Execution of Cicero
Cicero, the famed orator and statesman, is frantically fleeing his villa in Formia as assassins sent by Mark Antony's forces arrive to capture and execute him. The scene is one of desperate escape, wi
Setting
Cicero's villa in Formia, Italy, surrounded by olive groves and overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. The villa's courtyard is paved with worn marble, and the surrounding gardens are winter-bare. A narrow path leads down to the shoreline where a small boat is moored.
Characters
Marcus Tullius Cicero
primary
A 63-year-old Roman statesman with a lean, intellectual build. His once-dark hair is now streaked with gray, and his sharp features are lined with age and recent stress. His hands, usually steady for writing and oration, now tremble slightly from fear and exhaustion.
Slave Boy
secondary
A thin, wiry boy of about 12 years with sun-darkened skin and close-cropped black hair. His large brown eyes are wide with fear, and his hands bear callouses from years of labor. He moves with the quick, silent steps of someone accustomed to being unnoticed.
Centurion
secondary
A battle-hardened Roman officer in his late 30s, with a muscular build from years of military service. His face bears several scars, including a prominent one across his left cheekbone. His short-cropped hair is dark with streaks of gray, and his piercing brown eyes are accustomed to command.
Legionary
background
A battle-hardened Roman soldier in his late 20s to early 30s, with a muscular build from years of military training. His face is weathered from campaigns, with a short-cropped beard and a scar running across his left cheekbone. His hands are calloused, gripping his gladius with practiced ease.
Dialog
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Mi puer, the boat - by the gods, why did we delay? The Furies themselves must have clouded my mind!
Slave Boy
Dominus, they come - three men, swords drawn, from the eastern gate!
Centurion
Search the peristyle! The old fox won't escape us twice!
Marcus Tullius Cicero
O tempora! That I, who saved Rome from Catiline, should flee like a thief through my own villa!
Slave Boy
Please, Dominus - the sea path! Your words won't stop their steel!
Centurion
There! By the cypress tree! Tribune's orders - take him alive if possible, but don't let him reach the water!
Marcus Tullius Cicero
Then let them take my head, but never my dignity. Boy, stand behind me - I'll face them as a Roman should.