Studying the side-streets as he walks the Vestals through the dark passageways en route to their home, C.C. explains …

“The thermae was mobbed! Why, most everyone in Rome must’ve decided to go to the baths at about the same time – and there was evidently an “incident” that clogged up the narrow entrance which further delayed everyone getting in.”

“What kind of incident?”

“I was told that some Lady had brought her llama to the thermae.”

“She wanted to take her llama into the baths?”

“Not into the water, but she evidently wanted to leave him (he’s a boy-llama) in the Palastrae while she took a quick dip in the frigidarium. Then she was reportedly going to meet the llama and his Attendant at the Bath-Bar, but in the meantime, she thought he (her llama) could graze among the trees in the courtyard.”

“Did they let her take her llama into the Palastrae?”

“I don’t know for sure, but there were rumors that that lady took her llama and his Attendant into a dressing room, and then dispatched one of the thermae’s slaves to get some leaves from the trees in the Courtyard for her IV-footed friend – and some cooled Chian from the Bath-Bar for her!”

Giggling, Ceres chokes, “That Lady sure is devoted to her llama!”

Laughing out loud, C.C. replies, “Evidently!”

“Adding her melodious laughter to theirs, Enerie says, “What else happened?”

“Well, we – the Babylonians and me – we were waiting in that long line of people trying to get into the thermae for a very long time. I had a feeling that Zig had about had it with waiting in that line! He was mumbling to jojo and then …”

“Jojo?”

“Yeah – that’s their names – Zig and jojo.”

“Jojo.”

“Yeah – jojo and Zig. That’s the names of the guys from Babylon!”

“I’m sorry, C.C. – please resume your story.”

“Okie dokie.” Well, while Zig was talking with jojo about how long it was taking to get into the baths, he was looking around the narrow passageway. I was explaining that, once we got inside, there’d be plenty of room to move around, and plenty of rooms to relax in – the unctorium where they could be rubbed down with oils, the dried-air rooms of the sudatorium, the hot and steamy caldarium, the warm waters of the tepidarium, the cold water pools of the frigidarium, and all the places in the Palaestrae – the bars and restaurant and the park with its jugglers and musicians and the walkways through the Courtyard and …”

“Wow – you were giving them a real tour of the thermae!”

“Not really – I was merely telling them about the various places at the baths. But we never got to go to any of them.”

“What? Why not ??!!??”

“Well, I’m not really sure, really.”

“Huh?”

“Well, Zig said something about the rub-downs-with-oils sounding not only nice, but beneficial. I m’self don’t know very much about the benefits of oils at the baths, so I couldn’t really comment on his comments – so I remained quiet. So I guess it’s my fault.”

“What? What’s your fault, C.C.?”

“He left.”

“Zig left you and jojo waiting in line?”

“Aye. He said something like “save my place, please” and he walked a few steps away from us – and then he disappeared.”