Late spring coincides with Rome's annual festival, the Dionysian Festival, which is its traditional festival. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info From the deities it worships, it seems to be a noble festival, and in Appis's imagination, it should resemble a carnival like a beer festival for future generations. However, when Apis and his party entered the city of Rome, they found that it was not like that at all, and that the carnival was true, but it was not elegant. And it's a bit vulgar, because it's the equivalent of the ancient Roman festival of sexual culture, where girls wear fancy clothes and take to the streets, like adults, and underage citizens throw their eyebrows and even dance the evil dance, the purpose is very simple, in such a festival, people want to release their desires and bestiality.

Apis ignored the bewildered crowd and just hurried by, Sekras had wanted to enjoy such a grand festival, but the chain fell off at the critical moment, and the day before he returned to Rome, the veteran of the legion, who was not a good horseman, fell off his horse and broke his calf, so that he could only limp into the city with the help of Turus. Looking at the spring light in the city, but not enjoying it, it is like a beast looking at food but can only drool blankly.

"Turus, you take Sekras and Emma to find a place to stay first, preferably in a mid-range apartment, with windows, preferably with a horse at the bottom, and close to the market. It is convenient for you to buy food. ”

When he entered the city of Rome during the Dionysian feast, the first thing Apis did was not to go to the streets and courtyards to enjoy himself, nor to settle his life first, but to immediately run to Octavia's house to meet his Roman maiden who had been thinking about it day and night. It's just that the life that should be resettled still needs to be resettled. Sekras was wounded in a broken lower leg and had to be handed over to his accompanying chef, Turus, while Emma was Germanic and had almost no status in the city of Rome. So I can't tell her what to do with the lease contract or anything like that.

……

"Oh, my buddy, good friend, we haven't seen each other in such a long time."

When he arrived again at the house of Gaius* Octavian, Appis was finally able to justifiably have the servants of the mansion go and report to their master. The last time I appeared here was four years ago, when I was a slave, at that time, I was completely like a livestock, and I was given away at will by Batinus, **** at will, and disposed of at will. And not to resist. Now, time has changed, and four years later, when I reappear here, my identity has changed dramatically. From a slave to the chief centurion of the Roman legions, and to Caesar. Attia was Caesar's niece, and it seemed natural to visit Octavian.

Octavian was so excited when he first saw Apis. Although he still maintained his manners and did not get emotional enough to hug him, from the excited eyes in his eyes, Appis could still feel the boy's affection and joy for him.

"Yes, little master, we haven't seen each other for two and a half years since we parted in Gaul, haven't we? Look, you've grown into a handsome guy. ”

Appis was not polite, because Octavian at this time had indeed grown into a young talent. And the last time they were talking in the barracks, Octavian Turinus was a twelve-year-old child.

"Come in, Appis."

Octavian smiled and ordered the servants to go down and prepare wine and fruit. Appis, however, looked for Octavia. That familiar figure, familiar face, and even familiar body fragrance, now, I don't know where it went.

"Caesar told you to go back to Rome?"

As soon as he sat down, Octavian did not pretend to greet him, but asked straight to the point. Although this boy was in Rome, with his intelligence, he could still see clearly for such an obvious situation. Caesar was in Gaul, his term as governor of the province was about to expire, and during these years, Caesar bribed extensively in Rome, cutting off the promotion of many people by almost no means to achieve his own ends, and offending the so-called proponents of the republic. So, once Caesar's term was over, he would return to Rome without the protection of legions, without any official position, and as a commoner, he would be vulnerable to attacks by political enemies. So, at this time, it seemed natural to send his henchmen to Rome to make a case in the Senate on his behalf, and the terms of the transaction. Octavian was a boy of great intelligence, and it was easy to guess such a situation.

However, this is not the fundamental purpose for which Apis came here......

"Yes. to run for tribune elections in Rome this summer. ”

Apis replied. Afterwards, the servant had brought fresh fruit and drink to Appis. There are also some slices of bread coated with honey.

Octavian picked up an apple, brought it to his mouth, and then went on leisurely—

"The fathers in the Senate won't let you be elected so easily."

"I know that they will hide in dark corners, like blood bats waiting for their prey, hiding until they find an opportunity. I suppose that the elect who attended the election convention had already benefited from Caesar, and that the Senate would not be able to purge all the electors from their defections. And they could not have gotten rid of me before the election, or trouble me, because the citizens of Rome would not allow the senators of the Senate to act so blatantly, and if they did, the conflict between the plebeians and the nobility would have flares up again. So, I believe that until the election, I am safe. Only it is possible that after the elections, they will find a way to find out my shortcomings. ”

Octavian's eyes lit up when Apis's answer was that he had been in the villa for a long time and that no one around him could communicate with him, especially on current political issues. So when Apis made these inferences, Octavian was undoubtedly delighted, just as a child who loves to read will one day finally wait for a book that he can savor.

"By the way, what about your mother?"

After less than a quarter of an hour of sitting and chatting with Octavian, Apis could not wait. Because small talk with this boy is not what I came here for. However, as a tribune with no backstage background, Apis did not want Octavian to see his infatuation with her sister. In order to draw out Octavia, Apis asked the question of where Attia was, as Octavia was usually with her mother...... (To be continued.) )