Two more letters. One to Pola’s successor and another to his friend Titus Asinius in Rome. Mamercus Corvinus sighted and started writing himself – there was no slave to do that for him. Corvinus’s arrest house in Pergamum wasn’t so comfortable as Pola has ordered. There were guardians everywhere and exiting the house was strictly forbidden as if he were a dangerous criminal.

”To Quintus Flaminus…” What he could write? To complain about his prison arrangements? Even Mamercus wasn’t so self-centered that he would do that when the whole republic was near collapsing. Or to tell Flaminus to stop the rebellion? Certainly that wouldn’t make any difference. What then? If Clodia were here, she would help him to make sense to the situation… Mamercus threw the parchment away.

”To Titus Asinius, my trusted friend, I thank you for taking care of my finances…” Asinius had purchased some estates in remote Gallia for him, because he wasn’t able to use his proconsular right to buy land here in Asia. That trade was perhaps a very stupid thing to do, but usually Clodia had adviced him in purchases; Mamercus Corvinus himself wasn’t even sure how many estates he owned. Clodia, Clodia…

And then he saw her. There she was standing at the door and smiling gently at him.

”Clodia?”
”Yes, my husband, it’s me.”
Mamercus stood up. ”How…?”
”Our friend Athamas Orestides helped us to leave Athens. So here we are.” Still smiling. ”How could I stay away from Pergamum and its famous library?

Almost crying Mamercus hugged her passionately. At the same moment his body touched her belly he realized that there was a much better reason. ”Are you…?”

”This time I don’t want to give birth while you are far away. You will have our son in your arms just after his birth. ”

No living conditions nor war mattered any more.