a means of transport
from its Northern to its Southern boundaries and also, by virtue of its
annual inundation of the land on either side, a fertile ground for
bounteous harvests. Truly the grain of Egypt is renowned through the
civilised world."
"The Emperor's entourage boarded one of the native Egyptian boats with
their distinctive triangular sails and proceeded southwards under the
watchful gaze of what the Egyptians call Ra, the Sun God."
It is stiflingly hot and even under the shade of the canopy
stretched over the deck for the Emperor's comfort, Antinous feels
over-heated and sweaty. He envies the brown-skinned youths who, along
each side of the river, dive and swim naked in the cool water. The
Imperial party drink sherbet, a strange drink with bubbles that tickles
the nose and makes the Empress choke and sneeze. Then shestarts to moan
about the heat and the flies - as if it is Hadrian's fault. She would
have moaned even more had he left her behind in Rome. Antinous does not
like the two quarrelling. In some entirely mistaken way he thinks it is
his fault so he gets up from the cushions on which he has been lying and
says he will walk around the boat to try to catch some of the breeze.
Hadrian is about to get up to accompany him but Vibia Sabina detains
him with a question about her duties at the forthcoming banquet at Thebes
and with a sigh the Emperor settles himself to give her yet another
briefing.
Antinous watches the brown path of the river as it snakes ahead of
the prow of the boat through the golden corn fields