Death of Vitellius
Vitellius, the deposed Roman emperor, is dragged through the streets by Vespasian's soldiers and brutally executed on the Gemonian Stairs. The mob jeers as he is tortured and killed, marking the viole
Setting
The Gemonian Stairs, a steep stone staircase leading from the Capitoline Hill to the Roman Forum, lined with onlookers and soldiers. The steps are worn smooth by centuries of use, and the surrounding buildings cast long shadows.
Characters
Vitellius
primary
A corpulent man in his late forties, his once-imperial bearing reduced to a pitiable state. His double chin wobbles as he struggles, and his thinning hair is matted with sweat and filth. His face is flushed from exertion and humiliation, with bruises forming where he's been struck.
Soldier
primary
A burly legionary in his late 30s with sun-weathered skin and a battle-scarred face. His cropped brown hair is matted with sweat from exertion, and his muscular arms show years of combat training. A fresh gash across his left forearm still oozes blood from the recent fighting.
Mob Leader
secondary
A stocky, middle-aged man with a weathered face, deep-set eyes, and a prominent scar running from his left temple to his jawline. His muscular arms bear the marks of past battles, and his posture exudes the authority of a former military man turned populist firebrand.
Street Urchin
secondary
A scrawny child of about 10 years, with tangled dark hair and sunken cheeks from malnutrition. His bare feet are calloused and dirty, and his arms show faint scars from street fights. One front tooth is missing, and his nose is slightly crooked from past injuries.
Freedman
background
A middle-aged man with a wiry build, his dark skin marked by old scars from his time in servitude. His short, curly hair is streaked with gray, and his deep-set eyes carry the weight of hard years.
Dialog
Vitellius
We are Augustus! The son of Lucius Vitellius! You dare lay hands—
Soldier
Move, hog! The only throne waiting is Dis Pater's bench!
Mob Leader
See the wine-sack bleed! Where’s your feast now, glutton?
Vitellius
Mercy—by my father’s shade—I gave you games! I gave you bread!
Soldier
You gave us swill and empty coffers. Up! The stairs want washing.
Mob Leader
Hear him squeal like a stuck pig! Thus falls a tyrant!
Vitellius
At least... at least kill me like a citizen... not... not this...