'First Lady of Rome'

BLURB

Murder. Revenge. Love.

Victory!

It is the end of the civil war and the tyrant Caesar is dead. For decades, the people of Rome suffered at the hands of a man who sanctioned assassinations of elected officials and the destruction of his people.

The Roman army who fought bravely are marching home. Helena accompanies her husband, Commodus, who is now the new Emperor.

By chance, Helena has a profound encounter with a man named Jesus. She confesses her shocking story about how she came to be the First Lady.

Character List

Helena (Narrator)

Maximus (Helena's father and Caesar’s younger brother)

Arastella (Helena's mother)

Vittorio (Helena's older brother)

Caesar (Helena's uncle)

Servilia (Wife of Caesar)

Primo (Helena’s uncle)

Avitus (Helena's first husband)

Tiberius (Helena's first child)

Commodus (Consul, Helena's second husband and eventually Emperor)

Gaius, Lucius, Arastella & Augusta (children of Helena and Commodus)

Lucius Cotta (Consul and distant cousin to Helena)

Germanicus (Helena's first tutor)

Neba (Helena's first maid and friend)

Oxyntas (Friend, mercenary and advisor)

Sipho (Friend and mercenary)

Claudia (Head maid and friend)

Rufio (Friend and advisor)

Gnaeus (Senator and ex-brother-in-law to Commodus)

Brutus (Head of security in Egypt and Rome)

Magnus (Helena's security and translator; husband to Claudia)

Ptolemy (Prince of Egypt)

Fadil (Ptolemy's advisor and Helena's tutor)

Titus (Husband to Priscilla)

Pompey (Merchant and business associate)

Camillus (Broad Stripe Tribune)

References

Prologue

“My mind was manacled.” (William Blake, ‘London’)
“Do you thirst for a drink?” (John 4:13-15)
“I have come to save my people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
“It was beyond mortal knowledge.” (William Shakespeare, ‘Macbeth,’ Act 1 Scene 5)
“I give everlasting life.” (John 10:28)

Marriage

“I needed to continuously drink from the Pierian spring so that I became sober with knowledge.” (Alexander Pope, ‘A Little by Learning’)
“Some nonsense about ‘younger than she are happy mothers made.’” (William Shakespeare, ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ Act 1 Scene 2)

The Mission

“In Egypt they have poisons that smell like perfumes.” (‘Cleopatra,’ Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1963)

Caesar

“If the stones on the ground could speak they too would call out praise of his conquests.” (Luke 19:40)

The Confrontation

“Caesar is a lion prowling around waiting to find prey.” (1 Peter 5:8)
“Not throw pearls to swine.” (Matthew 7:6)

A Change of Scenery

“Yes, it is your business, although a wise man seeks counsel from many people.” (Proverbs 15:22)

Six Days Before

“He was the strong tower, the fortress that could not be shaken and now he seemed distracted.” (Psalm 61:3 / Psalm 125:1)

Egypt

“He said he would not abandon the harvest when there was still much to reap.” (John 4:35)

References Continued

The Trial

“All things came to an end.” (Ecclesiastes 3)

The Complication

“May your gods and my gods protect you.” (‘Cleopatra,’ Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1963)

Six Years Later

“[P]raying as they trudged through the sludge of the northern soil.” (Wilfred Owen, ‘Dulce Et Decorum Est’)
“Now was Caesar’s winter of discontent.” (William Shakespeare, ‘Richard III,’ Act 1 Scene 1)

The Camp

“Tears may come at night, but there will be joy in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

Day 1

“As you know, the good crop is separated and the chaff is burned.” (Luke 3:17)

Day 8

“Our brains ached as the winds knifed us.” (Wilfred Owen, ‘Exposure’)
“The civil war that makes civil hands unclean.” (William Shakespeare, ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ Prologue)
“It was an outpouring of ferocious water that washed away the bloody field, but all of Neptune’s oceans would never wash the stains upon our conscience.” (William Shakespeare, ‘Macbeth,’ Act 2 Scene 2)

Day 9

Snow began to fall again and all I could think of at that moment was how all of his yesterdays had now led to his death.” (William Shakespeare, ‘Macbeth,’ Act 5 Scene 5)

Epilogue

“Seek and you shall find Him, call on His name and He will answer, believe and you too will have eternal life.” (Matthew 7:7 / Psalm 17:6 / John 3:16)

Glossary

Asphodels – a type of flower which was considered by Romans as a symbol of death.

Armaria – closed cupboards.

Carpentum – a type of carriage used to transport wealthy Romans.

Clabula – a cart that was pulled by oxen to transport soldiers.

Clivus Victoriae – a prominent street that had an uphill path to Palatine hill.

Consul – the highest elected official a patrician could hold; they chaired the Senate and other assemblies; they were in charge of the military and shaped foreign affairs. There were two Consuls that could be elected each year.

Deben – a measure of weight in Ancient Egypt.

Forum – located in the centre of Rome where a number of social activities would take place.

Forum Vespasian – Roman temple of peace.

Felice/ Fortunata – names given to the female slaves that were in Julius Caesar’s household. Both names are variations of the words ‘lucky’ or ‘fortunate.’

Gryphon – a Roman mythological creature with the body of a lion, a bird’s head and wings. Normally associated with retribution.

Imagines – death masks that had the likeness of a deceased ancestor.

Janus – the Roman god of doorways, gates and transitions and often depicted with two heads. To be compared to Janus was to imply you were two faced.

Juno – queen of the Roman gods. She was the goddess of domestic roles, marriage and childbirth.

Jupiter – the god of the sky and thunder.

Khat – physical body.

Khepresh – Egyptian royal headdress, a blue crown.

Mars – the Roman god of war.

Nemes – a striped linen headdress; a symbol of Egyptian royalty.

Osiris – Egyptian god of the Underworld.

Palatine Hill – a rich and desirable area of Rome, home to aristocrats and the emperor.

Pedagogus – a teacher.

Pierian spring – a reference to the sacred spring in Greek mythology where the nine muses drew inspiration from the source of knowledge.

Pluto – Roman god of the Underworld.

Potestas – the literal meaning is power, but Helena is referring to ‘patria potestas’ which is the father’s legal authority over his household. This guardianship was transferred to her husband, but since Helena is a widow she does not need to remarry for legal protection.

Publilius Syrus – writer from 85-43BC, a contemporary of Cicero.

Quando tu Gaius, ego Gaia – Roman wedding vows meaning “When and where you are Gaius, I then and there am Gaia.”

Quiver – designed to hold the arrows for the archer.

Ra-Horakhty – the Egyptian morning sun god.

Restitutor Pactor Orbis – restorer and pacifier of the world.

Sacrosanctitas – a protection granted which made it an offence if insults were spoken against the person. Normally, given to the tribune of the plebs. It was a high honour given to Octavian (later known as Augustus) and then his wife Livia.

Salutatio – meaning salutation. Prominent men would receive clients in their morning salutatio meetings. Salutationes is the plural.

Senatus Populusque Romanus – the Senate and People of Rome (SPQR).

Shabti – funerary dolls that represent farmers.

Sui juris – of one’s own right. Helena has outlived her master (her husband) and is independent of tutela (male guardianship).

Tabellarius – a person who delivered, couriered or conveyed messages.

Tablinum – a room typically situated on the side of the atrium where business was conducted.

Thermopolium – a place where hot food and drink were sold (a cook shop). A place to serve “fast” food. Most people did not have kitchens in their home unless they were wealthy.

Triumph – a ritual procession to celebrate a military victory.

Tutela – male guardianship. Women belonged to their fathers and when they were married that guardianship transferred to their husbands.

Ushebtis – small statues.

Vestals – the vestals were priestesses to the Roman goddess of Vesta (goddess of home, hearth and family).

Vizier – a high official who serves Pharaoh.