#unto caesar

[suburbanbeatnik]

I did a sketch! The first time since my cat Peggy died. It's a scene from Gillian Bradshaw's Render Unto Caesar, which is one of my favorite books ever. From a review I just wrote:

Render Unto Caesar is a timeless, fast-paced and deeply felt romantic thriller set in first century Rome by historical fiction master Gillian Bradshaw. It seems to be about a man trying to get an important politician to pay his legal debts, but it's actually about a life-or-death struggle of the Roman West and the Greek East, rendered in exquisite miniature. This is also the closest to a historical romance as Bradshaw has ever written, and I find it completely delightful. I've read this book about five times over the past fifteen years, and I've enjoyed it more and more as the years go by-- there's so much to love about it. The characters are fully realized; the setting is portrayed with all the depth, detail and rigor you'd expect from a classics scholar; and there's a lot of action too. But the heart of it is a compelling romance between people of completely different backgrounds-- Hermogenes, the sober Alexandrian businessman, who is looking for justice from the Roman political elite, and Cantabra, a Celtic Cantabrian gladiatrix whom he hires as a bodyguard. The character arcs are beautiful and deeply satisfying. At the beginning, it's impossible to imagine these two getting together, but the MMC and FMC have some major growth, and their feelings and their relationship comes about in the most natural and moving way. Some tropes, if you're into that sort of thing: Fugitive Arc, Clear My Name, There Is Only One Bed, Break the Stoic, Hurt/Comfort, Hidden Depths, Bodyguard Crush, Action Girlfriend, among others. And it has an HEA! I do think this book probably didn't get the audience it deserved because it has very strong romantic elements, which is not really evident in the publicity it got when it was originally released. Anyway, if this sounds interesting to you, I highly recommend it! It's a great book that deserves to be better known. IMO, Bradshaw deserves to be better known too.

[felixravinstills]

10, 23, 39 for the ask game!

ask game

Tell us your favorite thing to snack on when you write

I don't eat them too often, but it does say favorite and I do enjoy some salt and vinegar potato chips or chocolate.

Where do you usually write?

For a consistent actual place, it's probably a combination of at my desk and in my bed. But just standing by a wall (to be out of people's way) and typing furiously on my phone is also a frequent "place" I write.

Pick one of your fics and share an image to go with it. (Unsplash is a good source)

Lamb's head on a plate by Viggo Johansen representing my fic, Render Unto Caesar.

...

Thanks for the ask, Zain!

[trashpoppaea]

ancient historical romance recs

for @en-theos and @marcvscicero

I have some ancient HR recommendations!

{Enchanted Fire by Roberta Gellis} This is a historical fantasy romance, about Orpheus and Eurydice in an alternate ancient Greece where the Greek gods are actually powerful mages, but I love it to pieces. Literally. My hard copy is falling into bits at this very moment.

{Render Unto Caesar by Gillian Bradshaw} This is more of a historical thriller than true historical romance, but there is an HEA and a smidgen of sex too. It's about an Alexandrian Greek merchant searching for justice in Imperial Rome, and the Celtic gladiatrix who becomes his bodyguard. It's SO GOOD.

{The Ravishers by Jeanne Duval} (archive.org link) This is definitely an old-school bodice-ripping epic, by gothic author Virginia Coffman. Our heroine, the half Greek half Gallic Lysandra, is sold into palace slavery, whereupon she becomes the mistress of Nero, Galba and Domitian, while still pining for General Maximian. There's plots and palace intrigue aplenty. Also Vesuvius blows up!

{Claimed by the Enemy by Shauna Roberts} A farmboy and a princess find love in war-torn Sumeria. There's not much sex that I remember, but lots of action and it's emotionally very gripping. It is also very accurate from what I can tell.

Render unto Caesar and Claimed by the Enemy have a high degree of historical accuracy, while the others are.... fine? At least there's no oranges, like this one historical romance set in ancient Etruria I just read. And nobody converts to Christianity. IMO they're a lot of fun.

[sistersorrow]

I will (try very hard to pretend to) forgive Bethesda's many sins if the next Fallout game has a faction which is just the local representatives of the IRS.

Not some larpers who found an IRS office and revived it.

Not some weird cult based on the mythologised importance of tax collection (though that could be fun too).

The actual Internal Revenue Service, who survived the bombs and never stopped collecting taxes because that's something the IRL IRS is actually planning for.

[iamrootusr]

...so do I bring the knife now? Or later?

tumblr polls have amplified the human need to vote on things. this place just became the roman senate

[savameh]

🌹

Here, have a snippet from Unto the Labyrinth, my Hunger Games OC fic

The cameras cut to Maze posing and acting cute, as well as some of the crowd’s reactions to her. They seemed enthralled by Maze’s actions.

Caesar chortled. “Ho ho, the crowd is just eating Miss Donahue up! And she’s eating them up, it seems. Adorable! I cannot believe this is the same girl who was yelling and cursing at her Reaping. She did a complete one-eighty!”

“I don’t know, Caesar,” Melia replied, clicking her tongue. “She’s posing and acting like you’d expect from someone from a Career district. District 3 tributes are not nearly prestigious enough to show off like that. Like, come on, you’re District 3. They’ve only had like what, four Victors in fifty-seven years? It’s cringeworthy, in my opinion. This girl obviously thinks she’s much hotter shit than she actually is, excuse my language.”

Maze, biting into a giant fried animal leg, let out an indignant noise.

That bitch!

Troy laughed. “Ha! Told you so!”

Caesar looked taken aback. He gave his co-host a side-eyed glance. “Well, that’s certainly an opinion.”

The two commentators moved on as District 4’s chariot appeared on-screen.

“I never liked Melia Ferrero,” Philomena commented, cutting up her meat with her knife and fork. “She always has something negative to say about everybody and everything. People like her are absolutely exhausting.”

She glanced pointedly at Troy as she said that. He didn’t seem to notice, jovially continuing to scarf down his food.

[shark-hat]

Asdflhfsj Adam Long did a thing for Disney?!?

Years and years ago in the days of The Old Internet, there was a series of animated shorts on the Disney website which were minute-long summaries of classic literature, Les Miserables and Don Quixote and Cyrano de Bergerac.

And to this day I have no idea who the audience for these videos was supposed to be. Except for me because I loved them and watched them constantly and I was heartbroken when they were taken off the website.

This is all to say that I just found out that they were all uploaded to YouTube while I wasn’t looking, and now that it’s the Ides of March I’m legally contracted to share this now.

[neep-neep-neep]

using a browser extension to replace every instance of "God" or "the Bible" on the web with "sky baby from the teletubbies" and then reading an American news article in year 2024 instead of feeling despair i laugh until i fart and embarrass myself in front of all my friends again

[liberty1776]

Jesus was not a Socialist!

The fact is, one can scour the Scriptures with a fine-tooth comb and find nary a word from Jesus that endorses the forcible redistribution of wealth by political authorities. None, period.

[gloryofdawn]

I was having a discussion about taxes with a libertarian (I know, first mistake). I didn't really know the guy, he was a friend of a friend. Anyways, so the guy is going on about how taxes are against Christianity and the only organization we should sacrifice money to is the church and anything else is theft, blah blah blah. So I get sick of his bullshit and remind him, "Jesus himself said to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's when he was asked about taxes."

This guy, I fucking kid you not, responds, "We don't have a Caesar, we have a president."

Anyways I was then promptly bullied into apologizing to him for calling him a fucking idiot, and I regret that apology to this day.

[penhive]

Idioms

Frying Adani

Now Adani is an Indian business magnate who fell to disrepute with the Hindenburg report claiming that his shares are inflated beyond proportion. Adani built his business empire with the nepotism of the Indian Prime Minister who supplied him with staggering loans from India public sector enterprises like the State Bank of India, the Life Insurance Corporation of India and the Employee’s Provident Fund.

Frying Adani as an idiom means a government supporting a business enterprise with nefarious nepotism.

The Indian democracy is becoming a frying Adani

Give unto Caesar what is his

When Christ was asked whether he should pay taxes, he asked his disciples to take a coin from the fish’s mouth and said the paragon statement: give unto Caesar what is his and give unto me what is mine.

Give unto Caesar as an idiom means God making a providential provision to meet all financial needs.

I would like my experience to become give unto Caesar.

Vikings

Vikings were Nordic race pirates who looted and plundered and explored various places in Europe.

Vikings as an idiom means daring, adventure, passion and triumphant living.

I want to be a Viking of writing.

Woe of Antony

Antony belonging to Kerala is senior Congress leader who sad to his fate, his son did a Judas Iscariot of betrayal by joining the BJP party.

Woe of Antony as an idiom means being betrayed by one’s own family members.

Many in society have become the woe of Antony.

[ro-sham-no]

give unto caesar (give unto me), a poem by me.

[eimearkuopio]

I am not Arthur. I am not Merlin in this lifetime, although I do have some pretty interesting thoughts about what it meant that he lived his life backwards in time. I am the Lady of the Lake, blood of Danu but Catholic by adoption (and we can discuss the difference between kidnapping and adoption and factory farming children of Omelas at a later date, because the painful truth is that if I am who I believe I am, then I am one of only two who could have prevented this, and I will someday choose to allow it for the Greater Good). I believe a very important sword recently vanished and I would like to talk to anyone who knows about that.

[dakotaking]

Same as if there were no Caesar.

[queers-gambit]

Save Me From Myself

prompt: ( requested ) in a moment of unparalleled anger, you learn what Joel really thinks of you.

pairing: Joel Miller x female!reader

fandom masterlist: The Last of Us

collection masterlist: Clingy Baby

word count: (short as hell at) 1.9k+

warnings: very mild spoilers, there's probably cursing, oneshot (no part two), hurt no comfort, mild angst, shorty shorty short short shorty! author is disappointed in this one, she wanted to give much more.

"Gimme that," you grunted at Ellie, picking her backpack from her shoulder with ease as the shorter young lady protested with a small growl.

"I got it - "

"Take a break," you smiled at the kid, shouldering her pack. "Tell me another one of those shitty jokes you love so much."

Ellie smirked and whipped out her book, flipping through a few pages, scanning the pages, then deciding on one. "What... Is Beethoven's favorite fruit?"

You shrugged, "No idea."

"Ba-na-na-naaaaa!"

You laughed, you couldn't help it. "Goddamnit. That's a good one," you praised, eyeing her for a moment as she silently read down the page. You wondered, "You know, I meant to ask, but why that book in particular?"

"My friend gave it to me... It was a present," she explained softly, seeing your head nod of understanding. "What did one ocean say to the other?"

"Nothing, they just waved," you smirked.

"You shithead," she tisked. "Okay, okay, here's a good one. What's brown... And sticky?"

"Oh, Ellie, don't be gross - "

"A stick."

There was a long pause.

"Oh, you know what? Fuck you," You laughed heartily. "I gotta remember that, I like that one."

"You'll like this one, too. Why should you never trust stairs?"

You knew the answer, but humored her, "Why?"

"Because they're always up to something."

You chuckled, "Good one, kid, yeah. Okay, okay, wait, I got one."

"Lay it on me."

"How do you cut a Roman Emperors hair?"

"How?" She grinned, ready for the punchline.

"With Caesars."

Ellie paused, offering a confused look, "I don't get that one."

You both stared at one another for a long moment, still walking through the cold, dead field.

"You don't know Julius Caesar?"

"No? Who the hell is that?"

You chuckled, "You know what? Just as well, who fucking cares about the Roman Empire when we're living in the end-of-days?"

"It's a decent joke," Joel spoke for the first time in hours; holding his rifle protectively as he lead you both through the wilderness, "for what it's worth."

You smirked at Ellie and teased, "Told you I was funny."

"You used the term punny."

"Both are accurate."

"I think you're just an idiot."

"I think you've got a helluva mouth on you."

Ellie grinned and flipped through her book, your gaze trailing to Joel and eyeing him for a long moment. You've known him since you were 19 and hired to babysit his daughter, Sarah. Joel was everything you could've asked for - loyal, sweet, protective, respectful. You had been at their house, doing coursework for your university program when the Outbreak happened. You did what you could to help protect Sarah, but in the end, nobody was safe, nobody was immune, and Death stretch His hand unto all of mankind alike.

He left only select few, you, Joel, and Tommy being amongst the survivors.

The past twenty years had been anything but easy, and while you had gone into this pandemic together, you and Joel didn't actually stick together the whole time. When you settled in Boston with Tommy, Tess, and a few other nomads, you were exhausted from the brutality you were forced to survive in, and so, first chance you had, you broke away.

Technically, you and Tommy broke away. But still.

Joel turned to a life of shadiness with Tess at his right hand (and on his cock). The two of you becoming estranged, until he saved your ass from a pair of FEDRA agents harassing citizens.

He didn't just distract your assailants, but put them in the dirt, helped pick you up, dust off, check for injury, then escort you home. Once at your apartment, he ensured you weren't hurt and was truly okay, and after that, he was back in your life - like the snap of fingers.

You hated to admit it, but it felt nice having a constant back in your life. Joel was your tether to reality, and without him, you felt akin to a kite with the string cut - useless and drifting away.

After that, you came around a little more to see how much your old neighbor had changed in your time apart. Joel was familiar, he was family; had always been something of a source of peace for you. He was usually protective of your wellbeing - even if he had a strange (and borderline unhealthy) way of showing it - creating a bubble of safety.

You eventually left the Fireflies and met Bill and Frank, venturing out and about with Joel and Tess; the latter of who simply despised you for just existing. She was never fond of you, more so now that Joel was obviously attached to you.

Joel never let her argue about you; he never cared for her opinion nor what assumptions she had. He kept you close, he liked your close; and if she sneered any hateful slander, Joel was swift to push her away in favor of you.

One time, he even literally locked her out of the apartment because she was rude to you and told you to "get lost!".

How could you not feel safe? Comfortable? Secure?

When you made it to Jackson and found Tommy once more, you were overjoyed by his familiar face and scent, but quickly pulled him aside to voice your concern for Joel.

"He's been clutching his chest, walking slower than I've seen before," you whispered to Tommy. "I don't think he's havin' a heart episode, but somethin' ain't right, Tommy. He's not doing the best."

"I'll talk to him," he assured.

You believed him, there was no reason not to. You (willfully blindly) believed Tommy would go about this subject with sensitivity and wouldn't mention your words of concern, but you were wrong. Very wrong. Joel had a known temper and if he caught wind that you spoke his name, even in passing, he would lash out, so, truly, you thought Tommy wouldn't tip Joel off.

The moment you returned "home" (to the house you, Ellie, and Joel were offered), you were met with a fuming Joel and an awkward looking Ellie. "What's going on?" You felt worried, fearing for the worst, asking, "What's wrong?"

"You," Joel snapped. "You're what's wrong."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Joel," Ellie tried with a frown, "she just walked in 0 "

"You had a word with Tommy now, did'yah?" He demanded, ignoring Ellie to focus his glare fully on you.

"Well - yeah - I mean - "

"No," he seethed with narrowed eyes and furrowed brow, "where the hell you get off talkin' to my brother like that? Huh? You worried 'bout me, you say somethin' to me - otherwise, the hell you talkin' for?"

"Joel - "

"You overstepped," he shook his head and pointed a scolding finger at you, "and my health ain't your concern - "

"Of course, it is! Fuck's sake, how can you even say that? I get you're mad, fine, okay, you know what? I get it, I'm sorry if I overstepped by telling Tommy how worried I am, but for the love of God, Joel, I am worried about you because you're not the same man you once were!"

"Are any of us?" He huffed.

"You don't think we've noticed the way you've slowed? How you clutch your chest? I'm allowed to be worried - "

"You know, if you weren't so Goddamn clingy all the time, you wouldn't feel whatever compulsion this is to concern yourself with something that ain't got shit to do with you."

You blinked in shock, feeling disarmed by the harsh tone and bruising words he offered. "Joel, we're both worried about you,," Ellie stepped in again. "Don't be such a dick, she's just looking out for you."

"By involving those that don't need to be involved?" He sneered, glaring at the girl before rounding on you. "From now on, you stay in your place - enough with this - this fucking - this protector bullshit you think of me as. You cling any fucking tighter and I'll suffocate, so back the hell off."

You nodded slowly, watching him storm off; door slamming after him hard enough to make both you and Ellie flinch. "I, uh..." You cleared your throat, "I should... Um, uh, you know what, I'll jusy - uh, yeah, no, I can just... Yeah, I should - yeah."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"You didn't do anything."

"No, but that wasn't very nice of him to say."

"No, I suppose not," you smiled ruefully, giving a hearty, heavy sniffle. "I should, you know, go and find somewhere to crash - "

"Why wouldn't you stay here?"

"I don't exactly like to linger where I'm not wanted," you mused, keeping your tears at bay. "I just need to clear my head for a bit. Go for a walk or something. Maybe he just needs some space, I don't want to be here and upset him more... You two have a mission at hand," you tried to smile, "that's bigger than us all, and whether I see the end of it or not doesn't matter now - what matters is you, Ellie. This petty squabble will pass," you lied, "because you're all that matters. I won't risk further upsetting Joel, gambling with this already sketchy-ass plan and put everything we've worked towards so far at jeopardy."

You both smiled ruefully.

"I know when to walk away," you ended softly.

She nodded, opening her mouth but closing it instantly; knowing you were stubborn enough that she didn't even attempt to stop you. So, she did the only thing she knew she could do: offered her joke book.

"Oh, Ellie, no," you breathed, "no, no, I can't take that, it was a gift."

"And now I'm gifting it to you," she shrugged, holding the book out. "C'mon, just take it, it'll make me feel good knowing you're cracking shitty jokes to yourself - or whoever will listen."

"I can't take this," you whispered.

"Just make sure you stay alive to give it back," Ellie compromised.

"Deal," you smirked, opening your arms and embracing the girl the moment she rushed into your chest. "I'll miss you," you whispered. You promised to see her as soon as you could (so you could return the joke, of course), kissed her forehead, then grabbed your bag, which had yet to be unpacked, and left the house.

You managed to find lodging in the old cantina, and you'd never know that when Joel got back that evening and saw your items gone, he breathed a sigh of relief. In his head, with you gone, it was one less painful reminder of Sarah, the life he had before; and while his mind played tricks into thinking he saw Sarah in town today, he realized you were the constant trigger.

The single strand that kept him in the past.

Constant reminder of who he was, who he wanted to be.

Prevented him from truly moving on.

Though not done in the best or most respectful way, in his heart, Joel knew he needed to shove you into the mud to get you to let go; you saw too much "good" in him. You saw him in the same light as Sarah, and he couldn't handle that; could not fathom that there was anyone left in this world who saw anything remotely humane in him.

So, Joel did what he did best: made his own life infinitely harder by pushing away those who loved him.

requesting rules and masterlist

TLOU masterlist

Clingy Baby masterlist