Assassination of Emperor Domitian
Stephanus, a trusted chamberlain, assassinates Emperor Domitian in his private quarters, striking him down with a dagger while pretending to deliver a message.
Setting
The inner chambers of the Palace of Domitian on Palatine Hill, specifically the emperor's private quarters. The room is lavishly decorated with marble floors, high ceilings, and intricate mosaics depicting Roman gods and victories. The space is spacious yet intimate, with a large bedchamber connected to a study area filled with scrolls and imperial decrees.
Characters
Emperor Domitian
primary
A middle-aged man of average height with a lean but muscular build, his face marked by the stern lines of power and the pallor of sleepless nights. His dark eyes, sharp and penetrating, betray both intelligence and a deep-seated paranoia. His black hair is receding slightly, and he wears a short, well-groomed beard.
Stephanus
primary
A wiry, middle-aged man with sharp features and a closely cropped beard, his hands bearing the marks of both labor and service. His dark eyes are alert, betraying a calculating intelligence beneath a veneer of servility.
Guard
secondary
A tall, broad-shouldered man in his late 30s with a weathered face marked by years of service. His dark eyes are sharp with alertness, and his muscular frame suggests years of rigorous training. A faint scar runs along his left cheekbone, a testament to past battles.
Chamberlain
secondary
A middle-aged man of slight build, with sharp features and close-cropped hair, his olive skin marked by years of service in the palace shadows. His hands are delicate but show the faint scars of handling scrolls and ink. His eyes betray a nervous energy, darting between objects and exits as if expecting danger.
Dialog
Emperor Domitian
By Jupiter's will, why do you stand so close, Stephanus? Your hands tremble like a guilty man's!
Stephanus
Your Divine Majesty suffers from fatigue. This humble servant merely adjusts your robe for the Senate's approach...
Chamberlain
If...if it pleases the gods, perhaps the Emperor should rest? The omens today—
Emperor Domitian
Omens?! You dare speak to me of— [choked gasp]—
Stephanus
The Senate sends their regards, Dominus. And Rome—breathes again.
Chamberlain
Third watch...third watch will find all as Pluto wills it...