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| The Tragic Tale of Quintus Hearken, friends, to this sad tale That to clear my name, I must regale. Maximus' soul is with his wife and son, And I grieve as to how my duty was done. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. Serving Rome together we formed a bond He had my respect, and of him, I was fond. Drinking together we'd try to sing For Saturnalia once, he gave me a ring. After a battle in snow and hail, Marcus' health began to fail. Commodus summoned me late one night Speaking of death, loyalty, and might. I was sworn to keep this talk a secret Only later did I see it with deep regret. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. "Quintus, listen, my father has died You yourself know, how Rome was his pride; But the Senate wants to rule now, you see Yet the people don't know that! They expect me. If the Senate were to gain power and rule, There'd be civil war - you know I'm no fool." I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. "Highness," I made my reply, "Maximus can--" "Do not interrupt me, he is not the right man. If you interrupt me again, my loyal Quintus, You'll feel my sword, or worse! you can trust. Now, if Maximus were to lead the way There'd be confusion, war in a day! All my father's victories, rendered to naught! The thought hurts me, it breaks my heart." I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. "Maximus must disappear from sight We'll have to do it now, this very night. He's a friend of yours, this I know If he takes my hand, then deal no blow. But if he refuses to acknowledge me-- Rome cannot risk the revolt you see. Then place his head in a bag of rats* And dispatch with pain his wife and all brats." I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. "Give your heart to the trade you have learnt..." MA 4:31 This doesn't mean it sometimes won't hurt. Commodus' point I could clearly see Yet Maximus! He was so dear to me. I followed my orders to get Maximus His look to the Emperor was surprisingly vicious. I saw only sadness and danger for my friend. To spare him (and Rome!) worse, I ordered his end. Commodus was now head of Rome. With Maximus dead, now my only home. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. So I was given the Praetorian Prefect More and more I adhered to the Stoic. "When beset from without..be unperturbed" MA 9:31 But I never slept well, my dreams were disturbed. "Leave another's wrongdoing where it lies" MA 9:20 Looking back I see, that I'd closed my eyes. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. To the games Commodus bade me go In his service I couldn't say no. Sadly I saw some good horses die. These games are brutal, that is no lie. After we went to meet the man How tired I felt! as I walked onto the sand. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. This gladiator was both brave and rude To ignore the Emperor! How provincial, and crude. Then in a moment I'll never forget In my heart and soul a joyful spark leapt! Maximus!! Somehow he's still alive! Then, sensing the danger, my joy took a dive. Stoics take what comes; they never cry. Yet with his salute, my eyes weren't dry. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. As for truth..even the Stoics admit "that its attainment is with difficulties beset" MA 5:10 Now working with this vexing Emperor Watching me closely, hour by hour I wondered if I could get Maximus home. But my loyalty is first, and foremost, to Rome* Two very good men I was forced to kill In arguing with Emperors, I have no skill. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. I thought I could approach his sister But Lucilla was gone, I'd just missed her. Then I uncovered a secret plot She was helping Maximus escape his lot! So I kept quiet, and served Commodus To lead him astray, thinking me he could trust. But Lucilla herself let the plan go awry Alone that night, I lamented, "Why, Why?" I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. The next day I went with Commodus And saw him fatally harm Maximus. As I strapped on his armor (his face so gray!) I said, "I'm a soldier - I must obey." By Maximus' sad and painful eyes I knew he understood all, my truths and my lies. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. So our heroic emperor went out The crowd for Maximus did shout. And I could only watch and wonder At the great cost of my 'loyal' blunder. So when Commodus lost his sword in a fall I had it, Dammit! Enough of it all! "Leave another's wrongdoing where it lies" MA 9:20 So too the sword of him that I despise. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. You know the rest, Maximus died. A Stoic no longer, my heart broke and I cried. And as his ashes cooled to the touch I realized Rome had cost me too much. Leaving the Senate and Praetorians behind me I took Maximus home, to join his family. I am a soldier and I obey May I serve Rome well, this I pray. The smoke is gone, though the yard is bare. I've tended the olives and grapes with care. Yet being here hasn't eased my pain Even though the evil one no longer reigns. I'll probably follow Maximus soon Forgotten; deserved silence my funerary tune. I believe he's at peace now, with his wife and child I can only wish my afterlife be so mild. But for Maximus, I'm going to hell. At least my story, I've been able to tell. I was a soldier and I tried to obey My failure to Rome, I can not repay *quotes from Tomas Arana Quintiana, 12March2001 |
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