The Shame of Legio III – a Princeps on trial

**Lucjan** · 08-08-2006, 01:31

*Manius glares at the prosecutor, a kind of fire in his eyes that insinuates had the man asked him such a question in a place much darker and behind a building, he might not come out of the alley.*

"I do not, not obey! Never have I not obeyed..just because the pigman tells me to do things that don't make sense, doesn't mean I don't do them..no. The pigman tells me to guard the river ford...so I guard the river ford. Go take a see, go take a visit, take a vacation to sunny Massilia, only 300 denarrii and a kick in the bum said the man who drank much rum which upset his tum tum tum *HOOT!*. Have a walk around the ford..senator..our tents still sit there..abandoned because you took my legion. Because the pigman never showed up.. I always obeyed pigman's orders before the battle.. But how do I obey him in battle, if he is not actually there? He was probably off rolling in the mud. Not once did his banner fly near that fight *hoot!*."

*Manius's attention then turns to the rather vocal young senator.* "Not in the fancy owl! Dimwit..you never put the spear in the fancy owl! You pray to the fancy owl! The fancy owl *hoot*s victory..The fancy owl is for worship..it is a icon from the gods, given to the senate, then given to the Bathing Legion from Mars himself. Spear goes in the other owl.."

Servius, then, as his father quiets down, speaks briefly to settle some confusion. "If I may, senators...I had visited my father's encampment outside of Massillia once, not too long before the actual battle in question occurred, and there are, indeed, thirteen seperate objects to which the legion referred to as "the owl". And the legionairy eagle was not, the owl my father had a tendency to embed his spear in. And Senator Verginius..if I may, I defend my father not because of the potential stain this issue may have on my name or my grandfather's name, but because, by no fault of his or my own, whether I do so wish it were so or not, he is my father. And I will not abandon my family in its time of need."

**econ21** · 08-08-2006, 02:12

[SENATE SPEAKER]: Has Galerius Vatinius any questions for Manius Aemilius? After those are concluded, the prosecutor has indicated a desire to make his case in full before any further witnesses are produced by the court.

**Dooz** · 08-08-2006, 02:46

{Galerius Vatinius}

First, I will make an observation as to make a point about Manius' credibility, then ask my question, although perhaps pointless. Now, it has been confirmed by Manius Aemilius himself and his defender and son, Servius that he apparently has a habit of calling things by different names and misusing words. Keeping that in mind, how much can we take as fact when Senator Aemilius makes statements about Publius Laevinus' absence from the battlefield at the time of battle, or any other statement he might make for that matter? I don't even understand why he should be allowed to be here in the first place. One would think a nation such as Rome would have somewhere to put such people...

In any case, for the sake of the trial I will proceed with my question. Senator Aemilius, when and where was the last time and place you saw or heard from Senator Laevinus, and what were his orders?

**Lucjan** · 08-08-2006, 12:50

Manius stares at the boy asking such silly questions and giggles. "I do not misuse words, I use them correctly. I use them quite correctly. The problem is the context. You don't understand the context. When put into context I *hoot!* my words quite correctly. You are like a bird..I see it in your eyes..a bird a bird, you are a bird. You nit and pick and caw at those who are different from you. You are a jay and I am a robin, and so you caw. And I *hoot!*. And so you caw...You would have me put away, but I would have you let astray, let you to the masses, let you to Rome. You would have me put away, but in letting you go free I would have you destroy yourself blue jay! The blue jay would pull it's feathers out. No more flying for the blue jay. *hoot!* The blue jay cannot tolerate what it perceives to be different, and that is the blue jay's flaw. And a temper..do not steal my worm blue jay..the robin bites back. *There is no hoot this time, rather a low, gurgling noise that turns into a watery, gargling laugh.* Too bad were you not so brave, too bad were you not so healthy as a Gaul..or you'd make too a nice owl for my spear. I nice place to put my prizes as I sleep, that the owl you might be if you were a gaul, could keep watch over it in the night..but you are no owl, you are a jay, a jealous, jealous jay."

*Manius's attention suddenly shifts back to the question at hand*.
Last time and place I saw the pigman...was a camp feast at the ford, few days before the battle, I do not know where the pigman marched his legion. I contested the seperation of the legions, but the pigman left anyway, providing me no reason. *Hoot* Pigman gave me two orders though..he said to guard the ford and do not leave the ford for any reason...this I did..this I did, and you took my legion from me for it! Pigman also told me to go get Sober, I looked as hard as I could, two times, but no man in my camp went by the name of Sober, so I stopped looking. *hoot!*

**econ21** · 08-08-2006, 13:03

[SENATE SPEAKER]: I believe that concludes the cross-examination of the witness, although no doubt he could be recalled if required. We now await a statement of the prosecution case.

**Dooz** · 08-08-2006, 13:07

{Galerius Vatinius}

Mm, wise words, wise words indeed Senator. Now as you were left officially in charge of the legion during the battle, the safety of the legionary eagle... or "fancy owl"... was in your hands. As you have expressed such affection and adulation for the legionary eagle, and understanding that it is a prized posession of this Senate, was it not a top priority for you to keep an eye on it and make sure no one harmed the fancy owl? Do you know what in fact happened to the eagle Senator Aemilius? Where was the last you saw it?

**Lucjan** · 08-08-2006, 13:24

Manius, though fully understanding that his turn to speak is over, cannot resist the temptation to bark back, perhaps in a strange blink of sanity. "The legionary eagle was where it belonged, Cur! Resting in the able hands of the triarii! If the battle goes to the triarii than the situation is indeed quite dire, and when the commander of the damned legion dares not show his face then I must do what I must. The fight was a lost cause, my legion risked their very lives to defend that ford, and it cost them just that! I fought their general twice, the first time outnumbered more than a dozen to five, and the second with even worse odds, that I was dismounted by a blow and left incapacitated is by no fault of my own. I gave everything for the senate that day! *Manius slams his fist into the table as hard as he can, rising from his feet with a fire in his eyes* EVERYTHING! *And then..he slowly slips away from his moment, a cackle growing in his throat, his head twitching to the side and that wry smile returning to his face.* "Youu..little blue jay, you like to talk, you like to talk much." *He is now stepping down from the accused's dock and walking towards his son.* "I think you talk to the Gauls..I think you like that I lost my fancy owl...I think you took my fancy owl when my men chased away the gauls and forgot to come home...and the senate stole them from me, though I lost the fancy owl..I don't like how the blue jay watches the robin...blue jay better hope a hawk doesn't owe the robin a favor.."

**Dooz** · 08-08-2006, 13:35

{Galerius Vatinius}

Uh, yes, well. Thank you for your... "testimony" and the amusing of this courtroom, no doubt. However, I would keep the death threats to a minimum were I you, I've had about enough of those from you and your son. As hated a man as I may be around the Senate, you Manius are a far more loathed creature around the country because of this fiasco and your unwholesome personality. A man who doesn't know reality from imagination could get hurt.

I yield the floor to the prosecution.