The Lost Cheese Part One
AIDAN BENBOW
Moldovan Meanderings: The Lost Cheese
For Aurelius, it had been one of those days. On the way to the forum, not so much a funny, as an annoying thing had happened. He'd been happily wending his way along, admittedly weighed down by the ten cheeses he had for sale when he had bumped into Markus. This as usual meant bad news. This time it was all about his family's new mosaic. It needed cleaning. Most sane people had slaves for this sort of thing, but not the Maximus’. Their slaves were already busy with other chores and they couldn't possibly go out and buy another one. That would, of course, cost many a Sestertii and they were already in economy mode, saving up to invest in their new country villa. So, guess what? Markus had invited (imposed would be more accurately said) on Aurelius to come and help. Aurelius, being a servant-hearted sort of chap, couldn't help but agree, even though dies saturni was usually his day of rest. Somebody always wants something, but rarely does anybody want to give, thought Aurelius to himself. That was everything by all means on this fateful day. Hardly, had Aurelius got away from Markus when who should come across his path other than Sophia. She was a statuesque girl, not so young as it happens, but nevertheless a black beauty. From what he heard and the little he had observed a very diligent person as well. A good wife option it would seem, but for Aurelius she wouldn't even give him the time of day, even though her family had one of the best sundials around!
Moldovan Meanderings: The Lost Cheese
Moldovan Meanderings: The Lost Cheese
When he spied her, he thought about trying to bump into her as it were and start a conversation, but this was easy said than done as Aurelius was a nervous, hesitant chap and anyway, as soon as Sophia saw him, she altered course. Oh well, maybe another day, but probably not! Finally, Aurelius had arrived at his intended destination, the Forum in the centre of his town. To top off the other annoyances of the day it had begun to rain, and umbrellas hadn’t been invented yet, so he was just going to have to get jolly wet. It was all in a good cause he thought though, as he laid out the cheeses he had for sale. But alas, there was still one more misfortunate to be had on this horrid day, quidem he was supposed to have ten cheeses, but there were only nine in his leather loculus! What to do? Should he stick it out in the rain and try and sell what he had, or would this prove to be a fruitless endeavour and maybe he would be better off to go and search for the lost cheese? He mused for a little while, but soon it was clear that due to the inclement weather there weren’t be many buyers for his dairy fare. So, reluctantly he packed up to return home thinking that he would check on the way in case he had dropped the cheese. He thought this unlikely, but you never know. He was apprehensive about returning home, partly because of not wanting to get in trouble about losing the cheese, but there was also another reason. Lately, his parents had been acting kind of strange. They’d got involved in a new group of friends. Nothing wrong with that, except Aurelius had heard rumours that they were members of a new religious cult that had recently been spreading. Sounded a bit worrying to Aurelius, especially as from what he knew, the Roman empire didn’t take kindly to such things as new religions that could threaten the Pax Romana. By Jupiter, this could all mean trouble! As Aurelius wound his way back home, he checked the streets for any signs of his lost cheese. It was a hard, well preserved one, Parmesanium he was thinking of naming it after one his favourite towns (they just serve the best ham around!) but his parents seem to prefer the more mundane caseus rmus, which was at least an accurate description.
Moldovan Meanderings: The Lost Cheese
Moldovan Meanderings: The Lost Cheese
No sign of the cheese, but plenty of time for re ection. In the past, his parents would have been very angry about such oversights, but recently, since they met their new friends actually, things had changed somewhat. They seemed calmer and to have a much more relaxed perspective about the stresses and strains of daily life. What could the cause be? Maybe this new religion of these new friends wasn’t such a bad thing after all? I’m not sure Caesar will see it that way though, thought Aurelius, unless of course, his parents have gotten some new friends as well. Finally, after a fruitless journey home, there it was before him, his family’s condominium (the neighbours were a bit of a wrench, but maybe Aurelius could introduce them to these new friends of his parents and then there wouldn’t be any more bards after midnight or barneys before). Aurelius had a quick check around the outer court to see if there was any cheese sitting around, but alas none was to be found. He approached the doorway (he’d be thinking about latching something out of wood over the space to ip back and forth but hadn’t quite gotten around to it). Maybe, it was just as well that the doorway was open, as sounds easy emanated forthwith. Aurelius became conscientious that there were guests in the house. Once again, taking advantage of the open doorway, he peered inside. There were his parents reclining surrounded by their new friends of whom there was a considerable number plus there was a new gure. A small, middle-aged, not impressively looking man standing before everyone in the room. He seemed to be waxing lyrical about something. Indeed, he was becoming very animated so as to say that it must something of great consequence. Aurelius’ initial reaction was to pull away. After all, he didn’t want to get too involved. He was young and had everything before him. He wouldn’t like to get mixed up in some new religious cult, especially not one that the authorities might not approve of. However, as he tried to move away, he strangely caught an ear full of some of the things that were being said. They intrigued him and he felt drawn, rather than to distance himself, to actually move closer to hear better…….
Moldovan Meanderings: The Lost Cheese
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
From his eavesdropping position by the doorway, Aurelius caught a fair bit of what was being said.
At rst, it all seemed most peculiar, as those with a proper vernacular would say. Gradually though, he began to tune in and start to follow. It was all about how there was one creator God (Aurelius wondered what Mars, Jupiter and his Greek friends’ favourite deity Zeus would say about that). We human beings, however, have rejected Him to go our own way. Now though, He has made a way to be reconciled to Him through His son and have a restored relationship with Him. As Aurelius listened, he thought this is quite a comprehensive overview of things. Aurelius was more of a short, sharp to the point sort of person, and a few times he found his thoughts wandering off, particularly in the direction of that lost cheese. Where could it be? After what seemed like an age (and Romans certainly knew a thing or two about those) the man drew to a close. By now, Aurelius was pretty glad, not just because of the overwhelming detail of the talk, but also it was uncomfortable loitering in the doorway, and he was nervous about being sprung.
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
Now that it was all over though, Aurelius realised that some decisions needed to be made. Most pressingly and urgently, whether to enter the house and if so, in what manner? Should he go for a swaggering, everything's under control style or should he pretend that he heard nothing, or should he rush in to question his parents, and especially this new guest, on the topics discussed? The same dilemma could be applied to the message he had just heard. Ever one for indecision, he spent a moment or three re ecting on the choices before him. I suppose it all comes down to what is most important was the most meaningful thought that he nally managed to muster after his deliberating. Well, I'm occupied with the business of selling cheese, and indeed looking for the lost one, concluded Aurelius to himself. Existentialistic decisions will just have to wait till another day. With this seemingly momentous conclusion, he felt a burden lifted from his shoulders. Why do something today, when you can put it off until tomorrow was Aurelius' dubious philosophy. So, without further ado, he did an aboutturn and set off back to the forum. Ave! Initially, he trudged on with de ant bravado. He didn't need any of this newfangled religion. Maybe it works for some, including his parents, but it wasn't for Aurelius. He was happy the way he was, and besides, he was young with the whole empire before him. No need to complicate things, when so much opportunity lay ahead. Not to mention that he had pressing business to hand. So, where could that cheese be? He hadn't seen it anywhere, but not to worry. He still had nine to hand and selling such a quantity was no mean feat. The cheese business was competitive these days, especially with gorgonzolium, the new cheese on the block, causing quite a stir. Aurelius didn't think it was anything to wrote home about. He preferred his parents’ hard cheese. This new stuff had mould in it that supposedly gives it a special taste. Who wants to eat mould thought Aurelius? Surely, it could never do you any good, and besides, that greeny-blue hue is repugnant. Nevertheless, there were those of a different disposition.
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
As Aurelius pondered the current cheese market, and what he could do to have a bigger impact thereon, he noticed before him a tall gure. A blackhaired lady, a little older, but a lot wiser than he had stumbled across his path, slightly faint from a long session of discussion and debate at the Russunium lecture hall. Aurelius startled in an annoyed fashion as he didn't like being cut up by the traf c as he went about his daily duties. He could understand why cart rage was such a big issue in today’s modern society. He was about to share some choice vernacular with this intruder on his path when he glimpsed a little closer the face of his intended target. It was none other than Lorena, the girl, or should he sat lady, who lived just down the via from him. ‘Salut', he greeted her, ‘anything new and interesting from today’s debates at the lecture house?’ ‘No, just the usual fair', she replied, ‘Stavos Gianniaperilos Miterilogu on stoicism. A bit boring really. But tomorrow something special is coming up'. ‘Oh, really. What's that?’, tried Aurelius to ask in an enthusiastic tone. ‘There's a new speaker visiting our little civitas, and he's going to talk about a new religion that's caught on re, starting from an outer province, where the Hebraicus people live.’ Aurelius was intrigued. Could this newcomer be the same person as he'd seen at his parents' house? He didn't want to let on though. ‚Quid id ad me?’, he said to try and hide the curiosity that was growing in him. ‚I haven't got time for such frivolities. I'm a businessman and I've got Sestratii to earn!’ ‚But don't you ever think about the deeper questions of life? Your Sestratii what do you any good when you're walking in the golden elds. Besides, you"re more of a wannabe than anything else. How many cheeses have you sold this week?’, countered Lorena. Trust Lorena to go for the jugular. She knew right where to strike.
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
Skillfully, Aurelius sidestepped the question (that lost cheese certainly turned into a good thing now) , Well, I would have sold more if I hadn't lost one.’ Deep down inside though, he knew Lorena was right many a time had he thought about what lay beyond this life and simply tried to suppress it with other things because he didn't know and it scared him. Maybe it wasn't just coincidence that they had met like this. Maybe he should go hear in a more proper, fully exposed way what this man had to say.
An Encounter of the Fortuitous Kind
Moldovan Meanderings: The Decision
Lecture house was actually a bit much said. It was more like a little room in some Greek immigrants’ home, which they had converted especially for the purposes of being able to offer discourses on a wide range of topics. Romans weren't really into all this philosophizing; that was more of a Greek thing. That being said, Aurelius had always suspected that there were alternative motives for this particular lecture premises. The Greeks who lived in Aurelius' little civitas (or polis as they would say!) were generally business-minded and this lecture house was a good way to meet and get to know new clients, not to mention offer product placement lectures. He could never forget the time they came to talk on water puri cation, where people from Rome had wanted to sell bronze micro-sieves. Apparently, all the rage in the big civitae, but a bit ahead of the times for the simple populus from Aurelius' area. Aurelius approached it with trepidation. He’d had a good day yesterday, once he had gotten back to his cheese selling spot. He’d sold all bar one (two if you count the lost one). As he’d expected, his parents were light-hearted in their response when he confessed that he had misplaced (a good substitute, he felt, for the much stronger word of lost, less incriminating and arguably not far from the truth; he could indeed have easily sat down somewhere and just let the cheese slip out of his little leather loculus without his noticing) one of the cheeses. They didn’t mind about the lost income and even said that one of the Cheeses was leftover was God’s way of providing for them as that evening his mother hadn’t gotten around to preparing any Pultes Iulianae, so the cheese came in handy. Aurelius didn’t know about God’s providence, but in any case, he wasn’t a fan of his Mum’s stews, so a nice bit of cheese had gone down nicely! When he nished recounting in his mind yesterday evening’s happenings, he turned his attention back to today. Actually, it had been his parents’ mildmannered response to the lost cheese, which had been the straw that broke the camel’s back. He’d re ected on Lorena’s exhortations and there was certainly something in it. But it wasn’t until he got back home and re ected on the change in his parents that he made the nal decision. He was going to go to the lecture and nd out once and for all what this was all about.
Moldovan Meanderings: The Decision
Moldovan Meanderings: The Decision
So, here he was nally, standing before the Karagounis Papastathoupolus abode, which had the lecture hall contained within a small room annexed on to the building on the right. He was to be here that he would get to the bottom of things. Fortunately, it was possible to approach the room without drawing too much attention to yourself and indeed on this occasion there was no one much around. This particular building had a nice big doorway, and well-portioned spaces which served as both windows, but also ventilation. In Aurelius’ case, they were about to serve another purpose. Aurelius sauntered along as if he didn’t have a care in the world, and as if he was going further, but as he passed the lecture room, he casually glanced through the fenestram to see what was what. You didn’t want to turn up to these things if no one else was there after all. That was a social fax pau, and most uncomfortable as he would then have to enter into conversation with the speaker or anyone leading. Aurelius was well skilled in this sort of subterfuge, and it worked a charm as he passed by, glanced in and to his slight sadness, but not unexpectedly, there was no one there except for two people standing in the front. He carried on going thinking that it wouldn’t do to enter in such circumstances. He felt relieved as he went on his way, but also regretful. Maybe he’d missed something important? Maybe others had shown up? That night, Aurelius found it had to sleep. He tried counting ovium, but whenever he got to around vx, he just felt like it wasn’t doing any good and gave up. Many a thought was going around his mind and gnawing at him. What had he missed at the lecture? Maybe he should have gone in? What was it all about this new religion? Why the change in his parents and who was this speaker? The next day was cheese day, again. Aurelius was on holiday from scola, and it had been time enough to rest from his last cheese selling exploits, so he was now his turn to once more enter the cheese store, select some ne examples and go to the forum to try to vendo them.
Moldovan Meanderings: The Decision
Moldovan Meanderings: The Decision
As he was on his way to his usual cheese selling spot, he stopped for a short break. Ten cheese weren’t so light after all. He decided to check on them after his previous unpleasant antics searching around for a lost cheese and getting into a spiritual dilemma as a result. So, he sat down to take a breather and then opened his loculus. To his surprise, we could even say astonishment, history was repeating itself. He was sure that he had put 10 cheeses into the loculus, but now he could only count 9! He tried counting a number of times, but the same result. ‘How can this be?’, he thought to himself. ‘Maybe this was a divine reminder of the events of the past few days?’ He started to try and nd explanations to help him dismiss this thought. He could easily have dropped the cheese or simply miscounted in the beginning, or maybe an unscrupulous person had slipped it out the loculus when he hadn’t been watching. All plausible possibilities and if it wasn’t for the next fateful turn of events, he probably would have accepted them and gone on his merry way.
Moldovan Meanderings: The Decision
The Lost Cheese The tongue in cheek adventure of a Roman boy, who through losing a cheese, nds something very important. Apologies for historical inaccuracies and my peculiarities. Lorem ipsum as they say!
