Marcus Eppius Parthenicus
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Sharpie
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Guy Henry
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Usually, the chariots would start behind a gate. At the beginning of the race, all the gates would open simultaneously, allowing the horses out to run the track. That was not going to happen today, for obvious reasons, and nor was the race going to be the usual seven circuits of the track, each circuit marked by one of the gleaming golden dolphins above the spina.
Marcus made sure that both drivers could see him, and dropped a cloth, the more traditional method of starting a race - and the method used in the smaller circuses which would be where Azarion would make his debut as a charioteer if all went according to plan.
@Echo @Chevi
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"What in..." Marcus looked up from the discussion he was having. He could not remember ever having someone burst into his office in such a way.
He took in the boy's appearance - of course it was the mute boy (Azarion?) which meant that of course his natural question would go unanswered.
His state did not go unnoticed; Marcus was a man who prided himself that he noticed details, and the kid seemed covered in blood. Or, not completely covered, but his tunic and hands were smeared in blood.
"I beg you will excuse me, it appears that there is something urgent that requires my attention," he said to his visitor. "I shall call on you tomorrow to continue this conversation, if that will be acceptable to you?"
"Of course," the visitor said, rising smoothly.
He'd probably lost the man's sponsorship, but that couldn't be helped.
A waiting slave came to show him out and Marcus turned to give Azarion's agitated signs his full attention.
"Come with you? This had better be important!"
@Chevi
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Marcus had been watching the mute stableboy's progress and training, both in person (when he could) and via reports from Varica and others responsible for various aspects of training and care of the horses. Today he had deemed the boy far enough along in his training that it was time he actually raced another charioteer, although he was not yet ready for the full spectacle of a big race. This would be a private race between the mute and Marcellus, a freedman whose career had started out in much the same way as Marcus' before him, racing the two-horse bigae.
Marcellus was one of those charioteers whose cockiness was based in real skill and talent. He might rub people up the wrong way sometimes, but he was one of the best charioteers the Whites had. Marcus would be interested in seeing how the two interacted on the course.
He took his seat in the nearly-empty stands, picking a spot that he knew from long experience would give him a good view of proceedings. He had sent Linus, one of his scouts, to a seat on the other side of the Circus in case something occurred there that the spina would prevent him from seeing, and settled in for an interesting morning.
@Echo @Chevi
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Marcus could hear tiles being shaken loose and sliding to the ground - one of those would be enough to seriously injure someone, maybe even kill them, but what was more important was to get the horses into the open exercise yard that the stables were built around, where they would be safe if the building suffered worse damage than a few loose tiles.
He looked around. Drivers, stable hands, the chariot building staff, the kitchen staff - everyone had a horse or two by now.
And as soon as it had begun, that shaking stopped, the ground beneath his feet going solid and unmoving as ever.
He looked for the nearest person unencumbered by horse-holding. "We are going to check the building for damage - any further movement and I want you to come straight back here."
There might easily be further movement from the earth, there often was more than one tremor, but he prayed that Ahura Mazda would be merciful.
@Chevi @Beauty @Liv @Jane @Echo
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The first deep rumblings did not waken Marcus. They did, however, awaken the horses in the stables, and they, in turn, woke Marcus (and, hopefully, the stable staff). And then the earth moved.
"Ahura Mazda!" Marcus swore, and rolled out of his bed. His immediate thought was for his son and daughter, his second was for his staff and horses.
He threw on a tunic and left his room, turning to his children's room. Their nurse was looking out of the door, wide-eyed. "Earthquake. Get the children out into the courtyard, and stay there!"
She nodded and withdrew, leaving Marcus to head to the other side of the house, that overlooked the stables of the White faction. There were several people already down there, milling about in apparent confusion. He looked back to see the nurse holding his children's hands in a firm grip.
"Papa!"
"Go with Esther, I will be with you soon - I have to make sure the horses are safe, too."
He headed into the confusion of the stableyard and began to assert order.
"Stay in the middle of the courtyard! "Varica, Bassus, Menelaus, Theseus, Azarion - start bringing the horses out. Don't spook them any more than they are already. Everyone else, you will need to hold them, and if you cannot be calm, at least be quiet!"
@Beauty @Chevi @Echo @Liv @Jane
(Thread title from Horace Odes book III - post equitam sedet alta Cura)
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"That is the case with a lot of things in life," Marcus said. "All the work and training that go into something, anything, and all anyone sees is the end result. But the more work that goes in where nobody else sees, the better that end result is. And if some people don't appreciate that bend result, well, I think that says more about them than about whoever prepared whatever it is that they're looking at."
The Septimas, Major and Minor, were hardly likely to be on the receiving end of the sort of abuse that was regularly heaped on the Whites and the other teams at the end of a race, of course, but Marcus was aware that girls could be incredibly catty towards one another and the younger you were, the worse it seemed - especially insults thrown by those you actually knew.
"I think this looks like your sister with a carrying chair," he said a moment later.
@Chevi @Atrice
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He waited until she was settled comfortably (or as comfortably as possible) on the edge of the fountain, and stepped back. "It looks very good to me," he told her. "Although I admit that I don't have a critical eye for things like that."
Of course, girls had a smaller world to inhabit than boys did, though they could likewise go to the baths or the market or meet friends - though Marcus didn't really have much idea what girls liked to do, much less what they could do. "It's always nice to see friends," he said. "It's not always interesting - there's a great deal that isn't interesting, or probably wouldn't be, to someone like you. All the planning and talking, and getting sponsorship and everything. What happens in the Circus is only a tiny part of it, though in some ways it's the most important part of all. Certainly, that's all that most people ever see."
And of course, where racing was concerned, interesting very often also meant dangerous.
@Atrice @Chevi
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"Brace yourself, then," Marcus said, offering his hand and pulling her carefully to her feet. Once she was settled on the stone edge of the fountain, he stepped back a little to give her some space, as propriety demanded.
"I have been involved in racing in one form or another all my life," he said. "I was fifteen when I trained my first horses to race - a pair, in the bigae races - the two-horse chariots, though I didn't race them myself that year. I have raced, though, but I gave it up to concentrate on training - the horses have to learn how to run together, and the charioteers have to learn how to drive them to get the best from them."
Every step of his chosen career path had involved a steep learning curve, but it was a way of life that he had been born into, and he could not imagine doing anything else.
His own career might be glamorous, to an outsider at least, but he would not spend the entire time talking about himself at her expense. "But what about you? What do you like doing, other than decorating fountains for Fontinalia?"
@Atrice @Chevi
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Marcus clapped Azarion on the shoulder. "I will have a word with Varica for you to train these horses for the bigae. He'll probably set you up with one of the others - most likely Tarbus or Theseus."
Azarion's lack of speech might hinder him, but he was a clever young lad and had ways of making himself understood.
"We will have to see about whether you can actually race, of course - you don't have much weight to you, and that would help, but there are ways around that."
@Chevi
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Marcus glanced down. "If you spread your feet a little wider apart, it will help with your balance," he said, shifting his own feet to give the boy room. He was more used to being in a chariot than Azarion was, naturally. "Especially when you have your hands full and can't hold on to the chariot."
So far, he was pleased with what he had seen. Yes, there were wobbles, yes it was awkward the first time, but he thought Azarion showed promise. It might be a while before he was confident and skilled enough to actually drive in a race, but the potential was there.
He met the boy's eyes in that momentary glance back. It was a very speaking glance - the kid was expressive, probably as a way to overcome his main communication problem.
"How do people drive four horses? Practise, mainly. I won't say that it doesn't take hard work and skill. There are some thing that can't be taught, though, that come from inside - the very best drivers have a connection to the horses."
@Chevi
Topics I Participated In
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There are no words
Started by Azarion ·
Late October, 75AD (Immediately after Sunset)
Azarion ran across the stables towards the offices that belonged to the Whites. Some people saw him run, and a stable boy even said something, but he pushed past him. He was only vaguely aware that his hands and knees were stained with blood. The way he was running, doubtful that anyone could tell if it was his or someone else's.
He did not wait at Marcus' door, although normally it was the rule to do so. Instead, he burst right in, and once again, he was painfully aware that he could not just yell, blurting out the things he wanted to convey.
Safinia is dead.
Safinia has been killed.
Instead, he made hurried motions to the man, pointing at the door. He would have to show him.
@Sharpie
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Training wheels
Started by Azarion ·
Mid-October, 75CE
Azarion was slowly getting better at being a charioteer. A trainee, anyway, since he had not competed in any of the races yet, but Marcus had him on a tight and brutal schedule. Honestly, if he had not cared for the horses' health and safety, it probably would have been even worse. Azarion went to be d every night with aching muscles. But also, he thanked his gods every night that he had something to work for. Even though he couldn't ride the horses freely like he wanted to, and he was not allowed to carry bow and arrows, the chariots gave him a sense of freedom, and hope for his future. One day, they might even free him. If he did well enough.
Which was the only reason why he did not complain when he was told he'd drive a mock race with Marcellus one morning. That man was the worst.
Azarion was not deemed ready for a quadriga yet, but he knew how to drive a biga securely by now. So, the early morning found him up and ready on the race tracks, with only a few men from the sables walking around here and there. Azarion checked the harnesses, the chariot, and patted the horses on the nose, making soothing sounds. Borena and Tabithi had been training alongside him the whole time, and he knew them well. Now it was time to put the whole thing to the test - by racing another charioteer.
@Echo
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Black Care sits behind the horseman - Earthquake
Started by Sharpie ·
The first deep rumblings did not waken Marcus. They did, however, awaken the horses in the stables, and they, in turn, woke Marcus (and, hopefully, the stable staff). And then the earth moved.
"Ahura Mazda!" Marcus swore, and rolled out of his bed. His immediate thought was for his son and daughter, his second was for his staff and horses.
He threw on a tunic and left his room, turning to his children's room. Their nurse was looking out of the door, wide-eyed. "Earthquake. Get the children out into the courtyard, and stay there!"
She nodded and withdrew, leaving Marcus to head to the other side of the house, that overlooked the stables of the White faction. There were several people already down there, milling about in apparent confusion. He looked back to see the nurse holding his children's hands in a firm grip.
"Papa!"
"Go with Esther, I will be with you soon - I have to make sure the horses are safe, too."
He headed into the confusion of the stableyard and began to assert order.
"Stay in the middle of the courtyard! "Varica, Bassus, Menelaus, Theseus, Azarion - start bringing the horses out. Don't spook them any more than they are already. Everyone else, you will need to hold them, and if you cannot be calm, at least be quiet!"
@Beauty @Chevi @Echo @Liv @Jane
(Thread title from Horace Odes book III - post equitam sedet alta Cura)
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Horse Trials
Started by Sharpie ·
(February 75CE)
Marcus had no idea if the new slave, Azarion, knew just how closely he'd been watched since he'd been hired by the White faction. He had given him into the care of Varica, his head trainer, and received reports from him that made him take a closer interest in the boy. He had gone back to the boy's master with a proposition. They had struck a deal and it was that which had led to Marcus' standing on the balcony outside his office, watching the activity in the stables below, waiting to spot one particular slave.
There he was.
Rather than summon the kid to him, Marcus descended the stairs to the stable-yard - he would only bring the kid back down here, there was no need to make him do the trip twice for no reason.
"Azarion!" he called, once he could be certain of not interrupting or disturbing him.
@Chevi
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Flowers and Fountains
Started by Atrice ·
13th of October, during the festival Fontinalia
The Piscina Publica were public swimming grounds and luckily placed not very far from their home. And this was quite lucky on a day like today – it was, after all, Fontinalia and it was the day of celebration for Fons, the god of wells and springs. Septima Major was out with her sister, Minor, to celebrate the day. They’d spent the last few days on preparing a most beautiful garland out of flowers and grasses and leaves and now it was done and ready to be hung on a fountain near the Piscina Publica on this very day.
Septima Major was excited – she loved festivals like these and could barely wait with going out. Maybe she spent a little too long getting ready. Septima Minor had been ready for a while, before Major finally decided she was done too. She wore a very pretty, bright green chiton with a yellow and red palla over it. Her hair had been done up on her head, with twirls and curls and a few yellow flowers and green leaves added to the style. It went very well with her pretty blue eyes. On her feet were simple slippers.
They carried the garland together on their way to the fountain. She gave her sister a smile, after she’d waved to a few people she knew on the way – Septima knew many people and she liked to talk to people and make new friends, “Oh I hope someone else didn’t already decorate the fountain we decided on. It’s going to look so pretty, isn’t it?” Septima Major said with an excited tone, “I wonder if there’s going to be music too. And maybe someone set up a shop that sells food and drinks? We could stay a little while.” She suggested with a smile, “Oh, do you think anyone’ swimming in the pools today? That would be interesting.”
@Chevi
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If wishes were horses...
Started by Sharpie ·
The Whites' stable complex was the usual bustling place it always was, with slaves exercising horses by walking them round the yard - one had been re-shod and a mare had recently foaled. The carpenter was busy fashioning a new chariot, and the wheelwright was shaving spokes for a new wheel for one damaged in the last race. Slaves were mucking out stalls and doing all the hundred and one other things that kept a chariot team ready and able to compete in the furious races that had made the Whites famous.
Marcus had been closeted with a visitor for what felt like an eternity, talking about the opportunities that backing such a faction could provide, and had come out of the session the renter (not, strangely, outright owner) of one half-wild barbarian boy who seemingly had a magical touch with horses. Marcus had initially been put off by the FVG brand on the boy's arm, and the discussion over that had led to the final agreement, that the Whites would take the boy on to work in the stables for a fixed sum payable every eight days, and if not fully satisfied, the boy would be returned to his master, no harm, no foul.
They had shaken on it and the boy's master had left, leaving Marcus in charge of a boy who looked still half-feral. At least the tunic he was wearing could pass as white, Marcus supposed. If you squinted.
It was at least not blue, green or red. There was something to be said for small mercies.
"Come along, I suppose you ought to see where you'll be working," he said, leading the boy out of his office and into the bustling yard.
The Whites complex was formed of four separate wings around a central courtyard. There were stables along three sides, enough to house all the numerous horses (it was not unknown for them to put three teams into the same race), with various workshops, the kitchen and dining hall making up the fourth wing. Over the stables were hay-lofts and dormitories for the slaves, with living quarters for the free craftsmen situated over the workshops. Marcus' office was also on this second story, which had a shaded balcony overlooking the central yard, giving Marcus a good view of everything that went on, for which he was responsible.
@Chevi
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The gif game
Started by Gothic ·
Basically reply with your character responding to the one above with a gif of their reaction to the person above.
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Marcus Eppius Parthenicus
Started by Sharpie ·
Marcus Eppius Parthenicus
38 | 7th May 36AD | Equite | Dominus Factionis Album | Bi | Canon | Guy Henry
Personality.
It would be possible to describe Marcus as a man of contradictions. First and foremost he is fiercely loyal to his faction - the only real home he has ever known in Rome as the then-leader was the one to purchase his grandfather in the first place, and his father worked for them in his own turn. He demands excellence from those around him, having little patience for anyone who cannot do the job demanded of them. He wants the Whites to be the very best that they can be, although he will not stoop to cheating; honour was drummed into him from a young age. He can be harsh with those he perceives as slacking, but his demeanour around the horses is very different, as it is towards those who likewise care for the horses from desire rather than duty. His fiercest tirades are directed towards anyone caught mistreating the horses - after all, they are unable to answer back and, not being war horses, if they lash out it's probably deserved. A slave caught mistreating any of the horses is going to feel the lash - Marcus almost never resorts to it for any other reason.
Marcus' overwhelming desire is for the Whites to have the best stable of horses, and the best charioteers and stables, in Rome. He has taken some journeys to places such as Hispania in order to buy horses, and has likewise been known to go down to the slave markets in order to find potential charioteers and other slaves suitable for various roles within the Whites stable. He is not above wishing to give others the chance his grandfather had, and of thereby encouraging other families to whom the Whites will act as employer and patron and community. He especially looks for those from places he knows have a history of horsemanship - Parthians, Hispanians, Britons.
He is fiercely proud of his background and what his grandfather and father achieved, and that he is now running the faction, and has achieved the status of equite, is something he cannot help but be proud of - being the grandson of a freedman is no stigma at all especially in the light of that.
While Marcus is competitive is not above working with other factions when necessary, although the arrangement must be mutually beneficial and he will not even touch the sort of arrangement that will mean deliberately throwing a race. He is torn between wanting to be able to hand control of the faction to his son, and wanting to see his son take a seat in the Senate, which will preclude him from running any such business directly.
Appearance
Born to the son of a Parthian, and that son's ethnically Parthian wife, Marcus Eppius Parthenicus looks Parthian, with dark hair and darker than skin. Other than that, his appearance is wholly Roman; he is clean-shaven, his curly hair worn short. He stands at five feet five inches (1.6 metres) tall, but carries himself with a proud bearing. He often wears a tunic in his faction's colour, especially around their stables or when representing the Whites. In keeping with his status, his tunics are of a finer cloth than those of his employees and the faction slaves, often embroidered or with braid trimming. He rarely dons the formal clothing of tunic and the toga with a narrow purple border that is allowed to equestrians, as he finds it uncomfortable and restrictive - though naturally he will wear formal clothing on formal occasions and he carries it off as though born to it.
He has no trace of subservience, meeting people's eyes with his own dark gaze irrespective of their own standing in society.
He has sustained various injuries over the years, leading to building a collection of scars on his arms and legs, which show paler against his skin but none of which look like anything other than the scars resulting from things like scraping against protruding nails.
Family
Father: Narses (birth name) Eppius Parthenicus (5BC-61AD, aged 66 at death)
Mother: Roshanak (Hellenised as Roxane) (b. 16AD, age 58, still living)
Siblings: Darius Eppius Parthenicus (35); Vashti Eppia (30)
Spouse: Julia Prisca (b. 44AD, d. 71AD, aged 27)
Children: Marcia Eppia (10), Drusus Eppius Parthenicus (8)
Extended family: Grandfather Timaeus (Tahmasp) (51BC-22AD, aged 73 at death) Various unknown relations still in Parthia, several cousins in Rome
Other:
History
Rome and Parthia have been enemies for a while and despite Mark Antony's campaign of 40-33BC resulting in a loss for the Romans, overall, the Romans brought back several captives to Rome. One of these was a young man by the name of Tahmasp, sold into slavery as Timaeus. The Parthians being known to be a people skilled at working with horses, Timaeus was bought by the then-leader of the Whites racing faction. That skill was well deserved as Timaeus won enough races to be able to buy his freedom, and a comfortable (although not large) house, and marry and start a family. His youngest child and only son Narses continued in his father's footsteps, by choice rather than compunction, serving as the Whites' trainer, working his way up through his career to become the head trainer, and working with both the horses and the charioteers, determined to get the best out of man and beast.
Narses' son, born Mithridates but taking the name Marcus in preference for his Roman friends and because Parthia by now really had very little claim on him and he had almost no interest in the place (except as the home of fine horses and finer horsemen), likewise worked at the Whites racing faction, starting as a young boy and eventually working his way up by skill and connections to become the leader of the faction - and with that professional step came a step in social and political circles as he was promoted to the ranks of the equestrian order.
36AD - born to Narses Eppius Parthenicus and his Parthian-born freedwoman wife Roshanak (Roxane)
39AD - younger brother Darius born
44AD - sister Vashti born
46AD - begins working at the Whites' stables as a stableboy
51AD - given chance to break in and train a pair of horses for the bigae, the two-horse chariot race (which was of lesser importance than the four-horse quadrigae races because less skill was needed on the part of the driver)
52AD - drove in his first chariot race, coming third
53AD - came first in the skilled four-horse quadrigae race
61AD - his father died, leaving him as the paterfamilias, which led to his decision to retire from racing and dedicate his time and skills to training
64AD - daughter Marcia Eppia born
66AD - Elevated to head of the Whites faction; son Drusus Eppius Parthenicus born
70AD - Elevated to equestrian order
71AD - Julia Prisca dies in childbirth, leaving her son and daughter to be brought up by their father and paternal grandmother
Sharpie | GMT | PM or on Discord
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Character Question Game
Started by Atrice ·
The game here is pretty simple - a question is asked and one of your characters answer it... it can be a "this or that" question or a deeper and more personal question. The answer is IC of course. Once answered, ask a new question for the next character 🙂
I'll start of course 😄
Have you ever been in love? ❤️
have one of your characters answer a question!
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