Consulate of Sophus and Scaeva - 484AVC

[CK23]

"Dear Tribune, vetoing this campaign will only further complicate things and cause us to be in a complex position." Faustus showed respect to his fellow Plebeian and current Tribune. "Consul Scaeva, with all due respect you have next to no military experience and Consul Sophus has served. Despite the likely false accusations that he is a "sick old man"...he should be sent due to pure experience." Faustus attempted to ease his tone as he did not want to upset Junior Consul Scaeva, as he had an odd respect for the mans passion. "The preservation of the Republic is paramount right now and I ask the Senate to put their own petty ideas of each other aside and work together to protection Rome."

[Nota']

Spurius chuckled. Stupid pleb he thought.
You would veto a motion already passed days ago? I believe even the tribune lacks that power. Even if you could, you would do it to speed things up, or just to allow the celts more time to rape and pillage. If you really don't believe Consul Sophus has Phthis then I'm sure I can bring in his disowned son to testify! The fact is a man with Phthis is in no fit state to lead a legion in mopping up the celts.
Spurius motions to a nearby Lictor and asks him to fetch the son of Sophus.

However if he is to be this stubborn, I will allow him to lead any further expeditions you war moungers wish after if he can stand up. I will not allow him to lead a legion when his ability to survive is in doubt at the moment.

[Maiar93]

Flavius gazed around, looking for inspiration.
Please! Do not ignore Faustus's most important message: Stand united! You all talk about doing this fast. Then we will do it fast, through the only way: standing together, everyone behind this for Rome's best. Or are you all traitors? Many times i've saw behavior like this: arguing over each other when we ned a decision, fast, before those filthy barbarians are at the very gates of this sacred city!

[War lord]

Of course Corvenus, everything would be so much simpler if you were Dictator for life wouldn't it?

I think we all stand together on one single issue, the need for you to be silent.

[Maiar93]

Stupid, stupid man. You dug a nice hole for yourself there.

Dictator? What is your obsession of always saying my name and "dictator" in the same sentence? I would never want to be a dictator, nor do we even need one. In fact, i'm trying to prevent the appointment of one by trying to unite us against the barbarians. Why, they'll laugh at our arguing and bickering while raiding and raping.

He looked at Caldius, inspiring himself for more speaking.

So you are saying that we should not stand united? We should argue over this the next week without decision? That is indeed what you have been doing for the past three terms, no doubt, but here are other senators, wiser and better than you who want to get this done quick. We have intelligence reports from Scaeva. We have Legions ready for action. From what i've heard, even the treasury is now almost cured.

Hah, what a mess you have made of yourself.

I repeat: I think that we should stand united. I am by no means a dictator - i'm a regular senator, and I wish the best of Rome. And i'm sure that you all feel the same way. Should we agree quickly on the details and pass the orders forward, or argue and bicker about our flaws until the Gauls are at our gates?

Then he sat down, and proceeded into listening to who'd speak next.

[War lord]

We should listen to, and respect the opinions of our fellow senators instead of blindly conforming to the wishes of a dangerous minority who have shown that they lack foresight. The same lack of foresight that very nearly destroyed us, as you would do well to remember.

[Maiar93]

Flavius was laughing to himself, his eyes blinking of amusement.
Why do you do exactly what we shouldn't do? Make me answer to your troublemaking by insulting and lying about me! For example, i never said anything else than that we should decide about this united, and it goes quickly, and if we continue the path you have made for us this takes weeks and weeks of discussing the flaws of our fellow senators. Instead of pointless arguing, tell me exactly what is wrong with what i said.

[War lord]

You want us to send a terminally ill fifty year old man to deal with a minor bandit problem in one of the coldest regions in Italy. A man who, if what I have been told is true, cannot control his own son, when his perfectly able co-Consul, the man who brought this to our attention in the first place, is being ignored because of the personal grudges of the few.

[Maiar93]

Looking at Caldius with a notifying look, he says:
I have no personal grudges against him. What differences we've had, i have put behind me and forgotten. Still, he has little to no military experience if what the senators say is true. Can Rome really trust a serious military opinion to a man with lots of wealth but no military career? I say no. I say we send Sophus.

[Kubrick]

Caldius' last remark lured Marcus out of his hole of thoughts.

'Cannot control his own son? My son died during the siege of Bononia, quaestor. And personal grudges? Perhaps those men just seem to realize a non-soldier is not fit for leading armies. And as I said before, loose rumours! Liars who wish to see my downfall are bringing these rumours about my health into the world. I say, if I was so terminally ill, how can it be I am sitting here and discussing that with you?'

He swallowed and took a sip out of a goblet of water. He was drinking a lot of water, he was lucky he hadn't had a serious cough attack yet. Only a few coughs here and there. Nothing more than any other senator. Maybe it wasn't that bad after all.. No, stop lying to yourself, Marcus. You can't survive phthisis.

[CK23]

"If you wish to lose the loyalty and respect of the Legions you will send Consul Scaeva, if you wish to keep their loyalty and respect you will send Sophus." Faustus added to the bickering.

[Kubrick]

Caius had been rudely interrupted by a lictor while drinking with his old brother in arms. It scared him how easily the lictor had found him, perhaps he was too well known. Perhaps his clothing caught the attention of those poor people. Anyways, here he was, walking side by side with a lictor sent by consul Scaeva to bring him to the Curia. Why did would he bring him there? Probably about the sickness of his father. After asking the lictor he was certain about it. The lictor had heard Scaeva threaten about bringing him in to testify about the sickness. Caius smiled, his father would go down for sure now.

They arrived at the Curia and the lictor opened the door, he entered and walked through the hall into the main chamber. There he stood, Caius Sempronius Sophus. Clad in an expensive toga. He observed the other senators, they all seemed to wonder why he was here. He checked the consular chairs, there they sat, the biggest rivals in Rome. Sophus and Scaeva. He smiled at his father. 'Hello.' He didn't say it that loudly, he knew his father was good at reading lips.

[Nota']

Spurius smiled when Caius entered.
Good day Caius. No doubt you know why you have been brought here. Our co-consul here claims he is healthy thus able to lead a legion in the harsher north. Now, tell us the truth, does Consul Sophus have Phthis?

[Kubrick]

Caius stepped forwards, nodded at Consul Scaeva and cleared his throat. He turned to all the other senators and started speaking like it was everyday business for him. 'That is correct. Consul Marcus Sempronius Sophus has been suffering from phthisis for a few weeks now. Not that long ago I even lived in the same house as him, thus I can assure you that he indeed has it. When he is at home, all he does is coughing. And not just coughing, no noble senators, his mouth and face are covered in blood when he is done! The piece of cloth he holds in front of his mouth covered with pieces of lung! No, senators of Rome, this man is not healthy at all. I am in serious doubt if he can even finish this term as consul!'

Caius stopped speaking and looked questioningly at Scaeva, seeing if he would give him a sign to leave or if he would say more.

[Nota']

So you say Sophus is seriously ill? Would you say you doubt Sophus' physically ability to lead a legion north, with all the exertions required?

[Kubrick]

Caius thought for a while, he would answer all this truthfully. But indeed it would be futile for his father to lead a legion, why was the old man so stubborn? Again he stepped forward and addressed the senate once more. 'From personal experience I know how physically challenging a campaign is, thus the harder it will be when a man gets older. And when that man suffers phthisis I highly doubt if he could keep up a campaign. Especially if he will move to the north, where the weather is harsh this time of year. No, I don't think consul Sophus could lead the legion properly. After a day in the senate he is already too tired to do anything more than sit and rest while coughing up more and more of his lungs.' He stepped back again, awaiting the next question or an order to leave.

Meanwhile Marcus Sempronius Sophus was observing all of this in shock, now everyone would know. He would be ruined. Not that it mattered, he was dying anyways. But the knowledge that his son had back stabbed him like this, it really stung. Perhaps he had been too harsh on the boy. Too late for that now, the boy had made his decision..

[Nota']

Spurius nodded.
Thankyou Caius. Perhaps you would like to stay so other senators can ask you questions if needbe, and you can grow accustomed to these surroundings, surroundings that will no doubt become very familiar to you in the coming years.
Congratulations son you've passed.

[Kubrick]

Caius turns and bows in direction of the consul. 'Glad to be of service, consul. I shall stay here, I am starting to like this place.' He smiled at Scaeva and walked away towards a corner where he casually leaned against a wall and awaited the further debate.

[War lord]

So then, I assume there will be no further argument?

(Pauses)

Good!

Now there is the small matter of the location of our esteemed Praetor, he has not been present in the Curia so far this year and I for one am quite concerned.

(His tone of voice makes it clear that he is not.)

[Merula]

Im glad that we have worked this out then, i was never going to Veto anything, but i find that the threat of Veto is a good motivator as any, he smiles.

Senators, maybe someone should take notes for the Praetor about our proceedings until he arrives? He takes his seat again, and when another Senator is speaking he leans over to Caldius and says in barely a whisper, We must act with haste, do it now while there is an opening in the discussion...