‘Third, it’s built on the site of an older palace that was constructed by the Roman emperor, Domitian, in the first century, which itself was built on the site of a much older pagan temple.’

‘That’s not uncommon,’ Iolanthe said. ‘New religions have often built their temples on the sites of pre-existing local shrines. The Catholic Church has done that all over the world.’

‘True,’ Bertie said, ‘but Domitian was in a category of his own when it came to stomping on other religions. He was an especially cruel emperor. History has always positioned him firmly in the shadow of his two predecessors: his father, Titus, who built the Colosseum, and his grandfather, Vespasian, the all-conquering military commander.

‘Emperor Domitian, on the other hand, is known mainly for being a vicious ruler who harboured a particular hatred for one very influential group in Roman society: the Vestal order. Indeed, this is the source of Domitian’s most bizarre achievement. Of all the emperors of ancient Rome, he executed the most Vestal priestesses during his reign.’

‘Vestal priestesses,’ Nobody said. ‘You’re talking about the Vestal Virgins, right?’

‘Urgh, yes, the virgins,’ Iolanthe sighed. ‘Honestly, the prurient modern world’s obsession with the Vestal order’s pledge of abstinence is all anyone ever focuses on. They were much more than that.’

‘Hey, sorry,’ Nobody said.

‘Hold on now, I’m not finished,’ Bertie said. ‘Castel Gandolfo, the summer palace of the Pope, has one other curious claim to fame. It possesses within its walls not one but two state-of-the-art astronomical observatories. Look, you can see their domes inside the palace walls.’

Nobody looked down and indeed he could see them. Two modern silver domes—complete with openings for the massive telescopes inside them—were the tallest structures on the site. They could be seen sticking up from the larger cluster of older buildings.

In the copilot’s seat beside Nobody, Iolanthe was scanning the wider area around the palace.

She said, ‘I can see people lying on the streets, in parks, even on some boats. Looks like the Siren bell that struck Rome also knocked out everyone here.’

Nobody pointed. ‘I’ll land on that strip of highway over there. Bertie, no offence, your history lesson is wonderful, but tell me again why we’re here? Is it because of the palace? Or the nasty virgin-killing emperor?’

‘No,’ Bertie said. ‘It’s because of the lake. That crater lake is named Lake Albano and it is where we will find Albano’s emissary.’

ENGRAVINGS OF THE ROMAN RUINS

AT LAKE ALBANO

by LUIGI ROSSINI (1790–1857)

VIEW FACING CRATER WALL

VIEW LOOKING BACK AT LAKE

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the shore of the lake, far below the enormous papal castle.

They had encountered no resistance at all as the inhabitants of the area had indeed been felled by a Siren bell.

The lake spread out before them, encased by the high, almost vertical walls of the crater.