5 Quotes on Philo from Galba’s Men

For Philo fans, five quotes from Galba’s Men.

1) Philo’s pleasures were few; he liked tidying things, he liked reading, and he was very fond of the spiced almond cakes his landlord’s daughter Teretia baked for him each day.

2) Philo sympathised, he keenly recalled Felix describing him to Epaphroditus. “We all thought he was a fucking mute but apparently he can talk. Just ain’t got nothing to say have you, Philo?”

3) “Be together. Us. Always. You love me?”

Philo thought this last bit a statement: it was the sort of mad assumption Straton had frequently made about him, but seeing the overseer’s eager face he realised it was a question and that there was an expectation that he would answer it.

4) Otho was looking at him with concern and kind eyes. “Come on, try me. Let me help. I am sure there is some solution we can hit upon between us.”

He sounded so sure, so positive that Philo felt a tiny sliver of hope build in him.

“You think?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” Otho assured him cheerfully, with little idea of the problem he was about to blunder his way into.

5) At the mention of treason his knees gave way. Philo had lived through Nero’s reign: he knew what happened to traitors. He made one last attempt at pleading with Laco. “I don’t know. I swear. I don’t know anything. I can’t, I can’t tell you anything. Please, Laco.”