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      COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

      Copyright © 2010 by Frank J. Morlock

      *

      Published by Wildside Press LLC.

      www.wildsidebooks.com

      CHARACTERS

      TIBERIUS, Emperor

      CAIUS CALIGULA

      PROCULA VINDEX

      ROMULUS, Citizen of Rome

      NERVA

      AURELIUS

      PORCIUS

      AENEAS

      EVANDRE

      NATALIS

      SENECA, Philosopher

      NARSES

      ALBIN

      BROGITAR

      A PRAETORIAN

      A DOCTOR

      AN EXECUTIONER

      THREE DRUIDS

      KIOMARA, Gallic Slave Girl

      BLANDINE, Daughter of Nerva

      CHARICLEA, Blandine’s Nurse

      PATRICIANS, SOLDIERS, SLAVES, GLADIATORS, DANCERS, PRAETORIANS, ETC.

      ACT I

      SCENE I: THE REVOLTERS

      A square in the Carenes suburb of Rome. To the right, the palace of Nerva. To the left, the shop of the armourer Procula.

      Streets and monuments in perspective.

      PROCULA

      It’s getting late. Hasten to carry these weapons to the patrician’s who ordered them from me.

      (to a worker)

      You know the dwelling of Senator Fonteius. Deliver to him, on my behalf this sword and military belt.

      (to another)

      You will go to Lord Atalus on the Flaminnian Way, turning right, toward the Palatine.

      (to a third)

      You to the home of the Tribune Lemas who dwells in that magnificent house with jets of water and huge cedars, down there on the other side of the golden column.

      Get going and don’t lose a moment! Ah, I was forgetting, there’s still one more cuirass to take to the home of the illustrious Natalis, the former Consul.

      NATALIS (entering)

      Lower, will you, much lower—are you losing your wits to raise your voice that way on an open street?

      PROCULA

      May the Gods protect you, Lord Natalis. I was sending you your cuirass.

      NATALIS

      It’s unnecessary. I will try it on at your place.

      PROCULA

      As you please.

      (to others)

      The rest of you, leave.

      NATALIS

      Will you hide those weapons under your tunics. Do you need to allow passers-by to see what you are carrying?

      PROCULA

      Where’s the harm? The passers-by would say: Here are very shiny well chiseled blades. They would conclude it came from the armourer Procula. My pride would find its count.

      NATALIS (lowering his voice)

      Tiberius doesn’t like this sort of merchandise circulating too freely in Rome.

      PROCULA

      Eh, Lord? What do I have to fear from Tiberius? I am an artisan who makes weapons without inquiring the use they are intended for. As I hold nothing in the state, nothing that takes place in Rome can concern me, so long as it is not a question of Lord Nerva, my protector, my master.

      NATALIS

      Well, it’s in his name that I ask you today to use prudence.

      PROCULA

      In that case it’s a different matter.

      (lowering his voice to a worker)

      Separate from them now. Don’t allow a skin of steel under your tunic to appear, and take the most deserted streets.

      (workers leave.)

      Would you like to try on your cuirass now, Lord?

      NATALIS

      You guarantee me that it is dagger proof?

      PROCULA

      Completely.

      NATALIS

      Fine. You’ll fit it on me yourself. I’ll keep it under my pallium.

      PROCULA

      Order, Lord.

      (aside)

      Let’s rid ourselves quickly of this patrician because now’s the hour she emerges every evening.

      (They go into the shop. A group of Patricians approaches.)

      PORCIUS

      Coe on, my dear Evander, there’s no going back.

      EVANDRE

      Success isn’t doubtful.

      PORCIUS

      Thus it’s quite certain that Tiberius has no suspicion, that he hasn’t left for Capri.

      EVANDRE

      Nerva affirmed it to me less than an hour ago.

      PORCIUS

      And the Praetorian Guard is with us?

      EVANDRE

      Caligula himself must bring it over to us.

      PORCIUS

      Caligula, the nephew of Tiberius, his heir? Humph! I really fear—

      EVANDRE

      What? The child is in a hurry to reign. That’s natural.

      PORCIUS

      Indeed, it’s true—but, between ourselves, the augurs are not favorable. I had the sacred chicken shut in its cage and it refused to eat.

      EVANDRE

      Because it wasn’t hungry.

      PORCIUS

      You jest, impious one that you are? Will you still laugh if I tell you that this morning, by mistake, I put on my left boot before my right?

      EVANDRE

      Presaging misfortune and death.

      PORCIUS

      That was the opinion of the great Augustus and it’s mine?

      EVANDRE

      Decidedly, my old Procius, fear will turn your head.

      (going to meet other patricians who enter)

      Be welcome, Seneca, long life to you Numa, your hand Aeneas. —Any news?

      AENEAS

      Everything is going beautifully. I left Caligula. Together we visited the barracks on the Palatine Hill.

      EVANDRE

      And it’s still this way that the cadaver of Plautus will be dragged to the pillory.?

      AENEAS

      Still.

      PORCIUS

      That brave Plautus! That excellent Plautus! When I think that yesterday I supped with him. You know he had the most

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