Tony and Cleop Act Three Scene One Sub-Scene One

 Act Three

Scene One

Sub-Scene One

The round-up.

 

Ventidus stood with his head bowed when they brought in Pacorus’s body on the board, but the body was covered and the blood washed away. He was with Silius and his boys. It was his doing that the Parthians were involved. Mark Antony had told him to rouse them to fight for the Romans.

“The nation of Parthia, with all its loyal boys, holds respect for their leader, Pacorus. He was once with Marcus Crassus, my previous boss, but today we salute the dead leader. Carry the leader’s body in front of his boys. Your son, Pacorus Orodes, lost his life assisting the Romans. Marcus Crassus will meet Pacorus in Hell.”

“Ventidus, while you still have momentum from the reduced forces of the Parthian boys, follow the fleeing Pompey Jr’s boys who have escaped. Their numbers are smaller. Shall we ride through all the joints where the cowards hope to seek refuge? For this, your grand captain, Antony, will give you a triumphal procession on a chariot and pour champagne over your head.” 

“Silius, I have accomplished enough. I acted on orders. Some orders I may not like but I am a soldier.” Ventidus whispered to Silvius. "Listen, if it is possible for someone of low rank to overstep himself and be the boss, then it will be done, but not today. You should be aware of this, Silius: it is better not to do something than to do it and thereby win too much glory while our boss is away.”

“Caesar and Antony have won more battles through the skill of their officers than through their own abilities. Sossius, a soldier from the ghettos with the same rank as myself, was Antony's lieutenant, and because he achieved glory too quickly and kept gaining it, he fell out of Antony's favour.”

“Sossius? I met him once. Good soldier.” Ventidus said. Whoever accomplishes more in war than his boss becomes a greater soldier than him. Because soldiers are generally ambitious, a boss would prefer to lose a battle than have someone else win it and have him pale in comparison. I could accomplish more to help Antony's cause, but it would offend him, and if he were offended, I would lose all the glory of what I have already done.”

“A gun is just a tool, Ventidius, unless it is being handed over by someone with your qualities. You will tell Antony about today.”

“All in due time, I will humbly tell him what we have done in his name …… that magical wording ……we won. I will tell him how, with his banners and his well-paid boys and allies, we beat Pompey Jr’s boys out of the field like broken-down old hags, even though they had never been beaten before.”

“Where is he now?” Silvius asked.

“He intends to go to Egypt, but we must meet him as fast as we can, given the load that we carry.” Ventidus then looked at the gathered. He reckoned the surviving leaders were all there ……most of the senior ones; old mem and women. Once the best with the Parthian, then the invalids and good for send-off.

Ventidus signalled the boys at the rear. They knew their roles. The nine boys lined up in a row and opened fire at the gathered.

Forty-eight died to add to the total figure of sixty-one in the war.

“What the …...” Silius stopped his question when he saw the glare from Ventidus before his last breath.

Later that day, a new set of leaders then took over the Parthian boys, and due compensation was given; they ran the operations of the warehouses. Such was the way of Mark Antony’s strategy.