Rome - 15. Chapter 15

Early the next morning, the boys had the cart loaded with the bags of oats. Aumen was on his horse, and Paxton was sitting in the cart when Dante arrived with his bundle of clothes. Lucinius mounted his horse and led the cart to the city. They repeated the same path as last time, a stop at the Temple with a bag of oats for the priest, a visit at Gaius’s where he insisted they had something to eat and drink. On the way to his father’s, he let Dante off and wished him good luck. Assuming the baker would pay him what he asked for his oats, he gave Dante other denarii.

Paxton whispered something to Dante. Dante shook his head no and left, walking into the city. Arriving at his father’s house, he was met by Duccius, who told him his father wasn’t home. Again his mother greeted him with a hug, acknowledging the others as well. She asked if they were hungry, they said they had eaten at the home of Gaius. But they would have a cup of wine, as Paxton took a bag of oats and gave it to Calliope.

“I’m going to take the rest of the oats to the baker. I think he’ll pay what I want for my oats.”

“Maybe you should go to that merchant you went to with the wheat. I’ll send the baker over.”

They laughed, but Lucinius didn’t like to haggle over price. He knew he set a fair price. “Are you coming with us?”

“Yes, I’m going to go home with you, and then in a few days, I’m going south to see grandfather.” Lucinius was surprised, but happy Duccius was going to go home with him.

“I’ll stop here before heading home, be ready.”

“Sir, I’m worried about Dante.”

“Don’t worry about him. I’ve asked Apollo to look out for him. Who knows, he might be back. Being free has its problem as well. He needs to find housing and to earn money to live.”

Pulling up at the baker’s stall, “Hello, I have some freshly harvested oats, if you’re interested.”

“How much do you want for it?”

Lucius had checked the price at a stall selling oats on his way to the baker. He quoted a price a little less than what that merchant was offering. The baker thought about it, tasted the oats, and agreed to the price. While the boys unloaded the cart, he paid Lucinius.

“I sold out of bread with the wheat you sold me. My customers came back and asked for an extra loaf.”

“I’m glad, at the next harvest, I’ll bring more wheat to you. I hope you have as much good luck with these oats.”

With the money from the oats, Aumen mentioned that he should buy himself a new tunic. Lucinius realized that Aumen and he could use a new tunic as well as sandals. They purchased some sweet wheat cakes, which Paxton enjoyed.

Business finished, they headed to Lucinius home to pick up Duccius. They never got close to his father’s house when they met Duccius. He tossed his bag on the cart. Smiling, he followed Lucinius to the Villa. When they arrived, they were met by the boys. Lucinius had bought wheat cakes for them. They were thankful, one of the boys asked about Dante. “After Dante left the cart, we didn’t see him. I hope he’s okay. We prayed at the Temple for him.” Again at dinner that night, he gave each man a denarii. “This is your share of the oat harvest.”

Duccius was surprised, “You pay your men?”

“Yes, why not? They worked to grow the wheat and oats. They need to be rewarded for their work.”

“But they are slaves.”

“Who said they are slaves? I never said they are slaves. Have you ever seen a slave work as hard as these boys do without an overseer beating them if they didn’t work hard enough to suit him?”

Duccius had to think, and he remembers his father beating a slave when he dropped a box of grapes, and the animals crushed them. He admitted to himself that maybe Lucinius was right. When supper was almost over, one of the boys brought a fruit platter, there were the cherries, plums, figs, dates, apples, and a few olives.

"The trees will take about two or three more weeks before the fruit will be ripe enough. I picked what looked to be the ripest.” Duccius was getting a lesson in human nature, and he just didn’t know it.