Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate: A Novel by Diana Wallis Taylor Page B
Authors: Diana Wallis Taylor
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didn’t feel like talking. Hotep concentrated on repairing one of Claudia’s garments. Claudia worked her loom, reminding herself that in a few weeks’ time she would see her Lucius again. She deliberately turned her thoughts in a more positive direction.
That night she hardly slept. She remembered his kiss and his eyes when he parted from her. “Lucius,” she murmured softly as her eyes finally closed.
When Titus returned on the third day, he and Marcus carried her chests down to the open coach secured to carry Claudia and her belongings to Ostia.
Claudia turned to the two servants who had endeavored to make her brief stay at the Villa Ponti as comfortable as they could. “I will remember you to my husband and tell him how kind you have been to me. I don’t know when we will return from Judea, but we will be comforted that the villa is in good hands.”
She had spoken to Marcus about Medina and he had agreed to her plan. “She will be welcome, Domina, if she chooses to come.” His anxious tone caused her to scrutinize him more carefully. Then she dismissed her thoughts. It was probably nothing. He was just being kind and obedient to his mistress.
Marcus and Alba bowed their heads briefly to her and wished her a safe voyage.
As the coach moved away, Claudia looked back at the beautiful villa that was her new home, even if only for a few months. Would they return? And when?
18
A s they skirted the city of Rome, Claudia glimpsed the top of the palace on Palatine Hill and thought of her years there. She passed a statue of Tiberius and nearby a newly erected statue of Sejanus. She tightened her lips in disgust. Praying to the man and celebrating his birthday like a holiday! She pressed her lips together. Rome could have him. She couldn’t get out of Rome fast enough.
Ostia, approximately thirty kilometers west of Rome, was reached in a little under an hour, but the trip from the villa had taken longer. The driver had pressed his team at a fast clip. Titus rode up with the driver to direct him to the right part of the port and the ship. As the coach rolled through the small city in the late afternoon, Titus turned to the women.
“My lady, have you seen the forum, built by our emperor?” Claudia studied it as they went by. It was truly an impressive building.
The town was alive with activity, carts filled with merchandise and goods from the ships headed for Rome, pulled by teams of oxen. Everywhere there seemed to be people hurrying to and fro. It reminded her of her first glimpse of Rome.
“Titus, what are in the huge pottery jars on those carts?”
“They are amphorae, my lady. Many of them carry wine to the provinces and other ports. The large round pots carry wheat and grain.They are taking them to Rome. Those carts heading toward the wharf carry salt from the salt-pans east of the city.”
As the coach rolled onto the dock and slowed to a stop, Titus turned to her. “If you will wait a moment, my lady, I shall notify the captain that we have arrived and bring help to carry your belongings.”
Claudia nodded her agreement and sat, observing the ship that would convey her to Caesarea and Lucius. She suddenly felt the grip of fear as she faced her first sea voyage. She turned to Hotep, who also looked at the ship with fearful eyes.
“It was such a ship that brought my brother and me to Rome. But it had oars, and there were many slaves rowing.”
“Courage, Hotep. The voyage should not take more than twenty-one days according to Titus. We will make port stops along the way and be able to leave the ship.”
The ship was a large vessel with double sails that seemed adequate for her safety. It had one great sail unfurled from the mast in the center of the ship and a smaller sail at the rear. In the very front of the ship a graceful swan’s head had been carved.
She didn’t want to travel on a slave ship and was relieved that this would be a sailing ship, carrying only cargo and a few
That night she hardly slept. She remembered his kiss and his eyes when he parted from her. “Lucius,” she murmured softly as her eyes finally closed.
When Titus returned on the third day, he and Marcus carried her chests down to the open coach secured to carry Claudia and her belongings to Ostia.
Claudia turned to the two servants who had endeavored to make her brief stay at the Villa Ponti as comfortable as they could. “I will remember you to my husband and tell him how kind you have been to me. I don’t know when we will return from Judea, but we will be comforted that the villa is in good hands.”
She had spoken to Marcus about Medina and he had agreed to her plan. “She will be welcome, Domina, if she chooses to come.” His anxious tone caused her to scrutinize him more carefully. Then she dismissed her thoughts. It was probably nothing. He was just being kind and obedient to his mistress.
Marcus and Alba bowed their heads briefly to her and wished her a safe voyage.
As the coach moved away, Claudia looked back at the beautiful villa that was her new home, even if only for a few months. Would they return? And when?
18
A s they skirted the city of Rome, Claudia glimpsed the top of the palace on Palatine Hill and thought of her years there. She passed a statue of Tiberius and nearby a newly erected statue of Sejanus. She tightened her lips in disgust. Praying to the man and celebrating his birthday like a holiday! She pressed her lips together. Rome could have him. She couldn’t get out of Rome fast enough.
Ostia, approximately thirty kilometers west of Rome, was reached in a little under an hour, but the trip from the villa had taken longer. The driver had pressed his team at a fast clip. Titus rode up with the driver to direct him to the right part of the port and the ship. As the coach rolled through the small city in the late afternoon, Titus turned to the women.
“My lady, have you seen the forum, built by our emperor?” Claudia studied it as they went by. It was truly an impressive building.
The town was alive with activity, carts filled with merchandise and goods from the ships headed for Rome, pulled by teams of oxen. Everywhere there seemed to be people hurrying to and fro. It reminded her of her first glimpse of Rome.
“Titus, what are in the huge pottery jars on those carts?”
“They are amphorae, my lady. Many of them carry wine to the provinces and other ports. The large round pots carry wheat and grain.They are taking them to Rome. Those carts heading toward the wharf carry salt from the salt-pans east of the city.”
As the coach rolled onto the dock and slowed to a stop, Titus turned to her. “If you will wait a moment, my lady, I shall notify the captain that we have arrived and bring help to carry your belongings.”
Claudia nodded her agreement and sat, observing the ship that would convey her to Caesarea and Lucius. She suddenly felt the grip of fear as she faced her first sea voyage. She turned to Hotep, who also looked at the ship with fearful eyes.
“It was such a ship that brought my brother and me to Rome. But it had oars, and there were many slaves rowing.”
“Courage, Hotep. The voyage should not take more than twenty-one days according to Titus. We will make port stops along the way and be able to leave the ship.”
The ship was a large vessel with double sails that seemed adequate for her safety. It had one great sail unfurled from the mast in the center of the ship and a smaller sail at the rear. In the very front of the ship a graceful swan’s head had been carved.
She didn’t want to travel on a slave ship and was relieved that this would be a sailing ship, carrying only cargo and a few
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