Soldier of Rome: The Last Campaign (The Artorian Chronicles) by James Mace Page A

the magnitude of his crimes. Their faces full of trepidation, they disarmed their commander of his gladius and led him away. Cursor hung his head, ashamed at having to call for the arrest of one of Rome’s most renowned heroes. He quickly left the hall, Artorius following him.
     
    “You look unwell,” Artorius said as they stepped out into the night air.
    The tribune’s face was pale , and he looked as if he might become violently ill. The crowds outside the temple had started to disperse as Cassius was led towards the prison adjacent to the nearby Temple of Concord. Cursor had some hateful memories of this place, and he wished to leave at once.
    “I asked the senate to or der the arrest of one of the greatest living Romans,” he replied, wiping a small handkerchief over his sweating brow, as they walked down the long flight of steps towards the forum. “Cassius Chaerea is one of the bravest soldiers who ever lived, as you well know. But his crimes this day must be held in reckoning, as much as we may hate the thought.”
    “What do you think will happen to him?” Artorius asked.
    “Were it only Caligula he slew, probably nothing,” Cursor stated, echoing what both men surmised. “The people may shout and make a scene for a short time while demanding justice, but that will die down soon enough. A viable court case could be made to show that Rome was, indeed, in mortal peril because of Gaius Caligula, making his violent removal justified without setting a dangerous precedent.”
    “ I agree, no one can fault Cassius for murdering Caligula,” Artorius concurred. “However, he went too far. I hear he not only killed the lady Caesonia, but that they bashed his daughter’s brains against the wall. Fucking barbaric…”
    “Thankfully, it is not for us to decide his fate,” Cursor concluded as the two men walked along the forum where small groups of lingering onlookers remained.
     

     
    Cassius declined to be tried in the courts and , instead, demanded that Claudius take personal responsibility for his fate. He was brought before the new emperor the following morning, and while his hands were bound together, he was granted his request that he be allowed to remain in his praetorian armor. Amongst those to accompany him was Gaius Calvinus, a retired centurion primus pilus and former plebian tribune who had fought beside Cassius at Teutoburger Wald and, later, during the Germanic Wars. What his purpose of being there was, no one could say for certain. He simply stood in stoic silence as they waited for deliberations to begin.
    A dozen ranking members of the senate were also gathered within the audience chamber at the palace. Two of the senators that had taken part in Caligula’s assassination, Marcus and Regulus, were also present at Claudius’ insistence. They were terrified as to what would happen to them should Claudius condemn Cassius for murdering his nephew. Marcus was a personal friend of Claudius, and the two had shared many perils together during Caligula’s descent into madness towards the end of his reign. Still, the senator knew his friendship would not be enough to absolve him of murder.
    Claudius himself paced slowly in front of the imperial throne, clearly vexed. He and Cassius shared a knowing glance, each understanding that the emperor’s decision was inevitable. In truth, Claudius was not legally Caesar yet, for he had not been confirmed by the senate; therefore, he declined wearing the laurel crown or imperial purple on his toga. However, those present were glad to hand him the responsibility of deciding the praetorian’s fate.
    “Cassius Chaerea,” Claudius said slowly, doing his best to avoid stammering and to keep his head from twitching. “You are a champion of our people, having served Rome for many years. Your acts of valor in battle are legendary…”
    “Respectfully, Caesar,” Cassius interrupted, “I would rather we not recall my entire career , but deal with the matter at