b'48LISA E. BETZhad placed it in Fathers mouth to pay the ferryman and it was dislodged during transport? Suchasillytradition,nowthatsheknewtheteachingsof Jesus. A futile myth, believing that putting a coin in the mouth of a dead person would enable their spirit to cross the river from this world to the next. Although she no longer believed in the old religion with its false gods and goddesses, for honors sake the proper ceremonies would have to be maintained. Unless follow-ing the ceremonies would be worshiping false gods? She would have to think it throughlater. For now, she ought to put the coin back in Fathers mouth. Surely God wouldnt mind. She reached for the cloth covering Fathers head. And hesi-tated. If the coin had been in his mouth, how would it have got-ten lodged in the folds of his belt, anyway? Clearly she wasnt thinking straight.Dryas returned, followed by Mothers maids. My lady, the stewardhasquestionsforyou.Perhapsyouwouldallowthe maids and I to see to the body while you deal with other issues?Isupposethatwouldbebest.Tomorrow,Fathersbody would be taken to the family tomb outside the Colline Gate and his mourners would watch as the funeral pyre was lit. There were a myriad of details that must be dealt with before then, and who but Livia was going to see they were done correctly? She forced herself to move slowly, pretending she was reluc-tant to relinquish the body. When I come back I dont want to see a speck of blood on the body, understand? Yes, my lady.'