Twice Loved at Armageddon

Twice Loved at Armageddon, Part XV

Corrina and Farah continue their day in Rome together with a late afternoon at Circus Maximus. A burlesque play about the sacking of Troy is followed briefly by chariot races.  But when gladiators suddenly swarm onto the race course, Farah is sickened by the horrific violence and the crowd's thirst for blood.

Chapter Twenty-Five 

   In Rome Corrina followed Farah with patience as she continued in the market. Farah took special interest in everything from craftsmen’s special tools to surgeon’s knives.  She had even brought her codex and stylus to make notes.  Her books were beginning to dominate the shelves in their rooms at the villa.  When Corrina had waited long enough, she reminded Farah it was now almost mid-afternoon, and they should eat before the races at Circus Maximus.  They dined at a sidewalk restaurant on meat from Spain and fruit from Palestine.  Their guards were given something to eat inside.

   On the way to Circus Maximus they stopped for an outdoor comedy playing.  Players wore traditional masks with smiles turned up to indicate slapstick comedy.  A lecher watched his female companion bend over to retrieve something she had “dropped.”  He reached out and pinched her behind and laughed to the delight of the audience.  She then turned around to him and asked him about future events.  He, in a wild gesture as he spoke, said he would consult her ovaries.  The audience laughed once again.

   He then placed his finger to his head and said, “Perhaps Bacchus meant that I should consult your ‘mammaries.’”

   She then pulled away from him as he made an exaggerated theatrical lunge, reaching out for her breasts with cupped hands.  He fell down in slapstick fashion.

   Corrina looked at Farah and said, “When Flavius and I last lived here, I thought street actors had no imagination.  I could write better skits than the one we just saw.”

   They were back on their way soon after.  Entrance to the Circus Maximus was free on feast days.  Today workers handed out free bread at the entrance.  Corrina could not remember what feast it was.  She ignored the free seating and took Farah where they could see the chariot races better.  She paid for the guards as well.

   At Circus Maximus they sat down near the special seating for the Vestal Virgins.  There was more slapstick comedy before the races.  This time satirists poked fun at Homer’s Iliad.  There were moveable props for Troy’s city walls.  Women with bare chests and masks peered over the walls encouraging their soldiers to fight and enjoy sex when they got home.  Helen’s hair was a gold rope half way down the wall.  Paris had tried to climb up when the Greeks came after him.

   All of the time, he called out for her to rescue him.  At the end of the skit, a wooden horse with exaggerated stomach that almost dragged the ground was pulled up by masked Greek soldiers.  They made wild gestures while protesting they could not fit inside the horse.  So instead a lone dwarf got in. After the Trojans dragged their Greek gift inside, he opened the city gate.  The bridge came down with a thud following a drum roll. While the Greeks charged in, the dwarf was busy fondling women on the walls.  The act moved to the other side of the circus while dancing girls took their places.

   Then on signal, the way was cleared and the sand track smoothed by hordes of workers for the chariot races.  Four drivers in chariots came out with clothing and markings of red, white, blue, and green.  Four more chariots would follow in the next heat.

   As they circled the tracks, Sejanus, the Prefect of Rome’s Praetorian Guard, signaled the beginning of the race.  Drivers cracked whips over horses’ heads to spur them on.  They could ill afford to harm them on the track.  One driver hit a horse too hard. This disrupted their gait and he found himself sailing over the chariot, falling among his horses.  Somehow he escaped death.   Another driver crashed during the third lap.  The remaining drivers traded leads until one pulled ahead in the home stretch.  Corrina rose to cheer her favorite driver as he was first to finish the race.

   Then a last-minute change in the day’s events was announced because too many horses were sick.  Armed men came out with wild animals in pursuit.  Most of them were condemned men unskilled in fighting.  In no time the animals had torn all but two of them apart. Unable to watch men die to entertain others, Farah kept her eyes closed. Time was called and all live men and beasts were escorted off.

   Farah looked to Corrina and asked to leave.  As Corrina agreed with Farah that the games were too gruesome for her as well, gladiators emerged from beneath chambers below the circus.

   They saluted Sejanus and shouted, “To you who stand in the name of the emperor, we, who are about to die, salute you.”

   Before Corrina and Farah could summon their armed escorts and exit the arena, two separate gladiators had subdued their respective opponents: a helmeted fighter and another using a trident.  Behind them, a fighter lay dead, split from neck to groin in a sea of blood. Both vanquished gladiators’ pleas for mercy were ignored by the bored crowd, who turned thumbs down as Farah and Corrina passed them with their backs to the arena.  They didn’t turn back to see what happened next.  The crowd’s roar of approval told them.

   Corrina apologized to her for bringing her.  “Oh, Farah I saw too much killing close up in Palestine.  If I had known there would be fighting today, we would not have come here. Please forgive me from bringing you, my child!”

   Farah hugged her. “It was not your fault, mother.”

   Corrina said further, “Oh, Farah, I do not know how I once enjoyed such sport.  Killing was something happening to someone else. I will never go back to Circus Maximus.” 

   Farah looked up at Corrina. “Let us go home, mother.”

   Farah and Corrina had agreed to say nothing of the gladiator combats as they reclined during their evening meal.  They stuck mostly to their shopping.

   Corrina said in jest to Flavius and Scott, “Our daughter doesn’t yet buy like a Roman.”

   Farah said to Corrina, “Thank you for freeing the Syrian girl and her fiancé.  I hope her husband will earn enough to buy his freedom.”

   Corrina looked over to Flavius and Scott and back to her, “Surprise, my daughter, they are already free.  We will pay them for their work.  I won more than enough betting on our favorite driver Secundis today to pay for all of our purchases, slave and all.  Platonius will pay the slave merchant back tomorrow.”

   Flavius said in relief, “I am glad you saw no gladiators.  Killing for sport now makes me sick.  I have seen far too much blood fighting against men, who too often wanted nothing more than defend hearth and home.  It was my duty.  But now that we are home, I am leaving the army.  It is time to retire with my pension from the army, my investments, and income from our estates.  Till the end of my days, I can reminisce with friends at the forum.  No politics even.”

   At that announcement Corrina rose to walk to Flavius’s couch.  He rose to meet her half way.  “Oh, Flavius, you’ve made me the happiest of women! Now you are mine.”  They stood in long embrace.

   He then kissed her and asked, “You have something to tell me that will make me happy as well?”  He drew back with a look that said, “Tell me your secret.” 

   She then confessed, “I wasn’t sure until the other day.  You are going to have another daughter or son.”

   He looked at Scott and back to Corrina, “It will be a son.  He is another reason why I am retiring to enjoy family life.”  Flavius smiled at her and kissed her again.  They looked at Scott and Farah, who reclined side by side holding each other.

   Smiling, Flavius asked, “Will you two please excuse us for the evening?”

   Scott drew Farah into his arms and kissed her on the couch.  She looked into his eyes and said, “You knew he would have a son, didn’t you?”

   He said, “A son will bring much joy to Flavius and Corrina but sorrow to many unfortunate Jews.  Someday Rome will send him to put down their hopes for freedom.” He turned to her and said, “My dear wife, it is a secret we will keep to ourselves. Is it not?”

   She kissed him and placed her finger to his lips.  Her voice took on a lusty tone.  “We need say no more tonight.”  They then got up and retired to their room.