Consulate of Aventinus and Poplicola - 542AVC

[Crozimodo]

Then things will remain cordial Consul. The last word came as a hiss, what little respect he had left for Poplicola was gone.

[dragoon47]

Yesss They will.

Lucius called for his lictors to prepare to leave. Lucius awaited a like response.

[War lord]

Pallas,I'm rapidly losing my patience.

[Lord Slayer]

Kaseo watch the event unfold before his eyes and sighed. The Tribune was still alive which was good but the Consuls came back which means a Debate will follow to explain why this all happened or what we should do with the consul that burned temples down and had his men Rape the woman. This arugement in the Curia would only make his case stronger that he becomes a Dictator.

Kaeso stood up " Now that events have cooled down. I wish to say that I still firmly Support the Tribune at this current time and i will be helping him get Elected once again to that position. My offer still stands Tribune with the money for you for standing up for the republic and preventing a Dictator for taking office regardless of the reason.

I do wonder Aloud what this Republic has become. allowing a Dictator to come to power for the sole purpose of having him campaign more against Macedonia ?. Why he could just get reelected once again and then go on the Campaign. Why he be declared Dictator when he could do the same thing if he got Reelected ?. Maybe fear took the heart of the censor when he declared it. But Regardless the People of Rome won this time. Thanks to the Tribune.

Tribune Aulus you are the hero of the Republic and I will make sure you get Re elected. In fact i will go speak to the people if you wish and Talk on your behalf ?. of course i will have to finish up work here in the curia. But regardless i will do that for you "

Kaseo then sat down once again

[dragoon47]

Lucius stood, taking in the room and what he had none, he had no choice but to see this path through, else all should fall around him and Rome fall from grace.

It is not over yet Kaeso.

[chaplain118]

Dismissed.

The lictors left

So, Poplicola, now we stand as equals, only that I am the subjugator of Macedonia and you a general who lost his one engagement with Hannibal. Speak

[dragoon47]

Lucius was immediately annoyed by that remark, he had been shoving that lie down everyone's throats since he had entered the senate.

Yes, I admit, I lost one battle. A battle Rome had no chance of winning. I suppose you forget what occurred afterward. For I am also the victor of the Battle of Arretium, the siege of Genoa, the subjugator of Spain and the bane of Hannibal. Do not pretend that your campaign came close to those achievements, done without the massacre of innocents. Do we not still hold those territories? Not one battle have you fought that even rivals the scale of the aforementioned conflicts. You treat with me.

You will stand trial for treason against the Senate and People of Rome. The charges brought forth by the actions following the sieges of Edessa and Pella, attempting to subvert the republic with the delay of elections to make yourself king in all but name.

[chaplain118]

I slaughtered Philip V, conquered two cities and doubled the coffers of the Republic, all within the span of a single year. Let us not waste time inflating our own egos and get to the matter at hand. You charge me with crime for my actions on Edessa and Pella, but what I did the Senate could not arrive to a decision upon. Under your leadership, the Senate failed to restrain me.

Your leadership, Poplicola, not mine.

Furthermore, as I recall, the Senatus Consultum de Bello Macedonico explicitly states that

The Consul Pallas Rutulus Aventinus shall also be given a free hand during an extended campaign against the Macedonians.

The LAW demanded that I act with a free hand, it demanded me to do what must be done. The citizenry of both cities were set fully against us when we entered. We were not liberators but conquerors, an act that the Senate has charged me with. Had I not forcibly destroyed their citizenry, those settlements would have revolted against us. Our position would be just as precarious as before. For the greater sake of Rome, I destroyed the livelihood of Macedonia. But this, this was what you, the Senate, charged me with.

And you say that I act against the Senate and the Laws?

I suppose you will then point to the position of fealty sworn to me and Rome. Not the men who served as captains, for they were executed with the other men who had taken up arms against us. I had the FAMILY of those men swear fealty to myself and Rome. If they knew of the impending wrath that would descend upon them, then they would not break that oath. Rome came first to my mind, but those supplicants merely associated my face with that of Rome's.

As for subverting elections, perhaps you should lay the charge upon the tribune, for he actively prohibited us to move until YOU arrived. Perhaps I should charge you with the same?

[Lord Slayer]

Servius listened to the Consul and wondered if now would be a good time to bring up his motions. The motion that would replace the burn down temple and the soldiers will be punished by having to build the temple themselves. That would settle the Discipline part of the problem. and he supported the person to become Dictator because he believed in second chances and the man has given the republic 2 new city's.

Servius stood up " Consul Poplicola if i may. I wish to bring up a motion that would settle the problem of the lost temple that needs to be replaced and the punishment of the soldiers that committed the crimes of rape and looting all in one motion. But i will only bring it up when you feel it is the right time for me to do so. I know i am allowed to bring it up at any time. But i wish for it to be voted on and I know that another debate is still in full swing.

On the matter of Consul Pallas. He did nothing wrong despite the fact that he burned and allowed his men to rape woman and loot temples and peoples homes. This man was only acting on his best Judgment at that given time. And if we wished for him to stop then we should of sent him a message to stop it because the senate deemed it wrong and against roman moral. But we did not so we are the blame for not stopping the burning of the pella and Edessa. But the soldiers rapeing woman , No that is on the Consul head for allowing his men to do that for 17 days. Which something should be done about that also. perhaps we should pay the family's of the rape victims ?. It would ensure loyalty for them and also it shows them we care about them and enforce our laws upon every member of roman society.

Another note i should add. The oath that he made the family of the Captains swear to him is also wrong. But he should not go to trial for that. He did that in his best Judgment at the time. Now if we sent him reinforcements then maybe it would have been bad. But we did not and he wanted to ensure his men safety so he did what he had to do. So in that respect it was all with in range of what we allowed him to do.

Consul Pellas has a point. Like i said we allowed him to do what he did. I would not go as far as saying Rape and looting was part of it. But still the man as a point. We allowed him to do such things. It is the senates fault . And he also makes another good point. It was the tribune that prevented the elections not Consul Pellas. Although the tribune was doing it for a Noble reasons. He was still wrong "

Servius sat down once again

[dragoon47]

We gave you a free hand to take the campaign to the enemy, to destroy his armies and complete the campaign quickly. You voided that free hand when you took 17 days of raping and pillaging just to satisfy our undisciplined allies' thirst for blood. not even the Latin League rebels suffered anything resembling such a thing and their treachery knew no bounds.

As to paying the families of the rape victims, do you not see what is going on here? If we went by your logic Servius, I could kill you and pay your family but a mere quarter of my treasury after raping them and I will not have broken any law. It is also your short-sightedness that is your failing.

By making their families swear fealty to him, it matters not that there are no men of military age left. Their children will be bound to service Pallas. He is a master of deception, the common people would listen to anything he would have to say out of fear, even if those words are "You are no longer bound to service the Senate and People of Rome". Notice that he had them swear fealty to him and the senate. To him and the senate. Someone tell me which oath came first hmm?

We also have no idea if those settlements would have rebelled against us. Now we will never know. For he has done what the plebs did years ago. Gracchus soothing the people, making them worship him, then infuse a small bit of fear of the senate and the fact that they were citizens made no difference.

What did those Plebeians do, do you ask? I believe I can turn your attention to a man you all should know and his final words echoed in these very halls before his death. You told the guards to take that "thing" out of your sight because you were too daft or too stupid to see what was forming in front of your eyes.

The Last Words of Hannibal Barca

"You think this is the end... you will know the end when it comes, Romans. The end will come when all of Rome is in flames. It's temples, shops, homes shambled. Your male populations' bloated bodies festering under the noon sun. Your women and children slaves of our war machine. Your farms will shrouded and burned by the smoke and sparks from your city. Your orchards uprooted. Your herds slaughtered and this...this senate house...it's marble stripped and used for a monument to our glory...oh yes... you will know the end."

They assaulted the Curia, burned our holy places, destroyed the Curia where this very one stood! They raped the Priestesses of Vesta, burned and ransacked the Basilica, tore apart our libraries, stole our sacred wills, rebelled against Rome. Who was there to stop them? Where was Pallas during the entire debacle? I don't remember him being there? What was Scaurus going to tell us of that night of Gracchus' death before he died, his corpse still laying right there in these halls? Scaurus, who knows Pallas better than any single one of us. What did he say?

Excerpt: The Last Words of Lucius Aemilius Scaurus

I will tell you of the story of that night when he pulled me from the ruins of the Senate House and told me that he had an intention in his mind that I would do well to not speak of.

What was this intention? Highly convenient that he was unable to tell us and died during the arrival of Pallas. Then he goes on to say the following...

Pallas: On Scaurus' Death

Scaurus. I was wondering when the old man was going to talk himself to death.

You went on to disrespect your elders, disrespect the mos maiorum and not only that, it is quite the coincidence that every other magistrate here except the tribune supports your rise to power. What a coincidence that there is barely any voice of opposition, that one of that opposition died as you entered the room. Not only that, your hypocritical nature. What was it you said of Dyrrhachium?

First Battle of Dyrrhachium - 541AVC

As for the actual battle itself, I shall say that it was not so much a battle as more of a slaughter. However, there was also the issue that because Dyrrhacium lacks the proper Roman values and cultural education, its citizens are unwilling to stand and fight for Rome.

Yet another easily won battle against a numerically inferior force, which seemed to have become a trend? Has everyone forgotten about the Greek tyrant that campaigned with him?

Aventinus: Report on The Second Battle of Dyrrhachium

But Conscript Fathers, I have further news. There was a man who returned after the slaughter bearing a token of surrender. When we have let him into our camp, he fell to his knees and pledged fealty to me, recognizing that the nearby Poleis will fall into order under a Roman banner than an Antigonid one

I now wish to bring before you to even Spurius' argument for Macedon.

Excerpt: Senatorial Debate - 541AVC

You do overestimate Macedon, they are relatively weak at the moment, however if we were to attack them many more men could be raised by them in defense of their home. Men who would otherwise never see a Roman in combat, never fashion their farm tools into weapons. Think of Macedon as a hornets nest if you will, if left alone it will send the odd hornet to sting us, we can repel this aptly. If we attack the nest we end up facing a swarm, something much more dangerous than a lone hornet.

Where was the swarm? Where is the hornets' nest that Spurius feared? We never fought a single army that could match us in Macedon, then all of a sudden Pallas finds it a requirement to rape a city for 17 days to quell unrest? Where is this Greek pretender, this tyrant? How are we to know he did not twist Pallas' mind or that Pallas was simply in league with him? He may have been planning to gain all of Greece for himself all along!

Why did he not do to Dyrrhachium what he did to the rest of Macedon? Because it is Illyrian, not Greek. What he did in Macedon was genocide and murder, not warfare. He wishes to destroy Greece, not simply conquer it. Rather than adding to Rome's treasury he has left us with shadows of cities that will be more trouble to hold and will never pay the upkeep of the garrison there for years!

Now you are wondering how this all fits with what we now pieced together. This is how...

The Last Words of Lucius Aemilius Scaurus

Unless Pallas would slaughter his way through them. Senators, have we not seen just how violent Pallas has become in this brief time he has spent in Macedonia? Have we not seen his own false reverence for the gods on the eve of Gracchus? I will tell you of the story of that night when he pulled me from the ruins of the Senate House and told me that he had an intention in his mind that I would do well to not speak of. This must've been his intention: to march his way through Greece, collecting those who would swear loyalty to him as followers. He panders to the army, flaunts the Senate, and will overthrow the Republic unless you should check his ambition. Conscript Fathers, Pallas Rutulus Aventinus is a threat to the Republic far greater than Gracchus has ever been. The second you've elected him as consul and sent him to Macedonia has proved him to be a ruthless tyrant willing to let chaos reign in the cities that he imposes his will upon. He argues that the Macedonians are a threat but he seems to effortlessly repel them. He argues for the destruction of Argos, for the death of Greeks, for the very destruction of civilizations, yet we are voting in powers for him? Conscript Fathers, I vehemently oppose the motion set forth by the Censor. Instead, I echo the sentiments of those who wish to recall Pallas Rutulus Aventinus from Macedonia and place him on trial for an illegal war, banning him from attaining high office for the next ten years, and to place him under house arrest for the duration of next year, as we know exiling him would be far too dangerous. Conscript Fathers we--

Is the evidence starting to piece together in your minds? Once again Gracchus is mentioned. What of his speech to the people that night? A scribe was kind enough to hand me a copy of it that night and it's right here in my pack.

Who is Friend and Who is Foe?

The Plebs were absolutely bloodthirsty. They thronged before the rostra, roaring that one name that they had so longingly cheered. Such simple creatures, Pallas thought, so easily fooled and deluded by any mouth that can promise them a single bushel of corn. A trait so easily exploited. He smiled and examined his well-manicured nails before them, inciting them even further. I have heard your complaints, your anger, and I wish to say to you all, thank you. The Senate cannot possibly ignore your voices. The gods cannot possibly ignore your voices. You are, after all, Romans as much as any Senator, Romans as much as any aristocrat, and Romans as much as any consular man, be he a Caecilius Metellus or a Cornelius Scipio. The crowd quieted down. Surely this was a trick. Pallas' own personal dislike of the poor was common knowledge, yet he addressed them as equals. And at the same time I wonder, just what do you plan to achieve from all of this? More land for yourselves? More enfranchisement? I think Gracchus has shown you the path for enfranchisement, hasn't he? The Senate has been completely bypassed in his attempt at this agrarian law. Which then means your motives are, of course, for more land. A clever ruse. He would take all the lands from the Patricians and instead hand them to you, the people. An admirable man, a laudable man, a man deserving to be your leader, your savior! The crowd grew silent. Was this still Pallas? How has this man switched his tone from so acrimonious to so pleasant? A few voices of consent rose up in the crowd and Pallas smiled. And of course you shall have all of that. Land, enfranchisement, equality. EQUALITY! Oh that is a word that we have not heard in all of these years, isn't it, Romans? Equality. Why, just a few months ago, the Italians rose up and demanded their citizenship. They were ruthlessly put down, those who rebelled. Do you think the Senate would forgive you, citizens though you are? If debt bondage is so easily imposed upon anyone of you, if your citizenship could be so easily deprived, then what do you think will keep the Senate from murdering you all? Really, let's be reasonable, I have no love for you, the Senate has no love for you. Only Gracchus does. He is your savior is he not? Yet he is pushing you closer and closer to an edge that you cannot return from. And if you were to fail? Worse yet, if you were to succeed? Would the cycle not simply repeat itself? There will always be rich and poor, aristocrat and commoners. The poor will always be oppressed by the rich, and a demagogue will always push the poor to rebel against the rich. Really, Romans, I had hoped you would've realized it. I cannot speak for what Gracchus would do once he has taken full power because personally, I do not know. So for all you know, my words could just be patrician conjecture based purely on my hatred of the Plebs. Yet I extolled Gracchus. Curious how the stage of this world plays out, doesn't it? The forum was silent for the first time. A messenger arrived and whispered something in Pallas' ear. He smiled. Oh, those poor fools. They had delivered to him exactly what he needed. Romans! I have just received word that your tribune Gracchus has vetoed all motions before the city. He has vetoed the opening of courts, he has vetoed the opening of markets, he has vetoed the opening of the public treasury, and he has vetoed all functions of the Senate, and all elections! Romans, he has neutered the Senate, your victory is complete! A roar went up amongst the crowd. Chants of Gracchus' name rose up again. Though Pallas also heard some chants of his own name. Deluded, deluded fools But he has let a single legislation pass through, though it was vetoed by his co-tribune, a puppet of the Senate. Do you know what that legislation was? It called for a double of all the grain supply to all citizens! Romans! Another victory has been scored for you by your savior, Gracchus! Romans, join me in our chorus of praising Gracchus and his victory on behalf of you! Theatrics, pure theatrics. But the Plebs bought it all. They shouted Gracchus' name, while more and more of them started shouting Pallas' name as well. So this is what it felt to be a demagogue. How intoxicating! Pallas held up his hands for silence, and the mob obeyed like a trained dog. However, there was a problem. Someone in the mob shouted. "THE OTHER TRIBUNE!" Thousands of consenting voices went up and threatened to drown out Pallas once more. He held up his hands again. And the people quieted. Yes, the other tribune. But that was not all. You see, there was a second attachment of the bill, something that Gracchus willingly allowed . Do you know what that was, Romans? It was the expansion of citizenship to all members of the Italian socii! All of the other socii, Romans! All of them! From Tarentum to Crotona, to Capua! There were men who threatened to kill you all, and Gracchus has willingly tried to grant the same rights as you! This is what Gracchus, savior of the people has allowed. Doubling our grain allotment for you and the socii that tried so hard to kill you all! And where would the grains have come from? You. A ripple of shock spread through the crowd. Pallas had built up Gracchus so much that the people willingly believed every single word that Pallas said. And now, they believed even these words. The citizenry would be expanded almost fourfold, and grain distribution would be doubled for each citizen. That is eight times more grain than what we currently produce for you. And judging by the fact that many of you are still starving, how do you think we will ever be able to afford the increase? How can we even begin to supply all of the citizens, including all the socii as well as you, if we cannot even supply all of us now? This, remember, Romans, has been agreed upon by Gracchus, your savior. He has consented to this. He has consented to granting citizenship for those who months ago had shouted for Roman blood. He has consented to giving them grain, a privilege that only YOU, true citizens of Rome, should hold. He has consented in letting those who betray us be our equals. Truly, Gracchus is your savior, he is your representative. Truly, he adores you beyond measure! But I am not speaking ill of Gracchus, I am merely speaking on behalf of what has happened within the Senate. I am merely speaking of what I know. I am speaking on the FACTS of what happened. Truth, Romans, need no embellishment. He has vetoed the courts! Listen to the screams of women as they are raped in the streets by thugs. These are your wives, your sisters, your mothers, and your daughters. There will be no justice granted to the victims. They will forever bear the shame of today's infamy! Their names will forever be tarnished! Truly, Gracchus is your savior! Truly, Gracchus adored you! Truly, Gracchus loved you! He has vetoed the operation of the treasury! How will we buy the grain that he has so adamantly demanded for you? How will we purchase the unimaginable amount of grain that must now be increased eightfold for you? Where shall we find the money to buy it all? From the patricians? But their lands have been turned over to you on orders of Gracchus! The money must come from you! You will be left poorer than before, left poorer than ever, living like mere slaves to the promise of land because of Gracchus! No, you will not live like slaves, for debt bondage for purchasing the grain will shackle you into slavery! You will BECOME slaves! Yes! Gracchus is your savior! Yes! Gracchus adored you! Yes! Gracchus loved you! He has vetoed the opening of markets. How will those of you fortunate enough to still remain free be able to purchase your grains? Where will you get the food that you so desperately need to feed your family? Your new farms will be pillaged by brigands who will fear no law. Your money will be taken to buy the grain that was promised. You are left with nothing, and even what little pittance you have will be worthless as the markets are forbidden to be opened! You will starve, even as the grain silos are filled higher and higher! Gracchus has done this! Gracchus will be your savior! Gracchus will love you like his own children while your children will starve like malnourished slaves! Quirites! I speak not to discredit Gracchus but to speak of what I know! You were all honorable citizens once before, yet now you have become a bloodthirsty mob! You were lied to by Gracchus, whose love for you is as sincere as mine. You have been betrayed by Gracchus, whose love for you was as corporeal as the smoke that rises from censers! Yet I have not lied to you! I simply spoke to you. I told you facts, of real numbers, and of real actions. Romans. Gracchus is not your savior! Gracchus does not love you! Gracchus had never loved you. You were fooled by a man who thought himself a king! You were fooled by a man who sought power he never should have had! Romans. You were betrayed. He saw the distant fires of the Curia and saw vestal virgins being struck to the ground. Pointing his fingers at both spectacles, Pallas continued. Behold the Curia, the pride of our Roman laws, the center of our civilization, burnt down by men who were fooled. Behold the vestal virgins, women who had done nothing wrong yet raped without distinction. Are these the acts of Romans or animals?! Roars of indignations went up. This was the critical time for Pallas. He raised his hands for silence, and remarkably, the people obeyed. Their love for Gracchus was displaced, and now placed entirely in Pallas. Romans! Seize the rapists! Hurl them from the Tarpeian rocks! Stay your hands from the Senate House! Stay and listen to my words! These are the words of Truth! The ideal that binds all of Rome together, the ideal that melds all our hearts into one! Romans! Lend me your ears! The crowd cheered and chanted Pallas' name. He held his arms up for silence. You see now how your tribune has abused his position amongst you. You see now how the tribunate has been corrupt. It was never the Senate's wish to abolish it, but Gracchus' pandering, his betrayal to you has been far too great, far too damaging for the Senate to even consider reopening the tribunate again. He has nearly enslaved you all, doomed all of your women to rape and violence, and granted amnesty to your enemies. How can we possibly let another tribune like that rise up? How can you possibly fight back a force that so easily, so eloquently, and so cleverly abused you, lied to you, and betrayed you? Romans! The tribunate, it is kingship in all but name, and Gracchus has shown us just that. We must abolish it. We cannot allow it to continue! Romans! Let ME be your voice in the Senate. Let ME speak on behalf of you to the Senate! And let ME represent you without the regal powers of Tribunate. Let ME be a true representative, and violence such as this will NEVER reign in the streets of Rome again! Romans! What say you!? The roar that rose up shook the very foundations of the earth. Pallas' name was chanted across the forum, across the City, and some say, even across Italy. He had accomplished what none of the other senators had accomplished before. He had dissolved the tribunate Romans, return to your homes. Return to your lives. And tomorrow, we shall rebuild. Tomorrow we will gain back the honor we have lost tonight, and we shall stand against the world as the foremost men in virtue, honor, and courage. The crowd began to disperse, still chanting Pallas' name. A triumphant smirk curled upwards and his falcon grey eyes flashed with glee. A serpent has been let loose within Rome, and its poison will soon be felt by all.

That was not the end of his propaganda campaign to become a demagogue for the plebs and turn them against the office of tribune, an office that now is the only thing that stood in his way today. A separate incident was recorded by my soldiers during the martial law of the term.

Order Amidst Bloodied Streets

The soldiers still patrolled the streets, Rome was still in a state of lock down. The crowd that gathered at the rostra was small compared to the mob of just a few weeks ago. Even so, the soldiers looked on uneasily as Pallas ascended the rostra. He wore the white toga of a candidate and he shone underneath the December sun. It was a cold day and Pallas could see his own breath with each word. Rome had rarely became this cold before. He raised his hands before the crowd gathered for silence. You have suffered, all of you. You have bled. For some, and I can only address you through prayers, have passed on. The bloodstains of your shame, your torn lives, and the wretched cries of your children, they still remain. The bloodied swords of the soldiers still remain. Yet I stand before you in a dazzling white candidate's toga when I should be in my mourning clothes, mourning for the death of Rome's virtue and honor. He sniffed from the cold, but from afar, it seemed as if he were crying. But we will have a chance to rebuild. We will let our hands, baptized and cleansed of our sin by the blood of our fallen, rebuild the destruction that our previously unclean hands have visited upon our proud City. We have seen the powers of a demagogue, the trickeries of a traitor, and the lies of one who would pour words sweet as honey in your ears while plotting with a knife to your throat. Some of you still bristle at the sight of the soldiers, reminded of your bitter struggles against them when they first entered the City to restore order. They are not your enemies. Look at them, they are tired, they are wary, they are every bit like you. They ARE you. They are your brothers, your fathers, your husbands, your sons. They are the hopes and light of Rome, they are the binding lignants of the fasces, the axe amongst the rods. And you are the rods of the fasces. Without you no authority can be given. Without you Rome cannot exist. There are those who would deny those facts, and they are wrong. I know them to be wrong, you know them to be wrong, but they do not. They see you as a mob, as a single entity aiming entirely to move without direction, needing someone to lord over you. You are not a singular entity. You are individuals, individuals with your own hopes and aspirations, individuals with your own imperfections, individuals with your own skills that set you apart from the multitude of faces that surround you. You are Citizens of Rome. Inheritors of a proud legacy. Few on this world can claim such a heritage. Few can be as proud as you are. And be proud of that legacy, Citizens, for who upon this earth can claim to have such forces of Law behind them? Of course, those forces of Law have been all but shattered in the events of the past few weeks, haven't they? Law seemed to have been abandoned in favor of riots, of looting, of assault, and of rape. Pallas looked about at the crowd and saw many of them nodding. You have turned on each other, you have turned on the soldiers, who are of the same blood as you, who are of the same race as you, who are of the same families as you. You have turned on the Senate, who sought to guide you and protect you. But most egregious of all, you have turned on yourself by letting these base acts take place. And I am saddened, Romans, by the choice you have taken. I am saddened by the route you have taken. But I am especially saddened that while you have bled, while you have suffered, I still stand here with my white candidate's toga, unblemished from the events. I aim to change that. I am to show you that I will bleed alongside with you. I will show you that I, as Praetor, will bring law and order back amidst these bloodied streets. That Romans can proudly say that they are Romans once more. Citizens, this one act that I am about to perform before you, let its image forever burn into your mind. Soldiers, remember this act as the embodiment of your sacrifices, remember that I too am willing to bleed besides you. Pallas produced a small knife from the folds of his toga. Gasps went up in the crowd. The soldiers reached for their swords. But they did nothing. Pallas gripped the blade with his right hand and pulled the knife. A spurt of red shot up and blood rand down the length of his arm. The gash in his palm burned, but he kept his face composed. Letting the blood run down his arm and staining his toga, he dropped the knife. He took his bloodied hand and pressed it against his heart, leaving its imprint on his toga. Romans. I shall bear this bloodied print upon my toga until the blood and shame has been purged from our City. This is my promise to you. This will be my legacy unto you. As he descended from the rostra and walked into the crowd. The people parted. Some bowed in reverence, others stretched out their hands to touch his own bloodied hand. Like a shining beacon, Pallas walked passed through the crowd, through the soldiers, and through Rome.

Then Gerges, a man I professed to be my friend also said a few important things that led to a retort by Scaurus along these lines.

Excerpt: Senatorial Debate - 541AVC

You would paint me in a picture of ambition, wouldn't you, Gerges? Accuse me of stopping your lapdog Pallas and claiming glory all on my own, will you? I am made of sterner stuff, I will not fall for your traps, your political maneuvers. I decline your nomination. ...and later... Pallas skewers himself on the Macedonian phalanxes and we lose the only defensive force in the East, not to mention the Greek pretender that has joined our ranks. Remember, the man pledged fealty to Pallas, not to the Senate, and certainly not to Rome. What would happen should his master fall? Will he take up the city and create a Romano-Hellenistic nation for himself with the Romanized infantry? It would descend into madness.

Now Gerges is in Pallas' camp, practically handing him the title of imperator. Allowing him to delay the elections to avoid a vote to make him a lawful dictator and shunning a tribune of Rome and allowing Spurius to touch his person without consequence and acting as if I did something wrong carrying out the laws of this government that he has proven himself unworthy to execute and too incompetent to carry out.

To finish off the insult, the Greek Pretender has sworn fealty to Pallas as well. Why is he alive and yet he wants to kill and destroy all of Greece if he could? There was a dangerous trend that he was setting and if it were not for our tribune standing up to him you would all be trapped in bondage to Pallas' will. His bloodline would dominate Rome for generations. What is to stop him from destroying Rome's cities in the same manner as he did Macedon's? Nothing...

[chaplain118]

Pallas smirked. A shadow flitted across his face.

Nothing indeed, Poplicola, nothing indeed. Why, I could march out of Rome at nightfall, bribe my way through to Tarentum, and there take a ferry back to my troops. The Latins no doubt have wanted to put their hands on Senators' wives and daughters for all the money taken from them, and the citizens themselves have enemies in the city that they wish to exact vengeance from. Spring will come, and the winds will be calm over the Adriaticus, then it is an eight day journey by ships from Dyrrhacium to Tarentum, a month long march from Tarentum to Rome, and one entire year of anarchy.

But I'm not.

I stand before you all, still a citizen aware of his duties.

You would wish to crucify me on these words of Scaurus, Scaurus whose life had been one disappointment afte another, achieving the consulship when he should have already been Censor, in light of his more illustrious ancestors. Can you not see that I was everything he wanted? Youthful, and more importantly, successful. You ask me of the Greek pretender who swore fealty to me, I will reply that he has been informing me of every bit of Macedonian battle doctrine, how they use their phalangites to pin their enemies and then swinging through the rear with their lancers, a tactic I have emulated to great success against the Macedonians.

He is a useful translator, and his influence over the nearby Poleis allow me to invoke the local populace for recruitment.

You ask me where I was on the night of Gracchus. You hold the answer in your own hand. I was busy calming the people while you bled here like a defeated dog. You ask me why I did not treat Dyrrhacium the same as I treated my other conquests, it was because Dyrrhacium had already been conquered before I got there.

But do you not admit? Macedon must be cowed, must be pacified. Why else would Poplicola want Macedon's survival? Unless...

Pallas glared at Poplicola, his eyes flashed with malice that said "You're next"

No, I will not even consider it. But consul, if you are so willing to push me, do remember that at one point, I may be inclined to push you back.

[Lord Slayer]

Servius listened to the Consul Poplicola and clapped his hands. finally someone bought proof to the body about the dealings of the other consul. Why does it take someone like himself to bring out the evidence that the body needed to hear. Why of course he would not pay the family's of the Rape victims because that would be pointless and would do nothing. But he said to get a response and a Response he got. He Refused to listen to anything the Traitor Consul pallas has to say

Servious stood up and clapped his hands " Consul Poplicola you make my father proud and your father and all the fathers of the senators currently in this body. Your speech is prefect as if the gods wrote it themselves. The Evience that you back up your words with can not be ignored. The Consul Pallas should be put on trial. The evidence is overwhelming and not damming that the records hold them in his own words at best. This evidence should go in the record. That Consul Pallas was working with the plebs and trying to do what another pleb could not do. and on that note. What i said about giving money to those familys who are rape victims. I only said that to see how you would respond to such a motion. And indeed you responded well which is what i wanted. No harm was done because now all the proof got out into the open.

Regardless of how this seems my fellow senators. The proof is in his own words of Consul Pallas himself. What he himself is damming enough and that should be more then enough to put him on trial after the next election cycle. The tribune was right in denying this man Dictatorship. And for that i wish to say i am deeply sorry to the tribune. His actions where right and he did it to protect the republic not harm it. My brother was right in supporting him. But is blind to see that Consul Pallas is anything but a traitor to the republic and should be put on trial. Regardless of what this body allowed him to do. The evidence is damming enough. this man cares nothing for the republic but only for himself. The Tribune was not totally right by stalling the elections. But he did save us from a Dictator that would not give power back to the senate or the people.

I urge this body to reject any Motions set forth by Consul pallas. I urge this body to put this man on trial after the elections are over. I urge this body to strip the man of his wealth from his family for the crimes he committed and for being a traitor to the republic . I urge this body to put the Rutulus family into exile. for 10 years "

Servius sits down once again and waits to see what happens

[chaplain118]

Exile?

He started to laugh.

You think I would fear exile? I would bring myself before the kings of the East, be it the Attalids, the Seleukids, the Ptolemaios, or even the Achaeans, and they would readily admit me into their court. And when I tell them of a kingdom in the west, replete with riches and fertile farmland, they will put me at the head of the invasion force.

You think twelve days of anarchy and five days of order were appalling? I would return from exile with an army hell-bent on decades of plunder

[dragoon47]

...and his true intentions reveal themselves.

Even if you would exile him, lawfully, he would shirk the law and return at the head of an invasion force. He would do what Gracchus' mob did to this city to all of Rome. We can now see that he holds no loyalty to this Republic, that a slight against him through the due process of the law would lead to his retaliation against the republic. His allies in Macedon, his bribes in the East, his vile treachery would be unleashed upon this city.

The events of Gracchus have indeed left a curse upon Rome...Pallas Rutulus Aventinus.

[Lord Slayer]

Servius laughed at Consul Pallas. laughed at the fact that he think The Egyptians would side with him. Ha The Egyptians would never Side with a traitor. and he would make sure of that no matter the cost

Servius stood up once again and laughed " The Ptolemaios would never Accept you into their kingdom. I happen to know someone at the court of the Ptolemaios. He is a family friend of my family though my mother who has been in and out of Egypt a lot of times on business trips. So no you will not get their support because they would know better then to accepts a exile. But no matter i will make sure that no kingdom accepts you into theirs . That is the reason why family's have connections. And my family has a lot of them still loyal to Rome and her allies. That will prevent you and your family for settling anywhere after your exiled

unlike you and your family. My family is loyal to Rome even though the Senate once exiled us for no reason we still remain loyal to Rome. We will never stop being loyal to Rome and her allies as long as she may live. But i can not say the same for you Consul Pallas the Traitor. So do not go and say you will be safe. Because you wont be as long as my family is around and me as the head of it. "

Servius sat down once again and drank out of his goblet

[Maiar93]

Titus stood, shocked, the day's events passed through his mind quickly...

What has this Consulate become to? Scaurus is dead. Our Consul has been offended, Censor killed. Pallas has proven himself a traitor.

[chaplain118]

The heirs of Alexander have always needed competent generals to win over their squabbling fortunes. Their courts hate each other as much as Rome hates Carthage. To say that your family will have influence over any of their king's wishes and desires is laughable.

So then, Conscript Fathers, how shall we proceed with my punishment? Or shall I simply return to my troops now?

[Lord Slayer]

Servius laughed once more. This pallas fella is really clueless at how his family has influence over court of Egypt. By far his mother has deep connections with the royal family of Egypt for some time now. Thanks to the family business . But no matter his mother still hold influence over the court of Egypt.after all it was egypt that accepted his father when he was exiled. and their he grew the family business.

Servius could not help but laugh at Consul Pallas " Indeed you must be clueless about how anything works anymore. I assume that you did not know that my family went to egypt once we got exiled from Rome for nothing we did. After that the king of egypt invited my family into his court and their talked and grew a friendship that still holds true today. The Egyptian Royal family and my family are close. Thanks to my father who helped the Royal court of egypt. But no matter think as you must that they would accept you. I can be sure they wont... After all they would not want to have Rome Down their throats would they ?

Regardless Pallas you lost. Your intentions are heard in your words. You care nothing for the republic and what it stands for. Although you say you do... I doubt those words because you are a Traitor. And just so you know. My family is loyal to Rome despite having a close relationship with Egypts Royal family. unlike you we are loyal to Rome first and foremost

And for your information pallas. Egpyt is united and the Royal family is stable. Clearly you would know that Egypt is united under one rule once again. But i could be wrong and i am willing to admit i am wrong if that is the case. "

Servius sits down once again angry

[dragoon47]

Lucius was about to attempt to stop his words since they were so reminiscent of what would happen to Pallas but then turned it to his advantage.

You see, while my friend here may not have proven his point, he has proven another. Even if Rome exiles someone, Egypt has a chance of taking them in. He could just as easily convince their royal court that he is trustworthy as Servius has and descend upon Rome like a murder of crows.

[chaplain118]

Then from the Seleukids, whatever. The point is, my name has been spread in the Hellenistic world, from the sons I have displaced from Pella and the message of butchery at Edessa. And if they should hear that a man who has humbled proud Macedon wishes to join their ranks, they would pounce upon the chance. And perhaps, I can even end your family's influence in Egypt at the head of one of Antiochus' armies.

I fear no exile, Conscript Fathers. But if no one will stop me, then I shall return to my troops. Have your election. I will take no part in it.