Praetorian (1)

Chapter Four. THE PRAETORIAN GUARD

Upon return home, I quickly submitted my application to join
the Praetorian Guard. While waiting for any news, I took the
time to rest, to visit family, and enjoy friends.

My father was excited, because the family corporation was
adding several new ships to the fleet. This was due to the
fact that our Emperor Trajan saw fit to build a new artificial
harbor at Ostia, hence more ships could be accommodated.
If our corporate expansion continues, the family will soon
boast of an "empire" within the Empire!

I also paid my respects to my Aunt Eleana. She seemed fit.
Her two oldest sons--the roustabouts--wangled into the
bureaucracy, in an office that manages Imperial properties
within the city of Rome. They both secured large apartments
near their work, living near the Forum. They were already
talking about buying properties of their own, building-up a
land corporation with their father's money. Well, at least they
weren't wasting their time.

However, during this time, I started getting to know better
Aunt Eleana's youngest son--born some seven years after
me. Having recently returned from his student sojourn in
Athens, Marc was a quiet, inward fellow. But he seemed
quite comfortable around me. I'm somewhat inward and
quiet myself--two "peas in a pod," perhaps.

Poor Marc was struggling. He had reached that first point in life
wherein he was forced to make some serious decisions. Still
close to that point myself, remembering back only a few years,
I could sympathize with him. Marc didn't fit the usual categories
of Equestrian service to Rome. He was "artistic," fairly
misunderstood in our circles. But he was determined to follow
through with some kind of undertaking that corresponded to
his personal proclivities.

Eventually our conversation turned to his sister Sybil. Father
had already told me that she was pregnant with her first child.
Guess her old husband was in a hurry to produce an heir.
Need I say, I still remained miffed by this arranged marriage.
But talking with Marc, he mentioned that Sybil seemed quite
content moving into this marriage. Her brother didn't think that
she was in love with this widower Patrician, but she felt
comfortable moving-up into a higher social circle. She would
rule a great house and provide sons who one day possibly could
serve in the Senate or become commanding-generals in the Army.

In the end, I had to come to grips that it was *I* who seemed the
loser when it came to Sybil's marriage. Though I never made
mention to anyone, I suppose that I had been in love with my
first cousin ever since childhood. Of course even if Sybil were
free, being first cousins, we likely would never been allowed to
marry by our family. Such a marriage would have brought
scandal on both of us and our family.

Allowing for some self-pity, I decided to put off seeing Sybil
for awhile--at least until after she had given birth to her first
child. With this, I started looking forward to any decision that
the Praetorian selection committee might make in regard to
my application. Some two months went by--and, then, I got
the news that I had been accepted as a junior officer with the
Praetorian Guard. I was already well into my twenty-sixth
year, but I felt as young as a new-born bunny ready to hop!