For the origins of this idea, see my previous post, below...
The time: AD 3--. The Roman Empire is in collapse. The barbarian hordes are swarming through Roman territories, driving back the once powerful legions of Roman soldiers…
The Place: Somewhere in Rome…
(Enter Senators HIERONYMUS and AGRONOMOUS)
Senator Hieronymus: Greetings, O Senator Agronomous. Have you seen any sign of Caeser Anonymous?
Senator Agronomous: O Senator Hieronymous, I have not. But why do you ask?
Senator Hieronymous: I bear serious news, O Agronomous. The barbarian hordes, led by the powerful Germanus and the wily Animus, threaten the Pax Romana, the peace of the entire Roman Empire…
Senator Agronomous: These tidings are indeed serious, O Hieronymous. I shall endeavour to find His Inimitable Anonymity, forthwith. (Exeunt)
(Flourish of trumpets – Enter CITIZEN EUPHONIUS)
Citizen Euphonius: Friends – Romans – Countrymen – Lend me your ears!
(A crowd gathers)
Citizen Euphonius: I come not to bury Caesar, but to praise him! Er … wait … no, that’s not right, he’s still here … I come not to praise Caesar but to introduce him … er no, that’s not quite right either, ipso facto, cogito ergo quod sum demonstrandum erat, or something…
Person In Crowd: Get on with it!
Citizen Euphonius: Er… that’s about it, really. I introduce – the mighty Caesar Anonymous!
Person In Crowd: Who?
Citizen Euphonius: Your emperor, you clown. (Exeunt)
Enter Caesar Anonymous
Caesar Anonymous: Friends, Romans, Country … (the crowd starts dispersing) Hey… what did I say?
Senator Hieronymous: (Coming up to him and patting him on the back) Nothing that hasn't been said before, O Caesar.
Caesar Anonymous: Oh, bugger! That was the only thing I’d prepared! Now what am I going to talk about?
Senator Hieronymous: Well, now that you’re here, O Caesar, I have news of solemn import … the Northern tribes, led by Germanus and Animus, have forced back our legions to the very gates of Rome itself…
Caesar Anonymous: Oh, no! What a jolly bother! That’s so unfair…
Senator Hieronymous: Yes, but the question is, O Caesar…
Caesar Anonymous: What am I going to do about it?
Senator Hieronymous: Well, thanks for asking. May I suggest, O Caesar, you look to history for an example. Act as did you predecessor, Caesar Augustus, when …
Caesar Anonymous: Never heard of him.
Senator Hieronymous: Augustus? But Caesar, he was our first Emp…
Caesar Anonymous: Not at all.
Senator Hieronymous: Why … then, I say, look to Romulus and Remus, who, the poet tells…
Caesar Anonymous: Not them either.
Senator Hieronymous: (Rolls eyes) Brutus?
Caesar Anonymous: Nope.
Senator Hieronymous: Julius?
Caesar Anonymous: Nah.
Senator Hieronymous: Cassius?
Caesar Anonymous: Not at all.
Senator Hieronymous: Then … well… I say, look to … Jesus!
Caesar Anonymous: (Shakes head)
Senator Hieronymous: But he has been the God of this city, ever since…
Caesar Anonymous: Nope. Don’t know about him. I worship the God Ubiquitous, didn’t you know?
Senator Hieronymous: (Desperately) Well… what about the Emperors Pseudonymous, Eponymous, Phenomenous, and Abominus?
Caesar Anonymous: Ah. Now those I have heard of.
Senator Hieronymous: And you will have heard of the Emperors Autonomous, Glutinous, and Synonymous?
Caesar Anonymous: Ah. The Emperors Synonymous. The famous twins! Yes, I have heard of all of those. What edifying historical examples have you to draw, O Senator Hieronymous?
Senator Hieronymous: Well… nothing… those Emperors didn’t really do anything.
Caesar Anonymous: Then why on Earth did you … (He is interrupted by the re-entry of Senator Agronomous, at a run…)
Senator Agronomous: O Caesar! The Barbarians have occupied Rome! We are no longer free!
(Enter GERMANUS, carrying a blood-stained sword, and ANIMUS, bearing a gore-dripping axe, respectively.)
All: (Shocked) Generals Germanus and Animus!
Germanus: (Waving his hand) Nein! Nein! How many times do ich have to tell you Dumbkopfs, that ‘Germanus’ ist nicht mein name?
Animus: Nine.
Germanus: Vas?
Animus: Nine times, that is how many you haf been haffing to tell us, O mighty Germanosch.
Germanus: Ja, ja, oh pusallinimous Animus! It does not matter. But vile ve are about it, I might just rename this city…
Caesar Anonymous: Rename … Rome? What to?
Germanus: You be kviet, you Roman schvein! Ja, ja, I vas just thinking more like … (thinks) … Romeberg.
Animus: Ah… nah, I am do not liking it. How about, Romanheim? Or, say, Romanosch, or maybe Romehalla?
Germanus: NEIN! Romeberg it shall be!
Caesar Anonymous: (Clears throat)
Germanus: Oh, for Votans sake – if it is not ein thing, then it is ein other. Vat is it, you Romanbergian Schvein?
Caesar Anonymous: Well, I am Caesar, pleased to meet you, and all that …
Germanus: Vell! Ve are in the presence of Royalty! General Germanus at your service, O Caesar! (Reaching out hand)
Caesar Anonymous: Caesar Anonymous.
Germanus: Caesar … what?
Caesar Anonymous: Anonymous.
Germanus: Is that your real name?
Caesar Anonymous: Well… uh … no…
Germanus: Then … vat is your real name?
Caesar Anonymous: I … don’t know!
Germanus: Vell … that doesn’t matter. Romeberg is now mein!
Animus: Und mein…
Caesar Anonymous: I beg your pardon. No it’s not. Romeberg … I mean, Rome… is mine! And it says quite clearly in the history books that Rome burns down, because of Nero’s fiddling!
Germanus: What history? I haven’t heard of that!
Caesar Anonymous: Ha! That’s because in Rome, our study of history is so advanced that most of it hasn’t happened yet!
Germanus: Aha, your vile vords are tricky, you Romebergian schvein, but they vill not fool me! Prepare to DIE! (Advancing on him, flourishing the sword in the air)
Hieronymous and Agronymous: Hail, Caesar, who is about to die!
Caesar Anonymous: Er … wait! You can’t do that! … Er… Look behind you! Isn’t that Ragnarok I see happening?
Germanus: Ha! You vill not fool me, Romebergian schvein! That ist der oldest trick in der book!
Caesar Anonymous: No, no … it is, it really is, Gottedammerung!
Germanus: Pull der other vun!
Caesar Anonymous: Really… it’s the twilight of the Gods! The end of the Germanic pantheon – it’s happening now!
Germanus: (Raises his sword)
Animus: Germanosch! Enough of that! Ve … haf other things to worry about! It’s … IT’S RAGNAROK!
Germanus: Vat? The end of der Vorld? Das vas not supposed to happen for … (takes out pocket sundial) another century!
(Both turn and leave, amidst crashing Wagnerian Chords and Fa-la-laing Valkyries)
Senator Hieronymous: Bravo, O Caesar!
Senator Agronomous: You have saved us!
Senator Hieronymous: You have saved all of Romberg…. Er, I mean, Rome, with your quick thinking!
Caesar Anonymous: (Shrugs) O Tempora, O Mores
Both: What?
Caesar Anonymous: It was nothing. Come on. We’ve got another 300 years of splendid moral and military decay into squalor to look forward to. Let’s get to it! (Exeunt)
FINE
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Tim, your links stink, you fink!
- John Bangsund's Threepenny Planet
- Broken Biro
- Poetry 24
- Superlative scribbles
- Kirstyn McD!
- Rorrim a tsomla almost a mirror
- More Sterne
- Sterne
- Cam the man from the Dan.
- Too hot to Raaaaaaandallllllll!
- Erin's Excellently Everlasting Effervescements!
- Slammy Infamy
- Hail Paco!
- Baron Blandwagon, purveyor of cyberbunnies, hawker of Roger Corman, and Misruler of the Multiverse
- The Bolta. Aiyeeeeee!!!!!
- Bad Apple Audrey
- The cartoon church
- Sir Martinkus
- A Zemblanian abroad and at home
- A hodge podge of hotzeplotz
- THE SLAMMA!
- Jottlesby's nottings, or should that be Nottlesby's jottings?
- The Snarking of the Hunt
- Jazzy Hands
- David of Metal City
- David the Barista
- The Blogger on the Cast Iron Balcony
- Be an Opinion Dominion Minion!
- Mel...
- ... and Fel
- His brilliant career - from whale sushi to crumbed prawn
- Jo Blogs
- Yet another Tim
- Croucherisms...
- Was two peas, now three peas
- Desciopolous!
- ... Still Life - now with extra rotating cats!
- Erin...
- An Amazingly Awesome Australian Ampersand!
- Blink and you'll miss 'er
- Red in the land of the tigers!
- Wire of Vibe
- Chase him, ladies, he's in the cavalry!
- The Non-palindromical Editrix in Germanium
- Old Sterne
- Gempiricalisations
- TonyT
- The briefs...
- ... and the brieflets
- The Purple Blog
- Blairville, lair of all that is wicked and perfidious
- The enticingly acronymical CSH
- EXTREEEEEEEME WYNTER!
- Mark of California
- Jellyfish
- Silent Speaking
- Lexicon the Mexican
Blog Archive
-
▼
2004
(208)
-
▼
December
(41)
- Exciting Business Venture
- Hello
- Family and Stuff
- Merry Christmas Eve
- Typomatic
- Wherein Tim Looks At Some Timeless Artistic Master...
- Journey to the Ends of the Earth
- HIPPIES!!!
- For Red
- Where Was I Again?
- My Tips
- My Favourite Things
- I'm Just Saying
- Vote One Carry Hutton, and Other Assorted Items.
- The Sausage Version
- Cuteness2 - Contributing to the Downfall of Wester...
- Kite Yodelling
- The Most Boring Word in the English Language
- Cuteness1
- We're Almost The Worst!
- You Foul Mouthed Bastards
- Age Old Question Soon To Be Answered
- A Nonny No - #2
- I Value Your Opinion
- Can't Talk
- A Nonny No - A Comment on Blog Terminology
- Citronautics
- No Animals Were Harmed
- Sucking Hell!
- I'm Not Pedantic
- Tsk Tsk
- Ultra Apologies
- The Hippy In The Desktop Drawer
- Stuttering Joyous Leaves
- Meta-Swearing
- Let's Talk Trash
- DC Comics, I'm Waiting to Hear From You
- Performance Poetry Update
- Hot Dating Advice From One Who Knows!
- Now Is The Summer of Our Discontent
- Please Sir, Can I Have Some More?
-
▼
December
(41)
No comments:
Post a Comment