Maximus Must Die
Chapter Four
What could he do now? He had tried befriending him, killing him, surrendering to him, but nothing ever worked! What could he do now? Offer him the wooden sword of freedom? No, of course not, he would never take it. He had too much power as a slave.
What was he to do? He folded his arms and walked back and forth in a sulk, pouting. He had succeeded in failing yet again and he could almost hear Marcus Aurelius and Maximus Decimus Meridius rejoicing with merriment at his downfall. Falco walked in and sat, this is what he needed right now - counsel and as Lucilla was nowhere to be seen, he would have to make do with the only senator who considered him worthy of respect. He was also the only senator who would even try to understand him.
And now they love Maximus for his mercy, so I can't just kill him or it makes me even more unmerciful. The whole thing is like a great...nightmare. He started talking out loud halfway through his sentence, which confused Falco.
He is defying you. His every victory is an act of defiance, the mob sees this, and so do the Senate. Every day he lives they grow bolder. Kill him!
Wasn't he listening? He just said that he can't kill him for fear of being seen as Commodus the tyrant, he was their father, what he had to do was something loving. But he was at a loss as to what he could do, he did not have a lot of knowledge on paternal love, never having a father close at hand.
No! I will not make a martyr of him.
I have been told of a certain sea snake which has a very unusual method of attracting its prey. It will lie at the bottom of the ocean as if wounded, then its enemies will approach and yet it will lie quite still and then its enemies will take little bites of it and yet it remains still.
Why am I receiving an aquatics lesson? Perhaps Falco is growing senile with his old age. Why would a sea snake allow it's prey to devour it...? Of course, it is luring the prey to it, as the senators flock to me to push me off the throne I am lying still, so now I will attack. The thoughts were pleasing, he had found something he wouldn't, couldn't fail to do.
So, we will lie still and let our enemies come to us and nibble. .... Have every senator followed.
Falco left. Commodus sat in the chair he had previously occupied and smiled sadly to himself. He did not want to have to put more blood on his hands in order to acquire adoration.
What would father have done? He would have locked himself away in his study and read books until Rome was a republic again, but that's what he wanted. He did not want a man who cared about the citizens to rule the empire, he would rather have a bunch of selfish, dried up old men bossing people about.
He would ask him. He looked about the room and saw a bust of the last emperor standing nearby, staring lifelessly into open air. Commodus walked in front of it and positioned himself so it looked like the statue was real, his real father looking at him. Towards the end of his days Marcus Aurelius could barely stand near Commodus, let alone look at him.
Father - I have disappointed you. He whispered the words and placed a hand on the cold cheek. He awaited a response, a loving hug or a smile - but he received none. This father was also made of stone and would not show the boy any love. Neglected and distraught, he began to weep and collapsed on the floor, curling himself up into a ball like he used to when he was young and lonely. It was his shield against the horrors in the world and he could not think of a better time to use it. Why could you never love me? He screamed at his father in the darkness amid heavy sobs of anguish.
Is everything alright, sire?
His handmaid, Antonia. She was a meek, quiet girl who floated about the palace like a ghost, often creeping up on the emperor when he least expected it, such as now. He was startled and quickly sat up, drying his eyes on his robe.
Yes, yes, I'm fine. I'd be a lot better if people did not jump out of shadows. He attempted to laugh, but found it harder than expected and let out a few more stray tears.
He felt silly, embarrassed. This girl had seen him cry - grown men don not cry. He had lost her respect, just as he had lost the rest of the population's.
Of course, sire. I'm sorry, sire.
Lucilla, where was Lucilla? He needed to see her - immediately. She needed to know what was going on, she needed to tell him everything would be ok.
Antonia began to move.
Wait. My sister - where is she?
I don't know, sire.
Find her, get her to come to me.
At once, sire.
She rushed out of his presence, much too quickly - it was almost as if she were running away from him.
What am I going to do? I can't simply let the senate nibble at me until there is nothing left and the republic has returned, I can't just sit by and watch that happen. Gods! I wish mother was here, she was always the stronger of my parents. What good would a republic be anyway? The fat bellied old men sitting in their finery gorging themselves with meat and fruit, not caring about the people they are supposed to speak for, how could father have wanted this? He was selfish, if he truly wanted the senate to rule, surely he would have resigned and let them step in whilst he was still alive, rather than making it his dying wish? No, he wanted glory - I can see that. Where is Lucilla? I'll wager she is with Maximus, plotting their escape. Why doesn't she love me? I am her family - I love her.
She's with senator Gracchus, sire. Antonia, again.
Senator Gracchus? What on earth was she doing with him? A wave of realisation gripped him - she was his lover, she had been out with him the whole time. Thank you, you may retire to your own quarters.
It was then he realised he was still sitting on the floor.
How was he to work his way around this one? Jealousy bubbled within his stomach making the bile rise to the back of his throat. Lucilla was his sister, it was his right to receive her love. How was it that he was so amazingly dark whereas she was astoundingly light? They were like the sun and the moon, hence why she never seemed to be in the same room as him if she could help it nowadays.
The end was starting, he could feel it in his bones. He was born alone, had lived a lonely life and would now die alone - born to die. Since yesterday when he saw Maximus was alive he realised he was dying quicker than he expected, he grew weaker with each passing day and it was only a matter of time before he was struck down. But if he wanted to protect his people from the evil of the senate, he had to survive and he would do his best to.