Chapter 67: The Scandal of the Goddess Festival
Chapter 67: The Scandal of the Goddess Festival
Caesar reacted similarly to Crassus upon hearing the news of his daughter's pregnancy. Before being a cold-blooded politician, he was a father, and his concern was evident.
When Marcus and Julia arrived at his residence, Caesar eagerly helped Julia out of the carriage, so much so that she scolded him.
“How can my father and my husband be so worried? Anyone would think that you’re the father, not Marcus.”
“It’s only natural for a father to be concerned when his only daughter is having a child. It would be disgraceful for a father not to care.”
“In my opinion, this is clearly overprotective.”
“Sigh… She used to run and hug me every time our eyes met…”
Marcus and Julia ignored Caesar’s lament and entered the residence.
The residence of the high priest was spacious and elegant, befitting his status. Inside, Caesar’s mother, Aurelia, was directing the slaves, while the Vestal Virgins checked the decorations and supplies for the festival.
Marcus and Julia first bowed politely to Aurelia. Despite Caesar being the head of the house, he always heeded his mother’s opinion. Aurelia had devoted herself to her son after her husband's early death, and it was no exaggeration to say she was the true head of the Caesar family.
The dignified matron welcomed her granddaughter and grandson-in-law warmly. Marcus presented her with the gift he had prepared and left Julia to catch up with her grandmother.
While Julia was reconnecting with her family, Marcus greeted the Vestal Virgins. These women, who served Vesta, the goddess of fire and hearth, were distinguished from ordinary women. Their role was crucial: protecting the sacred fire in the temple of Vesta, which Romans believed was essential to avoid disaster.
The Vestal Virgins were selected from girls under ten through a rigorous process and swore chastity for thirty years. They dedicated themselves to religious duties, studying, and mediating conflicts, and enjoyed significant privileges, including property and voting rights not granted to other Roman women.
Sexual harassment of these virgins was considered treason, punishable by death. Marcus showed respect to Licinia, the chief priestess.
“Greetings, priestesses. I am Marcus Licinius Crassus II.”
“Nice to meet you. I am Licinia, leading the Vestals with modesty.”
Licinia was a beauty, still maintaining a fine appearance despite nearing retirement age. Most Vestal Virgins were known for their outstanding looks, which contributed to their admiration and desirability.
“Are you facing any difficulties preparing for the festival? If you need financial support or extra hands, I can help.”
“Thank you. I requested additional funds from the Senate, but their response was slow. We are short on both money and personnel. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.”
“The Senate is preoccupied with other issues right now. It’s difficult for them to focus on the festival.”
“I’m frustrated that they don’t understand the importance of this festival for women.”
Licinia expressed her resentment toward the Senate. While Marcus knew about the significance of Bona Dea, he could only understand it from a factual perspective, not an emotional one.
“The Senate is not deliberately ignoring you.”
“I’m not so sure. They were just as indifferent last year.”
“Ah, that’s because they had a lot going on then…”
Around this time last year, Catilina’s term was about to begin, and the Senate was so preoccupied that they barely paid attention to the festival.
But that was just the Senate’s situation.
For Licinia, who was responsible for the religious ceremony, hearing the same excuse for two years in a row was frustrating.
“They must be suffering from continuous hardships because of their lack of faith. They should approach the gods with humility, especially at times like this…”
“Please let me know if you need anything. I will do my best to help, even though I am not much.”
“Thank you very much. To be honest, I was worried about whether we could hold the ceremony properly because of the unstable society. Your assistance from the Crassus family would be a great help. I hope the gods bless you, Marcus.”
Licinia bowed gracefully, and the young virgins next to her followed suit.
“I’m just doing my duty as a citizen of Rome. I pray that you have a successful festival.”
Marcus looked at Licinia and the virgins, who were smiling brightly, and felt a pang in his heart.
He knew a major incident was likely to occur during this Bona Dea festival. Even though he didn’t believe in the gods, it troubled him to see those who did their jobs well potentially face trouble.
So, Marcus offered one last piece of advice before leaving.
“As you said, it’s a time of turmoil and anything can happen. If something goes wrong, don’t blame yourselves too much. It’s not your fault.”
“If something happens, it will be due to our own lack of virtue. We will do our best to ensure that nothing goes wrong.”
“And I recommend you be careful. There are many men who want to peek at the festival because it’s a women-only event. Some might try to sneak in with malicious intentions, taking advantage of the chaotic atmosphere.”
“How could anyone commit such blasphemy… But then again, I can’t say for sure that there aren’t such people. Thank you for your valuable advice.”
“Don’t mention it. I will send the money and some people to help with the work as soon as I get back. They will all be women, so they can also assist with the cleanup after the ceremony.”
With everything arranged, Marcus returned to his residence with Julia and Caesar in a satisfied mood. He had decided to send some family members to help, so Julia wouldn’t need to stay behind.
Marcus called Danae and gave her some money along with secret instructions.
“This is for your mission. You understand how important this is, right?”
“Yes. But do you really think something like that will happen?”
“I’m more than 90% sure. That’s why I’m sending you.”
“I see why you insisted on bringing your wife home. I understand. I’ll do my best not to disappoint you.”
Danae added with a gleam in her eyes, “Can I expect a reward if I do well on this mission?”
“Certainly. You’ll receive proper compensation for handling such an important task.”
“Thank you. I’ll make sure to give you a good report.”
Excited about the significant mission, Danae departed with a spring in her step.
Although Danae was a freedwoman of the Crassus family, she had been born a slave and had no issues attending the Bona Dea festival. With the substantial amount of money Marcus had given to the Vestal Virgins, any potential issues would likely be handled by Licinia.
‘With that amount of money, they probably won’t have to worry about their budget for the next two years.’
Few organizations in this world are free from budgetary concerns. Even Rome’s temples, despite their numerous donations, are no exception.
It was worth the investment to leave a favorable impression on the Vestal Virgins. While they couldn’t influence events directly, they could significantly enhance someone’s reputation. This would be a great boost for Marcus’s upcoming political activities next month.
‘Now, the only question is whether he will act as expected.’
Marcus took a sip of wine to moisten his throat and gazed out at the night view of the Palatine Hill. The calm night seemed to reflect the current state of Rome—a quiet before the storm, waiting for Pompey’s return.
As Licinia had lamented, the senators were currently focused solely on other pressing issues, leaving the Bona Dea festival in the background. Meanwhile, Roman citizens anxiously awaited to see if the Senate and Pompey would clash.
However, an incident soon occurred that briefly captured the attention of both the senators and the public.
※※※※
Among Rome’s noble families, the Claudius clan stood out as one of the top aristocratic houses, alongside the Cornelius clan. The Claudius clan had produced many distinguished figures from ancient Rome to its end.
The Pulcher family, a branch of the Claudius clan, had a young head of thirty-three who was well-educated and cheerful but somewhat impulsive. This young Pulcher was infatuated with Pompeia, Sulla’s granddaughter.
Before he could propose to her, Pompeia had already married Caesar. Despite this hopeless situation, Pulcher did not give up. He continued to court Pompeia, and while she did not seem to despise him, she kept him at a distance and never fully accepted his advances.
Determined to find a chance to meet her alone, Pulcher faced a challenge: Pompeia, being Caesar’s wife, was always surrounded by slaves. There was only one day when she was free from their presence—the Bona Dea festival. On this day, all the men, including slaves, left the house, and the female slaves were occupied with the festival preparations and could not stay with Pompeia.
Seeing this as his only opportunity, Pulcher devised a plan to sneak into the festival disguised as a woman. Though his plan was absurd and risky, Pulcher, blinded by love, failed to consider the consequences. He bribed one of Pompeia’s female slaves, dressed himself in thick clothes and a wig, and successfully entered the residence.
His plan was to sneak up to Pompeia’s room and wait for the slave to bring her to him. However, problems arose sooner than expected. The Vestal Virgins, tasked with inspecting attendees, were more thorough than Pulcher had anticipated.
As he hurried upstairs, it was too late. A young priestess, appearing to be in her early teens, noticed Pulcher’s suspicious behavior and approached him.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“…”
Pulcher remained silent.
He couldn’t respond.
The priestess’s eyes grew more suspicious as she observed the silent Pulcher. His multiple layers of clothing made him stand out among the other women. He resembled a musician in his flashy attire, but he was different from the others. His face was obscured by his curly hair, making his features hard to discern.
“Sister? Excuse me, but may I ask which family you are from?”
“Cough, cough.”
Pulcher pretended to cough, signaling that he couldn’t speak due to a sore throat. However, the Vestal Virgin was not deceived by his act. Trained in keen observation, she was almost certain that Pulcher was a man. The sight of a large woman cowering from a young Vestal Virgin quickly drew the attention of others.
Licinia approached with a stern expression.
“Aemilia, the ceremony is about to start. What is the matter?”
“Oh, High Priestess, this person was acting strangely, so I inquired. But she refuses to answer.”
“Really?”
Licinia regarded Pulcher with a commanding gaze, a stark contrast to her demeanor with Marcus.
“Sister, please tell me your name and which noble family you are a guest of.”
“…Cough, cough.”
“You seem to have a bad cold. Could you please lift your curly hair so I can see your face? I appreciate your cooperation.”
Pulcher was at a loss. He regretted his reckless plan deeply, wishing he could undo his actions. Being caught here meant his life could be ruined. It didn’t matter if he was a noble; defiling a religious ceremony, especially one involving the Vestal Virgins' purity, was considered blasphemy. Such an offense was usually dealt with harshly.
Desperately, Pulcher pushed through the women around him and fled. But as he tried to escape, Licinia grabbed his wig, pulling it off and exposing his face. Though the room was dim, it was clear that he was a man.
“This is blasphemy! How dare a man infiltrate the Bona Dea ceremony!”
Licinia’s enraged voice echoed, causing everyone to bow and beg for the goddess’s mercy. The other Vestal Virgins also lowered their white veils and prayed to calm the gods’ wrath.
After finishing her prayers, Licinia stepped back, relieved to have caught the culprit before the ceremony began. The thought of discovering the defilement after the ceremony had started was terrifying. The Vestal Virgins would be blamed for poor management and supervision, marking them with lifelong shame.
Licinia silently thanked Marcus for his earlier warning. While Licinia felt a sense of relief, Pulcher was overwhelmed with fear and regret. His plan had gone horribly wrong, and he faced severe consequences for violating the Vestal Virgins' chastity.
As Pulcher frantically looked around, he realized he had accidentally moved deeper into the residence. Hearing footsteps approaching, his despair grew. Just then, a voice of salvation came from behind him.
“Claudius Pulcher, come this way.”
He turned to see a woman waving from behind a large banner. Though she was strikingly beautiful, Pulcher’s only concern was escaping. He wondered how she knew his name but had no choice but to trust her.
The woman quickly hid Pulcher under a pile of clothes as soon as he entered the room. Whether she had prepared it in advance or it was a coincidence, the pile perfectly concealed him.
Moments later, Licinia arrived with a group of women. She spotted the woman who had hidden Pulcher and approached her swiftly. If the woman revealed Pulcher’s location, his fate would be sealed.
Pulcher closed his eyes, listening to Licinia’s voice, which now had a softer tone.
“Danae, did you see a large man here? He was in a poor disguise.”
“Oh… He was a man. I saw him running away in a hurry just before. He looked frightened when he saw me and fled that way. I wish I had paid more attention to his face.”
“I see. You didn’t get a good look at him either. I should have examined his face more closely…”
From behind Licinia, a slave who had served Pompeia raised her hand.
“Excuse me… I wasn’t sure if I should speak up…”
“Do you have any idea who the intruder is? It’s okay if you’re not certain; just tell me what you know.”
“Yes. I’ve served Pompeia for a long time and have seen similar faces. The intruder looked very much like Claudius Pulcher, a nobleman who frequently visited Pompeia.”
“Claudius Pulcher…”
Licinia’s expression hardened upon hearing the name of a prominent nobleman. The realization that Pulcher and the intruder resembled each other was confirmed by multiple sources.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Licinia hesitated. If this rumor spread, it would cause upheaval in the assembly and the Senate, exacerbating the already unstable situation in Rome.
But her hesitation was brief. Regardless of the reason, blasphemy could not be overlooked.
“I will return to the Temple of Vesta immediately and send a formal request for cooperation to the Pulcher family. If the crime is confirmed, even the Claudius clan cannot avoid punishment.”
Licinia declared firmly and left the residence with the others. Once they were gone, Danae approached the pile of clothes where Pulcher was hiding.
“Hey, there’s no one around now. You can come out.”
Pulcher emerged, his face pale and his spirit crushed. Having overheard everything, he was filled with despair. He contemplated confessing and requesting exile as a last resort.
But sometimes, when hope seems lost, a lifeline appears.
“It’s not over yet. There is someone who wants to help you.”
A calm voice continued.
“Of course, it’s not for free. Do you want to hear what we want from you?”
The agent who brought Marcus’s proposal awaited his response.
Danae’s question was already answered by Pulcher’s reaction.