Execution of Flavius Julius Corvenus - Tarpeian Rock

[Merula]

Marcus arrives first at the rock, followed close behind him are his lictors. He was the first to arrive, befitting of his rank, and he sat himself down on a stool one of his men had brought with him, and waited.

The sun was burning hot, but the cool breeze made the heat more bearable. He calls for a glass of water.

'The gods are smiling', Marcus thought grimly, even though the man was a traitor, Marcus still felt uncomfortable about his former friends execution. 'But it has to be done...'

[High Flying Dwarf]

Marcus Sergius Lucanus is next to arrive, he nods to his fellow namesake and waits alongside his lictor and a trusted servant

"Justice shall be done this day..."

[dragoon47]

That depends on your interpretation of justice...

Lucius had been sitting on a nearby rock, looking up at the sky.

[Maiar93]

Flavius arrived at the Rock earlier than expected. He walked slowly, and was deep in thought... he came near to Lucius, and whispered:

We are living dark times, and even darker are to come. Lucius Valerius, remember who the enemy is. Lucius..after I am dead. Will you promise you will defend Rome?

And he walked to the rocks, sitting down, waiting for the prosecution.

[dragoon47]

I will...

Lucius never liked the man, at times he even hated him, but his gens does not deserve the Rock, right now, that fact is all that matters.

[Merula]

Marcus sees Corvenus, after he finishes his conversation with Poplicola he walks over to the doomed man.
Taking him aside by the arm he talks to him in a voice so that none may here them.

"Corvenus, I used to count you as a friend, even though you betrayed my trust I still remember many of the good things you did for me. As a result I wish to give you something, a parting gift if you will."

Marcus pulls his hand out of his toga, in his hand a white cloth. The edge of the cloth falls away a bit and Corvenus can see sharp silver metal of the dagger.

Marcus gestures for him to take it, "Use it Julius, you do not deserve to die like a common rapist, you were better than that, and I think you still are. I know you may think you could kill me now with this knife, and I would not blame you, but I would rather hope you did not. He smiles grimly. Die with honour Julius, as a true Roman should."


He gestures with the cloth package once more, wondering if the man will take it or not....

[Maiar93]

Hah, I thank you Marcus. I will not betray your trust. I will see you in the afterlife, friend... He waited until Marcus had walked to his original standing place, and he silently put the dagger on his heart and struck it in. Before he fell on the road, he managed to pull the dagger off and throw it off the Tarpeian Rocks, and it fell..fell down many meters, giving no noise as it landed on the grass.

"A lot of...thinking for them." , he thought, and the last thought escaped his mind and left him dead, and still he had the same smile on his face which he entered the prosecution with.

[Crozimodo]

Lurco made his way as fast as he could to the top of that dreaded place, even being there as a witness brought a chill to his bones; the Gods only knew what Corvenus must have been feeling. He was breathing heavily the attack in the Basilica had caught him off guard and he was helped along by a lictor, he didn't know what it was or what caused it, but that was a problem for another day. He hoped he wasn't too late to see the cur thrown from the Tarpeia not when he had waited years to bring him down, the two had been intertwined it seemed; from their joint consulship to their mutual animosity towards one another. But Lurco had won as he had against Corvenus' father. As he crested the brow of the site he saw shook him, Corvenus lay on the ground blood seeping from him into a dark pool that outlined his figure. Rage blossomed inside Lurco spreading in a bloom reminiscent of the pool that Corvenus now lay in, he had been robbed of what he rightly deserved. He would not allow it.

How had Dives allowed this to happen?

As the prosecutor it had been his job to exact punishment on Corvenus yet someone had got to him first; disgraceful. Unthinkable. But there was still time to remedy the situation, he had to rally those who shared his enmity towards the criminal. He pulled himself away from the lictor staggering but managing to stay upright,

That will do for now, I am capable I am sure. But I have another task for you: You must find Senators Dives and Caldus and the Praetor, see them too me we have not come this far in pursuit of Roman justice in order to see us falter now. The punishment must be carried out justly.

The lictor hurried away and Lurco forced himself to put one foot in front of another until he reached Lucanus, Senator, you and I have not met but might I trouble you to help an old man stay on his feet. The pain was receding but Lurco needed a majority with him at this crucial moment, he feigned a groan and swayed as Lucanus grabbed hold of him to keep him upright Lurco whispered into his ear, Senator Lucanus you convicted this man and he tries to deny proper punishment, I have sent word to those who would see true justice done, when they arrive will you see Roman honour restored and assist us?

[High Flying Dwarf]

Hearing the words of the ageing and ailing senator, Marcus simply nodded and whispered back

"Of course, I would do anything it takes to restore Roman honour, It would be an honour to assist you"

[Crozimodo]

Then we wait, soon the Consul and Praetor will rally to our cause, Gods willing. Failing that it will be down to us.

Lurco stood, an arm around Lucanus to keep him upright, to those present it was impossible to see beyond his fall as to what really took place.

[Kubrick]

Caius walked up the rock at a very relaxed pace, enjoying the sun on this particularly hot day. It had taken him some time to get away from his house. Apparently Corvenus had some supporters and they weren't too happy with his conviction. Luckily he was both strong and sneaky. When he finally arrived at the top he walked towards the other senators, he began to talk but abruptly stopped as he saw Corvenus' lifeless body.
'Greetings. My apologies for my delay, there where some thi-..' He stared at the body. 'How? Who has failed so badly that someone managed to kill Corvenus?' He looked around him, his face red with anger. 'Or was it suicide? It doesn't matter. Someone has failed!'

He stepped towards Lurco and whispered in his ear. 'What, by the name of the gods, happened in my absence?' His tone was slightly mad but still nice towards his friend.

[War lord]

The Consul arrives, and notices Corvenus slowly bleeding to death on the grass.

Good Gods, the bastard can't even die right! Quick dump him over before he dies on us.

[Nota']

Spurius hikes up the Capatoline until he reaches the the southern side and was presented with an interesting scene. He worked out what had happened immediatly, the man had commited suicide at the most dramatic time possible, the lust for glory with him to the end. After all, no one would murder a man about to be flung from the rock. The Praetor walks towards the body and bends down.

Dipping his hands in the pool of blood surrounding Corvenus he straightens back up. Holding his bloodied hands high in the air he shouts, What men among you are noble enough to assist me in exacting justice upon this traitor. He thinks he can escape through suicide, I say we grant him no such comfort!

[dragoon47]

He's right you know, he's dead already, he got himself in the heart. Shame that he died before he was tossed, I guess that means he's acquitted himself. Lucius walked away, bearing his customary smirk on his way back to the city.

[Elendil of Númenor]

“Haven't you killed him enough already?” came an old and hoarse voice from behind them. As the men turned they could see Senator Lucius Scaurus, sneering at them. He was seventy-nine, one of the oldest, usually silent members of the Senate. “He's dead or unconscious at the least. Lying in his own pool of blood and dirt on the Tarpeian Rock. If he couldn't even manage to kill himself properly, all he'll start doing is vomit and die a slow and painful death, not knowing about himself anyway. Corvenus isn't here any longer. He doesn't know what's going on, and you're not doing anything. This is all humiliating enough for any Roman, not to mention a consular who wasn't so unpopular in the city. Just dig a hole and throw him in.”
The old man turned to walk away. Before taking a step he slowly spun around again to look at them, slightly leaning to his right. His left foot wasn't so good.
“You know, I've seen a lot of things during eight long decades, but I've never seen anything as utterly disgusting as what you are doing here.”
He turned again, and slowly limped away.

[Crozimodo]

Lurco snorted in disbelief, There was a time when a Roman was allowed an honourable death if it were by his own hand. This traitor besmirches that noble tradition by attempting to escape his punishment. By attempting to die as a Roman of some decency which he is by no means, as was proved in a legal court of law. This debasement of law cannot stand.

He turned to those still assembled at the cliff face, Let us, noble Senators see to it that the Gods are properly appeased. The madman, the cur, the traitor feels that he could escape the rock by suicide. Let us give him no such escape. Let us see that Roman justice is rightly served. We must cast him from this place for his body to be abused and debased by all those who feel wronged by him, the people of Rome must visit their own justice on this man whose name must never be spoke of again! And then let the carrion peel the flesh from his bones so that all will know the ultimate punishment of defiling Rome and her people.

Gathering his strength he moved forward he gestured to those present to assist him. Between them they pull the bloodied body up each taking different parts of the body, they reached the edge and at a nod from Lurco cast the corpse unceremoniously from the precipice. Each watched entranced as the body seemed to hang longer than normal, the dead man's smirk still on his lips. Lurco sneered as he watched that smile drop for the last time out of his life. Each Senator turned to the other showing signs of a bond that had carried them through to this moment of victory. Lurco gripped Dives by the shoulder, Well done my boy, you did well to crush him. It seems the Senate sees a rise of a new star perhaps. But we still have work to do, we must raze that mans house to the ground and destroy all trace of him. Senators if you will join me in this then follow, for it is best that this is done sooner rather than later. Consul and Praetor your lictors may be necessary to hold back those who have ill feeling towards us. Will you lend me your aid one final time?

[War lord]

Aye!

Aulus motions to his Lictors.

Let us purge all traces of this sickness from Rome!

[Nota']

Spurius overheard Lurco. My dear friend, I think you shall find that my lictors are taking care of that now, for I assigned them to destroy the building as soon as they had escorted the convict to the rock.