Chapter 372: About the Ionian Slaves
As he pressed, Publius began to get used to it, his voice getting quieter and quieter, and he felt a sense of fatigue similar to that of a workout, so that he couldn't help but want to fall asleep.
At this point, the servant began to slap him on the back with both hands, causing him to immediately come to his senses again. After a while, turning to massaging his head, Publius closed his eyes slightly, reveling in it.
When the man stopped massaging, he had a feeling of unfinished business.
"My lord, I'll rub your back next." When the servant finished speaking, he spread the clean cloth towel on his back and began to push it vigorously.
This is a completely different feeling from the previous massage and patting, and while Publius feels it carefully, the dirt on his body is also rubbed off the skin one by one.
The servant turned to the wall and removed the copper kettle, opened the lid, and poured the liquid on Publius little by little.
Smelling the familiar scent, Publius asked, "Is this olive oil?" β
"Yes, sir." The servant explained to him: "Because you have just soaked in hot water and fumigated, although it helps the blood flow and removes dirt, it will also cause a lot of water loss in the body, and applying olive oil will protect your skin......"
After listening to this, Publius sighed: "I really didn't expect that every step in this bathroom is very learned?!" β
"It has been almost 20 years since His Majesty established the hot spring baths, and bathing has become a part of the life of the Turii people, and it is still being developed and improved......," Tybrus said proudly: "Take their previous massage, it was not just a random press, they were all trained by the Turii Hospital, and after passing the assessment, they could only be stationed here." β
"Oh?" Publius's original judgment was shaken by Tybrus's words: "Aren't they slaves?" β
"It's a slave, but it's not an ordinary slave." Tyblous' cryptic answer made Publius even more curious.
Before he could ask, the slave who gave him the massage replied, "My lord, we are from Egypt and are descendants of the combination of Egyptians and Greeks......
As he spoke, the servant rubbed Publius with another clean cloth towel, so that the olive oil could spread all over his body and soak into his skin as quickly as possible, and since his movements were much softer than before, they would not be hindered from speaking.
Although he had never been to Egypt, Publius knew about this distant country and had heard that the people there were dark-skinned, but the two had normal complexions, apparently because of mixed blood, Rome at this time had not yet gone out of the Western Mediterranean, and even the patriarch of a large clan like Publius had never owned Egyptian slaves, so he did not understand: why were Egyptian slaves not ordinary?
But if he had gone to the great slave market, which was bustling with activity every day in the eastern part of the outer city of Turiyi, he would have known that the price of ordinary slaves in Egypt was much more expensive than that of slaves of other races, and this was due to demand: first, the male slaves in Egypt were excellent farmers and herdsmen, while the female slaves were clever and well-behaved and knew how to groom and dress; Second, the Egyptian slaves were extremely god-worshipping, mild-mannered, obedient, and relatively safe. Moreover, Egypt and Dioonia are far apart, the two have never clashed, and naturally there can be no hatred, and the Egyptian slaves have nothing to do with the races and forces around Dionia, so it is more reassuring to use, and the Senate considers that the Kingdom Hotel receives foreign dignitaries, and safety is the most important; Secondly, they had to know Greek, and their skin should not be too dark, so as not to scare some mountain tribe envoys who had never seen the world, so they took great pains to choose Egyptian and Greek mixed slaves.
"How many years have you been in Turiyi?" Tyblos asked casually.
"It's been more than 4 years!" The younger slave said with some resentment: "Originally, based on our past performance, we would have been freed after last year's Hatis celebration, but the officials of the slave administration told us that due to the lack of labor due to the war, the release of slaves from the kingdom was suspended once, and the quota for freed slaves will be doubled at this year's celebration, and we will also be given some compensation." But if it's October, the war is still going onβ"
"Winufer, don't talk too much, get a good massage!" The slave who massaged Publius interrupted him and whispered, "My lord, his daughter was treated in the hospital yesterday with a fever, and his mood has been affected somewhat, so I hope you don't take it seriously. β
Tyblous looked up at the slave standing beside him, until he became panicked, and then he said slowly: "Since you have been in Turii for more than four years, and you are in this kingdom hotel, you should know what our kingdom of Dionya praises these envoys the most?" β
The slave was a little nervous, and did not know what to say for a moment, but the older slave quickly replied, "Yes, I kept my promise." β
"That's right, it's keeping promises!" Tyblos said in a deep voice: "What the slave administration said is a decision made by the Senate, rest assured, by this year's celebration you will definitely regain your freedom and will definitely be compensated." Also, your massage skills are good and we have nothing to dislike about you. β
When the two slaves heard this, they wept with gratitude and thanked them one after another.
The young slave also said excitedly: "My lord, I will give you another massage!" β
Tybrus waved his hand and said, "No, it's time to shave me." β
The young servant turned around and removed the curved blunt blade from the wall and aimed it at Tybloth's back.
Startled, Publius urgently shouted, "Stop, what do you want to do?!" β
Tyblos laughed and said, "Don't be nervous, Lord Publius, this thing is used to scrape off oil and dirt from the body, and this is the last process of the bathroom massage." β
"Really?" Publius was skeptical, but soon he experienced a comfortable feeling of shaving his body with such a blunt blade, not only did it not hurt.
At the end of the massage, the slave helped them to their feet and opened the wooden door next to them.
As he left the room, Tyblous said to the young servant, "May Hades bless your daughter and get her health soon!" β
The slave was thrilled and thanked Tybrus once more.
Leaving the sight of the slaves, Publius couldn't help but sigh in a low voice: "Tyblous, you are too good to these slaves!" β
Tyblous said solemnly: "Lord Publius, I know that you Romans are strict with slaves, but I advise you to change your attitude towards slaves in the future, because in Dionia, the lives of slaves are protected by law, and the kingdom has set up a special department to manage themββ"
"Slave Administration?" Publius blurted out the new term he had just heard.
"Yes, both kingdom slaves and private slaves must be registered and supervised by the Slave Administration. Not only that, but if you mistreat slaves, you will be condemned by the people, and your political career will be affected, because the god Hades is fair and just.
In addition, unlike Rome, slaves will not remain slaves forever, as long as the slave has the ambition and is willing to work hard, gain freedom, become a Dionian citizen, pass the examination, hold public office, and finally become a minister of the kingdom...... It's all possible. Several of the officials who served in Rome this time were once slaves, and Marigi, the trusted minister of commerce in the Senate, was also born as slaves, so don't humiliate slaves at will! β¦β¦β
Publius was touched.
"By the way, my lord, how did you feel after the massage?" Tybrose asked.
"The whole body is sore,...... "Pushius moved his hands and feet, and said," said Publius...... It's really comfortable, I almost fell asleep just now, and now I feel so much lighter! β¦β¦β
"Listen to what you say, according to the doctors, you have a rigid body, lack of exercise, and you will have to massage regularly in the future to ensure your health......" Tyblos said half-jokingly, half-seriously.
Publius listened, but asked seriously: "Is it expensive to go to a bath in Turiyi?" β
"The public bath is not expensive, the ticket is about 1~2 obors, but if you want to have a special massage, the cost is much higher, about 10~15 obor at a time...... However, it has become a fashion for some of the kingdom's senators, ministers, and wealthy merchants to pay their slaves to study in hospitals and baths, and then come back to give themselves massages. β
When Publius heard this, he was greatly moved, and then asked with some reluctance, "Is our bath over?" β
"And one last itemβ" Tyblos pushed open the wooden door, revealing another pool in the room, "Cold bath." "Cold water!
If it was before entering the bathroom, Publius would definitely retreat, but at this time, after fumigation and massage, not only was his body hot, but also his body skin was red, like a steamed shrimp, so when he heard the word "cold water", he did not hesitate to stride into the pool, and the cold pool water immediately drove away the burning heat of his body, and the pores of his whole body were rapidly tightening, making him feel indescribably comfortable.
He couldn't help but say, "How nice it would be to have a glass of wine to drink at this time!" β
Tyblos then stepped into the pool and said, "I'm in a hurry today, I'll bring you a can of Tourii's best wine for your lordship tomorrow night, and we'll drink it in the bathroom." β
"That's great!" Purbrius scrubbed the remaining oil stains from his body with clean water, and exclaimed, "The baths of Turiy are even better than you say, and Turiy is much more prosperous than Rome, so I can't help but want to move here soon!" β
Tyblos smiled slightly, and it seemed that his efforts had not been in vain.
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