Titus Adrian ( An adaption from Titus Andronicus of Shakespeare ) For Matured readers only.

Titus Adrian

Soon to come... 

An adaption from Titus Andronicus of Shakespeare

A savage tale of deaths and blood curling acts

By Jimmy Loong

September 2014.

The list of characters:

Saturday; the son of the late patriarch to the land.

Bastion; the step brother to Saturday

Titus Adrian;

Titus family;

Lucas; the eldest son of Titus

Quincy; the fourth son of Titus

Martin; the sixth son of Titus

Matthew; the youngest son.

Lavinia; his only daughter

Junior; the grandson of Lucas

Micheal Adrian; the beloved brother of Titus

Michael’s family;

Peter; the only son to Micheal

Sworn servants of the family

Sam

Cassius

Valentine

Emilio

Tamara; wife, lover and slave

Tamara’s sons;

Alain

Demetrius

Chiron

Aaron; servant and lover to Tamara

The place;

Somewhere in the mountains where the trees grew higher than Man and creatures roamed freely, while man hunts

them for food. A time of survival where the powerful ruled the weaker ones.

Coriolanus Act 5.4.2 & 5.4.3

Scene 5.4.2

A gloomy event unturned

The mood of the drinking place was soon shattered by the arrival of a boy who brought good tidings.

“We are saved.” The boy shouted when he appeared at the doorway. He then ran off before anyone could question him. The other patrons were all sobering to the message.

“Have we won with the grace of the Gods? Or we are spared our life by the Volsces?” The lady owner asked. “My grandmother was from Volsces.”

There was none to reply to her, but another messenger arrived. That time it was a man in the battle fatigue still armed with his blaster. The lady gasped when she saw the man with the blaster. She quickly added in her later words.

“But I am true Roman. My mother was disowned by her mother on marriage to my father. I praised the Roman laws for saving her and me too.”

“Good news to all. The Volsces have stopped their attack. Marcius was said to have left their army.” The newly arrived soldier announced. He walked to Menenius and took hold the jar to quench his thirst. The later was dumb struck and stood there unmoving. It was Sicinius who asked.

“Are you sure this is true? Is it most certain?”

”As certain as the sun is fire.” The soldier looked to Sicinius. A fine man not maimed by any attacks yet he sits behind the lines drinking. “Where have you lurked when we were fighting? Now you make doubt of my words.”

“I…” Sicinius was to reply when he heard the cheering outside on the streets. The soldier forgotten the man and lauded the merry making outside.

“The music and noise make the sun dance.” The soldier soon took leave to join the outside crowd. More from the drinking place joined them outside; hoping on crutches or swaying with bandages on their limbs. All except Menenius and Sicinius; one sobering up and the other looking to cry in happiness.

“This is good news. I will go and see the ladies.” Menenius pushed him to walk. “Volumnia speaks well of herself compared to the other Consuls.”

“Let me join you, dear sir. I am praying to the gods for such good tidings.” Sicinius stood up to assist the older man. They joined the merry making crowds and soon were jostled to the main gates of Rome.

Scene 5.4.3

The grass yonder is dying

While the city of Rome was in merriment, the city of Corioli still in rebuilding but then its inhabitants had all stopped works. They were not in despair but in relief for the war had really come to be over. Maybe for some years and they could actually stop their rebuilding. They had heard of the peace treaty where the Generals have come to their senses and one named Coriolanus had absconded. To them, he was a saint and then the devil to lead them into this war. He trampled his feet over Corioli as a Roman invader, and then rode through on the roof of the armored vehicles waving at them. A number of very important persons had come there and offered all kinds of assistance but the latest batch was different. They were there to make themselves as part of Corioli. Some of them told the inhabitants that they want to make Corioli the monument for the war as the city that survived.

“Go tell the lords of the city I am here: deliver them this paper, bid them repair to the market square where I, even in theirs and in the common’s ears, will vouch the truth of it.” Audifius passed the declaration to his officer. He saw the poster of Caius Marcius. It was partially tore off and graffiti written on it. It said; ‘killer, murderer and rapist’.

“Him,” Audifius continued on. “I accuse the city ports by his hath entered, and intend to appear before the people, hoping to purge himself with words.”

Audifius eyed his inner circle of officers; the fraternity of his confidante. He saw the signs that they need to meet. He knew the place; the public square, with reliable sentries to keep the crowd away. He excused himself to meet his officers. 

There were five of them there; three Colonels, one General and one was just a Major.

“How is it with our General?” The Major asked. He was lest in the know for he was always in the battlefield with the combatants. “Why have we called for a truce?”

“Like a man by his own alms empoisoned and with his charity slain.” Audifius replied with his words to denote the man had poisoned himself and was destined to be destroyed by it.

“If you do hold the same intent wherein you wished us parties, we will deliver you of you great danger.” The General assured their leader. He would not be harmed while they could do something of it but Audifius was not fleeing from the people.

“Sir, I cannot tell; we must proceed as we do find the people.”

“The people will remain uncertain which of you will make the difference, but the fall of one make the survivor of the other.” The Major replied.

“I know it.” Audifius spoke out. “I raised him, pawned him, mine honors for his truth, and who being so heightened, he watered new plants with dews of flattery, seducing my friends, and to this end, he bowed his nature, never known before but to be rough, unswayable, and free.”

“Sir, his stoutness when he did stand for Consul, which he lost by lack of stooping…” The General remarked.

“When banished, he came into our hearts, presented to my knife his throat: I took him to my bosom. Made him joint servant with me,; gave him way in all his own desires.” Audifius sighed. He had been a fool; like lovers do when they are in love; blindness leads to woes in the heart. “He took the projects to accomplish, my best and freshest men, help to reap the fame which he did end all his, and till at the last, I seemed his follower, not equal.”

“He waged me countenance as if I had been a mercenary.” Audifius spat out the last word. He fought for Volsces not for fame or ranks, for the love of the nation. He was no gold seeking mercenary but a patriotic warrior.

“So he did, my Lord; the army marveled at his conquest, and in the last of it, when he had carried Rome, and that we 

looked for no less spoil then glory….” The General cut in again. He had envisage a fortune to retire on, but then with the truce, all he would have was his old rocking chair.

“There was it. For a few drops of the women rheum, he sold the blood and labor of our great nation; therefore he shall die and I will renew in his fall.” Audifius was furious then in his blood. The war hero had fallen to a foe which only needed to shed some tears. He was no Man, but a Wo-Man beneath his skin. He then heard the sirens from the city klaxons; it was used as a warning system, and in times of peace, it was to announce good events. On that day, it called on the people of Corioli to celebrate the heroes who were in the city.

“Your native town you entered like a post; uncalled and had no welcome home; but he returns splitting the air with noise. “ The Major ever the cynical one commented on the two they were welcoming.

“And patient fools, whose children he hath slain, their base throats tear with giving him glory.” The General spat out the breakfast leftovers.

“Say no more, here are the Lords.” Audifius cautioned his men. The Lords of the city were seven of them; elderly folks all covered in the red cloak with the tall cone hat with the tailing behind them. The leader of the Lords approached Audifius. He had known the later during the last war, when he was pleading with Audifius to do better in the defense.

“Audifius, you are welcome here.” The Lord looked around him and saw the lack of crowd. “Maybe they are coming later.”

“I have not deserved it, my Lords.” Audifius replied. “Have you with heed perused what I have written to you?”

“We have.” The Lord replied. He shook his head while lowering his head. “And grieve to hear it. What faults he made before the last, I think might have found easy fines. But to end where he was to begin, and give away the benefits of our levies, and answering us with our own charge, making a treaty where there was a yielding.”

 “We admit no such excuse.” The Lord spoke out in a low tone to Audifius. The Lords were upset for the treaty was never their agreement, but Coriolanus was persuasive with his debate. The treaty with  Rome was signed with the Volsces after Coriolanus signed it with the Romans after he bulldozed the decision from the Volsces Senates.

“Here comes the devil himself.” The Lord motioned to the newly arrived hero. 

Coriolanus Act 5.4.1

Scene 5.4.1

An anxious Rome

Menenius had returned earlier with news of despairs. Since then he had rejoined the Commoners with his drinking, while the Nobles ignored him from their homes. Such were the reality of life; once a failure deemed a recluse from their views.

“Bring me that jar, lady.” Menenius called out to the lady who ran the place. She was one of his favorite of late, with her servings to his needs including the peeking down her blouse. He missed his other days, when he was invited to the ladies home; widows or divorces one being the exception and offered to stay the night. Never on the couch unless he insisted but nevertheless comforts and warmth was there. Since his return, they were translated into gold payments in return from his own vault.

“Nay, not today. You had one too many already.” The lady actually cared about him. “Another drop and you would be slobbering over my floor.”

“Slobbering? The only thing I would be doing of such would on your bosom.” Menenius replied while he tasted the last drop of his mug. He reached for his bag of gold coins, when he sighted the arrival of one name Sicinius. The later sat across him and smiled. Menenius returned the smile, and spoke up.

“She must have been worth it.” Menenius told him while he slurps his tongue over the rim of the mug.

“Nay it was not a woman I was smiling on.” Sicinius had his own share of harlots and mistresses, but since the outcome of the new war, he had been doing his tasks as Consuls which he arranged the rationing and allocation of food to the Commoners. It was born out of necessity or there would be rioting.

“See you that sign of the Capital on the yonder cornerstone?” Menenius motioned to Sicinius to look at the jar with the wording Capital Assets on the edge of the long bar. It contained his needed relief for the evening.

“Why, what of that?” Sicinius did look over and then replied. “We are more concerned on Coriolanus now your jar.”

“If it be possible for you to displace it with your little finger, there is some hope the ladies of Rome, especially his mother may prevail over him. But I will say there is none; our throats are sentenced, and stay upon execution. Now please pass me the jar.”

“Is it possible that so short a time can alter the conditions of a man?” Sicinius looked to Menenius, and the lady owner nodded. She motioned to the older man as a good example. Menenius saw the cynical gesture and moved up his defense.

“There is a differency between a grub and a butterfly; yet your butterfly was a grub.” Menenius sobered up as if he was in the Senate House. “This Marcius is grown from a man to ….dragon. He has wings; he’s more than a creeping thing.”

“Aye, he loved his mother dearly.” Sicinius added on.

“So did he me; I was his mentor.” Menenius clasped his hands to his heart. “He remembers not more of her than his eight year old pony. The tartness of his face had hardened over the years, when he walks, he moves like a tank, and the ground crushed beneath his tracks. He sits in his state like Alexander the Great. What he bids be done is finished with his bidding. He wants nothing of a god, but eternity and a heaven to throne in.”

“Mercy, you report him well.” Sicinius echoed the support. “The Gods will be good to us.”

Menenius laughed at the prayer. He then stumbled over from his seat to retrieve the jar.

“No, in such case the Gods will not be good unto us. When we banished him, we respected them not; and he returning to break our necks, they respect not us.” Menenius completed his sarcasm with a long pull at the jar contents. “Damn good wine. More if I may asked, but would you accept the credit in the neither life?”

Coriolanus Act 5.3.3 & 5.3.4

Scene 5.3.3

A son’s duty

Volumnia looked to the others; all men which some were close to her age. She saw in them some signs of sympathy for her. Those were trained army officers but inside most of them were still a Man with a family, with loved ones. She worked her sadness onto them then.

“Is there’s no man in the world more bound to his mother, yet here he lets me prate like one in the stocks. Thou hast never in thy life showed thy dear mother any courtesy, when she, poor hen, fond of no second brood, he clucked thee to the wars, and safely home laden with honor.” Volumnia searched for her son’s conscience. There were some in the hearing who shook their head. It was gaining ground for her and she went on with it.

“Say my request unjust, and spurn me back; but if it be not so, thou are not honest, and the gods will plague thee, that thou restraint from me the duty which to a mother’s part belongs.” Volumnia pleaded with her son but Coriolanus turned away. The later was feeling frustrated by her mother’s pleas and it was placing him in shame with his new found allies. He had come there to turn the tides on Rome who had forsaken him when he should had been triumphed as a hero. He knew nothing better than how to win the war but never had he ever won over his mother in her battles with him. He had lost to her out of his love for her, and sometimes out of desperation for her not to pursue the matter then. He had been obedient to her, and turned his wrath on those who served him. With those words, she had turned his allies to look at him more than a traitor but also an unworthy son.

“He turns away: down ladies; let us shame him with our knees to his surname Coriolanus who long more pride than pity to our prayers. This is the last. We will march to Rome and die among our neighbors. Come, let us go. This fellow had a Volsces to his mother; his wife is in Corioli and his child like him by chance.” Volumnia turned to leave with her last scathing words at her own son. The assembled officers stood up not in defiant or in alliance with their leader, but to side with the older lady. One of them stepped forth and offered to escort the ladies back to Rome unharmed. The others looked away as if in shame by the refusal of the son to heed his mother’s voice. Coriolanus had then cleared his seat and approached his mother. He held out his arms to her but she rejected him.

“Oh, mother, mother. What have you done? Behold the heaven do open, the Gods look down, and in his unnatural scene; they laugh at us.” Coriolanus looked with pleas of sanity to his mother. He knelt before her and cried. “Mother, I begged of thee as your son. You may have won a happy victory to Rome but for son, believe it; oh, believe it, most dangerously you have with him prevailed, it not most mortal to him.”

The last few words, he had whispered to his mother’ ears lest it be heard by others. She in turn shuddered at the thought but he held her close to him.

“Say nothing, my mother for I am always your son. As you was a daughter of Rome. We do our best for the country and its people including our mothers. It’s what we do when we swore as officers.” Coriolanus whispered on. He then pulled away to speak to Audifius. ”

Scene 5.3.4

One man’s peace is another man’s war

“Audifius, though I cannot make true the outcome of this war, I will frame ….convenient peace.” Coriolanus looked to Audifius. “Would you in my stead, would you have heard a mother less? Or granted less, Audifius?”

Audifius took a step but when he saw the looks on his officers, he stopped. He had seen those faces spoke well of their intentions. Bastards they were, all of them; crying for the bosom of their mothers. Audifius had none to recall for, but the pains of the kicks and punches. He looked at Coriolanus and sighed before he could reply. 

“I was moved.” Audifius nodded.

“I dare be sworn you were! And sir, it is no little thing to make thy eyes to sweat compassion.” Coriolanus used his hand to wipe the tears at his eyes. “Good, sir. What peace you will make, advise me. For my part, I will not to Rome, I will back with you, and pray you stand with me in this cause.”

Coriolanus approached Audifius and whispered to him.

“I am glad thou hast set thy mercy and thy honor at difference in thee.” Coriolanus patted the other back before he approached his family. They left together leaving Audifius with his officers. Those too made their ways out; tired of the war and relief of the outcome. Audifius sat there by himself, looking to the seat that was taken over by Coriolanus of late. The man he had invited with his arms into the inner sanctuary of friends, the one he had given the command of half his army yet led the whole planning of the war, the man who had brought him close to victory over his lifetime enemy, and then stopped short to declare peace. Ever since he had donned the uniform of the Volsces, it had been his dream to win over Rome. The army was his army, his father and mother was the Generals and Colonels who gave him a new life from the streets. He fought his way up the ranks by killing Romans, and won his medals with his heroic acts. He was the hero until one named Marcius came to deny him victory. They had met as enemies and with the last act it looked like they may never be real friends.

“Caius…” Audifius whispered the name out. “Do you …Do we actually knew peace?”

If Coriolanus does win over with peace treaty, even with Volsces earning its stripes with compensations, what does it do to one like him? Audifius laughed out. Peace is a sad word to him; a definition to him of training and more training with no real battles. Only training with idiots when the real thing to do was to wage war for that was the real workout. Volsces was a poor country with millions to feed and little fertile land to grow. With peace there would little they take by force when they could not afford to pay with gold. The people will suffer and then the army would be sent out to quell the unrest.

Volsces killing Volsces.

Audifius hoped then Caius Marcius would be one of them then.

“That would be truly peace to all of us when I laid my dagger into your heart.” Audifius muttered to himself. 

Coriolanus Act 5.3.2

Scene 5.3.2

A mother’s plea

Coriolanus family members were dressed in dark shades more familiar with mourning. They looked emancipated form their slump shoulders, but the older lady still walked with her back straight. They were unescorted by any men for they were left at the perimeter and only the family members allowed in. Volumnia stepped up and greeted her son.

“We came with some guards hired by Cominius; they were Volsces Mercenaries loyalty was bought by gold, but their dedication to the task was commendable. They had fought Romans and their own to ensure our safe passage. They had knowledge of your location and brought us here.” Volumnia explained. “Even among Volsces are some who are still faithful to their causes unlike one Roman I knew.”

Coriolanus was to reply when he saw his son stepped forth holding the hologram player. The young boy was dressed in a dark suit reserved for funerals. He had turned on the player and the image of Coriolanus appeared dressed in his Roman uniform.

“My father who was …”The young boy looked back to his mother at his rear and then continued. “Loyal to Rome have died. In his place, stands the betrayal of Rome who now held his name Coriolanus.”

“I…” Coriolanus was upset at the words spoken by his son. “I am …”

“The sorrows that deliver us thus changed makes us think so.” Virgilia spoke out. “We had thought you dead, Caius.”

Coriolanus slumped back in his seat. He laid his head onto his hands and then he rose up. He walked to his wife and looked at her.

“These eyes are the same I wore in Rome.” Coriolanus lowered his head before shaking it. “Like a dull actor, I have forgotten my line.”

Coriolanus hugged his wife and son before he whispered to her.

“Best of my life, forgive my tyranny, but do not asked me to forgive the Rome. Long as my exile, that is how sweet will be my revenge.” Coriolanus told her. “I carried thee, dear, and my true lip hath virgined it ever since. You Gods! I prate, and the most noble mother of the world leave un-saluted. I sink my knees in his earth.”

Coriolanus sank to his knees before his wife and son. He had found his longing for their company very much. His mother saw his ignorance of her and could not accept it. He was her son. Her son was embarrassing her in front of these strangers.

“Oh, stand up.” Volumnia told him before she knelt down. “Whilst no cushion that the flint I knell before thee, it pained my heart more to do this.”

Coriolanus immediately stood up and reached for his mother.

“Your knees to me? To your only son?” Coriolanus pulled his mother up. “I beseech you, peace! If you ask, remember this before; the things I have forsworn to grant may never be held by your denials. Do not bid me to dismiss my soldiers, or capitulate again with Rome’ mechanics…..”

“Oh, no more.” Volumnia shook her head. “You have said you will not grant us anything; for we have nothing else to ask but that which you deny already. Yet we will ask that again, if you fail in our request, the blame may hang upon your hardness, therefore hear us out.”  

Coriolanus sighed, and then he looked to his Volsces allies.

“Audifius, and all of you from Volsces, mark for we will hear nought from Rome in private.” Coriolanus moved back to his seat and then spoke. “Your request?”

Volumnia stepped ahead to cover her own daughter in law and grandson. She does not want to him grovel before them again’; never will she allowed her son to beg except to her.

“Should we be silent and not speak, our raiment and state of bodies speaks wholly for us.” Volumnia glared at her son. She blamed him for their predicament. The other Nobles had barred them from the social circles. That was unacceptable to Volumnia who needed that attention. “We have led since thy exile. Think with thyself how more unfortunate than all living woman. Are we come hither; since that thy sight, which should make our eyes flow with joy, hearts dance with comforts, constrains them weep and shake with fear and sorrow, making the mother, wife and child, to see the son, the husband and the father, tearing his country’ bowels out.”

Volumnia glared to the others. She wished to blame them all for her son’s behavior but in her heart she knew it was her fault who made what her son was that day. He was her pride too; a shadow of herself inside him.

 “Thou barred us our prayers to the Gods, which is a comfort that all but we enjoy. For how can we for our country pray, whereto we are bound, together with thy victory, whereto we are bound? We must lose the country, our comfort in the country. We must find an evident calamity which side should win; for either thou must as a foreign recreant be led with manacles through the streets, or else triumphantly tread on thy country’ ruin, and bear the palm for having shed thy wife and children’s blood. For myself, son…”

“I purpose not to wait on fortune till these wars determine if I cannot persuade thee rather to seek a noble grace to both parts than seek the end of one, thou shall no sooner march to assault thy country than to tread on thy mother’s womb, that brought thee to this world.” Volumnia spoke her mind on the purpose of her visit.

“I shall not tread on me. I will run away till I am bigger but then I will fight.” The young boy shouted from the side of his grandmother. Volumnia held her grandson while the father of the child was shocked by the outburst.

“How … No, my son, my only …son.” Coriolanus looked to his son. “You are too young to understand. I am your father.”

“You are Coriolanus the enemy of Rome. I am Caius Marcius, Junior; son of Caius Marcius. My father died in Rome.” Junior replied back and then looked to his grandmother for assurance. She nodded to the child before she looked to the leader of the Volsces.

“Junior had been the subject of taunts and ridicule by his friends. He had come home crying and found not his father. Your wife and me have been subjected to verbal abuse and discrimination by both Nobles and Commoners. Your action had weighed on us with great burden, and yet we come to seek you. Me, your wife and your son. And we brought your image to you. We came to plea to Caius Marcius, son of mine.”

The grandmother was not stopping there.

“If it that our request did tend to save the Romans, thereby destroy the Volsces whom you serve, you might condemn us, as poisonous of your honor.” The older lady looked to her son and then the Volsces. “Our suit reconciled them, the Volsces and Romans give the al-hail to thee, and cry ‘be blessed for making up this peace’. Thou should know the end of the war’ uncertain; but in this certain that if thou conquer Rome, the benefit which thou shall there by reap is such a name whose repetition will be dogged with curses; whose chronicle thus writ: ‘this man was noble, but with his last attempt he wiped it out, destroyed his country, and his name remains to the ensuing age abhorred’.”

The mother of the leader was getting agitated that her son was looking to his family. That was to her an insult to ignore her given rank in the family. She raised her voice at him.

“Speak to me, son; that has affected the fine strains of honor, to imitate the graces of the gods; thou ought to give an oak as a sign of peace. Why dost not speak?” The older lady was getting exasperated at the silent man who was her son. She turned to her daughter in law.

“It’s honorable for a noble man still to remember wrongs? Daughter, speak you; he cares not for your weeping.” Volumnia looked to her grandson who still stood by her. “Perhaps his childishness will move him more than can our reasons. But none of our words had gone through.”

Coriolanus Act 5.3.1

Scene 5.3.1

The General’s tent

“It will be done.” Coriolanus spoke up before he retired to his seat at the side of the tent. “We will be before the walls of Rome tomorrow.”

Before Coriolanus was the High Command of the Volsces army; no one were beneath the rank of Colonel and with a few of the Generals. They were all discussing their next stage of the battles. The forces were making progress with rapid insertion in the Roman lands. They had created a stalemate in the armors of the Roman when the supply lines from the flanks were cut off or destroyed. Without the essential power cells, the tanks and armored vehicles were grounded. With the armored at a standstill, the sneak attacks soon reduced them to scraps or remove the crews. With that, the war with Rome was almost coming to an end.

“You must report this to the Senators. We are ahead of schedule.” Coriolanus spoke to Audifius. “You must say how plainly I have borne this war.”

Coriolanus adjusted his seat; the high back chair was made from woods, but it lacked the design that crafted comfort into it, they left out the cushions on his. The staff had furnished the tent with the others with the low back chairs with padded cushions. The middle of the tent housed the long table covered with the maps and markers to note the army positions. Most of the Volsces markers are laid in Roman’ lands. On the sides of the tent were two tables lined with food and drinks. Audifius was seated to the left side with the Generals. He heard Coriolanus request. He put up a smile. The ex-hero of Rome was clearly a better strategist than him. What had concerned him was the old man they met outside the perimeter. Clearly, he was an old friend, and whispers had been passed between them.

“You have respect so stopped your ears from the Romans; never admitted a private whisper, not with such friends that them sure of you.” Audifius replied in a cautionary tone to Coriolanus. The later smiled on listening to Audifius.

“That old man? Whom I have sent back to Rome. He loved me indeed. Their last refuge was to send him; whose old love I have; though I showed sourly to him just then. Will I lend ear to? Ha! I will…” Coriolanus was interrupted by the shouting outside the tent. Nevertheless he raised his voice to said; “Shall I be tempted to infringe on my vow to you? Nay, I will not.”

“Shattered my thoughts those noise. Send them in whoever awaits outside.” Coriolanus called out to the guards outside. The ones led in were never was in his thoughts then. 

“Mother, Virgilia, my son?” Coriolanus stood up when he saw his family. He was enraged that Menenius would have done such an act. “I will kill the old bastard…”