Percy hears a man whispering a prayer to ask for Perseus' protection as they sail past Mount Vesuvius. Disoriented, Perseus tries to look around to find the source of the words, but this dream shows him no images. Then, the smell of roasted crab fills his nostrils. The smell is so strong and so realistic that Perseus wakes up and is momentarily disoriented by the smell of pillows and sheets instead of crab and fire. Percy stares at the wall for a bit as the memory of his dream fades. Then he turns around and goes back to sleep. He dreams of ships.
.
"If boats only float because wood floats then why do they sink when you put a hole in the bottom?" Percy asked his fellow boat makers pointedly.
When the assembled men started muttering and trying to brush off Percy's question as inconsequential Percy spoke over them again. "The water pushes up against the boat. As long as the weight of the boat is less than the weight of the water it is replacing then the water will push up," Percy has been trying to explain the concept of buoyancy to these so-called ship builders of Rome. Unfortunately, ancient Greek did not have words for "Buoyancy" or "gravitational force".
"Water does not push, boy," ship builder Trios said.
"It does not push with hands, but it pushes things that weigh less than water upward all the same," Percy tried again. They'd been at this for serval hours. Percy had drawn a diagram of a ship and had drawn the arrows showing the forces of Buoyancy and gravity force. He had then tried to explain what those were and had been met with ridicule.
"If I make a boat of metal or glass, will you believe that it is the volume of water being displaced by the boat that determines whether or not a boat floats, and not the material of the boat?" Percy asked.
"Ridiculous!" Captain Valerius shouted, "A boat cannot be made of metal. You must think us stupid boy! Just because you are the Augustus' favorite does not mean you know anything of ships!"
"Unfortunately for you, you still have to do what I say. And I say we measure the volume of the water moved aside by the boat, measure the weight of the boat so we can figure out how much weight the boat can carry before it sinks!"
Percy spent the next day at a blacksmith's shop trying to make model rowboats out of metal. Percy hired the blacksmith to make thin sheets of metal and bend and mound it into the shape of a hull that Percy hoped would float. Unfortunately, Romans did not have aluminum and they certainly did not have fiberglass. The metal models Percy had made of iron, bronze and even a tiny one made of silver did not float. The metals Romans had available were too heavy to make boats from. No matter how thin Percy tried to make the sides of the boat, the weight of the iron or copper was more than the weight of the displaced water.
Percy had better luck at the glass worker shop. Once Percy gave them some coin, the married couple who ran the shop was happy to spend a day making boats out of glass instead of the vases, intricate drinking glasses and glass beads they normally made. It took a few tries, but eventually they were able to make the hull of a rowboat that did float. First, they had to blow a bubble into a blob of hot glass by attaching the hot glass to a long metal rod and blowing into it. Then, the glass bubble was pressed into a wooden mold of a boat hull Percy had cut into a block of wood. Then the glass bubble would be cut in half and cooled so the hull shape solidified.
Percy was even able to make a few versions of the glass boat. Once Percy explained what a keel was in broken Latin and sketched what he meant, the two glassmakers were easily able to manipulate hot blobs of glass with big tweezers and big scissors into a thin keel at the bottom of the boat, or two fin-like keels on the sides of the boat.
An actual glass boat would be stupid, of course. If it hit a single rock or if a sailor dropped the anchor a bit too quickly it would shatter and everyone would drown. But Percy hoped his glass boat would prove the point about buoyancy.
It probably wouldn't.
Still, the glass rowboat model was pretty cool so Percy wasn't even mad. He also asked the glass makers to make a big glass aquarium so that Percy could fill it with water and they could test their ship models in an aquarium and see the bottom of the models. The wooden tub they were currently using made the bottom of the ships impossible to see.
The roman shipbuilders were grudgingly impressed by the glass boat, but they didn't understand how this proved anything about water pushing a boat upward. Which is fair. They were a lot more impressed by the glass aquarium for their wooden ship models. Once Percy made waves in the aquarium by rhythmically pushing a bucket in and out on one side of the aquarium, they started using it daily to test their models in calm and high-wave conditions.
Percy's job was weird, but man this was fun.
.
Spring is in full swing and the colosseum was almost finished. Although the Ancient Romans call it the Flavian Amphitheatre instead of the colosseum. There's also a big bronze statue of a naked guy next to it for some reason. Even when Percy squints he can't quite figure out who that's supposed to be. The builders are also still in the middle of setting up the big round sail that will cover the seating area of the colosseum. The sail is only partially attached at the moment, with the second half of the sail rolled up.
Only one section of the round building has scaffolding around it, and from what Percy has heard from listening in on people at the palace, it should be done within the month. He was listening in on LATIN conversations, by the way. Percy is pretty pleased with himself.
Percy has convinced Gaius to break into the construction site with him after dark to check out the building. It was a full moon today, so there should be some visibility. What Giaus didn't know was the Percy had asked Julia to come too. He'd run into her in the palace halls after Latin lectures and they had chatted a few times. Knowing what Percy did about Titus' plans to potentially get Percy to marry his daughter, he doubted these random encounters were quite as random as they seemed. Still, Julia was one of the few people who knew what Percy was and she was quite funny. So basically, they were friends now and Percy wanted to get to know her better. Julia had agreed to come, but had to bring her personal guard.
So when Percy and Giaus made their way through the streets of Rome to the Colosseum they were met with a host of guards and Giaus had tried to turn around and leave. Percy had to grab him by the collar and pull him further.
"Percy, there are guards! I thought the place would be abandoned!" Gaius hissed.
"Relax, it's just Julia's guard. Titus was never going to let her wander around at night without them," Percy responded.
"Julia?" Giaus asked as his voice climbed five octaves, "As in the DAUGHTER of the AUGUSTUS? Percy are you insane? He's going to execute us."
"Not if I supervise," Domitian said, as he walked out of one of the entryways of the colosseum, "although the location is a bit unusual."
"My first idea was to go swimming in the Tiber," Percy admitted.
"Absolutely not," Domitian said.
Gaius gave Percy a look as if Percy was a dumbass. Percy just shrugged.
Percy, Domitian and Gaius walked through one of the entrances to the colosseum through a hallway labeled "vomitorium" (hahahaha) and out into the seating area. Julia was waiting in a seat box looking out over the empty colosseum. She was sitting on a large stone chair. Percy assumed that was where the Augustus was supposed to sit because it had room for guards to stand around him.
She was wearing a purple silk dress with some beads and stuff on it and had her hair up in a fancy up-do. Percy hoped she didn't think this was like a date or something, because it wasn't. This was a friend hang out. Not a date.
Percy waved. Gaius looked around nervously.
"Salve Julia," Percy said in Latin, "Ready to go exploring?"
They walked around the ancient roman bleachers a bit. Most of the benches were made of stone, but then near the top they had a few wooden rows and finally a place to just stand. Percy assumed the standing area were the cheaper tickets.
There were some waterpipes underneath the colosseum that apparently hooked up to some aqueducts. The pipes were not super large, but the central ring area of the colosseum did look like it could hold water. This gave Percy an idea for showing off his new boat models. If they filled the colosseum with water, then Percy could make a much larger version of the glass aquarium to display how the models sailed and withstood waves. He'll need to impress Titus and probably a bunch of official ship-builders to show that his designs were better if he wanted his ships to be made.
"This is where they will keep the lions," Gaius said, pointing to a cage below the ancient roman bleachers. They had made their way down to the field area.
"Why do they have lions?" Percy asked.
"So gladiators can kill them, or die trying. Most people in Rome have never seen lions before, so it's very exciting to see such a beast of legend."
"Yeah, but why kill it? You can just show off the lion, then bring it back to Africa. Or just paint a picture?"
"It's not really the same. People want to see gladiators kill lions, and it would cost way too much to bring them back to Egypt. Do you think you would be able to kill a lion, Perseus?"
"Sure, but why would I want to kill a lion? It's just a big cat." Percy had killed the Nemean lion last year with the help of Thalia and Zoe on his quest to save Annabeth, but the lion had been trying to eat them so Percy things that was justified.
"I wish I could see the fights. I think it'd be pretty cool to see a gladiator fighting a lion," Julia said.
"I'm sure your dad could get you tickets. I feel like the Augustus should be able to afford two tickets instead of one," Percy said.
Julia frowned at him, "First of all, the gladiatorial fights are free and do not require tickets. Second, women are not allowed. Except for the vestal virgins, but I am not a priestess."
"Unnecessary blood sport and being mean to woman. Very Roman," Percy hummed.
"Do the games not please the gods?" Gaius asked, motioning to the heavens.
"Oh, they probably do. But the gods are a bunch of—"
"Do NOT insult the gods!" Julia hissed, "Otherwise you're going to have to apologize again and I'm going to end up pregnant with a demigod baby or struck down by lightning! That is NOT happening before I get married!"
"What, so it's fine after marriage?" Percy asked.
"Maybe let's not talk about this?" Gaius asked.
"Well, after marriage I won't be exiled from society if I get pregnant," Julia said, "And if I get pregnant because my husband was being a jerk to the gods then it's his fault either way."
Percy frowned at her, "If some god tried to impregnate my wife without her permission, I would beat the crap out of them."
"I don't think that's allowed," Julia said.
"I wasn't asking permission," Percy responded. Julia blushed. She was probably upset that Percy was being rude to the gods again.
"Hey look a sword!" Giaus said a bit too loudly to be casual. His voice came up from one of the dungeon rooms. "I think these are the gladiator quarters. It has all kinds of weapons on the wall."
"That's fun!" Percy said, following Gaius down. Julia did not follow, probably because she had to stay within eyesight of Domitian and the guards. Percy emerged from the Gladiatorial quarters with two swords, and a shield.
"Here," Percy said, extending the items to Julia, "We can practice."
"Woman can't fight," Julia said, hesitating.
"You must have never met a daughter of Mars. They are vicious. Or any demigod woman, really. Most of them are really good fighters."
"And since your grandfather Vespasianus Augustus the elder was Deified, that makes you one fourth god," Gaius said. Percy made a note to be extra careful with Riptide around the royal family. If grandpa Vespasianus had become a god, would that make the royal family demigods? And would Riptide cut them?
Julia laughed and grabbed the sword from Percy, "I don't know if that's how that works, but I wouldn't want to disappoint the gods by not trying."
Domitian and Julia's bodyguards walked up to them. Domitian was holding a sword from one of the guards. "May I join in?" he asked.
"Sure! Okay, so we are going to start with the basics. So spread your legs as wide as your shoulders and keep your knees bent. No Gaius that is way too far, you're going to tip over."
As it turned out, Domitian was a pretty good sword fighter already. He seemed to join in mostly to practice his stances. Julia had clearly never held a sword before, but was a quick learner. Gaius was neither of those things and had to go lie down after fifteen minutes because he was pretty sure his arms were falling off.
Julia seemed to enjoy herself though even though she sweat through her fancy clothes. After about an hour Domitian said that it was getting late, and Julia should be escorted back to the palace. So the night came to an end.
.
"Hello Camilla" Percy said to the Plinius family maid in Latin. He'd been meaning to have this conversation for a while, but hadn't trusted anyone to translate for him.
"Tell her I have witnessed her crimes and I shall place a curse upon her!" The Pliny family Lars explained behind Percy.
"Hello Lord Perseus," Camilla bowed. Camilla was a year or two younger than Percy but she already worked as a maid for half a day. Someone should really invent child labor laws.
"I know you steal the bronze spoons," Percy said in his best Latin.
Camilla's head shot up, eyes filled with terror. She started talking in Latin, a desperate edge to her tone. She spoke far too quickly for Percy to understand.
Percy shook his head and held up his hand to try to silence the girl. No one was currently in the house other than the two of them, as Percy had waited until the rest of the family was away before speaking to her. Still, Percy didn't want the doorman or anyone walking outside to hear. "No, No. It- I am not, um, angry. Yes? Just give spoons back?" Percy was still learning Latin and he always felt like a bloody idiot when he had to speak it.
Camilla on the other hand did not have any problem speaking Latin and her fear made her speak ten times faster, so Percy was only able to catch a half of the words. She had apparently sold the spoons and given the money to her father.
"If you steal again, the Lars sees you and will tell me about it. I have been quiet about spoons, but if you steal again, I will tell Grandpa Pliny and Marcella. I will also be- hmm- not happy? So stop now. Please. If you father not happy, he can talk to me."
"Tell her I am watcher her! You should give her a proper thrashing! I will curse her family until she returns the spoons!" The Lars calls from behind Percy. Percy has gotten pretty used to ignoring the man though.
The last time Percy had confronted someone about stealing, the Stolls brothers had laughed, admitted that yes it had been them, and then showed Percy pictures of all the cool stuff they'd stolen. Percy had asked them to return Annabeth's copy of the Illiad. They had laughed in his face and run off to the archery range. Percy ended up going to the Hermes cabin while their cabin was going Pegasus riding and stole the book back. He'd left a note saying, "Next time you steal something from my friends I will fill flood your beds with saltwater and stinky fish, XOXOXO Percy" and the Stoll brothers had thought that was hilarious.
Camilla's reaction to getting caught stealing was a bit different. She had burst into tears and was sobbing something that sounded like apologies. Percy didn't really have the words in Latin to comfort a scared girl so he pats her hand and tries to convey understanding.
"Hey," Percy says quieter, "If you father hurt you, you tell me, ok? I protect children."
Since Percy was being paid a stupid amount of money and not paying rent, he had the cash needed to buy a set of new bronze spoons. The blacksmith spent half a day making them and soon enough the Pliny family had bronze spoons again.
The Pliny family Lars was ecstatic and called all the local Lars to the Pliny Domus so he could brag about the spoons and about how clean and secure his Domus was. The Pliny Lars also introduced Percy as a family guest who can see protective spirits like Lars'. The other Lars seemed to be equally impressed by the spoons as they were by Percy. Percy ended up spending the afternoon attending a ghost party and fending off questions from the well-meaning Lars' who wanted to know who his family was and if he was getting married soon. One of the Lars who looked over a family down the road stared talking about the daughter of the family and how she would make a perfect wife for Percy.
Percy politely declined.
.
"Augustus, the youngest member of the senate is thirty; there has not been a man less than 25 on the senate in decades. Even the First Augustus, having been promoted to senator under extremely unusual circumstances, became a senator at 19. To try to promote a man of just fifteen to the senate is unheard of. Not everyone on the senate may view this decision favorably. Perhaps if you could explain your reasoning more clearly, I might understand," Marcus Cocceius Nerva cautioned.
"I would if I could, old friend. However, I have taken a vow of silence on the matter and will not break my oath. I would ask you to trust me. I would not make this offer lightly or without reason," Titus responded.
"Why would you ask for my council, Augustus, if you refuse to explain your choices and do not wish to consider other options?" Nerva asked.
"You have been a voice of wise council to my father, Nerva. I do not reject your wisdom without thought. Your council gives me insight into the mind of the senate, so I might better prepare for their objections. Please, do not limit your words for fear of retribution. I value your critique," Titus said.
Nerva took a sip of diluted wine as he observed the man who had been Augustus for less than a year. Nerva eyed the Praetorian Prefect who was standing in the corner of the room casually. The man seemed at ease. "Some among the senate may worry that this boy has captured your eye romantically, and that this unprecedented offer is a misguided romantic gesture. Your Romanitas and manly nature are beyond question, oh great Augustus, but your romantic interests have raised some concern in the past."
"I can assure you this is not a romantic gesture of any kind. In some ways, offering to promote Perseus to the senate is not a way to honor Perseus either, but to honor his father. I believe Rome has been remiss in showing Perseus and his family proper respect," Titus said.
"I am glad to hear it. When you announce the promotion of a fifteen your old to one of the highest and most prestigious offices of state, you might start by saying how this title has been given to the son to honor the father. If I may ask, who is the father of Perseus, and for what reason do you wish to honor him?" Nerva counseled.
"I'm afraid I cannot say."
"If you wish to honor the father, why not have the father brought to Rome? Any man within the empire would obey your direct summons and be happy for the honor to do so."
"I'm afraid I cannot say."
"It is difficult to give council with such limited information, my honorable Augustus," Nerva said, keeping the frustration out of his voice.
"Yet you already have given me great council, my dear Nerva. When I present Perseus with a promotion to the senate, I will form my speech to make it clear that the promotion of the son is to honor his father. And when speaking to Perseus I will be sure to conduct myself beyond all suspicion of romance," Titus said.
"My council has not changed. I do not think the promotion of Perseus to the Senate will be well-received by your court. I also have concerns that promoting someone so young could be the beginning of a dangerous political career," Nerva said.
"I am happy to dissuade you of these concerns, old friend. For I have no fears that Perseus' political aspirations may be a threat to my rule. If I have any fears regarding his aspirations, it would perhaps be that he has too few political aspirations," Titus said.
"If I may be terribly rude, Augustus Ceasar?" Nerva waits for Titus to nod before continuing, "Is the boy perhaps your son by blood? You would not be the first man who seeks to promote their bastard."
"He is no son of mine, Nerva. Neither by law, marriage, nor by blood. You have my word," Titus said.
Nerva nodded, "Yet, it might be wise to spread the rumor that he is your blood. My fellow senators would be more inclined to accept the young man among their ranks if they believed this promotion was due to his royal blood. It might help stem rumors of romance or whispers of foreign kings having undue influence in Roman affairs."
"Wise council, my friend. I can see why my father held you in such high esteem. However, I will not be involved with spreading false rumors among the senate. Such things must be beneath an Augustus," Titus said.
"Of course," Nerva agreed, "You will have no knowledge at all of such rumors and would deny them if anyone was rude enough to mention them directly."
.
Titus had decided to promote Percy to the senate. Percy had initially declined until Titus explained that it was a way to honor Neptune. It would not do for Rome to show the son of Neptune so few honors upon his arrival in Rome, especially not so soon after Neptune erupted Mount Vesuvius. As the head of the Roman religion, it was Titus' duty to ensure that the gods were being properly worshipped and respected. While Titus agreed to keep Perseus' godly nature a secret, he was worried his lack of proper respect for Percy would upset Neptune.
Percy wanted to say that Neptune probably didn't care, but he wasn't actually sure what his dad was like in this time period. Annabeth had once said that the gods had calmed down since ancient times. Percy wasn't sure what a not-calm version of his dad would do. Titus had also said that Percy just needed to show up for the senate; he didn't actually have to say anything.
So Percy reluctantly accepted the promotion. He's a senator now.
Yay?
Marcella had insisted they celebrate. Percy had insisted that he get to cook for his own celebration.
Most Romans could not afford to live in a house with a kitchen, and while the Pliny family had enough money for a kitchen, they didn't have enough money to hire a chef. Marcella also seemed to be the only one who could cook and most day she didn't want to. Most nights, the Pliny family and the majority of Rome ate at Roman fast-food cafes that had pre-made Ancient Roman bar foods. But today Percy would cook himself.
It's not much but Percy spent the day putting together dinner for the Pliny family. He got as many blue foods as he could find. He had bought several bunches of blueish-purple grapes, crabs with blue claws, and some mushrooms whole gills were blue once you tapped them. The merchant assured Percy that the mushrooms were edible. The mushrooms were sauteed in a cream sauce along with some pressed grape skins for extra color. Percy then took the blue parts of the crab shells and smashed it with the pestle and mortar until it became a blue powder, then he mixed that with the crab meat and baked it in the oven.
He had baked the grapes into a pie, and made honeyed bread with grapes baked into the tops. The grape juices had turned the bread blue when baking. There was no purified sugar in ancient Rome, so Percy couldn't make most of his mother's baking recipes precisely, but he found he could use honey instead of sugar as long as he reduced the amount of water he added.
Perseus knew enough of Roman culture to know that men of status did not generally cook. Luckily, his host-family knew enough of Percy's customs to know that Percy did whatever the hell he wanted to and that this was important to him. Grandpa Pliny had cheered as the food was brought out while Gaius stared at it with curiosity and confusion. Marcella had laughed and asked how in the world Percy had made all this food blue.
As they ate dinner with their bronze spoons the family celebrated Percy's promotion.
"This is delicious and also the strangest meal I have ever had. Quite fitting for a wonderfully strange young man," Grandpa Pliny said as he ate another bite of his blue crab cake.
"When did you learn to cook?" Gaius asked as he cautiously nibbled a blue mushroom in the blue cream sauce.
"My mother taught me. She believed that since men and woman need to eat, men and woman should know how to make food," Percy said.
"Your mother sounds like a wonderful person Perseus," Marcella smiled, "But why is all the food blue?"
Percy looked down at his meal and explained about his terrible step-father and how the man had not believed food could be blue. How blue food was strange, but that didn't mean it couldn't be great. Blue food proved that his step father was wrong. It was the first time Percy had told any Romans about his step father, but it felt right to share it with his host-family.
"Where is your step father now?" Marcella asked carefully.
"Oh, my mom murdered him a few years ago."
Marcella choaked on her blue honey bread.
.
Domitian had invited Aulus Marius Celsus and his wife Julia over for dinner. This was supposed to be a public display of forgiveness and fraternity so Domitian made sure to kiss the senator and welcome him warmly in view of the public. He led the man and his wife to the dining room where Domitian's wife Domitia Longina welcomes them as well.
They dine and Domitian does his best to be a kind and humble host. They don't discuss the year of the four emperors or the death of Domitian's uncle. They don't talk about how Aulus Marius Celsus was the man who betrayed Domitian's uncle to Vitellius's soldiers for coin. Domitian smiles and asks after Celsus' grandson.
After they have had two cups of wine Domitian mentions how he's interested to see how Perseus will behave as a senator. Earlier that week, Titus had declared that he had named a new senator who would be joining all future senate meetings. The Augustus had spoken about how he was sure the senate would treat this new man with the utmost respect. It had caused quite a stir among the assembled men.
Aulus Marius Celsus took the bait, as Domitian expected. "What do you know about this new Senator? Our great Augustus only saw fit to introduce the man with a single name," Celsus asked.
"Oh, I'm afraid I can't tell you too much. Titus has sworn me to silence. But I can say that he is very young, only fifteen," Domitian said.
"Fifteen?" Celsus asked horrified, "No one has ever entered the senate that young! What is this farce?"
"Careful, Celsus. Perseus is the Augustus' favorite, and it would not do to question the Augustus."
"Of course, of course Ceasar. I would never question the Augustus. I was merely caught by surprise. What manner of man is this Perseus that the Augustus has placed such trust in him? Is there any truth to the rumor that the young man may be of royal blood?"
"Oh no. Perseus shared no blood with our family. He does, however, have a great knowledge of ships. He is fairly handsome for a young man, and kind enough if you speak Greek."
"Greek?"
"Yes, Perseus does not speak much Latin, I'm afraid."
"Is Perseus even Roman? Domitian, please tell me the Augustus has not been enchanted by another Jew with a beautiful face. We all know of Titus' fascination with the foreign queen Berenice and what a disaster that could have been."
"Oh no, Perseus is not Jewish, his mother is Christian."
"What of his father, the one whom the Augustus wishes to honor?"
Domitian shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm afraid I cannot say. What I can say is that his mother is unmarried."
"A Christian bastard? What enchantment has he cast upon the Augustus to weasel his way into one of Rome's most esteemed institutions?"
Domitian put his cup down, "Goodness. I have said too much. The wine may have been a bit strong. Aulus Marius Celsus, I would appreciate it if you kept the things I have said to yourself. My August brother has bid us both to treat Perseus with all the respects of a senator. It would not be right to upset my brother by disobeying his order or insulting his favorite."
"Of course, of course, Ceasar Domitian. You have my word to keep silent on this matter," Celsus said with a fake politician's smile and a furrowed brow. The conversation soon turned to other matters.
Domitian smiled into his wine cup as he took another sip of freshly pressed grape juice.
.
.
.
Author's Notes:
Please note that the opinions of the characters do not reflect the opinions of the author. Especially when it concerns Roman antisemitism.
Titus's advisor Marcus Cocceius Nerva is of course future emperor Nerva. Apparently, he was a good friend of the Flavians.
Titus' decision to elevate Percy to the senate may seem a bit strange. Titus is genuinely deeply religious and takes his job as Pontifex Maximus seriously. He wants to show the gods respect by treating Percy with respect. In his mind the highest honors would be being elevated to senator. Still, fifteen is very young and would not have been accepted easily.
As for timeline: Last chapter we saw the start of the new year. In this chapter we are in mid-spring. Titus has had some time to become familiar with Percy and Percy is building and testing his model ships.
When it comes to the year of the four emperors, I did change some things for my narrative. The part about Vitellius trying to surrender only for his soldiers to stop the surrender is true as far as we can tell. Domitian's uncle and his supporters sheltered on Capitoline Hill because it was very defendable, the hill is located in the middle of Rome and had a bunch of temples. However, the hill was besieged within a day and the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus was burned down, so the Flavians had to flee. Domitian was said to either dress as a priest and/or hide with some friends to get out of the city that night because Vitellius's men were trying to kill him. Vitellius' men did successfully murder his uncle. I made up the part about Aulus Marius Celsus betraying him for coin for narrative reasons; Celsus is fictional. It's likely Domitian's uncle was just caught in the skirmish. Vespasian troops arrived in Rome the day after his uncle's death. It was a very dramatic time for young seventeen-year-old Domitian and it undoubtably affected him for the rest of his life.