Drabble: Conflict

[artyartie]

Only one drabble this week for rome100. Set shortly before 'These Beings the Words...'

***

Generals and soldiers weren’t the only ones to wage war. A single voice could overpower a volley of arrows, a single pen could shatter the strength of a thousand swords.

Cicero’s hand hovered over a white expanse, where flickering lamplight cast hesitant shadows. So many years since he had taken up the charge, an imperator of passions and ideals, and so much grief in those years.

He no longer had the luxury of doubt. Brutus and Cassius struck down the first tyrant with their daggers; Cicero would strike down the second with his best and only weapon – his words.

Comments

[jhd91.livejournal.com]

Is this referring to the diatribe he wrote to Antony that was read in the Senate?

Excellent as always.

[artyartie.livejournal.com]

Yup - 2nd Philippic for the win! Though it's the best of the set (fourteen total, I believe), it's sad that the producers of Rome failed to mention that he wrote far more against Antony, and delivered all except the second in person. It's utterly tragic that we never got to see Cicero's oratorical skill in practice. But that's another post entirely... But thank you!

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I like.

You familiar with Dylan Thomas? This reminds me of one of his poems.

[artyartie.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Maybe if I can get my hands on it, we can have a Rome fest before I leave.

I'm familiar with a few of Thomas' poems - of which one did it remind you?

[ainsley.livejournal.com]

This one:

The hand that signed the paper felled a city;
Five sovereign fingers taxed the breath,
Doubled the globe of dead and halved a country;
These five kings did a king to death.

The mighty hand leads to a sloping shoulder,
The finger joints are cramped with chalk;
A goose's quill has put an end to murder
That put an end to talk.

The hand that signed the treaty bred a fever,
And famine grew, and locusts came;
Great is the hand that holds dominion over
Man by a scribbled name.

The five kings count the dead but do not soften
The crusted wound nor pat the brow;
A hand rules pity as a hand rules heaven;
Hands have no tears to flow.

[schadenkatze.livejournal.com]

your cicero is always so heartbreaking. Makes me want to watch the entire series again through your eyes.

Lovely, as usual.

K

[artyartie.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! That is one of the most touching comments I've ever received.