and start reading lessons with us both."
Maximus bowed, "Very well mistress. I look forward to it. But now young ones, it is time for bed." Maximus ushered them into their beds. When he blew out the candle in Oliv's room, he heard a whisper.
"I'm sorry Maximus. It must have been hard for you."