Cato glanced round to make sure that the other officers were out of earshot of this rather frank appraisal of his early days in the service of Rome, and then turned back to Macro.

‘It is true I might not have been ideal material for the Second Legion . . . but I learned quickly enough. Of course, I was lucky to have a fine mentor.’

‘True,’ Macro agreed, dispensing with false modesty.

Cato jerked his head back towards the others. ‘Given time Junius will work out as well as I did. Better, in fact, given his senatorial background. Perhaps we should be careful how we speak to him,’ Cato mused. ‘One day he is sure to outrank us and then he might not be forgiving for past slights.’

‘If today’s little exchange still weighs on his mind years from now then, frankly, he doesn’t deserve to rise to senior rank. I’ve seen generals come and go, Cato, and the small-minded ones never lasted long in post. That’s one of the advantages of having an Emperor, I guess.’ Macro scratched his ear. ‘Claudius can dismiss any man who’s not up to the job. He can afford to choose the best. The Emperor doesn’t have to worry about appeasing political factions and dancing to their tune all the time.’

‘Now who’s being green?’ Cato laughed. ‘You really think emperors are above politics? Why do you think the biggest armies are always entrusted to close relatives of the imperial family? And why do emperors watch their other generals like hawks? That’s why we were sent out to the eastern Empire in the first place, to keep an eye on Governor Longinus in Syria. Politics doesn’t stop at the camp gate. Emperor Claudius knows that better than most of his predecessors. The army handed him the throne and he’s rewarded them with handsome donatives ever since to make sure they know he hasn’t forgotten it. Politics . . .’ Cato sighed. ‘It’s what we must wade through all our lives.’

‘Like a sewer, then,’ Macro concluded with a grin, and Cato responded in kind. They rode on in silence for a moment before Cato spoke again.

‘Junius will turn out all right, I think.’

‘I hope so.’

‘You doubt him?’

Macro pursed his lips briefly. ‘I don’t know. He’s just a little too keen to please. He’s trying too hard to prove himself. That can be dangerous - to him, and the men he may command one day.’

‘Assuming he lives long enough,’ Cato replied quietly. ‘Surviving the next few days may well prove something of a challenge.’