I've been watching the Ridley Scott film Gladiator (Russell Crowe) a lot recently and felt the need to return from retirement(!) for a short fan-fiction in honor of the rather elegiac 21st Century nod by Scott to the values and social rhetoric in colored Rome and why stories from that time seem to remind us of the 'certainty' of human courage!
Thanks for reading (and Happy Holidays!),
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Remus grew up in Rome (Italy) and learned how to fight with a sword and shield. He was taught this incredible skill by his uncle Cicero. His father, a local minister and governor under Caesar's special cabinet, Hektor, encouraged him to keep learning swordplay from his older brother Cicero, a battle-worn Centurion who served Rome in the fight against the kingdom of Carthage. Therefore, Remus grew up with a sense of strong and honorable fighting skills acquired from the weekly lessons given by his wise uncle Cicero. Remus' mother was killed by wandering bandits when Remus was 4, and he vowed one day to become a mighty and willful soldier of Rome, protecting the empire from the ugliness of anarchy. Remus also loved the ball game "football" which involved kicking and passing and aiming a ball towards the opponent's goal-net area. Remus also learned Latin from his uncle Cicero and by the time Remus reached the adult age of 24, he was an ideal man of skill.
Remus joined the Caesarean Guard in Rome as Centurion Commander at the age of 26 and led a charge agaisnt an invading army from Africa successfully. Remus was favored by the Roman Emperor and was asked to teach Caesar's son (Lucius) how to play football. Remus therefore became a man of laurels in the Roman Empire and was grateful for what he learned from his now-deceased uncle Cicero. It was at this time that Caesar asked Remus to lead a charge against an Arabian army camped outside Rome and seeking territorial gains through negotiations with Caesar. Remus led his Praetorian soldiers to a ransacking of the Arabian army and brought back the Muslim king camped to Caesar's palace. Caesar was pleased and told Remus to take time off duty and continue teaching his son how to play football. Remus was glad, knowing he'd achieved much as a symbolic servant of Rome.
Remus was playing football with Caesar's son Lucius on a bright summer day when he saw a band of Italians trekking through, led by a group of rather beautiful women. He left Lucius and went to greet this band of trekkers. The female leader of this group, a stunningly attractive woman named Linda, told Remus she and her group were trekking throughout the Empire disseminating the teachings of the intriguing religious figure Jesus who was crucified for the sake of his followers. Linda's gentle words touched Remus' heart and he began to fall deeply in love with her. Remus resolved to ask Caesar for retirement so he could follow Linda on her Christian journey. Caesar granted the honored Remus his request but he had to fight a symbolic gladiatorial fight in the Colosseum on behalf of the Praetorian soldiers before departing. Remus reluctantly agreed.
REMUS: I have no choice but to honor Caesar's request.
LINDA: You're a Centurion, not a gladiator!
REMUS: I think Caesar wants me to show everyone I depart with obedience.
LINDA: You could die in the arena, my love...
REMUS: Caesar knows my excellence in fighting and seeks a show of bravado.
LINDA: We've fallen in love and I don't want to lose you to Roman pride!
REMUS: I will follow you (and Christ), but I must depart Rome dutifully.
LINDA: Fight for our future, Remus.
REMUS: I will fight for our destined marriage.
LINDA: Christ be with you, my love!
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Thanks for reading (and Happy Holidays!),
====
Remus grew up in Rome (Italy) and learned how to fight with a sword and shield. He was taught this incredible skill by his uncle Cicero. His father, a local minister and governor under Caesar's special cabinet, Hektor, encouraged him to keep learning swordplay from his older brother Cicero, a battle-worn Centurion who served Rome in the fight against the kingdom of Carthage. Therefore, Remus grew up with a sense of strong and honorable fighting skills acquired from the weekly lessons given by his wise uncle Cicero. Remus' mother was killed by wandering bandits when Remus was 4, and he vowed one day to become a mighty and willful soldier of Rome, protecting the empire from the ugliness of anarchy. Remus also loved the ball game "football" which involved kicking and passing and aiming a ball towards the opponent's goal-net area. Remus also learned Latin from his uncle Cicero and by the time Remus reached the adult age of 24, he was an ideal man of skill.
Remus joined the Caesarean Guard in Rome as Centurion Commander at the age of 26 and led a charge agaisnt an invading army from Africa successfully. Remus was favored by the Roman Emperor and was asked to teach Caesar's son (Lucius) how to play football. Remus therefore became a man of laurels in the Roman Empire and was grateful for what he learned from his now-deceased uncle Cicero. It was at this time that Caesar asked Remus to lead a charge against an Arabian army camped outside Rome and seeking territorial gains through negotiations with Caesar. Remus led his Praetorian soldiers to a ransacking of the Arabian army and brought back the Muslim king camped to Caesar's palace. Caesar was pleased and told Remus to take time off duty and continue teaching his son how to play football. Remus was glad, knowing he'd achieved much as a symbolic servant of Rome.
Remus was playing football with Caesar's son Lucius on a bright summer day when he saw a band of Italians trekking through, led by a group of rather beautiful women. He left Lucius and went to greet this band of trekkers. The female leader of this group, a stunningly attractive woman named Linda, told Remus she and her group were trekking throughout the Empire disseminating the teachings of the intriguing religious figure Jesus who was crucified for the sake of his followers. Linda's gentle words touched Remus' heart and he began to fall deeply in love with her. Remus resolved to ask Caesar for retirement so he could follow Linda on her Christian journey. Caesar granted the honored Remus his request but he had to fight a symbolic gladiatorial fight in the Colosseum on behalf of the Praetorian soldiers before departing. Remus reluctantly agreed.
REMUS: I have no choice but to honor Caesar's request.
LINDA: You're a Centurion, not a gladiator!
REMUS: I think Caesar wants me to show everyone I depart with obedience.
LINDA: You could die in the arena, my love...
REMUS: Caesar knows my excellence in fighting and seeks a show of bravado.
LINDA: We've fallen in love and I don't want to lose you to Roman pride!
REMUS: I will follow you (and Christ), but I must depart Rome dutifully.
LINDA: Fight for our future, Remus.
REMUS: I will fight for our destined marriage.
LINDA: Christ be with you, my love!
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