"I was 'St. Paul's' third wife.": Historical Novel, Book Two

By Mara Meimaridi

At the tender age of ten, Mara Meimaridi's life took an unexpected turn when her aunt, famously known as "Katina the Witch" in Smyrna, guided her through a mesmerizing past-life regression. Under hypnosis, Meimaridi accessed vivid glimpses of a different existence-of being a Jewish Cretan girl named Rachel, deeply entwined in a profound love wit

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mara Meimaridi
• Release date: Mar 13, 2024
• ISBN: 9798892987509

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Cover: Rachel: Historical Novel, Book Two

Copyright © 2024 by Mara Meimaridi

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, digital scanning, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Published 2024

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 979-8-89298-749-3

E-ISBN: 979-8-89298-750-9

All characters of the Novel, dates, and events are historically verified and the book was written with the help of contemporary Roman historians.

Characters in Rachel

1.   ABIBON: A Pharisee, Rabbi in Jerusalem, teacher of John (brother of Rachel), and son of Gamaliel who was Paul’s teacher.

2.   AGRIPPINA THE YOUNGER: Empress of Rome, mother of Nero.

3.   ACTE: (Claudia Acte), a Freedwoman in Rome. Mistress and companion of Nero, whom he fell in love with at the age of 17.

4.   ALITYROS: (Aliturius salted cheese) Mime and jester of Empress Poppaea.

5.   ABRUZZO: Candidate for Mayor of Pompeii, 79.

6.   ANANOS ANANU: (Hanan ben Hanan) is the youngest son of Anas, the Sadducee High Priest. His sister has married Caiaphas. In 62 he murders Ya’akov (James the Just).

7.   ANICETUS: Admiral in Misenium. Nero uses him for his murders of his mother Agrippina and wife Octavia.

8.   ANNAS: High Priest, father-in-law of Joseph Caiaphas.

9.   ARIUS: follower and assistant of Philo in Alexandria at the Monastery of the Therapists.

10. ARRIA PISONIA: of the Pisos and the Asmoneans. Mother of Josephus and mother-in-law of Rachel. She lives in Jerusalem.

11. ARSEA: Rachel’s grandmother in Crete, a pagan.

12. ASTRONIA KEYTARA: (spirit) Magra of Carthage, Spain, serves the soul of Seneca.

13. B’DOUL: Nabataean Bedouin in the Desert of Petra, fell in love with Rachel.

14. BABETTE: Magra (spirit) Rachel’s nurse in Crete in 48–57. Priestess in the temple of Aphrodite in Paphos, Cyprus.

15. BANUS: the hermit philosopher teacher in the desert of Judea, teaching Josephus and Simon the Magus.

16. BARABBAS: (Kanai’m), a Zealot, (the name means The Son of the Father), He comes on a mission from Ya’akov to Crete in the year 57 to kill Paul. The Cretans crucify him.

17. BARIESUS: (Elymas Bariesus), Magician of Cyprus.

18. BARNABAS: Paul’s companion in Asia Minor. He is a Cypriot.

19. BERENICE: Princess of the Herod dynasty, sister and mistress of King Herod Agrippa II. Also mistress of emperor Titus.

20. BHURHAMUR: Farmer in Bethlehem. He hosts the harem of Judas for a fee.

21. BRUTTIDIUS SABINUS: Roman Prefect of Crete and Cyrenaica (after 59). His wife and Prefecta is Priscilla, a native of Colonia, birthplace of Agrippina.

22. CAIAPHAS: (Josef Caiaphas) High Priest of the Temple of Jerusalem (in office 18–36), crucifies Judas of Gamala in the year 26, with his father-in-law Annas. Caiaphas is murdered in retaliation by Juda’s son, Theudas. He also is Paul’s father-in-law since he ‘stole’ Caiaphas’ daughter Mecky.

23. CAENIS: (Antonia Caenis, Καινίς, Caenides), Companion of Vespasian (in Rome 70).

24. CESTIUS GALLUS: (Gaius Cestius Gallus), legate of Syria 63–65 launched against Jerusalem Sept. 66. Suffers defeat in retreat.

25. CEPHAS: (Peter), follower of Zaddik Ya’akov the Just.

26. CIVILIS: Germanic prince of the Batavi tribe.

27. COSTOBARUS: Brother of Paul, living in Jerusalem.

28. The Cretan: Rachel’s father, the Jew. Lives in Gortyn, Crete. Paul’s boyhood and closest friend. His name is Levi (Λήιος).

29. DOMITIAN: The youngest son of Vespasian and Domitilla the Elder. He became Emperor of Rome in 81, succeeding his brother Titus.

30. DOMITILLA: (Flavia Domitilla Major), wife of Vespasian, (Prefecta of Crete and Cyrenaica, 37–39), Mother of Titus, Domitian and Domitilla the Younger.

31. DOMITILLA: (Domna, Flavia Domitilla [saint]), granddaughter of Vespasian, by his daughter, Domitilla the Younger.

32. DRUSILLA: Princess of the Herods. Sister of Agrippa ‘B’, she married the priest-king Azizus of Emessa and after 53, Felix the Procurator of Judea.

33. ELEAZAR: (Eleazar ben Simon), Eleazar: (Eleazar ben Simon), leader of the Zealots during the rebellion of 66.

34. ELI-SAVA: Cousin of Mariam of Adiabene, wife of Zaddik Zacharias and mother of John the Baptist.

35. EPAPHRODITUS: secretary of Caesar Claudius, Nero and Domitian for the Greek language. ‘Editor’ of Josephus and Paul. He lives in Rome.

36. EPICHARIS: Pisonian Conspiracy year 65. Slave in the villa Saulus believes she will make money by betraying the conspirators.

37. ESTHER: The pagan and later Jewish mother of Rachel lives in Gortyn, Crete, wife of the Cretan Her Greek name is Cretaia.

38. FARTUCCI: (Φαρτούτσος) gravedigger in the Necropolis of Rome.

39. FELIX: Procurator of Judea (52–60), marries Drusilla of the Herods, brother of the treasurer Pallas, (Agrippinas lover) of Greek origin.

40. GAMALIEL: the Pharisee teacher of Paul in Jerusalem (years 30–40), Rabban, member of the Sanhedrin. His son is Abibon, (Abibon), is teacher of John, brother of Rachel.

41. GĀMILAT: Nabataean princess of Petra, disciple of Rachel in the desert of Petra, daughter of Queen Šagīlat II, of the Nabataeans and King Malihus.

42. GIORA: (Simon bar Giora), leader of the the Zealots in the 66 rebellion.

43. HAMYNA: (Magra Spirit) Priestess of Demeter in Olympia and instructor of Rachel in sports.

44. HELENA OF ADIABENE: (Helena Hamalekah), Queen of Adiabene and Osroene. She dies in 56. She is the daughter of Isatis, son of Ptolemy bar Menaias. She married her brother Bazaius, and in 31, Abgar of Osroene-Edessa.

45. HELENITSA: Magra (Spirit), governess of Prince Izates Manu of Adiabene, king Isa Israel Manu (Jesus) and Rachel. Priestess-Moirae in Hellenistic Alexandria of Egypt. A follower of Helena of Adiabene.

46. HERO: ((Hero of Alexandria), Inventor in Alexandria, became famous in his day and invented steam. He was born in 10.

47. HEROD AGRIPPA II: (Marcus Julius Agrippa), (27/28–c. 92–100), king of Judea, having an affair with his sister Berenice, son of Agrippa I.

48. HERODION: (Ηρωδίωνας, Herodion Persinos) nephew of Paul by his sister, living in Jerusalem.

49. HIPPY: (Ίππη) neighbor of Arsea (Rachel’s Grandmother) in Gortyn, Crete.

50. HYRCANUS: (infant), son of Josephus by his third Alexandrian wife. He was raised by Rachel.

51. IBOUB: Mason-builder, (στην πόλη) Gezara during Isa’s tour.

52. ISRAEL ISA MANU: the prince of Galilee and Adiabiene. The Messiah and King of Israel, King of the Jews, son of Judas of Galilee and Mariam of Adiabene.

53. IUNIUS: (Juvenal Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis), Satyric poet and writer (55-135) friend of Domitian and Martial.

54. JOHN THE BAPTIST: (Yohanan Hamat B’ll), (Messianic pretender at the Jordan River, lives in Qumran), Cousin of Isa, Born in October of the year 5 (6 months older than Isa), Beheaded in 37. Yohanan is the son of Zacharias Saddok of the Zealots and Eli-sava.

55. JOHN OF GISCHALA SON OF LEVI: (Yohanan mi–Gush Halav) Brother of Rachel, on the side of the rebels, (in the 66 revolution) an enemy of Josephus.

56. JOSEF: (the Halaf), Josef ben Hezekiah older brother of king Judas of Galilee from Gamala, leads the caravan with his brother’s royal harem in flight to Egypt in the year 6.

57. JOSEPHUS: (Flavius Josephus), Historian–Chronicler of the 1st century for the Flavian emperors. Husband of Rachel; son of Cohen Matthias (Mattiyahu), and Arria Pisonia of the Asmoneans. Born in Jerusalem in 37, died in Rome in (c.)102.

58. JUDAS THE GALILEAN: (also Judas of Gamala, Yahudah). King of Israel, and rebellious in the year 6 during Quirinius census. Based in Sepphoris in Galilee, he is the father of Israel Isa Manu and others.

59. JUDAS ISCARIOT: (Ιούδας Ισκαριώτης), A Sikarii Zealot, son of Simeon ben Yahudah, grandson of Judas of Gamala. He murdered his uncle Zaddik Ya’akov the Just in 62, in retaliation for the murder of his father.

60. KALCHA: (Magra Spirit), From the Germanic tribe of the Brukteri of the Rhine, Materna of Hyrcanus, son of Josephus, Rome 71.

61. KOKALOS: Slave in Crete in Rachel’s house. (The name in Greek means Bones)

62. LAZARUS: (Eleazar, Λάζαρος), year 33, Baby-Son of Mary Magdalene and Isa Manu. His mother considered him dead and buried him alive.

63. LEILAH: (Λέϊλαχ) Paul’s sister in Jerusalem, mother of Herodion.

64. LUCANUS: (Lucan Marcus Annaeus Lucanus), Poet in Rome. Born 3 November 39, in Cordoba, Spain. Nephew of Seneca the Younger. Accused of conspiracy in 65. He wrote the Epic of Pharsalia.

65. LUNA: Whore of Tyre. According to Simon, the reincarnation of Helen of Troy. She married to the priest-king Azizus (first husband of Drusilla of Herods), king of Emesa and then to Simon Magus.

66. MARIAM: Princess of Parthia and Adiabene, sister of Helena of Adiabene. Queen of Israel, wife of Judas of Gamala, the Zealot. Mother of Israel Isa Manu. She is the daughter of King Isatis (who is the son of Ptolemy bar Menaias), later wife of Philo.

67. MARIAMNE: Princess of the Herods, Sister of King Agrippa II, Berenice and Drusilla.

68. MARINA: a war Magra (Spirit), in Jerusalem 66, protects Josephus.

69. MARTHA: (Martha Boethus), Maria–Martha Magdalene of Boethousians. Sister of Maria Magdalene of Boethousians, second wife of Isa Manu. Marriage in 33. With Isa, Martha had two daughters and a son.

70. MARK: The Rabbi teacher of Simon Magus in Cyprus.

71. MARY MAGDALENE: (Maria Magdalena), First wife of Isa Manu, of the wealthy Boethousian family. Married in Cana (year 26), She had with him a daughter Sarah and three sons. The third is Lazarus (Eleazar), who was raised from the dead. She went mad in 33.

72. MECKY: (Miekeh), Daughter of the Sadducean High Priest Caiaphas, first wife of Paul, mother of Simon Magus and three daughters by Paul. She took the name Rekael when she eloped with Paul and they ended up in Cyprus.

73. MENANDER: Roman soldier at Banus’ camp in the desert of Judea.

74. NERO: Emperor of Rome, son of Agrippina the Younger. Forced to commit suicide by the Senate in ‘68.

75. OCTAVIA: Empress of Rome, first wife of Nero, daughter of Claudius. She was assassinated by Nero.

76. PAUL: or Saul ben Antonin -Apostle Paul. Idumean of the Herodian family, with offices in Rome. (As ambassador of Helena of Adiabene, his seat is Edessa/Andiochia). He founded his own order, teaching the Angel Jesus as Messiah.

77. POLLA ARGENTARIA: Wife of the poet Lucan. Hispanic origin.

78. PONTIUS PILATE: Roman Governor of Judea; in the year 26, he condemned Judas of Gamala for his rebellious action in 6 over Quirinus, and crucified him.

79. POPPAEA SABINA: Empress of Rome, second wife of Nero. She was assassinated by Nero in 65.

80. PORCIUS FESTUS: Procurator of Judea (59–62), died during his term of office.

81. POTNITSA: Neighbour of grandmother Arsea in Gortyn.

82. QUINTILIAN: (Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, 35–100), The prodigal son of Vespasian and Cainides.

83. RABBEL II SOTER: Prince of Petra (Jordan). Disciple of Rachel in the desert of Petra, son of Queen Šagīlat II of the Nabataeans and King Malihu (Malik) Brother of princess Gāmilat.

84. RACHEL: The fourth wife of Flavius Josephus, and the central heroine-narrator of the story. Daughter of a Jew and a pagan woman, she was born in Crete in the year 48. Chosen by the Spirits, to change the Laws of Moses (the religion) on the 1st century.

85. RIBAZ: (Yohanan ben Zakkai), Raban of Israel, a teacher of the Sanhedrin who hid in a coffin to escape from the Zealots.

86. ŠAGĪLAT II: Queen of the Nabah (Nabataeans), Sister and wife of Malchus-Malik, mother of Prince Ravel and Gāmilat.

87. SAMUEL: Homosexual youth at the Jerusalem Temple School, where 12-year-old Paul attended.

88. SARAH THE EGYPTIAN: Firstborn daughter of Isa Manu and Mary Magdalene.

89. SHARVA: A young Bedouin in Petra, Nabataea.

90. SENECA: Philosopher and orator in Rome, of Spanish origin. Nero’s teacher and conspirator with Agrippina and the Praetorian Brutus. Murdered by Nero in 65.

91. SIMON MAGUS: Magician of Samaria. Son of Paul and Mecky (Daughter of the Sadducean High Priest Caiaphas) He was a disciple of Banus, Elymas Variesus of Cyprus and Heron of Alexandria. He lives in Rome and in Gitta of Samaria.

92. SOSANNA, SALOMA, SARAH: Sisters of the Messiah Israel Isa Manu. Daughters of Judas of Gamala and Mariam Queen of Israel.

93. TERTIUS: Paul’s follower in Crete.

94. THEOCLETIA: Second wife of Paul in Iconium of Asia Minor.

95. THEUDAS: (Judas Thaddeus) beheaded in 46 in the famine rebellion. Son of Mariam and Judas of Gamala.

96. TIBERIUS JULIUS ALEXANDER: (Julius), Jewish general of Rome in the Jewish revolt of 44–46. Childhood friend of Zealot Theudas, whom he beheaded. Son of Alabarchus of Alexandria, nephew of Philo.

97. TITUS FLAVIUS: (Titus Flavius Caesar Vespasianus), General in the Jewish Wars and later emperor of Rome (79–81). Son of Vespasian.

98. TOMASA: of the Boethusians, Bishop of Bethany, grandmother of Mary Magdalene. (d. 33), wife of a Sadducee High Priest.

99. PHANIAS OF GISHALA: Friend of John, brother of Rachel, who appointed him High Priest in the Revolution in 67.

100. PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA: Greek–Jewish philosopher in Alexandria, Egypt; taught Isa Manu (20 BC—dies in 52 (circa); married Mariam, Isa’s mother, after the crucifixion of her husband, Judas of Galilee (26 AD).

101. VELEDA: Seeress of the Germanic tribe Bructeri, she falls in love with John, Rachel’s brother. She is considered to be a living Goddess.

102. VESPASIAN: (Ουεσπασιανός), Emperor of Rome 69–79. Prefect of Crete and Cyrenaica 37–39. General of the Jewish War (67–69),

103. VITELLIUS: Emperor of Rome from 17 April 69 to 20 December 69, the Year of Four Emperors.

104. YA’AKOV: (James the Just), The Brother of the Lord, or James the Just (Zaddik Ya’akov ha-Mebakker), the righteous teacher of Qumran. Second son, of Judas the Galilean of Gamala and Mariam of Adiabene. Murdered in 62.

105. YAPAHU: a prostitute and widow in Yafo (Jaffa, Joppa), during the tour of Prince Isa Manu. Her son, is Yeshua.

CHAPTER XV

When you become a woman

Argie, the ship of the great seas, Archanes, Crete, 62 AD.

I reached the age of fourteen and spent a lot of time with my brother John, who was sixteen. We competed in running; I had taught him to swim. I wore his clothes because I wanted to dress like a boy. John yelled at me for ruining his hems because he was particular with his clothes. When Mother scolded me, I’d go and hide at Grandmother’s. When Grandmother scolded me, I’d go home. Agrippina had brought a cart with two horses from Cordoba and that was my toy.

Do you want me to take you anywhere? Do you want me to take you for a ride? I would say to her to drive the carriage.

One day I had caught my father and Agrippina kissing secretly in an alley. I hid behind a wall. Those kisses excited me. I had pulled out my breasts and felt their nipples harden. I didn’t say anything, but I was aroused. I’ve been watching the boys ever since. We’d go out for a walk in Archanes, and there were the young men from the village, and I’d look at them and they’d look at me. In our days, girls in Crete got married when they turned fourteen. And Agrippina had told me that she got married at thirteen.

When I turned twelve, my governess, Helenitsa, told my mother that she was going to leave for her own country because I had grown up.

She said, Now she’s ready.

Ready for what? asked Mother. Does she know anything so we can marry her off?

I had come of marriageable age, and this was of great concern to my mother and grandmother; it was their daily concern.

Two months later, I received a gift from my educator. It contained a pair of leather gloves for the hands and a pair of star–knives. There were two books in the box: The Tale of the Hut Magras and a botany notebook with all the medicinal plants, because that was the learning that Helenitsa insisted I master more than any other. Finally, in a small box she had carefully placed a new scalpel for me, very sharp. Both the star–knives and my scalpel had leather sheaths with drawstrings, so that you could belt them without injuring yourself. I strapped them on too, and I couldn’t part with them.

I had learned neither spinning, nor loom, nor sewing, and I had very little interest in these things, although all the girls of my age prided themselves on learning. Mother was very much distressed that I was behind.

How are we going to marry her to anyone? she would say to Father. She’s useless.

Father had other things on his mind. He was told to go down to the port of Lato,³⁶¹ for something had arrived for him. Down went Father, and what did he see?

A new merchant ship with sails, no finer one had Crete ever seen, was tied up in the harbor. She had a crew on board: the captain, Kantharos, was a Piraean, the sailors were from the islands, and the cook from Campania. The ship was very large.

And the name of this magnificent new ship was "Argie," as Father’s first love was called, and it had been built in Cyrene.

Agrippina had fallen in love with my father and gave him grand presents. She had built him a villa and given him a ship.

Father got on board and marveled at the new navigation system, which had magnetite stone instruments, sundial navigators, an anemometer, an hourglass to measure time, and a goniometer on the astrolabe to measure the stars when you wanted to. He observed with fascination the new type of steering oars wheel.

He entered the holds, which were huge and held three times the load he was used to carrying.

She sails very well, said the captain, saying that he himself had been impressed by the good sailing of this ship. We ran into bad weather, and she was not troubled at all.

But what was really impressive was the captain’s cabin, which had a double bed. It was trimmed with the latest fashion: a water jug, a small copper tub with two large rings on the side to carry it. It was a bunk with sturdy sides, so you wouldn’t fall out in the weather. It was covered with down bedding and had a mosquito veil. Everything was securely fastened so as not to come off with the rocking of the ship. I climbed up on this bed too and started bouncing around. It was so soft! You could see the sea from a porthole that wasn’t closed with wood, as usual, but was made with the latest fashion, a piece of thick glass! And the light came in and you could stare at the waves without getting wet.

The captain raised the sails to show them to Father. They were a nice blue color, brand new, sewn with the latest technology.

But the great advantage of the vessel was its secondary state-of-the-art system: its oars. This commercial vessel was one of the rare ones that also had oars! These gave the ship the ability to move even when there was no wind at all.

The kitchen on board was also impressive. There was a cook who cooked for the captain and the sailors.

People had gathered on the beach to watch it. The sea was calm.

My father and I had formed a small, how shall I put it, party.

I won’t say anything to Mother, I told him one day as I watched him walk into the house on his way back from the barber shop.

Lately he has been taking care of his hair. At first, he looked at me in panic, but then he smiled. Since then, we’ve been drawing plans. Even more, he did me all the favors.

And that day I had asked him to take me with him to the port of Lato, which he did.

Poor Mother couldn’t compete with the Empress.

She saw me getting into the carriage with Father and went out the door.

Rachel, put on your hat, put on a cardigan!

It was midsummer and very hot.

We were staring at the stern of the boat when we saw a carriage approaching. Agrippina arrived, her servants were taking down the baskets, and Father was astonished.

I say we try it! said Agrippina, looking at the boat. What do you think, Rachel?

I jumped for joy, and Father laughed.

All right, he said.

We would go for a walk on the islets off the bay of Olous. They untied the stern lines, the Piraean sat at the helm and the sailors lowered their oars into the water, to row.

I left the Empress and Father in peace and approached the Piraean. I asked him to let me steer the steering oars. I took the wheel, and he instructed me how to steer so that I could help the oars. I got it right away. Approaching the islands, there was a breeze and the Piraean helmsman said:

Hold the steering oar steady, Rachel, against where the wind is coming. Help us to get the headsail up.

The sailors left the oars and opened the sails. I watched them as they untied and pulled the ropes to raise the sails. The Argie was now sailing faster, as she was enjoying her sails.

When we reached the islands, said Agrippina,I don’t like it here, it’s too dry. What’s further down the way?

Further north, said Father, "is the great pelagos. The pelagorodromes, (open sea-lines) are to the east, and next the island of Crapathos and then Rhodon (Rhodes).

Agrippina said she had heard about this island.

Rachel! said Father, seeing me at the steering oars at the stern, turn two halves off to starboard."

I did it abruptly and they all held on, but Argie obeyed me and turned. Oh, my, how I loved that! After the carriage, my new toy was the Argie. We ate the morsels brought by Agrippina, as Father did not allow any of her new slaves to be taken with her, Agrippina had become more organized and was now followed by a large group of maids consisting of Cretan girls, who did not know who she was and served her gladly.

On this journey you will live like a poor merchant’s wife.

This was her game, which she liked very much.

I sat next to the Piraean helmsman and learned to plot a course using the sun-navigator. I learned to measure the depths of the bottom with the rope that had knots in it. Where I found it difficult was with the anchors because they were heavy. We would throw these anchors to catch the bottom, anchor the ship, and keep it still. The other innovation that this merchant ship had was its pirate scaffolding. There was a scaffolding coming out of the bow that spelled pirate ship and rowed instead of you rowing. No one was keen to have to use that scaffolding one day.

The journey was very easy, because the ship had no cargo, was light and fast, and the weather was good, with fair winds.

At the island of Rhodes, we dropped four anchors to keep it firmly in place, because the ship was afloat in the middle of the bay.

The people of Rhodes gathered on the shore to admire the beautiful ship.

Whose can it be? they asked each other.

Argie was one of those ships that could voyage to Londinium. To get there, you had to get to the edge of the Enclosed Sea, the Mare Nostrum, cross the Herculean Columns (Gibraltar Straits) and go out into the ocean, pulling north.

Nobody liked the city of Rhodes, neither me, nor the Empress. But the island had nice beaches where you could splash around. In our days, we had games with balls, which we played on the beach, and we played with Father and Agrippina and made bets.

That was the only vacation I ever had with my father, and I enjoyed it very much. I still remember with sweetness those days on the Island of Rhodes.

We started the return trip, and the sailors went to the bow to raise the anchors, but one of them was stuck on the bottom. They were pulling this way, pulling that way, but they couldn’t get it unstuck. They were about to cut her chains and leave her on the bottom, but I didn’t want my Argie to lose one of her precious anchors. So, I took a dip in the sea and dived to the bottom. Father thought I was drowning and was frightened. I saw the anchor, and I saw where it had stuck into the deep-sea floor, but it was too deep. I surfaced and asked for a rope. It took a second dive with the rope to which I had tied a rock, and because I could breathe and still had air in my lungs, I approached the anchor and passed the rope through it. Fortunately, the Magras had taught me to regulate my breathing underwater for a long time. Father was counting the minutes and wanted to dive in, sure that I had drowned. I surfaced holding one end of the rope and took a huge breath.

Rachel, Father said, can you dive?

Your daughter, said Agrippina, is a Cretan goat. I wonder how you’re going to marry her off.

We went back to Crete, where Mother and Grandmother had found me a groom.

They were waiting for Father to do the negotiations.

The groom was Jewish from Syria and lived here in Crete with his parents and siblings. They were also looking for a Jewish bride and found me.

One afternoon my in-laws and the groom came to our villa, and we all sat around, because that’s how Jewish matchmaking was done back then. As soon as I saw my future husband, I had a shock.

He had a head like a watermelon, two goggle eyeballs and a pointy nose, and he looked like a thistle that even a donkey wouldn’t want to eat. On top of the ‘melon’ was a tuft of hair that flew everywhere. Every so often, he bent his neck, upon which this head stood and it would sway parallel.

Agrippina had come to see the burying of the wild goat, as she told me with a laugh. I panicked and could not hide it. Marriage was the last thing I could think of, I was disgusted at the very idea.

A noble Jewish daughter ought to respect her father and marry whomever he chooses. Also, the father agrees to the dowry.

Is your daughter a virgin? the mother-in-law asked, and Mother was quick to say:

An eternal virgin!

Do something, I whispered to Agrippina, I don’t want him.

You’re right, Agrippina said and coughed at Father.

As he sat across from her according to protocol, one family this way, one family that way, Father was looking first at Mother and then at Agrippina, who I was glued to.

Agrippina raised an eyebrow at him, which meant denial.

It was Father’s time to say something about this wedding.

We, Father said to the in-laws, are Orthodox Jews.

They were pleased with that, and they all smiled. I had grabbed Agrippina’s hand and was squeezing it.

We, said Father, observe the customs of Abraham and Isaac.

They liked that too and in turn declared that they too were old-generation Orthodox Jews.

Father went on to say that, according to the customs of the patriarchal pastors of Israel, the groom’s family had to give payment to get the bride.

There was a murmur among the in-laws to the groom and their eight children who were there. They were discussing it among themselves in low voices.

Finally, the father-in-law stood up to say that that was two thousand years ago, but times have changed.

The groom kept sneaking glances at me, and he seemed to like me. Agrippina caught this and said to me again in a whisper, laughing:

There! There! Cretan goats have their admirers too!

I felt like throwing up.

The groom and his family left in a hurry. As they were leaving, they all said they would think about the dowry issue, because they expected to receive instead of give.

Father, however, would be in for an all-night torment, since he would have large dose of bedtime nagging from Mother.

I was sitting on a marble bench in the garden and my stomach was upset from the turmoil I had been through, when I saw Agrippina airily approaching me with a smile of triumph.

There you go, we’re done with them, she said, you won’t see them again.

My face lit up. I thanked her and asked what she told them.

I just told them you’re not a virgin.

Female – Dismember – lovemaking Crete, winter of the year 62 AD.

Father was very surprised to see Paul arriving in a carriage in the yard of our new residence in Archanes. Even greater, however, was Paul’s surprise at seeing our new house. It was nothing resembling a Cretan house, it was absolutely Roman.

They hugged each other. Paul introduced the Jewish priest Josephus and the mime Alityros.

First, they took care of the travelers and then the exchange of information would follow. They went into the house and our slaves came to take care of our guests. Each of them would have a separate room, for we now had many.

Paul first unleashed a stupid comment, while Father was explaining to him how it happened and we had changed residences, when he said:

The best thing for you, of course, is that you got rid of your mother-in-law, imagining that Grandmother had remained in Gortyn.

Grandmother, however, was one step behind him, as she was coming from the kitchen at that moment and heard him. She stood in front of him holding a platter of Cretan egg-pancakes and said:

It’s good to see you too . . . you know!

Paul scratched his bald head and at the same time Alityros scratched his own. Grandmother served egg pancakes to everyone except Paul.

Come, let’s make friends, Paul told her as he licked his lips for the egg rolls, and Grandmother forgave him.

Thank God I am Cretan and hospitable.

Alityros watched each of us very intently to copy our movements.

Father asked about young Josephus and Paul said:

Josephus is a noble Cohen son of the family of Matthias, and his mother is the noblewoman Arria Pisonia, being of Asmonean descent. He is a priest in the Temple and has great prospects to become a High Priest.

Father was amazed and gave him a second look. I had my eyes glued on this young Josephus and could not tear them away. What a handsome man! How I liked him!

Grandmother turned with the empty platter to leave for the kitchens, and Alityros followed behind, walking in exactly the same way. Father started laughing.

Then they settled themselves in their rooms, went to the bath, where they washed and dried themselves with clean towels, and Paul asked to borrow fresh clothes, since his had been torn by the sea. Having washed and dressed, he returned to the main hall saying:

I feel like a human!

Alityros had borrowed one of Mother’s dresses, worn it and played the lady of the house. He talked and moved just like Mother, and Father laughed at him. Mother got dizzy with so many unexpected guests and put the slaves on double shifts so that she could keep up with everything.

You know, Paul, Father said to his friend, "we live here now with my cousin Argie, whom you will meet. That’s why we changed our house, so that we could all fit in comfortably.

Father was afraid to reveal to Paul in front of the others that the supposed cousin Argie was, in fact, the Empress Agrippina, for he did not know what kind of people that young priest and mime were.

All of the rest of us were secretly warned not to reveal her true identity. Food was served in the triclinium and our and travelers devoured it.

Ah, there, said Father, "there’s cousin Argie!"

Agrippina appeared in her Hebrew clothes and sat down beside Paul, who choked at seeing her. He made a joke.

You have a fine cousin! he said to Father. Can we ask her hand in marriage?

Father replied laughing, We are not giving her away.

We are not giving her away. Alityros repeated. Go elsewhere to find a bride!

He had imitated Father perfectly, and everyone laughed.

I had set my eyes on the priest and Agrippina caught that. She gave me a secret sign from afar with her fingers, as if to say: Good! That, indeed, I approve!

Whatever platter the slaves brought from the kitchen, I grabbed it and offered it to Josephus to take the first helping. Again, Agrippina motioned to me with a frown not to continue this. I obeyed.

That night I had dreams that this priest was taking me in his arms and caressing my little body, and I melted into these thoughts. I’d never felt like that before. I was heart struck and suffering.

There, in the triclinium, Paul, who was a good storyteller, vividly described this difficult journey by ship, which instead of to Rome took them to Crete. Everyone shuddered at the descriptions of the storm.

Alityros, here, said Paul, whom we met recently, was also travelling on board the ship, but he is going to Rome to work as a mime at the court of the Empress Poppaea.

Immediately Alityros stood up, took hold of his skirts, and imitated the Empress, how she walked and how she commanded. Father asked him how he met the Empress Poppaea.

No, Alityros hadn’t met her yet. But his third cousin, who was in her service, had warned him that the money he was to receive would be a lot, but he must be very careful with his jokes, for Caesar Nero was a tyrant who murdered at the slightest insult.

You know, said Alityros in horror, he drowned his own mother, the Empress Agrippina, the daughter of the Germanicus! He also murdered his wife, the Empress Octavia!

What? He murdered his wife too? How did he murder her? asked Mother.

Nero accused Octavia of infidelity with his confidant, Anicetus, then exiled her and had her murdered.

What man is such a monster that he would murder his own mother who gave birth to him? said cousin Argie. What do you, young priest, think of Caesar Nero?

Agrippina was again the one asking questions, and Josephus was very careful not to express dangerous opinions about the emperor in a foreign house.

Those were very good years when Seneca and the Empress Agrippina ruled. After her death, we in Judea, with what we hear, have begun to fear.

Father asked what was going on in Judea and Josephus said that, as always, it was divided in two.

"Those who love Rome and those who hate her. The chief priests, who are with Rome, are now very much afraid of the revenge of the Zealots, because of the death of their leader, Zaddik Ya’akov.

Did Ya’akov die? Father jumped up and looked at Paul.

Yes, he was stoned, said Josephus. Tried, convicted and stoned.

Paul did not speak.

What was he convicted of? asked Father, again looking at Paul, who again fell silent.

But Josephus jumped up to say, For the Great Sin: Theft of Temple property.

Imagine that! said Father. I would never have believed that Ya’akov would steal from the Temple.

But the truth, Magistratus, neither would I, said Josephus, and he too looked at Paul.

Later that evening, Father ran into his friend Paul, who had put on his nightgown and was going to bed.

My congratulations, Paul! he said to him. You have succeeded in overpowering your enemy.

Paul was holding his sponge in his hand because he wanted to go to the bath.

Extinguere hostem maxima est virtus ducis,³⁶² Paul told him. "Enemies are meant to be neutralized, so your congratulations are accepted. What a nice thing to say! How did it come to me? I have such poetic inspirations at times! I’ll write it down for Seneca to put in his plays. Now you tell me, is the Empress good in bed?"

Father turned white. He asked him how he had known.

I know you, Paul replied and walked towards the bath. Amantes sunt amentes,³⁶³ came from further down the hall. But what an incredible poet I am tonight! What an admirable inspiration just came to me!

The next day Paul asked cousin Argie to accompany him to Archanes to see the scenery.

And I asked Josephus if he would like to see the landscapes at Archanes.

He said, Yes.

I fetched the carriage and we got in. Unfortunately for me, at the last minute, Alityros ran up and jumped on the carriage to join us. He was wearing one of Mother’s dresses again. I was sitting at the reins, with Josephus sitting next to me on the seat and Alityros behind.

I wasn’t looking at the road, I was looking at Josephus, sighing with longing. I was ashamed that I kept stealing glances. So, I didn’t see a stone in the road and the wheel roughly bumped over it.

Ouch! said Alityros from behind, who slapped his behind. Along with Mother’s dress he had borrowed a hat, for the sun was very hot.

We took a walk around the village and pulled up to the hill, where there was a temple to the god Panas in the landscaping. I stopped the carriage and Alityros drank water from the spring. We lay down under a platane tree to rest and, as he lay down beside me, I smelled his body. I wanted to say something, but I held back. All these hours I had not opened my mouth, the priest would have thought me a mute.

But he talked to me.

What’s your name? he asked me.

Rachel.

Ah!

We got home and I was even more aroused than yesterday.

News came that the ship was being repaired to continue the journey. The repairs were being made in a hurry, so that the ship could reach Rome and winter there. I didn’t like that, because it meant that Josephus would have to leave.

I was sitting on that marble bench again, bent over, shrunk like ball of yarn, looking down. So, I took no notice of Agrippina approaching me. She sat next to me, smelled me, and said that girls my age had that smell and that men liked that smell. She took me with her to her rooms and opened that box that had Kama’s bubble baths in it. She called her maids to fill her bathtub, because Agrippina had built her own bathtub in the new house. They poured into the water Oriental peppers, roses and a few drops from a bottle of rosewater. They then soaped my body, washed my hair, combed it, and placed fresh hyacinths in it. The Empress wanted to see me, and I was brought before her naked, with only the hyacinths in my hair. I was a little embarrassed.

Night fell and I walked towards the priest’s chamber. I looked at him through an opening in the door and felt a shiver in my little body. I imagined his hands touching me and I trembled. The house was quiet, everyone was asleep, and I didn’t make any noise, but he hadn’t fallen asleep either. I climbed noiselessly into his bed and lay down next to him. I shyly took his hand and placed it on my breasts. He turned towards me, saw me, and didn’t look scared. He took me into his arms, started kissing me and I felt myself fade away. His penis was erect. I froze. The sky was spinning inside my head, my vagina flooded with fluids. I ached as I lost my virginity, and he noticed and kissed my neck.

Well, that night we did it six times!

I fell in love with this man, I was dying for him. We met in secret because I didn’t want Mother to know I’d lost my virginity. By day we’d run like crazy to make love in the hills of Panas and by night I’d slip into his bedroom. Two months passed. I sailed on a happy sea until the news came that the ship had been repaired and was now ready to continue its voyage to Rome. I froze, wondering what to do.

Paul, Alityros and Josephus were to board this ship. With them would go Agrippina, dressed in Hebrew, always still hidden behind the name Argie, Father’s cousin.

This decision was taken suddenly when some unpleasant news arrived from Rome. It was the Prefecta who traveled up to Archanes to pass it on to Agrippina. She did not want to send the herald, nor a servant, lest the Empress’ secret should be revealed. She also handed her a letter from Seneca.

Agrippina read this letter in her room, where she had the codes to decipher it.

Seneca wrote to her:

. . . More and more senators are on our side and against Nero. Our aim is to label him an enemy of the empire. The marriage to Poppaea was celebrated with very large processions, parades and ceremonies, and she is pregnant. She is only interested in entertaining and showing off, she spends incredible amounts of money on shows, dinners and entertainment. The new luxurious palace is now inhabited by your new Empress Bride. Pallas was executed yesterday.

Below, Seneca wrote to her that Nero was now very dangerous and that even he himself avoided meeting him. In his clouded mind, for anyone who approached him, he thought he was going to assassinate him or to overthrow him from the throne.

The letter had a postscript:

. . . You are buried in a lowly grave, without honor.

Agrippina took a whip and hysterically struck out at everything she found in the room, breaking it all.

Pallas was executed yesterday! she said again and again. Pallas was executed yesterday!

She rushed to her bed and tore the sheets and pillows, broke the jugs, and overturned the furniture.

Pallas was executed yesterday!

She sobbed, beating her chest.

I want to kill him myself! Me! Ahh! I want to kill him! I want to stab him with my own hands!

After tearing up everything in the room, she fell to the floor in despair and closed her eyes, lying there, motionless. She was breathing rapidly, her breasts heaving, tears had smudged her face. It took her a while to recover. But at some point, she sat up, looked in the mirror and fixed her hair.

"I’m not the one for sweet loves with poor merchants, she thought. She stood upright and straightened her bodice. It’s over, she said, the joke! That’s the end of it. I’m going back to Rome. Now you’ll see, you dreadful monster, you scum, you madman, who Agrippina is! Now you shall see, you horrible thing like your father, so detestable! Now you’ll see who Germanicus’ daughter is!"

So, when the news arrived that the ship for Rome had been hastily repaired and was ready for departure, Agrippinna packed her things.

Father was away those days on the ship Argie, to carry goods to Thera.

I will not wait for the ship Argie, Agrippina said to Paul. I have to go now. I will return to Rome with you.

Paul warned her of the tragic state of the ship Castor and Polydeuces in which they were traveling, but Agrippina said, "I don’t care! We are leaving now!"

They loaded up to leave. I said goodbye to Josephus in a corner and cried. I told him through my sobs that I couldn’t live without him. He promised me that when he had finished his mission, he would take the first ship that would go to Canaan, passing through Crete. He would ask my father for my hand in marriage and take me with him, as his wife, forever.

The beautiful villa was deserted.

Their ship, the Castor and Polydeuces was finally wrecked off the coast of Meliti,³⁶⁴ (Malta) said Rachel, and right now I will tell you how it happened.

When Father returned from his trip to Thera, he found no one at home.

When did they leave? he asked the slaves.

The day before yesterday, they told him.

I’ll catch up with them, said Father, and began to gather some necessities for a long journey.

I asked him to take me with him and he refused this time. I crumbled thinking of Josephus, feeling as if someone had ripped out my heart and it was beating in his hand.

I went with him to the port, at least I asked him to, in a wagon in which we were carrying goods. It was driven by two of our slaves, who were to take me back.

Rachel, my father said to me, take care! and climbed on board.

I looked at him from the dock. The sailors, who had expected to stay at least a week or so, were upset when they were notified of the sudden departure. The horn blew and they ran from the tavern to join the ship. Father had sat in the astrolabes and was calculating exactly where to meet the Castor and Polydeuces, which had sailed from Fair Havens, Crete, which was in the south. He would sail from the north of Crete, from Olous, and was calculating the speeds. I looked at the slaves waiting for me to get on the carriage. They were also gazing at the ship, which they had never seen before.

The sailors untied the ropes, and the ship began to move away. At the last moment, I snatched a rope and swiftly grabbed hold of it as it was being pulled. From a porthole that had been left slightly open I jumped into a hold that the watch had not yet had time to close. The slaves saw me and began to shout to Father, but, fortunately, as it was windy, he did not hear them. The hold was empty, the ship had no cargo. We moved away. I should remain hidden until Crete was out of sight. Otherwise, my father, angry, would turn me back.

The winter sea was rough, and the ship was rocking a lot. I looked around where to hide. There, in a corner, was a wooden box where they kept the sacks, but it smelled of carcasses and I didn’t dare. I walked forward into the belly of the ship, but there I found another obstacle: It was the hammocks, where the sailors slept, and I turned again. Finally, I found a hiding place in the kitchens.

In the great ships that went out into the ocean, the kitchens were built differently. They had a chicken coop and a sack of bran next to it to feed the chickens. An open box, with a bed of straw, had a couple of goats and a baby goat, for people to drink fresh milk. I squeezed into a basket that had snails. I knew that Father did not like snails and would not ask for this food. The snails were climbing on me, and I had wrapped myself in an old blanket cloth that covered them so the snails wouldn’t bother me. I heard the cook come in. I saw him through the basket. He was speaking Greek, and I understood a little Greek. The kitchens had a counter, and anyone who was hungry would come and eat sitting at that counter.

The cook would talk to a sailor who was sitting there eating bread. They were very much puzzled by the fact of this sudden departure and were analyzing it.

And where are we going? the cook asked the sailor.

The sailor didn’t know; all he knew was that we were heading west, and the weather was rough.

You know, Sprat, said the sailor to the cook, "from what my ear caught in the tavern, he’s going to find her!"

The cousin? asked the cook.

What cousin, you fool? All right, yes, her! the cousin!

He had heard the officers talking about it.

Do you remember, said the sailor again to the cook, do you remember, as we were coming back from Thera, that we were signaled and stopped by that Roman warship?

The cook said he remembered.

They asked the magistrate there something. They were looking, they said, for the Empress Agrippina.

Oh, yes? But she’s dead!

It seems she didn’t die, someone saved her.

I heard this through the basket and my blood ran cold.

A second sailor, who knew more, came, and sat down to eat lentils and white cheese. Yes, he said. The rumor has got out in Rome that Agrippina still lives somewhere, and Nero has set loose and bound men to search for her on land and sea, and if they find her in a ship, to sink it and drown her.

I then understood Father’s haste. It seems that word had gotten back to Rome that Agrippina had not been murdered, but she did not know this and was now traveling carefree on a ship to Rome. I wondered who the informer was and began to count how many people knew the truth.

That’s why the Roman warship stopped us, the ‘knowledgeable’ sailor was heard to say. That’s why they climbed aboard our ship and searched everywhere. They found no woman and went away.

So, this murderess lives? said the cook.

But the sailor said that compared to her son, after all, she was better.

I was suddenly seized by a sharp pain in my abdomen, and I curled myself around it. What kind of pain was that? I was frightened. They ate and left, and the cook went to throw the garbage basket into the sea. I got out of the cot and grabbed a piece of bread because I was hungry. The cook came back and saw some snails walking on the floor. He cursed and picked them up to throw them back into the basket. I was hiding with the chickens. When he left, I went back into the basket with the snails and ate my bread, because the chickens were interested in it, and the snails were not.

In the evening I went out again with care and the cook was asleep in his hammock snoring. I was throwing off the snails on me. The chickens were making so much noise that I woke them up. I headed for the ship’s holds and hid behind some chests. I wanted to get out on deck to see if Crete was still visible or not. I crawled into the opening and up the stairs. To load and unload the gmar,³⁶⁵ the hold had three openings. I opened the side one. I stuck my head out to get some air. The helmsman was at the steering oars and the night watches were busy with the sails. Where I had slipped away, I was out of sight. I needed to pee, and I found a bucket with a rope. Then I got another very strong pain, and in the bucket, along with the urine, I passed some very thick pieces of blood. I was terrified. More sharp pains came into my belly, and I couldn’t move or scream. I had blood coming out of my vagina. The deck where I was lying was covered in blood. I hurriedly washed it off with seawater. It was only then that brought to my intention that I had a miscarriage.

Of all the women I was treating at that time with Helenitsa, only one had such blood.

She, Helenitsa had told me, Had a baby in her belly and lost it!

With Helenitsa we had treated her with her green paste. Helenitsa waited until all the unclean blood was out and then had me clean her up and put the paste on her.

So, I sat still to pee and the rest of the blood, so that whatever was to come out, would come out. More came out for a while, but eventually it dwindled.

I looked across the horizon, and the mountains of Crete were still visible.

I turned, crawling back to the hold and went secretly on into the kitchens. The cook was sleeping like a baby. I gathered what herbs I could find and tried to remember the recipe for the paste. I put the herbs in my skirt, found the vinegar and started rubbing them with my hand. I tried to reach the jug of water. I made the paste as best I could and, taking the jug with me, returned to the chests in the hold. I washed my vagina with the water and put it into the paste with a spoon. I felt feverish and apparently fainted. When I opened my eyes, the sun was high. Besides the sun, I saw my father’s head looking at me.

Rachel! He was poking me. Rachel! What is all this?

I didn’t understand if he was angry, but he saw me in this mess and carried me to the imperial bed. I slept another six hours with a fever.

Father was sitting across from me when I woke up and asked to know the truth. I told him everything, I hid nothing.

So, this is the chosen one of our hearts! said Father and took me in his arms.

I was in tears.

We were sailing the high seas. Even though the weather conditions were bad, Argie was doing great.

I hadn’t brought any clothes with me and the ones I was wearing were stained with blood. Luckily, Agrippina had left some from the summer in the closet and I found something to wear.

I filled the bathtub with water, washed up and took a bath. Then I washed my dress and laid it out to dry.

I went out on deck and sat next to Father, telling him what I had heard in the galley of the ship. I asked him who he thought had betrayed Agrippina, and Father frankly declared that he had no idea. But he, too, kept thinking about it.

Whoever betrayed her, he said, surely also reported that Agrippina is on the ship ‘Castor and Polydeuces’ sailing to Rome.

They would need to be the first to find her and put her safely on board the ‘Argie’.

Father had learned from the Roman warship that Nero’s men had gone and opened Agrippina’s tomb and found it empty. Then they knew for sure she was alive.

Your friend Paul, Father, would say she’s risen from the dead, I said, and Father agreed with a laugh.

I was eating corn meatballs with much hunger and agonizing over our speed to catch up with Castor and Polydeuces. Every now and then I made calculations using the astrolabes and the Piraean laughed.

I constantly wanted to talk to Father about Josephus. And . . . he told me this . . . and . . . I answered him this . . . and . . . . you think, Father, that I didn’t answer him right and he got mad at me? . . .

Listening to me, Father had a permanent smile. The only times I didn’t think of Josephus were when I was asleep, but even then, I saw him in my dreams.

There was no sign of the ship Castor and Polydeuces on the horizon, nor of any other ship sailing the seas, as voyages were becoming increasingly rare due to the coming winter.

Midway through the journey, the weather got even worse, and with the makeshift repairs, we feared that a ship like Castor and Polydeuces would not be able to withstand these waves.

Three more days passed, and we were now sailing along the Ionian Sea.³⁶⁶ Meanwhile, the waves had grown. Then a sailor shouted to the Piraean captain to look out to sea where pieces of wood from a sunken ship were floating. We did not know whether they were from the ship that Agrippina was aboard, but they were certainly from a ship that had been wrecked. I was searching the sea for other floating pieces of wood that could prove that the wreck was the ship Castor and Polydeuces. I didn’t see any pieces, but I did see a body floating. They brought in the hooks and brought the body up on deck in case it was someone who had only fainted, but no, after all he had drowned.

When did he drown? Father wondered. How many hours ago?

Far away, in the mist, the mountains of an island could be seen, and the captain said it was Meliti (Malta).

And then, before my father’s astonished eyes, I lifted my dress up to my calf and untied the leather straps from my scalpel case. I bent over the corpse, tore off his clothes, carved into his belly and removed his stomach. Fortunately, he had eaten, and the food was still in pieces, not digested.

So, Father, I said, the drowning was recent. Not even two hours.

I had never seen my father so disturbed by me.

He asked me, Who taught you that? and very naturally I told him, My materna, Helenitsa.

We threw the corpse with the torn belly and guts out into the sea for the fish to eat, and Father calculated the currents to find out exactly from which