The public goes to the Anphiteather Fauste still anxious. There is just one more day for the Cerealia endind on the most solemn 19 april. The surprise final of the munera was already postponed on two days. The chariot races ended yesterday, gloriously.

But... there was different things on the arena. In fact, at both sides there was two water streams flowing, small rivers artificially constructed, with water brought from a nearby aqueduct... even more than Law and armies, the romans was great by being master of engineering...

Who could imagine what the rivers were? The Simoeis and the Xanthos! In fact, around the arena, all cenary ambientation was like a scene of the Iliad!

- A battle! � the public cheered. � The final will be a battle from the War of Troy!

The horns make the announce, and on oposite sides, two armies, greeks and trojans, come to the arena of the plain of Ilion. They weren�t like the usual gladiator uses, but armed with shining spears ans swords, brass cuirass and brilhants helms.

On the greek army, Claw, sent by M. Minucius Audens, was might Diomedes. Felicianus, sent by G. Iulius Scaurus, was Ajax Oileus. Leo Aquilonis, sent by G. Vipsanius Agrippa, was the cretan Idomeneus and Robur sent by T. Anneus Otho, was Toas, the etolian.

On the trojans, Zozimus, sent by G. Iulius Scaurus, was prince Paris, Seneca, sent by S. Cornelius Cotta, was P�ndaros son of Licaon, Carnifex, sent by Q. Salix Cantabricus, was Sarpedon son of Iove; and finally Ursus, sent by P. Domitianus Artorinus, was the lician Glaucos.

Aedile Faustus arose from his seat, and adressed to people.

- I hereby open the last final of the Munera Cerealia, offering to the roman people a brilliant performance from Homer pages. Enjoy our small surprise, quirites...

But the Aedile has not make mention to stop, and continued:

- Sure the gods are pleased with our games, but on the Trojan Plains, they certainly weren�t as today... The gods sure were angry with both armies. Against the greeks, was the foreboder Phoebus Apolo, the far-darting. In fact, the greeks could even hear a dread clanging of the silver bow shooting them.

On this time, from the first seats, four archers stood up. They aimed the four greeks and shooted. The crowd cried as crazy, but the gladiators on scare avoided the arrows running.

- Not only against the greeks! Against the trojans was also Netune Enosigeus, the Earth-Shaker! Many times his trident has crushed the Earth under the dardanian feet!

As the Aedile has finished to talk, a big trapdoor, stealth by the sands, opened bellow the four trojans gladiators, and they has fallen on the basement under the arena crying.

They still were insulting the aedile by his treachery, when from the basemente started coming steam! Below, the arena servants threw on them boiling water to gentle help to come again to the arena without complaing. The four trojans jumped again to the sands faster than anyone on the Amphiteather could imagine.

- You�re mad, Aedile! All your base are belong to us! � some cried from the public.

- For great justice! � another citizen complemented.

- LET`S START THE BATTLE! � the aedile shouted and sat.

So on the arena Felicianus turned to his colleagues and said:

- So we are here, still alive! Nailed on a bloodlust of a Homeric Nightmare. Let�s attack with our broad swords and finish it all. I don�t want to expect tem minutes on carnage, neither ten years or war.

So spake him and all greeks moved to attack.

But the trojans were lead by Zozimus of loud war cry, who cried:

- Spears!

Then they hurled their spears. Since on the dardanian team there was the essedarius, they get advantage on the weapon.

The spears rain killed tiger-like Claw and Felicianus. On the first, it trespassed all body by the belly at the point of the nevil. Felicianus was even unlucky, the point entered by his eye and sticked on his brain.

But the might Leo Aquilonis and Robur, having avoided the points directed to their brave hearts, spreaded havoc between the four trojans. Leo killed Carnifex with the heavy sword. Robur was even smarter. Since Ursus parried the strike, he unexpected kicked him with all forces of his leg. Ursus was pushed far behind and has fallen on the still opened trapdoors. His head felt direct on the basement bellow the arena and his neck was broken. The helm was useless against dark Fate.

The crowd cried a lot, seemed the public has fallen together.

Seneca turned against Robur and striked. The arm of Robur was CUT off! Robur cried but Seneca feeling pleasure on the slaughtering sticked the sword on the middle of the enemy open mouth. Robur stopped to cry, dead, as the point ripped the throat to his brain.

Zozimus has not unluck, because dead Carnifex seemed to help him. As the trojan felt, he embraced the feet of Leo on agony. The greek with the leg trapped really was carried to deep Hades by the dead, because Zozimus took advantage and nailed a spear on the middle of his chest, as he was unable to evade. Achilonis felt up Carnifex recently slaughtered.

On the arena, the two trojans reigned might, Zozimus and Seneca. They came under the honour tribune.Aedile Faustus raise to greet them:

- You both come to me like I�m king Priamus and you are Heleno and Deifobo, asking the hand of the blond Helen. In fact, there is a Helen for you strife between yourselves, there is only just one Helen... � and the aedile shows a rudus, a sole rudus, the wood sword, prize of the gladiators, meaning the liberty gained on victory. - ... for this Helen you both shall fight until death, might trojans!

They understood the last challenge and turned themselves...

This was a crude combat of two hard tempered men. The swords shined against the cuirass. Many times one wounded the other. Pretty violent. While Seneca has cut a finger of the hand of Zozimus, he has blinded one of his eyes.

But they continued to fight, progressed so long on the carnage, they would�nt give up easily. When the gods have decided the fatal wound: Zozimus crushed Seneca�s cuirass under his sharp blade. The bronze ripped skin, ribs, lungs, and heart on its path. Seneca felt silent on the sands, chest opened, silent and honoured giving its soul to the kingdon of Aeidoneus and Proserpine, the daughter of Mother Ceres.

Then Aedile Faustus annouces cheerful:

- THE WINNER OF THE 2756 CEREALIA MUNERA IS ZOZIMUS, THE ESSEDARIUS, BROUGHT AND SPONSORED BY ILLUSTRIOUS GAIUS IULIUS SCAURUS!