Lucius Cassius Longinus

Senatore

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Sara

About Lucius Cassius Longinus

Senator

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Michiel Huisman
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Rome

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Michiel Huisman
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Rome

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A Noble Escape

Started by Decimus Rutilius Atellus · Sunday at 06:12 AM

76 CE
Late July

In the seemingly endless din of parties and street traffic that ruled the eternal city it appeared as though Fortuna would grant one night in the dog days of the year that one could manage to hear their own thoughts. There didn't seem to be any apparent reason for this sudden cease in the overall commotion; perhaps everyone had just grown tired of the whole thing. It wasn't as if it would last, of course, but as the lone guardsman loosened up with a mug of mead he couldn't help but wonder about the nature of the nobleman's note. Longinus had asked him to meet at this tavern through a slave, but it hardly seemed to Decimus that there were any reason for him to want to hang out in a tavern laden with Rome's lower orders. Even though they were old friends he couldn't help but wonder what would make spending a night with him seem more appealing than hearing about the latest gossip that was passed around the dinner tables of Rome's wealthiest circles.
The light outside of the tavern had grown scarcer and scarcer in the hour since he'd arrived, and with the darkness came the warmth of the newly lit candles that would help carry on the regular patron's habits till they'd had their fill. Decimus was no great thinker, and he'd never claim to be, but in the back of his mind he'd always wondered how fulfilling a life of luxury could be. He wouldn't say that money was useless, and he certainly hoped to end his life with more of it than he'd started with, but the thought of enduring conversations about fashion, laws, and land-use seemed mind-bogglingly dull to him. Maybe it was something one only truly came to enjoy when they had wealth. Either way, he was sure that he would hear Longinus's views on the subject tonight. It was either that or they'd talk about Britannia. He certainly couldn't blame the man for talking about it either. Britannia was probably the most excitement that either of them would see in their lives, save for if the drums of war truly started beating again.
Becoming Praetorian had left little room for the thought of ever visiting the front in any long term capacity. The new Augustus didn't seem all that interested in beginning a new campaign, but that observation only came from the limited time he'd spent in the man's presence. Perhaps Longinus would know something that he did not. Either way, he was perfectly content to wait for the man at the small booth he'd snagged for the night.

@Sara
Word to the Wise

Started by Lucius Cassius Longinus · July 5

June, 76AD
Longinus hurried back - ducking and weaving through the crowds as he made his way back to the domus. The afternoon was hot - too hot - and he couldn't wait to decant the toga that he had haphazardly thrown over his shoulder. He hated senate meetings, for the most part, and today's had only intensified that. Why his colleagues needed to drone on for literally hours about grain allotments was absolutely beyond him, but he made a mental note to develop a fever before the next one, if the same Senators intended to orate.
He'd been surprised that Gaius had sent word that he wanted him to talk some sense into his brother. He was quite sure that if you asked any of his closest friends, they absolutely would not use the word 'sensible' to describe peace-time Longinus. Military Longinus - who had his men's lives in his hands - maybe, but not Longinus in Rome. Still - at the very least, after this afternoon Gaius owed him, and favours from friends was always a benefit. Besides, maybe this fellow Lucius was good company? He liked the man's brother, and had his own wayward streak after all, so maybe they'd get on? Then again, maybe that was a naive hope.
What was also probably not going to help matters was that he was late. Never one to keep to time, he'd dawdled after the meeting, catching up with friends and such before he'd made his way into the sunshine of the bright June day to to find his secretary, Vitus, glowering. Even now as they hurried home, Vitus bore a look of thunder; "I'm not that late, stop it." Vitus merely shrugged and muttered; "It's still impolite." loud enough for Longinus to hear. As they drew to his domus, finally, he hurried through into the atrium and didn't even pause to think about it - unwilling the folds of his striped toga with a haste as he queried; "Is he here yet? Or late too?"

TAG: @Chevi
I Shall Be Your Aphrodite, and You My Ares!

Started by Mania Victoria · June 28

July 76 CE, at a dinner party
It was a warm night in July and Mania was once again enjoying herself at a dinner party. Excruciatingly boring affairs most of the time, she thought. Rarely ever did anything exciting happen, rarely ever was there something worth gossipping about the next day. Tonight, however, the monotony would finally be broken, as a Senator was present, and a single Senator and decorated military man to boot! If Mania were to pass up the opportunity to get to know him, she would declare herself as weak-minded and naíve as her younger brother.
Finding one man amidst dozens is, however, no easy task, and one requires hydration to keep going. And hydrate she did; wine, calda, mulsum... The warm temperatures didn't exactly contribute to Mania's resistance to the effects of wine, either. By the time she had finally found out just where in the host's domus Lucius Cassius Longinus was hiding, her body had become as light as a cloud, her movements as fluid as water. As she reeled down the hallways of the residence her jewellery jangled loudly, and to anyone who had ever had the displeasure of running into Mania Victoria in a semi-private setting such as this, said jangling jewellery would certainly sound like an alarm bell and the smartest course of action would be to clear the premises. However poor Lucius Cassius must have had no idea of just who was looking for him, and, more importantly, of the state she was in. Fortuna wasn't holding him in her favour tonight.
As she walked into the room, she did her best to not attract attention to herself, of course hoping for the opposite effect. She paid him no mind, however still glanced towards him, completely by chance. The fact he hailed from gens Cassius must not have been a coincidence, for he was a good-looking man and certainly had every reason to be vain. Thankfully, she had chosen to wear silphium perfume tonight, just in case an eligible bachelor were to be present, and a virile warrior such as himself would certainly notice. She made sure to pass him several times, so that the aphrodisiac's scent would find its way to him. The elaborate updo her blond hair had been fashioned into would certainly catch his attention, too.
@Sara
It's All Fun and Games

Started by Lucius Antonius Alexius · June 18

June 30th, 76 AD
Alexius life had not been going according to the plan lately. Not that he ever really had a plan, but lately, things had just taken a wrong turn. Not that it was all entirely bad, not that he was bored or didn’t have any lovers or anything like that, but he’d been feeling strange. He couldn't really explain it. All he could hope was that tonight might help. It was now about half a year ago, that he went to talk to Thessala, or rather, let it all out in a good spar with her, that he found out about the event. Thessala had heard rumors that the gang who ran the Domus Venus were considering to put up a day and night of entertainment. A private night, an exclusive night and it wouldn’t just be the kind of entertainment that the Venus was famous for. No, it would be all sorts of things. Including gladiatorial games. It was going to be a big event!
That was the first time he heard about it, back when Thessala told him what she'd heard. Then a month or so, he was invited to talk to them. It came out of the blue and he didn’t know what they wanted, it wasn’t like he wanted to be a bouncer at the Venus! Brothels were not really his thing, not at all, in fact. He always felt so bad for the women and men and boys and girls working there, forced to sleep with anyone instead of being able to choose, like he did. But the Venus didn’t want him to become a bouncer or a guard, no… they wanted to see him fight in an arena. And wondered if he’d fight a woman. Because they had managed to get a deal with a ludus about one of their most fierce and famous gladiatrices. With that, they gained his interest and then they also offered plenty of coin for his efforts.
Alexius always felt like he was in need of coin. Good wine wasn’t entirely cheap, after all. And to always have food and wine in the home to offer guests, well, that was not cheap either. So he agreed to the deal. He’d fight as a gladiator again. Purely for entertainment, there would be no Caesar there to say one should live and one should die. They could draw blood, of course, and one would win and another would lose, but killing was not on the menu for the evening. You couldn't continue entertaining people if you were dead, after all...
It was now a year since the most recent earthquake and apparently that was the perfect occasion to celebrate. He hadn’t really fought in an arena since he was freed, but everyone knew he’d never forgotten about it and he had even at times considered returning, for real, and not just for one night only. That’s what this was though. Now, he could barely wait. He'd worked hard and exercised to return to his former strength - and here he was. Dressed and armored as he’d been in the past, as a Murmillo… walking through the tunnel underneath the seats, the tunnel that led to the private arena. The tunnel that led to the roar of the crowd and a proper fight against a proper opponent. He couldn't help but smile.
@Chevi @Sara @Sharpie @Liv
Here Goes Nothing

Started by Lucius Cassius Longinus · June 13

June, 76AD
Longinus wasn't, by his nature, a nervous man but by the Gods he was skittish now. The meeting with Seconds and Tertius had been odd and disconcerting to say the least, but he'd persevered - sending his compliments to Secundus for a lovely afternoon and pressing his desire to meet the man's niece. He didn't know what to make of Sergia - he'd glanced her once or twice throughout the years at various functions but couldn't recall much beyond dark hair, blue eyes and a pretty face. If he'd spoken to her, he couldn't recall it and he hoped to the Gods he hadn't because the Longinus trying to court a young woman was likely to be different to the Longinus enjoying himself at a party. There was a significant chance he'd acted like an oaf back then, and winced as he paced the atrium.
The house was deserted - his mother and daughter at the villa in Formiae for the next few weeks, which suited him fine. No need to frighten the poor young woman off with his overzealous mother and miserable child. That did, unfortunately, leave Sergia in the company of only men so he'd extended the invitation to Secundus' wife Livia. But tales were told and deciding he'd rather not have to face the couple who spent most of the year oddly isolated in Tibur, he'd also invited Tertius. He liked the latter, more than he liked Secundus at any rate and was hoping the Praetor would be able to temper the moods of his guests.
Dinner was being prepared and the slaves hurried around the place, straightening a few of his odd collectibles here, and a vase of fresh flowers there. He fidgeted as he drew to a stop, tugging at the folds of his pallium and wishing he'd had a good long drink before this. How was it that facing down the Brigantes in Britannia hadn't made him sweat but the prospect of arranging a marriage did? He swallowed and waved a hand at a slave; "Wine." His throat felt as parched as a desert and he gulped it down as it was handed to him. He didn't have long to wait and stew further in his misery though, a slave entered the atrium with a guest trailing behind him.

TAG: @Járnviðr @Liv @Atrice (and @Sharpie and @Chevi if you want Attis or Mets to make an appearance at any point!)
Also figured we could jointly NPC Sergia? And come up with an excuse as to why her mother isn't at the dinner...
Bad moon on the rise

Started by Attis · May 27

Attis had been woken by others' disturbed sleep and nightmares more than once in his life, but it had been a long time since he had been woken by his own nightmare.
Tonight's dream was vivid, though.
“Hold him down,” the Centurion was saying from somewhere out of sight above him and the two soldiers holding him tightened their grasp as another came to hold his head still. Attis' eyes were fixed on the sword that was being brought closer and closer to him, its tip glowing red-hot...
He woke with a gasp, sitting up, one hand going to his forehead even as he glanced over, hoping that he had not disturbed his master. The scar was still there, of course, but cool to the touch, painless now but still visible to everyone who looked his way – as it had been intended to be. Attis was lucky he hadn't simply been killed for his stubbornness, but the soldiers (whoever they were) had toyed with him as a cat did its prey – and that had been Attis' saving grace because they had no sooner completed branding him than another group of soldiers came riding up, giving Attis time to get away.
The room around him was pitch-black, it was still the middle of the night, and he threw back his blanket, finding that he was desperate for some air and to wet his throat, both of which could be found out in the garden, where he could slake his thirst at the fountain, hopefully without disturbing anyone.
As he straightened up from the fountain, a sound behind him made him turn. Obviously, he hadn't been as quiet as he had hoped.
“Domine! Did I wake you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.”

@Sara
Deals to be done

Started by Lucius Cassius Longinus · January 16

Mid-January, 76AD
Saturnalia had come and gone with the fresh winter winds that whipped about the city. Although it didn't get nearly as cold as Britannia here, Longinus' body was unused to the cold after a summer spent outdoors, basking in the heat of Italia and Greece. The hypocaust was at full steam (literally) for the occasion and the paterfamilias Longinus had spent the early afternoon chivvying slaves to make his domus look presentable. It was an odd place; half-decorated in his late wife's style, a quarter under the influence of his mother with her love for garish frescos and vivid mosaics, and the rest was left up to his tastes. Tastes which bordered on the downright odd. A British battle axe on the wall in one room, some pottery he'd found en route back via Gaul in another. It was an eclectic place that had none of the polish of other Senators and Patricians his rank, but it indubitably suited him.
The slaves had done their work admirably though and it was at least tidy. After he'd waved his mother goodbye (thank the Gods) to spend the late afternoon and evening with his cousin Lepidus, Cassia his daughter going with her, Longinus was left alone with the slaves. He didn't know why he felt nervous, he'd come to his decision without much fanfare after a disappointing few months looking into the impossibility of adoption, and unsuccessfully musing over other eligible women. Maybe he was nervous because of the family? They didn't have the best reputation around, and his mother had curtly reminded him as she departed that Tertius - who'd seemed at least affable, and nice enough - had recently had a bastard born son by a slave, a son whom he'd recognised. Longinus had resisted the urge to tug at the neckline of his tunic at the remark, given he'd been in the same situation some months ago with Sestia, although that was a secret he'd take to his grave.
He'd invited both Tertius and his eldest brother here today though, and perhaps that was why he felt oddly ill at ease. He found Tertius pleasant enough but his brothers reputation preceded him. Unfortunately for Longinus, his plan required the paterfamilias and that meant Secundus himself. He hoped Tertius could temper him a little though, hence the dual invitations. Poor Longinus wasn't to know of the discord between the brothers.
A slave disturbed his thoughts and announced one of the brothers was here. "Yes, but which one?" He asked with a frown and the slave girl merely sighed and shrugged, "I don't know domine, he's tall, dark haired..." Longinus had to suppress a chuckle, "Yes dear Merula, that's very helpful." He shooed her away with a wave of his hand and jumped to his feet from where he'd been sat in the garden. Bounding through the house with his customary energy, he drew to the atrium and slapped on a wide grin he didn't quite feel. "Welcome!"

TAG: @Járnviðr @Atrice
Raise your glass

Started by Titus Sulpicius Rufus · October 10, 2020

6th of October, 75 AD
Given the tragedy brought on by the earthquake only a few months earlier, Titus didn't quite feel right celebrating his birthday with huge festivities or partying from dusk to dawn - besides, this was no milestone year, just the passage of time signalling that he had officially grown older. The previous day - the actual day of - had been spent with family, featuring a relaxed and pleasurable evening with far too much food including Betua's mouthwateringly good placenta cake, and only a tiny hiccough when Valeriana loudly and vehemently expressed how unfair it was that she received no gifts, skilfully ignoring the fact that it wasn't her birthday for that to happen.
Tonight's celebration was simple as well, though less child-friendly. Going out for drinks with friends was also very agreeable, even more so when they had a decent-sized chamber and an own dedicated servant all to themselves. Drinking alone was no fun, though, even when it was Falernian and Caecuban, and Titus busied himself with deciphering the multitude of humorous scrawls on the walls and snacking on bread and olives before the others arrived - his stomach would thank him later.
@Echo @Sara @Sharpie
Feel free to ignore posting order!
A Morning Visitation

Started by Lucius Cassius Longinus · October 4, 2020

Late July, 75AD
Longinus stifled a yawn behind his palm, and tried to ignore the disparaging look the slave waiting with him, shot in his direction. He hadn't spoken to Claudia Corinthia much besides passing pleasantries before her retreat to Greece, and the infamous Imperial Banquet - the memory of which still brought a smile to his lips. Poor Lucius. Yet, even if they weren't friends (barely acquaintances really), it was good to be polite and he had so few connections in Greece that it would appear odd if he didn't reach out to them whilst he was here on his 'holiday'. Besides, he was hoping the news of his failed engagement hadn't reached these corners of the Empire, and he could have a conversation on something other than his miserable love life, and he had an invitation to extend to the small soiree he was due to host.
He'd dressed for the occasion - in respect of her rank and standing - in a light blue tunic with a darker blue pallium. He'd even shaved for the occasion! Although his hair was probably still too long to be considered proper and every so often he had to run his hand through it to push it out of his forehead. The finery he had arrayed himself in and the grandeur of the villa made him feel...oddly constricted, and he couldn't help fidgeting. The slave shot him another withering look and Longinus arched a brow, which quietened him down and the man reverted his eyes to the floor. He might serve his mistress, but Longinus was still a patrician and a decorated legate at that.
He was a man, however, with boundless energy and waiting and waiting and waiting to be admitted was beginning to grate on him. When a flurry of activity at the other end of the atrium signalled something was happening, he felt himself relax, and a broad, buoyant grin spread on his face. The lady approached and he inclined his head in respect. "Claudia," His grin filled out, "A pleasure as always - thank you for seeing me, I was going slightly out of my mind in boredom with so few friends in Greece!"

TAG: @Gothic
Party People

Started by Lucius Cassius Longinus · September 19, 2020

Late August, 75AD
Longinus was mulling. He didn't like these sort of parties at the best of times, but certainly not since his return from Greece where the news of his failed engagement was less fresh than before, but still simmered beneath the surface. He saw the pitying looks from friends, the preying glances from unmarried girls and the scornful look of the married matrons that milled through the party. So he'd retreated, as he often did in these instances, outside. It allowed him the fresh air he needed on these hot summer evenings, and a chance to stretch his legs. It also gave him space from the other party goers. Bliss.
The sound of music and chatter and laughter filtered from the triclinium through into the garden and he sat on the bench, kicking stones with his sandalled feet. He'd made the effort tonight at least, given he knew Titus and or Aulus would comment if he didn't. Fairly clean shaven (with his perennial stubble not budging...), and cut hair at least. He'd dressed in one of his more formal blue tunic and pallium, but despite dressing the part, he didn't feel ay real mood to party. He continued to kick rocks as the laughter intensified and a couple came into the garden to join him, taking a seat on another bench with giggles - utterly unaware, or uncaring, that he was sat only a few feet away.
Another figure drew out into the garden and he glanced up, hoping it was one of his friends and not another stranger. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case, but he tried to effect a polite smile on his face.

TAG: @Echo