[FRRE AAR] CEASAR IMPERATOR
CAESAR IMPERATOR - 58 BC AAR
PROLOGUE
Tusculum - XXXII AD vel DCCXXI Ab Urbe Condita
Ave, my name is Caius Asinius Pollio. As due by a true Roman, I made my Cursus Honorem mainly under the command of Caius Julius Caesar: Tribunus during Gallic Wars, Praetor during Civil War between Ceasar and Pompeius, Consul on 40AD and Proconsul on 39AD in Illyria, where the successful war against Parthians allowed me the Triumph. Then I decided to retire and commit myself to my most loved involvements as history, prose and poetry.
Two or three years ago I have started to write my Historiae, that describes the period of the Civil Wars from the First Triumvirate till the battle of Philippi. What’s new is that my Historiae are based on direct evidences from people that really lived those glorious and in the meantime dark events. At the beginning I thought that after several years their memories could not be historically faithful, but I noticed that there are men that have memories still clear and trusty, as if those events were happened few hours ago.
Those are the transcriptions, fairly true (you cannot imagine how good is the Falernum wine…!!!) of the very long conversations that I had some months ago in my villa. Furthermore many other Ceasar’s veterans joined us, telling their stories and evidences. I apologize if I could not avoid to transcribe even their stories about the Gallic Wars, even if they are not the exact subjects of my Historiae, but they are so full of pathos and deep feelings…
One of these men is Lucius Crastinus, Centurion and veteran of the X Legio!
I can see him lying down on triclinium, sipping his Falernum:
“ Ceasar didn’t drink wine if not mixed with water.. and for sure not before an important event or a battle… “ I said.
“ But Ceasar was unequalled! – replied Crastinus – Which needs he had to drink wine? To prevails others? Or to gain trust on himself and forget how many enemies he had to face? “
He stayed for a moment to look at me, as if he was thinking something to cast upon, but he didn’t resolve to speak. Then he drained the beaker and he putted down it on the table:
“ Do you remember the last time that we spoke? It was few days after his murder… Rome was full of veterans coming from every par of the empire… they comes for days… Temples, basilicas, streets, taverns, that stayed open all night long, were so full of veterans that was almost impossible to move. They come with their banners, loricae, cloaks that remember them the winters in Gallia or the last in Hispania Ulterior. The main part of the Ceasar’s legions were present: the X Legio, the privileged, the V Legio, the VI Legio, the VIII Legio, the XXXIII Legio, that with Ceasar passed through the Rubicon, the VII Legio, the IX Legio that you, Caius Asinius, leaded at Pharsalus… “
He stopped again, to leave the memories come to his mind, while filling his glass with wine:
“ Why they murdered Him? Ceasar was not only our Imperator for eight, ten, thirteen years… He was our youth… everything we were for bravery, ardour, devotion, love for risks… the terminal point of our universe of legionaries…! Why they murderd Him…? “
It was strange to see that a veteran of thousand battles, hardened by never-ending tasks had the eyes moisted by tears…
“ But we are here not to remember sadness and regrets… but power, glory and epic moments…!
I was enlisted in the Legio Cisalpina, after my brother Caius. When the Gauls revolted leaded by Vercingetorix I fought the first time at Cenabum with the XIII Legio. Thenafter in Alesia, when my brother knew that I was there, he managed to aggregate me to a Centuria of the X Legio. Caius was with Ceasar from when he was Propraetor in Hispania. From this moment he stayed continuously in the X Legio. He loved Ceasar. Firstly Legionarius, then Centurio, then Primipilus... Caius died at Pharsalus. On top a pile of Pompeiani pile... a spear passed through his mouth coming out from his nape… “
He stopped again.. the image of the death of his brother cames to his mind… a quick moment of concussion, then he looked at me and restarted to tell his story:
“ What I am starting to tell you begin from when Ceasar was informed that Helvetii left their lands and started to move towards Gallia. My brother told me all the events. Listen Caius Asinius Pollio… listen stories of sacrifices and blood, but also stories of heroic deeds and glory… “
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Originally Posted by bomberboy
