The Eagle of the Ninth

The Briton, named Esca, who is now enslaved by Marcus, is brought to Uncle Aquila’s home the following morning, and the two young men spend time getting acquainted. Esca almost immediately asks Marcus why Marcus campaigned for his life to be spared when he, the fighter in the arena, did not ask for it himself. Marcus explains that it is perhaps precisely because Esca did not ask for mercy that he was compelled to intervene on his behalf. Esca confirms for Marcus, who wondered it aloud, that he was in fact a warrior before he was forced into gladiatorial combat. Born and having spent most of his life as a member of the Brigante tribe, Esca has been enslaved two years. While others might disagree, Marcus says he believes this relatively short tenure to be an asset instead of a detriment. Marcus finds himself at ease with Esca though some have cautioned him against trusting the Briton, believing that because he has not been enslaved for long, he is predisposed to rebellion and retaliation.

When the opportunity for a hunt arises, Marcus encourages Esca, who is a skilled hunter, to participate. Marcus’s inability to attend himself is among the many constant reminders of his new limitations. When Esca returns, he brings a wolf cub as a gift to Marcus, explaining that among the members of his tribe it is a custom to raise orphaned wolf pups. Marcus realizes that there is something bothering Esca following the hunt and presses him to reveal what is troubling him. A comment made during the hunt by a Tribune named Placidus, who took pains to remind Esca that despite his superlative hunting skills, he is still enslaved, weighs heavily on Esca’s mind. Marcus reacts angrily, disgusted with the behavior of the Tribune, but also frustrated that Esca does not seem to realize that Marcus does not see him the way that others might. Marcus is concerned that his treatment of Esca has not communicated those sentiments, and he tries to impress upon him his respect for him.

On another occasion, Marcus learns that Esca’s father was chieftain of their tribe and that their clan was decimated when they rose against the Romans. Most were killed, including Esca’s father, two brothers, and mother, who requested that she be killed by her own people before being taken by the Romans. Those who survived, like Esca, were enslaved. When Marcus expresses shock and dismay, Esca points out that the outcome was not unlike what happened at Isca Dumnoniorum, but he quickly changes the subject before Marcus can reply. He explains that he prefers to cling to his remaining fond memories, launching into a series of recollections from his youth. As Esca recounts a particularly impactful experience from a decade before, seared in his memory as he hid from view, he describes the impressive, formidable presence of a Roman legion marching north. Marcus is stunned to realize that he is familiar with the legion that Esca is describing: “Esca, that was my father’s legion. His crest will have been the scarlet hackle next after the Eagle” (58).

On a spring afternoon, sitting in the courtyard with his wolf cub, named Cub, as he restores the Celtic weapons his Uncle Aquila displays around the house, Marcus receives a visit from their neighbor. The girl, whom Marcus remembers having seen at the Saturnalia Games, peers over the wall and asks if she can see the wolf pup. When she joins Marcus and Cub in the garden, Marcus finds her to be highly conversant, forthcoming, and direct. He is instantly reminded of a fox, not only by her appearance, but in her mannerisms and her personality traits. Like Esca, Cottia was born to a native tribe of Britons. She is now called Camilla by her adoptive aunt, who embraced all trappings of Roman life upon her marriage to a Roman magistrate, and who insists that Cottia adhere to these cultural standards. Cottia participates as required but defies the imposition of Roman influences on her identity. She vehemently attests to her allegiance to her tribe, the Iceni, and for Marcus this relationship with a peer who is native to this land gives him new perspective. Marcus later raises the issue with Esca, puzzled by the resistance to Roman occupation and cultural dominance: “Esca, why do all the frontier tribes resent our coming so bitterly? […] The tribes of the South have taken to our ways easily enough.” Esca’s response highlights the distinctions in how some tribes have received the Roman occupation: “We have ways of our own […] The tribes of the south had lost their birthright before the Eagles came in war. They sold it for the things that Rome could give” (65). Marcus asks whether those things Rome offers are so disagreeable, and Esca agrees that they are not necessarily disagreeable but clarifies with a caveat, “These be all good things. But the price is too high” (65), explaining further that those who have governed themselves and fought amongst one another for the land of their birth are unwilling to sacrifice that autonomy for any externally imposed benefits.

Cottia begins regularly visiting Marcus, Esca, and Cub, and during their time spent together Marcus tells her about his childhood home in the Etruscan hills. His mother’s death two years after his father’s disappearance left him in the care of his father’s sister and her husband, a man with whom he had nothing in common. To Marcus’s frustration, his father’s brother-in-law sold the farm, which rightfully belonged to the Aquila line, to pay his own debts. His intense fondness for the farm in Clusium has not been tempered by his time away, but rather enhanced, along with his longing to restore it to the home he remembers.

Marcus’s leg has plagued him consistently since his wounding, but when the pain increases, Uncle Aquila suggests that they enlist the help of a reputable military field surgeon named Rufus Galarius, whom Uncle Aquila knows and trusts. Galarius performs a thorough evaluation of Marcus’s leg, and after inquiring who performed the initial procedure, relates with disgust that he knows the surgeon and thinks poorly of him. With regret Galarius informs Marcus that Marcus will require an additional surgery. Splinters from the wooden chariot components remain buried in Marcus’s thigh, and Galarius must reopen the wound and extract every piece. While Galarius cannot restore Marcus to his state of health prior to the injury, he is confident that this procedure will alleviate his pain and improve his mobility.

His surgery scheduled for the following morning, Marcus is resting when he hears a commotion and the familiar sound of Cottia’s voice. She barges into his quarters, incensed that Marcus kept the coming operation from her. Marcus minimizes the significance of the procedure, but Cottia demands that Esca inform her when the surgery has finished.

In the early morning hours, as Galarius and Esca make the necessary preparations for the procedure, Marcus reflects on the summer he has spent with Uncle Aquila and is filled with gratitude. Through the despair and bleakness, he feels a new sense of attachment and fond familiarity. When his surgery is complete, Marcus is overwhelmed with a sense of affection for Esca, Cub, and Cottia, whose companionship he realizes he has come to value tremendously. Marcus has begun to feel a sense of belonging and camaraderie with others, particularly those his own age, which was taken from him in his separation from the legion.