redsonja
Governor
I finally got a pdf of THE GODDESS AGAINST ROME. Here are some excerpts.
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I was with the army, with Cassius Flacus in Rome, the only one who could recognise her. I didn't want to point her out, but Agrippa was watching me and noticed my nervousness when the first one appeared, so white on her black horse. A pilum thrown from above pierced her mount's neck, another wounded her in the side as she fell to the ground. Several soldiers rushed at her, subduing her, despite her fierce defence, which caused some injuries. Only then, half unconscious from a blow to the back of the neck and held between four, did the general address her, unsheathing his weapon. Imborg didn't know enough Latin to understand him, but he could read it on her face:—I won't kill you, you worm that has just come out of the earth. You will bleed to death slowly, crucified, as a warning to the others. You are worse than animals and I will treat you as such. You don't understand anything. We bring you peace, progress, civilisation and you prefer to continue living like beasts. And you kill us, for trying to put us out of our misery! We will punish you severely, and your torment will strike terror into the rest of us. And, just in case you feel like running away...He lost consciousness as he felt the snap of his leg bones. My eyes filled with tears, and this caused laughter among the soldiers. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa looked at me with disdain and spat at my feet. I should have realized then that there was something more, but I understood his lack of courtesy as a criticism of my weakness, simply. They crowded around me, challenging, while Imborg lay unconscious.
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They dragged her across the ground and tied her naked to a tree trunk, making vulgar comments. Some spat on her face and others mercilessly threw stones at her. Her old scars were painted red, but this time it was real blood. Enraged, they decided to set out on a hunt around the area, leaving the victim guarded by a detachment of soldiers. And me with them."I should crucify you too, slave!" said Agrippa, mounting his mount. "I will have mercy on the strength of your master's friendship with Augustus, but I will give them both a good account of your shameful behavior."I was unable to answer, for it was clear that I had dug the grave of the little prestige I had left in the eyes of the general and his troops. However, I was proud of having managed to get Ammia to escape. I was sitting at the foot of the timbers, feeling Imborg's blood dripping beside me, the dull thud of the red liquid falling to the ground. From time to time she would moan under her breath, but I had been forbidden to help her.
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I was with the army, with Cassius Flacus in Rome, the only one who could recognise her. I didn't want to point her out, but Agrippa was watching me and noticed my nervousness when the first one appeared, so white on her black horse. A pilum thrown from above pierced her mount's neck, another wounded her in the side as she fell to the ground. Several soldiers rushed at her, subduing her, despite her fierce defence, which caused some injuries. Only then, half unconscious from a blow to the back of the neck and held between four, did the general address her, unsheathing his weapon. Imborg didn't know enough Latin to understand him, but he could read it on her face:—I won't kill you, you worm that has just come out of the earth. You will bleed to death slowly, crucified, as a warning to the others. You are worse than animals and I will treat you as such. You don't understand anything. We bring you peace, progress, civilisation and you prefer to continue living like beasts. And you kill us, for trying to put us out of our misery! We will punish you severely, and your torment will strike terror into the rest of us. And, just in case you feel like running away...He lost consciousness as he felt the snap of his leg bones. My eyes filled with tears, and this caused laughter among the soldiers. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa looked at me with disdain and spat at my feet. I should have realized then that there was something more, but I understood his lack of courtesy as a criticism of my weakness, simply. They crowded around me, challenging, while Imborg lay unconscious.
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They dragged her across the ground and tied her naked to a tree trunk, making vulgar comments. Some spat on her face and others mercilessly threw stones at her. Her old scars were painted red, but this time it was real blood. Enraged, they decided to set out on a hunt around the area, leaving the victim guarded by a detachment of soldiers. And me with them."I should crucify you too, slave!" said Agrippa, mounting his mount. "I will have mercy on the strength of your master's friendship with Augustus, but I will give them both a good account of your shameful behavior."I was unable to answer, for it was clear that I had dug the grave of the little prestige I had left in the eyes of the general and his troops. However, I was proud of having managed to get Ammia to escape. I was sitting at the foot of the timbers, feeling Imborg's blood dripping beside me, the dull thud of the red liquid falling to the ground. From time to time she would moan under her breath, but I had been forbidden to help her.