#ROME SHOULDNT HAVE BECOME AN EMPIRE LIKE *THAT*

[sheikahwarriork]

i hate augustus with so much passion i wish i could build a time travel machine and stab that guy in the cradle. strangle him to death. throw him in a volcano. yes i know today is caesar stabbing day but. remember who the real enemy is

[floosies]

Hedonism - the philosophical belief that pleasure is the sole or chief good in life

summary: to love a woman who has loved them both in equity of mind and soul shouldnt be seen as this though

pairing: emperor geta x senator's daughter x emperor caracalla

warnings: violence, blood, cursing, insults, allusions to smut

( a/n: I apologize for the length, but I do want this to have backstory. I'm really locked into ancient rome right now and I blame this movie.)

taglist: @bloodibambiidoll @celestianstars

She was her father's pride, seldom was he on assuring she'd be wed to a man of power, of respect, such as he was. a child with wit and the ability to learn quickly, he knew she would not fail his wishes for her life.

However, her imagination ran ramped and when her parents looked away she ran to the fields where the flowers grew alongside the tall grasses. Where she would run around in circles chasing insects and dreaming of being a creature herself.

It was in this state that the young princes had come to know her as they too would run away from their lessons of history and war. Their tutors often old men whose minds wandered and attention fell from the boys would make it easy for their escapes. On this day particularly, the princes found themselves captivated by the sound of her laughter and the way her hair danced in the wind.

She had no clue she had company until her eyes opened and in her gaze she looked directly into their awe struck gaze. of course she knew who they were, she had seen them on days of festivities and parades, she gasped immediately attempting to bow at them, "caesars, a grace to be in your presence." the boys giggled, Caracalla responded to her "as are we. Graced to be upon thee." It was then Geta who asked, "may we join you in your festivities?" To which the young girl nodded, her eyes wide with glee to have friends.

The children made crowns of the taller flowers and grasses, they ran around, their arms wide pretending to be birds. She had brought fruits and honey with her, which they shared. They talked of their parents and how boring life was when at home. How sometimes they feared their father's tempers for fear of the blows that would come afterwards. She listened and sympathized, they even agreed that they were friends.

When the day came to an end, she looked to them hoping for the best when asking, "would you be back tomorrow?" The princes in sadness shared a look, "father is most likely looking for us now. He will be livid, we may not be back tomorrow exactly, but we will try to be back soon. Promise to bring more figs and honey?" She nodded once more, now in a saddened manner, her voice soft, "I will. However I may not be back soon either, my father will too be upset." Forgetting formality, the children hugged and whispered to be strong despite the horrors that awaited them.

-

Indeed hell did await at home for each, and tragically the children were fated to not meet again. For she was sooner shipped away to the coasts of the empire, where she would live within the confines of an old friend of her father's who would become her tutor and mentor.

As for the princes, their father placed more guards around Palatine and more so used violent punishment as a reminder of what consequences awaited their insolence.

Still all three kept the memory of what they'd once shared on that day. The memory felt like fields that awaited them in the afterlife. Perhaps it was a taste of what would come, perhaps it was a dream.

-

Fated was the day it they came to reunite. For neither the emperors nor she knew what they had become with the years. She had been brought back to Rome after her father ascended into senator after the coronation, which is when she discovered that the princes had now become co-emperors of the empire.

She had pleaded with her father to allow her attendance to one of the many festivities held in honor of the new emperors. Of course she did not know if she would catch their attention, instead she suggested it would be a suitable place to display her musical talent which she gained in lyre strumming. It took some more pleading but eventually he agreed to take her. Her mother helped to dress her in silks dyed in reds and her gold jewels.

When they arrived, at Palatine, she went to take her place beside the window, her palla on her head and the lyre on her lap. Moonlight bright on the warm night, and then she waited for her father to introduce her and signal for her to begin playing. When his signal came she began to strum.

Her emperors wasted no time in noticing the music, they always wished to be entertained and no more so than by a beautiful women. They did not look for her initially for many a time there was always a musician paid off to be there. However, intrigue arose when chatter came to them that this was a different case, a senator's daughter was playing for them tonight, of her own want to celebrate the empire's new emperors.

With their interest piqued, they walked over to where this woman was sat, moonlight and the flames of a torch guiding her strums. The crowd that surrounded her parted at the notice of the emperors. Who now gazed upon her like the boys they had once been moons ago, with that same wonder and awe. Her gaze moved from her instrument, up towards them. Eyes meeting after so long, but yet not changing; they knew and she knew.

They had an audience though, one who did not know what they did. She finished her song and before the moment could linger they clapped ensuing the others to clap as well. She bowed her head, a smile upon her lips. Her father neared, she'd done well in his eyes, but she did not smile for him. She smiled for them, and they were now being introduced formally by her father, who was speaking highly of her to them. His voice filled with pride about her education and upbringing, he voiced his want for their approval later in time to marry her off to a worthy contender.

Their eyes never leaving the sight of her, but when hearing of her father's plans for her future the first to lurch was Caracalla whose head turned to her father. He planned to marry her off to a senator's son? Worthy? Surely none of these men were worthy of her. Her who had fed them fruits and honey while creating stories beneath the shade of trees in their youth.

Geta similarly thought, though his gaze never left hers. Her father was a fool and he was thinking of all the ways he would make sure that the man would come to know that. But to marry her off to anyone but him would never be. For she had wiped off tears from his face as he retold the first memory of his father's torment upon his life. She took such vile things and soothed him. He thought back to the embrace and wise words they shared as children. Things none of these people would ever come to understand.

These things were in the mind, but aloud, Geta cutoff the senator, "surely your daughter would grace us with her own introduction." He said with a smile that was anything but sincere. The senator nodded, signaling for his daughter to speak. She bowed her head, her voice soft, "my emperors it has been my honor to play for you tonight. I am most thankful and joyous to be back home in Rome." They smiled, Caracalla reaching out to shake her hand, "song bird! Rome is blessed to have you upon its land once more." His lips pressing a kiss onto her hand.

Geta neared, "my brother is right. What a delight to have a new musician in these halls. Let us have you back for the next celebration." At his words, her eyes widened like they had back then, in that moment, his mind gleamed with a plan, "as a matter of fact we should like a private concert. To truly enjoy the gift you have bestowed upon us tonight." Caracalla clapped, "a truly genius idea brother!" Her father however did not account for this excitement from the emperors.

The man looked hurriedly at both his daughter and their majesties, "surely it is an honor for your graces to regard my daughter with such a gesture! But surely there is another musician who could enthrall thee with-" Caracalla giggled, "you deny your emperors' wishes?" The senator's face looked something aghast Geta could see her begin to worry as well, "now now brother. The senator is simply being modest." The older man began to nod in agreement, but Geta continued, "though he should not deny his daughter such a blessing." Now his gaze once more landing on her, who looked nervous at the scene in front of her.

Her father's voice broke the feeling, "of course my liege. At your request she will play for you. What an honor you have bestowed upon my family." He bowed and she followed. The twin emperors did not wait, she would be back in the afternoon to preform for them privately in the gardens.

-

The first performance, was nothing more than a reunion between the three. She hardly played her lyre, instead speaking of her tales and prayers to Neptune to avoid any harsh storms from hitting where she lived. The emperors in turn talked about their coronation and how Caracalla came to posses Dondus who crawled around them throughout their outing. Still she did play some songs she had made in her time near the sea. They were once more enamored with her and her mystic ways.

She'd being coined their song bird, for she would play at every event which could call for music. As well, they still continued their requests for private concerts as excuses to be near her. It was during one of these closed events that she revealed she knew her father was hoping to marry her off soon to another senator's son. She spoke with frustration at the idea of being only seen as a pawn for her father's ambitions and not for any hope of a love match.

The brother's took the moment as their chance, "do you believe in such things?" Geta asked sarcastically as he smiled down at her who was laid out on his lap under the shade of a tree in the gardens. She shrugged, "if we pray to Venus, then it must be for something. Besides is it such a bad thing to believe someone could love simply for the act loving?" Caracalla clung to her every word, "do you simply love for the act?" He asked, his blue eyes enthralled on her. She thought about his question, her eyes gazing on both brothers and then at the sky itself as if lost in some thought. When she came to though, her answer as soft as she was given, "I suppose I could if I knew it would be reciprocated. Yet I have not found a soul who does."

"Perhaps you have yet to truly notice those souls who do." Caracalla spoke, his hands caressing down the silks which covered her. Geta beginning to play with her hair, "what a fair point you make brother." She though wanting it to be true, was puzzled, "certainly you do not mean." Somehow they both knew and spoke in unison, "we do." In mere moments soft touches were met with burning kisses shared. Her emperors now exploring what they had dreamt about since her return.

The concerts were over, but their private audiences were still held. In secret they acted on their emotions. On their wants and pleasures for she was the embodiment of the goddess Venus herself. They would lay, bodies pressed against each other in the afterglow of their acts, speaking soft sweet things amongst themselves. In these rare moments they smiled, they felt safe from harm. She gave herself onto them and in return they to her.

-

But trouble lays near any good thing. Her father was hearing talk among the court of his daughter and the emperors. Things he would write off as gossip and fictitious. It was nothing more than defamation of a man and his family, who had been given a title. Though he thought back, he had noticed how much his daughter was spending time with them, how little she would take her lyre, and what new silks she wore.

A man with everything to lose, he did what he felt rational. He hired mercenaries to follow her movements around Rome. He needed all the proof of what he was dreading to be true. It only took some days for the damned truth to be laid out before him from behind the doors of Palatine talk was fervent among the maids and guards. What he learned made his blood boil so, but he would have his moment soon.

-

Another celebration was being held, she of course was made to play, and after she had finished her last tune, she was pulled away hurriedly by her father. Not many noticed or cared, but the emperors did, they doted on her dearly. It was Caracalla who saw her being whisked away by her father.

In an empty hall far enough from the festivties she was practically flung against a marble wall. Fear and confusion encasing her, "father what is the meaning of this?" He looked at his offspring with disbelief, "the meaning? The meaning?! As if you do not know what it is that you have done?!" He began to shout, causing her to cower. "Father I do not know what I have-" she had no chance to finish her plea before feeling the back of his hand deliever a harsh blow onto her cheek, once more throwing her against the wall behind her.

His rage now undone, "my daughter! My flesh and blood has forsaken our lineage with her hedonism!" She was done for, "hedonism father? What such-" He spat as he unleashed his discontent "do not lie! Do not try to deceive me! I have had you followed for days! I have heard of your private audiences and what they entail!" She pleaded, "father please you do not understand! They care for me truly! They see me-" Before she could speak again he began to scream once more his hands striking at her "they see you as a concubine! They treat you as such and you have allowed it! They are merely insolent children disguising as emperors! You are nothing more than a whore disposing yourself at their whim!" Both emperors had heard her cries and his insults both at her and them, rushing to her aid they neared the violent scene, "lies senator! You speak nothing but lies against your emperors! Take your filthy hands off her!" Geta yelled pushing him off her. Caracalla kneeling before his song bird now beaten and bloodied, his voice soft and in pain, "what has he done to you." She could do nothing but cry, in both shame and pain as he held her blood covered face.

His hands now covered in her blood, Caracalla screamed with anger, "kill him!" The guards were already taking him away by order of emperor Geta, "not yet brother! Not now! We must tend to her first." Geta spoke sternly aiding his brother in lifting up their love from the marble. The healers were already sent for and she would be staying with them in Palatine indefintely, away from any more harm.

Nothing was broken, just bruising and some cuts. Still angered consumed them, and she knew too that her father had not just betrayed her but the emperors too when he spoke against them and insulted them. She knew he would have to be punished in some form, however death seemed to easy. Instead she asked for him to be excommunicated, sent off into the wilderness where there is no social hierarchy, where there is only loneliness and survival. Left with nothing but perhaps a small knife to fend for himself. The one thing he always despised was now going to be his reality.

As for her, she begged her mother to come stay with her in Palatine. Her mother refused her though, instead reassuring her daughter she would be fine remaining in the home she raised her in. She was happy that her daughter had found true love and blessed the gods for gifting her two who would watch over her. It eased her sadness somewhat, knowing her mother still felt love her despite her father's actions.

She was made empress and those who spoke against her came to know their fate well enough. However, Rome adored her as much as she did they. For she guided the emperors and their tempers to lead them away from chaos. She did not do it out of strategy, never for that, it was for love. Even in their hardships she knew she was theirs as much as they were hers.

[fipindustries]

i think for as many examples of goodwill and cooperation "working" that we can find both in nature and human history we can find as many examples of conquest and extermination, i think we can hardly point out at the last 300 years where, for example, slavery has been made illegal (only in certain countries (and even then those countries have a nasty tendency to replace with subtler forms of slavery)), and brush under a rug the previous 50.000 years were slavery was more or less the norm. international cooperation is also a fairly novel thing when put in the context of the whole of human history. rome as an empire lasted around a thousand years based on conquest and slavery. furthermore, even in modern days, the fact that is necesary a goberment holding the monopoly on violence to keep a civilization, well, civilized speaks to the fact that we cant *just* rely on our better angels. and to see how humans interact when there is not a larger organizer body that can keep bad actors in check we need only to see at the actions of russia, of israel, of china, of the united states of america on the global stage. again, im not saying the human animal is a bloodthirsty beast and that cooperation is impossible. but conflict and violence does seem to be something tremendously hard the erradicate entirely from our civilization and our behavior. but this all speaks only about human nature, fair enough. lets look at other species.

there sure seems to be a lot of killed or be killed in nature in order to survive. and again, fair enough, that doesnt paint THE WHOLE picture, there is lots of cohabitation and symbiosis in nature, but there is also a lot of predation, of living on calorie margins, of parasitism, etc. and any current "harmony" we see is merely the equilibrium reached after aeons of evolution, of survival of the fittest, after any other option been erradicated through consumtion or starvation. and furthermore, what usually happens when we see a radically new species introduced in a new enviroment or ecosystem that is not theirs usually two things happen either the species dies off or they tend to completly overtake the enviroment they are placed in. this happens not only with animals but also with fungi and with plants. there is a reason botanists get so frustrated with invasive species like kudzu.

if i am allowed to extrapolate from the examples provided by living creatures on the planet earth, it seems to be the case that when two entities, wether they are species, civilizations, tribes or individuals, are in conflict, when they both want something that the other wants and there are no easy ways for both to have it, unless there is a really good reason for one entity to care about the needs of the other as much or more than their own, conflict will happen. and these reasons to care shouldnt be taken for granted. the default is "this other entity is an obstacle to overcome". empathy, compromise, cooperation and solidarity seem to arise when a whole other host of conditions are met, they dont come garanteed with inteligence or power or strength. i need to emphazise this, kindness and cooperation are not a grantee, not something that can be relied upon. is not something assured by nature in the same way conflict is. batteries are not included. it comes separatly, at a cost. its something that could be the case but not necesarily so.

and the more different both entities are from each other (and the bigger the power differential) it seems to be the case that it becomes harder and harder and harder for one to care about the other.

ultimatly is not a certainty, is just a posibility, a probability coupled with terrible enough consequences if proven right that even if the possibility is small it should be taken very seriously. its a pascal's wager.

remember, its not just a forest, its a *dark* forest. not dark in terms of evil but dark in terms of unknown. when dealing with the unknown i think its reasonable to "walk softly, but carry a big stick"

The Netflix adaptation of 3 Body Problem is pretty good, but it's reminding me of all the things that managed to rub me wrong about the original text.

Some of those objections were superficial, but at some point I need to sit down and definitively go after the Dark Forest Hypothesis in a substantive way. The construction is taken rather seriously in some quarters, by people that I respect, but my understanding of how reality works gives me such a different answer with such insistence! I think I would benefit greatly from actually tracing what my brain is doing on this one from beginning to end, actually going to the effort of rendering it all in language so I can check my work or let other people offer critique.

Finding a way to do it in less than 20,000 words, might be more of a trick...