Funeral games, 89 BCE (sponsor: Lucius Cornelius Scipio)

[Oznerol]

AD HONOREM DRUSUS
Rome, year 664 ad urbe condita (89 BCE). Year of the consulate of Albinus and Lepidus.

Lucius Cornelius Scipio had proclaimed in the rostra that some games would be held in Drusus' honor some time ago. And he delivered. Gladiatorial fights would be held for whole two days, both honoring the fallen tribune and gens Cornelia Scipiones. The senator funded the games with his own purse and that money obtained from Pinaria's prosecution and confiscation. One of Roma's temporal wooden amphitheaters serves as the games scenary, holding several fights each day. The senator has brough expert gladiators from Capua and some barbarians from abroad, including several eye-catching, tall and blonde Gauls who fought entirely naked. However, the duels on the arena weren't the only atraction prepared by the Scipio, he also had ordered great tables to be placed in the forum itself and public banquets were to be held at the senator's expense; every citizen would be able to feast, eat and drink on Drusus' memory. Even a fountain was prepared to pour wine and cider, instead of water, and public decorations commemorating both the Scipiones and Drusus were erected in prominent places.

The amphitheater was suitably prepared for the fight and Scipio had even arranged some special scenery for the fights, including false rocks, a water stream, trees, palm trees and a wooden shrine. The gladiators, master of their art, would replay some famous events from Roman History, including some specially selected from the campaigns of the most famous Scipiones: Asiaticus, Africanus and Numanticus. A fake palisade would be defended by several gladiators wearing Numantine (or so the audience would believe) armor, while being attacked by a team masquerading as the Romans of Scipio Aemilianus. The arena was presided by a statue of Drusus himself acompanied by that of his father, the consul, and some of Lucius Cornelius' famous kinsmen.

Day 1:
-Inauguration of the games: Sacrifices to Phoebus and Mercury. Speech by the sponsor, Lucius Cornelius Scipio.
-1st Fight: Thracians against Samnites.
-2nd Fight: A lion, some wolves and a bear against some gladiators.
-A dramatic scene: The Story of Cybele and Attis (including the final castration of Attis recreated on stage). With chorus.
-3rd Fight: The victory over Hannibal at Zama.
-4th Fight: The victory over Antiochus III at Magnesia.

Day 2:
-Sacrifices in the memory of Drusus.
-1st Fight: Marcus Livius Drusus the Elder's victory over the Scordisci.
-2nd Fight: The Conquest of Numantia.
-A dramatic scene: The Story of Atalanta (race included). With chorus.
-3rd Fight: A Thracian against a boar (The Fourth Labour of Heracles: Capture of the Erymanthian boar)
-4rd Fight: A bloody encounted between the remaining gladiators.
-Closure by the sponsor, Lucius Cornelius Scipio.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Sextus Cornelius Sulla, a sympathizer with Drusus and his cause, attends the event.

[Oznerol]

Some time ago...

Lucius Cornelius Scipio's domus was flooded with clients, visitors and retailers. The senator had been dealing with them all morning, an exhausting bussiness... He had to purchase modii of wine, grain and living cattle for feeding the plebs during the games. Certainly, he was trying to minimize expenditures, by requesting supplies to several of his clients who had some farms outside Rome itself. He had dozens of tabulae cerae covered with scribblings, detailing every expense, purchases and stored items. One of his clients, who had his lands some miles away from Rome, had provided a number of lambs, including two purely white ones that would be sacrified to the Gods themselves. Scipio himself had to almost spoil his lands in Italy, bringing whatever was deemed necessary. The most troublesome affair had been bringing a palm tree from Africa, through an agent of senator Metellus himself (ooc: this is just a friendly reference to Rhapture). The senator had put to work all his domestic slaves, who were painting wood and making part of the decoration; Vergix the Gaul, one of his favorite servants, was providing an invaluable advice about how to do a "barbarian" hillfort. Workers, like ants, carried away statues, reliefs and other artworks, most of them from the senator's personal collection, inclduing a particularly fine portrait of Africanus himself. Scipio scratched his head, trying to figure out how many pots, bowls and jars would be required for the banquet and who should impersonate his own ancestor, Asiaticus, during one of the scenes.

He sighed...

Another day.

Capua had, for long, been the heart of the gladiatorial games in all Italy, acting as its main supplier of manpower. The senator had to endure a terrible weather on the road, covering the distance between Roman and Capua in a litter. He cursed loudly after sneezing twice, foreseeing a nasty cold would surely ensue. The dealings with the gladiatorial schools was hard and lenghty, to the dismay of the aged and probably ill senator. Haggling like an old crone he managed to hire a good number of gladiators who would fight during the two days of games. Some were pretty interesting and surely would amaze the crowd. When the day ended, Scipio was mauled, ill and seriously exhausted, having to remain bedridden for almost a week afterwards. Fortunately, Calpurnia's soup always eased his suffering; the elderly woman had known him since he was a kid. He cursed every single hour spent in that dammed city and swore to never come back.

Some day...

He had bought a slave to impersonate Attis. The man would be castrated, but such is the life of the spectacle, he was bought for a cheap price, being a rebellious and unruly property. A fine purchase, none less, the man was rather handsome and had catched his eye almost immediately. The scene had everything the masses loved and it was inspired on an Asian myth, which pleased Scipio a lot. Atalanta would be played by a muscular and blonde Gaul woman, who he had found at the domus of one of his clients. Certainly, he would have to pay something to the owner for renting his slave for a day, but not much... he hoped.

Yet another day...

The animals were quite troublesome. They weren't hard to find, for none were truly exotic (boars, bears, wolves) but they were now caged in his garden and the noise had kept Scipio awake for days; once he tried to drink himself to stupor, without success. The howling was terrible. Bag-eyed, the senator tried to complete the remaining tasks in order to complete the preparations for the game. However, not without incidents as he had fallen asleep while doing some calculations and had almost started a fire with his brazier. Increasingly tired Scipio cursed again his own idea, remembering his mother's words about "being too ambitious is no good, Lucius". Fortunately, the old matrona had chosen long ago to live in his villa, far away from Roma. His son particularly loved the idea. Finally came dawn and found the senator peacefully snoozing over his desk...

[General Brewster]

"Sextus!" Marcus exclaimed while walking into the balcony watching the games accompanied by his lictors.

[Oznerol]

The Temple of Apollo, built long ago by Gnaeus Iulius Mento and restored by Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, was a favored shrine by the gens Cornelii Scipiones, more so considering that the statue of the god himself had shed tears three whole days after Scipio Aemillianus died. That morning, Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiagene sacrificed a white bull (who hooves and horns had been gilded) before the temple's bronze gates and donated an amount of money for the shrine's maintenance. The senator was known to be very devoted to Phoebus, who his family had worshipped piously for many years. The ceremony was repeated, this time with a white lamb instead of a bull, in Mercury's temple, between the Aventine and the Palatine. Once the sacrifices were finally done, Scipio moved to the amphitheater, where, as a sponsor, was expected to do an initial allocution.

"People of Roma, my words aren't wind. I promised I would return the wealth of the murderer, that abhorrent Pinaria, to you, citizens. And here we are!"

He gestured, open arms, towards the spectators gathered there. There he was, wearing his toga, on the box, addressing the populace.

"We are to honor tribune Drusus, who died by the foul conspiration of some madmen, he, who was your champion and hero. Today, we remember him, today we will honor his memory. This is an act of remembrance, and act of piety towards a fallen countryman, a citizen felled by an evil misdeed when he was still on his prime. Today, like our ancestors did, we will honor the fallen by shedding the blood of valiant gladiators! Today, people of Rome, we will behold life and death themselves! Many will die in the arena, some may live to fight another day. Maybe one shall achieve freedom"

A slave shows the spectators a wooden sword resting in a purple cushion.

"But it is your choice, truly. Men of Rome, today they fight not only to honor Drusus, but to honor you! Those who are brave and worthy shall be pardoned if you wish so, those who don't demonstrate valour or aplomb shall face death, a death of the unworthy, of the craven. Only the bests shall survive! And you, Romans, will witness it. Beasts, gods, heroes and heroines shall step into the arena! We shall watch old stories, old triumphs, old tales in this arena"

The senator walked towards the statue of Drusus, on the box.

"Champion of the Plebe, Tribune, senator, hero. You shall be remembered. You shall be honored..."

He walked again to the middle of the box.

"Like heroes of old. Today is a day of remembrance, of honoring our ancestors, our heroes, like Drusus the Elder, victor against the barbarian hordes, or my kinsmen, Africanus, Asiaticus and Numanticus. Today we feast, today we rejoice in our glory, Romans. Sons and daughters of the She-Wolf, heirs of Aeneas and Romulus, rejoice, for this city today shall feast! Shall honor the departed! And I will feast with you! I salute you, people of Roma, let's the games begin! For Roma!"

[Pontifex Maximus]

Lucius finds that the total sum of money he would need for the individual entertainments would be as follows:

For the gladiatorial displays: 400 denarii per fight

For the dramatic displays: 300 per play

For the sacrifices: 200 per sacrifice

these were all random rolls.

[Oznerol]

-1st Fight: Thracians against Samnites.

The sun was high the sky when the first gladiators entered the arena; half of them wore the attire commonly known as Thracians, while the other half was armored in the Samnite fashion. The Thracians glittered under the sun, catching reflections from the polished helmets and greaves; the Samnites were heavily armed, with their large rectangular shields and fearsome short swords, their plumed helmets added some magnificence to their gear. After they saluted the sponsor, Lucius Cornelius Scipio, they started a pitched and bloody battle in the arena. The gladiators, coming from Capua, were highly profesionals, and knew how to fight in fashionable, but still pretty bloody, way, they knew the spectators loved bloodshed over everything else and soon the sand was covered in blood; most the cuts were superficial, so the fight could last longer. There was a particularly interesting duel between two gladiators, who ignoring everyone else were mauling each other without mercy. The audience cheered and roared when one beheaded the other and when a third was ruthlessly nailed to the arena by his foe, to later witness how the victorious gladiator was finally cut down by two Thracians. The fight was intense and brutal until only three fighters were still standing. The duel that ensued would be remembered long in Roma, for the remaining Samnite, even if outnumbered, managed to kill both his opponents after being badly wounded during the first stages of the fight. Bloodied but alive, he saluted the crowd, who roared with excitement... Blood had been spilled, noon was coming to an end and still many more entertainments remained.

-2nd Fight: Damnatio ad bestias.

The first fight had awaken the blood thirst of everyone on the amphitheater, but the second would raise the excitement to the roof: a fight between men and beasts. A symbolic representation of the fight between manhood and nature, civilization and wilderness. Scipio gestured towards the animal handlers, who released the first round of beasts in an arena decorated with rocks, trees and even a Gaulish menhir. Only three gladiators participated, one was a murmillo, while the other two were hoplomachus; the murmillo was an impresive man, an imposingly tall Gaul, with an ample and muscular chest who was the delight of men and women alike in the amphiteather. Wolves entered the arena from four points at the same time, they soon tried to circle the gladiators, who swiftly rushed forward, quickly killing two wolves. The remaining beasts adopted a more cautious approah and, to the audience's delight, one ripped off one of the hoplomachus' neck, who fell to the dust bleeding profusely. However, the remaining gladiators managed to kill every wolf. The spectators leaned on the benches, excited about the next beast, a magnificent lion, with a golden mane and fierce maw. This time, the gladiators' victory was hard fought, for the econd hoplomachus was gutted by the lion. The Gaul, the murmillo, was covered in blood and bleeding from several superficial cuts when Scipio raised from his chair.

"People of Roma, behold the last fight: the Gaul against the most powerful beast lurking in his homeland's mist-covered forests!"

A large and fearsome bear was released. The bear was old, scarred and cunning, the Gladiator was still well-armored and a superb warrior. The bear's charge almost managed to end the fight, but the Gaul managed to dodge the attack. They danced for a while and the blonde fighter was almost torn to pieces a second time, escaping almost unscathed. The spectators catched their breaths, waiting. Finally, the Gaul used his wits and with his broad shoulders pushed the menhir over the bear; distracted, the beast couldn't escape and the Gaul plunged his sword deep into his skull, killing it. He roared triumphally and the crowd applauded with enthusiasm.

-The Story of Attis and Cybele.

Next, and to calm down the audience, a dramatic scene unfolded in the arena. The scenery was surprisingly different from the last one, several columns and even a false stream with flowerbeds now graced the arena. A choir started to narrate the love story between the shepherd, Attis, and the goddess Cybele. The Olympic gods had castrated Agdistis (who was both male and female) and thrown his testicles to the earth below, where it landed grew an almond: then a false wooden rock was openned, revealing such tree, amazing the audience, who clapped. A princess slept beneath the tree and when she awoke, was pregnant. With her swollen belly she sung about his soon-to-born son, who would be destined to love a goddess. After a swift labour, Attis was born and abandoned in the slopes of the mountains. He was nurtured by and tended by a goat and became an incredibly handsome youth. Cybele, passing by, was mesmerized by the boy, who started to develop an infatuation with the goddess, who he could only glance from afar. The actors were pretty good, and the drama ensued when the handsome Attis was betrothed to the King's daughter. However, he catched the eye of his own "father" Agdistis, who appeared again on stage with a thunderous clamor of trumpets, to Cybele's dismay. The goddess argued with Agdistis, both fighting for Attis' love, while the choir remains silent and Attis sleeps under a column. The gods could not reach and agreement, so they agreed to appear in full majesty before Attis, leaving to him the final choice. Next scene had Attis confess his love to a statue of the goddess, but that night Agdistis appears disguised as the goddess and they both make love under the almond. With dawn he had disappeared and then Attis starts a soliloquy praising Cybele's beauty and professing his love for her. However, the wedding day had arrived and Attis was to be wed to the King's daughter; before anything could happen Agdistis and Cybele appeared in full majesty (the choir triumphaly signaled their entrace). Attis swears to love Cybele, but Agdistis reveals how he fooled him and the sheperd lefts the arena in despair. The King's daughter commits suidice; to this point the audience was mesmerized by the convoluted drama. Attis returns to stage (this time a specially chosen slave) and with a short sword cuts his own manhood, bleeding profusely. Another slave, impersonating the King, mourns the fate of his daughter and Attis and also castrates himself (to the spectators' delight). The eunuchs are retired from the arena and the drama ends with Cybele mourning Attis' fate and how he would never be able to laid by her side. Weeping she swears to make him a god and her charioteer.

Not bad...

Thought Scipio as he clapped.

[Oznerol]

-3rd Fight: The victory over Hannibal at Zama.

The day was slowly coming to an end and the last two fights, historical recreations for the public's pleasure, were announced by diligent heralds. Dusk was closing in and the feast paid by Scipio raged outside the amphitheater, still the spectators were excited about the last entertainments that day, they held their breaths when a man riding a white horse and wearing a superb armor entered the arena. The actor, hired specifically by Scipio for that role, resembled Scipio Africanus and he, with a clear voice, announces that the audience would soon witness two of Rome's greatest triumphs, both done by the hand of the Scipiones, the first of which would be his own victory over the fearsome Hannibal at Zama. Lucius nodded, pleased, at the box, sipping some red wine and enjoying the show. Once the "Africanus" left the arena two teams entered it from two different points; the opposing factions were the Carthaginians (the spectators hoot at them) and the Romans, one were hoplomachus, while the others fought in the Samnite fashion. Both sides carefully watched each other's movements before starting the fight, which was as intense as the previous one. The gladiators did team work, fighting in unison like a small army. The Carthaginians had the upper hand during most the fight, having killed swiftly two of the best Roman gladiators, but Scipio naturally had hired some veteran duelists to fight in the Roman side, they rallied their teammates and started an agressive offensive against the emboldened Carthaginians. Soon, three Carthaginians had yielded (they were refused mercy by the bloodthirsty crowd, to Scipio's dismay) to the increasingly more sure-footed Romans. The fight continued for a while, slow-paced but wild and bloody, leaving the sand completely red from the spilled blood. The Romans finally won, only by a hair, and the remaining Carthaginians were offered mercy by the spectators (to Scipio's relief), the bodies of the deceased being carried away with hooks. An herald announced the last fight and entertainment of the day: the battle of Magnesia.

-4th Fight: The victory over Antiochus III at Magnesia.

This time a man impersonating Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus (namesake and great-grandfather of the sponsor) rode into the arena, proudly describing the battle when the King of Kings, Antiochus III Megas, was defeated by Roma, ending the hegemony of the Syrian realm over the Eastern Mediterranean. His speech appealed to patriotism and bravery in the battlefield against insurmountable odds. After the brief speech again two opposing teams of gladiators entered the arena, prepared to fight to the death; and they did. It was quite late and the sunset was leaving the world in shadows, the battle was lit by tochers and oil lamps, but the gladiators knew the battle had to be fast, intense and even bloodier than the last if they wanted to retain the public's undivided atention. They plunged to each other's throats immediately and the first blood was spilled in the first two minutes, in a particularly impresive fashion when a man lost his arm below the elbow. The battle was evenly matched and Scipio almost bite off his nails in anxiety. He sighed in relief when his "great-grandparent's army" could finally overcome and defeat the last Seleucid. The senator applauded and bid farewell to the people of Rome, inviting them to the banquet outside, to eat and drink at his expense. Tomorrow a second round of various entertainments would ensue along a sacrifice in the name of Drusus, at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus.

End of the First Day.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Sextus enjoyed the spectacles, even those that were clearly designed to glorify the aedile's family history. The gladiators fought cleanly and to the death, who could want more?

[Oznerol]

The temple of Jupiter stood on the Capitoline Hill, domineering the whole city with its imposing facade. Lucius Cornelius Scipio ascended the stairs, followed by a bull prepared for sacrifice, it was large, white and wore the full sacrificial regalia; the hooves and its horns had been painted with gold. The senator offered the large beast to the supreme god in Roma and the bull was sacrificed in memory of Marcus Livius Drusus, its life ended by a swift and unforgiving hammer. The omens were seemingly good and the second day of celebrations could begin. Soon afterwards Scipion again presided the openning of the games from the decorated box. This time, a statue of Marcus Livius Drusus the Elder was displayed in a prominent place, next to a wonderfully sculpted bronze portrait of Scipio Aemilianus. Today, ostraka are distributed among the spectators, every one of them with a number on it; the meaning of it would be revealed later, but the public was told to keep the ostracon with them.

"People of Roma, let the second day of games begin! In the memory of our forebears and the beloved tribune, Marcus Livius Drusus. Again today shall blood be spilled in the honor of our revered Drusus, whose death we mourn every single day. People of Roma, honor the departed and rejoice with this second day of entertainments!"

He gestured and a clamor of trumpets inaugurated the second day of the games held in honor of the slaughtered tribune.

-1st Fight: Marcus Livius Drusus the Elder's victory over the Scordisci.

The tribune's father had been elected consul and valiantly defeated the Scordisci in Thrace, even pushing them across the Danube. Again, two teams of gladiators appeared on the arena and started a ruthless melee before the excited eyes of the gathered crowd, Scipio included. This time, the gladiators posing as Scordisci was mixed group of heavily and lightly armoured fighters, facing a group of Samnites, pretending to be the late consul' legionaries. The versatile but less durable Scordici tried to pick up the heavily armoured Romans one by one, some of them even had two-handed Thracian falx, which made a quick work of two Roman shields, their bearers meeting a deadly fate soon afterwards. However, most the Scordisci were lightly armored and soon half of them laid dead in the arena. It seemed Roma would win again over the barbarians, but the falx proved to be too much for the Samnite-armoured gladiators, the last one yielding with his hand lost to the sharp and unforgiving edge of the Thracia blade. Scipio sighed as the spectators deemed the wounded men unworthy and were swiftly dispatched and carried away with meat hooks, leaving a bloody trial in the already soaked sand. Trumpets signalled the exit of the triumphant Scordisci and the beginning of the second fight.

-2nd Fight: The Conquest of Numantia.

The longuest fight in the games, the recreated siege of Numantia, which only could be ended by Scipio Aemilianus, the previous century's greatest hero. A palisade had been erected in the middle of the arena, surrounded by trees and rocks. A hut symbolized the populous capital of the Numantians. Gladiators, dressed as Iberians, ocuppied the "fortress", while a large number of gladiators posing as Romans "besieged" it. Outnumbered, the Numantians had still the advantage of their walls, that created two choke points that could only be won after a bloody duel. Certainly, the Romans lost a score of their number in the assault, but the walls could be breached. Once inside the small village the defenders were swiftly defeated, cornered or killed. Still, only very few of the Romans remained standing and two were likely badly wounded. The victory had been hard fought, bravery and skill had been displayed repeatedly on both sides and the defenders had proudly refused to yield and fought against the odds. Their behaviour was properly rewarded by the spectators, who mercifully spared the fallen gladiators, who were applauded for their valiant performance in the arena. Scipio applauds as well, pleased.

-A dramatic scene: The Story of Atalanta (race included). With chorus.

The virgin huntress, Atalanta, appeared on the arena, her attire revealing one of her splendid breasts to the audience's delight. The choir narrated how the goddess Diana had sent the Caledonya bear, which had ravaged the countryside, after being offended by the King of those lands. Atalanta had thus joined a company of heroes (who then entered the arena) to kill the beast, including Meleager, who declared her lust for Atalanta to the spectators. A fake fight ensued against a wooden boar, beautifully choreographed. Once the fighting was done, Atalanta claimed the boar's pelt, angering two of the slayers who tried to rape and kill her. Even if those men were his kin, Meleager killed them in another choreographed scene, only to be killed by the curse of his own mother (sung by the choir, the same as the day before), finally dying in Atalanta's loving arms. Atalanta's father then appeared on the arena, both meeting again after many years; the father then demands that his daughter must marry a man of his choice. Atalanta refuses alleging that she would only marry a suitor if he could outrun her in a footrace, whoever failed would be killed by her own hand. The choir describes how many men died after being defeated until a young, astute and beautiful man appears, Hippomenes. The race ensued and the cunning suitor tricked Atalanta with several golden apples. Defeated, she married him. However, she had fallen in love with Hippomenes and both were married for many years. Atalanta and Hippomenes reappear, after years of union, and start making love under a statue of Venus. The choir, impersonating the goddess, curses the lovers who are turned into lions: both actors disappeared behind a painted rock, leaving the scene, while the animal handlers release a pair of lions. It was known lions could not mate and thus both lovers would, sadly, be always separated, never being able to make love again.

I chose Atalanta's actress quite well.

Thought Scipio as the choir signalled the end of the scene.

[Oznerol]

-3rd Fight: A Thracian against a boar (The Fourth Labour of Heracles: Capture of the Erymanthian boar)

Heralds announced the fourth fight, another damnatio ad bestias, this time the fight of a gladiator against a large boar. The hand-picked gladiator is a colossal man, with crooked nose and a full beard. He wears a lion's pelt over his head and wields a fearsome mace. He wears little armor and walks into the arena practically naked, saluting the crowd with his mace. Amidst a loud clamor of trumpets a large and fearsome boar is released. Hungry and furious the animal charges, trying to gut the gladiator from below; the man managed to avoid the charge, trying to deliver a well-timed blow to the beast. However, the gladiator wasn't Hercules after all and his mace did little damage to the thick-skinned animal, which then tried again to trample him, this time with more success. Once in the dust, the would-be Hercules was mauled, with the boar's tusks piercing his leg and opening a large wound on his shoulder. Still, the gladiator was resourceful and thrusted the whole face into the animal's mouth, he then struggled with the boar, covering everything with their mixed blood. Finally, Hercules managed to gain the upper hand and could slay the beast. Badly wounded, he had to limp towards the exit as he received the public's applause.

-4rd Fight: A bloody encounter between the remaining gladiators.

Any gladiator still standing entered the arena. Their armors had been throughfully polished, the swords carefully sharpened and the flesh, oiled. The Gaul, victor over the beasts, Rhascuporis wielding his two-handed falx, a large Nubian who had fought for Carthague, a short and dark skinned Italian, a long-haired Iberian, thin of limbs and agile and a pale, muscular and bearded Greek. All saluted the sponsor, who nodded in return, giving the signal for the fight to begin. All were hardened, strong, skilled gladiators and whoever won could very well sleep as a free man that night. There would be no mercy, none would be asked, none would be delivered: Death became Queen of the arena once more and her worshippers were willing to make a sacrifice. The public looked in awe as the melee starts, as vicious and unforgiving as expected. The Iberian and the Greek killed each other after a short fight, and the Nubian was dismembered by the falx and beheaded by the Italian. In turn, the Italian met his end at the hands of the Gaul, whose long moustache hangs soaked with blood, as his ample chest. Only the falx-wielding Thracian, with somber eyes and think, black hair, and the tall, blonde Gaul remained, facing each other like cats. Both had a dozen cuts and left a trail of blood drops in their way; they had to finish the fight, sooner than later, for they would run of strenght soon. They danced, steel in hand, around each other, looking, seeking a gap in the other's defenses. The Thracian was fast, the Gaul, stronger. The crowd catched their breaths, betting who would win and when. The excitement soaked the spectators like spilled wine. Finally, the Gaul simply allowed the Thracian to disarm him, moment he used to throw away the falx; he then trew himself over the Thracian, and like lovers he rolled around the arena: biting, punching and kicking. Scipio leaned forward on the seat, his interest piqued by the bloody fight. The Thracian managed to break the Gaul's embrace and managed to grab his weapon... only to find the Gaul's sword protuding from his neck. Roaring triumphally, the Gaul received the crowd applause. The sponsor granted him the wooden sword and Cunobelinos, covered in blood and sweat, was crowned victor and became a free man; patrician women awaited him in bed that night and coin would be flowing into his purse for days. The Gallia Narbonensis awaited him; maybe he could, after all, know peace. A plot of land, a wife, children... Who knows. Fortuna audaces iuvat.

Lastly, after the corpses were removed, a large pot was brought into the arena, full of ostraka with numbers engraved on it, three slaves brought the three golden apples used during the story of Atalanta. Heralds announced that the purely golden apples would be raffled among all the citizens there gathered. Scipio and his young wife descended into the arena and she picked the three winners, while the crowd hailer her beauty. The apples had Scipio's and Drusus' names engraved on its surface. Once back in the box, Scipio raised his hands, ready for the closure.

-Closure by the sponsor, Lucius Cornelius Scipio.

"Citizens! For two days you have feasted, witnessed the dance macabre of the gladiators' fights. Two days when we honored our beloved tribune, Marcus Livius Drusus. We honored him as our ancestors did since the dawn of this city. Do not forget his sacrifice, people of Roma, the death of Drusus cannot be in vain"

He gestured to emphasize to his speech.

"He died for all of us. To make a better Roma. Only the wanton ambitions, the schemes of murderers and plotters could end his noble life and his equally noble deeds. People of Roma, he bled for you, he died for you and that is a worthy sacrifice, a worthy objective. Citizens! While Drusus' memory lives on, you shall know no fear. While his legacy is remembered you shall not be afraid, you shall be free"

He placed the hands on his hips.

"Romans! There are still many who wish no good for this city, ambitious wastrels and mongrels who would make this city bleed to pave the way of their ambitions. But you shall not worry, for there are many who still fight for this Res Publica, who would give their lifes for this very city and its people. Romans! I have offered you these games not only to honor Drusus' memory, to honor his legacy, but also to honor you! All of you! My forebears fought for you, Romans, and I am willing to do the same, every single day"

His voice was clear, his accent perfect, his manners, exquisite, composed.

"Today we honor Drusus. Today, we honor Roma, our mistress, our love, our mother. People of Roma, remember these days as a token of my devotion towards this city and as a symbol of our shared respect towards a man who died on his prime and whose murdered stained the heart of Roma with his hallowed blood. People of Roma, with men like Drusus at your head you shall only know victory, glory, triumph. Let's celebrate tonight these times to come! Let's remember these days! I hereby declared this games to be concluded! People of Rome, leave with my blessings! Feast while the night is still young and the owls are sleeping!"

He eagerly awaited the crowd's answer, with open arms.

[General Brewster]

The consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus moves to speak with Scipio right after the final fight.

"Well done Scipio. You've done the Republic proud!" He says while extending his arm in the traditional way.

[Oznerol]

The consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus moves to speak with Scipio right after the final fight.

"Well done Scipio. You've done the Republic proud!" He says while extending his arm in the traditional way.

Scipio grabs Lepidus' arm.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the games, Lepidus. Certainly, it took a while to organize; still it's quite rewarding senator. I tried to do my best"

[Pontifex Maximus]

+1 wealth and +1 votes in the next term for the Aedile