The Warlord Wars No More -2

Pay heed to those deeds from whence the heart must confess... You're far from Rome Proconsul Caesar... As they say, "All roads lead to Rome" Ariovistus and all tresspasses are treated as threats of war... My recent conquest of your Gaulish pets the Aedui is justified by the right of might, your Senate recognizes my kingship, and declared Friendship with my Suebi... The Senate and People of Rome have your heart in sight, the Suebi have done well to stabilize trade along the Rhine however, your incursions into Gaul aggrieve our allies and interests... Listen, diplomat Caesar, the reward for your destruction could be mine, I have 100,000 warriors, and very rich Roman investments... Ariovistus, I called this parlay in the spirit of mutual peace, make no mistake, relentless justice will find your face... Make no mistake, relentless justice will find your face... The Germans struck the front line of our triplex with a torrent of roaring terror born of lunatic malice their women and children howling in hysterical vex as if this battle in the wilderness was a bloodsport circus but all of their witches and all their wiles of war couldn't drop our Eagle nor our swords, and although our javelins felt no flight or flesh from the air the Legions kept the lion stare, Roman discipline withstood the hordes, as I maneuvered Legio X Equestris fast to the rear of the rolling tempest Publius Crassus, independent of command rallied the reserves with raging horns the press of deadly desperation shattered with screams of Victory's unrest, the taste of swift slaughter stuck to our teeth of steel, the chase churning bravado to bloodshed and hearts into hell, The chase churning bravado to bloodshed and hearts into hell, I see that you are battered Legate Labienus... You know me General, I always open myself up to the enemy a little, took a chain whip on my elbow, a spiked club to the face, and a shield edge to the knee, is that your report to Rome... No, I'm writing a personal account of our thrilling adventures for Roman posterity, and for my legal defense at home... Please don't ask for my affidavit or signatures, I have enough problems on the fields of Mars I don't need any in the marbled courts... Titus your wit is as good as your tactical orders, our business is a bloody bliss, what are the body counts... We lost 3,756 men, 28 Centurians, looks like 75,000 Germans... Invincibility seems to rely on guts, not on numbers... Invincibility seems to rely on guts, not on numbers... They blitzed us like bats gone berserk Sir, at first it was just the schizophrenic skirmishes back and forth across the Sambre River, everyone figured it was just Belgians being Belgians just braggarts drunk on brackish beer and whore's blood, there was some reprisal action from the archers and slingers Legate Mark Antony led the cavalry a couple of times through the mud, most of the Legionaries were laying out camp like guild carpenters ditches were being dug and the pallisades pulled up plumb, the army's baggage train was coming in like a Greek caravan then the barbarians began to burn forward like lightning on the run, our scorpion missiles impaled many with swift heavy thud iron, they ran through the river to us as if on fire fighting for a life that was balanced on a wire, Fighting for a life that was balanced on a wire, their broadswords and fuming bodies rushing with rage, attacking with battleaxes dripping blood water, our Legions in deadly disarray, Signifiers fallen on war's hard stage Tribunes and Optios absconded by death and in the climax of that fatal crisis that's when the men saw you Caesar, the One in red breath bringing strength back to our injured senses with your feet on the field, gladius and buckler up, that's the moment you became the Army's Imperator... We annihilated the Nervii as Roman Brothers, let's share this cup of Glory's sweet wine Legionary Eugenius, praise be to Jupiter, and to all of you living, and standing on the ashes of Alesia, in the epicenter of the unprecedented epic we consume euphoria... In the epicenter of the unprecedented epic we consume euphoria... It's such a beautiful day to break the law... Antony, is it I or the Senate which has violated the law of loyalty like a hydra... The Patricians are jealous of power as women are to love's call, the Plebians want heros and livelihoods, the rich want slaves... I've led the Roman Army across the sea to Britannia and across the Rhine yet this rivulet of the Rubicon raises my heartrate to the highest eagles... That's because it knows your name, your bloodline... Does it bear witness to a crime, or will it slake the thirst of destiny... Let's just hope it washes the blood from our hands... My daughter Julia died trying to deliver his child screaming in agony, we bled together on the alter of Mars, yet Pompey Magnus claims my love for Rome unlawful, so we cross this threshold of war as awful friends in freefall, J.A.B.