10

Laodicea

The Decision

NYMPHA WAS GREETED BY TWO SLAVES as she entered the house. One took the sack she was carrying, while the other helped her remove her cloak.

“Where is Magnus?” she asked.

“He is still in the taberna taking inventory, mistress,” one of the slaves answered, pointing in that direction. “Shall I bring him to you?”

“No, I will go to him. Thank you.”

Nympha picked up the sack and walked toward the work rooms. She’d made a decision and needed to inform Magnus immediately.

The events of the last week had given her much to think about, and the meeting at Colossae had left her rethinking the place of slaves in the church. Although she hadn’t been taken aback by the way Archippus switched places with the freedman, she had been when he had Calmus sit among the believers.

She had discussed the situation later with Apphia and confirmed what she already knew. Slaves were not part of the church meeting in Colossae. Nonetheless, Apphia admitted a certain level of openness to having at least the baptized slaves participating in the meeting. But she couldn’t conceive them being present at the meal too. “Who would serve the food and care for the guests?” she wondered aloud. “Archippus’s stories and ideas are certainly stimulating, but they don’t take into consideration how one continues to run a household when the slaves aren’t there to work. I can’t imagine Philemon would ever concede to the slaves eating with us.”

Apphia’s comments caused Nympha to reconsider Archippus’s request. Before going to Colossae, she had been ready to invite Magnus and the other slaves to participate in the next meeting at her home. But she hadn’t thought about who would care for the guests and serve the food. Moreover, she began to think of some of the same anxieties voiced by her late husband, Manilus.

What if it became known that my slaves weren’t caring for my guests? she thought. Would people think I couldn’t run a household? How might this impact my business dealings? I’ve worked too hard to prove a woman can run both a household and a successful business!

Those ruminations had led to her decision.

She entered one of the tabernae and found Magnus in front of the shelves, scratching notes on a wax tablet. He turned to see Nympha and bowed slightly to her.

“Greetings, mistress. I didn’t know you were home.”

“I’ve only just returned. Here are the items you said we needed this morning,” she said, placing them on the table.

“Thank you. We should be able to finish the day’s orders with them,” Magnus replied.

“There is something I need to talk to you about,” Nympha began.

“Is there a problem?” he said as he laid the wax tablet on the table. “Has something happened that displeased you?”

“No, you are a more-than-capable household manager. I have no complaints about the way you run my home.”

The slave looked a bit more at ease—until Nympha uttered her next words. “I want to talk about your conversation with Archippus and the invitation he extended to you.”

“It was he, who spoke to me first, mistress, I swear. I made no requests of him. Whatever he told you was from him and him only,” Magnus blurted out. “I made it clear to him in as respectful a way as possible that what he was suggesting was inappropriate.”

“Be at ease, Magnus, you’ve done nothing wrong. You still have my trust and confidence. Archippus told me that it was he who approached you, and he emphasized that although the proposal was his, the final decision rested with me.”

“So what is it you would like to discuss then?” the now-confused slaved asked.

“I have considered Archippus’s suggestion and reached a decision,” she replied. “You will not be attending the next meeting of the church in my home.”

“That is fine, mistress. I thought it an unwise suggestion on his part,” answered Magnus, with as much criticism of Archippus as he dared.

“I don’t think we are quite ready for the presence of a slave at a meeting in Laodicea, and I am not sure how I could manage if my household manager were acting like a guest.”

“I believe your decision is wise, mistress.”

“Good. I am glad to hear it. And I hope you think the rest of my decision to also be wise and easy to follow.”

Magnus looked at her as she paused. “At the end of the week you will accompany me to my cousin’s home in Colossae and attend a meeting of the church there,” she finally said.

“But why?” Magnus asked.

“For several reasons. First, Archippus thinks you have an interest in what is said and goes on at our meetings. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” Magnus replied with a slightly bowed head.

“Good! Second, although I think Archippus has made a good suggestion, it is not one I am ready to implement here. However, I know that he has convinced my cousin’s wife, Apphia, to include slaves in the next meeting of the church. So, while it doesn’t reach Archippus’s goal of having slaves at the meetings here, it does allow you to experience a meeting in a setting where you won’t feel like you should be constantly managing as you would here. Besides, I won’t be able to arrive at Colossae until later in the day, and I will need you to accompany me on the trip.”

“I would be pleased to do as you ask,” the slave replied.

“Excellent,” Nymphia answered and turned, leaving the household manager to finish the inventory.