Gallus stared at the gift which Vitulus had brought him. "Edepol" was all he could manage to say.

Before him, exquisitely carved, was a bust of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, the legendary savior of Rome who served as Dictator for sixteen days and saved her from an army of maurading bandits. Once the danger was past, he had relinquished his imperium, and returned again to his plow. This man, who had served as one of the inspirations for his agrarian reform plan, now gazed at him with nearly lifelike eyes.

"Quintus Flaminius," he murmered. "You do me too much honor, my friend. I am speechless."

"You? Tiberius Gallus, 'speechless'?" roared Vitulus. "Well, then, it was truly money well-spent! Corvus would pay ten talents to have the same effect on you!"

Recovering from his shock, eyes at last pulling away from the bust to rest again on his friend, Gallus responded "'twould seem all of Rome is struck dumb, first from general apathy...and now, dumb-struck indeed with the news that Catulus has taken so ill in the field. You must tell me what you have heard. But for now, please do come in. Our colleage Vipsanius awaits us, and has an interesting proposal which you should hear."