按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
All the Roman history and Roman names I give here are accurate； I have not falsified them or made up stories or created false political events。 Everything bears upon my ultimate fate and the fate of Marius。 Nothing is included for love of the past。 I have omitted my family name。 I did this because my family has a history； and I cannot bring myself to connect their ancient reputations； deeds； epitaphs to this tale。 Also Marius； when he confided in Lestat； did not give the full name of his Roman family。 And I respect this and that also is not revealed。
Augustus had been Emperor for over ten years； and it was a marvelous time to be an educated woman in Rome； women had immense freedom； and I had a rich Senator for a father； five prosperous brothers； and grew up Motherless but cherished by teams of Greek tutors and nurses who gave me everything I wanted。
Now； if I really wanted to make this difficult for you； David； I'd write it in classical Latin。 But I won't。 And I must tell you that； unlike you； I came by my education in English haphazardly； and certainly I never learnt it from Shakespeare's plays。
Indeed I have passed through many stages of the English language in my wanderings and in my reading； but the great majority of my true acquaintance with it has been in this century； and I am writing for you in colloquial English。
There's another reason For this； which I'm sure you'll understand if you've read the modern translation of Petronius's Satyricon or Juvenal's satires。 Very modern English is a really true equivalent to the Latin of my time。
The formal letters of Imperial Rome won't tell you this。 But the graffiti scratched on the walls of Pompeii will make it obvious。 We had a sophisticated tongue； countless clever verbal shortcuts and mon expressions。
I'm going to write； therefore； in the English which feels equivalent and natural to me。
Let me say here quickly … while the action is at a halt … that I was never； as Marius said； a Greek Courtesan。 I was living with such a pretense when Marius gave me the Dark Gift； and perhaps out of consideration for old mortal secrets he so described me。 Or maybe it was contemptuous of him to style me this way。 I don't know。
But Marius knew all about my Roman family； that it was a Senatorial family； as purely aristocratic and privileged as his own mortal family； and that my people dated back to the time of Romulus and Remus； the same as Marius's mortal line。 Marius did not succumb to me because I had 〃beautiful arms；〃 as he indicated to Lestat。 This trivialization was perhaps provocative。
I don't hold anything against either of them； Marius or Lestat。 I don't know who got what wrong。
My feeling for my Father is so great to this very night； as I sit in the cafe； writing for you； David； that I am astonished at the power of writing … of putting words to paper and bringing back so vividly to myself my Father's loving face。
My Father was to meet a terrible end。 He did not deserve what happened to him。 But some of our kinsmen survived and re…established our family in later times。
My Father was rich； one of the true millionaires of that age； and his capital was invested widely。 He was a soldier more often than required of him； a Senator； a thoughtful and quiet man by disposition。 And after the terrors of the Civil War； he was a great supporter of Caesar Augustus and very much in the Emperor's good graces。
Of course he dreamed that the Roman Republic would e back； we all did。 But Augustus had brought unity and peace to the Empire。
I met Augustus many times in my youth； and it was always at some crowded social function and of no consequence。 He looked like his portraits； a lean man with a long thin nose； short hair； average face； he was rather rational and pragmatic by nature and not invested with any abnormal cruelty。 He had no personal vanity。
The poor man was really blessed that he couldn't see into the future … that he had no inkling of all the horrors and madness that would begin with Tiberius； his successor； and go on for so long under other members of his family。
Only in later times did I understand the full singularity and acplishment of Augustus's long reign。 Was it forty…four years of peace throughout the cities of the Empire？
Alas； to be born during this time was to be born during a time of creativity and prosperity； when Rome was caput mundi； or capital of the world。 And when I look back on it； I realize what a powerful bination it was to have both tradition and vast sums of money； to have old values and new power。
Our family life was conservative； strict； even a little dusty。 And yet we had every luxury。 My Father grew more quiet and conservative over the years。 He enjoyed his grandchildren； who were born while he was still vigorous and active。
Though he had fought principally in the Northern campaigns along the Rhine； he had been stationed in Syria for a while。 He had studied in Athens。 He had served so much and so well that he was being allowed an early retirement in the years during which I grew up； an early withdrawal from the social life that whirled around the Imperial Palace； though I did not realize this at the time。
My five brothers came before me。 So there was no 〃ritual Roman mourning〃 when I was born； as you hear tell of in Roman families when a girl es into the world。 Far from it。
Five times my Father had stood in the atrium … the main enclosed courtyard； or peristyle； of our house with its pillars and stairs and grand marble…work … five times he had stood there before the assembled family and held in his hands a newborn son； inspected it and then pronounced it perfect and fit to be reared as his own； as was his prerogative。 Now； you know he had the power of life and death over his sons from that moment on。
If my Father hadn't wanted these boys for any reason； he would have 〃exposed〃 them to die of starvation。 It was against the law to steal such a child and make it a slave。
Having five boys already； my Father was expected by some to get rid of me immediately。 Who needs a girl？ But my Father never exposed or rejected any of my Mother's children。
And by the time I arrived； I'm told； he cried for joy。
〃Thank the gods！ A little darling。〃； I heard the story ad nauseam from my brothers； who； every time I acted up … did something unseemly； frisky and wild … said sneeringly； 〃Thank the gods； a little darling！〃 It became a charming goad。
My Mother died when I was two； and all I recall of her are gentleness and sweetness。 She'd lost as many children as she had birthed； and early death was typical enough。 Her Epitaph was beautifully written by my Father； and her memory honored throughout my life。 My Father never took another woman into the house。 He slept with a few of the female slaves； but this was nothing unusual。 My brothers did the same thing。 This was mon in a Roman household。 My Father brought no new woman from another family to rule over me。
There is no grief in me for my Mother because I was simply too young for it； and if I cried when my Mother did not e back； I don't remember it。
What I remember is having the run of a big old rectangular palatial Roman house； with many rectangular rooms built onto the main rectangle； one off another； the whole nestled in a huge garden high on the Palatine Hill。 It was a house of marble floors and richly painted walls； the garden meandering and surrounding every room of it。
I was the true jewel of my Father's eye； and I remember having a marvelous time watching my brothers practice outside with their short broadswords； or listening as their tutors instructed them； and then having fine teachers of my own who taught me how to read the entire Aeneid of Virgil before I was five years old。
I loved words。 I love to sing them and speak them and even now； I must admit； I have fallen into the joy of writing them。 I couldn't have told you that nights ago； David。 You've brought back something to me and I must make the admission。 And I must not write too fast in this mortal cafe； lest human beings notice！
Ah； so we continue。
My Father thought it was hysterical that I could recite verses from Virgil at so young an age and he liked nothing better than to show me off at banquets at which he entertained his conservative and somewhat old…fashioned Senatorial friends； and sometimes Caesar Augustus himself。 Caesar Augustus was an agreeable man。 I don't think my Father ever really wanted him at our house； however。 But now and then； I suppose； the Emperor had to be wined and dined。
I'd rush in with my nurse； give a rousing recital and then be whisked away to where I could not see the proud Senators of Rome glutting themselves on peacock brains and garum … surely you know what garum is。 It's the horrible sauce the Romans put on everything； rather like today's ketchup。 Definitely it defeated the purpose of having eels and squids on your plate； or ostrich brains or unborn lamb or whatever other absurd delicacies were being brought by the platterful。
The point is； as you know； the Romans seemed to have a special place in their hearts for genuine gluttony； and the banquets inevitably became a disgrace。 The guests would go off to the vomitorium of the house to heave up the fir