Salvatoria: The Memoirs of Lucretia Aurelia

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ II: ᗩ ᗪEᔕᑭEᖇᗩTE ᗷᗩᖇGᗩIᑎ

January 16, 58 B.C

Villa of the Papyri, Herculaneum, Italia Province, Respublica Romana

It had been roughly three years since Julius Caesar brought me into his household, and my clock was ticking. Julia had been married last year - ironically to Pompey. I had roughly one year and three months before I reached majority, and when I did, I'd have one hundred swords at my throat.

But there was a flaw to my plan. See, Caesar was planning a military campaign against a Gallic tribe known as the Helvetii. They are migrating further south to escape the ravaging Germans, but their planned route involves passing through Cisalpine Gaul, which Caesar is the governor of. The problem with this is, that if Caesar leaves Rome to fight the Helvetii, that will leave me with no warrant of protection. There was only one option.

I needed to convince Caesar to let me travel to Gaul with him. Should I obtain that right, I will have another year to find another way to prevent my untimely demise at the hands of the oh so revered Pompey the Great. Caesar was my tool, and I needed to prove my usefulness to him. The only concerning reality was that there were only so many ways women could prove ourselves to men given the structure of our society.

I had practiced a speech for days, working through my head how I would convince the mighty Julius Caesar to let me go on his campaign.

So that's where I stood, pacing in front of his study, a day before he was set to leave for the north. I stopped my endless pacing, took a deep breath and with my tiny fist, carefully knocked on his study door.

"Enter!" Caesar boomed

I opened the door and quietly entered. Caesar turned to face me.

"Ah, Lucretia, how may I help you? But please keep it quick I am very busy,"

I cleared my throat, "Yes I know Caesar... I... I wanted to ask if I could come to... Gaul with you..."

I had stammered the whole time so I'd be lucky if he understood my jumbled Latin. But he did. Caesar chuckled.

"Gaul? Lucretia you can't be serious-"

"But I am!" I cried out in interjection before dipping my head, "Sorry,"

Caesar's eyes squinted.

"Why would you possibly want to go to Gaul?" He asked with a sneer in his tone.

"...I would fear the savages of Gaul and Germania less than I would fear Pompey..."

Caesar's tone changed instantly. Now he listened.

"I see... you fear that Pompey will kill you while I am in Gaul fighting the Helvetii..."

I nodded and I could see his brain churning up solutions in rapid fire succession. As I was just a pawn to him unfortunately, I hoped I had not served my worth to him just yet.

"Hmm..." He thought aloud, bringing me back to where I now stood.

I folded my hands behind my back as I watched Caesar ponder.

"I could even just be a nurse, or something! I'll do anything to get out of Rome!"

"Oh, Lucretia, there is no need for such a role in the Army," Caesar shook his head, "I do not believe I'd have a role for you to play... I'm sorry..." He motioned to the door, "You may take your leave,"

Dammit! Think fast... think fast!

"There is of course... another way I could serve you on campaign,"

Caesar again looked up at me and I felt a lump form in my throat.