The fever had come on quickly. One moment, she was overseeing the shipments of the early crops and flowers to Rome’s markets and the next moment, she collapsed in the garden.

The doctor was summoned immediately and as her condition worsened, so was her husband.

“We’ve tried the cold water cure. It brings the fever down and she appears to respond well but then it climbs again in the evening.” Florus looked into the worried eyes of Gaius, “The powder seems to help as well, for a time.” Like any doctor, he kept the exact formula of his medicines secret. Florus compounded his medicines behind locked doors and even mystified his assistants as to its nature.

“A cure depends on three things, the sick person, their sickness and the physician.” He continued.

Gaius sighed. Its never a good sign when the doctor begins quoting Hippocrates.