Young Posthumous gets beaten by Germanicus.

& The Camel and the Elephant.

Description: to the right side: The little boy standing defiantly with his wooden sword hanging floppily in front of him, his leather shield thrown to the ground in a show of frustration. To the left side: Germanicus idles the spear on his shoulder, patiently waiting to see what his young cousin has to say.

Chat Bubble 1: (Posthumous) “Had I a true blade, I would have taken them all out in the surprise attack. I challenge you, Germanicus, to one-on-one combat, call it an honor match then.”

Chat Bubble 2: (Germanicus): “Very well, Posthumous, ready your guard.”

A close-up of Germanicus, his hair is longer, curling a bit down the neck. His skin is pale like Posthumous (I’m not married to the pale look), looking down with circles under his eyes, as well, a surprised feature with a mocking tone as Germanicus both respects the stones of this cousin, and at the same time he knows it’s going to feel so good doling out the punishment for such hubris.

This brazen show in front of the guards, of the Royal family! It was too much to let go, unpunished.

(Posthumous): “I’ll knock the mock Spartan-helmet from your head, Germanicus, you Blue Cross… Easterner!!”

Text Box 1: (Claudius) Calling someone Eastern (German) was the worst insult the young boy, Posthumous, knew. He had heard nothing but the Roman propaganda all his life, against the people of the world, that he really thought the insult of comparison is bound to hurt anybody’s feelings.

Germanicus hands his mock Spartan-style helmet to a third unnamed boy, Who grins impishly.

(Germanicus): “Hah! The impudence! You think I need these advantages… Against the likes of you? Little sprout, I wont bother wearing it.”

(Claudius): “Germanicus could not believe his eyes. A beating, now, by all means was what was deserved, to cut our young cousin down a peg. But you had to admire the little fellow, too. This was normal in the childhood playgrounds of the militaristic Roman culture, even amongst the royal families.

Description by Claudius: Caligula on the mule. “Sitting atop one of the mules, Caligula, “Little boots,” swung his sword in the excitement. His regulation swings and parries amused the guards, who had taken an unhealthy liking to the boy. Caligula had become something of a mascot to the legions, and it was terribly spoiling for the boy.

Description: The guards admiring Little Boots. They look like they’re looking at a puppy. “But I was just the uncle to the boy, and nobody would heed anything I would have to say about the matter.”

(Claudius): “The guards, and most of the Tiberius’s regiments adored “Little Boots”, … And when the obstreperous young boy was in trouble, on a time-out imposed by my grandmother, the men would shout “Give us back our little Boots! We want Little Boots! We miss the little fellow, where are you hiding him?! We want to see our little boots again!”

Description: Caligula, chopping downward, nearly throwing himself off of the mule. His hat spills over his face, blinding himself with a Charlie Brown unsettled Zig-Zag mouth.

(Claudius): “Little Boots,” translated to the Temple Common as Caligula, was already shamefully spoiled in my opinion. Caligula was the direct heir to the most powerful woman in the Temple: Livia. She would mercilessly see to it that he would one day have the throne.”

Description: the guard picking up the fallen and crying Little Boots.

The Centurion guard is propping Little Boots upon his broad shoulders.

(Claudius) “Hopelessly spoiled.”

Germanicus is mocking at a strike towards Posthumous. He lunges forward, almost in a sprinters stance. Smiling with small amusement.

His bow is thin, and tucked under arm and shoulder.

(Claudius): “Germanicus was actually the silent type, by nature.”

The wooden spear screams past Posthumosus’s head. He looks completely shocked. He had no idea his opponent would move so fast.

(Claudius): “He only spoke when it was socially fitting to do so, as his sense of duty was immense, to his family and to the state, the people of Rome… for whatever reason, even as a young child, some strong emotion had touched him–compelling him to see things so, and so instill this honorable trait within him.”

Posthumous has fallen backwards. His helmet sits tilted on his head. Not even properly laced.

(Germanicus): “Oh cousin, my dear, young cousin… look at your helmet. It’s not even properly laced. You, I’m afraid, are not fit for combat.”

(Claudius) “Childhood was a very different experience for Germanicus compared to myself. He was being groomed.”

Description: Claudius standing with a cane, watching.

Text Box 11: (Claudius) “I was being brushed under the table.”

He looks barely present, like a marble-eyed statue.

-page end-

Optional Bottom Panel: Germ spanks Posthumous over his thigh a little, like a child, as the whole groups laugh. “Romans are broken in, like horses. They accomplished much, but are no doubt a severe people.”

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Stakes.

*(Emperor Claudius actually does a good job reforming Rome’s Theatre, which, unlike the Greeks, had never before been known for their theatrical output. We can frame the visual story-telling here with theatrical themes (thinking of Karazan from WoW). These can mostly be stories about the Caesarian lineage, the battles between Mark Antony and Octavian, the Carthaginian conflict, focusing on the political and military struggles, as well as the court gossip and interesting or outstanding bizarre events recorded in history, or artwork.)

(Here we can discuss the Roman Empire, in depth, particularly focusing on the Julio-Claudian dynasty.

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The girls in the group speak, maybe criticize Posthumous. Maybe connected to page 7.

Page 6 Layout. A Camel face at center, perhaps a little down and to the right. A hop-skotch panel style as high up and to the left as can go on page 6. In the hop-skotch we have panels 1-9. Panels 1-9 will be dedicated to the kids, and the girls ridiculing Posthumous. To the bottom left of page 6, the purple cloud bordered panels start. Panels 10-12 are at bottom margin of page 6. Going up the right margin of page 6, make clear we are meant to read them from bottom up. Panels 13-16 are ascending up page 6. Snaking along to the top of page 7, the boarder of panels continue.

Panels 1-9, “Hop-Skotch.”

(Messalina): “You’re lucky Posthumous, that Germanicus is such an honorable Roman–another boy may have beaten you to death for that.” (The Magus)

*****Page 6, Second Panel “Hop-Skotch:”

Chat Bubble 2, Page 6: (Agrippina) “Messalina is right, a little runt like you shouldn’t be picking street fights with boys twice their size.” (The Priestess)

(Messalina): “Did you honestly think you were going to beat Germanicus in a duel?”

“In what little nap-time day dream does a little sprout like you think they are going to take on one of the toughest and most athletic kids in Rome, like Germanicus?” (The Empress)

“Honestly, I’m just a little worried about you now… maybe you’re just stupid, like Claudius…”

(Posthumous) “I’m the strongest in the whole family, I’m just too young right now. One day… you’ll see.” (The Emperor)

(Agrippina) “…”

(Claudius): [Just then, a very significant thing would happen that would change my life for the foreseeable future…]

(The Hierophant)

A large girl, with broad, manly shoulders who was the tallest, and I swear, the widest girl that I had ever seen in my life.] (The Lovers)

Text Box 2, Page 6: (Claudius) “I knew what to do here: to play along; to position myself so as to give the illusion that, despite whatever decision they’ve made, it bodes well with me, their ever-obedient Son and Grandson.” (The Chariot)

“Here you are Claudius! We’ve brought… a little surprise for you!”

(Claudius): “When dealing with the “Rotten Claudians,” like Livia, my grandmother, and Empress with Augustus, and my Mother, I’ve found that abject cooperation is often the best survival Strategy, and never with even a hint of possible defiance.” (The Scales: Adjustment)

(Livia): “Hello there, Claudius!” Beckoning toward Claudius with an impish grin.

(Claudius) “H-H-Hello, Livia–H-HE/HE-Hello, Mother–“

Chat Bubble 7, Page 6: (Livia) “Okay Claudius, take a breath–still with that infernal stammer. Can’t we get him a tutor to work that out of the boy? Get us one of those Greek ones. Now: Don’t retreat yet, young Tortoise, I wish to speak with you!” (The Hermit)

-Note: I like the idea of the Julio-Claudian family comparing each other to Reptiles, I’ll try to keep that going.

‘Purple-Clouded Boarders.’

(Claudius): “I knew immediately when my grandmother Livia acted excited to see me, [me!], that something bad was about to happen.”

She had come to mock me, or to degrade me, humiliate me, or to disrupt some project I had been working on—maybe not directly, but I knew that ‘something’ had been decided ‘for’ me as soon as I saw the three women walking together, and it was probably something ‘big’.

I knew the young girl’s name was something like Urrgalenila, which was an Eastern name equivalent to the female legend of Hercules. And to make things worse she even walked in with Livia and my Mother stuggling to stay close behind her massive strides, making her look even more like an… well and Eastern Behemoth, if I’m going to be totally honest!

“And no doubt, with the joyful look on the women’s faces, there would be something like an arranged marriage prepared for the two of us.

****Edit Note: Germanicus and Claudius have same Mother and Father. Castor is Tiberius’s son by Vipsania.*****

“Claudius, you know the young Urrgalenila here already, I believe don’t you?”

“H-H-How do you-you-you do?” I said nervously.

My Mother cackled, “Oh they are going to be quite a pair! A married couple! What do you think will happen Livia, with the Camel mating with the Elephant?”

The women burst out laughing, nearly falling over on each other.

“Oh that’s too good! The camel and the Elephant, that is JUST what it is!” I had never seen the two women closer.

They cackled like drunken prostitutes, falling onto each other, clinging one another for support.

“Well, then, Kiss Beasts!” Livia demanded. They could barely remain standing, they were so humored by this cruel, and humiliating behavior.

Livia is undisputedly the most powerful woman in all of Rome, maybe all of history. At that point, Augustus had hardly been running anything in the Empire in his later years, and almost everything had been under the purview of Livia for years now. Tiberius, her son, had been maneuvered into power, but she, Livia, was still the actual power player behind the throne. Rome wouldn’t tolerate female leadership in this regard, but Livia was such a prestigious figure that everyone basically knew she was running things, and didn’t publicly seem to have an opinion of it. As long as the Empire ran as smoothly as it has under the unofficial reign of Livia, no one would dare… even Tiberius would quash any public dissent or criticism against his mother.

Claudius smiles nervously. Urrgalenila looks like she has the potential to kill a man. With her bare hands, thought Claudius. Maybe that has been the plan all along—have this female Hercules strangle the life out of me…

all that was very apparent in her facial gestures. He hesitated.

“Kiss now I say!” Livia beckoned with an authoritative tone. “Go on then–I said kiss!” She again tried to sound playful, but it was obvious that disobeying was out of the question, and she would smash our faces together by force if we disobeyed.

The small group had grown silent. I was frozen, petrified at this quandary.

Livia could ruin my life in countless ways, not setting aside death itself, and this Urrgalenila in front of me has hands that would appear could crush a Man’s bone.

“I’m sorry, f-for this. I-It’s not MY fault.” I pleaded with Urrgalenila, who had a face of disgust that had crystalized into something most likely permanent.

Then it happened.

She pursed her lips, no doubt in fear of Livia, also–and then we kissed! The women and children had a laughing riot. I smiled, as if pretending to be in on the joke, and Urrgalenila looked angrily at me, but worst of all was the look of Germanicus.

He looked at me… like I was an utter coward.

There were few things that had hurt me in my entire life quite like the look my Brother Germanicus gave me that day.

“Goodbye Claudius, we’re glad to see that you two have such natural chemistry.” The older women walked off with Urrgalenila, laughing as they passed through the village.

It hurt because I knew, then, that this prideless trait was so rooted within me, forced upon me, that I could never make amends for that disappointing look–no one kills the butt of jokes a wise man would later tell me, Germanicus–I know he’s come to understand that.

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Page 7, Description: the humiliation of Claudius, “the Camel and the Elephant.” Germanicus wonders at Claudius.

Perhaps as if he’s wondering why the boy doesn’t defend himself. He just sits there with that foolish grin, taking the humiliation.

Germanicus knows Claudius is no fool. However, it’s painfully obvious how stress will take Claudius over, and his stammer only worsens when something is expected of him.

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Claudius self defeating.

8. To all I was known as “that stammering Claudius–the fool–or that buffoon Claudius, who should generally be disregarded in any matter of even the remotest importance.”

“I idolized Germanicus, just as anyone else, and though I continue to hold him up in the highest of regards, it was in those early days where boyhood exaggerations could take sway, and Hero worship, of a kind, could sweep one up most easily.”

(May be repeat)When Germanicus speaks people listen. People are not so patient with me; no one has time to endure my stammer. You are are compelled to hear what Germanicus has to say, however, as it is typically something well-considered, calculated, and generally of a dutiful and honest nature.”

Though this sometimes stirred spiteful jealousy within cousins of our family, Germanicus assumed the best intentions of people when interacting with them. As a result they would normally seek to live up to the high expectations he had of them.”

“Mainly, i revered Germanicus because he expressed none of my own misgivings. Perhaps I had a vicarious relationship to him, of sorts, but mainly I coveted him because he seemed to remain humble despite his greatness, and, above and beyond all reasons, I worshipped my brother because he was as compassionate a brother to me as any sibling had ever had.”

“I will never forget this about my brother. Germanicus is a good man, there is no doubting, and despite our wretched times I believe that those traits within him would remain–regardless of the era he had been borne.”

9 & 10 Stakes Dedicated.