Status Updates From The City War (Warriors of R...

Either way, now the man had made a show of not declaring himself emperor in name when he intended to do just that in action. He had so much popular appeal—the people of Rome were so stupid about their leaders . . .

Yeah. 2000 years later and people are still just as stupid.

I didn't realize Caesar's death was like Murder on the Orient Express.

I really like how Brutus handles the pronouns.

The next afternoon they trotted past the guardian phalluses on the gate of the Villa Rustica Bruti and into the outer yard to find two occupants already in place: Tiresias, who was running from the stable to see to the horses, and Cassius, standing in the entryway of the house, senatorial tunic gleaming white and crimson.

Did I read that right? Guardian phalluses? Now I'm intrigued.

Oh, Tiresias. <3 (Again: well done, Starbuck.)

Ahahaha. Mad props to Sam for working "callipygos" appropriately into the narrative.

....he wasn't in the habit of seducing servants any more thsn Cassius would allow himself to be seduced within the city walls. They each had their rules.
But he wanted to be close to someone, wanted to pant and sweat away his frustrations with another body, and Tiresias was so devoted, so young and innocent for all his experinece with the world.

For something so dangerous, it was oddly domestic.

Diocles smiled faintly. "I've never known you to be less than a leader of men. Who do you think you follow?" "I know who I can't follow further."
"Then we're of one mind.

Brutus had killed often enough as a soldier and he'd sent men to die in war as a senator, but the city should have been safe from all that. Rome was inviolable. And Caesar was Rome. And therein lay the problem.

"All the world is a balance, Tiresias. and the only way to maintain it is to be strong and correct."
Big words from the man considering killing a dictator to please his lover.

"So," Cassius said, "a feast tomorrow night, for the locals?"
"Seems a little backwards, debauching their daughters and then inviting the fathers to dine with us," Aristus observed.
Brutus was unperturbed. "Well if anyone comes at us with a club, we'll know not to invite him."

Good dialogue. Subtle, witty.